The Heart of a Cowboy. Charlene Sands

choked with garlic and Sarah had never seen flatter biscuits. But she ate the meal without a fuss and listened to Case’s assessment of how he’d like to make a few changes on the ranch.

      He had ideas for saving money and time that Sarah thought sound enough. She agreed with him on some things and gave her opposition on others. Case listened to her quietly, nodding his head then strengthening his arguments to make her see things from his point of view. He had a stubborn streak that matched her own, especially when he believed he was right. Which was pretty much all the time.

      When dinner was over, Case helped Sarah bring the plates to the sink. He rinsed as she loaded the dishwasher. At times they worked so closely, their hands brushing as he handed her one dish after another, Sarah felt the need to flee. She hadn’t been touched in such a long time, and twice today, Case had touched her. Once to catch her fall and now this. It was silly to feel so awkward around him. She’d known him a long time. He was her husband’s brother, uncle to her unborn child. But she also felt a sense of disloyalty, irrational; as it seemed that she was somehow betraying Reid by engaging in such domestic rituals with another man.

      Get a grip, she warned herself, this is how it’s going to be from now on.

      Case looked around the kitchen, nodding his head, claiming that the dinner was a success and the room was cleaned. Sarah had to burst his bubble. Her baby needed more than meat and potatoes to survive and so did she. She cleared her throat and smiled sweetly. “Case, thanks for the meal, but I think I’ll take over the cooking duties from now on.”

      Case stood with both hands on his hips, pursed his lips and studied her for a time. “Thank God,” he said finally, surprising her.

      “W-what? I thought you wanted to cook some of the meals?”

      His lips parted with a devilish grin. “Hell no. I hate my own cooking.”

      “Then, why did you offer?”

      “Seemed like the right thing to do, Sarah. You nearly keeled over right in front of me today. I was afraid my being here was an added burden to you.”

      That was true, but feeding him had nothing to do with it. It was the seeing him every night and waking up in the morning part of their arrangement, that Sarah disliked. She’d be living with her husband’s brother, a man she didn’t know all too well, a man she had a brief history with in the past. She’d put that part of her life behind her, only to have Case move in here and remind her all over again, about times she’d rather not recall.

      And besides all that, she hated losing her privacy. She wasn’t always at her best, being eight full months pregnant. Some days she just wanted to scream down the walls and others she wanted to cry until there were no more tears left to shed. It didn’t set well that Case had to witness some of her less than perfect days. She was too tired to try to cover up her feelings from anyone, anymore.

      “You made me eat charcoal steak and greasy potatoes, Case. That’s cruel and unusual punishment. From now on, we’ll have a well-balanced meal. The baby needs his vitamins.”

      “If you say so,” he said, lifting dark eyes her way. She wore a pair of loose denim overalls with a tiny T-shirt top underneath. It was comfortable attire and she knew she must look like an overstuffed Mrs. Farmer John. Yet, his eyes traveled over her, grazing her with heat as he peered at her blossoming chest. Sarah had never been so well endowed. Her body was preparing for nourishing the baby and it appeared, Case had noticed. The appreciation she noted in his eyes brought forth tingles that ran the length of her spine. With one heated look, Case had the ability to make her forget she was eight months pregnant. With one look, he’d made her feel soft and feminine again.

      Sarah cleared her throat. “I do. But tomorrow’s dinner will be a little bit late. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon in Prescott.”

      “Who’s taking you?” Case asked immediately.

      “Well, nobody. I’m driving in myself.”

      “Like hell you are. What time is your appointment?”

      “Three.”

      “I’ll take you.”

      “That’s really not necessary.” Sarah didn’t understand Case’s sudden involvement in her life. She’d made it clear that she wasn’t his responsibility. She didn’t want him watching out for her. She had to learn to get by without any help since she was going to be a single mother. Case was the last man she’d ever rely on. He’d proven time and again that he couldn’t be trusted. “I’m perfectly capable of driving to town, Case.”

      He came up as close as he could get without crushing the baby and pinned her with a look. “And what if you get dizzy again? Then what?”

      “I only get dizzy if I move too fast. And I’m being very careful about that.”

      Case blew out a breath and the classic Jarrett pig-headed expression stole over his face. Sarah knew she’d be better off agreeing, since no amount of discussion was going to change his mind and she just wasn’t up for an argument. Having Case move back home had taken a definite toll on her today.

      “Be ready at two, Sarah. I was meaning to get into town soon anyway.”

      “If you insist, but you don’t really have to.”

      He grunted his reply and strolled out of the kitchen.

      Case settled himself on the back porch steps and took a swig of his beer. The golden liquid slid easily down his throat and quenched his thirst. Stretching out his long legs, he leaned on his elbows and glanced up at the stars, but Sarah’s image appeared, out of nowhere it seemed, and interrupted his peace. He’d been thinking about her all day. Couldn’t rightly get her off his mind.

      That night years ago flashed into his head, like a moving picture and plagued his memory. Sarah had looked so beautiful in her flowing pale blue gown, standing there on the threshold, expecting Reid to pick her up for her much-anticipated senior prom. Reid had come down with the flu, but hadn’t wanted Sarah to miss out on the evening. He’d practically begged Case to don his rented suit and replace him for the evening. Case protested—he didn’t want to go to some fancy doings with his brother’s girl, but in the end, for his brother’s sake, he agreed.

      The mistake was in not calling Sarah first, to let her know the situation. Reid argued that she wouldn’t go if she knew how sick he’d been, so Case agreed to tell her once he got to her house. But once he knocked on her door, Sarah gave him no time for explanations. The minute she saw him standing there in his brother’s suit, believing him to be Reid, she flowed into his arms and kissed him soundly on the lips. Case hadn’t expected the intense surge of passion that erupted within him. He hadn’t expected to enjoy Sarah’s lips moving over his or her sweet scent nearly buckling his knees.

      On pure male instinct, he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue in her mouth. Incredible sensations wiped all rational thought clear from his head. He forgot all about his mission, the fact that Sarah could never be his.

      They kissed deeply, Case pressing her back with small exquisitely sensual steps until he had her braced against the wall. Their bodies touched intimately, the whisper of satin crushed up against his groin. He couldn’t hide his arousal. He couldn’t get enough of her. He needed more, to touch her and continue touching her. He’d never been so taken by a female before. He’d never felt so overwhelmed and completely helpless to the sudden urges consuming him.

      She arched back and he traveled kisses along her delicate throat. Her moans of pleasure caused him to throw all caution to the wind. He couldn’t think beyond absorbing Sarah into his heat. Within seconds, her dress was unzipped and his hands found the contours of her smooth back, his lips the beautiful swell of her breasts. She tasted better than heaven, better than anything he’d ever known. He wanted Sarah more than his next breath.

      Intense desire seared through him like a burst of flames. He’d pressed himself closer and hiked up her pretty dress. The soft silky slide of her nylons gave way to bare flesh.