sitting astride her lap, giggled with delight. What could be more exciting than a ride on a real horse?
The well-worn path wound through piñon-covered hills to descend into a broad arroyo where spikes of yucca and clumps of blooming chamisa rose against adobe-colored ledges. Some distance ahead, Angie knew, the way would narrow, ending where a waterfall cascaded down the canyon wall.
The last time she’d ridden this trail, it had been with Justin. They’d taken a picnic to the waterfall and made love at sunset on the blanket they’d brought. Now it was Jordan who rode beside her on the splendid palomino she recognized as Justin’s former favorite.
Her bruised knee twinged as she shifted in the saddle. Her face flamed at the memory of last night—Jordan’s hand gliding up her leg. In the embarrassment of the moment, she hadn’t really noticed just how intimate it had been, letting him touch her like that. Remembering it now, the intensity of her response shocked her. She tried to tell herself it was because he looked so much like Justin. But that didn’t explain it. Justin was gone, and behind that well-loved face was a very different man.
Today, dressed in faded denims, a western-style shirt and a weathered Stetson, Jordan looked more at ease than Angie had ever seen him. He sat a horse as if he’d begun riding at Lucas’s age, which he probably had.
They said little, depending on Lucas’s chatter to fill the awkward silence. He talked mostly to Jordan, asking childish questions that Jordan answered with surprising patience.
“Are you a real cowboy, Uncle Jordan?”
“I just play at being a cowboy. But there are some real cowboys on the ranch. They work here, taking care of the cows and horses.”
“Can I be a cowboy, too?”
“Maybe not a real one. But you can play at it, like I do.”
“Can I have a horse?”
“Lucas,” Angie warned, “you mustn’t ask Uncle Jordan to give you things.”
Jordan’s gaze narrowed. “Before you get a horse you’ll have to be big enough to take care of it. That’s going to take some time. But you might be old enough for a puppy.”
“A puppy!” Lucas squirmed with excitement.
“Only if your mother says it’s all right, of course.”
“We’ll talk about it later.” Angie gave Jordan an annoyed glance. It wasn’t that she’d mind having a puppy around. Lucas would love a dog. But why couldn’t the man have asked her first?
She needed to have some serious words with him. Just because she’d agreed to move out to the ranch, that didn’t mean that she was going to let Jordan take over her life, or Lucas’s. He had no right to make decisions about her son’s care.
For the sake of Lucas’s safety, she’d live under the same roof with the man. She’d even force herself to be civil. But she wasn’t going to let herself fall for the “concerned uncle” act. She’d continue to monitor every conversation with him with a healthy dose of suspicion.
It didn’t matter that four years had passed. Jordan still had his own agenda. And she could never trust him to be on her side.
Angie’s chance to bring up the puppy came after lunch. They’d spread a blanket on the grass at the base of the waterfall, where they’d feasted on Marta’s cheese empanadas and piñon nut cookies. Lucas’s presence had kept their conversation on neutral ground, but now he was curled on the blanket, fast asleep in the warm sunlight.
“Looks like we could be here awhile.” Jordan leaned back against a boulder and crossed his long, booted legs at the ankle.
“I’m afraid so.” Angie felt strangely tongue-tied. “Wake him now and he’ll be as cranky as a little bear.”
“We can’t have that, can we?” His slow grin was so like Justin’s that Angie felt a lump rise in her throat.
“About that puppy,” she said.
His only response was the subtle twitch of one eyebrow.
“You should know better, Jordan.” She spoke in an impassioned whisper. “Getting Lucas’s hopes up before you’ve cleared it with me—it’s unfair. Worse, it’s underhanded. If I say no, I’ll be the villain.”
His expression didn’t change. “Why say no? The boy could use a playmate. A dog would be good for him.”
“Maybe. But that’s not your decision to make. I’m his mother. I’ll decide when he’s ready for a pet.”
“He’s my brother’s son.” Jordan’s eyes had gone hard. “Shouldn’t I have something to say about that, too?”
“Your brother’s son!” It was all Angie could do to keep from raising her voice and waking Lucas. “You’ve known him for less than a week. How could you possibly know what would be good for him? Were you there when he was born? Did you change him and feed him and walk the floor when he cried all night?” A surge of emotion cracked her voice. She gulped back tears.
“Angie, all I did was suggest we get him a puppy.”
“And now he’s got his hopes up. You should’ve asked me first. I’d have told you to wait.”
“Why wait? A pup would help him settle in.”
Angie glanced down at her sleeping son. “So far, he’s settling in fine. But what if we don’t stay? Do you have any idea how hard it is to rent with a dog? If we had to leave the poor thing behind, Lucas would be heartbroken.”
“Why wouldn’t you stay?” He sat upright, leaning toward her. Angie’s pulse slammed as his steely eyes locked with hers. “I’ve told you to consider this your home—yours and Lucas’s.”
Angie felt the jaws of a velvet-cloaked trap closing around her. She shook her head. “It may sound selfish, Jordan, but I can’t give up my whole life to raise Lucas here—and if opportunities lead me elsewhere, then I won’t be leaving alone. I certainly won’t give up my son.”
“But there’s no reason why you’d have to go away to find opportunities. Nobody said you had to give up your life. You’ll have a car. You can go into town, even work if you choose—and you’ll get the chance to meet new friends. In fact, I’m having a party here this weekend.”
“I can just imagine how I’d fit with your crowd—the poor girl from the barrio who got knocked up by your brother!”
Angie saw his mouth tighten. She plunged ahead before he could respond.
“And what about you? You could easily remarry and have children of your own. Then Lucas and I would be nothing but excess baggage. Your wife certainly wouldn’t want us here.”
“Damn it, Angie, why are you making it so hard for—”
His words broke off as Lucas stirred, whimpered and opened his eyes. “Hi, Uncle Jordan,” he mumbled. “Is it time to go home?”
“Anytime you say, buddy.”
He
