Bittersweet. Laura Browning

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СКАЧАТЬ career woman, single mother. He didn’t want to touch the scenario with a ten foot pole. If and when he settled down, he’d prefer to start his family the traditional way, with some careful planning as to when any children would enter the picture.

      With relief, he stripped off the coat and tie and exchanged his dress slacks and loafers for jeans and paddock boots to save time later. He wanted to get to the barn without delay to begin working the green jumper prospects he planned to bring along this winter. Twenty minutes later, he returned to his parents’ home.

      Thinking their guest had already joined his mother in the sitting room, he strode around the corner of the porch and skidded to a halt. She was curled in the rocker, asleep. Becca was nestled in the woman’s arms as she continued to suckle, her tiny hand kneading the rounded globe of her mother’s breast. The sight blew his hard-won detachment to hell. Chris took the picture in at a glance, also noting the faint shadows beneath the sooty lashes veiling Dr. Anna Barlow’s eyes. Her mouth had softened in sleep, and her curly head rested against the back of the rocker.

      He recognized the stab of lust tearing through him, but there was another feeling. One he didn’t want to put a name to. This was not the irritating, militant “I am woman” vet he had met last night. This woman was vulnerable in a way he hadn’t imagined and didn’t want to see.

      His first instinct was to beat a hasty retreat, but that was impossible. She would already be embarrassed for having fallen asleep, so he couldn’t leave her here.

      “Dr. Barlow?” he murmured, averting his eyes from the nursing baby.

      “Hmm. Chris?”

      Chris? She used his name as if she knew him. Her eyes widened in what appeared to be genuine shock.

      He turned away and muttered, “I didn’t realize you were still here. I’m sorry.”

      He heard rustling movements as she put her clothing in place.

      “It’s okay. I’m sorry I fell asleep. I had a colic call in the middle of the night. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”

      His smile was strained as he turned to her again. “Not a problem. I understand having horses and losing sleep. It must be even harder for a veterinarian.” He bent to retrieve the baby’s carrier seat. “Let me give you a hand gettin’ this stuff inside. This is worse than packing for the show circuit. You almost need a trailer to lug it around.” Jesus. Shut the fuck up, Stevenson.

      He was relieved when she smiled and handed him the bulging diaper bag. After helping her carry everything inside, he showed her where to change the baby’s diaper before he retreated to the sitting room. His mother was seated in her favorite chair near the fireplace, reading the local paper. He had watched the familiar scene often over the years. Usually his dad was there too, and his parents argued good-naturedly over who got which section first. He smiled.

      “Dr. Barlow needed to change the baby. She’ll be here in a moment, Mother. Would you like me to let Cook know we’re ready to eat?” He wanted to get this over with, get Dr. Anna Barlow to look at his stud, then get her and her baby off Fincastle so he could regain his equilibrium and detachment. They made him nervous.

      His mother set the paper in her lap. “Yes, please. The poor girl looks exhausted.”

      “I’m sure she can take care of herself,” he said, trying to shut off the momentary stab of concern he’d felt for her.

      His mother’s polite inquisition continued through breakfast, making Chris begin to wonder if she had decided to take the job of finding him a wife into her own hands. If that was her thinking, she was way off base with Anna Barlow. Not his type. He preferred his women blond and tall, like Sydney. Bitterness rose like bile.

      He studied Anna once more, as she talked with his mother. She wore little makeup, he noticed, if any. Many people found his mother intimidating, but Anna chatted with her as if they’d known each other for years instead of a couple hours. There were two topics, though, about which Anna seemed to reveal nothing: any specific mention of her family, or any real details about her daughter other than the usual baby conversations. Whenever his mother probed too close, a wall of reserve went up at least a mile thick.

      “Thank you for inviting me to share breakfast with you,” he heard Anna remark. Chris brought his attention to what was said as she turned to look at him. “I should check on your stallion and get on my way.”

      His mother leaned forward and put her hand on Anna’s arm. “Why don’t you leave Becca here while the two of you go to the barn,” his mother suggested. “I’ll be happy to keep an eye on her.”

      “She can get fussy…” Anna began, her tone hesitant, even cautious. Chris wondered at her reluctance to let the infant out of her sight.

      His mother smiled at the younger woman. “I can handle that. This might be the closest I get to having a grandbaby since Chris doesn’t seem to be doing much in that area.”

      He stepped forward when he saw Anna falter as she bent to pick up Becca. She waved him away and stood with the baby’s car carrier.

      “I’ve got it,” she snapped. She seemed pale, he thought, studying her through narrowed eyes. Was it something his mother said? Or was Anna Barlow teetering on the edge of exhaustion?

       Chapter 3

      Anna gripped the steering wheel of her truck like a drowning man holding on to a life preserver. Chris lounged in the passenger seat, describing the farm as they drove to the barn. She was thankful he seemed to be unaware of any undercurrents. This had been such a bad idea. She should never have agreed to breakfast. Now his presence was almost overpowering in the confines of the truck.

      Last night had been one thing, but everything had shifted when she’d awakened on that porch to find him watching her with those silvery eyes of his. She should have kept their encounters on a business-only footing. What on earth had she been thinking to even take the job here in Redfield? She knew Stevenson lived in the area. She should never have brought Becca here. Too much was at stake, but her other job opportunity had been far too close to where she had grown up.

      At the time, being close to her family had seemed to be the greater evil. Now she wasn’t sure. She had thought she was immune to him, her hero-worship a thing of the past. And that part of her attraction was, but she couldn’t deny the tug she felt every time she looked at him. She’d have to keep any contact with the Stevensons to a bare minimum, invent some excuse so Jim or one of the other vets took any future calls here.

      When they reached the barn, Anna jumped from the truck and grabbed her barn clogs from the backseat. She didn’t bother with the coveralls since she was just rechecking the stitches and getting away would be much faster if she didn’t take time to change.

      “Whoa!” Chris ordered from behind her as she rushed down the aisle. “Why the hurry?”

      Anna glanced over her shoulder at his lean, tanned face. He had the looks and the body of a god, or perhaps a fallen angel might be more appropriate. And he looked much better than he had a year ago. No matter what her body’s response to him, he would never be the man for Anna, but most importantly, she couldn’t afford for him to be anything to her. Becca had to come first.

      “Sorry,” she mumbled, slowing. When she started to enter the stallion’s stall, Chris stopped her.

      “Better СКАЧАТЬ