The Cowboy and His Baby (17 page)

He sensed Melissa's presence before he felt her slip up to the rail beside him. He glanced down and felt the sharp tug of desire flare to life all over again, proving the very point he'd just made to himself.

She had pulled on one of his shirts, which fell to midthigh, leaving her long, slender legs revealed. She'd cuffed the sleeves halfway up her arms. The sun turned her tousled hair to strands of fire. She looked part innocent waif, part sexy siren.

“It should never have happened,” she said, meeting his gaze, her expression troubled.

“I don't—I
won't
—regret it.” He studied her intently. “You do, though, don't you?”

“Only because it complicates everything,” she said, echoing his own thoughts. “I want so badly to think clearly about all of this, to make the right choices this time. When you touch me, my brain goes on the blink. I'm all sensation and emotion and nostalgia.”

“Stay here with me tonight,” Cody blurted impulsively, suddenly wanting to seize the opportunity to force a resolution to their standoff. “Sharon Lynn will be fine with Daddy. Maritza will be there to help him look after her.”

A wistful smile played around her mouth. “Haven't you heard a word I was saying?”

“All of them. I was just thinking, though, that we're both stubborn, strong people. Surely we could sit down and discuss all of this rationally and reach a sensible conclusion.”

“Here?” she said doubtfully. “Within a few feet of that bed in there? Within a few feet of each other, for that matter?”

She was shaking her head before the last words were out of her mouth. “Forget it, Cody. It would never work. Besides, this isn't something we can resolve in a few hours or even a few days.”

He sighed heavily. “So what do we do?”

“We give it time.” Her expression turned rueful. “Preferably in very public places.”

Cody wasn't wild about her solution. Now that he'd made up his mind to make the commitment he should have made two years earlier, Melissa's insistence on a delay was exasperating. He also feared that a decision reached on cold logic alone might not work in his favor. He wanted the heat of their passion on his side.

Of course, he reminded himself, their chemistry didn't necessarily confine itself to suitable locations. It could flare up just about anywhere, anytime, with the right look, the right caress. And there was something to be said for deliberately, provocatively stirring it up, when fulfillment was absolutely out of the question.

Yes, indeed, he decided with a renewed sense of anticipation, he could make things between himself and Melissa hotter than a day in the sweltering Texas sun. He could make it his business to drive her wild.

The plan had only one drawback that he could think of—it was very likely to drive him to distraction at the same time.

“Okay, you win,” he said eventually, pleased when he noted the faint hint of disappointment in her eyes. A less diplomatic man might have reminded her to be careful what she wished for. Getting her way obviously wasn't quite as satisfying as she'd expected.

“Let's get dressed and see what's happening up at the main house,” he said, deliberately making it sound as if they'd just shared something no more personal than a handshake. “Sharon Lynn's probably awake by now. You shower first. I'll clean up the tools I left outside.”

Melissa nodded at the bland suggestion and turned toward the house with unmistakable reluctance. Cody grinned at the dejected slope of her shoulders.

“Hey, Melissa,” he called softly.

She glanced back at him over her shoulder, her expression uncertain.

“I'll be thinking about you in that shower,” he taunted. “All wet and slippery and naked.”

Color flared in her cheeks. The sparkle returned to her eyes. A pleased smile tugged at her lips as she turned and sashayed into the house with a deliberate sway of her hips.

Oh, my, yes, he thought as he watched her go. This was going to get downright fascinating.

* * *

If there was a decidedly knowing gleam in Harlan's eyes when they eventually returned to the main house, Melissa pretended to ignore it. What worried her more was that he might be getting ideas after their long absence that she and Cody had spent the time wisely and worked things out. Harlan believed strongly in family. He clearly wanted them to resolve things in a way that kept them all together. Despite what he'd said earlier about taking all the time she needed, hearing that they had not settled a thing would surely disappoint him.

“I think we'd best be getting back into town,” Melissa announced within minutes.

“What's your hurry?” Harlan asked at once. “There's plenty of room here, if you want to stay the night. I'm rattling around in this big old place all by myself. It would be a pleasure to have company.”

Melissa couldn't help thinking of another very recent invitation to stay at White Pines, one she had firmly declined. Her gaze caught Cody's and picked up on the gleam of anticipation in his eyes as he awaited her answer to his father's plea. She felt the web of Adams charm being woven snugly around her.

“No,” she said, breaking free for now. “Another time.”

She scooped up her daughter. “Time to get home, pumpkin.”

Sharon Lynn promptly tried to squirm free, holding her arms out plaintively toward her grandfather. “Da?”

“You can come to see Granddaddy again very soon,” Melissa promised, forcing herself not to see the equally wistful expression in Harlan's eyes as she refused to relinquish her daughter.

Harlan leaned down and kissed them both. “You're welcome here anytime,” he told her. “Both of you. Don't stand on ceremony. Come whenever you have some time.”

“I'll walk you out,” Cody offered, falling into step beside her. “Don't wait up for me, Daddy. I might spend some time in town tonight.”

Melissa didn't have to glance back to know that the comment had stirred a speculative glint in Harlan's eyes.

“Why did you say that?” she demanded of Cody the instant they were out of earshot of the house.

He regarded her with his most innocent look, the one only a fool would trust. “Say what?”

“That you'd be staying in town for a while?”

“Because it's true.”

“No, it's not,” she said firmly. “We did not discuss anything about you coming into town.”

“Who said I'd be with you?” he inquired, leveling a gaze straight into her eyes.

“But you said…W-who?” Melissa sputtered. “Dammit, Cody, you did that deliberately.”

“Did what?”

“Let your father assume that you intended to spend the evening, maybe the whole night, with me.”

“Is that what I said?”

“It's what you implied.”

“You sure you're not projecting your own desires onto me?”

“No, I am not,” she practically shouted, causing Sharon Lynn to begin to whimper. Melissa kissed her cheek. “Shh, baby. It's okay. Your daddy and I are just having a discussion.”

Cody chuckled. “Is that what it is? You sure do get riled up over a little discussion.”

“I am not riled up,” she insisted, keeping a tight rein on her frayed temper.

“Could have fooled me.”

“Oh, forget it,” she snapped as she put Melissa into her car seat and buckled her in. As she walked around the car, she heard the driver's door open and assumed Cody was simply being polite. Instead she found that he'd climbed in behind the wheel.

“Now what?” she asked, regarding him suspiciously.

“I thought I'd hitch a ride.”

“Why would you want to do that? It'll leave you stranded in town.”

“Oh, I'm sure I can find someone willing to bring me home,” he said, then winked. “Eventually.”

He said it in a smug way that had her grinding her teeth. “Is that a new technique you've learned for luring ladies out to your place?” she inquired testily. “You claim to need a ride home?”

“Let's just say I'm trying it out tonight.”

“And what if no one responds to your plight?”

“Oh, I don't think there's much chance of that,” he said confidently. He shrugged. “If it does, I'm sure you'd be willing to take me in for the night.”

“When pigs learn to fly,” she retorted, irritated beyond belief that mere hours after they'd made love he was going on the prowl again. “Get out, Cody.”

“I don't think so.”

“Cody Adams, do not make me march back into that house so I can borrow a shotgun from Harlan.”

He chuckled. “I'm not real worried about that, darlin'. You'd never shoot a man in plain view of his daughter.”

He was right, of course. But, lordy, how she was tempted. “Oh, for heaven's sake,” she muttered, flinging open the back door. “If you want to behave like a horse's behind, go right ahead.”

“Thank you,” he said, and turned the key in the ignition.

Cody was the kind of driver who liked to tempt fate. Melissa clung to the door handle, while Sharon Lynn squealed with excitement as they sped around curves. She knew they were perfectly safe. Cody never tried anything unless he was confident of his control of the road, the car, or the situation. In fact, she suspected that was exactly the point he was trying to make.

Even so, she was pale by the time he finally pulled to a stop in front of Rosa's Mexican Café. She was faintly puzzled by his choice. It was hardly a singles hangout.

“This is where you intend to spend your night on the town?”

He shrugged. “I thought we could grab a bite to eat first.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, regarding him skeptically.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“Not really, I suppose, but you could have asked.”

“I just did.”

“Funny, it didn't sound much like a question to me. Maybe I already have plans for the night.”

His expression turned dark. “Do you?” he demanded, his voice tight.

She let him wonder for the space of a heartbeat, then shrugged. “No, but I could have.”

“Melissa, I swear…”

“Tsk-tsk,” she warned, enjoying turning the tables on him, albeit briefly. “Not in front of the baby.”

He scowled at her, scooped Sharon Lynn out of her car seat and headed inside, leaving Melissa to make up her own mind about whether to join them or remain in the car and quibble over semantics. Sighing over this latest test of her patience, she reluctantly followed him inside.

On a Saturday night, Rosa's was crowded with families. Melissa spotted Jordan and Kelly with their kids right off. Cody apparently did not, because he was making a beeline for an empty table on the opposite side of the restaurant. He picked up a booster seat en route and was already putting Sharon Lynn into it by the time Melissa joined him.

“Didn't you see Jordan and Kelly?” she asked. “They were trying to wave us over. There's room at their table.”

“I saw them,” Cody said tersely.

Melissa studied the set of his jaw. “Okay, what's wrong?”

“I do not intend to spend the evening with my brother,” he said. “If you can call him that.”

“Cody,” she protested. “Why would you even say something like that?”

He frowned at her. “Because he knew about Sharon Lynn and he didn't tell me.”

Melissa flinched as if he'd struck her. “Because I swore him to secrecy,” she reminded him. She didn't want this family split on her conscience.

“He should have told me,” Cody repeated, his stubbornness kicking in with a vengeance.

Melissa regarded him with a mix of frustration and dismay. The last thing she had ever wanted was to cause a rift between the two brothers. Uncertain what she could do to mend it, she turned and walked away. Cody was on her heels in a flash.

“Where are you going?” he asked suspiciously, latching onto her elbow.

“To the ladies' room,” she said.

“Oh.” He released her at once. “Sorry.”

Melissa rolled her eyes and continued on to the back, praying that Kelly would spot her and join her.

She was combing her hair when Jordan's wife came into the rest room. “What are we going to do about them?” Melissa asked at once.

“It's not Jordan,” Kelly said. “He feels terrible about what happened. He doesn't blame Cody for being furious.”

“Okay, then, how do I get through to Cody? It's my fault. I've told him that, but he says Jordan should have ignored my wishes.”

“He probably should have,” Kelly concurred. “I could have told Cody myself and I didn't. There's enough blame to go around. The point now is to make things right. I wanted it settled before the baptism tomorrow so that Cody could be J.J.'s godfather. But until this is resolved, Jordan and I have decided to
postpone the ceremony. It was only going to be a small family gathering anyway.”

“Maybe if Jordan made the first move,” Melissa suggested.

Kelly shook her head. “It wouldn't work. This is Cody's call, I'm afraid. The trouble is, we're dealing with the stubborn Adams men here.”

“Can you all stick around?” Melissa asked. “I'll think of something.”

“Sure,” Kelly agreed. “Our dinner's just now being served anyway. I can't imagine what you can do, but let me know if you think I can help.” She paused on her way to the door. “By the way, it's good to see the two of you together again. How are things going?”

“Don't ask,” Melissa said.

Kelly grinned. “That good, huh? Does that mean you haven't signed up at the Neiman-Marcus bridal registry yet?”

“No, and I wouldn't be holding my breath for that if I were you. I am not inclined to marry a man who is as thoroughly, unrepentantly, exasperating as Cody is.”

“Interesting,” Kelly murmured, a knowing twinkle in her eyes.

“Don't start with me. I've just been subjected to Harlan's knowing looks for the past few hours.”