Wild Rekindled Love (7 page)

She hissed as the liquid hit her heated skin. “That hurts.”

“It’s the best thing for a burn. It’ll feel better in a minute.”

Never mind the fact that his touch is heating up the rest of my body to a boiling temperature.

Capturing her lips between her teeth, she swallowed hard and shifted her glance to his profile for a second. He focused on her hand so she had a chance to study him. Lashes any woman would kill for covered his amazing eyes. The color had always fascinated her from the first moment they’d locked gazes. The bump over the bridge of his nose hadn’t been there before and his face seemed slimmer now than it had been at twenty. His lips still held the same fullness and promise of passion. Whiskers shadowed his jaw and a tick appeared when he clenched his teeth.

“Stop looking at me like that, Jamie,” he whispered without looking at her.

“Like what?” she murmured.

“Mmm…let’s see.” He turned slightly and lifted his face, locking his gaze with hers. “Like you want a repeat of last night.”

“Maybe I do.”

He inhaled sharply and let go of her hand. “You’ve turned into a real tease.”

“I’m not…” Her words were cut off as they heard Samantha yell from upstairs. “I’ll be right there, baby.” She dried off her hand, before she turned to head back toward the living room and the stairs. Once she reached the bottom, she wasn’t surprised to see Wyatt right behind her.

“I think I can handle this, Wyatt. I have been taking pretty good care of her for the last nine years.”

“Only because you wouldn’t allow me to.”

With hands on her hips and legs planted apart, she grumbled, “You knew where we were. It’s not like I’ve moved.”

His eyes narrowed into agitated slits. “You aren’t pinning this whole thing on me. You forced me out of your life. I didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter, if I remember correctly.”

“It doesn’t matter right now.
My
daughter needs me.”

She took two steps up as she heard behind her, “
Our
daughter needs
us.
” Sighing heavily, she continued up the stairs until she reached Samantha’s bedroom and knocked softly. She pushed open the door and found her daughter sitting up in the bed.

The turquoise blue eyes lit up when they rested on the man behind her. “Wyatt!”

“Hi, pumpkin.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you again since you weren’t feeling too well last night.” He moved to the side of the bed and took a seat next to her before he put his hand on her forehead. “Your fever is better, I see.”

“I feel a lot better today.”

“Good.”

Twin sets of blue eyes pinned Jamie where she stood as Samantha said, “Mom? I want to get up.”

“I think you need to stay there today.”

“But, I feel fine now and I want to show Brandy to Wyatt.”

“Brandy?” he asked, shooting Jamie a glance.

“Her mare. The one she fell off of the other day at the rodeo.”

His gaze swung back to the little girl. “What were you doing that you fell off? I never got a chance to ask you at the hospital the other day.”

“I ride barrels.”

“Really? Are you any good?”

Samantha’s shoulders pulled back smugly. “Yeah. I’m number two in the area right now.”

“Number two, huh?” He smiled proudly as his eyes twinkled.

Samantha frowned. “Yeah. Olivia Aslin is number one, but I’ll get by her before the end of the season. How long do I have to wear this thing?” She lifted her still splinted arm.

“Probably about six weeks at least.”

“Can I ride with it?”

“You’ll have to ask the other doctor that, but my guess is no.”

“But, Mom?”

Jamie answered, “We’ll have to ask the doctor, baby. If he says no, then it’s no. I imagine Wyatt knows what he’s talking about since he’s a doctor, too.”

Samantha stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest as another frown pulled down the corners of her mouth. “Can’t you talk to him, Wyatt? If I have to stay in this thing and not be able to ride, I’ll lose for sure.”

“Well don’t jump to conclusions until you talk to him and he can see the pictures I had taken the other day, okay?”

“All right. I guess I don’t have much choice, huh.”

A soft chuckle left his lips. “Not really, pumpkin.”

“I don’t want to stay in this bed though, Mom. Can’t I get up? Plleeease?” Jamie could rarely tell her daughter no, especially when she pinned her with the eyes that were so much like her father’s.

“All right.”

“Yes!” Samantha flipped the covers back and jumped from the bed in one swift motion.

“But, you aren’t doing anything heavy today. And you aren’t going to Ashley’s.”

“But…”

Jamie folded her arms across her chest. “No buts young lady. It’s all or nothing.”

“Okay.” Samantha hugged her and Jamie wrapped her arms around her daughter as her eyes met Wyatt’s over the little girl’s head. Samantha pulled out of her arms and looked up at her. “Can I show Wyatt, Brandy?”

“I guess that would be okay.”

Samantha flashed a dimpled smile at Wyatt before she grabbed her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

“She’s a hand full.” Wyatt’s amused smile rippled across his face.

“No. Really? How did you guess?”

“Like her mother.”

Jamie cocked an eyebrow at the man sitting on the side of the bed, but kept her mouth shut. She didn’t want to get into a big discussion with him right now. Samantha might hear something Jamie wasn’t ready for her to know.

A moment later, the bathroom panel burst open and Samantha rushed out, dressed and ready. She grabbed Wyatt’s hand when she reached his side and pulled him to his feet. “Come on.”

Jamie watched as the two of them disappeared. Rubbing her temples for a moment, she felt the beginnings of a headache, and she sighed heavily before she moved to follow.

* * * *

Sunlight reflected brightly off the metal siding on the barn as Wyatt allowed Samantha to lead him outside.

“She’s in the stall in the barn.”

“Well, let’s have a look then. I’m sure she beautiful.”

Samantha flashed her dimples at him and he almost forgot to breath.
They are so much like Jamie’s, it hurts to see them.

“You okay?” she asked with a frown.

Shaking his head for a second to clear his thoughts, he said, “I’m fine, pumpkin. You just look so much like your mom when you smile.”

She shrugged. “I’m cursed with the Wilder dimples.”

“They aren’t a curse. Trust me. You’ll be wrapping boys around your little finger in no time with those things.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Do you like mom’s?” she asked when they reached the barn.

“That’s not a fair question, young lady.”

“Why not? I know you like her.”

“Do you.”

Eyes rolled and she said, “It’s obvious, Wyatt. You can’t keep your eyes off her when you are in the same room. I don’t know why you don’t just date her.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to date me.”

She giggled when they approached the stall where a pretty little chestnut mare poked her head over the wall and Samantha ran her hand over the horse’s nose. “Yeah, right. She wants to be with you, too.”

He couldn’t believe he stood there having this conversation with their daughter while she gave him advice on her mother. “Well, we’ll see what happens. I’m not counting my chickens. Your mother can hardly stand to be in the same room with me.”

“Whatever, Wyatt. I know my mom better than that. She’s got the hots for you.”

A roar of laughter burst from his lips he asked, “The hots?”

With a quick nod and a roll of her eyes, she said, “You haven’t been around kids very much, huh.” She sighed before she continued, “You know—attracted to you—wants to get you in the sack.”

“Samantha Renee Wilder!” Jamie exclaimed from the doorway.

Samantha cringed and whispered to Wyatt, “Oops. Busted.” She turned and looked at her mother. “Hi, Mom.”

“You did not just tell Wyatt I want to get him in the sack.”

Samantha shrugged and looked at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yep.”

His gaze rested on the obviously unhappy Jamie as she approached with long strides and he had to laugh. If Samantha only knew what they had done last night, she would realize, at least he had the ‘hots’ for her mom.

“That’s about enough of that talk, young lady.”

“Why? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

Jamie stopped dead in her tracks and stammered, “Well I…”

“See! You can’t even deny it.”

“What goes on between me and Wyatt is none of your business, Samantha.”

“But I think he would make a cool dad.”

“Samantha!”

“Wait just a minute. I think you’re getting way ahead of yourself,” he said as he slipped his hands in the pocket of his jeans and resisted the urge to pull the girl into a hug.

“I don’t see why. You are both attracted to each other.”

“More goes into a relationship than just being attracted to someone, Sam. Your mom may already be seeing someone and it’s not fair…”

“She’s not,” Samantha interrupted.

Jamie sighed. “I don’t think Wyatt needs to know about other men in my life.”

“There aren’t any other guys, Mom. You said yourself Uncle Chase won’t allow a guy to even look at you.”

“We are
not
having this conversation, Samantha Renee.”

Samantha leaned toward him and whispered, even though her voice was loud enough he knew Jamie heard her, “She always uses my middle name when she’s mad at me.”

He chuckled as he got a kick out of Samantha sparring words with Jamie. His daughter definitely had his dry wit. “Ah, yes. The Wilder brother’s reputation you mentioned last night.”

Jamie flushed bright red and he knew she remembered what happened after that, just like he did. He slid his arm around Samantha’s shoulders and pulled her to his side. “I think we need to give your mom a break. We are kind of ganging up on her.”

“Nah,” Samantha replied.

With a quick glance at Jamie and he asked, “Why don’t you let me take you two out for breakfast?”

“Yeah!”

“I don’t think…”

“Come on, Mom. If the guy wants to take us out, let him!”

Jamie scowled as her eyes locked on Samantha.

“Please?” The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile and he saw Jamie rub her arms.

“All right, but as soon as we’re done, we are coming back here.”

“Yeess!” Samantha exclaimed as she slipped away from his side and hugged Jamie.

“We will have to take my truck though. We can’t all fit on your bike.”

“Bike? What kind of bike?”

“I’ll show you. Come on.” Samantha and Jamie followed him back toward the house where Jamie grabbed her purse, before they walked out.

“That’s yours?” Samantha asked, her voice cracking in awe when they stopped next to his Harley.

“Yep.”

“Cool! Can you take me for a ride?”

“Not right now, but maybe when we get back. It’s up to your mom, though.”

Samantha pleaded with her mother. “Can he, Mom, please?”

“We’ll see when we get back.”

They climbed into her truck and drove to the local Waffle House out on highway 287. As they got out, he saw several sets of eyes swivel toward them and jaws drop in astonishment.

Damn! I forgot how small this town really is.

“Are you sure about this, Jamie?” he asked with a tip of his head toward the staring patrons.

“It’s fine. I don’t care what people think—never have. You should know that by now.”

He chuckled while he held the door open for the two females with him. “I guess I had forgotten.”

They took a booth and he sat across from Jamie and Samantha. The waitress walked up to their table, and with a surprised gasp, she said, “Well, Wyatt Crossland. I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

“Hi, Andrea. Nice to see you.”

“You too, honey.” The woman’s eyes swept over Jamie and Samantha. “Why, isn’t this just a cozy family scene.”

“Andrea,” he growled in warning, but the woman ignored him.

“I bet you’re just enjoying this all to pieces, eh Samantha? How cool is that—to have both your mom and dad having breakfast with you after he’s been gone so long.”

Samantha’s eyes locked with his for a moment before they moved to her mother and then back the waitress. A nervous laugh bubbled from her lips. “Wyatt’s not my dad. He’s just a friend of mom’s.”

The waitress looked at Jamie and she gave her a slight shake of her head that he barely caught as her eyes narrowed in warning.