The Rival

by Joanne Rock

  “Good morning.” He stepped down the deck steps to ground level as the snowfall began picking up speed. “And call me Devon.”

  Her mustang whinnied a greeting, shaking its mane. Devon stopped near the horse’s head to stroke the muzzle, noting the flurries melting on its nose. Safer to look the animal in the eye than its appealing rider.

  “I heard from Mr. Rivera that the two of you have a meeting, so I thought I’d offer you a lift.” She jutted her chin in the direction of the chestnut mare behind her. “Nutmeg is saddled and ready to go if you are.”

  “You came all the way out here on the off chance I’d need a ride?” His gaze skimmed up her denim-clad thigh, over her feminine curves, to study her expression. Was there a chance Regina Flores felt the same pull he did when they were near one another?

  The idea revved him up.

  “I didn’t have any trail rides scheduled for today and both these animals were due for some exercise, so my offer isn’t quite as generous as you make it sound.” Her smile was self-deprecating this time. “I had to get Nutmeg out either way.”

  She might well be telling the truth.

  But the alternative—that she harbored a personal interest in him—was far more intriguing. Especially during a tense week, with his business hanging in the balance. He could see the potential benefit of a distraction.

  “To tell you the truth, I’d be grateful for the company,” he said at last, reaching up to take Nutmeg’s reins from Regina.

  He briefly caught her hand in his, leather on leather, before sliding the horse’s lead free.

  Regina’s quicksilver eyes tracked him, her smile fleeing as awareness flickered between them. At least, he’d like to think that she’d felt it, too.

  “Do you need a hand up?” she asked even as he slung a leg over Nutmeg’s back.

  “I’ll be fine.” He urged the chestnut forward two steps so he was beside Regina.

  Close enough to touch.

  “Suit yourself.” Her gaze darted around, as if unsure where to land. “Just keep in mind some of our horses are more spirited than others. It’s a good idea to get acquainted with their quirks first.”

  “In that case, anything I need to know about Nutmeg?” He was far more interested in getting to know the trail guide than the gentle mare.

  “She’s a follower.” Regina shifted in the saddle and her horse eased back a step from his. “She’ll be more comfortable letting me take the lead.”

  “Fair enough.” He opened his hand with the reins still balanced on his palm, giving the horse her lead. “But since I’m most definitely not a follower, next time feel free to give me something feistier.” He allowed his words to sink in before leaning fractionally closer. “I like a challenge.”

  Her swift intake of breath, a soft and sexy gasp, was the most pleasant sound he’d heard in days.

  And just like that, he had something to look forward to during an otherwise hellish week. Regina Flores was a welcome feminine distraction when all the rest of his world was falling apart.

  * * *

  Pull it together.

  Regina cursed herself for finding anything remotely attractive about a man she knew to be her enemy.

  Tall and leanly muscled, Devon carried himself with athletic grace in dark jeans and a fitted black parka. A gray ski cap covered his light brown hair, the knit fabric framing thick eyebrows and pale green eyes. With sculpted features, he was handsome in a way that should have been boringly traditional. Except there was something undeniably compelling about the way his eyes followed her. He didn’t seem like the kind of man who paid attention to every random woman in his field of vision. She’d had time to observe him unnoticed, and he was normally all business. Yet, around her, she felt the heated spark of masculine interest.

  She put the bay in motion. The hoofbeats were softened by the layer of snow sticking on the trail back to the main lodge at Mesa Falls Ranch. The wind picked up, swirling flakes that tickled her cheeks. She appreciated the icy kiss on her skin, needing something to cool her frustration.

  Her keen awareness.

  She’d worked too hard to get close to him to lose focus now. Her whole point in bringing Devon a mount had been to talk to him. Earn his confidence. Instead, the moment he’d gotten close to her, she’d felt the most bizarrely unexpected reaction to him.

  Blatant physical attraction.

  It would have been unsettling enough if it had been one-sided. But Devon’s comment about liking a challenge hadn’t only been about the horses.

  Breathing out slowly, she told herself to let go of the moment and focus on salvaging this time with Devon. His younger brother and business partner, Marcus, was leaving the ranch today with the COO of Salazar Media, Lily Carrington. The pair had fallen in love and spent so much time together during their stay at Mesa Falls Ranch that Regina had had no opportunity to get near Marcus.

  Devon was her last chance to find out how much the Salazar family knew about their father’s book. She’d risked her cover to eavesdrop on a conversation between the brothers the week before, enough to learn that Marcus and Devon didn’t trust each other at all even though they were business partners. And that fact alone called into question everything that had transpired between them.

  They’d spoken like they didn’t know about their father’s book. But could one—or both—of them have been lying?

  One thing was certain: she wasn’t going to learn any more if she didn’t try to get to know Devon better.

  Slowing her horse’s step, she waited until he was close to her again. She noticed he allowed her to keep the lead, however.

  “You ride very well,” she observed lightly, daring a glance toward him as they followed the Bitterroot River toward the lodge. “Did you grow up around horses?”

  He stared out through the snow-covered field where a few deer picked their way back into a thicket.

  “Not really. I went to school with a guy who lived on a Kentucky Thoroughbred farm and I spent a couple of summers with his family.” He pointed toward the woods where the deer had disappeared. “Look. The fawn wants to come back and play.”

  Sure enough, the smallest of the deer hopped out into the field again, running in a circle before it darted back into the trees in a flash of white tail. She felt herself smiling along with Devon until she remembered she had to keep up her guard.

  “Now that I know what a strong rider you are, I’m all the more determined to take you out on one of the trails while you’re here.” She figured a little flattery couldn’t hurt her cause. “You must want to see the full spread of the ranch while you’re preparing for the launch party?”

  “I do.” He turned those pale green eyes her way, his expression serious. “As long as you’re my guide.”

  Her heart pounded harder.

  Only because she was circling the enemy, damn it.

  She ground her teeth together. Focus.

  “Deal.” She forced a smile as they rounded the last bend before the main lodge came into view. “Name a time. I actually need to put in more trail ride hours myself, familiarize myself with the place, before Mesa Falls Ranch opens to the corporate retreats at the end of the month.”

  “How’s tomorrow morning?” His breath huffed a cloud in the cold air as he spoke. “I can clear my calendar and spend the day taking in the sights.”

  “Excellent.” She’d have Devon all to herself. Surely she’d find out something about his father and what kind of relationship Devon had with the man who’d used Regina’s family secrets to make a fortune. “Should I meet you at your cabin?”

  “I’ll come to the stables.” He nudged Nutmeg in the flank, turning her toward the lodge. “You can help me choose the right mount.”

  “Of course.” She wondered if his knowledge of horses was better than hers. She’d had to exaggerate her skills a bit to land the t
rail guide job. “We can have the kitchen pack us a meal if you think we’ll stay out through the lunch hour.”

  “Absolutely.” Devon nodded. “I had a lot on my plate when you first mentioned the idea of a trail ride, but I’ll be ready to give you my full attention tomorrow.” Slowing his horse to a halt, he let his gaze linger on Regina. “In fact, I look forward to it.”

  She stared back at him for a moment too long, trying to read the undercurrent between them. Trying to ignore the pull of attraction.

  “Sounds good,” she said finally, needing to stay polite. Professional. Friendly.

  No matter that her feelings for him veered between suspicion and simmering awareness.

  Dismounting, he turned to stride into the lodge for his meeting, leaving Regina to bring Nutmeg back to the stables. She watched him walk away, his dark boots leaving an imprint as he charged through the coating of powdery snow.

  Tomorrow, he’d promised her his undivided attention. That had potential for her investigation into what the Salazar heirs knew about their father’s activities. But he’d also made it clear he was interested in her, and that complicated things considerably. For some reason she was okay deceiving him about her identity, but not okay using the attraction between them as some sort of bargaining chip.

  She’d have to find a way to get the answers she needed without succumbing to the draw of the man.

  And even after spending only ten minutes with Devon Salazar, she knew that wasn’t going to be easy. But failure wasn’t an option. One way or another, Regina would find out where the profits from Alonzo Salazar’s book were going. If it turned out Devon Salazar had benefited financially from the wreckage of her world?

  She would use everything in her power to make sure he paid.

  Two

  Regina stayed up late and awoke early, wanting to ensure she was well prepared for the outing with Devon. She had studied everything she might possibly need to know for the trail ride—weather conditions, interesting sights along the way, a refresher on the native plants and animals. She’d also spent some time rehearsing a few basic details of her cover story since she couldn’t reveal anything personal for fear of giving away her past as Georgiana.

  Now she was huddled inside the barn, checking the map on her phone so she didn’t get lost during the ride, when Devon arrived.

  “Morning.” The deep masculine voice warmed her insides even before she turned to see him standing under the arch of the doorway.

  Snow stirred behind him in a misty white cloud as he pulled on a pair of leather gloves. From his jeans and boots to his dark sheepskin jacket, he looked ready for the outing and not at all like her idea of a Manhattan executive. Straightening, she tucked her phone in the pocket of her jacket.

  “Good morning, Devon.” She forced a smile in spite of the weird mixture of nervousness and tamped-down attraction. “Are you ready to ride?”

  “I’ve been eagerly anticipating this.” His green eyes lingered on her as he stepped deeper into the barn. “And I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of making a few adjustments to the lunch you ordered from the kitchen.”

  He held up a sleekly packaged parcel that she hadn’t noticed he was carrying.

  “Perfect.” She’d been planning to stop by the kitchen on their way out. She opened one of the saddlebags. “You can slide it in here.”

  He was by her side in a few steps, the heat and warmth of him blocking the cold air blowing in through the open doors.

  He smelled like pine trees and soap. A fact she wished she hadn’t noticed. He stepped back from the Appaloosa.

  “I see you saddled a different mount for me today.” He patted the mare’s flank while she closed the flap on the saddlebag.

  “I know you hoped for something more spirited. Your brother was partial to Evangeline,” she told him smoothly, pretending not to know anything about their enmity. “I thought maybe you’d enjoy her, too.”

  Leading his horse out of the barn, he gave a humorless laugh. “Marcus and I have rarely agreed on anything, but I won’t hold that against Evangeline.”

  A few moments later, they were mounted and trotting away from the barns at a good clip. Regina tipped her face up into the falling snow, enjoying the fresh air and the beauty of Big Sky Country despite the rider beside her. She found it difficult to relax around him, given her overwhelming need to learn more about his connection to his father and the book that had destroyed her life. But at least his remark about Marcus had given her a toehold into that conversation.

  Her cheeks tingled with the chill of the icy snow as she began her most basic introduction to Mesa Falls Ranch, outlining the size and rough parameters of the place, skimming over the ownership, since she assumed Devon knew all about the unique group who managed the property.

  “Have you met all of the owners?” Devon asked as they began the steep trek out of Bitterroot Valley.

  “I haven’t.” She hadn’t really understood the point of the shared ranch venture. Most ranches were either family owned or held by a major corporation. Yet Mesa Falls was owned equally by six friends who had never made the bottom line a primary concern. “I’ve only met Weston Rivera, who spends the most time on site overseeing things.” She pointed to a break in the trees ahead. “We’ll be able to see his house from just up there.”

  “I’ve been to his home. I got to meet a few of the owners at a welcome party they threw at Rivera’s place last week.” Devon appeared more relaxed than he had the day before, even though his mount was definitely more energetic.

  For her part, Regina felt on edge, wanting to remain alert to any clues he might give her about his family, his business and his sources of income.

  Swaying with the mustang’s movements, she debated the best way to broach those topics.

  “I remember hearing about that. Your brother went, too, I think.” She knew a lot about Marcus’s movements even though she hadn’t spoken to him directly. Last week, she’d still been feeling her way around the ranch after landing the job. She’d spied on Marcus more than once.

  “He did.” Devon’s answer was clipped.

  “The two of you have a business together, and yet you mentioned you don’t see eye to eye on many things.” She glanced his way to gauge his expression. “Doesn’t that make working together difficult?”

  “Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. “Thankfully, we have offices on opposite coasts, and that helps.”

  She wanted to ask a follow-up question but didn’t want to sound like she was interrogating him. So she waited.

  “Do you have siblings, Regina?” he asked as they cleared a rise. The terrain leveled off slightly as the horses picked their way along the narrow trail under the shelter of the pines.

  “No.” That wasn’t strictly true since she had two half siblings, her father’s kids she’d never been allowed to meet. Her birth father’s wife was highly protective of her family, resenting Regina’s late appearance in their lives. “I’ve always envied people with bigger families.”

  Families that didn’t disown their children.

  Birds squawked in the trees overhead, their movements causing more snow to rain down on them as they disturbed the branches.

  “Marcus and I didn’t spend any time together growing up,” Devon explained as they left the trees behind and arrived on a plateau above the river. “Our mothers viewed one another as rivals, so Marcus and I did, too.”

  “Yet you started a very successful business together.”

  He looked sharply at her. “You’ve done your homework.”

  Her cheeks heated; yes, she had dug through everything she could find about Salazar Media. Especially since Devon’s father had been a part owner. “You and Marcus are the first guests since I’ve been a trail guide. I figured it doesn’t hurt to know who I’m talking to.”

  “I’m flattered,”
he admitted. “I’m usually the one doing all the studying about new clients. I can’t remember the last time anyone tried to impress me.”

  His gaze collided with hers and she felt the prickle of awareness all over her skin, even with the cold wind blowing off the mountains. Her mouth dried up as she debated how to respond. Thankfully, he had questions about their direction and the next two hours passed uneventfully enough.

  She kept up a running patter about the sights, the history of the Bitterroot River, and the best spots for fly-fishing according to the locals she’d asked. They were far from the main ranch house when she spotted a creek side lean-to that one of the ranch hands had told her about. Built by one of the owners for a winter retreat, the lean-to was open on one side, with a picnic table tucked under the shelter.

  “Are you ready for lunch?” she asked, shifting in the saddle to see Devon better. “There’s a good spot to make a fire by the water if you want one.”

  She could see the fire ring between the lean-to and the creek, the spot sheltered from the wind.

  “Sounds good.” He followed her down the snowy hill to the open hut with its bark and branch roof.

  She settled the horses close to the water while Devon unpacked the food. She found a few promising sticks to build a fire, kicked away the excess snow, then got to work starting a blaze. By the time she turned around, Devon had flannel blankets on both benches, a clean linen over the table and two glasses of wine poured into stemless glasses. A centerpiece of bread, meats and cheeses was surrounded by fruit, nuts and even a small jar of honey.

  With the fire snapping behind her, the flames giving the winter picnic a burnished glow, things had taken a turn for the romantic.

  “Wow.” She darted her gaze to his, not sure what to say. “That definitely looks better than the turkey sandwiches I asked the staff chef to make us.”