Decker's Daughter - Caroline Lee Page 0,15

you and CJ are a package deal, sweetheart. I’m not going to woo one of you, without the other.”

And while a part of her was waving its arms and jumping up and down, trying to remind herself she couldn’t afford any kind of wooing, a bigger part of Bobbi melted at his words.

Or maybe it was the way his touch was sending shivers down her back and making her feel cherished.

“Okay,” she whispered, feeling as if her tongue were three sizes too big for her mouth.

And then he grinned, and her heart clenched with longing.

“Well, alright then, sweetheart.”

Straightening from the wall, which put their bodies even closer together, he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. She caught her breath, both wishing for, and dreading, the possibility of him kissing her lips…but instead, he pulled away and offered her a brilliant grin.

“I’ll plan a picnic lunch for one day this weekend. Just tell me when! For now…” He winked and pulled his neon green ball from the pocket of his jeans. “How about we get back to you kicking my butt at putt-putt?”

Chuckling, she shook her head and reached for her own club, which she’d dropped beside his near the hole.

“You’re on, cowboy!”

Chapter 5

“Baby, if you don’t sit your bottom down on this seat, I’m going to pop it.”

CJ was so excited about their “adventure”—as she called it—she was practically kneeling between her mother and Decker on the bench seat of the old pickup.

“No, you won’t,” she chirped with a cheeky grin, but she sat back anyhow. Turning to peer up at Decker, she whispered overly loud, “Mama always threatens to beat me, but never really does. She says it’s not healthy to spank children.”

Grinning, Decker sent her a wink. “Her secret is safe with me.”

On her other side, Bobbi gave an adorable, exasperated snort and shook her head.

CJ’s little legs swished back and forth on each side of the old gear stick as she craned her neck to see out the front windshield. She was bouncing with excitement and humming happily to herself.

Pops had bought the truck over two decades ago and because there were no seatbelts and it had a tendency to break down, Decker only ever drove it on the ranch. But this was the first time he’d transported a kid, and he could now see the benefits of seatbelts.

On a whim, he decided to take the long route to the river, turning right off the dirt road, to bounce over a hill to where he knew one of the herds would be grazing.

“Cows, Mama! Look!” And CJ sprang up again, leaning across her mother to see the big, soft-looking animals.

While she gaped, Decker offered Bobbi an apologetic shrug. “Sorry this old work horse doesn’t have seat belts. I never take it off the ranch, and it didn’t occur to me…” If he ever had a family, he’d have to make his regular truck his work vehicle, since it had actual restraints.

Wait…

A family?

Where had that thought come from?

Maybe seeing sweet little CJ’s joy?

Or the exasperated look in Bobbi’s eyes when she met his?

“Don’t worry about it. As long as this little lady keeps her butt in one place, and you don’t hit those potholes too hard, we should be fine.”

“Potholes?” He pretended to be offended. “Madam, this is Montana. Those are gopher holes.”

“My apologies,” she managed to respond with a straight face.

But Decker didn’t bother hiding his grin when he reached for the waist of CJ’s jean shorts. “Cora Jo, listen to your mama and sit your butt down.”

“Okay, Decker,” she chirped happily, complying. “But today I’m Charlene Juniper.”

He blinked.

Today?

Come to think of it, when she’d introduced herself, she’d said something like, “Today, I’m Cora Jo” hadn’t she?

Did she just…change her name?

He shot a confused look toward Bobbi, but she didn’t give any explanation. Instead, she offered him a little shrug, as if to say it was too complicated to discuss at the moment.

But she did clamp her hand on top of CJ’s knees, as if holding her in place. “You’re feeling particularly nature-y today. Juniper?”

“That’s the name of a berry. I learned that from one of my videos. And we’re going fishing! Do you think we’ll catch a fish? Do you think we’ll see juniper berries?”

Bobbi shot him a glance, and Decker shook his head. “Yes to the fish, no to the berries. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Putting the truck back in gear, they left the herd behind.

“Bye, cows!” CJ waved happily, and when one mooed