Second Chance Rancher (11 page)

She stole another glance at Kase. Standing there holding his daughter in his arms, he pointed out the different fish to the youngster. He tipped his head back and laughed at something Addy said and something shifted in Laurel's chest. Suddenly
sexy
took on an entirely different picture with this father-and-daughter combo.

“Laurel, Laurel, that fish is yellow and black.”

Laurel stepped up to the enclosure. “I like that blue one.”

“So many pretty colors.” The child giggled with excitement. “I feel like I'm swimming with them.”

“How about if we eat with them?” Kase announced.

“Daddy, I can't go in the water.”

“Well, there's a restaurant that we can go to.” He took Laurel's hand. “Come on, I'm getting hungry.”

As they walked together, Kase silently thanked Kyle for putting this excursion together on short notice. As a father, he wanted to make the trip special for Addy, help relax her before she headed off with the Chappells tomorrow. He squeezed Laurel's hand. She'd been the one who helped the most, and Addy relied on her, too. He found that he didn't want to be without her, either. Maybe he could find a way to convince her to take a chance on him again.

It was a short distance to the restaurant, and the hostess seated them close to the wall-to-wall fish tank. The waitress brought a special children's menu for Addy, and the child loved the attention from everyone.

The young waitress named Lisa looked at Laurel. “Your daughter looks just like you.”

Kase watched Laurel's surprised reaction.

Blushing, she smiled. “Thank you.”

Lisa handed them the menus and walked off.

The conversation didn't get past Addy. “She said you were my mom.” The child's blue eyes widened, then just as quickly the joy faded. “I wish you were.”

Chapter Eleven

By nine o'clock, Kase had said good-night to his daughter and left the master bedroom. Laurel remained, promising Addy she'd stay until she fell asleep. Besides, she wasn't ready to be alone with Kase.

Call her chicken, but she wasn't ready to deal with her feelings for the man. There was too much going on. She couldn't help but think about the mess in her life. There was the money hidden back in her apartment, and she was pretty sure it came from Jack. What if he'd gotten it illegally? If she was connected to something bad, could that jeopardize Addy's custody? God, she prayed not.

She heard her phone chime. She'd turned off the ringer earlier so as not to disturb Addy.

She slowly rolled over to see a message from Kase.

She pressed the button to read,
R U hiding from me? K.

She typed back,
Just tired. Long day.

Need to talk about court. No little ears.

She sighed.
OK B out.

She got off the bed and gathered her hair into a ponytail.
Be strong, and don't do anything stupid like let him kiss you.

After one more look at the sleeping Addy, she silently opened the door and walked out to the sitting room.

She paused as she saw Kase standing at the window looking out at the city lights. He was in his socks, his shirt pulled from his jeans.

Drawn by the beautiful scene, she walked across the plush carpet to join him. She was surprised to see a longneck bottle of the local-brewed beer. He held it up. “Join me?”

She had an automatic denial ready, then she saw something in his eyes and quickly changed her mind. “Sure.”

She watched him go to the minibar and take out another bottle. After using the opener, he walked back to her in a long, easy gait that reminded her of the teenage Kase she'd once known and loved.
Oh, no. Don't go thinking about your past together.

“Thank you.” She accepted the beer, took a drink and turned toward the window.

After enjoying the view a few minutes, Kase finally spoke. “My lawyer called me. Ben and Judith will be in the lobby tomorrow at nine o'clock to pick up Addy.”

Laurel sighed, wishing she had some encouraging words to give him. “They'll only have her twenty-four hours, Kase. And her nanny will be there, too. You said Addy loves Mary Beth.”

He looked down at his beer. “I know. I just wish I didn't have to put her through this. Not with everything else that's happened to her.” He cursed. “Dammit, Laurel. Why are they doing this? Neither one of them wants this child. I know that in my gut. There has to be another reason.”

Hearing the anguish in his voice, she wrapped her arms about him. “It's going to be all right, Kase,” she promised. “The judge can't take her away without a reason.”

He held her tight, as if she were his lifeline. “I pray you're right, Laurel. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her.”

He held her for a long time, then finally looked down at her. “Have I told you how happy I am that you're here with us?”

She smiled. “Yes, you have. But, really, Kase, it's my pleasure.”

“No, it's mine.” He took their bottles and set them on the glass-top table, then cupped her cheeks, and his mouth captured hers in a tender kiss that quickly became all-consuming. So much for her resolve. She wrapped her arms about his neck and pressed her body against his.

He tore his mouth away, his eyes searching hers. “I need you here, Laurel,” he breathed. “I don't think I've ever stopped needing you.”

She wanted to confess her feelings right back at him, but something stopped her—panic, fear, maybe the uncertainty of their future. She needed to protect her heart. How could she when he'd already stolen it? She said good-night and turned and walked back to her room. Alone.

* * *

T
HE
NEXT
MORNING
, both Kase and Laurel put on a big, bright smile for Addy as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. Of course, the little girl was wise to their attempt.

“It's okay, Daddy. I won't cry, but can I miss you?”

Kase nearly broke down as he pulled her into a tight hug. “Oh, sweetie,” he breathed against her ear, nearly choking on his emotions. “Yes, because I'm gonna miss you, too.”

Suddenly the double doors opened just as Laurel hugged Addy goodbye.

Ben Chappell demanded attention, even if it wasn't deserved. About six feet tall, he kept himself trim. The sixty-year-old lawyer had built his prestigious law firm with hard work and by marrying a wealthy philanthropist's daughter, Judith Kirsch.

Ben crossed the lobby, dressed in a pair of tan chinos and a navy polo shirt. “Kase, where's my granddaughter?”

Laurel walked Addy over to them. “She's here.” Kase leaned forward and in a low voice said, “You hurt her and you answer to me.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Of course not, but it's a damn harsh warning. I'll see you in court at nine o'clock tomorrow.”

Kase bent down and kissed his daughter's cheek just as Mary Beth came through the hotel doors. The fiftysomething woman was a retired teacher, and since her husband's death, she had worked as a nanny.

“Mary Beth,” Addy cried and ran off toward her.

Mary Beth waved to Kase, then took Addy's hand and walked out the door. Kase's chest constricted painfully and he fought to keep from running after his child.

He felt Laurel's hand on his arm. “Come on, we're going to get out of here,” she said.

He didn't want to go anywhere but to the bar to get good and drunk. “Where are you taking me?”

“First, we're going to have some breakfast. And before you argue, you didn't eat anything this morning.”

“I don't have much of an appetite.”

“Well, change your mind, because we're going to do some walking today. Kyle told me there's a historical city tour. You know, from back in the gold rush days.”

He frowned. “Really, that interests you?”

“Well, since they don't have horses readily available, walking is the next best thing to get rid of stress. Come on, it will do us both some good.”

He tried not to smile, but too late—she saw it. He pulled her into his arms. “Probably would be good, but I know something else that would distract me.”

She blushed and he loved it. “Sorry, that's not on the day's schedule.” Although she didn't pull away. “And I believe you need to speak to your real estate agent this afternoon.”

He didn't want to deal with business now, but he had no choice. He wanted to get rid of the house and all the memories from the past. Until then, he couldn't think about a future for him and Addy. One that he hoped included Laurel.

“Okay, let's get started.” He glanced down at her cream-colored, cable-knit sweater, white capri pants and deck shoes. “So where do you want to eat?”

She beamed. “There's a café not far from here.”

“Okay, I'm in your hands, so lead the way.”

She gave him a smile that melted his heart, and he followed her out the door. Ah, hell, he'd follow her anywhere.

* * *

A
T
FOUR
O
'
CLOCK
that afternoon, Kase drove the twenty-minute trip from Denver to Aurora, Colorado. When he pulled the SUV into the long stone-pavered driveway and parked in front of the massive home, Laurel's mouth dropped open. This wasn't a house, this was a mansion.

She looked at the stone-and-stucco, two-story home, similar to a Craftsman-style, but on a huge scale. He helped her out of the car, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to go inside. This had been where Kase lived with his wife for the past five years. Laurel could almost understand why he'd left her behind. She wouldn't fit in here.

“Johanna was the one who picked out this house. I just went along with her choice.”

She stared at the twelve-foot-high dark wood doors and released a breath. “It's a little overpowering. I can understand why Addy was scared.”

“I don't want to live here, either, not back then and not today especially. That's why I'm selling this place, and moving on with Addy. Our lives are back in Hidden Springs.”

She wanted to believe him, but her doubt lingered. After this lavish lifestyle, could Kase be happy on the small ranch?

“If you'd rather go back to the hotel, I'll reschedule with the Realtor...”

“No, I'm curious. It's lovely.”

He slipped his hand over hers and together they walked up to the house. He took out a key, unlocked the door and swung it open. She went in first, and he followed behind. After dealing with the security system, he returned to her. She looked down at the planked hardwood floors of the massive entry that led to a sweeping open staircase. Off to her left, there was a sunken living room with a floor-to-ceiling limestone fireplace.

“Wow. You could get lost in here.”

Even though there was furniture in all the rooms, the place echoed not just with their voices, but also with emptiness. This wasn't a home. It was a showplace.

He nodded. “I know. When I came home from work, I usually stayed in the back of the house.” He took her hand and tugged her past the staircase to an open kitchen and family room with another fireplace. Besides a bathroom, there was a den with a large desk.

“I worked in here.”

His gaze locked on hers, as if waiting for some sort of reaction. “If you like, I'll take you upstairs to look around.”

She shook her head. “I think I've seen all I need to see.” She went into the kitchen and ran a hand over the smooth marble countertops. “My mother would love this room.” A huge side-by-side refrigerator glistened in the sunlight coming through the French doors.

“The place is like new. Johanna never cooked, not for me anyway. Mary Beth fixed meals for Addy.”

“It seems like such a shame to let all this space go to waste.”

He went to her and pulled her into his arms. “It took me a lot of years, Laurel, but I realize now what I thought I wanted wasn't all this.” His gaze moved to hers, and the silver depths held her attention. “Sometimes it takes a long time to realize that everything I really wanted was right in front of me all along.”

* * *

A
T
EIGHT
O
'
CLOCK
that evening, Laurel stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, eyeing the simple black skirt that hit her just below the knees. A sleeveless rose-colored silk shirt draped over her breasts and was cinched at the waist with a silver belt. She slipped on a sheer off-white sweater. She wore her hair down and her ears were adorned with silver hoops.

Satisfied with the results, she stepped into a pair of black sandals and grabbed her purse off the bed. After she released a nervous breath, she headed into the sitting room to once again find Kase standing at the window, the Denver skyline glistening as a backdrop.

He wore slate-gray slacks and a black linen shirt. She liked this look on him as much as him in jeans and boots.

He turned around and his gaze slowly moved over her, from the top of her head down to her painted toes.

She had trouble breathing.

“You look amazing.” He walked over and kissed her, slow and tender but with enough sizzle to get her humming. He broke off the kiss. “You have no idea how much I want to keep you right here.”

She found she'd been thinking about the same thing since this trip began. “If you'd rather not, we don't have to go out.”

He groaned. “Oh, yes, we do. At the least, we both need to eat.” He took her hand and they headed out the door.

They rode the elevator down and crossed the lobby to the Palace Arms Restaurant. The hostess met them at the entrance. “We've been expecting you, Mr. Rawlins and Miss Quinn.”

The young girl escorted them through the restaurant to a corner table. Kase pulled out Laurel's chair, then sat next to her.

She had trouble holding back her excitement. She hadn't been on a date in a while, and she'd never been taken to places like this. Even with Jack, they usually hung out in her apartment, or had gone to a movie. So this was how grown-ups did things?

“Oh, Kase, this is a lovely place.”

“I hope you like the food here.”

Two glasses of water were delivered along with menus. Once the waiter left, she said, “Kase, you don't need to impress me with extravagant hotels and restaurants. I enjoy just being with you. Of course, your sweet little girl is a nice bonus.”

He paused, leaning closer. She could see that silver glint in his eyes. “So it's not me, it's my child who has you so attentive.”

She laughed, not wanting to rattle off all his attributes. She sobered, feeling his heat, inhaling his woodsy scent and loving that he was so close. “Maybe I'll tell you later.”

He gave her a slow, sexy smile and she found she was about to give him anything he wanted, her body and soul. She'd never felt this way before.

“Let's see if I can change your mind.”

Kase ordered a bottle of wine as Laurel looked around the room. There were several couples dining. Young and old, they seemed comfortable in their surroundings, enjoying each other's company.

She sighed and looked at Kase. Suddenly, doubts hit her, and she felt tongue-tied over what to talk about. What did he expect from her? This night was for them, without Addy between them.

The waiter poured the white wine into Kase's glass. He sampled it, then nodded his approval. Once her glass was filled, Laurel took a quick sip.

She glanced up and saw Kase's gaze on her. “Is there something on my face?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I just love looking at you.”