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Vada picked up her coat. “You bet I am. I want to see how you fix up your barn tree. I just know that Buttercup and Winnie, and even Dixie, are going to love it.”
Lucas’s hand brushed against hers as they followed Theron outside to the truck, and he locked his pinky finger with hers. Even though it was a brief walk across the porch and to the vehicle, he enjoyed every minute of being united with her in that small way. He felt like a teenager on a first date—or in his case, a twenty-year-old. He hadn’t dated anyone in high school, and his first experience with a girlfriend had been when he was with the daughter of the rancher where he worked. He gave Vada’s hand a gentle squeeze before he let go to open the door for her, and she responded by patting him on the arm.
“I wish Lucas was my daddy,” Theron piped up from the back seat.
“Oh, my!” Vada muttered. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Lucas asked.
“Why?” Theron must have thought Lucas was talking to him, because he unfastened his seat belt and leaned up so that his head was between Vada and Lucas. “Because you understand kids like me, and because I like you, and Sonny and Pearl like me, and they would be my real grandparents if you were my daddy.”
“We understand each other very well, son,” Lucas said, “and it’s okay for you to wish that. I’m honored that you like me that much.”
Lucas had to swallow hard to get the lump in his throat to go down. He would love to have Theron for a son—he’d even adopt him if that was possible—but what he’d like most was to deck the man that was privileged to have such a smart little boy and yet made him feel ashamed and unwanted.
Chapter Eight
Lucas and Theron came in after doing the feeding chores that Tuesday evening. The aromas of fresh bread baking and savory soup filled the bunkhouse. Theron followed Lucas’s lead and hung his coat on the rack inside the door, then kicked off his shoes and set them beside Lucas’s boots.
Vada gave the pot of soup bubbling on the stovetop a stir, then turned to face them. Her brown hair hung over her shoulders in two thick braids. She wore a pair of faded skinny jeans and an oatmeal-colored, thermal knit shirt that hugged her curves.
Lucas’s mouth went dry, and his pulse went into overtime—again. The light from the kitchen window created a halo around her head, and had she sprouted big, fluffy wings in that instant, he would not have been surprised.
“Something smells good,” Theron said as he headed toward the bathroom. “Is it all right if I take a bath before supper?”
“Of course. The bread won’t be done for about twenty minutes,” Vada replied. “Did you have a good time?”
“I learned that cattle need feed in the winter as well as hay.” Theron closed the door behind him and then opened it back up. “And I’m going to research and learn more about cattle. I’m going to study agriculture in my spare time this semester.” The door eased shut, and then Lucas heard the water running.
He crossed the room in a few long strides, wrapped his arms around Vada, and hugged her tightly. “You are so beautiful.” He buried his face in her hair.
“Good grief,” she said with a laugh, “what brought all this on?”
“I’m just happy that you and Theron are staying on the ranch for a while.” Lucas took half a step back, tipped up her chin with his knuckles, looked deep into her aqua colored eyes, and kissed her.
The kiss started off slow and sweet, but then her arms snaked up around his neck, and she pressed her body close to his. He deepened the kiss, and a jolt of pure, fiery desire shot through his body. He’d kissed women, dated women, slept with women, and even had a couple of fairly serious relationships, but nothing had ever prepared him for the way he felt right then.
“Oh! My!” Vada gasped when the kiss ended.
“Sparks?” Lucas’s voice sounded hoarse even in his own ears.
“No,” Vada said breathlessly, “white hot fire like I’ve never felt before.”
“Me, too,” Lucas said. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for days now, but…”
“But we’ve got a little boy underfoot,” Vada said with a smile.
“I love that kid,” Lucas said, “and I really like his mama.”
“His mama thinks a lot of you, too,” Vada said.
Lucas drew her back into his arms and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “Is it too soon to say that I could so easily fall in love with you?”
“Probably, but the feeling is mutual,” Vada told him. “And as much as I hate to ruin this romantic moment, if I don’t take that bread out of the oven, it’s going to be burned.” She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed Lucas on the chin. “And if that happens, I’m going to let you explain why it’s ruined to Theron.”
“Go, good woman, go!” Lucas teased.
Vada crossed over to the stove, grabbed an oven mitt, and removed a pan of hot rolls from the oven. She set them on the cabinet and buttered the tops. Lucas slipped his arms around her waist from the back and kissed her on the neck.
