Page 1 of The Rancher's Secret Son

One

Nick Milan looked at the small white business card attached to the contract on his desk, and a shock ran through him. Just like last night, when he’d first seen it, he was shaken clear to his core.

“Claire Prentiss.”

Just saying the name brought a shadowy image to his mind. An image of a willowy, black-haired, brown-eyed beauty writhing in his arms. The mental picture tortured him, and he pushed the card to the back of his desk. It was almost time to meet his client for what should have been a routine real estate closing. With Claire as the broker, however, it would be far from routine.

The depth of his reaction to the prospect of seeing her again shocked him. It had been four years since he’d held her, four years since he’d been in love with her. Four years since she had rejected his marriage proposal and they’d gone their separate ways. For a long time after the bitter fight that had led to their breakup he’d been hurt and angry with Claire. But that was over. So, why was he still affected by the mere sight of her name?

Claire Prentiss was part of his past now, he tried telling himself. Out of his life for years. She was probably married with kids, helping her grandfather run his real estate agency and still using her maiden name because of business.

Judging by the way his hand shook as he turned his wrist to check his watch, he needed more convincing.

Nick picked up the contract and placed it in his briefcase, snapping it shut the way he wished he could shut out the painful memories of Claire. He had to now. He had work to do.

As he drove to his appointment, he forced himself to focus on the closing, which he wished now he had never agreed to do. But it was for a friend. Paul Smith had called late yesterday afternoon, suddenly deciding he needed his attorney present. Nick had agreed, not knowing Claire would be involved. Why would he? She was a Houston broker. What was she doing closing a deal in Dallas? His friend had sent the contract to Nick’s office immediately after the call, but Nick had been too busy to read it until evening which is why he’d taken it home with him. If it hadn’t been close to midnight and way too late for his friend to get another attorney, he would have backed out there and then.

He’d spent a sleepless night dreading this meeting and being tormented by memories that would best be forgotten.

In minutes he parked the car and stepped out into a chilly, brisk December wind that whipped through the tall buildings in downtown Dallas. Entering the lobby of one of the office towers, he met up with Paul and shook hands, swallowing the words he longed to say: Get another lawyer to represent you. Instead, together they rode the elevator to a commercial real estate office on the twenty-seventh floor.

As they entered through the double glass doors, Bruce Jernigan, the agent who represented the buyer, came forward to meet them.

“If you gentlemen will come this way, we’ll get started. As you know, the seller was hospitalized and could not appear, so she has legal representation in her real estate broker.” He led them down a long corridor to the conference room, where he opened a door onto a room with dark wood paneling.

Nick’s gaze went to Claire instantly. Standing beside the table, she gripped it as her eyes widened and all color left her face. He realized she hadn’t known he would attend the meeting until this moment. While he wasn’t as shocked as Claire appeared to be, his insides clutched. He felt as if the breath had been punched from his lungs. As he approached and extended his hand, he couldn’t drag his eyes from her. At twenty-four she had been beautiful. Now she was breathtaking.

Regaining her poise, she pulled down the jacket of her tailored navy business suit, then shook his hand. “So, we meet again.” Her voice hid the tremble he felt in her fingers before she pulled away. “It’s nice to see you again, Nick. Mr. Jernigan had just started to tell me that the buyer was bringing an attorney. I had no idea it would be you.”

The moment their hands touched, he’d felt an electric current, another reaction that surprised him. Since losing Karen and their unborn baby two years ago, he had been numb around women, his heart shut away, even his physical urges flatlined. Until now. Seeing Claire elicited emotional and physical responses that shook him. He wanted neither of those reactions.

As he moved to a chair beside his client, his gaze roamed over Claire. Tall, with dark brown eyes and raven locks that fell to her shoulders, Claire looked more sophisticated than when he had known her years ago. He didn’t have to look at the label to know she wore a designer suit. When her jacket swung open as she sat, her waist looked as tiny as he remembered.

“Let’s get down to business.” Mr. Jernigan’s voice cut into his thoughts.

For the next half hour it was an effort to concentrate on business and not study Claire or let his thoughts drift to the past. He was grateful for a short break while they waited for copies to be made of various documents. He stepped out of the room to check with his office and take calls, then returned, walking to the table where Claire again stood.

/> When she reached for a glass, he picked up the water pitcher. She glanced up at him and he felt another electrifying tingle as her gaze met his. Smiling at her, he steadied her hand and poured her water, aware of his fingers over her warm, slender hand.

“Thank you,” she said.

“So, you’re still working at your grandfather’s agency,” Nick said, recalling how dedicated she had been to her family and assuming she still was. “Is he as active?”

She shook her head. “No, Grandpa’s had a heart attack and another little stroke. He had been grooming me to take over the agency for a long time, and I did so a couple of years ago.”

“It was a good thing you’re loyal and stuck with your family. How’s the business going?”

“Fine,” she said, smiling slightly. “I’m happy that the business has grown and we have a lot of good listings. I suppose your parents, especially your dad, are pleased with your legal and political career.”

“Yes, they are. Especially my dad. So you know I’m in the Texas legislature?”

“Yes. You do make the papers now and then,” she said, her cheeks getting slightly more rosy. Was she embarrassed for him to discover she had kept up with his career? He was pleased she had, even though he had always tried to push thoughts of her aside and to avoid knowing much about her.

“You look great,” he said, smiling at her, and she smiled in return, a cool smile, yet it sent another wave of longing crashing over him.

“Thank you. I’m sure you enjoy being a Texas State Representative. I know the Texas legislature isn’t in session until January, so do you live here in Dallas when you’re not in Austin?”

“Yes.” He glanced over her head to see everyone returning to the table and he knew soon they would be through and she would be gone.

He didn’t know what prompted the feeling, but he didn’t want to part. As he glanced back at her, her thickly lashed eyes were gazing at him, making his pulse quicken. Impulsively, he said, “Come to dinner with me tonight and we can catch up.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you think that will be of concern to your wife?”

He felt as if he had suffered a blow to his solar plexus. Drawing in a tight breath, he said, “I didn’t realize that you didn’t know... I’m widowed. My wife was killed in a car wreck two years ago. She was pregnant.”

All color drained from Claire’s face as her eyes opened wider, looking enormous and panic-stricken, a reaction that shocked him. A visible tremor ran through her and she put a hand on the table to steady herself. He reached out to grab her arm. Odd, he thought. Why would she have such a profound reaction to the news that he was a widower?

“Are you all right?”

Instantly her face flushed and she appeared to pull herself together. She withdrew her arm from his grasp and stood up straight. “Yes. Sorry, it’s just...personal. I—” She seemed to think better of what she was about to say and changed her course, giving him a pat response. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

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