Second Chance Rancher (9 page)

Sam stood. “Again, I object, Your Honor. There isn't any proof to that statement.”

The judge nodded and looked at Hannett. “I'd like to hear your proof for that statement.”

“Yes, Your Honor. There were drugs found at the Rawlins residence.”

* * *

L
AUREL
WATCHED
AS
Addy sat up in her bed and talked on the phone. “Yes, Daddy, I've been good for Laurel. Guess what? We went to Mimi and Pops's house for supper. I got to ride on Dandelion, but everybody calls her Dandi. She's a pony that Pops got for baby Christopher.” She giggled. “He's not born, so Pops and Papa Gus said I could ride him. Is that all right?”

The little girl listened. “Yes, Daddy. Laurel walked right by my side and I wore a helmet. She won't let anything happen to me.” She listened to her father, then said, “I love you, too. 'Bye.” With a big grin, Addy held out the phone. “Daddy wants to talk to you.”

Laurel took the phone, anxious to hear what Kase had to say about today. Holding the phone in her hand, Laurel said, “You choose the book you want me to read, and I'll be right back.” With the girl's nod, Laurel walked into the hall. “Kase?”

“Hi, Laurel. Damn, it's good to hear your voice.”

“It's good to hear yours, too. Rough day?”

“Not the best, but I didn't expect anything less from Ben. He's accusing me of possessing drugs. The only thing that is in my favor is the fact that he entered my house illegally.”

Laurel glanced over her shoulder to check on Addy. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Could the drugs have been Johanna's?”

“More than likely, or maybe Ben planted them.”

“My God, would he go that far to get Addy?”

“After today, I'm not putting anything past him.”

“Maybe he wants Addy for appearance's sake, or the fact that they weren't the best parents to their daughter?”

“If he wants to be a better grandparent, why would he take a child from her father?” Laurel could hear the pain in his voice. “There's something more he wants, Laurel, and I need to find out what it is before I lose my child. Ben even suggested he and Judith would be better parents to Addy because they have a traditional marriage. That Addy needs the lifestyle that she's been used to.”

“You being single shouldn't be an issue. Oh, Kase, I'm so sorry. I wish I could do more.”

“You're doing more than you know.” He hesitated, then said, “I wish...I was there with Addy...with you.”

She swallowed, not wanting to hope. “Pretend I'm sending you a big hug.”

“I keep remembering kissing you.”

“Kase, you shouldn't be thinking about anything but your daughter.”

“You're right. Thank you for being so wonderful with Addy. She needs that now.”

Laurel closed her eyes. “You don't have to thank me. She's been a joy.” And she was getting too attached to both of them. “Look, Kase. Addy's ready for her story, then I need to get her settled for the night.”

“Of course. I'll call tomorrow.”

“Goodbye, Kase.” Laurel ended the call and sank against the wall. Her heart ached for the man. But she couldn't dream about his kisses, or the way her heart soared when he looked at her. She wasn't a teenager anymore.

If things went bad at the custody hearing, Kase wouldn't have any choice but to move back to Denver to be able to see his daughter.

Laurel's life was here. She had debts to pay and a business to run. If she let herself start dreaming about Kase, she might get hurt again. She had to protect herself, but that wasn't an option anymore. She looked down at the beautiful child surrounded by her dolls in the bed. She smiled. It seemed she'd already fallen in love with both father and daughter.

Chapter Nine

Late the next night, Kase climbed out of his SUV and stretched to get the kinks out. He was weary from the long drive from Denver, but more so from the past two grueling days in front of the judge. Still, nothing had been settled completely.

Worse, he'd been ordered to bring Addy to Denver so she could spend some time with her grandparents. Judge Steffen felt the child had been ripped from their lives so suddenly that he wanted to see some interaction between the three.

Kase hated that his daughter had to go through this, but since Addy's nanny, Mary Beth, would be there to supervise the situation, he didn't fight it, not that it would do him any good. That hadn't stopped his concerns, not only for Addy, but also about the fairness of this case. It was definitely going the Chappells' way. He had to do something to change that.

Right now, he needed sleep. He pulled his suitcase out of the back of his car when he noticed a light in the barn. Had Laurel forgotten to turn it off, or was she out there? He hoped the latter because he needed to see a friendly face. He left his bag in the gravel driveway and walked toward the double doors.

Inside, he heard the soft sound of the radio and the Garth Brooks song “The Dance.” Then he heard a soft, sexy female voice singing along. He walked down the aisle and found Laurel in Honor's stall, brushing her down. The mare loved the attention and the company.

Kase leaned against the post and just enjoyed the view. Laurel's hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, and she was in her standard jeans, boots and a black Henley shirt. She looked so appealing. He wanted nothing more than to touch her, hold her against him, absorbing the feel of her soft body.

There was something about her freshness and innocence that drew him, making him wish he could turn back the clock.

He'd made many mistakes during his years in Denver. Now he hoped to keep Addy from being exposed to that frivolous lifestyle. He didn't want his daughter to be raised like her mother. She needed to learn what was important, to earn her place in life, not have everything handed to her. The most important thing, he wanted her to feel loved. Laurel could teach her those things.

He wanted to feel those things, too.

The woman in question finally looked up from her task, and her eyes widened. “Kase!” She set her brush down, rushed out of the stall and nearly jumped into his arms.

He didn't question her actions but reveled in the pleasure of having her body pressed against him. He inhaled her scent, with a little horse mixed in. The combination was more erotic then he ever could imagine. He released a breath beside her ear and felt her shiver.

Finally she pulled back. “Sorry, I didn't mean to attack you the minute you got here.”

He kept his arms around her. He wanted to keep her close. “I rather enjoyed the way you said ‘welcome home.'” He liked it a lot.

Her gaze searched his face. “You look tired. You should go up to the house and get some sleep.”

“In a minute. I like where I am right now. You're a breath of fresh air.”

She smiled and his heart did a flip. “I wouldn't say that. I've been around horses all day.”

“And a four-year-old. How is Addy?”

“She's been wonderful.” Laurel's smile grew brighter. “I put her to bed about an hour ago. She said a prayer for you and went right to sleep. But I bet she'd love it if you went in and kissed her good-night.”

He caught her hands in his. “How about you, Laurel? Would you like me to kiss you, too? But instead of good-night, how about a hello kiss?”

Laurel's eyes rounded and for a second he thought she might pull away. He was surprised as hell when she gave him a slow nod. “I'd like that.”

“Oh, baby, I'd like that, too.” He lowered his head and brushed his mouth over hers. She sucked in a breath and he repeated the action, loving her breathy reaction. “I've been thinking about this since I left you early yesterday.” His lips caressed hers, gently nibbling, and he was rewarded with her soft moan.

“Oh, Kase...”

That did it. He lowered his head and captured her mouth. He gently ran his tongue over her lips, and when she opened, he slipped inside to taste her.

As the kiss turned bolder, she moved her hands up his chest and looped them around his neck, her body pressed against him, enticing him, testing his will.

He tore his mouth away and kissed her jaw, then he reached her ear. “Damn, woman,” he breathed, feeling her shudder. “What are you doing to me?”

She looked up at him with those incredible green eyes. “Welcoming you home.”

With a groan, he went back for another kiss, then another. Suddenly he felt a nudge against his back, then a loud nickering sound. “What the hell?” Kase pulled away and found Honor was behind him.

He couldn't help but laugh as he reached for the bridle and began stroking the horse. “Sorry, girl, were we ignoring you?”

“Oh, Kase, I'm sorry. I should have closed her gate.”

“I might have distracted you.” Kase petted the mare, and she ate up the attention. “I think she was tired of being ignored.”

He walked the horse back to her stall, needing the time to cool down. As much as he wanted Laurel, he knew neither one of them was ready to go the next step. Not until he got Addy's custody issue resolved, and then he'd see if Laurel could forgive him for his past mistakes.

Ten minutes later, the horses settled and the barn quiet, they walked up to the house together. After grabbing his bag, Kase put his other arm around Laurel's shoulders. He wanted her close.

“Do you ever think about...if years ago I hadn't been such a jerk, what would have happened between us?”

“No.” She tried to pull away, but he continued toward the back porch.

“Please, talk to me, Laurel,” he urged.

Laurel fought the urge to run. She didn't want to spoil their time together. “You've got to be tired, Kase. We can do this another time.”

“Most of our time is with Addy. Please, Laurel.” He sat down on the porch steps and tugged on her arm, hoping she would join him. “It's been between us since that first day we saw each other in the corral, and I don't want it to be there any longer.”

She finally sat down. “I don't know what there is to say, Kase. It's been ten years.”

“Okay, I'll say it. I was an arrogant kid who thought he knew everything. I didn't care who I hurt, my dad or you.”

She felt tears burning her eyes. “Yeah, you hurt me. I was a teenage girl in love. That last weekend you were home from college, I thought I did something bad, especially since...”

“Since we had sex,” he finished for her.

She nodded. She hadn't given in to their passion while they were both in high school. “When you went off to college, I felt you slipping away from me.” His hand took hers. “I thought if I gave you what you wanted, it would keep you close to me.”

“Then weeks later back at school, I told you I didn't want us to be a couple anymore.”

She released a shaky breath and nodded. Why did it still hurt so much? “I was eighteen, and you were my life.”

“I'm sorry, Laurel.” He squeezed her hand. “Will you let me tell you something?”

The spring evening was cool and she felt a shiver go through her. She stole a glance at him in the night shadows. He wasn't looking at her, but off into the distance.

“I was nineteen, and all I wanted was to leave this small town. The last thing I wanted was to be a rancher. My feelings for you were the one thing that could keep me from my dream.”

“But I'd never do that,” she insisted. She wanted him to have everything he desired.

“I know, but you still distracted me, and I needed all my focus on college. You'll never know how hard it was to give you up, especially after we made love that day.” He cradled her hand in both of his. “It was my first time, too.”

She knew that and cherished that memory.

“We kind of fumbled through the learning process together.” He sighed as if remembering. “That day meant a lot to me.”

“I'm glad,” she told him honestly.

“What I want you to know is that I didn't want to break up with you. But after I got back to college, I realized that if I wanted to maintain my grades, I couldn't keep coming home every weekend.” His thumb rubbed gently against her palm. “We were both too young to be serious. I thought I did the right thing.”

“I know that now,” she told him. “And you probably tried to tell me that back then, I just wouldn't listen.” She released a long breath. “But that didn't help my hurt.”

The long silence was deafening, then Kase said, “Whether you believe me or not, I wanted to call you so many times. I wanted to tell you I made a mistake and beg you to take me back.” His gaze met hers. “I missed you so damn much, Laurel.”

She would have taken him back in a second. She looked away. “No, you were right, you would have never finished school, let alone law school. You have to be proud of what you accomplished.”

Kase shrugged. “Some things, yes. I thought that making a lot of money meant success. By the time I realized I was wrong, I couldn't lose the biggest joy in my life, Addy. Ben's playing hardball, Laurel, and he might take her from me.”

Laurel squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. “He won't, Kase. We'll do whatever it takes. You're a good father, and no one will separate you from your daughter.” She prayed to God she spoke the truth.

“I love your optimism.” He brushed a kiss across her mouth, then stood and tugged at her hand. “Come on, let's go to bed.”

She froze, then realized she would love nothing more than to accept his invitation. Together they walked through the quiet house. Gus was in his room downstairs, watching television. Kase stopped by to say good-night. They talked a few minutes, then he closed the door and came back to her.

They climbed the stairs in silence until they reached the second floor and came to Addy's room. Kase opened the door and was met with a soft glow from the night-light, illuminating his way to the bed where his daughter slept.

He sat down on the mattress and leaned over to kiss her. “Good night, sweetheart,” he whispered as Laurel watched from the doorway.

“Daddy...” The child's sleepy voice was hoarse. “You came home.”

“Of course I did. I'd never leave my little girl.”

Laurel blinked back tears watching Kase cradle his daughter in his arms.
No, Ben Chappell, you're not separating these two.
Somehow, a judge had to see they belonged together.

Kase stood and came to the door. “'Night, Addy. Go back to sleep and I'll see you in the morning.”

He quietly closed the door and turned to Laurel. “Thank you for taking such great care of my daughter.”

“There's no thanks needed. Addy is a joy. We had a wonderful time.”

He reached for her and wrapped her in his arms. “She still had to be a handful.” He yawned. “I'm sorry, it's just I'm dead on my feet.”

“Then go to bed.” Suddenly Laurel felt awkward. “Let me just get my things out of your room. I thought I should be close to Addy, so I slept next door. I should head home.” She started to walk away, but he pulled her back.

“It's too late to leave, Laurel. I'll sleep in Dad's room.” He nodded toward the empty master bedroom. A smile appeared across his face. “I like knowing you were in my bed. Even if I can't be there with you.” He leaned down and kissed her long and deep, then when he finally broke it off, she gasped for air. “Good night, Laurel.” He turned and walked away.

She sagged against the wall, biting her lip to keep from calling him back. Once she was somewhat recovered from Kase's loving assault, she managed to get to her bedroom and close the door. If she continued to be involved in Kase's life, it wouldn't be long before something happened between them. Was she ready for that? Was she ready to possibly get her heart broken? She thought about Kase's custody hearing, knowing he could leave her and go back to Denver. If he asked her to go with them, would she go, too? That was the big question.

* * *

T
HE
NEXT
MORNING
at the breakfast table, Kase watched Laurel and Addy together. Their interaction made his heart swell. His daughter had come a long way in the past few months, especially since having Laurel in her life. After his confession last night, he wasn't so sure he was worthy of her.
Whoa, don't get ahead of yourself.
He needed to get through this court hearing first, and the request from the judge.

He couldn't hold off any longer. “Addy, I need to talk to you about something.”

He glanced at his father, then at Laurel before his attention went back to the tiny four-year-old. “I have to go back to Denver.”

Addy's smile disappeared. “No, I want you to stay here. Papa Gus can walk again, and he's going to watch me ride the pony. You promised you would, too.”

He hated that he had to do this to her. “And I will, honey, but remember I told you that Grandpa Ben and Grandma Judith miss you.” He knew that was a lie. “They want you to come visit them.”

Addy's blue eyes rounded. “Are you going to give me back?”

Kase felt his chest tighten. Oh, God. How could she even think that? Kase stood and pulled his daughter into his arms, then sat back down in his chair. “Oh, no, sweetheart. I'm never giving you back.” He hugged her small body, his voice rough with emotion. “I love you very much and that will never change. And no one is ever taking you away from me.”

“I love you, too, Daddy.” She looked up at him as tears filled her eyes. “I don't want to leave you, or Papa Gus, or Laurel.”

This was the part that tore at him. “When I go back to Denver at the end of the week, you need to come with me to see your grandparents.” He rushed on to say, “Mary Beth will be there, too, so you can spend the night with them.” He knew she liked her nanny.