But she was sure fall had to be the most perfect time to visit. Tall green pines and blue spruce spilled down the slopes surrounding the town, interspersed with stands of oak, maple and aspen that added breathtaking splashes of color. Kate’s delighted gaze drank in flaming reds, shimmering golds, impossibly bright oranges.
“Oh, boy. I hope this golf course of yours has scenery like this!”
It did. Owned and operated by the Mescalero Apaches, the resort was located on their reservation some miles out of Ruidoso. Mountains blazing with color surrounded the brand-new hotel and casino. Shimmering lake waters lapped at pebbled shores and reflected both the resort and the mountain peaks. The golf course, Kate saw as Dave parked in the lot behind a clubhouse constructed of pine and soaring glass, wasn’t for the faint of heart.
The first hole—the very first!—required a clean shot over a stretch of clear blue lake to a small island. The second shot had to carry over water again to a raised green. Low bridges constructed of pine linked the island to shore and allowed access by cart.
“Forget handicaps!” Kate exclaimed. “We’ll be lucky if we don’t lose all our balls on the first hole.”
Grinning, Dave hefted his bag. “Oh, no! You’re not going to wiggle out of giving me strokes. I’m not handing you any advantage this time, Commander.”
With another look at that killer first hole, Kate headed for the pro shop. Dave propped his bag on the rack by the door and followed her inside. His clubs, Kate noted, were well used and the finest that money could buy. Evidently the man took his golf as seriously as he did his flying.
The pro fixed her up with a decent rental set and they just had time to grab a lunch of Indian tacos washed down with ice-cold beer. Then Kate dragged a visor down low on her forehead to block the glare off the lake and teed up. After a few practice swings with a four iron, she sent her ball sailing across the water. It landed smack in the center of the small green island.
Dave gave a low whistle. “Nice shot.”
“Thanks.”
She couldn’t help sashaying a bit as she strolled to the back of the tee box to help track his ball in flight. Not that it needed tracking. The little white sphere soared in a high, sweet arc and plopped down not two feet from hers.
When he turned to her with a smug grin, Kate knew the battle was on.
The war raged for seventeen holes.
Grudgingly, Kate gave him the strokes he demanded to even their games. She also voiced strong doubts about the twelve he supposedly carried as a handicap. Dave ignored her grousing and whacked ball after ball through the thin mountain air.
Kate had to pull out all the stops to stay even on the front nine, and led by two strokes as they approached number seventeen. It was a par three, only about a hundred and twenty yards from tee to green. In between was a sheer drop of a thousand feet or more!
Of course, she shanked her ball and lost it in the dense undergrowth at the bottom of the gully. That cost her two strokes, putting them even for number eighteen. They both made the green in regulation and the game boiled down to the final putt.
Dave was closer to the pin, so Kate putted first. It took her two tries to sink her ball. Not bad, considering how far out she’d been, but she held her breath while Dave lined up his shot. If he made this putt, he’d win.
He stroked the ball gently. His putter made its distinctive little ping. The ball rolled right for the cup—and stopped an inch short. Shaking his head, he walked up and dropped it in. His eyes held a glint of pure devilry when he retrieved his ball.
“How do you like that? Another tie.”
Kate eyed him suspiciously. “Did you short that putt on purpose?”
“What do you think?”
It was the same answer he’d given her the first time they raced, and she didn’t like it any better this time than she had then.
“Get this straight, Scott. When I play, I play to win.”
He tossed his ball a few times, catching it in his palm. “Could be we’re just well matched.”
Belatedly, she remembered her ex had given him an earful. “And it could be,” she said carefully, fighting the memory of old hurts and recriminations, “you think I’ll get all bent out of shape if I lose.”
“Win or lose, Hargrave, you couldn’t get bent out of shape if you tried.”
“I’m serious about this. I don’t like the idea you’re toying with me.”
His fist closed around the ball. He fingered the dimples for a few moments before answering. “I like to win as much as you do. What I don’t like is when healthy competition turns mean.”
Kate stiffened. “As I’m sure my former husband told you happened in our marriage.”
“He implied something of the sort,” Dave admitted with a shrug, “but I wasn’t thinking of your marriage when I said that.”
“Whose were you thinking of, then?”
“My brother’s.” His forehead creasing, Dave frowned at the ball still clutched in his hand. “My sister-in-law is on his case all the time. About money. About the kids. Who’s doing a better job with both. Ryan takes it, but it’s eating him alive.”
“Why doesn’t he walk?”
His gaze lifted and locked with hers. “He says he loves her.”
“Funny thing about love.” Kate managed to swallow the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. “Sometimes it just plain hurts.”
“Well, I can’t say I’m an expert on the subject, but I’ll tell you this. I wouldn’t walk, either, if I loved a woman as much as Ryan loves Jaci.”
“What would you do?”
“Find some way to call it a draw, I suppose.”
“Like this round of golf?”
His grin slipped out, quick and slashing. “Like this round of golf.”
Kate wasn’t sure, but she thought her heart did a funny little flip-flop at that point. How the heck could the man look so damned sexy with his cheeks singed red from the sun and his hair matted down from the ball cap he’d tugged on halfway through the game? Dragging her gaze from the tawny gold, she forced herself to concentrate as Dave offered a suggestion.
“Why don’t we officially declare this game a tie and duke it out with another round tomorrow? If we arrange an early tee time, we can still make it back to the base by evening.”
She breathed in the cool, clean air. Swept a glance at the riot of colors spilling down the mountain slopes. Brought her gaze back to the man who, despite her best efforts to hold him off, had somehow breached her barriers.
“You’re on.”
Dave had figured she couldn’t resist the challenge. Hiding a smile, he dropped his putter back in his bag and waited for her to settle in the golf cart beside him.
His conscience didn’t so much as ping at him for dangling the bait of another match. Golf was the last thing on his mind at this point. That was occupied with schemes to finesse Lieutenant Commander Kate Hargrave into bed.
Tonight. Right after dinner. Or before, if he could manage it.
God, he wanted her! Their morning runs had been enough to tie him in knots. Kate Hargrave in stretchy tights could tie any man in knots. Yet working with her this past week had added an entirely different dimension to his craving.
Dave had dated his share of beautiful women. He’d also worked alongside a good number of smart, dedicated ones. But Kate’s particular combination of gorgeous and intelligent and dedicated was fast pushing the memory of all other females right out of his head.
He was still trying to lay out his game plan for the rest of the evening when they entered the two-story lobby of the resort. The pride the Mescalero Apaches took in their heritage showed in the soaring pine beams, the massive circular stone fireplace and the artistry of the woven rugs and baskets decorating the walls.
If the woman at the front desk took note of the fact that neither Kate nor Dave carried any luggage, she was too well-trained to show it. Her black eyes warm, she greeted them courteously.
“Welcome to the I
nn of the Mountain Gods. May I help you?”
Dave returned her friendly smile. “We don’t have a reservation, but would like to stay tonight. Do you have any vacancies?”
“Yes, sir, we do.” Her fingers flew over a keyboard. “I can offer you a choice of views. Rooms with lake views are a little higher priced than those that look toward the mountains, but you’ll consider the extra twenty dollars well worth the cost when you see the sunset.”
“A lake view it is then.”
“Will that be one room or two?”
Dave turned to Kate. She chewed on her lower lip, and he decided he wouldn’t rush her. Not until after supper. He turned back to the clerk, intending to inform her they’d need two rooms, when Kate preempted him.
“One room, please.”
Just in time, Dave choked back his words.
“Yes, ma’am,” the clerk replied, unaware the earth had just rocked under his feet. “Would you prefer smoking or nonsmoking?”
“Nonsmoking.”
“Two queen beds or one king?”
Dave sent a swift, silent prayer to the mountain gods.
They answered his prayer. Or rather, Kate did. With a small, private smile, she said the magic words.
“One king.”
Short moments later, they headed for the elevator. Dave’s blood was already drumming in his veins, but he had Kate wait for him at the elevators while he made a quick detour to the gift shop. He returned with a small paper sack bearing the inn’s distinctive logo. Grinning, he responded to her look of inquiry.
“You said you needed a toothbrush.”
He’d purchased one for himself, too. Along with a box of condoms. With luck, stamina and a little ingenuity, he and Kate would run through the entire dozen before they had to return to the site tomorrow.
Chapter 6
Dave put both his ingenuity and his stamina to the test the moment the door to their minisuite thudded shut. He got a brief glimpse through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the still, silver lake and the neon eagle soaring above the casino. Ignoring both, he tossed the paper sack on a chair and snagged Kate’s wrist.
A single tug spun her around. One step and he had her backed against the wall. Her head came up. Surprise flitted across her face.
“I warned you,” Dave reminded her gruffly. “After our last kiss. No ‘nice’ this time.”
Laughter leaped into her green eyes. “That still stings, does it?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Seems I recall another part of the conversation. Didn’t I say I’d give the signal when I was ready for you to conduct another test?”
“You already gave the signal. Downstairs. When you opted for one king.”
“You’re right. I did. Okay, flyboy, you have my permission to rev up to full throttle.”
He was already there, Kate discovered when she slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders. The hard, roped muscles under her palms thrilled her. The rock-solid wall of his body against hers sent an arrow of pure sensation straight to her belly.
And when his mouth covered hers, Kate knew instantly nice was the last thing she wanted. She craved this heat, needed this hunger. The raw sensuality of her emotions stripped away any need for pretense. Every bit as greedy as Dave, Kate locked her arms around his neck and arched her body into his.
She was lost in his kiss, feeling its punch in every corner of her body, when he dragged his head up. Red singed his cheekbones. His breath came fast and hard. She thought he was going to gentle his touch, slow things down, and had to swallow a groan.
She thought wrong. With a skill that had to have come from plenty of experience, he tugged her knit shirt over her head, popped the snap on her slacks and stripped her down to her bra and panties. To Kate’s intense satisfaction, though, he was the one who groaned.
“Oh, baby.” A callused palm shaped her breast, cradling its weight and fullness. “You couldn’t count the hours I’ve spent imagining this moment.”
She pretended to give the matter serious thought. Not an easy task with his thumb creating a delicious friction as it grazed over her nylon-covered nipple.
“Let’s see. You’ve been on-site all of six days. Spent at least ten hours a day in the simulator, another five to six poring over tech manuals. If we subtract two for eating and six for sleeping, that doesn’t leave much time for— Oh!”
She broke off, gulping, as he bent and replaced his hand with his mouth. His breath came hot and damp through the thin fabric of her bra, his tongue felt raspy on her now-engorged nipple. Her gulp turned to a swift, indrawn hiss when his teeth took over from his tongue.
“That left,” he growled between nibbles, “plenty of time. To imagine this. And this.”
Keeping one arm wrapped tight around her waist, he planed his other hand down the curve of her belly. His palm was hot against her skin, his fingers sure and strong when they cupped her mound. Within moments, Kate was a puddle of want.
She wasn’t the kind to take and not give, though. Somehow, she managed to find the strength to put a few inches between them and drag his shirt free of his jeans.
“My turn, cowboy.”
Dave ducked his head, more than willing to let her take the reins. His entire body ached with wanting her and he wasn’t sure he could stand straight for much longer, but the glide of Kate’s hands and mouth and tongue over his skin was worth the agony.
When she unsnapped his jeans and slid her palm inside, though, he came too damned close to losing it to remain standing. Scooping her into his arms, he headed for the bedroom. The sand-colored walls, prints of Apaches mounted on tough little mustangs, and incredible vista of lake and mountains alive with color imprinted on a small corner of his mind. A very small corner! The rest was filled with Kate. Gorgeous, sensuous, Kissable Kate.
She stretched like a cat on the luxurious down comforter. Her smooth, sexy curves made Dave’s throat go tight. While he peeled off the rest of his clothes, she wiggled out of her bra and panties. Her glance measured his length, smiling at first, then with a greedy hunger that fed Dave’s own. Rock hard and aching, he joined her on the bed and gathered her under him. His knee had wedged between hers before he remembered the damned sack.
“Hell!” He rolled off the bed in one lithe movement. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”
Yeah, right! Kate thought wryly. As if she could! Her heart hammered so hard against her chest she could hardly breathe, and everything from her waist down felt hot and liquid. She had a moment, only a moment, to wonder if she was crazy for tumbling into bed with a man who’d told her straight out he wasn’t interested in any long-term relationships, before Dave was back with a full box of condoms. Kate’s doubts disappeared on a gurgle of laughter.
“You don’t really think we’re going to need all those, do you?”
“A guy can only hope.”
Opening the box, he dumped the contents on the bedside table. She was still chuckling when he rejoined her in bed. She welcomed him into her arms eagerly, hungrily, and into her body with a gasp of sheer delight.
Kate wasn’t prepared for the intensity of the fire he stoked within her. He used his teeth and tongue and hard, driving body with a skill that soon had her writhing. The sensations piled one on top of each other, tight, hot, swirling. They came so fast and hard, Kate groaned out a warning.
“Dave! I can’t…hold on!”
“So don’t.”
He flexed his thighs. His muscles in his back and butt went tight under her frantic fingers. Gasping, Kate tried to contain the wild sensations.
“I don’t…want it to end…yet.”
He lifted his head. His blue eyes held a wicked glint. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s just beginning. I swore I’d pay you back for every jolt and sickening drop you put me through, remember? This is just payback number one.”
He flexed again, the sensations exploded, and Kate lurched almost out of her skin.
After that first frenetic couplin
g and several more not quite as fast but just as furious, they came up for air long enough to order a late dinner from room service.
Dave hit the showers while waiting for the delivery. Kate took her turn next and made good use of the toothbrush he’d purchased for her. Luckily, she had a comb in her purse to drag through her tangled hair. Wrapped in one of the inn’s luxurious terry-cloth robes, she joined Dave at the table beside the tall windows for a feast of crusty bread, crisp salad and mountain trout crusted with piñon nuts. A million stars glittered in the black-velvet sky outside, but Kate’s mind wasn’t on the spectacular nightscape. It was focused completely on the man across the table.
“Tell me more about your family,” she asked him between bites. “Do you have any sisters or brothers besides the one you told me about?”
“Nope. There’s just Ryan and me. Our folks died some years ago. How about you?”
“Both parents and three grandparents alive and well, along with three brothers, one sister.”
“Are they all as good at what they do as you are?”
“Better,” she said with a smile, thinking of all the support and encouragement her large, gregarious family gave each other. “My grandmother breeds and shows champion collies. My sister, Dawn, won a bronze in the Pan-American Games as a marathon runner and now coordinates the Special Olympics for a five-state region. One of my brothers is a fireman, another is on the pro tennis circuit. Josh, the baby of the family, is still in college. On a golf scholarship, I might add. I haven’t beat him since his junior-high days, the stinker.”
“So that’s where you get it.”
“Get what?”
“That mile-wide competitive streak. It’s in your genes.”
“Yes, it is.”
She hesitated, reluctant to admit even now how much her inbred competitive spirit had played in the demise of her marriage.
“I tried to change,” she confessed after a moment. “John—my former husband—interpreted my ambition and desire to excel as some sort of challenge to his masculinity. But the more I tried to hold back and suppress my natural instincts, the more I began to resent him for wanting me to hold back. There were other factors involved, of course.”
Full Throttle & Wrong Bride, Right Groom Page 6