Before the Larkspur Blooms (22 page)

A round of applause went up. He looked down into her flushed face and shook his head.
Not a good idea at all.
Hobbling slowly, carefully, they made it to the starting line.

Mrs. Hollyhock stood off to the side, holding Shane. Ivan sat at her feet. “Get on your mark, get set…
go
!”

Sarah’s shriek almost split Thom’s eardrums. From the corner of his eye, he saw her and Markus fall into the grass first thing. Gabe and Jake, still standing motionless on the starting line, reached down and righted the tiny people-filled gunnysack, now three paces behind the two sets of grown-ups.

Chase and Jessie took a stride and then jumped together, finding a good rhythm. They led the race, and to Thom it almost looked as if Chase was carrying his wife. Challenged, and never one to give up easily, Thom slung his arm around Hannah’s back and clenched her to his side. “Step,” he ordered. “Hop. Step. Hop.”

In the screaming, laughing excitement, Ivan bounded between the racers. He barked and ran back and forth as Mrs. Hollyhock screeched his name over the cacophony, demanding he return to her side.

Chase and Jessie would reach the red bandanna in moments. Chase was barking orders as the Logans kept a rhythmic pace over the grass. Thom glanced back to see who was closing in, and found the kids close behind and Jake and Gabe still standing at the starting line, laughing.

Distracted, Thom stepped a little too soon, throwing Hannah off balance. Before he knew what was up, they landed on the ground. Hannah gasped for breath, and his hip stung from hitting hard. The children whooshed past.

“You OK?” This time she lay on top of him, and he was acutely aware of her every curve. When he realized his right hand rested
on her backside, he jerked it away as if it were a branding iron straight out of the fire.

She nodded and then laughed. “I’m sorry! I keep messing us up. We’re going to lose for sure.”

“Not if I have anything to do with it.” Thom rolled them to the side and dragged her up with him. He was getting used to having Hannah in his arms, smack tight up next to him. It wasn’t a surprise that he liked her feel more than he wanted to admit.

“Come on, Mommy!” Markus’s little voice reached them. “Come on!”

“You’re being summoned. Let’s go.”

Chase and Jessie had already reached the halfway mark and were on their way back. They were just about to pass Thom and Hannah, but Thom reached out his untethered leg and stuck it between Chase’s. The couple went down.

Hannah gasped. “Thom!” She tried to turn her head to see her friend, but Thom wouldn’t let her. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Pay attention, Hannah. Here come the kids.”

Markus and Sarah passed them on their way back to the finish line. Even though she was taller, Sarah’s arm wrapped Markus’s back as the team struggled to keep their balance. Markus’s face was one of total concentration, and Sarah’s smile could outshine the sun.

At the marker, Hannah reached out and touched the cherry-red bandanna as Thom swirled her around. She was no heavier than a piece of pollen. She gripped his shirt in both her hands, leaving it up to him to keep a firm hold on the gunnysack. If it slipped too low, it would trip them up. He strained, not wanting to lose.

“Faster, Hannah. I don’t like coming in last, unless it’s to Markus and Sarah. If we hurry we can overtake Chase and Jessie. They’re still down. They’re—”

Thom broke off his sentence. Hannah craned her neck, trying to see why. Chase and Jessie were deep in the prairie grass, lost in a passionate kiss. They couldn’t have cared less about Thom and Hannah galumphing by. Or about the dog barking. Or anything else. Desire surged through Thom’s body.

Just as Sarah and Markus crossed the finish line and let out a whoop of victory, Thom stumbled, taking Hannah down with him. He’d thrown caution to the wind today, reaching out to Hannah like this, but what were the costs? He shifted. Took the impact. Hannah landed on his chest.

Thom came awake slowly to the sound of Hannah giggling and her lips close to his. For a moment, he just lay there. Pain shot through his head when he looked to the side. Poking out of the grass next to his head was a slab of shale.

T
hom! Are you all right?” A collection of wrinkles lined his forehead as he gazed in silence at the puffy white clouds. “Thom?” Hannah gently shook his shoulder. “Say something, please.”

A slow smile played around the corners of his mouth, and she let out a relieved sigh. “You scared me. You went dead white for a second there. I thought you’d hit your head.”

She gave him a playful shove, and he surprised her by pulling her down. His lips found hers, and in the semi-cover of the tall grass he kissed her. A real kiss. A sizzling kiss. A kiss Hannah felt all the way to her toes. Warmth flushed her body, and she was keenly aware of his scent and taste. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry about it, so she relaxed, placing her hands on his chest as he explored her mouth.

“Ma!”

It was Markus. He was free from Sarah and running their way.

Thom made a little sound from his throat—it might have been regret—and pulled away. Hannah sat up, pushed the sack off their legs, and began to untie the twine.

“We won! We won!”

In boy-like fashion, Markus skidded to a stop on his knees next to them, his face beaming with excitement. Ivan followed one stride behind and pushed his way in between, whining and demanding attention. “Look!” Markus held out a long piece of black licorice. “Our prize!”

“Oh, that looks delectable,” Hannah said, pleased he was having so much fun. This was so good for him, so good to have a big family around. After the kiss from Thom, she didn’t know how things could get better.

She nudged back the dog that straddled her lap so she could finish releasing Thom. Thom, who’d just kissed the stuffing out of her. She couldn’t look at him. Caleb’s kisses had never affected her like this. The longer she avoided his eyes, the hotter her face became. What had he been thinking?

Thom had pushed up on his elbows and was looking at the kids with amusement.

“You and Sarah are a worthy team,” he said to Markus. His hair had tumbled over his forehead, and he looked very boy-like himself. Hannah resisted the urge to straighten it. “Once you two got moving, there was no catching you. You deserved to win.”

At Thom’s praise, Markus smiled from ear to ear and inched closer to him, curious and cautious at the same time. Both had dark hair and dancing eyes. They could easily pass for father and son. Thom would win him over just by being himself.

Chase and Jessie walked up arm in arm. “Guess you two came in second, if we’re counting teams not crossing the finish line,” Chase said. He glanced down into Jessie’s face and smiled. “We don’t mind losing. Do we, honey?”

Jessie shook her head, and her golden hair swayed from side to side.

Chase arched one brow at Thom. “But be warned. Next time you try tripping me, you better be ready for a push back.”

Thom waved him off with a chuckle. “It was all in good fun, Logan. You certainly didn’t seem to mind.”

Hannah didn’t quite know what to think about Thom.
This
Thom. And the kiss? What was that all about? Perhaps it was all the bumping and grabbing they’d had to do to stay on their feet. Her cheeks warmed, and she dared a glance in his direction as she climbed to her feet. She picked up the gunnysack
and headed for Mrs. Hollyhock, wishing he would stay like this forever.

Why had he gone and kissed her? Was he crazy? His impulsive action would come back to roost, without a doubt. Confuse the already sticky situation they were in. He chanced a quick glance at Hannah just as the sun, low in the west, cast a soft amber light in all directions and a cool breeze ruffled the grasslands. She had donned her shawl, and the children looked plumb worn out. The tired group relaxed on several blankets, drained from all the activity. A few feet away, Ivan lay in the grass. His chin rested on his outstretched paws, and his eyes were horizontal slits. Thom took a deep sigh.

After the sack race, Sarah and Markus had insisted on flying the kite—or at least trying to. It took a good half hour for Chase to get it aloft before handing the reins over to Sarah and then to Markus for a turn. After that, the two children had played on the shore of Shady Creek, trying to catch frogs and tiny fish. All the while Shane had kept the women busy. The toddler had not been able to keep up with the older children, and an hour ago he had run out of steam. Now, as they ate an early supper under the trees, his eyes were at half-mast.

Hannah sat close by, fiddling with the food on her plate. He relived their moment in the grass. It was the sunshine, he thought. All the laughter and fun. It had clouded his judgment and got the better of him.
What judgment?
He grimaced inwardly. All the space he’d worked at putting between them was now for naught.

“This sure has been a perfect day,” Mrs. Hollyhock said. “Thank you, Jessie, for inviting us.”

Chase cleared his throat, then smiled.

“Oh, you, too, of course, Mr. Logan,” she added. She set her plate aside and pulled some crochet from a bag.

“Anyone want to play horseshoes after we clean up?” Jessie asked. “I brought them along, just in case.”

Gabe and Jake let out an exaggerated groan.

“It’s getting late, sweetheart,” Chase said. “We’ll need to pack up and start home pretty soon. We still have a few chores that need tending to at the ranch.”

No one moved.

“We still have dessert, Chase. I’ll serve that up just as soon as everyone is finished.”

Chase rocked back on his elbows. “I guess you’ve heard about the trouble we’re having with rustlers.” His gaze moved to Thom. “It started off light at first, but it’s becoming a big problem.”

Thom’s hand stilled halfway to his mouth. He lowered the almost-eaten chicken leg back to his plate and wiped his fingers. “No. I’ve been keeping busy at the livery.”

Jake and Gabe were watching him closely.
He’s feeling me out. Everyone in town knows my past. Did he wait all day just to ask me this?
Thom’s initial indignation got pushed back by hot irritation. “You have anything else you want to ask me?” he bit out. “Go on, Logan, don’t be shy.” The rancher should have just come straight-out, asked him about the rustling, and saved everyone the hassle of putting on such a welcoming show. Chase didn’t want to hire him; he wanted to gauge his reaction.

The dazed, happy mood of the group fizzled. Hannah dropped her eyes to her plate. Anger sprouted inside Thom.

“I can see I’ve put you off,” Chase said. “That wasn’t my intent.”

“I don’t have anything to hide.”

Jessie climbed to her feet and went to check on Shane, who was sleeping on a blanket a few feet past Ivan. She covered him with a light cover. “I made a fresh apple pie,” she said softly. “Who’d like a slice?”

“And I baked a chokecherry pie.” Mrs. Hollyhock climbed to her feet. “Raise your hand if you’d like a slice of that.”

He was sure Chase had more things besides pie he wanted to talk about, so Thom took the bull by the horns. He’d have it all out tonight. “How many head did you lose?”

“I’m dishing everyone a slice of each,” Jessie nervously interrupted. An uncharacteristic set of lines marred her forehead.

“I’d say almost fifty,” Chase said. He raised a knowing brow at his wife.

Thom whistled. “That’s a lot of beef. Worth a lot of money at market price. I can see why you’re concerned.”

Chase nodded. “More than that, they got our prize bull Friday night. If he’s still in the territory somewhere, I’d like to get him back. Paid a pretty penny for him last year.”

“You have any suspects in mind?”

Chase looked between Jake and Gabe. Shook his head. “Our little town has grown so much in the last three months, it makes it hard to keep track of everyone. It may not be anyone from Logan Meadows. It’s hard to know.”

Thom looked away over the grasslands. A bad feeling rolled around inside. It had been eight years since Rome Littleton’s group was rustling up in Colorado. The man could have changed his ways, he supposed. Gone straight. Fingering him now without any proof of wrongdoing could easily backfire. Dwight could trump up charges that could send Thom back to Deer Creek, or worse. Who knew how powerful or connected Rome was. No. He’d not go to prison again.