When Jessica leaned close and touched his arm, he nearly jumped at the contact.
“Relax, Dylan,” she said with a laugh. “Marriage isn’t contagious. I just thought you might like to add a toast of your own.”
He didn’t have a clue what to say. He simply shook his head, stunned that she would even think to include him in the festivities. His entire life he’d been on the outside looking in, wondering what a “normal” family was like. At thirty-four, it was still a mystery. A mystery he had no delusions about solving.
* * *
Jessica was grateful when Dylan offered to drive back to Makeshift after the party. With a soft moan, she kicked off her high heels and settled back against the pickup’s passenger seat. The headlights stretched out on the dark road ahead of them, and a cool breeze floated through the cab.
“So tell me the truth.” She tucked her legs beneath her. “What do you think?”
He glanced over at her. “Nice legs.”
She frowned at him and pulled her dress over the limb she’d exposed. “You know what I mean. My family. What do you think of them?”
“Emma’s going to break a few hearts one of these days.”
Jessica smiled. “She is, isn’t she?”
“She looks exactly like you.”
Dylan glanced at her again, and she felt a wave of heat spread through her body. She was glad it was too dark for him to see the blush on her cheeks.
“You mentioned she was your half sister,” Dylan said.
She nodded. “It’s complicated, but after my mother died, my father married Myrna out of loneliness. Shortly afterward, he met another woman, Angela, and truly fell in love. He was going to divorce Myrna, but Angela left one day without a word. J.T., my father, was heartbroken, but it was years before he decided to look for her. He hired a private investigator to find Angela, and it was then that Emma’s birth records were discovered.”
Dylan had one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the open cab window. Jessica watched the wind ruffle his dark hair.
“And Angela?” Dylan slowed the truck and turned onto the dirt road to Makeshift. “Did he find her?”
Jessica shook her head. “Jake continued the search after J.T.'s death and found Emma, but Angela had died in a small plane crash a few months earlier. Emma was living with her aunt in Georgia. And her aunt just happens to be—”
“Savannah,” he finished.
She smiled. “Right. She and Jake have only been married two months.”
That was two months too long in Dylan’s book, but he kept quiet. Besides, he liked the sound of Jessica’s voice when she talked about her family. Sort of soft and dreamy. “And now Jared and Annie.”
Her smile broadened. “That’s even more incredible. Annie was engaged to my brother Jonathan, Jared’s twin. He died four years ago in an oil-rig accident here at Stone Creek. Jared blamed himself and took off for South America. When my father died, Jared came back and reopened the well. Annie showed up as a geologist hired by the company backing Jared.”
“And the rest,” Dylan said, “is history, right?”
“Right.” She grinned at him, then held on as the truck bounced over a bump. “You were in South America, weren’t you?”
“For a while.” Dylan focused on the road. “And then there’s Myrna,” he said.
“Oh, yes.” Jessica sighed. “We certainly can’t forget Myrna, can we?”
Dylan once again glanced at Jessica as she lifted her hair off her neck. The moonlight glowed softly on her creamy skin, and as she raised her arms, her breasts lifted enticingly. He looked quickly away.
“Why does she want your land?” he asked, keeping the conversation on Jessica’s stepmother. That was certain to cool his blood.
“Myrna spent all my father’s money building a huge house—Stone Manor—in the middle of Stone Creek. He left her the house, but no land. She gave up hounding Jake and Jared to sell her their property and started in on me.”
“What’s she want it for?”
“She has this crazy idea she wants to build stables and raise Thoroughbreds. Her father has bought her everything she’s ever wanted in her entire life. This is the first time anyone has said no to the woman. It’s driving her crazy.”
Dylan grinned. “Do I sense a perverse pleasure here?”
Jessica laughed and the sound enchanted Dylan. “Intensely perverse,” she said with a wicked grin.
“And her father,” Dylan asked, “he’s not well, is he?”
Jessica nodded grimly. “Carlton has never talked about it, but everyone can see how ill he’s become in the past few weeks since he’s been staying with her. Everyone except Myrna of course. She’s in complete denial that her father is not the same man he once was.”
Dylan parked the truck in front of the hotel. He came around and opened the door for Jessica. She slid out, heels in her hand, but when one of her stockinged feet landed on a rock, she winced and stumbled. He reached out and put his hands on her waist to steady her.
He stood there, looking down at her, his long fingers still circling her waist. The half-moon was bright enough for Jessica to see Dylan’s eyes narrow and his mouth tighten. She was certain her heart stopped for an instant, then leapt into double time. She became infinitely aware that the thin fabric of her dress was all that separated bare skin from bare skin.
The air seemed to thicken and grow still. Shadows closed in around them, and it almost felt as if Makeshift were holding its breath, waiting. Jessica knew she was.
He released her slowly.
“Dylan,” she said when she managed to find her voice, “I, uh, want to apologize for Jared’s behavior tonight.”
“Jared?”
“He was rude to you. I’m sorry. Both Jake and Jared have been watching over me for so long they just don’t know when to quit.”
“They weren’t the only ones watching you tonight.”
Pulse pounding, she looked up at him. “Oh?”
He shook his head. “Sam couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in. Disappointment cut into her, then amazement. “Sam? Watching me?”
“Like a hawk.”
“You mean you think Sam is interested in me?”
She started to laugh. Dylan watched her, his expression tight.
“Dylan—” she couldn’t stop laughing, even though she realized he was getting angry “—I think I know when a man is attracted to me. There’s nothing between Sam and me.”
“I suppose that kiss he gave you was nothing, also.” Why had he started this conversation? he wondered irritably. And why couldn’t he let it drop?
Her eyes sparkled with tears of laughter. “You are really beginning to sound like my brothers, Dylan.”
He didn’t like being compared to her brothers. “Maybe your brothers aren’t so wrong. Maybe you are naive and you do need protection.”
“Protection? Out here?” She threw her arms out in disbelief and started to laugh again. “You’re crazy. What in the world would I need protection from?”
The laughter was still on her lips as he grabbed her to him and covered her mouth with his. He heard, as well as felt, her sharp intake of air.
She tasted like no other woman. Intoxicating. Exciting. The passion shimmered between them, and he ground his mouth against hers. Her lips parted and he explored the sweetness of her with his tongue. She met him, tentatively at first, then dropped her shoes to the ground, slid her arms around his shoulders and rose on tiptoe.
Intense pleasure, as well as shock, coursed through Jessica. She clung to Dylan, shocked by her brazen response to his kiss. This was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Her bones felt as if they were melting. Her heart raced. An inexplicable tightness knotted and unknotted in her belly. His large hands cupped her bottom and pulled her fully against his arousal. She moaned softly, needing to be closer still.
Suddenly he released her, and she stumbled back against
the cab of the truck. Confused, she stared at him, her breathing heavy and uneven. His face was hard as he stared back; his eyes glinted fiercely.
“That’s what you need protection from,” he said darkly. “Men like me.”
Dylan turned and walked away, knowing that if he looked back there’d be nothing on this earth that could stop him from taking this woman to his bed.
But Jessica wasn’t a one-night woman. She deserved much better than that. She sure deserved better than him.
He kept walking, away from the hotel, away from her, and didn’t stop until he reached the barn at the far edge of town. He drew in a deep breath, letting his blood cool as he raked his hands through his hair. Then he went very still.
Someone was watching him. He knew it. Slowly he turned and stared into the dark shadows in the barn.
One of them moved toward him. Out of the barn and into the moonlight.
It was Jared.
The two men looked at each other for a long moment.
“Well, that was certainly something I never thought I’d see,” Jared said.
Guilt held Dylan speechless as he stared at Jared.
“I mean, who would have ever thought, Dylan Grant, at my engagement party.”
Dylan let out the breath he’d been holding.
A slow grin started on Jared. Dylan grinned back.
“Nice to see you again, buddy,” Jared said.
“Likewise,” Dylan returned.
With a small laugh, they shook hands and slapped their arms around each other.
Four
Jared stepped back, and the moon cast long eerie shadows into the darkness. “Where’s Jessica?” he asked quietly, glancing over Dylan’s shoulder.
Probably extensively cursing the name Dylan Grant. “She went to bed. I just thought I’d check things out around town before I turned in.”
“And that dog of hers?”
“She keeps Hannibal inside with her at night.”
Jared looked around cautiously, making sure they were alone, then faced Dylan again. “Thanks for coming.”
Both men knew that thanks weren’t necessary. They’d been through too much together. “I’d seen enough Venezuelan jungles to last me awhile, anyway. It was time to come back to the States.”
Not home, Dylan thought. He’d never had a place he’d ever thought of as home. “Besides—” he grinned “—I had to meet the woman that tamed the infamous Jared Stone. Now that I have, I can’t figure out what an incredible lady like Annie is doing with the likes of you.”
“I haven’t figured it out myself, pal.” Jared’s face softened as he looked at Dylan. “We’re having a baby next June.”
An old hurt threatened to surface, but Dylan forced it down. He wouldn’t let his past take away from the pleasure of his friend’s happiness. “The first of many, I hope,” Dylan said, and shook Jared’s hand again.
Both Dylan and Jared tensed at the hoot of a barn owl, then laughed softly and moved around the corner of the barn into the shadows. Jared’s truck was parked a few feet away, out of sight of the hotel.
Propping one boot against an old wooden water trough, Jared folded his arms and leaned back against the weathered barn. “So what do you think of Jess?”
Dylan thought it best not to go with the first answer that came to mind. He wanted to wear his teeth, not carry them. “I think she’s going to be mighty ticked off if she finds out you and Jake asked me to come here and take this job so I could keep an eye on her.”
“So she doesn’t suspect anything?”
Dylan shook his head. “You almost had me convinced you didn’t know me when she introduced us yesterday. She thinks Jake invited me tonight so the two of you could interrogate me further.”
“I laid it on a little thick,” Jared admitted. “But if I hadn’t, Jess would’ve wondered.”
“She asked me about South America tonight,” Dylan said. “There was a spark of connection in her eyes.”
Jared frowned. “We’ll just have to be careful. Even Annie’s been watching me as if she thinks something’s up.”
“She doesn’t know about any of this?”
Jared gave a snort of laughter. “I couldn’t tell Annie any more than Jake could tell Savannah. These women hang together. They might think it was deceitful.”
Dylan couldn’t help but grin. “It is deceitful.”
Jared shrugged. “But necessary. Jessica’s too damn trusting. She wouldn’t know a bad guy if he stuck a sign on his forehead and introduced himself.”
Like me, Dylan thought. He’d given her a good example of a bad guy himself tonight, and the thought left him with a sour taste. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what’s going on here?”
Jared hunkered down and picked up a small piece of splintered wood, then drew a rectangle in the dirt. “Stone Creek is about one hundred thousand acres. This is Jessica’s land, mine is east of here—” he divided the rectangle into smaller boxes “—Jake’s is north, and Emma’s is east of Jake’s. Myrna’s house sits smack-dab in the middle.”
“Jessica told me your father left Myrna no land.”
Jared nodded. “She’s been trying to buy our land since the will was read. First Jake’s, then mine. We both had strange accidents, potentially tragic. We caught the guy responsible for Jake’s problems. He’s in jail, but refuses to implicate anyone else. We suspect he’s been paid well enough by someone else to do the time. The man who tried to sabotage my rig got away before we could question him.”
“You think he’ll be back?”
“No. But I think whoever hired these guys will try something with Jessica. She’s an easy target out here by herself.”
“Do you think Myrna’s involved?”
Jared sighed. “I don’t know. My stepmother has done a lot of selfish things, but it’s hard to believe she’d go this far or actually hurt anyone.”
“So who, other than Myrna, would gain from this land?”
“It’s good ranch land. I struck oil a few weeks ago. Jessica’s parcel is closest to the highway, and there’s been some talk of an airport being built west of here somewhere.”
“So just about everyone,” Dylan said, shaking his head. “And Sam? Stone Creek land would be valuable to a neighboring ranch.”
“Sam would never hurt Jessica,” Jared said. “He’s crazy about her.”
A knot of irritation tightened in Dylan’s stomach. He refused to allow himself to think about the rancher and Jessica. He’d gotten in enough trouble with that already tonight. “Myrna mentioned there were some people in Cactus Flat opposed to Jessica’s youth center. Are you expecting trouble there?”
“I don’t know.” Jared tossed down the stick and stood. “Just keep your eyes open, pal. It could be anybody.”
Dylan nodded grimly and straightened.
“We’re also going to have to be careful that Jessica doesn’t find out about our arrangement,” Jared added. “Annie and Savannah will be widows, and Lord only knows what she’ll do to you.”
Considering Jessica’s imagination, her retribution was a scary thought, Dylan decided. “We’ll just have to make sure she doesn’t find out, then, won’t we?”
Jared nodded. “Thanks again for coming, Dylan. There’s no one I trust more than you to take care of my little sister.”
“I think I can survive a few weeks in a ghost town,” Dylan said. “I’d be rotting in a South American prison if it wasn’t for you.”
Grim-faced, Jared shook his head. “That was a raw deal you got. Everyone on that rig knew it was the operations manager who killed that girl in the hit-and-run.”
“But you were the only one who did anything about it.” Dylan looked at Jared. “You could have lost your job, too, or even ended up in the cell next to mine.”
“I didn’t give a damn about the job, and there was no jail worse than the one I put myself in after my brother died and I’d convinced myself I could never be with Annie,” Jared said quietly. “But now that we�
�re together and the baby is coming, I sure am glad that you and I both got out of there.”
They were quiet for a moment, remembering. It was a past neither man wanted to dwell on.
“Speaking of getting out—” Jared looked around “—I’d better go. If Jessie sees us, that jail cell might not look so bad, after all.”
They said good-night, then Jared got into his truck and drove away. Dylan watched the taillights until they disappeared into the night, then turned and started back to the hotel. He thought of Jessica there, lying in bed, her long slender body stretched across the sheets. His hands and throat tightened at the image.
Jared’s words echoed in Dylan’s mind. There’s no one I trust more than you to take care of my little sister.
Didn’t Jared realize that his “little sister” was a full-grown woman? A damn sexy one. He had to know that any man would want to take Jessica to bed.
Of course he knew, Dylan thought with a heavy sigh. That was why Jared had called him. Because he trusted him, not only to keep Jessica safe, but to keep his distance. And Dylan knew he’d already betrayed that trust.
He stared up at the brilliant half-moon overhead. He heard the lonely howl of a coyote, and the scent of mesquite filled the cool night air.
And suddenly the stifling humidity and primitive conditions of the mosquito-infested jungles of South America were damn appealing.
* * *
Jessica was checking on a tray of biscuits in the oven of the hotel’s antique cast-iron wood-burning stove when Dylan finally made his appearance the next morning. Hannibal jumped up from the corner he’d settled into and padded over to greet him.
Traitor, she thought, watching as Hannibal wagged his tail. She glanced casually at Dylan, noting that his dark hair was slicked back, still damp from the shower, his clean denim shirt rolled to the elbows. He hadn’t shaved, and the rugged look, combined with his jeans and work boots, was pure male.
Her heart skipped and she swore silently. She was tired and stressed and cranky as hell, but she was also determined not to let the man know he had even the slightest effect on her.
Texas Pride Page 5