the interview with Colt, when the old cook had first opened the door for her, Kati had been hard-pressed to hide her misgivings. She hadn’t known whether to laugh or scream. Since her second arrival, the man had gone out of his way to be helpful, and she regretted judging him by his bizarre appearance.
“I travel light,” Kati said in answer to his question about her lack of belongings.
In foster care there was never any time or place to collect “things.” She’d learned at an early age not to cling to possessions, so traveling light came easy.
Cookie hoisted the two cardboard boxes while she grabbed the battered plaid suitcase and several hangers of clothes. They carried everything inside in one trip.
Caesar, Kati’s cat, insulted by the long car ride, twitched his long tail and marched into the house like royalty. Cookie shot him a questioning glance. “Boss know you got a cat?”
“Why? Is that a problem?” The sleek gray cat with aristocratic airs had been her companion for four years.
“Boss hates cats.”
“Oh, dear.” Biting her lip, she paused in the natural-stone entryway and frowned.
“Now, don’t you worry none.” A beefy hand patted awkwardly at her shoulder. “Just keep the critter out from underfoot and everything will be just fine. Colt’s out of the house more than he’s in, anyway.”
“Okay,” she murmured feebly, following Cookie and the insulted cat through a massive living room, then down a long hallway. She couldn’t afford to make Colt angry, but Caesar was her family. She just hoped she could keep the independent animal out of the way.
“Boss figured as how you’d want to be close to the baby.” Cookie stopped at the end of a long hallway dotted with bedrooms, lowered the boxes and pushed the golden-oak door inward.
Kati almost lost her breath as she entered a room beautifully decorated in restful greens. The furniture, the same golden oak she’d noticed throughout the ranch house, gleamed with a fresh shine, and a bouquet of spring flowers waited invitingly on the bedside table along with several magazines and a Bible. Staking his claim at once, Caesar leaped onto the thick sage comforter, circled twice and lay down, his yellow eyes daring anyone to protest.
“Why, Mr. Cookie, everything looks so lovely.”
Dropping the bag, Kati went immediately to press her face into the fragrant pink flowers. “Did you pick these yourself?”
Dragging his gaze from the cat to Kati, the old man looked genuinely pleased at the compliment. “I told the boss you’d like them flowers. And I ain’t Mr. Cookie. Everybody just calls me plain old Cookie.”
At the mention of Colt, Kati’s mouth went dry. He hadn’t come out to greet her when she’d arrived, though that didn’t come as any surprise. He had a ranch to run, and from the looks of things, he’d been too busy with Evan to get much work done. Still, she wondered what he must be thinking now that the enormity of their agreement had had time to sink in. She sucked in a deep breath.
“Where is ‘the boss’?”
“Getting some shut-eye. Once you got the baby to sleeping good, that little critter ain’t never woke up. Colt figured he could do with some catching up of his own.”
“He did look tired.”
“I’ve seen that boy stay up for days on end when he was rodeoing. Drive all day, rodeo all night.” The old cook chuckled and rubbed his scruffy chin. “But that baby boy’s done got him whupped.”
Kati grinned at the thought of Colt letting anything get the best of him. To her, he was invincible. Taking in a homeless baby and agreeing to a marriage of convenience for that baby’s sake only proved the point.
“Where is the baby’s room?”
“Next one down.” He gestured vaguely and started out the door. “You just go on and make yourself to home, Miss Kati. I got some pies in the oven.” He disappeared around the corner only to reappear again immediately. “What’s your favorite pie?”
“Apple.”
“Hot dang! I knowed I liked you. Apple it is.”
Kati smiled as the massive cook disappeared once more, thankful for a sensitive nose that had picked up the scent of apples and cinnamon as soon as she’d entered the back door.
Though anxious to put away her things and explore the sprawling ranch house, Kati’s first thoughts were of Evan. When she’d left him several hours ago he’d been contentedly sleeping in Colt’s arms. By now a hungry tummy should be waking him.
At the end of the hall she discovered two doors instead of the expected one. Unsure of which held the nursery she quietly pushed open the one on the right.
A king-size bed dominated a room decorated in turquoise and black and more of the golden-oak furniture. Sprawled across the thick black comforter was none other than the boss himself, Colt Garret. Kati’s foolish heart gave a lurch as she stood glued to the spot, staring at him.
He was as magnificent in repose as he was awake. One long arm was flung upward mussing his dark hair. Lines of fatigue radiated around his eyes. His mouth hung open, the firm, sensuous lips relaxed and inviting. Kati couldn’t take her eyes off those lips.
For long moments she gaped, willing herself to leave and not a bit surprised when she couldn’t. He’d kissed her once a long time ago in high school, and though he clearly didn’t remember, she’d never forgotten the warm, firm feel of that mouth. He’d come off the football field in exuberant victory, picked her up and twirled her around, then kissed her soundly before disappearing in a sea of shouting, screaming fans. He’d probably done that a thousand times to a thousand girls, but for Kati it was a defining moment in her life.
Over the years, fantasies of Colt had sustained her through a bleak parade of countless foster homes. With each new place, she’d curl up in some quiet spot and pretend Colt was coming to get her. At last she’d have someone to love her forever. That was the best thing about fantasies. In her constant moves, she had to leave people, places and things, but never Colt. He was permanently with her, if only in her heart. Even now, as a grown woman who knew better than to indulge in fantasies, the teenage memory came back warm and inviting.
She wanted to go to him, lie down on that bed beside him, press her lips to his and feel their magic once again. She might very well have done it, if young Mr. Evan Parker hadn’t chosen that exact moment to awaken, his cry ripping the quiet with the force of a jackhammer.
Startled into action, Kati backed into the hall, but not before Colt also awakened. Sexy, sleepy brown eyes locked with hers seconds before she beat a hasty retreat toward the nursery.
Colt struggled upward from a heavy slumber. Somewhere a baby cried. The heavy weight of responsibility pressed in on him. A baby. The baby needed him. He had to get there. Through sheer force of will he yanked his protesting eyelids upward. A woman stood at the end of his bed.
Hell’s bells, the whole world had gone berserk. Babies crying. Women skulking around.
Colt leaped off the bed only to stumble over his own boots. With a vicious kick he sent them sailing across the room where they
