A Baby For The Deputy
A BABY ON THE WAYA secret, no-strings relationship with Aaron Travers has suited Melody Hartman and just fine for the past eight months. The lives of the Mustang Valley veterinarian and the Deputy Sheriff have always been complicated—and are about to become more so because Mel is pregnant!Raising his toddler daughter and protecting his Arizona town are Aaron’s most important priorities. But this unexpected pregnancy is a life changer. The widowed single dad is ready to do the right thing and marry Mel. Can he say the three words she is waiting to hear? Will she think he wants to marry her only because of the baby? Or will she acknowledge that their feelings for each other run deeper than either of them realized?
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A BABY ON THE WAY
A secret, no-strings relationship with Aaron Travers has suited Melody Hartman just fine for the past eight months. The lives of the Mustang Valley veterinarian and the deputy sheriff have always been complicatedâand are about to become more so, because Mel is pregnant!
Raising his toddler daughter and protecting his Arizona town are Aaronâs priorities. But this unexpected pregnancy is a life changer. The widowed single dad is ready to do the right thing and marry Mel. Can he say the three words she is waiting to hear? Will she think he wants to marry her only because of the baby? Or will she acknowledge that their feelings for each other run deeper than either of them realized?
Aaron lifted her off her feet and hard against him.
âIs this a good idea?â Melâs voice wavered. The message earlier had been hands-off.
âYou can tell me no.â He lowered his mouth, stopping a millimeter shy of kissing her. âOtherwise, hang on.â
Hang on? Like to his shoulders? Weak in the knees, she decided maybe sheâd better. Just as a precaution.
In the deepest recesses of her mind, a small voice shouted a warning to be careful. This was inviting danger.
She didnât listen. Aaron smelled too delicious and felt too good for her to stop now.
âIâve missed you, Mel.â He brushed his lips across hers, the touch softer than a butterflyâs wings.
The words sheâd longed to hear. Aaron had never said them before, in this or any context. Missing her implied he thought about her when they were apart. Hadnât she just ripped the rug out from under him with her pregnancy announcement? Yet, he admitted to missing her.
This wasnât just a matter of growing feelings. There had to be more.
Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY McDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Mills & Boon. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. Itâs a tough job, but sheâs willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own and she couldnât be prouder of their accomplishments.
To the lovely and dedicated members of Cathyâs Crewâthanks for being part of my street team and helping me get the word out. Youâre the best!
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Sensing danger, Melody Hartman quickly straightened and scrambled out of the way. A split second later, the horseâs rear hoof sliced the air in the exact spot where Melâs head had just been.
She pretended to wipe sweat from her brow. âWhew. That was close.â
âSorry.â The horseâs owner, a tall, trim woman in her fifties, tugged on the bayâs halter. âThis fellow has a temper. I should have warned you.â
âItâs okay.â Mel relaxed her grip on the surgical scissors she held and let out a sigh, grateful her instincts had once again paid off. âNot my first near miss.â
The truth was, Mel encountered far closer calls on a regular basis. As recently as this morning, sheâd been knocked to the ground by a potbellied pig, narrowly missing the steely prongs of a pitchfork. Last week, sheâd been stomped on by an eighteen-hundred-pound bull, miraculously escaping with only minor cuts and contusions. An infected cat scratch recently sent her to the emergency medical clinic.
Such was the daily life of Mustang Valleyâs sole resident veterinarian. Dangers and difficulties aside, she wouldnât trade her job for the world. Mel was living her dream. Quite literally. Sheâd wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as she could remember, and buying Doc Palmerâs practice when he retired a few months ago had turned that dream into reality.
âThink you should give him more tranquilizers?â the woman asked, shielding her eyes from the glaring Arizona sun.
They were at Powell Ranch, the largest and oldest horse operation in the area. The woman was one of many people who boarded their horses there and made use of the riding facilities.
Mel shook her head. âI donât want him so sleepy he lays down on us. The woundâs right between his gaskin and stifle. He could pull on the flesh and inflict more damage.â
The bay was tied to a post at the far end of the outdoor stalls. Heâd gotten into a scuffle with his neighbor, a shaggy and even more temperamental pony, whoâd retaliated by biting the bay and leaving two gaping holes on his left rear leg. Unfortunately, the injury went unnoticed for a couple of daysâthe horseâs owner had been out of town. By the time she discovered the wound, it was inflamed, infected and just plain nasty.
Seeing the bayâs eyes drift close, Mel decided to make another attempt at removing the necrotic tissue. The procedure didnât hurt the horse. Heâd kicked at Mel more out of anger than pain. Also, just like some people, he wasnât a good patient.
