Tempted by the Texan

“Thank you, but he’s been an angel since I got sick,” Bria said, her voice reflecting her motherly love. “And speaking of my little man, he’s due to wake up from his nap soon, so I’ll have to make this quick. The reason I’m calling is about Sam’s birthday dinner. Since I haven’t felt well, Taylor is going to have the celebration at her and Lane’s ranch a week from this Sunday.”

Taylor Donaldson had worked as a personal chef before moving to Texas and had been helping Bria with all of the family get-togethers since marrying Lane. But it concerned Mariah that Bria might have something more serious than the stomach flu. She’d never known her sister not to cook Sam’s birthday dinner herself.

“Have you been to a doctor?” Mariah asked. “Maybe there’s something he can give you to help you get over this.”

“I have an appointment tomorrow,” Bria answered. “But I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. I just wanted to let you know about the change in plans.”

“I’ll be there,” Mariah said, careful not to mention the word we. Apparently Jaron hadn’t mentioned anything to his brothers about her working for him. If he had, she knew her sister would have questioned her about it. Besides, she fully intended to tell Bria about losing her job and moving to the Wild Maverick when she saw her the day of Sam’s birthday dinner. Some things were just better discussed in person. “Let me know what you find out after you see the doctor, and if you change your mind about me watching little Hank, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“I will,” Bria promised. “I’ll see you a week from Sunday. Love you.”

“Love you more, sis,” Mariah said before ending the call. Since their parents had been taken from them so unexpectedly, they never parted without telling each other how they felt.

Mariah left Jaron’s office and headed upstairs to take a shower and change. He would be back soon from working with his men and she wanted to be ready to go out for dinner.

She briefly wondered why he hadn’t told his brothers about hiring her, but she had been just as reluctant to share her change of employment with Bria. Maybe Jaron was trying to avoid a barrage of questions, the same as she was.

Mariah loved her sister with all her heart, but Bria could be the overly protective big sister at times and especially where Jaron was concerned. It wasn’t that Bria didn’t trust him to be anything but a perfect gentleman. Mariah was certain that her sister trusted all of Sam’s foster brothers without hesitation.

But Bria had known how Mariah felt about Jaron from the time they’d been introduced. Bria also knew that Jaron had never led her on or given her any reason to believe that he viewed her as anything but Bria’s younger sister. Mariah was certain that if Bria got wind of her working at the Wild Maverick Ranch, she would feel compelled to caution Mariah about reading more into the situation than was really there.

Of course, her sister didn’t know the entire story and Mariah had no intention of telling her. What happened between two consenting adults was no one else’s business, and as far as Mariah was concerned that was the way it was going to stay. She would listen to Bria’s concerns and even answer the questions she could without revealing the personal aspects of her stay at the Wild Maverick Ranch. Beyond that, no one else needed to know what went on between her and Jaron.

* * *

The following day, Jaron sat across the desk from Mariah, wondering how he was going to keep his mind on ranch business when all he could think about was taking her upstairs and making love to her. When they’d gone out for supper the night before, he’d had the same problem concentrating. Mariah had been extremely enthusiastic about the woman she’d hired to take over the housekeeping position and told him all about her. He couldn’t recall a single thing she’d said other than the woman’s name was Reba something or other and that she wouldn’t be starting until the first of next month.

Fortunately, when they returned to the ranch, he’d received a call from his ranch foreman to tell him the calving season had started early. A couple of the prize-winning heifers he’d bought had gone into labor, and after seeing Mariah into the house, he’d walked down to the calving shed to check on them. He was sure his men could have taken care of the bovine maternity watch, but he’d used the excuse to escape what he knew now to be the inevitable. He and Mariah would be making love again—and soon.

He took a deep breath as he came to terms with that. He had reached the end of his rope and no amount of telling himself he was doing what was right had worked. His best efforts to fight his growing need for her had failed miserably and it was past time that he gave up and admitted it.