lying to him about being Liberty’s father. Why was that? Surely, he was angry. She could easily imagine how furious Hoyt would be with her if he discovered her deception.
“Yeah,” Shane admitted, “at first, I was angry.” His tone gentled. “I got over it once I met Bria.”
Cassidy doubted Hoyt would be as forgiving. Her glance returned to Bria. “She’s adorable.”
“She’s something else, all right. I was scared to death she’d hate me. Be mad at me for abandoning her all these years.”
“How could she? You didn’t know about her.”
“I wasn’t sure she’d understand. But turns out I didn’t need to worry. We hit it off from the start. Like she’d always been a part of my life.”
“Was she upset with her mother?” That possibility concerned Cassidy almost as much.
“No. Judy and I concocted a story to tell her. She accepted it. I suppose because she’s four.”
Like Cassidy’s sister. Liberty had accepted the story their mother had made up. Also like Benjie, when Cassidy put off his occasional queries.
“And Judy’s willing to share custody with you?”
Shane gave Cassidy a curious look. “She is.”
When he didn’t ask why Cassidy wanted to know, she pushed on. “What changed her mind?”
He raised his eyebrows, his curiosity noticeably increased. Still, he didn’t ask. “The accident and me walking away from rodeoing. When I decided to settle down, she thought maybe I’d grown up enough to be a father.”
“Have you?”
He laughed good-naturedly. “Depends on who you ask.”
“I think you have,” Cassidy said, quite seriously. “You’re not the same man I once knew.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I meant it as one.”
A spark of attraction flashed in his eyes, causing her breath to hitch. They were close. So close she could discern each and every laugh line bracketing his eyes. Feel the raw energy emanating from him. Sense the weighty pull of their mutual attraction. It wasn’t easy to resist.
“What about Benjie’s father?” he asked. “Is he in the picture?”
“He isn’t.”
And, like that, the attraction fizzled. Shane had ventured into forbidden territory.
“Sorry,” she said, “I have to go. We have to go. Benjie,” she called to her son. “Grandma’s fixing dinner.”
“Aw, Mom. Not yet.”
Cassidy stood—and realized too late she was caught between Shane’s knees and the fence railing. She couldn’t pass unless he allowed it. Would he? Her gaze was drawn to his handsome face.
“Stay,” he said in a voice like warm honey. “Please.”
“We can’t.”
“You haven’t given me a chance to apologize.”
Before she could ask what for, two high-pitched squeals split the air. The first from Skittles, the second from Bria. In a flash, Shane vaulted from the bench. Cassidy grabbed the wooden seat before losing her balance. She twisted sideways just in time to see him reach Skittles and his daughter’s side.
* * *
“I’M SORRY.” BENJIE hung his head.
“It’s all right, buddy.” Shane held Bria tight in his arms. “No harm done.”
Indeed, his daughter had quickly calmed down once she realized Skittles had merely taken a brisk hop-step when Benjie tugged on his tail.
“It’s not okay.” Cassidy came up beside him, her mouth tight. “He was teasing her horse. That’s against arena rules and my rules.”
“She’s fine,” Shane insisted. “And, besides, he apologized.”
“Just because she’s not hurt is no excuse for what he did.”
Something was off in Cassidy’s tone. Shane couldn’t quite put his finger on it. As if she was talking about something other than her son and the teasing incident.
“All right. Then how ’bout we punish him? One hour of mucking bull manure after school tomorrow.”
Cassidy nodded in agreement. “Seems fitting.”
“Do I have to?” Benjie pouted.
“Yes, you do, young man.”
Bria giggled. “Ha, ha. You have to clean up cow poo.”
Shane set her back atop Skittles. When he patted the horse’s rump, the pair moseyed off.
Benjie followed on Rusty, his attitude adjusted.
“He’s just being a boy,” Shane told Cassidy.
“A misbehaving boy.”
Rather than returning to the bench, he and Cassidy exited through the gate and continued watching from outside the round pen. He was glad to see she’d forgotten about leaving. For the moment, at least. Experience had taught him she’d flee at the tiniest provocation.
Shane struggled to repress a smile. The women he typically met on the circuit were transparent, making their wants and wishes crystal clear. Cassidy, on the other hand, was a mystery. He liked that about her. Then again, he’d always appreciated a challenge.
Since she hadn’t brought up his apology, he did. “I’m sorry about the kiss the other day. I got carried away.”
“I’ve forgotten all about it.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“No big deal, Shane.”
Wasn’t it? He’d felt something when his lips brushed her cheek. A rather enjoyable, no, exciting, sensation unlike any before. He’d been certain she’d felt it, too.
“In any case, I was out of line.”
“Okay. Apology accepted. Now can we talk about something else? How’s the massage therapy with Wasabi coming along? Dad says he’s improving daily.” She kept her voice light, though the underlying tension in it was unmistakable.
Which made Shane reluctant to abide by her request. He wasn’t ready to drop the subject.
“Remember that time in Albuquerque when I got thrown? You came running to my rescue then, too.”
She gaped at him, proving she also remembered.
“Why
