Heart of Steele

by Randi Alexander

  He shook his head. “We’ll see.” His jaw tightened.

  They would see. Years of therapy surrounding her frightening childhood convinced her to keep trying. Find a way to get him to open up.

  The car topped a rise in the road and all her thoughts of psychology fled. A gorgeous valley, green and lush, spread out before them. “It’s beautiful.” A long, tan, winding building, maybe ten stories high, sat next to a small lake. Tennis courts and pools surrounded it, and she spotted signs bearing the names of three golf courses.

  “This is all private?”

  “Yep. Members only.” He downshifted as they drove down into the valley.

  A sign to her right announced the stables.

  “I can see why you’re a member.”

  “Relaxes me to ride.”

  “How often do you come here?” If she could afford membership, she’d be here every night after filming ended.

  “Not often anymore.” He shifted, and his big biceps popped.

  “Any more?”

  “When I first moved to LA, I was culture shocked to the point where I’d drive out of the city and just walk around areas like this.” He looked at her for a moment, a wrinkle between his eyes. “I miss the ranch.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “I know what you mean. I miss Montana.”

  They pulled up to the front of the tan stone resort and valets jogged out and opened their car doors. “Mr. McLairn. Welcome back.”

  “Marcus, how’s it going?”

  As she slid out of the car, Steele stepped out and grabbed her bag, walked to the trunk and opened it with a key, then took out a black duffle. “I got the bags.” He handed the key to the older man, along with a folded bill.

  “Thank you, sir.” Marcus tucked the bill in his pocket. “I’ll drive her like a grandma on her way to church.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  The second valet ran ahead and opened the glass door for them.

  “Oh, so Marcus can drive the ‘Cuda, but I can’t?” She smiled as she walked with Steele to the door.

  Steele slipped the other valet a bill too, and guided Tracy inside. “I trust him. You...” He winked. “Gotta earn it first.”

  Seemed to her they both had some difficulty knowing whom to trust.

  The lobby stole Tracy’s breath. High, vaulted ceilings were lit by spotlights, glowing golden between thick wooden beams spaced along the length. Pillars of tan stone, the same as the exterior of the building, held the beams in place.

  Glass let in sunlight, and a mammoth fireplace sat smack in the middle, open on four sides and surrounded by club chairs.

  “Wow. This is unbelievable.”

  “It is nice, isn’t it?” He walked past the fireplace and to the right of a big desk at the far wall.

  “Mr. McLairn.” A woman in a tan business suit with her dark hair pulled into a French twist hurried from a room behind the desk. “Welcome. Your suite has been prepared, as directed.”

  She smiled at Tracy, her gaze staying locked on her face, and not taking in her far-too-casual clothes. “Welcome, ma’am. Is this your first time here?”

  “Yes, it is. It’s beautiful.”

  From out of nowhere, the woman produced a sleek brochure. “Our spa is full-service, and available twenty-four hours a day.”

  “Spa?” Now her heart was really pumping. They’d be here four days. How much could she spend on pampering without going completely bankrupt?

  Steele cleared his throat, gave Tracy a stare, and took a step toward his destination.

  She ignored him and opened the brochure. The list included a few lovely treatments she’d die to have. “There are no prices.” After she’d said it, she wished she could slink away. Of course there were no dollar amounts listed. This place was for the rich and famously rich. They didn’t have to worry about trivial things like their credit card limit.

  The woman leaned closer. “All services are complimentary.” She tapped the front of the brochure. “Just call when you reach your suite and we’ll get you scheduled right away.”

  “Thank you, Grace.” Steele nudged Tracy. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” She winked at Grace. “Thank you so much.” Tracy shivered with anticipation as she walked beside Steele along a side wing of the resort. The brick and wood theme carried through, and intimate seating areas appeared at intervals along the way, each near a large window facing the lake. She was going to have so much fun here.

  He stopped at a wide wooden door, punched in numbers on the keypad, and opened it as it unlocked. It was an elevator.

  “You have your own suite?”

  “Uh huh.” He followed her into the large room.

  “Of course you do. What rich bad boy wouldn’t?” She noticed only three buttons. “And I bet this is a private elevator.”

  He pulled the door shut behind them. “Yeah, but we’re not staying here.” He pressed the down button and the elevator started to drop.

  “What?” Her heart dropped, too.

  “Sorry.” He let out a breath. “This was just a diversion, in case we were followed.”

  “But...” She showed him the brochure. “It’s complimentary.” It was like handing a child the perfect gift, then taking it away. She had to swallow down the urge to pout like a three-year-old.

  “I’m sorry. When all this is over, you can come here and stay in my suite for a month.”

  She stuffed the brochure in her purse. “Can I get that in writing?”

  He leaned back against the elevator wall, grinning. “Sure. When we get to Big Bear, I’ll make it legal.”

  “Big Bear?” She’d never been up in the mountains. Especially in late fall. “I’m definitely going to need to pick up some warmer clothes.”

  “My assistant called and arranged for the caretakers to buy some basics for you while they were picking up groceries for us. My sister’s snowsuit and boots should fit if we go sledding.”

  “Sledding?” How had she gone from a deep tissue massage to racing down an icy slope on a toboggan?

  “Skiing?” A bell rang and the elevator stopped. He opened the door and held it for her to go ahead of him. “I haven’t skied in a couple years.”

  “Isn’t it too early for snow?” She stepped past him into a big, bright room.

  “Not in the mountains.”

  Under her feet, a speckled blue floor ran wall-to-wall, spotless. A rack on one wall held three adult bicycles, a child carrier for behind the bikes, and the cutest little red and black bike with training wheels. She could just imagine Steele helping his brother-in-law teach little Gage to peddle.

  She walked to a wooden form holding a western saddle. “You’ll ride anything, huh?”

  He stepped around her to his big, black four-door pickup truck, and set their bags in the back seat. “Just about.” He pointed to the corner where a red motorcycle, a blue dirt bike, and a golf cart sat lined up and shining under the bright lights.

  “You’ve got all the toys.” Tracy looked around. “Where’s your boat?”

  He shook his head and opened the passenger door for her. “The reservoir’s not big enough for a speed boat, but there’s a pontoon and some fishing boats at the marina that members can use.”

  Stepping way up into the truck, she nestled into the gray leather seat and set her purse on the floor. “I will. I’m going to do everything when I come back here.”

  He chuckled as he closed her door and walked around the front of the truck. Pressing a button, he stood watching the garage door roll up, then stepped outside, looking around. He strolled back and jumped into the truck, started it, and drove out of the building.

  She could almost feel the tension in him. As if he expected to be ambushed at any time. “Are all the suites private like that?”

  He turned the truck the opposite way from where they’d come into the valley. “Just the owners’ suites.”

  “You own the place?” She couldn’t even pretend to imagine what it must be like being that we
althy.

  “Part owner. The original five were having financial difficulties, and asked me and four other... economically secure members to jump in.”

  “Economically secure. I like that.” She’d also like to be that someday. “So, when you have this exclusive resort to come to, why do you have a place in Big Bear, too?”

  “Sometimes I need to be completely alone. Like when I’m writing songs.” He drove up to another big gate, punched in a code, and waited for it to open just wide enough before he drove through.

  “And evidently your sister and her family go there, too?” She pressed buttons to adjust the temperature on her side of the truck. She’d never seen anything quite that complicated.

  “They come as often as they can, and bring Dad sometimes. I just send the jet for them, so it’s an easy trip.”

  The jet. Would she ever reach that level of stardom? Time was running short for her. At 27, she’d hoped to be further along in her career by now.

  “The cabin is registered in her name. Well, in the name of a company her husband created so the media can’t trace it to me.”

  “Lots of security and privacy issues.” What would it be like to live that way?

  “Get used to it.” He eased his seat back and rested his right forearm on the middle console.

  “What do you mean?” He wasn’t thinking they’d be dating, was he? That she’d be attending functions with him, traveling with him, living with...

  He laughed as he watched her. “You’re lookin’ like a frightened rabbit over there. What part of the lifestyle of a celebrity actress are you freaking out about?”

  She blinked to clear the scared look from her face. “You mean, you actually think I have a chance of becoming a celebrity after what I just did to you today?”

  “Hell, yes.” He touched his lip. The swelling had gone down a bit, and the side of his face hadn’t bruised much at all, though it was still red. “That’s the stuff that makes a career.”

  “Makes a career? Like the celebrities gone bad videos?” She dropped her head back onto the headrest. “This is not the way I wanted to jump-start my career.”

  “Why not?” He reached in the back seat and grabbed two bottles of water from a pack and set them in the drink holders. “What does it matter how your career takes off?” He glanced sideways at her.

  Was he testing her? Or was he just that jaded? “It matters a hell of a lot, Steele.” She rolled her head to look out the window at the changing variety of trees. They were taking a back road, the elevation increasing and decreasing noticeably as they wound through the mountains. “I want to be known for my ability to emote and project a character’s life in an unforgettable portrayal.”

  “That’s pretty deep.”

  She laughed and turned her head to look at him. “When I first started acting classes, we had to write our style theme and our goals.” She hadn’t written any goal about having to change vehicles at a pricey resort just to get away from the media for a few days. “How do you stand it?”

  He took a breath and let it out slowly. “Sometimes...” He drove, tapping his left boot on the driver’s door. “I don’t know.” He reached to the middle of the dashboard and pressed a dozen buttons until country music poured from the speakers. “You like country?”

  “It’s okay.” She caught the stink-eye he gave her. “I love country.” She smiled and he turned his gaze back to the narrow road. Did he still like country? Was he getting fed up with the lifestyle?

  The music and the rocking of the truck slowed her mind, and she closed her eyes. Just for a minute...

  ****

  Out of the corner of his eye, Steele saw Tracy’s head loll to the side. She’d had a rough day. So had he. This unplanned trip took him from things he should be doing in LA. People he needed to meet with, and projects he had to check on.

  “Aw, hell.” He said it quietly and turned down the volume on the radio. He hated feeling leashed to the city. He hadn’t been back to the ranch in a few months, and things there needed his attention.

  Her question, how did he stand it? He just did. At first, he’d wanted to make enough money to update the ranch, make it more profitable, easier for his dad to run. He hadn’t counted on hitting star status.

  Now, he had musicians, technicians, roadies, a production company, and assistants depending on him for their living. How could he just stop? And what would he do with himself? When he’d hit it big, he’d envisioned retiring at thirty to start a family. That hadn’t worked for shit, and he was getting close to turning thirty-two with no prospects.

  He glanced at Tracy. Sex was going to be rowdy when it finally happened, but was there more? He didn’t get a real sense of interest from her. Sexually, yes. More so before she’d slugged him and he’d hauled her off to his mountain lair. But it was there, hot and thick between them. The looks they shared, the way her eyes darkened and her nipples puckered when they talked. The way her breath came faster but her words slower, as if lust had muddled her brain. Could he coax her to share her secrets with him?

  Shit, that’d mean he’d have to share his with her. And that didn’t sound like fun.

  His phone buzzed. A text from his assistant. Cabin is ready. Cleaned and stocked. Anything else?

  That man was incredible. How he’d done all that in such a short time nearly gave Steele a headache. He replied, No, thanks, take the rest of the week off. He didn’t do that for his people often enough.

  The reply came. Thanks!!!! Will be just a text away if you need me.

  Good, loyal employees were hard to come by. When he did retire, when he stepped away from the stress and artificiality of stardom, he’d have to think about severance, bonuses, and letters of reference for his people.

  He enjoyed the work, but his heart was always at the ranch. That was home to him, and he wanted someone to share it with. He turned to look at the sleeping sweetheart next to him. Was she the one? He’d scare the hell out of Tracy if he shared that little thought bomb with her. It fucking scared the shit out of him that he’d even thought it.

  He didn’t want to rush it and scare her away. It’d be worse, though, if he screwed it up like Chase had done and pushed Reno out of his life after they’d made commitments to each other. The damn fool was lucky Reno took him back and had blessed him with a child.

  His niece and nephew were as important to Steele as any child of his own would be, but the idea of having kids had never been so strong in his mind as it had the last few days working with Tracy.

  The next two hours, he drove through the mountains, avoiding towns, and switched to all wheel drive when he hit icy and snow-packed roads. His thoughts never strayed far from Tracy. One of the projects she was involved with was a resort in Montana that dedicated a portion of its cabins to families who were overcoming domestic abuse.

  His buddy Chase had talked about it, how impressed he was with Tracy’s commitment to the cause, and how she’d shared information about the camp when she and Chase had acted in Reno’s movie together.

  He glanced at her. Was there something in her childhood that attracted her to the resort’s mission? Or was it just that it was in her home state? After all, she’d hauled off and clocked him one. Chances were good that there was backstory there, and he’d be ready to hear it any time she was ready.

  He entered the Big Bear Lake area from the north. When he stopped at his cabin’s security gates and pressed the remote to open them, Tracy woke.

  “Oh, gosh, I think I fell asleep.” She stretched her arms over her head and yawned, pressing her lush breasts and hard nipples against her T-shirt.

  Retirement plans could wait. The sex plans? They could not. He drove through the gates, checking to be sure they closed behind him as he planned the perfect seduction. His quiet piece of God’s country was going to be their own private heaven.

  Chapter Four

  “Snow?” Tracy hadn’t seen the white stuff in years, since three Christmases ago in Montana. “You weren’t
kidding.”

  “Nope. They’ve had a cold snap, and a foot and a half in the last couple days.” He switched a dial on the dashboard and the truck seemed to handle the slick driveway better.

  The pines were thick, and around each curve, she expected to see the cabin. “How big is this place?”

  “Just eleven acres.” He slowed to let a rabbit dash out of the driveway.

  “Just?” Her uncle’s chicken farm was only ten.

  He raised a brow. “Compared to Texas.”

  “Oh, right. You probably have thousands of acres.”

  His other brow went up.

  “Ten thousand?”

  He wagged his brows at her.

  “Hundreds of thousands?” That seemed overwhelming.

  “Yep. It’s a big producer. Employs nearly seventy people.”

  “How does your dad do it all?”

  Steele’s lips tightened. “He likes running it. He’s got a good foreman. I get there as much as I can to help.” His voice had an edge to it.

  There was something more behind that, but she’d put that on the list of things she wanted to talk to him about.

  The cabin came into view. As they rounded the curve, more of it appeared, then more of it. “Holy heavens, that’s not a cabin. That’s a whole resort.”

  He laughed. “I like a lot of space.”

  “I guess.” The setting sun reflected off two all-window A-frames that had to be three stories high. Connecting them, a curved building, two stories high, boasted pine logs and endless windows. “Do I get my own wing?” Past the second A-frame, a low room jutted out. She couldn’t wait to see the whole thing.

  He pulled around back to an attached three-car garage where one of the garage doors was going up. He parked inside next to a small, red, foreign convertible. This guy had every toy they made.

  After shutting off the engine, he turned to her. “Just to be safe, if you hear a helicopter or airplane flying over, get inside or under a tree.” He opened his door. “It’s never happened up here, but there’s always a first time.” He jumped out of the truck.