Crockett's Seduction by Tina Leonard

Author:Tina Leonard
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-04-15T04:00:00+00:00

LAST DUMPED the last bag of sawdust on the ground inside the arena, then stood, brushing off his hands. He could work cleanup crew at Delilah’s, he could lay down fresh sawdust on the floor in the arena, he could help the ladies move their belongings to Marvella’s, but there was something else on his mind.

He glanced down at his little girl. Annette stared up at him, her eyes big in her face, watching her daddy work. Of all the emotions he’d ever had in his life, the feeling of looking big in his baby’s eyes was the best. Annette adored him without hesitation, without emotional baggage. In her world, he was her man, and everything he did was special.

He loved the daddy thing.

“You’re pretty cute for a bug-eyed spud,” he told her. She nodded her head solemnly, then sat down on the bag of sawdust and began playing with her dolly. “I don’t know exactly when you grew on me. But you sure did.”

Kneeling down, he looked at his pretty little daughter. She gave him a smile, then went back to messing with her dolly’s hair. He couldn’t remember loving anybody the way he loved this child. His brothers had taken care of him, and they had loved him, but Annette was his to care for, and somehow that was more special than anything he’d ever known.

He felt a moment’s twinge of guilt that she would never know what it felt like to be part of a whole family. He’d certainly known that loneliness. It was not good. What would he say to her when she grew up? Mommy and I really never liked each other, so we didn’t get married, even though we made you.

That sounded terrible. Looking down at his daughter’s soft hair, he tried again. Mommy and I never liked each other, but we both adored you.

It was going to be difficult when the questions came.

A remote part of him wondered if it would simply be easier for Annette if he and Valentine married. People had arranged marriages all the time! It would certainly change Annette’s life for the better. Nobody asking uncomfortable questions at school, like why aren’t your mother and father married? No teasing.

He would love to save her that pain. To do that, he and Valentine would have to agree that a whole was better than two halves. She wasn’t likely to feel that way, he’d seen the way she looked at Crockett.

Some resentment bubbled up inside him. His brothers had no idea how hard it was being the baby. They’d congratulated themselves for years that they were such good parents, and they had been, but…there was a low-man-on-the-totem-pole effect to being youngest.

It wasn’t as wonderful as they thought it was. He was forever fighting for his place, his share of whatever was happening. All the brothers looked up to Mason and were even slightly in awe of his temper.

No one was in awe of Last.

It stunk.

“I could have ridden that stupid bull,” he told his daughter.

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