Good idea.

  Tracy wasn’t ready to face him yet, not even over the phone. “Thank you, but don’t think this changes our plan for me to tend your children. How about tomorrow night instead of tonight? Hopefully everyone will be well by then.”

  “That would be wonderful, if you’re sure.”

  “Absolutely. I had a lovely time last night and want you and your husband to enjoy your evening, too. Why don’t I treat tomorrow night like a special campout for the children? Our last one before we all have to leave the ranch. There’s a bed for everyone here and we’ve got the couch. That way, you and Ralph don’t have to come home until you want.”

  “Do you mean it?”

  “Of course.”

  “You’re one in a million, Tracy.”

  “So are you. We’ll talk later.”

  After hanging up, Tracy padded into the other room. Johnny had fallen asleep again. That was good. Hopefully when he awakened, he’d feel a little better. She left the DVD on, hoping it might distract her.

  Last night, while she’d been dancing with Carson, she’d wanted him to kiss her so badly, she couldn’t wait to leave and go home with him. But what happened after that had shaken her world and she needed to talk to her sister-in-law, the only one who wouldn’t judge her or the situation. Much as she wanted to phone Natalie, she couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to intrude on their vacation. Tracy needed to work this out on her own.

  While she sat there brooding, she didn’t feel like getting dressed yet. Instead she walked over to the table to make herself some coffee. It was something to do while her son slept on. Among the snacks she found a granola bar. While she ate, she sat down at the table to watch the movie and sip the hot brew.

  Though she stared at the TV screen, her thoughts were full of last night’s conversation with Carson and the way he made her feel while they’d kissed each other in mindless passion.

  Much as she might want a repeat of that rapture for the rest of her life, Tracy couldn’t just stay on here. What he’d suggested was impossible. Once she’d met Tony, the Barettas had become her whole family. They weren’t simply her in-laws. With the loss of their son, they’d clung to Tracy and she to them. She didn’t know what she and Johnny would have done without them.

  They’d be so hurt if she told them she’d be staying on in the Tetons for a while. Her plans to visit them in Cleveland would have to be put off until later in the summer. She couldn’t do that to them, no matter how much she dreaded the thought of leaving Carson.

  What he’d said was true. If there was any chance that a lasting, meaningful relationship could develop, they needed to explore those feelings. Would they be as strong as their physical attraction for each other?

  The way she felt right now, she couldn’t imagine that attraction ever burning out, but she knew it could happen. One of the couples she and Tony had been friends with after they’d moved to Sandusky had recently divorced. They’d seemed to be so in love.

  She needed to put last night’s events away. For Tracy to want to be with a man she’d only just met and who lived thousands of miles away was ludicrous. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it would be the height of selfishness to stay here. Johnny might be having the time of his life on this vacation, but he needed loving family surrounding him. She couldn’t keep him away from that.

  Tracy had been blessed with a loving marriage to Tony. Now it was up to her to give Johnny the life they’d envisioned for their boy. One that included his favorite cousin, Cory, plus his other cousins, loving aunts and uncles, adoring grandparents. Good friends from the neighborhood and school would come with time.

  From the deep fathoms of her troubling thoughts, she heard a knock on the door. Maybe it was Rachel with a message from Sam. Afraid it might wake up Johnny, she padded over to the door in her Cleveland Browns pajamas and opened it.

  Bright blue eyes greeted her. “Dr. Lundgren at your service, Mrs. Baretta. My receptionist informed me I needed to make a house call on a new patient. She tells me he overdosed on Kisses. I can relate to that. In fact I’m still suffering the effects because I’ve become addicted to them.”

  Carson...

  Heat swept through her body into her face.

  “Hey—Carson?” Johnny called from the couch with excitement while she was trying to recover her breath.

  “Yup. I’ve brought some stuff to make you feel better.”

  Johnny hurried to the door. He didn’t look as pale as before. “What is it?”

  Carson reached into the sack he carried. “Some Popsicles when you’re ready for one.”

  “Thanks! I threw up this morning, but I’m feeling a little better now.”

  “That’s good. Maybe you’d like to watch the DVDs I brought of Hoppy.”

  “Goody!”

  Tracy was completely flustered, having been caught in her pajamas with her hair disheveled. “Well, aren’t you a lucky boy. Thank you, Carson. Please come in. I’ll get dressed and be out shortly.” She flew through the cabin to her bedroom and shut the door.

  When she emerged a few minutes later in jeans and a blouse, the two of them were on the couch. Johnny was sucking happily on a banana Popsicle while he told Carson how he got sick. Tracy thought he might throw it up later, but at least he was taking in some liquid.

  “A long time ago I remember eating too many Tootsie Rolls and got a stomachache for a whole day. I still can’t eat one.”

  “I did the same thing on some fudge cookies,” Tracy admitted.

  Carson’s gaze drifted over her. “Sounds like you’re both chocolate addicts. By the way, I like the mother–son outfits.”

  Johnny spoke before she could. “My aunt Natalie gave these to us for Christmas. She and Cory have a pair, too. We love the Cleveland Browns.”

  “How about their quarterback, Colt McCoy?”

  “Yeah.” They high-fived each other.

  “You’re not going to leave are you?” Johnny cried when Carson unexpectedly got to his feet.

  “Nope. I was going to put in one of the DVDs for you to watch.”

  “Good. I don’t want you to go. Mom said you had a lot of other stuff to do today.”

  He walked over to the player. Glancing at them over his shoulder he said, “I was planning on taking you guys riding, but since that’s out, I thought I’d hang out with you till you’re feeling better.”

  “I probably won’t be better all day.” Her son was milking this for all it was worth.

  Tracy didn’t dare look at Carson or she’d burst out laughing. Instead she reached for an apple and sat down in the chair, putting her legs beneath her. In seconds he’d exchanged the DVDs in the player, and one of the old cowboy movies with the kind of music written for the early Westerns came on the screen.

  “William Boyd,” she said aloud. Seeing the actor’s name brought back memories of the past with her parents.

  Johnny frowned. “I thought his name was Hoppy.”

  “That’s the character he plays in the film, honey.”

  “Oh.”

  “I wonder if Lucky is as cute as I remember,” she teased. A little imp of mischief prompted her to see if she could get a rise out of Carson.

  She wasn’t disappointed when his gaze narrowed on her. “Why don’t we take a vote at the end of the show?”

  The by-play passed over Johnny. He moved his pillow so he could lie against Carson’s leg. It was exactly the kind of thing he would do when he watched TV with Tony and got sleepy. Tracy couldn’t believe how comfortable her son was with Carson, who seemed to take all this in as the natural course of events.

  Before long, Hoppy and his friends came riding into town at full speed.

  “There he is, riding his horse, Topper—” Carson blurted, sounding as excited as a kid. “To me, he was the greatest superhero in the world.”

  Johnny sat up. “But that guy in the black cowboy hat looks like a grandfather!”

  Laughter burst out of Carson so hard it brought on a coughing spasm.

  Tracy’s shoulders shook. “He really does look old now that you think about it, but Lucky’s still as cute as ever.”

  “That white hat’s too big on him, Mom. He looks like a nerd. What’s his horse’s name?”

  “Zipper.”

  Johnny giggled. As for Carson, he had a struggle to stop laughing. “Well, Mom, I’m afraid I have to throw in my vote with Johnny. That makes two of us who disagree with you.”

  “You guys are just jealous.”

  “How come you like Hoppy so much?” Johnny’s tone was serious.

  She watched Carson’s features sober. “I don’t remember my dad. When I saw Hoppy’s films, I imagined my dad being like him. A great cowboy who was really good, really courageous and always fair. My grandpa was like that, too. I was lucky to be raised by him.”

  “Yeah,” Johnny murmured.

  “You know something? You were lucky to have your father for as long as you did.”

  “I know.”

  “And now you have your grandfather.”

  “Yup. He’s awesome. Carson? Do you miss your grandpa?”

  “Yes. Very much. I bet you’ve missed yours this trip, too.”

  “Nope, ’cos he’s not dead.” Shock. “I can call him and Grandma whenever I want.”

  “I envy you.”

  Tracy felt Carson’s pain. They needed to get off the subject. “You two are missing the show.” She doubted anyone was really concentrating on it, but the room fell quiet until the end of the movie. When it was over, she got up to turn it off. “Are you getting hungry, Johnny?”

  “No. Can I have another Popsicle?”

  That was a good sign the nausea was subsiding. She picked up the paper with the sticks and threw them in the wastepaper basket, then drew another treat out of the small freezer. “Is cherry okay?”

  “Yes.”

  He still wasn’t well if this was all he could tolerate, but at least he hadn’t been sick again. When she turned, she noticed Carson was already on his feet. She had a hunch he was leaving and her spirits plummeted. He looked down at Johnny.

  “I hate to go, but I have to take some guests riding this afternoon. When I’m through, I’ll phone to find out if you’re hungry. If so, I’ll bring you and your mom some dinner.”

  “I wish you didn’t have to leave.” He looked crestfallen to the point of tears.

  “Can you thank him for the Popsicles and the movies?”

  Johnny nodded. “Thanks, Carson.”

  “You’re welcome.” He flicked a glance to Tracy. “I’ll have one of the kitchen staff bring you lunch.”

  “You don’t have to do that. There’s plenty to eat here.”

  “I want to do it,” he insisted. “Does a club sandwich sound good?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “Great. I’ll have her bring some soda crackers, too.”

  There wasn’t anything Carson couldn’t, wouldn’t or didn’t do. He was the superhero.

  After he left, gloom settled over the cabin. Johnny lay there watching cartoons while she tried to interest herself in the book she’d brought. Except for the arrival of her lunch, it turned out to be the longest day either of them had lived through in a long time.

  On a happier note, by midafternoon Johnny was hungry enough to eat the crackers and drink some Sprite. Things were improving. Though neither of them said it, they were both living for the evening when Carson had promised to come back.

  When he finally arrived, he brought them country-fried steak and the trimmings, plus chicken-noodle soup and toast for Johnny. The sight of him walking through the cabin door dressed in a black crew neck shirt and jeans changed the rhythm of her heart.

  He’d also brought a colorful puzzle of all the planets. Johnny adored it and they worked on it until his head drooped. Tracy had been counting the minutes until she could put him into bed. The thought of being alone at last with Carson was the only thing driving her.

  * * *

  WITH A HEART thudding out of control, Carson sat on the couch, waiting for her. When she appeared he whispered, “Come over here.”

  Tracy moved toward him. He caught hold of her hand and pulled her down so she lay in his arms. The fragrance of her strawberry shampoo seduced him almost as much as the feel of her warm body cuddled up to his.

  A deep sigh escaped his lips as they swept over each feature of her face. “I’ve been dreaming about being with you like this since you first arrived. After last night, it’s a miracle I functioned at all today. You’re a beautiful creature, Tracy.”

  She smiled. “Men always say that about a woman, but the well-kept secret is that every woman knows there’s nothing more beautiful than a man who possesses all the right attributes. You, Carson Lundgren, were given an unfair number of them.”

  “As long as you think that, I’ll never complain.” Unable to stand it any longer, he started to devour her mouth with slow, deliberate kisses that shook them both. He wrapped his legs around her gorgeous limbs, needing to feel every inch of her.

  She explored his arms and back with growing urgency. When her hands cupped the back of his neck to bring him even closer, he realized what a sensuous woman he held in his arms. It filled him with an ecstasy he’d never known before. This was an experience he couldn’t compare to anything else.

  “I want to take you to bed so badly I can hardly bear it, but this isn’t the place, not with Johnny sleeping in the next room.”

  Tracy covered his face with kisses. “It’s a good thing he’s nearby, because you’ve done something to me. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same, even when I’m back in Ohio.”

  “If your craving is as strong as mine, then you won’t be going anywhere.”

  “You sounded fierce just now.” She gave him a teasing smile before kissing him long and hard.

  He finally lifted his mouth from hers. “You know why that is. We’re not playing a game.” A cough came out of him. “This is for real.”

  “Carson—” She framed his face with her hands. “I’m trying to be as honest with you as I know how to be. As you can see, I’m completely enamored with you. I spent all night asking myself questions—why this should be, and why it would happen now.

  “Tony’s only been gone a year. So many things have been going through my mind. Am I feeling this because this is my first experience with another man since he died and I’m missing physical fulfillment? Is this rugged Western cowboy so different from any man I’ve ever known, that I’m blinded by the comparison? When the newness wears off, will he be disenchanted by my Ohio roots?”

  He smoothed some silvery-gold strands off her cheek. “To be brutally honest, I’ve been asking the same questions, and others. Why am I taken with a woman who will keep another man in her heart forever? Why have I met a woman who has a son she’ll always put first? Am I crazy to want to deal with all that, knowing she’s bonded to her husband’s family?”

  A tortured expression broke out on her face. “The way you put it, it does sound crazy. As I told you last night, you’re young with your whole life ahead of you. Some single, Western woman who’s never met the right man is going to come along and knock your socks off. You’ll be the only man in her heart. The two of you will start a new family together.”

  Carson grimaced. “As long as you’re playing what-if, can you imagine the irony of another widow with a child, like yourself, coming to the ranch this summer and sweeping me off my feet? A woman with the wisdom to grab at a second chance for happiness?”

  Shadows darkened her eyes. “Actually, I can. I’ve been haunted by that very possibility since last night.”

  He raised himself up. “Are you willing to risk it and fly back to Ohio on Saturday, away from me? Before you find out what joy you might be depriving the three of us of?”

  She shook her head. “You don’t know Johnny. This trip represents a huge change for him.

  “In the heat of the moment he’d agree to do whatever I wanted, but in time his true feelings will surface. When they do, it could be traumatic for him if he wants to go home because he misses the family too much, but feels guilty because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings.

  “I don’t question his affection for you, Carson. But he’ll feel the pull of family the longer he’s out here. I’d rather spare him that kind of pain.”

  Her words gutted him. He got up from the couch, unconsciously raking a hand through his hair. “You know your son the way I never will. I have no say when it comes to your mother’s intuition. It’s clear to me you’ve made up your mind. Have no fear I’ll try to persuade you further.”

  Tracy looked wounded as she slid off the couch. “You know I’m right,” her voice trembled.

  He wheeled around. “No. I don’t know that. What I do know is that when you leave, you’ll be preventing us from learning the truth. For the rest of our lives we’ll have that question mark hanging over us. But as we’ve discovered by surviving the war, life goes on.”

  “Carson,” she pleaded.

  “Carson what? You’ve said it all, Tracy. Now I’ve got to go. If Johnny feels well in the morning, bring him to the barn after breakfast. I’m driving the kids to the upper pasture. My foreman has been in touch with some other ranchers and has found a cow with a blue-eyed calf for me. I’d like one of the kids to find it.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “They’ll be overjoyed.”

  “I still need to come up with a prize. Do you think a pair of chaps?”

  She wiped the tears away with the heel of her hand. “You already know the answer to that question.”

  He tried to ignore her emotion. “After lunch, I’ll take them horseback riding. As for Friday, I’ll be doing some ranching business during the day, but Ross or Buck will take them riding for the last time. I’m still good to drive them to the rodeo on Friday evening.”