Buch lesen: «The Cowboy's Seductive Proposal»

One

Fifteen more minutes of peace. Faith Kolanko glanced at her watch and sighed. She could enjoy her lunch break a little longer before she had to return to her frenzied office at Graphic Design. This was her one chance during the day for solitude.

Even when it was almost uncomfortably warm like today, she loved this secluded area of Harrington Park in downtown Tulsa. In addition to a redbrick wall, a tall hedge of blooming spirea bushes hemmed in the niche where she sat. Higher than her head, the white wall of spirea divided the quiet hideaway from the rest of the park.

“Ah, darlin’, isn’t this a gorgeous day?”

Beyond the spirea bushes a rich bass voice floated on the air. Figuring the couple would move on, Faith paid little heed to their murmurings. A glance at her watch showed twelve more minutes of tranquillity.

She didn’t want to return to the office one minute shy of her hour break. She had worked until ten o’clock last night, and then her day had begun at six this morning. She needed quiet before returning to the Bradley account.

Bushes rustled and noises on the other side of the spirea caught her attention again. She heard the snap of a blanket being shaken and then the pop of a can being opened.

“Lie down there, honey, and look at that blue sky. Can you believe this day?”

Faith sighed. Knowing her solitude had to end, she folded the morning paper, brushed crumbs off her blue skirt, then straightened her blue blouse. The couple on the other side of the bushes sounded as if they were going to stay for a while. She closed her thermos and slipped it into the brown paper bag.

“Oh, darlin’, I love you so much! I never would’ve guessed it possible.”

As she listened to the masculine voice that softened with tenderness, Faith’s brows arched, and she became aware of the cooings and murmurings on the other side of the bushes. The only way out of this corner of the park was a gravel walk that curved right past the amorous couple. She prayed they would pick up and move, but they sounded pretty comfortable.

“I love you.”

Faith heard the whispered baby talk, along with kisses and coos and deep-throated noises. She didn’t want to even imagine what was going on. But if the woman began screaming with pleasure, Faith wasn’t going to sit quietly. Didn’t they know there were people around?

They obviously didn’t care, because the noises increased.

Faith frowned at the spilling fountain of white blossoms, the green foliage almost hidden by the spirea blooms. She glanced at her watch. Nine more minutes before she absolutely had to start back to the office. Should she make a loud noise or try to creep past them? It didn’t sound as if they would notice her. Or care even if they did notice.

“Honey, wait a minute. There,” the man said. “Let’s get rid of this dress, darlin’ blue eyes. Big, big blue eyes. Oh, what long lashes you have! You’re my precious sweetie. . . .”

What would make perfectly sane adults resort to such ridiculous baby talk? Never in her life had Faith felt inclined to talk in such an absurd manner to any male she had dated. Nor would she ever.

The man’s voice faded, replaced by sounds that made Faith blush. She didn’t want to hear the noises, but now she certainly didn’t want to walk past them. And to get out of her hiding place, she would have to do just that.

She looked at the brick wall and contemplated going over it. The vision of herself in heels and hose and a tight cotton skirt sliding over that wall in front of the busy intersection killed the notion instantly. The only other way to avoid the couple would be to crash through the spirea hedge, and she could, just imagine how she would look returning to work with flowers and leaves in her hair.

She glanced at her watch. She had heard about couples having sex in the park, but she had dismissed the rumors as frivolous. All she had ever encountered were other business people and a few transients.

Seven minutes. The gurgles and growls and giggles made her cheeks burn. She debated what to do. Were they stark naked? she wondered.

How many times had her friend Leah warned her that they were too isolated when they came to this spot? Next time she would listen.

“Oh, honey, I love you!” came a whisper. Then more kissing sounds and cooing. “Yum, yum, yum. Take a li’l bite here. . . .”

“For corn’s sake!” Faith whispered. She looked at her watch. Five minutes. She bit her lip and frowned. Maybe if she just ran past them, they would never notice her. But could she avoid noticing them? Sex was not a spectator event.

The sounds became more primitive and garbled, and she could too easily imagine what might be happening on the other side of the spirea.

“Oh, God! Oh, darlin’!” Unidentifiable sounds she didn’t want to hear disturbed the quiet.

Faith wanted to scream. She wanted to yell to them that they were in a very public place and could get arrested for what they were doing. “Get a room!” She silently mouthed the words.

“Darlin’, what’s the matter?”

In the midst of her mental tirade, Faith realized the man’s voice held terror. The woman sounded as if she was gagging. Or having a seizure. The woman might be having an attack of some kind!

“Oh, Lordy, Lordy,” the man cried out “What do I do? What should I do? Merry, darlin’, can you breathe? Oh, Lord, help.”

He sounded desperate. Faith had CPR training. Knowing she couldn’t stand by and ignore someone who was hurt, Faith clamped her jaw, prepared to face two naked lovers, and plunged through the spirea, scattering white petals like a rain shower in springtime.

She spit out spirea blooms and froze in momentary shock, staring into dark brown eyes as a man on his knees looked up at her. Sunlight splashed over broad bronzed shoulders that gleamed with a faint sheen of sweat. Shaggy black hair fell around his face. A muscled chest tapered to a narrow waist.

For one brief moment they stared at each other and then Faith’s attention shifted. In his arms he held a baby who was choking. A baby. She wore a diaper and a pink ribbon in her tiny black curls, and her little face was screwed up in agony.

“She’s choking,” the man said, but Faith needed no explanation. The coughing and gasping signaled the baby’s distress.

Faith reacted instinctively and with the experience of having dealt with a younger brother, sisters, nieces and nephews. She took the choking baby from him and quickly positioned the child face-down across her lap. With the heel of her free hand, she struck the baby on the back between the shoulder blades. On the second blow, something squishy shot out of the little girl’s mouth.

The baby instantly gasped for breath and screamed.

Standing, Faith placed the tyke on her shoulder, patted her back, hugged her close and talked softly to her as she jiggled her gently.

“Thank God!” the man exclaimed. “Oh, thank you, thank you!”

Watching the slender blonde quiet his baby, Jared Whitewolf experienced a kaleidoscope of emotions: shock when the woman appeared out of the bushes; terror over Merry’s choking; swift relief when the woman cleared Merry’s throat of the obstruction. Then his relief transformed into curiosity. Who was the pretty lady covered in white blossoms? Merry was snuggling in the woman’s arms, quiet now except for an occasional hiccup.

Jared couldn’t have been more dazzled if the sun had dropped halfway to earth. This woman knew how to handle a baby. A bona fide, world-class champion baby handler. Probably a mommy with three kids. His gaze ran down her slender figure, noticing her ringless fingers when she turned her profile to him. Her blond hair, sprinkled with white petals, was fastened with a clip behind her head. A practical watch with a leather strap circled her slender wrist. The blue skirt ended above great knees and long, shapely legs.

Jared stood, wiped his brow and hoped his heart would stop racing. The woman turned to face him.

“Thanks,” he said. “That’s the biggest scare I’ve had in years.”

“What did you feed her?”

“I gave her a banana.”

The woman glanced at the baby in her arms, then frowned at him, and he knew he had blundered. “She’s too little unless it’s mashed up. You didn’t let her have the whole banana, did you?”

“Well, not a whole one, but too damned much,” he answered perfunctorily, his thoughts moving on. Merry was twiddling with the woman’s silver hoop earring, as blissfully happy now as if the whole incident had never occurred. This golden-haired rescuer really knew how to care for a baby.

He thought of the few disastrous dates he had had since Merry had come into his life. He hadn’t met a woman yet who could cope with Merry for more than an hour and never in a crisis. And until today, he had never had a crisis that had been, life-threatening.

“She’s very pretty,” the woman said softly, looking down at Merry. The baby gurgled, smiled and stared at the woman. Jared’s pulse jumped.

“You’re really good with babies.”

“I should be,” she said without looking up, and he braced himself to hear she had a house filled with her own. She stopped to smile at Merry, both of them looking beautiful, adorable and contented.

“Why should you be good with them?” he asked, holding his breath.

“I grew up with three younger siblings, as well as an older brother. They are all married now with babies,” she answered.

He moved closer, catching a fragrance more enticing than the spring flowers surrounding him. Looking into her wide green eyes, he felt a tension that he recognized instantly and was delighted to discover. The sexual chemistry was icing on the cake.

“Hold still. You have petals in your hair,” he said, reaching up to pull white blossoms from the silky waves. His hand brushed her throat, and he felt a tingle that echoed through the emptiness deep inside him.

She reached back to unfasten the clip that held her hair and gave a shake of her head, scattering petals over her shoulders and onto Merry.

“Here, let me help,” he said, watching the woman as he placed his hands on either side of her head. While he looked down into her eyes, he slowly combed his fingers through her soft cascade of golden hair. Green eyes tugged at his senses. She drew a deep breath, and the tension between them sizzled, invisible, yet as tangible as if he had moved close to a blazing fire. Her eyes darkened, and her lips parted slightly as she gazed back steadfastly at him.

Never one for long, deep soul-searching, Jared knew inherently that this woman was special. She had dashed into their lives, and he wanted her to stay.

“I’m Jared Whitewolf,” he said quietly, looking at her crystal eyes, flawless skin, full red lips. “You’re holding my daughter, Meny—spelled M-E-R-R-Y.” His speech was automatic. His thoughts were on her eyes, so cool and filled with a mysterious invitation that revved up parts of him hungry for a woman’s touch.

“I’m Faith Kolanko.”

“Thanks for coming to our rescue.”

“You’re welcome.”

They stared at each other, and Jared didn’t want the moment to end. He didn’t feel compelled to talk to break the silence between them because it wasn’t an uneasy quiet. Far from it. It was snapping, popping and sizzling with chemistry so hot it should be illegal. While he looked down at her, he saw another flicker in the depths of her eyes.

For the first time since he’d become Merry’s father, he momentarily forgot his daughter—forgot everything—except the woman whose wide eyes gazed up at him. Faith Kolanko.

“We’re having a picnic. Want to join us?” he asked. “Are you alone?”

“Oh, my soul! I’m late for work!” she exclaimed, glancing at her watch, the magic sparks spinning between them vanishing as if turned off by a switch. “I’ve got to go,” she said, handing Merry to him.

Jared knew a good thing when he saw it, and he wasn’t going to let Faith Kolanko slip out of his life ten minutes after she’d arrived in it.

“Hey, wait!” he said, trying to scoop up his boots and shirt and Merry’s sundress and hold Merry at the same time.

Faith did not wait. She dashed around the spirea bushes and reappeared in seconds with a purse slung over her shoulder. “See you!”

She ran down the twisting gravel path and vanished beyond a stand of bright yellow forsythia.

“Darlin’, we can’t let that woman go,” he said to Merry, placing her on the quilt he had spread. He yanked on his boots, pulled on his T-shirt. He dropped Merry’s pink sundress over her head, straightened it and picked her up to run. He passed the forsythia, sprinting across the grassy park while he looked around, searching for a golden head of hair and a blue blouse and skirt.

Halfway around the park, the brick wall progressively shortened and then ended. There was a parking lot at the north end, and Jared scanned the few people getting in and out of cars for a blue blouse and skirt. He glanced to the east. Beyond the park and the wide expanse of sidewalk, past a fountain with silver water sparkling in the bright sunlight, up wide steps to a tall office building, he spotted fabulous legs, a blue skirt, blue shirt and golden hair. He tightened his grasp of Merry and ran.

Faith Kolanko disappeared through the revolving glass doors of the Harrington Tower. Since he suspected she would be out of sight in an office by the time he reached the revolving doors, he stopped running.

He looked down at Merry, who smiled at him. “You are a sweetie, and I’m sorry I fed you too much banana at once. I won’t do that again, I promise,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “The lady got away—for now, but not for good. Nosiree. Li’l darlin’, we’ll get our things and go look for the pretty lady. I’ll bet half the men in that building can tell me what office she’s in. You liked her, didn’t you?”

Merry gurgled and blinked when sunlight splashed over her face.

“Well, so did I. She’s special, Merry. I can just feel it down to my bones. Faith Kolanko. That’s a pretty name. Merry and Faith. I like that.”

Merry smiled at him, and he settled her against his shoulder as he strode back to the blanket he had spread. He laid her down gently, her big blue eyes watching him solemnly until a bird flitted past, and then her attention shifted to the birds and trees.

Jared folded up their things, finished the can of pop he’d been drinking and put their trash in a nearby bin. He sank down on the quilt, pulled Merry into his arms and got a bottle out of a satchel. “Now, li’l darlin’, here’s your bottle. You drink up and have a little nap. Then, sweetie, we’ll go find the pretty lady we liked so much.”

Jared watched Merry’s tiny hands grasp the plastic bottle, and he felt his heart swell with love for this little person he held in his arms. “I’m sorry your real daddy couldn’t know you, li’l darlin’. He was a good man and we’re not going to forget him.”

Merry’s eyes closed, thick black lashes a dusky shadow over her plump rosy cheeks. Jared snuggled her closer, careful not to disturb her as she drank her formula. He brushed a kiss across her forehead. While he watched her drink, he thought about Faith Kolanko. He wanted a date with her. He hadn’t had a satisfactory date since Merry had come into his life. And though he had yet to try, he suspected he’d had so few dates that he could count them on the fingers of both hands. He just hoped he couldn’t count them on one hand.

Whatever the number, it had been too damned few. He liked women and he missed their companionship. But nothing about his life was as simple as it had been before. He had to think about Merry now. He had to be friends with nice ladies who liked Merry and could deal with her. And until today, he hadn’t met anyone who fit his criteria—and who fit him.

Faith Kolanko had been marvelous with Merry. She was the first female he had encountered who could really cope in a crisis.

While Merry sucked happily, fantasies danced in his mind. Jared pictured the slender blonde in absolute detail. The way her lips curved in a smile, the hint of curiosity in her green eyes as she looked at him. The cool, decisive way she had taken charge. The warmth she exhibited toward Merry.

He had learned at an early age that a man out in public with a horse or a puppy drew women like honey drew flies. In the last four months, he had learned that a man with a baby also attracted women. Wherever he traveled with Merry—grocery, park, rodeo, beach or mall—women came up to him to see the baby. But when he carried it further, it was different. A man and a woman who met over a horse or a dog could ignore the animal for a few hours. No such luck with a baby. When Merry demanded attention, Jared had discovered that most of the women he encountered either knew little about babies or already knew too much and didn’t want anything to do with another one. Romance had gone out of his life almost as swiftly as fatherhood had come into it.

But then, springing forth from a hedge, had come a beautiful lady who obviously loved little babies. “My, oh, my!” he whispered aloud. He looked down at the baby in his arms. She had finished the bottle, and her breath was rapid, rising and falling evenly, telling him she was asleep.

“What a day we’ve had, eh, li’l darlin’? It will be downhill all the way from here.” He placed Merry gently on the blanket. “We’re going to get our things and go find the pretty lady. I suspect she isn’t going to be able to resist you. We are going to ask Faith to dinner and to become part of our lives. We need her—I can feel it clear down to my toes,” he said to the sleeping baby.

He paused and looked at the spirea bushes. Only a sprinkling of white petals on the ground indicated that anything had disturbed the flowers. He picked a little sprig and tucked it into the pocket of Merry’s bag.

Jared stretched out on the blanket, folding his arms behind his head, and watched white clouds shift across the deep blue sky. He listened to the birds and enjoyed the slight April breeze while leaves caused shadows to dance across him. His thoughts were on Faith Kolanko. She had been calm, cool, efficient. And beautiful. Big green eyes, long legs. In his heart he gave another silent prayer of thanks for Merry’s rescue and for Faith Kolanko sweeping into their lives.

All his life, there had been women around—until the last two months. He missed having a woman around. He had thought of marriage—something that had never crossed his mind until he’d become a father. Now he was ready to marry. But now, because of Merry, he couldn’t get out and meet women with the ease he had known before. Well, Faith was one lady who had charged into his life, and he wanted to keep her there. At least, he wanted her there long enough to see if he wanted her there forever.

Two hours later Jared shook out the soft blanket, rolled it up, then bound it with leather before fastening it to a carrier on his back. Catching his shaggy hair, he fastened it with a leather thong behind his head. Then he carefully placed Merry in her baby carrier and secured her against his heart, brushing her soft hair lightly with his fingers.

“Sweetie, I didn’t know how lovable a little baby could be until I met you.”

He brushed off his jeans, gathered his things and crossed the park. Whistling, Jared strolled to the Harrington Building and pushed inside. Moments later, he was describing Faith to the receptionist, who shook her head at him.

“I’m sorry, sir. There are a lot of blond women who work in this building.”

“Faith Kolanko is about five feet eight inches tall. She has long blond hair, green eyes, a few freckles across her nose—”

“Miss Kolanko works on the fifth floor.” A man in a white shirt and dark slacks appeared at Jared’s side. “She’s an artist and works for Graphic Design.”

“Thanks,” Jared said, eyeing the man as much as the man was eyeing him. Jared turned, looked at the directory posted near the elevators and spotted Graphic Design listed on the fifth floor.

“We’ll have to wait until she gets off work, Merry,” he said to the sleeping baby. “We’ll come back about four o’clock so we don’t miss her.”

He strode out into the sunshine and back to the park, this time spreading his blanket in the shade where he could see two of the building’s exits.

At four he went to his pickup, where he left the blanket and picnic basket, opting instead for Merry’s umbrella stroller. “Now, darlin’,” he said, buckling Merry into the seat and handing her a bright blue rattle, “we’ll wait for Miss Kolanko to get off work.” Hooking Merry’s diaper bag over the handle of the stroller, he pushed her toward the Harrington Tower.

They sat in the cool lobby and watched people pour through on their way home from work, but Jared did not spot any tall, beautiful blonde. Five became six, the building emptied, and a security man in a brown uniform appeared.

“Sir, do you work in this building?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well, unless you have some reason for being here, I’ll have to ask you to leave. I need to lock up the building for the night,” he said, switching off some of the lobby lights.

“I’m waiting for Faith Kolanko with Graphic Design.”

“Miss Kolanko? Do you mind if I verify that?”

“No, go ahead. I’m Jared Whitewolf,” he said, standing.

The security guard crossed the lobby to a phone and placed a call. Jared pushed Merry and the stroller closer.

“Whitewolf. He said he’s waiting for you, Miss Kolanko. That’s right, a little baby. Yes, ma’am. You’re welcome.” He replaced the receiver.

“She said to tell you she would be right down. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir, but we have to make the building as secure as possible.”

“sure. I understand. Thanks.”

Jared pushed the stroller back to the bench that faced the elevators and sat down to wait, watching as glowing numbers above the elevator moved from five to one. He stood as the double doors slid open and the woman he was going to marry emerged.