Having Adam's Baby (Harlequin Special Edition) (2 page)

He yanked his BDU—Battle Dress Uniform—cap farther down over his forehead. “Nothing. Go on, keep talking.”

Dev rattled on about the family business, Murphy Mountain Log Homes, and how well things were going even in the current uncertain economic times.

Designing and building a log mansion for local racing champion Bobby Winslow last year had brought in a slew of new customers from all over the country, each with money to spend on their dream home.

Like his parents and five brothers, Adam was a part owner, but much to his father’s dismay he’d walked away from any involvement in the day-to-day running of the business years ago, leaving his younger brothers to fill key management roles.

“Is it too soon to bug you about your plans?” Devlin asked.

“Sleep.”

“I mean now that you’re home. For good. You’re still set to retire, right?”

Adam nodded. He’d recently completed twenty years in the Air Force reserves, most of the last four years spent more soldier than civilian. Thanks to the unused leave time he’d accumulated he was essentially out of the military with his official retirement set to take place in a few months.

He was ready to return to his first love, ranching.

Right after college he’d purchased a share of the family’s holdings from his father with the dream of raising horses and cattle. But other than building his log home, life had gotten in the way of his plans. Now, it was time to make that dream a reality by putting the pastures and the section of the Blue Creek River that cut through his land to good use.

Devlin slowed at a crossroads. A right turn would lead them to the family compound and company headquarters. He looked at Adam and offered an arched brow as if he already knew what the answer would be.

Adam pointed left. “I’ve been up almost twenty-four hours straight. I need sack time more than anything else right now.”

His brother steered them down the road to Adam’s place. The closer they got, the more restless he grew to see his home again. He rolled down the window, letting a cool summer breeze wash over him. It’d been blisteringly hot in Afghanistan when he’d boarded the military transport, but here in Destiny, tucked up against the foothills of the Laramie Mountains, it was a perfect day with lots of sunshine, green trees and the fresh, earthy scent of the great outdoors.

This return was different.

This time he was home for good.

All he wanted was the chance to start his life over again. Alone. Nothing to concentrate on but his land. He was sure his father would try to get him involved in the family business again and his mother would drop hints about wanting her eldest settled with a nice girl.

Been there, done that, and Adam still had the battle scars to prove marriage, kids and a nine-to-five job weren’t for him. Spending as much time alone working on his ranch was the perfect plan.

At some point, he’d have to find a way to make things right with Fay, but there wasn’t any rush. Destiny wasn’t a big town, but he could keep out of her way, positive she wasn’t in any hurry to spend time with him.

Not after the way she’d torn out of his place when she’d awakened to find him dressed in his uniform ready to head back overseas.

No, Fay Coggen had made it perfectly clear two months ago she wanted nothing more to do with him.

He may not like it, but he’d learn to live with it.

Devlin pulled into the driveway and cut the engine.

Realizing his brother planned to come inside, Adam sighed and punched in the code on his cell phone to deactivate his home’s security system. “I should warn you, the place is probably a mess.”

He couldn’t remember if he’d washed up the dirty dishes from his visit or even taken out the trash, but for certain the nest of blankets and pillows he and Fay had made love on were still strewn across his living room floor.

Dev joined him on the covered porch that ran the entire circumference of his log home, the twelve-pack of Guinness balanced in the crook of his arm, and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’d forgotten how much of a dump the old homestead is.”

Retrieving a spare key from behind a bench, Adam paused and looked out over his front yard. The large area thrived with clusters of cottonwoods, freshly mowed grass and trimmed bushes. A recently mulched area with brightly colored flowers was new.

He figured he had his family to thank for that and for the upkeep. A nearby barn and horse corral could use some work, and beyond that lay a hundred and eighty acres ready for hay meadows, horses and cattle-grazing.

“I’m talking about inside my place, moron.” Adam dropped his duffel to the floor. “It’s going to need airing out if nothing else. I left in a rush.”

Dev leaned over and grabbed the bag. “It’s a good thing the folks are still trolling around the Southwest in their RV. There’d be hell to pay if they knew you were home and hiding from everyone.”

“I need some downtime.” Adam opened the door and stepped inside. “A day or two by myself before… What the hell?”

Dev sidestepped behind him. “Whoa, don’t want to drop the cargo.”

Adam looked around.

Bright sunshine spilled through squeaky-clean windows, filling the large dining and living room with light. Tabletops gleamed and a lemony scent lingered in the air. The area in front of the fireplace held nothing but the Navajo-print rug and the oversize furniture that had been rearranged to allow better viewing of both the flat screen television and the fireplace.

No sign of his and Fay’s impromptu bed.

Adam walked in farther and a quick glance at his kitchen revealed that the appliances and countertops shined as if they’d never been used. The dining table, once covered with stacks of laundry, now held only a potted plant—one still alive, at that—and a neat pile of mail.

His place was spotless.

“Looks like your fairy godmother knew you were coming.” Dev walked into the kitchen and placed the beer in the refrigerator. “Geez, you’ve even got orange juice and tubs of butter in here.”

Adam shook his head. “Who could’ve done this?”

“Are you kidding?” Dev tossed a beer at him, then opened a bottled water for himself. “This has Mom written all over it.”

Adam easily caught the bottle one-handed, then set it on the table behind the couch. “I talked to Mom a few days ago. She never said anything. Do you think it could be one of the guys or Laurie?”

“Laurie’s been busy crunching the numbers for a hot new account.” Dev headed for the couch. “Mom did a good job making sure we boys all knew how to cook a hot dog and wash dishes, but clean like this? Forget it.”

Adam headed down the hall as his brother continued to ramble. He peeked into the two spare bedrooms, pausing for a long moment in the doorway of the smallest one, still empty except for the gleaming hardwood floor, before walking into his own room.

His king-size bed looked like something out of a hotel, the blankets neatly tucked and folded and his pillows propped against the hand-hewn timber headboard. A quick stop in the master bathroom showed him the same meticulous care had been taken in there as well.

Peeling off his cap and outer camouflage shirt, he tossed both onto a nearby chair. Hands braced on his hips, he pulled in a few deep breaths, enjoying the silence as finally being home sunk in.

Gone was the constant noise of construction vehicles, twelve-hour workdays and the dust that covered everything at Bagram Airfield.

It wasn’t even fifteen hundred—three o’clock in the civilian world—and Adam wanted nothing more than to darken the blinds and dive headfirst into bed. He turned instead and headed back to the main living area.

Grabbing the beer he’d left behind, he joined his brother on the couch.

“Boy, you suddenly look like you’ve been to hell and back,” Dev said. “Fitting, I guess.”

Adam sank into the cushions, leaned back and closed his eyes. “Yeah, I guess.”

He’d been certain memories of his time in the sandbox would be crowding his head even though he was finally stateside, much like he’d relived that night he’d spent with Fay over and over again while lying in his bunk in Afghanistan.

But they weren’t.

Despite his earlier resolve not to dwell on Fay, now that he was back in his own home, all he could think about was what had happened right here eight weeks ago.

Him and Fay. Together.

Finally.

He’d been head over heels for the tiny brunette with long curly hair the moment he’d literally run into her, years ago in the hallways of Destiny High School.

She’d laughed as he lay sprawled at her feet. Two years younger, Fay had been new in town. He’d given the pretty sophomore a quick tour of the building that ended at the school gym, where they’d run into Scott.

And just like that, Adam had faded into the background.

His best friend, and the star quarterback, Scott Coggen had latched his sights on Fay and the rest was history. By the time he and Scott were juniors at the University of Wyoming, Fay was sporting a diamond on her left hand.

Adam felt the beer being lifted from his fingers. He jerked upright, his hand tightening as his eyes flew open. “Hey!”

“Easy, bro.” Dev released the bottle and held up both hands in surrender. “Just trying to save a spill. I thought you’d fallen asleep on me.”

Had he? Adam honestly didn’t know. “Sorry. Maybe I did.”

“Look, I’m going to head out and let you get comatose for a while.” His brother backed up to the front door. “The folks are due back the day after tomorrow. You plan to be at the house to welcome them home?”

Adam nodded, pushing himself to his feet, his legs like dead weights. “Yeah, I’ll be there. And thanks for keeping my return to yourself for now. One Murphy brother is about all I can handle at the moment.”

“Considering I’m your favorite, I’ll keep your secret.” Dev grinned. “Give me a call if you need anything.”

A smile creased Adam’s face. “Thanks, I will.”

After Dev left, Adam poured out his untouched beer, grabbed a water bottle instead and punched in the code on his security system. Minutes later, he stripped down and crawled between the crisp, cool sheets and buried his face in a pillow that smelled like sweet lavender.

Smelled like Fay.

It was his last conscious thought before he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. He woke up once, the room dark and the clock on his nightstand flashing 2:49 a.m. The next time he cracked an eyelid, the sun was inching around the edges of the window blinds.

Wow, almost ten in the morning. He’d slept over eighteen hours.

Sitting up, he stretched his neck and back while listening to his thirty-eight-year-old body creak and moan as he slowly came to life.

A shower. Lingering beneath the hot spray of his own shower sounded like a slice of heaven. Adam reached into the closest dresser drawer and pulled out a clean T-shirt, jeans and briefs.

Entering the bathroom, he eyed the large whirlpool tub, realizing for the first time he’d never used it in all the years he’d lived here. Tempting, but chances were he’d fall back asleep and probably drown in the process.

Minutes later he stood, hands braced against the tile wall as hot water pounded his neck and shoulders, washing away the soapy residue. Steam filled the glass enclosure and he breathed deeply, pulling the moist air into his lungs and letting it seep into every pore.

When the water cooled, he turned it off and stepped out. Grabbing a nearby towel, he quickly dried, pausing when he heard a low-pitched creaking. He listened intently, but only silence filled the house. After walking naked back into his bedroom, he pulled on his briefs and heard the creak again.

No, that was footsteps.

It had to be Devlin. He was the only one who could override the security system. Exasperation surged inside him. Hadn’t he made it clear he wanted to be left alone?

“Oh, shoot! Come on, please cooperate.”

The words carried down the hall from the main room. Someone was in his house. A female someone.

The sound of an object shattering and a high-pitched cry had Adam racing down the hall. He entered the living room and found a woman, bent at the waist and clutching one of the stools at the kitchen counter. By her feet lay the remains of a large plant, its bright green leaves and pieces of the broken ceramic pot scattered across the floor.

His anger disappeared and concern took its place. “Hey, are you okay?”

The woman jerked upright and spun around.

Adam stared, the blow to the gut more powerful than any physical contact. Was she a figment of his imagination?

He blinked hard to erase her image. Nope, she still stood less than three feet away from him.

Golden brown curls, pulled back in a messy ponytail, whipped against one cheek. Dark smudges beneath her wide hazel eyes spoke of sleepless nights. She wore a pale green T-shirt with Fay’s Flowers printed across her curves and jean shorts that showed off miles of leg.

One hand pressed against her stomach and as her eyes widened at the sight of him, her other hand quickly covered the first.

Just as beautiful as he remembered.