Anything for Her Family Read online

  So remarriage was out of the question. But a nanny, someone he could pay to take care of the boys, and hopefully give them the kind of female attention and affection they desperately needed, without any kind of emotional entanglements or involvement on his part, was a possible alternative.

  Unfortunately, finding the right nanny had become another enormous task he had to handle, one he was dutifully working on. But until he found her, he simply focused on being mother and father to the boys, focused on trying to make their lives happy and wonderful.

  Just as his had been.

  A flicker of fear mixed with hope filled his chest as he heard barking. He frowned for a moment. The boys never went anywhere without their faithful mutt, Ruth, but if he wasn’t mistaken, Jared heard two dogs.

  With a sigh, he picked up his pace, determined to follow the sound of the barking, certain he’d find his sons.

  “Is this your dog?” one of the twins asked Natalie with a laugh, bending to pet Ditka, who leaped up to lick his face, nearly toppling him over.

  Seeing the joy on her son’s face, Natalie suddenly laughed in turn, her spirits suddenly lighter than they’d been in three years. It was as if a lead weight had been lifted from her heart and she could breathe freely again.

  “It is, indeed,” she said with another laugh, catching Ditka by the collar and bringing him to heel.

  “We like dogs,” the other twin said shyly, glancing up at Natalie. “This is our dog, his name is Ruth.”

  “Ruth?” Still holding on to Ditka, Natalie glanced at the dog, wondering about his name. It was clearly a male. “Your dog’s name is Ruth?” she asked with a slight frown.

  The first twin grinned, scratching his head. “It’s short for Ruthless. He likes us.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” Natalie said with a smile, pretending to focus her attention on the boys’ mutt. She wanted to touch her sons so badly! She wanted to press kisses to their faces, to press her cheek to their silky hair, to brush down the cowlicks on their heads.

  She wanted to do everything she’d been denied for so many years. The urge was strong, a yearning that made her hands itch and her arms ache, so she tucked her free hand in the pocket of her yellow jean shorts, and clutched Ditka’s collar tighter with the other. She had to remember she was supposedly a stranger to the boys. They apparently didn’t recognize her. If they had, they would have obviously said something by now. Natalie didn’t want to do anything to frighten them.

  “Well, Ditka likes little boys, too.” She glanced down affectionately at the dog, who’d laid his head on one of the twins’ shoes, and was staring adoringly up with large eyes. “Don’t you, boy?” Ditka gave a confirming bark, making Ruth answer in kind, and the boys giggled again.

  “My name’s Terry,” the one in the green shirt said with a grin. “This is Timmy.” Terry elbowed his brother—who wore a blue shirt—in the ribs. “We’re twins.”

  Natalie gave a sigh of relief that the boys’ first names had not been changed. “Twins?” She leaned down, pretending to peer at their faces. “Mmm, yes, I can see a resemblance,” she said with a grin.

  “I’m older,” Timmy said, elbowing his brother back.

  “Yeah, but I’m smarter,” Terry countered with a giggle, revealing the family trait of dimples. He tilted his chin toward her. “What’s your name?”

  “Natalie,” she said softly, watching her sons’ face for any sign of recognition. There was none, and she tried not to let it hurt. “Uh…where are you boys going? Are you supposed to be out by yourselves?”

  The twins exchanged guilty looks. “It’s not dark yet,” Terry said evasively, making Natalie frown.

  “No,” she said carefully, realizing there was probably more to this story than they were letting on. “It’s not.”

  “Dad says we can’t be out after dark.” Timmy scratched his head. “It’s not dark yet,” he repeated, as if confirming the fact again. “And we’re not alone.” He tightened his hold on Ruth. “We have Ruth with us.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” Natalie said. “But where are you going?”

  “We’re running away,” Terry offered with a wide, guileless grin, making Timmy groan and roll his eyes.

  Horrified, Natalie tried not to panic. She looked from one child to the other again. They looked perfectly healthy and in good shape, but perhaps looks were deceiving. Perhaps she’d been misled about the Ryans.

  “Running away?” Her glance went from one to the other again. “But why are you running away?”

  “Cuz of a stupid, smelly girl,” Timmy offered miserably.

  “Lucy the frog-face,” Terry added just as glumly.

  “A girl?” Natalie relaxed a fraction and tried to contain a smile. “I see.” She nodded. “And what did this, uh, girl do?” she asked with a deliberately serious expression.

  “She kissed Timmy,” Terry said, unable to stop a giggle. “Lucy kissed him smack on the cheek.” The fit of giggles blossomed until Timmy gave him a whack. “On the playground right in front of everyone.”

  “It’s not funny,” Timmy argued, whacking his brother again. “And it’s not your tongue Lucy’s brother’s gonna rip out and paint the school building with.”

  “I imagine it must be pretty scary, having a girl kiss you in front of all your friends.” Deliberately, Natalie tucked her tongue in her cheek to stop another smile.

  “Uh-huh.” Timmy rolled of his eyes. “That’s why we’re running away.” He sighed. “When Lucy kissed me I…I called her frog-face and she started to cry, and so her brother—”

  “Threatened to rip your tongue out,” Natalie finished with a knowing nod, trying to hide her amusement. “I think I understand. So you’re running away so you don’t have to go to school and face Lucy’s brother, is that it?”

  The boys exchanged wide-eyed glances, wondering how she’d guessed. Timmy shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Ahh,” Natalie said with a nod. “But did you tell your mom where you were going? Just so she won’t worry when she realizes you’re gone?” She almost choked on the words.

  Timmy sobered immediately and the boys exchanged sad looks. “Uh…we don’t got a mother,” he stated, scuffing the toe of his sneaker in the dirt. “She went away a long time ago.”

  “But we got a father,” Terry countered with a crooked grin. “A real cool father. His name’s Jared. And we got two uncles and a grandpop.” He turned and pointed. “We live right over there, the big ranch just over the hill.”

  She nodded. “Well, does your father know you’re, uh, running away?” Her gaze shifted from one face to the other as they exchanged sheepish glances. “Thought so,” she said with a nod. She took a deep breath, trying to think how to handle this. “I’m sure your dad’s going to be very scared when he finds out you’re gone. Don’t you think you should let him know you’re running away? I mean, just so he won’t worry about what happened to you?”

  Timmy scuffed the toe of his sneaker in the dust again. “We…we, uh, didn’t think about Dad being scared,” he said, casting a guilty look at his brother. “Did we?”

  “Nope. We didn’t.” Terry’s eyes widened and he blinked up at Natalie. “Do dads get scared?” he asked her with a slight frown. He shoved a strand of hair off his forehead. “I thought only kids got scared.”

  Natalie wanted to laugh. Her sons may have grown and changed, but their personalities, which she had only caught a hint when they were age two, had blossomed. Terry was just as curious and inquisitive as he had been as a toddler. Somehow she found that reassuring, as if the time and distance that had separated them was not that wide.

  “Oh, yes, definitely,” she said with a nod. “Moms and dads get just as scared as kids, and I’ll bet when your dad finds out you’re gone, he’s going to be very scared.”

  “Uh-oh.” Timmy poked his brother with his elbow. “There’s Dad now.” The little boy swallowed hard. “And he doesn’t look scared, Terry. He looks mad.”

  “Doubl
e uh-oh,” Terry said glumly, glancing past his brother to see his dad barreling toward them, his long legs eating up the distance at a pace that would scare anyone. “Timmy,” he groaned. “I think we’re in trouble. Big trouble,” he whispered, then sighed. “Again.”

  Natalie glanced up and her breath nearly withered at the sight of the large man coming toward them. He didn’t seem the friendly type.

  Furious, definitely. Not friendly.

  She couldn’t stop the shiver that rolled over her, chilling her at her first sight of Jared Ryan.

  His legs were long, muscled, and ate up the ground like a hungry panther, making her feel like prey.

  The sight of him caused Ditka to start barking and jumping again, straining against his collar. Ruth followed suit, creating a cacophony.

  “Ditka. Stay,” Natalie ordered, giving the dog’s collar a gentle tug. But he tugged right back, nearly knocking her off balance in her high-heeled sandals. “Ditka!” He broke loose and Ruth followed, nearly knocking Timmy over before the two dogs bounded, barking and yipping, toward Jared Ryan.

  Feeling helpless, Natalie watched as the large man reached down with one fluid motion and corralled both dogs by their collars. He continued toward her and the twins, tugging the dogs along with him, his dark, intense gaze never leaving Natalie’s.

  “Lady!” His deep voice boomed, nearly vibrating the ground beneath her feet. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with my children?”

  “Wait, Dad,” Timmy said, stepping between his father and her. “This is Natalie. She’s our friend. She wasn’t doing nothing but talking to us, honest.”

  Jared barely gave Natalie a glance as she reached for Ditka’s leash. Hearing his son’s voice, seeing that both boys were safe, immediately quelled the panic inside of him, but the edginess of fear remained.

  Determined to get himself under control, he glanced down at the twins, realizing he’d probably frightened them. A wave of regret washed over him. He’d never raised his voice in front of the boys before, but he’d been so frightened to find them gone that his own fears had overruled his common sense for a moment.

  Jared bent down so he was eye level with his sons, wrapping his long arms around them and drawing them close, needing to touch them, to verify they were safe.

  “Your friend, huh?” he repeatedly suspiciously. He deliberately softened his tone, then ruffled Timmy’s hair, smiling at Terry. “So you guys want to tell me why you left the ranch when you know it’s against the rules?” He didn’t give the boys a chance to answer, but spared Natalie another searing glance. “And why you’re talking to a stranger when you know that’s against the rules, as well?”

  “But Dad,” Terry protested. “We told you, she’s our friend.”

  “Mr. Ryan? My name is Natalie McMahon and perhaps I can explain.”

  Jared had no idea who this woman was or why she thought she was capable of explaining to him what his sons were doing. Fierce paternal protectiveness reared up inside of him, along with a huge wave of annoyance.

  “Fine.” He almost snapped the word. Still keeping the twins close, Jared stood. “Why don’t you start by explaining to me who you are and what you’re doing with my boys?” His voice was still harsher than he intended, but it couldn’t be helped. He didn’t like strangers anywhere near his sons.

  “I’m here to interview for the nanny position,” she said simply, stunning Jared. “I, uh, phoned earlier today and was told by someone that I should come by about this time to see you.”

  “Nanny?” Jared slowly removed his sunglasses and took a good look at her. His jaw almost hit the ground and his suspicions rose again. If this was a nanny, he was the king of Siam.

  She was, in a word, gorgeous. A bit too thin and fragile for his tastes, but a looker nonetheless, with long, tanned legs that seemed to go on forever in spite of her size, which was slender and petite. Perhaps it was the high-heeled sandals or the thigh-high, sunny yellow shorts that made her legs seem so long.

  The T-shirt she wore, in a shade of yellow that made the sun seem pale in comparison, matched her jean shorts and fit nicely over very lush, lovely feminine curves, the kind that made a man’s mouth go dry.

  Sunglasses shielded her eyes from the sun, while a curtain of jet-black hair tumbled to her shoulders, swaying gently in the light afternoon breeze, giving his heart a familiar bump. A bump that annoyed him because it reminded him that he was still alive, still a virile man with normal, healthy appetites.

  Well, he thought with a scowl, letting his gaze run leisurely over the petite woman again, he might still have normal, healthy appetites, but that didn’t mean he ever intended to get tangled up with another woman and let her make a fool out of him. Or worse, hurt the boys.

  But it also didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate the pleasurable sight of a beautiful woman, he decided, letting his gaze roam over her again. Looking was fine. It was all he’d allowed himself in the past three years.

  It was all the other stuff that went into male-female relationships that could get a guy into trouble.

  “So…Natalie, is it?” he asked with a lift of his brow.

  “Yes,” she said quietly. “I’m Natalie McMahon.”

  “Well, Ms. McMahon, why don’t we go into the house and discuss this?” He wanted a chance to find out who this woman really was and what she really wanted—without the boys around. “Shall we?” Jared didn’t give her a chance to respond, he simply hustled the boys and Ruth up the road, leaving Natalie and Ditka staring after them, with little choice but to follow.

  Chapter Two

  She was never going to get hired now, Natalie thought in a panic, swallowing back tears of frustration as she paced the length of Jared Ryan’s study.

  Outside, it had been clear to her that the man was suspicious. There was little she could do about it, so she’d gotten in her car and followed him to his house, hoping to settle her fears. The thought of not doing what he’d asked—what he’d ordered, she amended in annoyance—simply never occurred to her. She’d really had no choice. She’d come too far to turn away now, not without her children.

  As soon as she’d parked in the long, winding driveway, Jared had escorted her from the car and into the house, without giving her a chance to say a word.

  He’d led her to his study and told her to wait for him, that he’d be back in a minute as soon as he got the boys settled in their rooms. He’d shut the door firmly behind him, leaving her annoyed and staring after him, wondering if he was always so bossy.

  Natalie shook her head, trying to calm her jagged nerves. Waiting for Jared Ryan to return, she felt like a prisoner waiting for the executioner.

  And she didn’t much like the feeling.

  As Natalie paced, she glanced around the spacious room. It was cluttered but clean, filled with large, masculine pieces of furniture. She hadn’t had much of a chance to see any more of the house, but this was clearly a working office.

  There was a large oak desk in the middle of the room, scarred a bit from age and use, but everything on it—several stacks of papers, seed and feed catalogs, bills of lading, and an assortment of other paraphernalia—was neatly arranged. The old, black, rotary dial phone nestled in the corner made her smile. Obviously Jared must be sentimental about some things.

  Large, nearly floor to ceiling windows filled the wall opposite the desk, left bare to allow the hazy golden light of early evening to spill in, casting the room in a soft glow.

  The other three spacious walls were lined with bookcases filled with an interesting assortment of books, she noted: biographies, history, classics, even some current bestsellers. Two shelves held volumes on ranching and raising cattle. There were also books on strange cattle diseases, and for good measure, a well-worn copy of a baby and child care book, with several pages dog-eared and turned down. It made her smile, because she had one just like it at home, from when the twins were born. It had been her Bible when she was a new mother with two colicky babies.
/>   On the credenza behind the desk sat a very modern computer with a small, efficient-looking printer lined up neatly next to it.

  Nearby was an assortment of framed pictures of the twins at various ages. They instantly drew Natalie’s attention, and she stood there, soaking in the sight of her children as they’d grown and changed. Each picture had a small caption underneath identifying their age when the picture had been taken.

  In each photo, the boys wore matching, lopsided grins, and identical clothes, except for their T-shirts, which were different colors—probably so Jared could identify who was who.

  Tears filled her eyes as she reverently touched each photograph, memorizing the changes that were graphically revealed.

  Looking at the pictures reminded her of all she had missed in her children’s lives, all she’d been robbed of because of the cruel selfishness of her ex-husband.

  And made her all the more determined to do whatever was necessary to claim her precious sons once again.

  Natalie’s fists clenched in determination and her eyes squeezed shut as a bout of pure panic rose. What she was doing terrified her because she was so fearful that Raymond might somehow learn she’d found the boys. The last thing she wanted was to put her children in jeopardy once again! But she wasn’t about to turn tail and bolt. Not now, not ever. Not until the boys were safely in her care again.

  “Ms. McMahon?” Jared Ryan’s deep, resonant voice startled her, and Natalie whirled to find him leaning against the doorjamb, his gaze leisurely taking her in.

  Not quite certain if she liked being measured by him, she forced herself to boldly meet his gaze, even though it made her quiver inside like a sapling in a storm.

  Looking into his eyes, she found her mouth going dry, and she swallowed hard. The way he was looking at her, with such quiet intensity, made her pulse leap and her heart somersault.

  Jared Ryan was definitely not what she’d expected, she realized dully. He was, she decided, the kind of man any woman would notice.