The Cowboy's Way(55)
T.J. pulled her close for a kiss that left them both breathless. “Then let’s get out of here, sweetheart.”
“You never did tell me where we’re going,” she said, giving him a smile that had him burning to get her alone. “Can you at least tell me which direction it’s in?”
“Does it matter?” he asked, laughing.
She shook her head and when she put her hand in his, T.J. felt like the luckiest man alive.
“Whatever way you go, cowboy, I’ll be right by your side.”
“I love you, Mrs. Malloy,” he said, kissing her again.
She lightly touched his cheek. “And I love you, T.J. With all my heart.”
* * * * *
If you loved this story don’t miss the other novels in USA TODAY bestselling author Kathie DeNosky’s THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE TEXAN, a series about six foster brothers from the Last Chance Ranch!
HIS MARRIAGE TO REMEMBER
A BABY BETWEEN FRIENDS
YOUR RANCH...OR MINE?
All available now from Harlequin Desire!
Keep reading for an excerpt from BECAUSE OF THE BABY... by Cat Schield.
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One
Lark Taylor gathered a deep breath as the elevator doors opened. Plastering a pleasant expression on her face, she straightened her spine. Time to go to work. With a cake box balanced carefully in her hands, she strode down the short hallway to the nurses’ station in front of the ICU. The three women behind the desk didn’t notice her approach, or if they did, they ignored her.
“So I told him if he thinks he’s going hunting two weekends in a row, he can find a new girlfriend.” Marsha Todd, a forty-year-old divorced woman with no kids, was holding court as usual. With her bleached teeth, flawless makeup and manicured nails, she was the same sort of shallow individual who had tormented Lark in high school. “So naturally he’s staying home. He might not be the brightest guy I’ve dated, but he’s smart enough not to mess with all this.”
Jessa and Chelsea, the two other nurses working the ICU today, laughed in appreciation. Taken separately, either woman was tolerable to work with. Jessa was a quiet single mom with a three-year-old son and Chelsea had an alcoholic husband who worked construction. With Marsha as their ringleader, however, they took on a pack mentality. Which meant, if they didn’t want to be on the bottom of the pecking order, they’d better make sure someone else was. That person was Lark.
“You’re early,” Marsha remarked, her tone pitched in criticism as Lark set the cake box on the counter.
“I’m going to spend some time with Grace. I just wanted to drop this off first.”
“What is it?” Jessa asked. The nicest of the trio, she had borne the brunt of Marsha’s bullying until Lark transferred to the ICU three months ago.
“A cake for Marsha’s birthday tomorrow.”
“You bought me a cake?”
“Actually I made it.”
Chelsea opened the cake box and peered in. “You made this? Really? Looks store bought.”
“It’s a hobby of mine.”
“It’s beautiful.” Jessa’s brown eyes were wide with appreciation. “How long did this take?”
“A couple hours,” Lark said, her anxiety easing beneath her coworkers’ admiration.
“How did you do the flowers?” Jessa asked. “The roses look real.”
“I use a frosting tip and something called a rose nail.”
Marsha barely glanced at the three-layer white cake painstakingly decorated in a basket weave pattern with buttercream frosting and royal icing daisies, roses and forget-me-nots. “If it’s not gluten free, I can’t eat it.”
“Sorry, I didn’t know that.”
“I don’t know how. I talk about it all the time.” But never to Lark.
“I guess I’m so focused on the patients.” Lark realized even as she uttered the excuse that it was the wrong thing to say. “I haven’t heard you mention it.”