“Don’t worry about getting back home,” he said, his deep voice wrapping around her like a comforting cloak. “You really should stay until there’s no danger of a setback.”
Heather shook her head as much to stop the lulling effect of his voice as in refusal. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I don’t want to impose.” Feeling her knees start to shake again, she sat down on the rocking chair. “Besides, I need to get my livestock fed.”
“All you have to do is rest and get better,” he said, smiling. “I had one of my crew go over to your place when the water receded around noon to let your men know you and the little guy were okay. Since no one was around, my man took care of feeding your horses for you.”
She looked up at him and was hit with an unexpected observation. T. J. Malloy wasn’t just handsome, he was knock-your-socks-off good-looking. Her breath caught.
The few times that he had brought her horse home, she hadn’t noticed anything beyond his dark scowl and formidable stance as he threatened to take legal action against her if she didn’t keep her horse on her side of the fence. But without his wide-brimmed, black Resistol pulled down low on his brow, she could see a kindness in his striking hazel eyes that she would never have expected. And for some reason she found his brown hair, which curled around his ears and over the nape of his neck, sexy and rather endearing.
She frowned. Where had that come from? And why did she find anything about the man attractive?
It had to be some kind of residual effect of the fever. It was causing her to see Malloy in a different light. Surely as soon as she recovered her strength, she would come to her senses, regain her perspective and see that T. J. Malloy was just as unpleasant and unappealing as ever.
“Are you feeling all right?” he asked, looking concerned.
“Uh, yes,” she said, nodding. “I’m just a little weak.” As an afterthought, she added, “Thank you for having one of your hired hands tend to my horses.”
“No problem.” He gave her the same smile that had caused the illusion of him being amiable. “I assume you gave your men the rest of the holiday weekend off?”
“Since you sent one of yours over to take care of my horses, I assume you didn’t?” she asked instead of answering his question.
She didn’t want to tell him that she’d had to lay off the two men. For one thing, it was a matter of pride. She didn’t want Malloy realizing that the Circle W had fallen on such hard times. And for another, she didn’t like anyone knowing that she and her child lived alone on the ranch. Not that it made a lot of difference, but she felt a little safer with people thinking the hired men were still in residence.
“I did offer to let them off, but they preferred me paying them double time for working this weekend,” he said, unaware of her thoughts. “So don’t worry about the horses until your men get back on Monday. I’ll have one of mine go over there again tomorrow and Sunday to take care of them.”
“That isn’t necessary,” she insisted. “I’ll do it.”
He stubbornly folded his arms across his broad chest and shook his head. “You need to take it easy for a couple more days and make sure you’re completely over the flu before you start doing anything too strenuous. You won’t be doing yourself or your little boy any favors if you’re in the hospital with pneumonia.” Something in his tone, as well as his body language, told her than he was determined to have his way in the matter.
Just as determined to have her own way, she shook her head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“That’s what you said last night and this morning,” he remarked. “I wouldn’t consider barely having enough strength to stand doing all that great.”
He probably had a point, but she hated to admit that he was right, almost as much as she hated that she found him so darned good-looking.
“Why do you care?” she asked bluntly. Apparently the flu had removed some kind of filter in her brain. She was unable to keep from blurting out whatever she was thinking.
His easy expression changed to the dark scowl she was more used to seeing from him. “Having the flu isn’t something you should take lightly. It can have serious complications. I’m just trying to make sure you’re around to raise your little boy, lady.”
She knew he was only doing what he thought was right, but it had been a very long time since anyone had cared to lend her their assistance or show they were concerned for her well-being. Even her late fiancé’s parents had severed all ties with her when their son died. And they hadn’t bothered contacting her since, even knowing she had been pregnant with their grandchild. That’s when she had decided she didn’t need them or anyone else. She was a strong, capable woman and could do whatever had to be done on her own.
Shrugging, she stared down at the clothes in her lap. “I’m sorry if I sound ungrateful,” she said, meaning it. “There’s no excuse for my being rude. I do appreciate your help. But I’ve taken care of Seth since I came down with the flu and I’m doing a lot better now. I know I’ll be fine.” She looked up into his hazel eyes. “Really.”
“I respect your need for independence,” he said, his tone less harsh. “All I’m trying to do is help you out for a couple more days. Rest up here, at least until tomorrow. I’ll have one of my men go over to your place, then all you’ll have to do when you get home is take care of yourself and your little boy.”
It was obvious he wasn’t going to give up and she wasn’t up to a full-scale verbal battle. And honestly, it would be nice to not have to take on everything all by herself for once.
“All right,” she finally conceded. “One of your men can take care of the horses for me tomorrow, but now that the road is clear there’s no reason for us to stay here and inconvenience you any longer.” She pointed toward the bathroom door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take a shower and get dressed so we can go on home. Seth and I have taken up enough of your time and generosity. Besides, we’ll both rest better in our own beds.”
She could tell Malloy wanted to say something about her insistence on going home, but Seth chose that moment to rouse up and start crying. Normally a sound sleeper, he could snooze through just about anything at home. But now that he was unfamiliar with the surroundings, their arguing had obviously disturbed him.
“It’s all right, sweetie,” she said, getting out of the chair. When she walked over to the bed to pick him up, she discovered that it took more effort than usual.
“Here, let me help,” Malloy said, stepping forward to pick up her son.
To her surprise when Seth recognized who held him, the little traitor laid his head on the man’s shoulder and smiled at her.
“Did you give him his medication?” she asked, feeling like a complete failure as a mother. She had slept while a total stranger fed, changed and apparently bonded with her child.
Malloy nodded. “I read the dosage on the bottle’s label and gave the antibiotic to him right after breakfast and then again after lunch.”
“You seem to know a lot about taking care of a child,” she commented, wondering if he might have one of his own. She felt a little let down that he might have a significant other somewhere, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why.
“I have a ten-month-old nephew and a six-month-old niece,” he answered, as if reading her mind. “But other than watching their parents take care of them, I’m a trial-and-error kind of guy. That’s why I had to change this little guy’s sleeper and my shirt after lunch.” Malloy grinned. “I tried to let him feed himself and quickly learned that was an error.”
Heather smiled at the visual