But Tagg never shied away from his responsibilities. And he had felt responsible for what had happened between them because he knew going in that Callie Sullivan was off-limits for more than one good reason. She was the daughter of his biggest competitor. She was his neighbor and a woman he’d be bumping into at times. But perhaps most importantly, Tagg knew Callie wasn’t the one-night stand kind of woman. She didn’t play loose and fast, which was the only kind of woman Tagg ever got involved with these days.
After mulling it over in his mind, Tagg figured an explanation was exactly what was needed. Basically, he was an up front kind of guy. He liked to lay things on the line. “Callie, I wasn’t afraid of anything. I had to leave and didn’t want to wake you. That’s the truth.”
“The whole truth?” she asked.
With an inward sigh, he rested his arm across the steering wheel and turned to probe deep into her eyes. “Look, I don’t want to be a jerk about this. But that night wasn’t about feelings.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Okay, it was about feelings, but not my feelings for you.”
“I know that. You were hurting.”
“Yeah, I was and you were there. Easy. Convenient. Beautiful.”
Callie’s eyes grew round with stunned surprise and then they squeezed shut. “Oh.”
Tagg cursed under his breath.
She squeezed her eyes even tighter as if to ward off the pain he’d just caused. When she opened them she nodded quickly. “Got it.”
“I didn’t say that right.” He felt like a heel and hated every second of this conversation. Moments like this one were the reason he didn’t get involved with women anymore.
“Oh, no. You made yourself perfectly clear.”
Callie refused to look at him. She stared straight ahead, her body as rigid as an ancient statue. Tagg put the Jeep in gear and drove toward the Worth stables. About five minutes into the ride, Callie shocked him when she began making small talk, seemingly fully recovered from his callous words. “You know I went to Boston College for four years. I only came home for short summer stays and holidays.”
“Yeah, I know.” He glanced at her. She appeared more relaxed and looked him square in the eyes.
“You know?”
He shrugged. “Nothing’s a secret in a small town. We all thought The Hawk’s only child couldn’t wait to get as far away from him as possible.”
“He’s not that bad, Tagg. He loves me. And I love him. But I really liked having a life without a lot of meddling.”
“Can’t imagine he could do too much meddling from over two thousand miles away.”
“He managed some, but overall my stay in Boston was wonderful. It’s a very quaint city in many regards.”
“So why did you come back?”
“I missed Arizona. I missed the ranch. Silly me, I’m not a city girl after all. And my father had a little health scare. He’s really the only family I have. Except for my mother’s side. I have an aunt and a cousin who live in Reno.”
The Jeep barreled over some rough patches in the road and tossed them both forward. On instinct, Tagg threw his arm across Callie’s body to keep her from hitting the dashboard. The back of his hand connected with her chest as he pressed her back to safety. His knuckles grazed her breast and met with resistance, the contrast of firm giving way to soft, so female, so Callie, that his blood pressure elevated. Instant images flashed in his head of touching her there, pressing his lips to her perfect pink tips and filling his mouth with her taste.
He swallowed down and slid her a glance. “You okay?”
Her lips curved up in a soft smile that unnerved him. A smile that seemed to suggest touch me anytime, take me anywhere. “Yes.”
He turned to face the road and kept on driving, obliterating that memory, denying the inviting look on her expression and refusing to acknowledge that he was damned attracted to Callie Sullivan.
Three
Callie bounded out of Tagg’s vehicle, keeping her spirits up. Tagg’s cutting words a few minutes ago had hurt, but she couldn’t let them discourage her. She’d known Tagg was a loner when she’d approached him that night. She’d known about his past heartache. She couldn’t expect him to claim undying love for her at this point, not when he’d been wallowing in grief for years.
They’d had a great night of sex in Reno. But she also believed that it wasn’t just sizzle between the sheets. Tagg had been sweet and thoughtful during that time and they’d talked and shared intimacies that she’d always remember, in between their bouts of lovemaking.
She hadn’t planned on conceiving his child that night. But she’d never say that her baby was a mistake. She wanted this child, now more than ever. She knew she was on shaky ground at the moment. The quake that was Taggart Worth could topple a less determined woman. But Callie had nothing to lose and everything to gain so she wouldn’t allow Tagg’s sharp tongue to stop her.
Once they arrived at the stables, just a stone’s throw from the Worths’ main house, Callie got out of the car and crossed to the corral to take a look at half a dozen horses.
“Not those,” Tagg said. “They’re too high-strung.”
Callie could tell that already, just by their stance, the way they held their heads and the way they seemed too aware of their surroundings. Like they were ready to bolt any second. Callie nodded. “They’re spirited.”
“Our best cutting horses,” Tagg said, nodding in the direction of another corral behind the stable. “Over here.”
Callie followed Tagg as he marched over to another fenced-off arena. He opened the gate and entered. At least six horses were scattered about. He waited for Callie to walk through the gate and then closed it behind her. Upon entering, a few of the horses lifted their heads, giving them a casual perusal before going back to grazing. The others didn’t seem to notice them, or if they did, they didn’t seem to care.
“I think we’ve found our candidates,” Callie said, approaching a light chestnut mare whose coat gleamed under the afternoon sun. The horse looked healthy and didn’t seem to spook easily. Callie knew enough to move slowly, especially when advancing on an animal that didn’t know you. “Hey, girl,” she said. “What’s your name?”
Tagg strode to her side. “This here is Sunflower. She’s done her part on the ranch.”
Callie studied the horse. She had kind eyes. “She’s what, ten or eleven?”
Tagg nodded. “She’s eleven.”
Callie stroked along her nose, all the while looking into Sunflower’s eyes. “She might be a good choice. She’s not too tall, either, and she’s a good age. I’d like to spend some time with her. Maybe take her for a ride. See how she does out in the open.”
“Good idea.” Tagg nodded. He walked toward a
