fall in love with the little guy. His smile could light up a room.”
“I’m going to let you go. Don’t try anything.” Tate’s hand loosened and dropped to his side.
Sylvia closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer to the heavens. Then she opened them again. “Then, you’ll let me see him?”
“On one condition.”
“Name it.”
“You can’t touch him. I don’t want you anywhere close to my son.”
Sylvia dragged in a deep breath and let it go. Her arms ached with the need to hold her son, but she could wait a little bit longer. She swallowed hard. “Okay.”
Tate sensed that by showing the woman his son everything would change. But the look in her eyes, the desperate plea to see the boy tugged at Tate’s heart. This dusty woman who’d defied his no trespassing signs, crossed long distances, chased leads and finally made it to his home showed a courage he hadn’t seen in the women he’d known. If everything she said was true. Not that he believed any of it, yet.
The thought of having Jake stolen from him made his stomach clench into a bigger knot than he could have imagined.
“Señor Vincent?” Rosa, clutching Jake against her chest, peered around the door. “Is everything okay?”
The golden-haired child spied him, squealed and reached out for Tate. Instinctively, he held out his arms for his son. Jake fell into them, giggling.
Over the top of his son’s golden head, Tate could see the trespasser’s eyes fill with tears, spilling over and running down her cheeks. Her hand rose as if to touch Jake.
Tate stepped back, out of reach.
Her hand fell to her side. “Will you look?” she whispered.
He told himself it didn’t matter if his son had the star-shaped birthmark. Nothing short of a DNA test would convince him. But the pale blue of his son’s gaze reflected through the sheen of tears in the woman’s eyes. The bright gold cap of silky smooth hair resembled that of the woman with the long, straight, blond locks.
“Please,” she said, her voice a quiet entreaty in the hallway.
His heart heavy, Tate pulled the tape tab from the right side of Jake’s disposable diaper and pushed the plastic and cotton aside.
There on his right hip was a light red birthmark in the shape of a star.
Sylvia gasped. “Oh, God, oh, God…I’ve found him.” Then she sank to the floor, burying her head in her hands, silent sobs shaking her narrow frame.
“Tate, the sheriff’s here.” Kacee’s heels clicked a sharp staccato on the smooth, Mexican terra-cotta tiles. “He wants to talk to you. I told him about her.” His assistant’s brows rose as her gaze found Sylvia on the floor. “Good Lord, did she pass out again?”
“Rosa, take Jake to the kitchen and let him finish his meal there.” Tate handed his son to his caregiver and squatted beside the overcome interloper. “You come with me.” He held out his hand.
When she placed her hand in his, he couldn’t ignore the spark of electricity, the flare of desire he’d felt. She was just a crazy woman out to take his son away from him. Most likely, she was after more. Maybe she wanted to blackmail him.
But the watery blue eyes staring up at him were just like Jake’s and had a similar melting quality that affected him more than he’d likely admit. Angry with himself for feeling anything for this person who claimed Jake was hers, who threatened to take away the only family Tate had left, he jerked her up off the floor.
Sylvia came up so fast, she slammed into his chest. His arm came up around her narrow waist, steadying her against him.
Her breath caught on a gasp, her fingers laying flat against his shirt, her eyes wide. “I…I can stand on my own.” She gave a light push to free herself.
“Sure you can.” For some reason he couldn’t let go, his arm slipping around her waist. Mistake, his brain warned. “You’ve already fainted once. I refuse to give you another opportunity to bring a lawsuit against me.” The lawsuit of his life loomed like a dark cloud of doom. If Jake truly was her child, he’d be in a hellacious court fight like no other.
He steered her toward the living room. Her gaze darted toward the kitchen doorway as they passed, Jake’s giggles carrying through. “I’ve found him,” she whispered, a smile curving her lips.
“Don’t count your chickens, lady,” Tate grumbled. “You’re trespassing on private property.”
Sheriff Thompson stood in the living room, his hat in his hand. “Mr. Vincent.” He nodded.
“Sheriff.” Tate guided Sylvia to a seat and pressed her into it.
“Ms. LeBlanc tells me you have a trespasser.” He tipped his head toward Sylvia. “This the one?”
Tate didn’t look at Sylvia. “Yes.”
The woman in question gasped. “I only wanted to see my child. How can that be a crime?”
“You want to file charges, Mr. Vincent?” Sheriff Thompson crossed the living room and stood in front of Sylvia, his feet parted, his hands fiddling with the case containing the handcuffs attached to his utility belt.
The blonde stared across at Tate, that same desperation in her eyes gnawing away at the knot in his gut. Damn it! He didn’t need this. “No,” he said.
“Are you crazy?” Kacee marched over to him and laid a hand on his arm. “Remember what happened to your father? Are you willing to let something like that happen to Jake?”
Tate finally turned and stared into Sylvia’s eyes. “I really don’t think she’ll hurt Jake.”
“You willing to bet Jake’s life on that?” Kacee planted hands on her hips. When Tate refused to meet her eyes, his gaze still on Sylvia, Kacee threw her hands in the air. “Don’t get mad when I tell you I told you so.”
Sylvia stood, her mouth pressed into a thin line. “If you don’t feel comfortable my being around Jacob, I’ll leave with the sheriff. But I promise I’ll be back for my son.”
Tate’s gaze nailed hers. “For the moment, she can stay.”
Sheriff Thompson shrugged. “Okay, then maybe you can tell me whose car it is burned up in the creek outside your property?”
Sylvia’s gaze shifted to the sheriff. “A car in the creek? Was it a Ford Escort?”
The sheriff’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“That’s my car!” Sylvia’s hand rose to her mouth.
“Sorry, lady. It’s totaled. Looks like someone didn’t like where you parked.”
“What do you mean?”
The sheriff shook his head, his mouth a thin line. “Someone lit a rag and
