Sinful by Joan Johnston Read Free Book Online

wife’s parents. He hadn’t wanted to take their grandchildren away from them, but they’d given him no choice. Maybe someday they could mend fences. Right now, he didn’t trust them. No one was stealing his children away again.
    “What time should we expect you and the kids at the house?” his father asked.
    Connor hesitated. After the purchase was complete, he’d told his family that he’d bought Safe Haven, but he’d represented his purchase of the formerdude ranch to them as a charitable project, a much-needed refuge for returning vets. He hadn’t been at all sure he’d win in court, so he’d said nothing to them about his plans to move there himself if he got custody of his kids.
    Connor was anxious to take Brooke and Sawyer to their new home. Anxious to start his new life as a single father. “I won’t be bringing the kids back to the Lucky 7 tonight,” he said at last.
    “Is there some problem picking them up?” his father asked.
    “No, Dad.” In fact, they were being taken care of in another room at the courthouse by a social worker, who had instructions to deliver them and their belongings to whichever party arrived with the appropriate court documents.
    Connor glanced from face to sobered face as he announced to his brothers, “I’m going to spend my first night with my kids at Safe Haven.”
    He expected outbursts of protest, but his brothers had apparently been stunned into silence.
    “Just you and the kids?” Devon said. “Isn’t that a little risky?”
    “What do you mean?” Connor asked.
    “I mean, what if they miss their grandparents? What if they start crying? What are you going to do?”
    Connor gave Devon the same answer he’d given Eve. “I managed a Delta team. I think I can handle two little kids.”
    “It’s not the same thing,” Devon warned.
    “I agree. It should be a lot easier handling the kids,” Connor said with a wry grin.
    “Safe Haven is a long way off if you need to call for help,” Aiden pointed out.
    What he said was true. Jackson Hole was bordered by the Teton, Gros Ventre, and Wind River mountain ranges, each reaching more than ten thousand feet in elevation, which made the first half hour of the drive to his ranch, through Grand Teton National Park, absolutely spectacular. The second half of the drive, on mostly dirt roads, ran smack through the Bridger Teton National Forest. Even in the best of conditions—and conditions weren’t always good—the trip took an hour.
    “I’m not going to need help,” Connor said stubbornly.
    “You’re out of your mind,” his father said. “You can’t possibly take care of two babies—because they’re just babies at two and four—on your own.”
    Connor felt the flush begin at his throat and rise to his cheeks. He’d never been able to control the blush that rose on his fair Irish skin when he was angry or excited. Right now he was both. “Say it a little louder, why don’t you, Dad, so the judge can hear you?”
    Aiden, ever the peacemaker, stepped into Connor’s line of vision and asked, “When are you supposed to pick up Brooke and Sawyer?”
    “As soon as I have the documents from the court clerk.”
    “Are you sure you don’t want to spend at least the first night at home?” Devon asked. “I mean, just in case?”
    Connor smiled confidently, a look he’d given to soldiers under his command which hid the terror hefelt before a firefight. “I appreciate your offers of help. Really, I do. But I’ve got this.”
    “Since Molly…” Aiden’s voice trailed off. “We’ve missed the kids. Will you at least bring them to visit sometime soon?”
    “Sure,” Connor promised as he fought to speak past the sudden knot in his throat.
    Connor realized he had to get away from his family or he was liable to break down in tears again. He was feeling joyful all right, but also angry. About the time he’d lost with Brooke and Sawyer. About having to live his life without Molly. About wanting a woman