Authors: Lorelei James
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Adult, #Western, #Red Hots!, #Western Romance
Raising Kane (32 page)
Rather than jump to conclusions, she said, “Meaning what? Inappropriate behavior on whose part?”
“One of the boy’s mother’s exhibited inappropriate behavior toward Kane. He immediately requested her son be transferred to another Big Buddy. The woman turned belligerent and accused Kane of punishing her son because she’d turned down Kane’s sexual advances.”
“What happened?”
“Kane was cleared because it was a lie. Several people substantiated Kane’s side of the story. Sadly, the woman’s son was banned from the program because of her actions.”
Ginger paced in front of the window. “Kane’s been in the clear since then? No misconduct?”
“He’s been an exemplary mentor. We are very upset to be losing him.”
Too bad for you, but I’m not going to lose him.
Ginger wasn’t about to wait around for Kane to come to her. Screw that. For the first time in a long time she’d be proactive, instead of reactive. No more keeping her heart hidden, afraid that Kane might crush it or break it.
No, Ginger was going to throw herself on his mercy and hope like hell he wouldn’t sentence her to a life of misery without him.
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Although another vehicle was parked in the drive at Kane’s place, Ginger gathered her courage, got out of the van and scaled the steps. But she didn’t see a patch of ice on the top stair. Her feet went out from underneath her and she landed face first on the deck with a loud “Uff.”
The door flew open and Kane skidded to a stop in his bare feet. “Ginger?” He dropped to his knees beside her in the snow and rolled her over. “Are you okay?”
With the wind knocked out of her, she couldn’t speak.
“Goddammit, Red. Don’t do this to me.” He scooped her into his arms, as if she were a waif-like child, and carried her inside his trailer, shouldering past Kade who held the door open. Kane laid her on the couch and brushed the snow from her face and hair. He unzipped her coat.
Kane was oblivious to his brother standing behind him as he ran his hands all over her body with obvious familiarity. Starting at her neck and clavicle, down both arms to check her wrists and palms. Then down the center of her torso, individually poking her ribs, curling his hands around her hips to see if she winced. Venturing south, over her thighs, knees and shins. His hands stopped at the top of her fleece lined snow boots. He met her gaze.
“See?” she said. “It’s not the ankle-breaking shoes that are the problem, it’s me. I’m such a klutz and an idiot—”
He placed his fingers over her mouth. “Stop. Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“About gave me heart failure when I heard that god-awful crash on the deck.”
“About gave me heart failure when I heard you’ve been back and you haven’t called me, but you managed to call Daphne.”
Silence.
Kade cleared his throat. “Ah. I’ll just be takin’ off. Call if you need me, bro.” The door slammed behind him.
“Did you come here to chew my ass?”
“Maybe.” The instant she was upright, Kane began to pace, which was completely unlike him.
“Why did you resign from the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program?”
That stopped him in his tracks. “How’d you find out?”
“Daphne told me when I ran into her at the Golden Boot. Is it true?”
Lorelei James
Surly, he said, “Why you askin’ me? You already seem to have the answer.”
Ginger wagged her finger at him. “You don’t get to pull that bullshit evasion. I’m asking you to tell me all of it right now. Full disclosure, Kane.”
His voice dropped lethally low. “We ain’t in court, counselor. I ain’t some witness you’re cross-examining.”
She threw up her hands. “Fine. You’re right. I’m sorry. I found out because ninety percent of my job is research. After Daphne dropped the bombshell, I called Stacy.”
“And she just told you?” he said incredulously.
“Yes. You are assigned to my son, so your resignation does affect me.” She met his perplexed gaze head on. “I hated that you called Daphne and not me. I hated that Daphne acted as if she had a claim on you. After what’s happened with us the last couple months, it pissed me off. I have a claim on you first, Kane.”
Kane moved in and braced his hands on the back of the couch, forcing her to look up at him. “You have a funny way of showin’ it.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Because of Daphne? You thought… I told you once how I felt about Daphne. Dammit, Ginger. Do you think I fall in love with every woman whose son I mentor? You’re the first. You’re the only.”
When Kane realized he’d admitted he loved her, he immediately retreated.
But Ginger wouldn’t allow it. She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and held him in place. “You love me?”
He stared at her with that damnable inscrutable look.
“Answer the question, Mr. McKay. Do you love me?”
“Yes. Goddammit, I’m in love with you. Must you interrogate me about every damn thing?”
“Yes. And I’m not done badgering you. Second question. Do you love me because you care about Hayden so much?”
“No. If it weren’t for Hayden, we wouldn’t have crossed paths.”
“Because we’re so different, you and I? Because I wear heels and you wear boots? Because I study the law and you study the land? Because I’m a homebody and you used to be a party animal? Well, here’s a newsflash, Kane, I was too intimidated by you to make a move on you. For two years! You were this gorgeous gentleman cowboy and my son worshipped you.”
He laughed. “Are you serious? Wanna hear something totally fuckin’ sappy? I still remember what you wore the first time we met. A pink and white flowered dress and pink spike heels with the sexiest strap that crossed at the ankle. I acted as tongue-tied as a fourteen-year-old boy. Talk about bein’ outta my league.”
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Her mouth dropped open. Kane recalled that vividly what she’d worn? She’d taken special care not to dress provocatively, and she remembered he’d barely given her a second glance. He’d focused all his attention on her son. And she hadn’t minded.
“But these last few months when I’ve gotten to know you? How I feel about
you
has nothin’ to do with Hayden. Besides the fact he’s such a great kid because he’s got such a great mom.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “Kane—”
“Let me finish. Yesterday, as soon as we finished calving, I stopped by Stacy Lynnwood’s office and resigned as a mentor in the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program. I didn’t give her a specific reason.” His eyes narrowed. “I assume Stacy told you about what’d happened with Brandi?”
“Not in detail, just the general gist.”
“Then you understand why I didn’t want our relationship to be dissected by the organization or anyone else?”
She nodded.
“So I resigned. That wasn’t something I was gonna tell you over the phone. I don’t want to be in your life only as Hayden’s mentor. I want to be in your life as your lover and your partner. I want us to be a family.”
“Kane—”
“Don’t interrupt.” He dropped to his knees and gathered both her hands in his. “I’d hoped to do this differently, but I ain’t gonna wait for the right time because I’m tired of wasting time. Ginger Paulson, I love you like crazy. Will you marry me?”
Oh dear God. The man wanted to marry her
before
he knew she was pregnant? She swallowed hard.
But the nauseous feeling that’d been building wouldn’t go away. Saliva pooled in her mouth and she swallowed over and over, but it was pointless. She said, “I’m going to be sick.” She clapped her hand over her mouth and stumbled to the bathroom, barely making it before she puked.
After her stomach emptied the last of the Sprite, she flushed the toilet, wobbled to her feet and rinsed her mouth. Feeling dizzy, she rested against the shower door and slid to the floor, eyes closed in absolute mortification.
She heard Kane enter the bathroom. Water ran. A cool washcloth pressed against her forehead. The warmth of Kane’s body and his familiar scent enveloped her as he sat beside her. Without thought, she leaned into him.
Kane said, “So the thought of marryin’ me makes you physically ill?”
Her eyes flew open. “No. God no. Don’t think that. It’s so far from the truth you have no idea.”
“Then why don’t you tell me what’s goin’ on?”
Ginger lifted her chin. “I’m pregnant.”
Every bit of color drained from Kane’s face.
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“Evidently you’re supposed to use alternative methods of birth control when you’re on the pill and taking antibiotics.”
Kane slumped back against the shower door. “I’ll be goddammed. How far along are you?”
“I guess about two months.”
“Guess it ain’t a blizzard baby like everyone one else’s,” he murmured.
“I didn’t plan this. I feel like such a freakin’ idiot. Another unintended pregnancy? I’ve had one.
You’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now. But no. Here I am. Thirty-seven years old, pregnant again.”
“How long have you known?”
“Only since this morning. When I heard from Skylar that you’d been in town for two days, and Daphne said you called her last night…‘Hey, you’re gonna be a daddy’ is not exactly news I wanted to break over the phone.”
“So you understand why I wanted to tell you and Hayden in person that I’d resigned from the program?”
“Yes.” Ginger looked at him. “I wanted to tell you this in person too. I love you. You’re only the third man I’ve ever said that to in my life, the first two being my son and my father. You’re too good to be true, Kane McKay, and why no other woman has snatched you up for herself absolutely boggles my mind. I’ve probably fucked this up completely by acting neurotic and jealous and needy. Oh, and let’s not forget about me accidentally getting pregnant.” A small sob escaped.
“Hey. Hey.” Kane trapped her face in his hands. “Don’t cry. It rips me clean apart. The only way you’ll screw this up is if you say no to marryin’ me.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you too, sugar. And at the risk of soundin’ smug, I ain’t exactly gonna be cryin’ in my beer over the fact that I knocked up the smartest, sexiest, funniest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
More tears leaked out. “You are so sweet. And not so sweet.”
He stared at her.
“I like your rougher edges. Even in bed. It surprised me how much I liked you just taking what you wanted that morning after the snowstorm. I freaked out a little because…”
“Why?”
“Probably because I did like it so much. It scared me to think I could give up everything to you if you asked. But that’s the real truth, isn’t it? You’ll never ask for more than I’m willing to give you and you’ll give me what I need even when I’m not exactly sure what that is.”
“Ginger—”
“I’m sorry. I never meant to make you think I couldn’t handle it. Or you. I like all sides of you, Kane McKay.”
“Is that a yes to my marriage proposal?”
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Ginger snorted. “Yes. As if there was ever any doubt that I’d marry you.”
He beamed a grin that caused her heart to skip a beat. “Wanna know something else?” He laughed a little nervously. “I was busier than you know while I was sneaking around in town yesterday.”
“What did you do?”
“Stopped by your house and asked your father for his blessing to marry you. I wasn’t gonna ask the ornery bugger for his permission and give him a chance to say no, but I didn’t want to spring it on him, either. He’s a big part of your life, which means he’ll be a big part of mine too.”
This sweet, fiery, protective man had thought of everything that was important to her. “Does Hayden know?”
“Nah. I figured we could tell Hayden together if I got you to say yes and had the ring on your finger.”
“You already bought a ring?”
His face flushed crimson. “I’m optimistic. But I never thought I’d be showin’ it to you in the crapper.
Christ Almighty, talk about romantic.”
Ginger touched his jaw. “That you want to be with me forever is highly romantic.”
He rummaged in his vest pocket, bringing out a small black velvet bag with a gold drawstring.
She reached for it and he moved it out of reach.
“Huh-uh. Close your eyes and give me your left hand.”
Cool metal circled her fourth finger.
“Okay. Now you can look.”
Even in dim bathroom lighting the ring sparkled. The round emerald was nestled in the middle of silver vines, connected to clusters of small pink stones surrounded by rectangular diamonds that fanned out to create flowers. She gasped and blinked at him. “Oh my God, Kane. This is exquisite.”
“The green stone reminded me of your eyes.” His thumb swept over the center of the ring. “It wasn’t a custom design, but it seemed like fate when I saw it. The pink diamonds reminded me of the dress you wore when we first met, so I just went ahead and bought it.”
“When?”
Kane blushed again. “Colt called me a pussy and told me to man up, grow up and marry you. So he and Kade dragged my ass to Spearfish when we had a small break durin’ calving.”
Ginger brought his hand to her lips and kissed his rough-skinned knuckles. “I’m so going to love being married to you.”
“Why? Because I buy you jewelry?”
“No. Because you are the best man, with the biggest heart, that I’ve ever known, and I am the luckiest woman in the world to have found you. I’d take you to bed to prove it, but I’m still feeling barfy.”
His blue eyes clouded with concern. “Is this normal?”
“I think so. It was a blur being pregnant with Hayden, especially those early months.”
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“Well, sugar, I’ll be involved every step of the way this time so don’t even think about tryin’ to handle any of this on your own.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Although havin’ a baby is gonna be cool, the bonus is I get Hayden as mine. I want to adopt him, Red. Make him my son in name too.”