thoughts of what the two of them could do with that privacy filled her head. The not-fancy bedroom was just down the hall, and even though she had yet to see inside, she could count on there being a bed.
Her whole life, she’d played things safe. She’d known early on what she wanted from life—to become a nurse and work in an ER—and had followed through with the plan she’d set to accomplish that goal. She’d studied hard and worked hard, and she never let distractions get in her way. If she were totally honest, even her relationship with Michael had been a step toward a personal goal—one to get married and start a family.
And yet for all her careful planning, for all the steps she’d taken in the right direction, she’d still ended up here. Miles away from Michael, from her work, from her life, knowing all too well how unlikely it was she would ever get any of them back.
Here. In this cabin with an all-too-sexy cowboy.
She could still feel the imprint of his hands against her shoulders, the warmth and strength that had seeped through in that simple, straightforward touch. Her heart skipped a beat, and her pulse pounded in her ears, and for the first time in longer than she could remember, it wasn’t because she’d pushed too hard in therapy or because she’d taken an awkward step only to catch herself before falling. And it wasn’t from the panic attacks that had woken her more than once as she faced an empty, aimless future.
No, this—this was something else.
This was attraction...desire.
And while that cowboy hat of his might have shielded his expression, it hadn’t been enough to hide what he’d been thinking in that split second when he held her in his arms. He’d wanted to kiss her. She’d seen it in his eyes as he’d lowered his gaze. Felt it in the tightening of the muscles that played beneath the palms of her hands. Wanted it more than she’d wanted anything in a long time.
But she’d seen something else, too, hadn’t she?
Because Jarrett Deeks hadn’t simply pulled her into his arms. No, she’d practically fallen at his feet, and the idea that she might have mistaken pity for something more doused her heated thoughts faster than an ice bath.
Her voice was sharper than she intended when she said, “My family will give me the privacy I’m looking for. I trust that I can expect you to do the same.”
A small smile quirked his lips, and the lines around his mouth deepened though the expression was more sardonic than sincere. He tipped the hat Theresa found herself wishing he’d taken off. She wanted to know what color his eyes were. Brown to match the richness of his hair? Blue for the open skies above or green for the surrounding pines?
She didn’t have the chance to find out. Backing out of the door, he said, “Peace and quiet are just what these cabins offer. I’ll be sure to let you enjoy yours.”
He was gone before she knew it, leaving her alone as she’d requested, and she was an idiot for feeling disappointed at just how quickly he’d walked away.
* * *
As it turned out, Jarrett Deeks knew her family a little better than she did.
Theresa was still wiping sleep from her eyes and contemplating the apparent lack of a coffee machine—never mind actual coffee—when she heard the knock on her door. Her foolish, utterly feminine heart jumped before her far more practical brain reminded her that Jarrett Deeks had better things to do than offer her room service.
Or breakfast in bed, she thought, surprised when her thoughts actually went there with images of Jarrett Deeks still wearing that darned hat and little else.
She was pathetic. There was no other word for it. For her body, an instrument that had caused her nothing but pain and misery for months, to suddenly come alive thanks to a man who was so wrong for her seemed almost as big a betrayal as her current weakness did.
Shoving the thoughts aside, Theresa opened the front door.
“I know you said you wanted some time alone,” Sophia said by way of apology, “but I’m here with a special delivery.”
“So I see,” Theresa said with a smile. How could she be angry when her cousin was holding her adorable baby boy in her arms?
Sophia laughed. “Actually, I wasn’t talking about this guy, but he is pretty special if I do say so myself.” She lifted the blanketed baby a little higher, and Theresa got a glimpse of a sweet round face, sleepy blue eyes and a tuft of dark hair. Kyle scrunched his face up in protest as the cool air touched his chubby cheeks, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen a more adorable sight.
“Oh, he’s awake.” He’d been sleeping the day before, and Theresa had only had a peek of him slumbering away in his crib.
“He just about fell asleep on the way over here, and I promise we won’t stay. But I was talking with my mother, and she was worried about you being up here without any food—you know how she thinks food cures everything. Anyway, she wanted to race over and cook enough meals to last your whole trip, but I convinced her I could bring out some leftovers and groceries to tide you over until you felt like running into town.”
“Thanks. I woke up this morning realizing I hadn’t really thought that part of this trip through.” And having to seek out Jarrett Deeks after her bitchy stand about wanting her privacy...well, she’d rather go without breakfast than have to eat crow.
“Oh, you’re welcome. Now, if you’ll just hold Kyle for a second while I run to the car and get everything...”
“No, Sophia. I—I can’t!” Theresa took an immediate step back as her cousin held out her son. A tiny, helpless infant.
A part of her longed to cradle the baby to her chest, to breathe in the newborn’s scent of milk and baby powder. But the idea of holding that life in her hands, of being responsible if something should go wrong— Unconsciously, she drew her left arm closer to her body. “It’s not a good idea.”
Sympathy and understanding filled her cousin’s gaze. “I trust you, Theresa. You know that, don’t you?”
It had taken Michael months before he’d trusted Theresa with his daughter, and that had been a horrible mistake. The car accident hadn’t been her fault, but his blame and Theresa’s own overwhelming sense of guilt weighed her down as heavily as if she’d been the one to run the red light.
“I’ll get the groceries,” she insisted and escaped from the small cabin before Sophia could protest. Broken eggs she could handle much more easily than broken bones and broken lives.
* * *
“This is nice,” Sophia said as she glanced around the cabin once they’d settled in at the small kitchen table for a cup of coffee and a shared strawberry Danish from Debbie’s bakery. She held her son so easily, so naturally in one arm, and true to his mother’s earlier words, little Kyle had fallen into an innocent, trusting sleep. “I knew with Drew being involved in the construction that the workmanship on the cabins would be to his usual high standard, but Jarrett did a lot of the finish work himself.”
“Really?” Theresa asked, only to immediately wish she hadn’t sounded so interested. “I mean, I wouldn’t have thought a former bull rider turned ranch owner would be all that handy when it came to construction.”
The
