Page 44 of Texas-Sized Secrets

Was it a boy? Who would teach him how to play football, dribble a basketball or ride a horse? Who would instruct him in the merits of hard work and honesty? Who would teach him how to love and cherish a woman? A woman like Mona.

Reed’s hand rose to her hair, pushing it back from her face. He cupped her cheek, reveling at the silken smoothness of her skin.

Based on her response to his questions the night before, he’d guessed the father of this baby was none other than Sheriff Parker Lee. Why else would Mona be so angry with the man and determined to keep the secret from all the local law enforcement?

No matter who the father was, the child was Mona’s and she’d do anything to protect it. But would that be enough? Parker Lee had a ruthless streak. From the five months Reed had known him, he’d seen him use information to bring others down or hurt their careers. If Lee found out he was the father, would he try to take the child away from Mona?

Reed hugged Mona closer. She was a strong and determined woman, but would she be strong enough to hold up under the kind of pressure Parker Lee could exert?

He must have dozed. When he woke, he found himself lying across the ground naked, his clothing the only cushion between him and the hard stone.

The cool night air made him sit up and take stock. The woman who’d fallen asleep in his arms after thoroughly satisfying lovemaking was gone.

His pulse leaped and he scrambled to his feet, grabbing for his jeans. “Mona?”

“I’m here.” Her voice sounded from the entrance to the cave. A faint glow illuminated her silhouette. “The storm is over and the sun will rise soon.”

From the sound of her voice, that wasn’t all that was over. Was she already regretting what they’d done?

Reed had mixed feelings. On the one hand, he’d thought to solve Mona’s problems and disappear, refusing to become a permanent fixture in the Texas panhandle ever again. But riding beside her and running a ranch reminded him that he’d missed it. The hard work, constant upkeep and getting your hands dirty made a man remember why he was strong.

He dressed and joined Mona at the cave’s entrance.

She stood with her back to him, staring out at the canyon. “I don’t see any signs of our four-wheelin’ friends. Suppose they’ve gone?”

“I’d bet they’re long gone. Let’s go see if they made off with the cattle.” Reed gripped Mona’s hand and led the way down the narrow path. Moonlight guided their efforts with the pale promise of morning easing upward in the east. All storm clouds had cleared.

Mona tried to pull her hand loose, but Reed refused to let go, insisting on helping her over the boulders and loose gravel. When they reached the canyon floor, they moved along the base of the cliff, careful to stay out of plain sight in case the rustlers were hiding amongst the boulders.

When they reached the area where the corralled cattle had been, nothing but a churned-up muddy quagmire remained. Tire tracks from what looked like an eighteen-wheeler left deep ruts in the ground, deeper than normal, as though the rig had bogged down, possibly having gotten stuck.

The more Reed walked around the churned-up area, the more mud caked his boots, weighing him down. He glanced across at Mona as she struggled to take one step at a time.

“I don’t see the cattle, but I can’t imagine getting out of here with a fully loaded truck. Maybe there’s hope?” She gave him half a smile. “Come on, we need to get back to the ranch house and it’s a good five miles from here.” Not much on horseback, but a long walk on foot.

As Reed crossed over the cut fence, he noticed a distant rider on horseback, leading another horse and headed their way. He moved in front of Mona in case the rider wasn’t friendly. The closer the lone horseman came, the tenser Reed became until he could make out the man’s features.

“It’s Fernando. Thank God.” Mona moved around Reed and closed the distance between her and the ranch foreman. “Fernando, I’m so glad you’re here. Everything all right at the hospital?”

“Catalina is anxious to get home. The doctor will release her later today. I just couldn’t stay not knowing what was going on at the Rancho Linda.”

Mona shook here head. “I’m glad you came.” She filled him in on the missing herd. Then she glanced at him, concern pulling her brows together. “Jesse wasn’t at the ranch when you got in?”

“No,señorita.” Fernando shook his head. “But all three horses were at the barn, still saddled.”

Reed assisted Mona up into the saddle of the spare horse. “Come on. We have to find him.” His gut told him to hurry.

Mona moved her foot out of the stirrup for Reed to place his booted foot in. He swung up behind Mona and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Let’s go.”

Nudging her horse into a gallop, Mona headed for the central pasture where they’d sent Jesse the night before to check on the cattle there. If he’d been hurt and lay on the ground, they could spend hours locating him. Tufts of prairie grass sprang up everywhere. He could be down in a gully, having been thrown by his horse after a particularly loud clash of thunder.

For the moment, Reed held on to hope and Mona. She smelled of rain and citrus. Despite spending the night in a cave and being drenched and muddy, she still made him hot. Her beauty went beyond the exterior package. She cared about her home and her people, wearing her heart for all to see. Unashamed and brave.

His arms tightened high around her waist, between the baby bump and her breasts. She loved with a fierceness Reed had not witnessed and she’d love her baby as deeply.

He fought the strange stab of envy stirring in his gut. How would it feel to be loved with such conviction?

Thoughts of love and the baby fled his mind when the sound of a dog’s howling reached his ears over the pounding of the horse’s hooves. “Stop!” he yelled into Mona’s ear.

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