helps, I'm not insensitive to what you must feel about intimacy. But I think you're overlooking one important factor.”
“What?”
“I'm not your ex-husband,” he said. “I've never hurt a woman deliberately. I'm not a sadistic man.”
“Oh, I know that,” she told him. “I've always known that.”
“Then give me credit for a little sensitivity,” he replied. “Trust me.”
“Trust is hard.”
“Tell me about it.” He chuckled darkly. “Or have you forgotten that I've had some hard knocks of my own in that department? Mother told you that I got hurt, but I'm the only one who knows how badly. I loved her. Or thought I did,” he added, and for the first time he wasn't really sure. It all seemed very far away now, with Maggie here, lovely and tempting.
“I'm sorry about that.”
“I'm sorry about your rough time, too, honey,” he said softly. “But that's in the past. You and I have Becky to think about. If we don't do something, you may lose her.”
“I know,” she murmured.
“Don't worry,” he said. “He'll have to go through me to get her, court or no court. But maybe there's an easier way. I've got an idea. I'll tell you if it pans out. Good night.”
“I haven't even thanked you,” she said suddenly, “for all you've done.”
His eyes traveled slowly to her mouth. “Haven't you?” He raised the snifter, smiling as she turned, flustered, and left him there.
Chapter Six
B ecky seemed like a different child on the big ranch. Despite the demands of his position, and his sore arm, Gabe found time to help her get used to her new environment.
He put her on a horse the day after she arrived, while Maggie stood with her hands clenched, murmuring soft prayers.
“It's all right, honey,” Gabe told the nervous little girl as he helped her onto a small mare, grimacing as he forced his arm to perform the minor task. Becky was light, but any pressure still caused him some problems. “She's old and gentle. Your mother used to ride her, in fact,” he added, glancing toward Maggie with a grin. “Remember Butterball?”
“That isn't Butterball!” Maggie exclaimed. “But, Gabe, she'd have to be twenty-five years old.”
“She's twenty-six,” he said. He checked the cinch and put the reins in Becky's hands, teaching her how to sit the horse, how to hold it in check, how to keep her knees and elbows in and guide the horse with the faintest pressure of her legs.
“You sure know a lot about horses,” Becky said with shy admiration, her soft green eyes glancing off his.
“I've worked around them all my life,” he replied. “I love animals. I took courses in veterinary science in college and almost had a degree in it.”
“I like animals, too,” Becky said enthusiastically. “But we never got to have any,” she added, looking away sadly. “Daddy was allergic. And when we came away, Mama had to work and I had to go away to school. They don't let you have dogs at school.”
“Do you want a dog?” Gabe asked her, ignoring Maggie's frantic signals and head shaking. “Because Bill Dane down the road has a litter of registered collies. If you want one, I'll get it for you.”
Becky's face was fascinating—a study in admiration, excitement, surprise and pure delight. “You would?” she whispered.
Maggie shut up. She'd let the dog sleep in the parlor. She'd buy it a house. Whatever she had to do, it would be worth it to see that young face so happy. She hadn't even known Becky wanted a pet.
“I would,” Gabe said, and grinned. “If your mother doesn't mind,” he added belatedly, cocking an eyebrow at Maggie.
“Of course her mother doesn't mind,” Maggie murmured, and made a face at him.
He laughed. “I thought you wouldn't. Closing the gate after the bull gets out, don't they say?” he added.
“I like dogs,” she said.
“Me too!” Becky burst out, her ponytail bobbing as she stared down at Gabe. She started to reach out but abruptly brought her hand back to her
“What?”
“I'm not your ex-husband,” he said. “I've never hurt a woman deliberately. I'm not a sadistic man.”
“Oh, I know that,” she told him. “I've always known that.”
“Then give me credit for a little sensitivity,” he replied. “Trust me.”
“Trust is hard.”
“Tell me about it.” He chuckled darkly. “Or have you forgotten that I've had some hard knocks of my own in that department? Mother told you that I got hurt, but I'm the only one who knows how badly. I loved her. Or thought I did,” he added, and for the first time he wasn't really sure. It all seemed very far away now, with Maggie here, lovely and tempting.
“I'm sorry about that.”
“I'm sorry about your rough time, too, honey,” he said softly. “But that's in the past. You and I have Becky to think about. If we don't do something, you may lose her.”
“I know,” she murmured.
“Don't worry,” he said. “He'll have to go through me to get her, court or no court. But maybe there's an easier way. I've got an idea. I'll tell you if it pans out. Good night.”
“I haven't even thanked you,” she said suddenly, “for all you've done.”
His eyes traveled slowly to her mouth. “Haven't you?” He raised the snifter, smiling as she turned, flustered, and left him there.
Chapter Six
B ecky seemed like a different child on the big ranch. Despite the demands of his position, and his sore arm, Gabe found time to help her get used to her new environment.
He put her on a horse the day after she arrived, while Maggie stood with her hands clenched, murmuring soft prayers.
“It's all right, honey,” Gabe told the nervous little girl as he helped her onto a small mare, grimacing as he forced his arm to perform the minor task. Becky was light, but any pressure still caused him some problems. “She's old and gentle. Your mother used to ride her, in fact,” he added, glancing toward Maggie with a grin. “Remember Butterball?”
“That isn't Butterball!” Maggie exclaimed. “But, Gabe, she'd have to be twenty-five years old.”
“She's twenty-six,” he said. He checked the cinch and put the reins in Becky's hands, teaching her how to sit the horse, how to hold it in check, how to keep her knees and elbows in and guide the horse with the faintest pressure of her legs.
“You sure know a lot about horses,” Becky said with shy admiration, her soft green eyes glancing off his.
“I've worked around them all my life,” he replied. “I love animals. I took courses in veterinary science in college and almost had a degree in it.”
“I like animals, too,” Becky said enthusiastically. “But we never got to have any,” she added, looking away sadly. “Daddy was allergic. And when we came away, Mama had to work and I had to go away to school. They don't let you have dogs at school.”
“Do you want a dog?” Gabe asked her, ignoring Maggie's frantic signals and head shaking. “Because Bill Dane down the road has a litter of registered collies. If you want one, I'll get it for you.”
Becky's face was fascinating—a study in admiration, excitement, surprise and pure delight. “You would?” she whispered.
Maggie shut up. She'd let the dog sleep in the parlor. She'd buy it a house. Whatever she had to do, it would be worth it to see that young face so happy. She hadn't even known Becky wanted a pet.
“I would,” Gabe said, and grinned. “If your mother doesn't mind,” he added belatedly, cocking an eyebrow at Maggie.
“Of course her mother doesn't mind,” Maggie murmured, and made a face at him.
He laughed. “I thought you wouldn't. Closing the gate after the bull gets out, don't they say?” he added.
“I like dogs,” she said.
“Me too!” Becky burst out, her ponytail bobbing as she stared down at Gabe. She started to reach out but abruptly brought her hand back to her
Similar Books
