The Heart of a Cowboy. Charlene Sands

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      “He looks fine to me, Sarah. The baby’s got a steady strong heartbeat.”

      Case watched the baby move around on the screen. He glanced at Sarah, captivated by the look of joy and serenity on her face. He was so moved, he had to put his hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly she reached up to touch his hand. The contact ripped right through him and the solid rhythm of his heartbeat went a little crazy.

      “He’s beautiful, isn’t he, Case?”

      “Couldn’t agree with you more,” he said, completely taken by the moment. “He’s so small.”

      “But it doesn’t feel that way to me,” she said softly.

      “No, I don’t suppose.”

      Case cleared his throat, humbled by what he was witnessing. “But he or she is keeping us in suspense. Don’t know if we should paint the nursery blue or pink.”

      Sarah slowly lowered her hand away. “The room is yellow and green, Case. Delaney and I already painted it.”

      The magic of the moment was suddenly gone. Sarah had made herself perfectly clear. She wasn’t including him in with her plans for the baby. He couldn’t say he blamed her, with him showing up spur of the moment and expecting…what had he been expecting? He knew damn well Sarah wouldn’t welcome him home. But he was the baby’s uncle. He did have some rights in that regard.

      “I’d like to speak with Dr. Michaels privately now, Case.” she said gently.

      He nodded. “Sure thing. I’ll be in the waiting room.”

      Dr. Michaels shot Case a thoughtful expression, then handed him a brochure about what to expect when the baby comes. “Here you go. Interesting reading, when you get the time.”

      “Thanks, ma’am,” he said, grateful for small favors. “Appreciate it.”

      Case sat in the waiting room staring blankly at the brochure. For a minute there, he thought Sarah was softening toward him. They’d shared a moment of sheer joy and fascination, witnessing the baby make its subtle movements. Case had never experienced anything quite so awe-inspiring. And the look on Sarah’s face was worth a thousand eight-second rides.

      From behind, he heard Sarah’s voice. She was making her next appointment at the reception desk. Case stood and faced her. She smiled tentatively and he walked toward her.

      “Ready to go?” she asked.

      “I’m about famished. C’mon, we’re going out to dinner. Anywhere you want.”

      Case silently groaned when Sarah suggested a diner notorious for health food salads and soy dishes. The lady certainly wasn’t going easy on him. No sir. And soft sweet Sarah knew exactly how to hit a man below the belt.

      He put a hand to her back and led her out to the truck. “Tofu Sally’s, it is,” he said, unruffled. “I can hardly wait.”

      Sarah shuffled her salad around on her plate, aware of Case’s eyes on her. He’d been watching her intently as they sat at the diner and ate their meal. He’d already polished off two veggie sandwiches without complaint and was working on peach pie with two scoops of some soy concoction of ice cream.

      “So, the good doc thinks the baby will arrive right on schedule?” he asked, after taking in a forkful of pie.

      “Yes, four weeks and counting,” she replied.

      “And Delaney will be able to get away in time?”

      “Yes, she’s going to leave the girls with her neighbor during the day. Her husband Chuck will be able to handle the rest. She’s going to stay at the ranch one week.”

      “Good. That must take a load off your mind.”

      “It does. I don’t know…” she began and the urge to cry suddenly reached up and grabbed her. Overwhelming feelings of melancholy, of grief, of her gratitude toward her sister, descended on her at once. She managed to hold back tears, but her voice cracked a little. “I d-don’t know what I w-would have done without her d-during the h-hard times.”

      The usual hard edge in Case’s eyes softened a bit, and he said carefully, “Your sister wants to help you, Sarah. She loves you.”

      “I know. It’s just that she’s sacrificed so much already for me.”

      “Delaney wouldn’t think of it that way.”

      Her sister had postponed their family vacation to Hawaii just to stay with her for the summer. She’d left her husband for weeks at a time, and disrupted her household. Sarah hated asking anything more of her. Being an independent soul and having lost her parents at a young age, Sarah had gone all through her adult life without depending on anyone. Except Reid. But that was different, she surmised because married people were supposed to help and support one another. Without Reid by her side, Sarah knew she’d be on her own. The grandmother who raised her and Delaney passed away three years ago.

      If she had to, she’d face childbirth alone, too, but Delaney insisted she wanted to be a part of the baby’s birth. She’d been enthusiastic about the delivery and so caring that Sarah would never be able to fully repay the favor, or show Delaney just how much her selfless help had meant to her.

      “Delaney has been wonderful,” she said, thinking aloud.

      Sarah noticed that Case had stopped eating. Half a slice of pie still sat on his plate. Oh Lord, that’s all she needed. Make the man feel so sorry for you that he loses his gigantic appetite, Sarah. “Your ice cream is melting, Case.”

      He grinned and lifted his spoon. “Never could take a teary-eyed woman.”

      “I’m not teary-eyed,” she said with indignation. It was better to spar with Case than have him feel sorry for her. Sarah hated the moods that came hand in hand with pregnancy. Often she knew she was being irrational or just plain difficult, but she was powerless to stop it.

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      A dollop of ice cream landed on his chin and stayed there. Without conscious thought, Sarah leaned over and wiped away the droplet with her finger. Case grabbed her finger gently and peered deep into her eyes, holding her hand to his chin. Temptation and danger cast a dark spark in his gaze. Sarah’s heartbeats sped up just looking into those eyes. His touch did things to her, things she didn’t want to encourage or entertain yet she’d certainly felt it and was powerless to slow the pace of her heart. “If you were any other woman,” he said, letting her imagination take hold, “this might have gotten interesting.”

      Sarah knew all too well what happened when Case got “interested.” For about five minutes in his life, she’d been the object of his desire on her prom night. That evening had been a disaster. Not only had Case tricked her but he’d also made Sarah doubt herself and her love for Reid. That had been a hard pill to swallow because of all the men in the world, Reid Jarrett deserved her love completely and unconditionally. He was a good man, solid and sure. Sarah had been enraged with Case and his hard-hearted game. He’d proven outright that he could never be trusted.

      “But I’m not,” she responded firmly, removing her hand from his chin, “any other woman.”

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