Page 7 of Wicked Cowboy
Understatement. I sucked in air to calm down and then cupped my empty glass to hold onto something. “I work the ER every day and most nights. My life is pretty intense.”
He squeezed my knee. “That’s not good for a girl. She’ll need someone full-time. I can provide staff.”
I’d not fall for this. I needed to be strong. I stiffened and shook my head. “Staff don't provide love and stability and I can lower my hours to human levels. Until Chloe married, she’d fostered in our home for years and knew our family loved her deeply. Her adoption was stuck on technicalities. She aged out of the system, but we didn’t need paperwork to tell us anything.”
His eyes widened like I’d shocked him. “Your family?”
I pressed my hand against my womb that never had the desire to reproduce but now had these flutters. He was magnetic, but I wasn’t any man’s type. “I am from a large family, though my parents died a few years back. My parents and sisters always accepted children in need in our home, and Chloe knew her daughter would grow up loved with me. I hoped she’d live with me and I’d live on full-time hours and I’d be there for her.”
He swayed next to me and the butterfly in my stomach had wings that flapped fast inside me and sent pulses through me I hadn’t expected.
“Bernie knew his daughter would be protected with me. It’s why he named me in his will, too.”
I had no answer for that. I pivoted toward him and asked, “So what are you proposing?”
His body tensed and he stood like he needed to get away from me when he said, “Interesting word choice, Ridley. You beat me to the punch.”
I stood so I’d not slouch as I asked, “Huh?”
He snapped his fingers like he had all the answers. “I think you should meet my father and Chelsea herself and then we’ll talk more.”
Just like that, whatever was happening snapped. I shouldn’t expect anything. Our one dance years ago had lived in my fantasy life for years, but that wasn’t mutual. It was tradition and he hadn’t asked me. Just like prom, I wasn’t the one men saw beside them when I wore a fancy dress. I widened my stance. “Okay. I’d like to see her. Thank you.”
He squeezed my palm. “Don’t go far. I still have to ask you a question.”
Why did he touch me? I swiveled away and marched forward when I said with a salute, “Okay, I will look forward to our adult brainstorming session, Carter.”
He guided me inside. My hairs stood on their ends, like he intended something more intimate, but that was probably just my fantasy. I knew better than to believe in chemistry.
A sexy, billionaire, cowboy wasn’t the kind who fell in love with a workaholic nurse. And I wasn’t a fool. I’d see Chelsea was fine and then figure out what to do about Carter.
Chapter 3
Carter
Ridley Steel’s ass swiveled as she strode. I’d not seen a woman with perfect curves exactly like hers in years. Ridley reminded me of a long-forgotten dream. In the SEALs, my ex was hard and muscular, but Ridley had a sweet softness to her that made my cock stand to attention.
Dora had hated anything too girly, which had been nice for a while, until I realized all we did was argue about money. And then she stepped in front of enemy bullets, which was my fault for breaking up on a battlefield and proof I wasn’t meant for relationships.
I walked behind Ridley to enjoy the view but kept my distance. I’d never have the pleasure of touching her in any meaningful way.
As I directed us to the kitchen, I noticed my chef now wore her hair bun, and hat, and her grimace. My father must be interrupting her preparations for dinner, but I directed my guest to the others. “Chelsea, Pop, this is Ridley Steel.”
Chelsea pushed her spoon and empty ice cream bowl away from her and stood fast. “I’m not moving to Pittsburgh. I am not leaving my parents.”
Ridley sunk into the seat beside her and waited until Chelsea settled into hers. Then she said, “I… was best friends with your mom. I never traveled here, but you must have heard my voice many times before when she put me on speakerphone.”
I held still as Chelsea stared at her with thin lips. Then her face went white and her head lowered. “Yeah, you and mom talked a lot about… dinner.”
Ridley put her hand on the table. “We talked about everything, including her dreams for you to go to college and have that opportunity to have more than she’d had.”
Chelsea wiped her eyes. “I miss them.”
“I miss them, too,” Ridley whispered.
Damn. My heart twisted that Chelsea’s emotional well-being was my responsibility now. I’d never intended to marry any woman, but Bernie’s girl needed my help.
Besides, Ridley was more than a beautiful woman. She’d be a perfect fill-in mom and was sexy as fucking hell.
