Page 23 of The Rancher's Secret Son

Nick still held the appeal he once had and there was no way to stop her reactions to him. Each response would be a deeper hurt when they couldn’t work out being together. She still couldn’t leave Houston and Nick wouldn’t leave Dallas, Washington, DC, or Austin now or in years to come if he was elected—and he would be. With a child between them life would be more complicated than ever. Not only could she be hurt, so could Cody.

Cody skipped into the room with his stuffed tiger beneath one arm. He wore his pajamas and had the bug net Nick had given him in his other hand.

“Good morning,” Claire said, hugging him and wanting to keep holding him, but she let him go. He turned to look at Nick who picked him up.

“I have tickets to the aquarium today. How does that sound?”

Cody looked expectantly at Claire. “It’s where they have big tanks,” she explained. “Way bigger than the one you have and they hold fish bigger than you.”

He turned to grin at Nick. “I’d like that. I have little fish.”

“I saw your fish, and after breakfast you can show me your fish tank and tell me about your fish. Do you know what kind you have?”

“Yes, sir, I do,” Cody said.

Nick set him on his feet and Cody put the net and his tiger on one chair as he climbed into his booster seat. Then Nick pushed him under the table. “I’m going to need to get one of these chairs at my house. Probably at the ranch, too.”

Startled, she glanced at the booster seat. She hadn’t thought about Nick having to get equipment and toys for Cody, but she supposed he would if he planned to have him part of the time. For an instant it made the change seem more real and imminent. Nick glanced at her and she turned away quickly, but in seconds, he was beside her, taking the spoon from her hand. “I’ll stir the oatmeal now. You play with Cody or do whatever you would like to do.”

“Thanks, Nick,” she said, certain he had guessed she was upset.

As Nick helped her get breakfast, he turned to her. “I called the limo driver I have for the weekend and he’ll take us to the aquarium today.”

“We’re going in the limo?” she asked, and before Nick could answer, Cody asked the same question.

He looked so hopeful she had to smile as Nick nodded. “Yes, we are, Cody.”

Cody beamed with pleasure while she shook her head. “Next week may be very dull around here.”

“Then make arrangements and come to Dallas next week. You own the company, so get someone else to run it.”

“You know it isn’t that easy when I have appointments, closings and things to do. I’ll check my calendar after breakfast.”

“Give me the word and I’ll arrange my schedule so I can be off and we can go to the ranch. Cody, would you like to spend a few days on my ranch?”

“Yes, sir,” he replied, his eyes widening. “Are there horses and cows?”

“Yes, there are. And I’ll let you ride a horse with me if your mama says it’s okay.”

Cody looked hopefully at her and she nodded. “If you’re with your dad,” she said with only the tiniest hesitation before she said “dad.” How odd it seemed to say that and mean Nick, even though it was an accurate description.

As she worked beside him, she couldn’t keep from having a sharp awareness of Nick, or having fun with him and Cody. But every moment of fun with Nick fanned the fiery attraction between them and made heartache loom more threateningly. How could she protect her heart from Nick’s appeal and charm when she was tied to him forever by their son?

It was midmorning when they left in the limo for the aquarium. As they walked through the building and took a train that passed between large tanks of fish, her gaze ran across Nick’s broad shoulders, his narrow waist and long legs. His boots gave him height that he didn’t need, and just looking at him she felt her pulse jump. Only her squealing son deflected her attention.

At one point Nick stepped close to Claire while she stood with Cody and watched fish swim past on the other side of the glass. “I’ve made reservations to take you both out to eat tonight. Seven o’clock. If it’s too late for Cody, I can change the time.”

“No, that will be fine.”

She still had the afternoon to get through at the aquarium, and now dinner. How would she make it through the day without giving in to the temptation that was Nick Milan?

* * *

That evening Nick and Cody waited downstairs. Cody played with his new laptop and Nick helped him until he heard Claire’s heels in the hallway. He stood and walked toward the doorway as she entered. She’d changed into a scarlet crepe dress with a scoop neckline, and her hair fell to her shoulders and was caught up slightly on each side by a tortoiseshell comb. The only jewelry she wore was the diamond necklace he had given her and the gold charm bracelet.

“You look gorgeous, Claire,” Nick said in a husky drawl. His insides knotted and he had to struggle to stop staring at her.

“Thank you. Both the men in my life look oh, so handsome,” she said, smiling at Cody who wore a white dress shirt tucked neatly into black slacks.

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