Second Chance Cowboy (19 page)

Burying her fingers through his thick
hair, Carly’s eyes misted with unshed tears as she gazed at her
husband with complete love. “I wish Father could be here to offer
advice and see his grandchild. He would be so happy,” she said
through a sob.

“
Yes, he would be. Wow, a
baby.”

“
A baby,” she repeated in
an astonished tone.

Carrying a child opened a new chapter
of their lives.

Chapter
Seventeen

THE RAIN PELTED down in marble-sized
droplets. Carly raced from her car up the stone pathway. Stepping
onto the covered porch of the McAllister, she swiped a hand over
her sopping hair and face, and wrung out the hem of her
shirt.

Chilled to the bone, her clothes were
drenched. The temperature had dropped by at least twenty degrees
since she left the Swift Wind. Goose bumps popped out over every
inch of her body and her bottom lip quivered.

Carly reached for the front door and a
solid thud caught her attention. Lightning shot through the sky,
illuminating the silhouette of a man standing by the
railing.

Focusing, she slanted her gaze. The
shadow moved from the corner toward her. The dim light from the
overhead globe caught his face in its glow. She sucked in a sharp
breath as realization washed over her. She dropped her hand from
the door handle and grew still.

The fired ranch hand who broke her
potted Hosta plant stood ten feet from her. His dangerous, cold
eyes glistened from the flash of lightning that lit the
sky.

What was he doing at the
McAllister?

“
Martin Kincaid, right?”
she asked.

He took a step toward her. His long
damp hair clung to his head in clumps, and several days stubble
covered his chin. His hands were held in tight fists at his
sides.

She wondered how he’d gotten through
the locked gate. She shot a look over her shoulder toward the
drive. It was too dark to see now, but she knew there was no
vehicle in the driveway.

“
You remember me.” He moved
quickly across the remaining stretch of distance between them, the
boards creaked underneath the weight of his boots. Within inches of
her, a smile spread over his boyish features, but didn’t soften his
angry eyes. “I thought you had forgotten.”

Uneasiness crept up her spine. What
did he mean?

She hoped he didn’t think he could
persuade her into convincing Chance to hire him back.

“
You shouldn’t be here.”
She started for the door again, but he snatched her wrist with a
cold hand. His fingers were razor sharp. She flung around on him.
Irritation and alarm escalated inside her. “Excuse me?”

“
Don’t be startled. I
waited for the right time, when Chance wasn’t around, so we could
meet. Just like before.”

She tried jerking away, but his
viselike grip held her. When she tugged again, he sniffed loudly
and loosened his clutch. Carly broke free and touched the sore
flesh.

“
You have five seconds to
get the hell off my property before I call the police.” She reached
into her purse and withdrew her cellphone for good measure. Too bad
it didn’t work. Her only option was to call from the landline, that
is if she could get into the house.

He snorted. “And tell them what? That
your lover came for a visit?”

She gasped and he tilted his head,
grinning widely. He appeared to get off on her
bewilderment.

“
I wonder what Chance would
say if he knew you were slipping out of his bed to slide into
mine.”

The breath swooshed from Carly’s
chest. Dizziness washed over her at his words.

Looking up into his dark eyes, she
shivered. Cold, heartless orbs stared at her.

“
He’d have a lot to say
after he wiped that disgusting smirk off your face. If you’re here
to find a way back into the Swift Wind, you’ve slithered up to the
wrong doorstep.”

He touched her cheek and she slapped
his hand away. “Oh baby, how can you treat me this way? I thought
what we had was perfect. At least, that’s what you always said our
relationship was.”

Carly took a quick step back. What
drugs and alcohol had this lunatic taken? “I don’t know what game
you’re playing. I have never, and
would never
, sleep with a
man like you.” Nausea rippled through her. “Time is
up...”

Pushing her key into the lock, she
froze when he stepped behind her, pulling her body hard against
his. He buried his face into her neck. When he spoke, she could
smell the sickening stench of sour whiskey on his
breath.

“
I’ll forgive you for
saying such a hurtful thing. After all, you bumped your head and
lost the best memories.” He reached and clumsily grabbed one
breast, flicking her nipple through the damp shirt with the tip of
his thumb.

“
Your body betrays your
mouth, Carly. What does your pussy say?” He dropped a hand to the
crotch of her jeans and squeezed.

Bile rose in Carly’s throat. She
twisted her thigh and forced his hand away.

She wasn’t sure what the foolish man
thought he’d gain in showing up here and bullying her into
believing his insanity. He was lying—of course. He had picked the
wrong girl to con.

Turning around, she said in a smooth
tone, “Best memories, huh? This certainly will be one of my
best.”

A cunning smile curved his mouth. A
second later, the smile thinned and his eyes widened to the size of
plums when her knee landed hard into his crotch.

He bent at the waist, cupping his
wounded body part. His deep moan sliced through the night like the
crack of a pistol. “You bitch! You fucking bitch!”

“
Get off my property,” she
said through clenched teeth.

“
I’m going to tell Chance
everything, you little slut.” His words were barely a whisper while
he grasped his zipper. “You have no idea who you are messing with.”
He forced his words through tight lips and spittle flew out of his
mouth. “I’m going to turn your world upside down if you don’t give
me what I’m after.”

“
It’d take more than a
sleazy con artist like you to convince my husband of anything. He
knows I’d never stoop so low to look your way, let alone touch
you.” She shook her head, looking upon his pained expression in
satisfaction.

She hurried, putting the key in the
lock, but she didn’t get far as his next words made her stop and
listen.

“
How many people know about
the birthmark?”

Her spine stiffened, but she didn’t
give him the benefit of looking back.

“
Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
He finally managed to straighten. “How else would I know unless I
saw it for myself?”

Carly rushed through the door, slammed
it shut and bolted it. She sat on the floor and cried. No way could
he be telling the truth. She’d never sink so low,
never
.

True, she had lost memories, but she
loved Chance and would never have an affair.

How could he know she had the red
birthmark on her inner right thigh?

How could he have known?

No one knew about the mark except for
her parents and Chance.

There was a reason, a logical one,
besides the outrageous idea that she slept with him.

The man was a snake, a con artist, up
to no good.

Did he want money?

If he did, she believed she hadn’t
seen the last of him.

Grabbing the nearest phone from the
desk in her father’s office, Carly dialed a familiar number. When
answered, she said in a rushed voice, “I need to schedule an
appointment with Dr. Maxwell. It’s an emergency.”

Chapter
Eighteen

CHANCE THREW THE last bale of hay onto
the tall stack against the wall and stopped long enough to shoot a
tense look at Leslie across the shadows of the barn.

She looked at him in apprehension and
hooked her thumbs into her front pockets.

The horses interrupted the silence
with soft nickers and growls.

Leslie had asked if she could speak to
him. With hesitation, Chance agreed. He certainly sensed a sliver
of guilt when it came to the situation. However, Leslie knew better
than anyone that Carly never left his heart.

Leslie’s shoulders relaxed. “Why are
you avoiding me?”

He stopped working, threw off his
gloves, and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Duke explained the
situation to you—”

She threw up a slender hand to stop
his words. “Duke shouldn’t have to explain anything to me.” Her
aqua-colored pupils grew dark green.

“
You’re right. I should
have called.”

“
After everything, I’m not
angry. I knew from the very start that you were using me for the
ears attached to my body. You needed someone you could talk to. I
hoped that eventually you’d be noticing other parts of my anatomy.
But I guess in truth, I just needed someone to listen
also.”

No one could accuse her of beating
around the bush or mincing words. He certainly had noticed her
physical features a time or two, yet it’d never gone further than
looking.

He couldn’t help but give her the
complete truth in return. “I’ve always loved Carly and I always
will.”

The smile on her lips didn’t quite
reach her eyes. “She’s one lucky girl. I hope she realizes that,”
she stated with a quick shake of her head. “I guess I held on to a
wish that you’d tell me this crazy scenario with her is only
temporary. After she got her memory back, she’d be out the door and
I’d be invited back.” She smirked. “Now that I said it aloud I
realize how foolish it sounds.”

“
I’ll never stop loving
her. She will always be the one for me.” He hated seeing the hurt
on Leslie’s face, but this wasn’t the time to start lying to
her.

“
We both have been hurt and
I think that’s what drew us together. The pain and disappointment
of the past.” Leslie lowered her eyes and scuffed the toe of her
boot across the hay-strewn floor. “I think under the circumstances
it’s best I don’t come back here, or the McAllister for that
matter. Will you tell Carly?”

“
I will.”

A deep sense of relief mixed with
remorse washed over Chance. He hated losing Leslie as a vet. She
was a damn good one, but he knew he had no other choice. He could
find another vet.

When he thought she’d be on her lovely
way, Leslie surprised him by striding across the dirt floor and
planting an unexpected kiss on his cheek, whispering, “Take care of
yourself, my friend.” Chance didn’t respond, and that should have
been the end of it.

But it wasn’t.

Chance heard the gasp and his heart
slammed against his chest.
Oh hell!

He glanced past Leslie and straight
into the heated, narrowed gaze of Carly.

Chance responded without hesitation.
He brushed past Leslie and darted toward Carly who marched up the
grassy knoll toward the house.

Chance caught up to her, grabbed her
shoulder gently and pulled her back. “Carly, wait. It’s not what
you think.”

She twisted around and looked at him
in revulsion. “Not what I think?
Unbelievable.
Do you think
I’ve lost my eyesight along with parts of my memory? I saw her
kissing you, Chance. I’m not up on the modern system of ranching,
but when did kissing become a benefit of an employee?”

“
Damn, Carly, I don’t kiss
anyone but you.”

“
I knew there was a reason
why you didn’t tell me you hired her. I should have known the
second you called her by her first name you were up to something.”
She continued toward the house at a faster pace.

“
Leslie and I are only
friends,” he said.

She stomped a few steps, but stopped
abruptly. He saw tears filling her eyes. She spoke through a thick
sob. “Chance, why is it that even after seeing that—” She aimed a
finger toward the barn. “I still want to believe there’s a viable
excuse? I believe what you’re telling me. I have no doubt that
you’ve been loyal to me.”

“
You’re right, Carly. I’ve
been loyal to you all along.” Damn, she had to believe
him.

She swiped at her face with the back
of her sleeve. “I know that something hasn’t been right since my
accident. You’ve been keeping something from me. Hell, everyone’s
been keeping something from me. Am I losing my mind?”

“
No, you’re not losing your
mind.”

She looked at him through a veil of
wet lashes. “There’s something terribly wrong, isn’t
there?”

“
Yes. Let’s go into the
house and I’ll explain everything.” He reached for her hand and she
pulled away.

“
No, Chance. Tell me here,
tell me now,” she demanded.

To make circumstances worse, the sky
opened up and let loose another downpour.

Chance slammed a hand through his now
sopping wet hair. “You fell down the stairs and suffered from
amnesia. Dr. Maxwell said it’s the type where recent memories are
wiped clean, but the past is still intact.” He realized she knew
this part. She still listened so he continued. “You awoke from the
accident thinking this is four years ago.”