Lori’s Little Secret

  She’d let things get totally out of control.

  Tell him the truth. Tell him Brody’s his son. Do it now, a stern voice inside her head commanded.

  But she refused to hear that voice. Instead, she put out a hand and warned him softly, “Don’t say any more. Please.”

  He captured her wrist, the movement so swift, she had no chance to jerk away. For a frozen moment, they looked at each other, a look so deep, she felt as if she was falling….

  And then, with slow care, he brought that fist to his mouth and brushed his warm, soft lips across the top of her clenched knuckles.

  Before she could collect her scattered wits and pull away, he let her go. “Sorry,” he said. “I guess I’m moving a little too fast, here.”

  She started to protest, to say, It isn’t that, but stopped herself. He’d only ask, What is it, then? And there they’d be, back with the one thing she couldn’t tell him….

  CHRISTINE RIMMER

  LORI’S LITTLE SECRET

  For my guys…again and always

  Books by Christine Rimmer

  Silhouette Special Edition

  Double Dare #646

  Slow Larkin’s Revenge #698

  Earth Angel #719

  *Wagered Woman #794

  Born Innocent #833

  *Man of the Mountain #886

  *Sweetbriar Summit #896

  *A Home for the Hunter #908

  For the Baby’s Sake #925

  *Sunshine and the Shadowmaster #979

  *The Man, the Moon and the Marriage Vow #1010

  *No Less than a Lifetime #1040

  *Honeymoon Hotline #1063

  †The Nine-Month Marriage #1148

  †Marriage by Necessity #1161

  †Practically Married #1174

  *A Hero for Sophie Jones #1196

  Dr. Devastating #1215

  Husband in Training #1233

  †Married by Accident #1250

  Cinderella’s Big Sky Groom #1280

  A Doctor’s Vow #1293

  †The Millionaire She Married #1322

  †The M.D. She Had To Marry #1345

  The Tycoon’s Instant Daughter #1369

  †The Marriage Agreement #1412

  †The Marriage Conspiracy #1423

  **His Executive Sweetheart #1485

  **Mercury Rising #1496

  **Scrooge and the Single Girl #1509

  ††The Reluctant Princess #1537

  ††Prince and Future…Dad? #1556

  ††The Marriage Medallion #1567

  §Fifty Ways To Say…I’m Pregnant #1615

  §Marrying Molly #1639

  ◊Stranded with the Groom #1657

  §Lori’s Little Secret #1683

  Silhouette Desire

  No Turning Back #418

  Call It Fate #458

  Temporary Temptress #602

  Hard Luck Lady #640

  Midsummer Madness #729

  Counterfeit Bride #812

  Cat’s Cradle #940

  The Midnight Rider Takes a Bride #1101

  Silhouette Books

  Fortune’s Children

  Wife Wanted

  *The Taming of Billy Jones

  †The Bravo Billionaire

  Montana Mavericks:

  Big Sky Brides

  “Suzanna”

  Lone Star Country Club

  Stroke of Fortune

  Lone Star Country Club: The Debutantes

  “Reinventing Mary”

  Logan’s Legacy

  “Rachel’s Bundle of Joy”

  CHRISTINE RIMMER

  came to her profession the long way around. Before settling down to write about the magic of romance, she’d been everything from an actress to a phone sales representative to a playwright. Christine is grateful not only for the joy she finds in writing, but for what waits when the day’s work is through: a man she loves, who loves her right back, and the privilege of watching their children grow and change day to day. She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Visit Christine at her new home on the Web at www.christinerimmer.com.

  THE BRAVOS:

  HEROES, HEROINES AND THEIR STORIES

  The Nine-Month Marriage—

  Cash Bravo and Abby Heller

  Marriage By Necessity—

  Nate Bravo and Megan Kane

  Practically Married—

  Zach Bravo and Tess DeMarley

  Married By Accident—

  Melinda Bravo and Cole Yuma

  The Millionaire She Married—

  Jenna Bravo and Mack McGarrity

  The M.D. She Had to Marry—

  Lacey Bravo and Logan Severance

  The Marriage Agreement—

  Marsh Bravo and Tory Winningham

  The Bravo Billionaire—

  Jonas Bravo and Emma Hewitt

  Marriage: Overboard—

  Gwen Bravo McMillan and Rafe McMillan

  (Weekly Serial at www.eHarlequin.com)

  The Marriage Conspiracy—

  Dekker (Smith) Bravo and Joleen Tilly

  His Executive Sweetheart—

  Aaron Bravo and Celia Tuttle

  Mercury Rising—

  Cade Bravo and Jane Elliott

  Scrooge and the Single Girl—

  Will Bravo and Jillian Diamond

  Fifty Ways To Say…I’m Pregnant—

  Starr Bravo and Beau Tisdale

  Marrying Molly—

  Tate Bravo and Molly O’Dare

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter One

  What are the odds? Lori Lee Billingsworth Taylor couldn’t help wondering, feeling guilty and miserable and knowing herself to be a yellow-bellied coward.

  What are the odds she would keep running into a certain man? Given that the town—Tate’s Junction, Texas—where this certain man constantly turned up had a population of almost two thousand. Given that Lori was not—oh, no, definitely not—trying to run into this particular guy. At least not yet.

  The odds couldn’t be all that great, could they?

  But still, it kept happening. Lori Lee kept running into Tucker Bravo.

  And she did know. Oh, yes, she knew very well, thank you very much, that Tucker Bravo was exactly the man she needed to run into. Unfortunately, he was also the man she couldn’t bear to face.

  But she would. She truly would.

  Right after her twin sister’s wedding.

  It happened first at the Gas ’n Go.

  Lori and her ten-year-old son, Brody, had just arrived in Tate’s Junction from San Antonio for a three-week stay. Not five minutes in the town she’d left behind—and there he was.

  What, she asked herself later, had made her stop for gas? She might just as well have kept going straight to her parents’ big two-story brick house on Pecan Street. She had over a quarter of a tank and could have filled up later. But she turned off the highway and there was that bright red cube of a convenience store and the eight gas pumps and it just seemed so simple, so easy and efficient, to go ahead and gas up right then.

  Brody, busy on his Game Boy in the back seat, spoke up as she stopped the Lexus at the pump. “I bet they have Icees in there.”


  She turned and gave him a fond smile. “That would be no.”

  “But, Mom—”

  She grabbed her purse, bent to tug the latch that opened the gas tank door. “We’ll be at Gramma Enid’s in ten minutes tops.”

  “Gramma Enid doesn’t have Icees.”

  “Sit tight.” She unhooked her seat belt and reached for the door.

  “Aw, Mom…” But another glance over the seat showed her he was already focused on the Game Boy again, thumbs flying over the miniature keyboard.

  Lori paused, her fingers hooked in the door handle, staring back over the seat at her son’s bent head, thinking that they were doing okay, just the two of them, without Henry…

  Henry…

  A wave of sadness washed through her. Henry had died a little over a year before. Lori missed him and so did Brody. But time was doing its work. Lori had made it through the worst: the clutching desperation, the gaping, ragged hole of emptiness at the center of her world. Increasingly, thoughts of Henry brought only a fond sort of sorrow. They’d shared six wonderful years, she and Henry—seven, if you counted the year before their marriage. Lori would always have her warm and comforting memories of those years. She was a fortunate woman; she had a smart, healthy son and she’d known the quiet joy of a good man’s sure and steady love.

  Lori tugged on the door handle and swung her feet to the pavement. She shut the car door behind her and was fiddling in her purse for her wallet when she heard the urgent whining sound.

  She glanced up. The ugliest, most adorable dog she’d ever seen sat near the rear wheel, big brown eyes begging her, long wiry-haired body quivering.

  The dog captured her gaze and held it, whimpering louder, lifting up to all four stumpy legs and wiggling all over in barely contained excitement, as if it had been waiting all its life to run into someone like her.

  Lori couldn’t help herself. She laughed. “Where did you come from?”

  It was all the encouragement the funny-looking dog needed. Panting in sheer doggy bliss, it quivered on over to her and rolled to its back.

  “Okay, okay.” Lori crouched to scratch the spotted, wiry-haired pink belly. Transported, the dog whimpered and wriggled, pink tongue lolling. “Yes, you are about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” she declared as she went on scratching. “But no, I can’t take you home.”

  “You wouldn’t believe it to look at him now, but he already has a home.” The voice, from behind her, was male: deep and sure, threaded with amusement.

  She turned her head—and there he was, standing in the sun beyond the shadow of the roof that protected the pumps, big arms folded over his deep, hard chest, strong legs braced slightly apart, spiked brown hair catching golden lights from the bright Texas sun overhead.

  Tucker.

  Oh, God.

  He was…bigger, somehow, than she remembered. That formerly whipcord-lean body spoke of muscular power now. The hungry, wild-eyed yearning look was gone from his dark eyes.

  Lori felt her stomach heave. She swallowed, hard, and pasted on a wide smile. Ordering her suddenly numb legs to straighten, she stood to face him.

  That killer smile of his widened. “Lori Lee,” he said, without having to hesitate to place her—and also without confusing her with her twin, Lena Lou. “I knew it was you the minute you got out of that gorgeous car.”

  Lori supposed it wasn’t surprising, that he remembered her on sight. He’d once been in love with Lena Lou. Lena was the sparkly one, the popular one. All the boys went nuts for her. Lori had been quieter, a better student, and a little bit shy. Though they were identicals, no one in town had ever had any trouble telling them apart.

  Except for on that one special, magical, life-changing night—which she was not going to think about, at least not right now.

  Tucker said, “It’s been a long time.”

  Lori nodded and gulped to clear her clutching throat. “How are you, Tucker?” It came out sounding pleasant. Cordial in a distant sort of way. Most important, her tone betrayed no hint of the turmoil within.

  Before he could answer, the dog at her feet let out a long, impatient whine—a clear demand for more attention.

  Tucker commanded, “Fargo, you shameless mutt, get over here.” One last whimper for good measure, and the dog waddled over to its master. It plunked itself down next to Tucker’s booted feet as he answered her question of a moment before. “I’m good. Real good.”

  She kept her pleasant smile in place, though it took superhuman effort to do it. She felt giddy, disoriented—and terrified. Nothing seemed real, suddenly, as if when she’d turned to see him standing there, she’d spun into the midst of a strange dream, a dream that hovered on the verge of nightmare. She thought her smile would crack, her lunch rise up and come spewing out her grinning mouth.

  Talk, she thought. Say something. Now. “I, um, heard you did just what you’d always dreamed of doing. Traveled all over the country. And even Europe—Spain and Italy and England…”

  “You heard right.” He bent to give the dog a scratch behind a floppy ear and she thought of all those times, in the early years, that she’d tried to reach him.

  Every time she’d drummed up the courage to make contact, she found he’d moved on. In Austin, a stranger answered his door. The tortured letters she’d written him explaining everything came back with no forwarding address.

  Tucker straightened to his height again. “And look at me now. Right here in Tate’s Junction where I swore I’d never end up.” He grinned wider. “Believe it or not, I did manage to get myself a law degree during my wandering years.”

  “Ah,” she said, as if that meant anything.

  He went on. “Got me the whole South Wing out at my mean old granddaddy’s house and an office on Center Street with a sign out front that says, Hogan and Bravo, Attorneys at Law. And, last but no way least, I’ve got Fargo here.” He grinned down at his goofy-looking dog, then back up at her. “And you know what?”

  She did know. She could tell just by looking at him. “You’re happy.”

  “You bet I am.”

  Behind Lori, the left rear door of the Lexus clicked open. Oh, no, she thought. God. Please. No. Her heart leapt into her throat and got stuck there.

  “Mom?” Brody spotted the mutt. “Aw, sweet. A dog.” He was all the way across the seat and out of the car before she could find her voice to tell him to stay put. The dog, spotting another sucker, gave Brody one of those pleading, hopeful whines.

  Lori cleared her throat. “Brody…”

  But he was already sliding past her, making a bee-line for Tucker’s ugly dog. “Hey boy, hey buddy…” The dog whined in joy and Brody dropped to his haunches, right there at Tucker’s feet. The dog licked his face and Brody hugged him and patted him and scratched him behind both ears.

  Lori looked up and found Tucker watching her. A shiver went slicing through her, so cold it burned. “My son,” she said, and she could hardly believe that her voice didn’t so much as waver. “Brody Taylor.”

  “Hey, Brody,” said Tucker.

  “Hey,” Brody replied, hardly glancing up, his whole being focused on petting the dog. “What’s his name?”

  “Fargo,” Tucker said.

  Lori looked from her son to Tucker and back to her son again. Oh, sweet Lord, she could see it. See Tucker in Brody—in the way he tilted his head. In the shape of his jaw.

  In that distinctive cleft in his chin…

  She shut her eyes and dragged in a hard breath. When she opened them again, Tucker was looking right at her.

  He frowned. “You okay, Lori?”

  “Oh, uh, fine. I’m just fine.”

  “Sure?”

  “Oh, yeah. So. You like it here, in Tate’s Junction, after all.”

  “Yes, I do—you’re in town for the wedding?”

  And to tell you about Brody. Before I leave, I will tell you. “That’s right. For the wedding.”

  Lena Lou had finally found the man she wanted t
o marry. His name was Dirk Davison. Like Heck Billingsworth, Lori and Lena’s father, Dirk sold cars. He owned two big dealerships on the outskirts of nearby Abilene. Dirk had proposed to Lena a year before.

  “Going to be quite an event, that wedding,” Tucker said.

  “Oh, yes.” Ever since she’d got Dirk’s four-carat ring on her finger, Lena had been planning the biggest, most elegant, high-dollar wedding that Tate’s Junction had ever seen. Lori reached into her purse again and came up with her wallet. “And we’d better get moving.” She flipped the wallet open and slid out a platinum card.

  “Well,” said Tucker. “Great to see you again…”

  “Yeah,” she answered, keeping her fake smile firmly in place. “Brody…”

  Brody scratched the dog some more. “Aw, Mom…”

  “Come on. Back in the car.” Lori stuck the credit card in the pump slot as Tucker clucked his tongue at the dog.

  “See you later, Brody,” Tucker said, turning. The dog fell into step behind him.

  “Bye, Fargo.” Brody rose and stared after the man and the dog as they headed around the convenience store, most likely on their way to the pumps on the other side. Once they disappeared, Brody looked at his mother. “Cool dog.”

  Relief flooded through her. She’d made it through meeting up with Tucker again. He’d even seen Brody. And nothing terrible had happened. Her knees felt like strings of overcooked spaghetti. She braced a hand on the gleaming hood of the car.

  “Mom. You okay?”

  She drew herself up. “You bet.”

  “We should get a dog, Mom. I could take care of him. You wouldn’t have to do anything ’cept pay for his food.”

  “Nice try,” she said wryly, though she was thinking that maybe he was right. Maybe he was ready for a puppy and all the responsibility that came with it. But she’d been a mother long enough to know that if she told him now, she’d never hear the end of it. “Want to help me pump this gas?”