Expecting His Brother's Baby

Panic gripped Kylie as Brock Warner entered her room Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, her enforced stay in the hospital since Friday had given her too much time to remember her confrontation with Trish Hammond.All she'd been able to think about was her husband's infidelity.Now here was his half brother! How had he found out about her accident? Was he going to try to convince her to sell Saddle Ridge?"What are you doing here?" Her emotions were so raw the question had just popped out.Shoving his black Stetson higher on his forehead, Brock stopped beside the chair where Kylie sat. "Dix called me. He was worried sick about you."Her foreman shouldn't have meddled. "I'm fine.""Don't you justlookfine." Brock's thick black eyebrows quirked up as he took notice of her sling, then the bruise on her forehead.Her brother-in-law's Apache blood was evident in the hue of his skin, the dark somberness of his eyes and the jet blackness of his hair. Brock Warner emanated a sensuality when he walked, when he talked and when he smiled, in a way she'd seen in few men. It had given her a jumbled, off-balance sensation when she was a teenager...and still did now. She remembered the night she graduated from high school, the night she'd kissed him and--She stood, pride and courage taking over for her and her unborn child. "I'm sorry Dix dragged you here from... wherever you were.""Texas," Brock filled in. "Between consultations.""When did you arrive?" she asked warily, her gaze taking in everything about him. She hadn't seen him since Jack Warner's funeral five years ago...when Brock's new wife had accompanied him."I got in about an hour ago. Dix looked worn out, so I offered to come get you."Concern for Dix took away her annoyance at his interference. He'd been a friend of her father's and had looked out for her in a quiet way since he'd gotten her a job at Saddle Ridge. They were both worn out. Trying to keep the ranch afloat without any outside help had been wearing on them long before Alex had died.Brock's gaze softened a bit as it slid from her loose blond hair to her maternity top. "I'm sorry about what happened to Alex."Brock had said that on the phone after he'd missed Alex's funeral. He'd been doing whatever geologists did somewhere in Central America. Away from civilization, he hadn't called his home in Texas for messages in over a week. When he finally had, he'd phoned her and learned about the bull-riding accident that had taken his brother's life. By that time, though, Alex was buried and she hadn't wanted Brock to learn the condition of Saddle Ridge. It was during that phone call she'd told him she was pregnant but managing perfectly fine."I'm sorry for your loss, too," she said quietly, knowing Brock had cared deeply about Alex."The last time I talked to him he was in Utah. I should have kept in touch more often," Brock said with real regret.The crack in Kylie's heart grew a little wider when she thought about the last timeshehad talked to Alex. After he'd left early for his last rodeo, she was sure their marriage had been over. With what she'd found out from Trish Hammond, it had been over long before that day.A smiling nurse bustled into the room, cast an admiring look at Brock, then handed Kylie a few papers. "Here are Dr. Marco's instructions. I understand he went over them with you this morning."Kylie studied the checklist. For the most part, she was supposed to rest for the next two weeks.Brock took them from her hands. "I spoke with your doctor a few minutes ago. I told him I'd make sure you followed his recommendations.""What do you meanyou'llmake sure? Go back to Texas, I don't need you here. Dix should never have called you.""Youshould have called me long before this. One look at the place--" He shook his head. "There will be time enough for this discussion. Right now, let's get you home."When Brock took her elbow, Kylie's knees feltSmith, Karen Rose is the author of 'Expecting His Brother's Baby', published 2006 under ISBN 9780373247790 and ISBN 0373247796.