Rancher's Perfect Baby Rescue. Linda Conrad

proof it was true.

      Maria also wrinkled her face as if she’d tasted something sour. “You know I don’t talk to none of them Devotees unless I have to. They give me the creeps.” She turned and left the room.

      Nathan followed Maria’s footsteps, also heading for the bedroom door. “You two have a nice rest this afternoon,” he said over his shoulder. “We’ll talk again.”

      “Wait.” She had to say something to save Melody.

      He swung back and stood waiting for her to speak.

      “Don’t turn us in to the Devotees. Please, Nathan. I beg you for Melody’s sake.” The tears welled up, and the lump in her throat nearly choked the life right out of her.

      Standing there staring at her, his jaw turned hard and his eyes went cold. “So there’s a different story you want to give me now?”

      “Yes. Yes. Anything. Just please don’t tell them we’re here.”

      Nathan stormed out of the room, madder than spit. He should’ve known—just another beautiful woman who lied. What the hell was the matter with him? Didn’t he ever learn?

      He’d known her story sounded wrong, but those big hazel eyes had taken him in.

      Susannah would have to wait. He had a lot to say to her. But in the meantime, he wanted those frigging Devotee devils the hell off his property.

      He hit the front porch ready to go off on them like a rocket. “What do you want?”

      The two men turned to his voice. Son of a bitch! One of these dudes was Jonathan Miller, who was absolutely the last man on earth he ever wanted to see again.

      “Hello, Nathan.” Jonathan’s smile was greasy, which went perfectly with his hair. “Sorry to bother you. We were waiting to see your father. Is he in?”

      Just the sound of his voice set Nathan’s nerves on edge. “No. He’s gone to Cheyenne to a breeders’ auction. I asked you what you want.”

      If the Devotees thought they could get around him every time by going to his father, they were in for a big surprise.

      “No sense being hostile.” Jonathan’s voice was smooth—too smooth. “The problems between us were over years ago. Things have changed. I’m the vice-mayor of Cold Plains now. We’re neighbors, Nathan. We want to be good neighbors and friends.”

      He gritted his teeth and glared at the man. “What part of ‘what do you want?’ don’t you understand? I’m busy, Miller. Say whatever it is and get off our land.”

      Miller threw a quick glance at the other man, and a chill went up Nathan’s spine. The guy had perfect hair, perfect clothes, a perfectly nonthreatening stance and glassy but eerily perfect crystal-blue eyes.

      Damned Devotees. Maria was right. They gave him the creeps.

      “We’re just here asking for a small favor.” Jonathan sounded earnest. “Nothing that should upset you. One of our members has disappeared, and we were hoping you would let us look around. We’re worried about her.”

      “What’s this person look like?”

      “She’s in her late twenties with long brown hair. Nine months pregnant, she’s within days of having a child. In fact, the birth may have already taken place, and that means there’re two of our people who could need help. We’re planning on forming a formal search party in the morning.”

      “Don’t bother searching the ranch.” Nathan practically spat at the fool. “We’ll keep an eye out. If anyone here runs across something odd, I’ll be sure to give you a call.” The Devotees could rot in hell before he ever lifted one finger to help them.

      “But …” Jonathan acted like he seldom was refused anything.

      Too bad. “I got your message. Now leave.”

      “You’re not being very neighborly, Nathan. We only wanted …”

      “Listen, Miller. If I see any of your people on our property, I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.” He folded his arms over his chest and took a threatening step forward. “Get out. And don’t come back.”

      The two men turned and walked toward their car without another word. But Nathan had a feeling they weren’t about to give up.

      He’d call Mac in another minute to escort these two bums off the property. He didn’t trust them. In fact, he seldom trusted anyone anymore. It was a hard-learned lesson, one he thought he’d learned well.

      So why had one pretty woman who looked lost and alone been able to get under his skin so quickly? Ah, hell.

      Regardless, he wanted that Devotee and her child off his ranch and out of his life today.

       Chapter 3

      Dressed in a borrowed robe while Maria washed her clothes and tried to mend the tears, Susannah awoke from a two-hour nap when a loud knock rapped on the bedroom door. Without waiting for an answer, Nathan banged the door open and came right inside.

      “Shush,” she told him. “The baby’s still sleeping.”

      He threw a guarded glance toward the basket sitting on his wide dresser top. “I see,” he said in a stage whisper. “But we’re going to have that talk now.”

      His face was a mask of stern consternation—big trouble. However, she wouldn’t let him run over her. She’d done enough of that in her life. This time, her child was what mattered most.

      Pulling the robe tighter around her, she carefully sat in the easy chair. “Talk, then. But quietly please.”

      “I’m not talking. You are. Why’d you lie? And if you’re in with those damned Devotees, why didn’t you want them to find you?”

      She could see the veins sticking out on his temple as his jaw tightened. He was furious. Her hands started shaking. She didn’t deal well with anger … never had.

      Taking a deep breath, she tried to find a way to explain without making him madder. “Please calm down, Nathan. I’ll tell you the truth, why we left Cold Plains, and then Melody and I will leave the ranch. I promise I wasn’t trying to take anything from you. We just needed to rest. We were lost. Really.”

      He drew a breath, too, sat at the edge of the bed like he had earlier and let his mouth relax. “Go on.”

      “The part about my boyfriend kicking me to the curb when he learned about the baby is true. He did put me on the bus. But that was six months ago. When I ran out of money in the middle of nowhere, I thought I would end up as a street person.”

      “While expecting a baby?”

      “Yeah, that’s not such a great picture, is it? The thought scared me to death. But I got lucky for once when Samuel Grayson found me and brought me back to Cold Plains. He made a place for me. He gave me a job and somewhere to live. I’d never been treated so well in my entire life.”

      Nathan’s expression turned hard again. “I can understand that he became like your safety net. I guess you had no choice. But why’d you stay?”

      “Seriously? Have you seen the place recently? Everything is wonderful and clean. I’d never lived anywhere as colorful or where the people are so kind to perfect strangers. My life had been full of lots of gray and mostly rude people up to then. I loved it there.”

      “Did you … did you become one of them?”

      “Well, if you mean, did I take their seminars and try my best to be like them? You bet I did. Samuel Grayson is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. He can make you feel, well, like you’re somebody.”

      A tick appeared at the side of Nathan’s mouth when she’d mentioned Samuel. “If you love him and his kind so much, why’d you leave?”

      All