by Becky McGraw
After a few moments of silence, she said, "I miss you too. Thanks for handling things so I could come out here." She laughed a low intimate laugh and then, "Maybe you can come out for the weekend soon."
Luke's fists clenched imagining what the man on the other end of the line was saying to her. They talked a minute or two more about some business deal in Phoenix, then she told the guy she loved him too and hung up the phone. Luke gritted his teeth, and forced his feet to start walking. He bumped into her when she barreled out of the alcove without warning. He grabbed her shoulders to keep her from stumbling.
"Oh, hey." Her hands fluttered and she said unnecessarily, "I was just on the phone."
Luke captured her wide blue eyes with his own and tightened his grip on her shoulders. She shrugged her shoulders trying to break free, but Luke just moved closer and pushed her back into the tiny alcove. He dropped the duffle on the floor and pressed her back against the wall.
Cassie put her hands on his chest and pushed then tried to bring her knee up between his legs, but couldn't manage it. "Luke--let me go," her voice was a breathy whisper between them.
"No, I made that mistake once," he ground out then claimed her mouth with his and poured out all the anger and frustration bottled inside him, as well as a good measure of the lust he'd been smothering down all day.
What started as an angry kiss transitioned into something else when her arms snaked up around his neck and she leaned into him, her hips moving against his. Luke groaned then deepened the kiss, his tongue seeking out hers in the warm cavern of her mouth. All the blood rushed from his head and moved south. He moved his hands down to her butt and squeezed before pulling her closer into him.
Cassie moaned, but it sounded more like a purr around the buzzing in his own ears. She lifted her thigh against the side of his leg and wrapped her calf around him, giving him access to where he wanted to be. He pushed his erection into the V at the top of her thighs and pressed into her, moaning when he felt her heat against him. He kissed her desperately for a moment then jerked his mouth from hers to rain little kisses across her smooth cheek then down her neck, before he stopped and licked a spot right behind her ear that he knew drove her wild.
She whimpered and pressed her breasts to his chest, her hardened nipples scratching against him with every breath she tried to drag into her lungs. He moved his hand up to cup her breast and rubbed his thumb over her nipple then asked, "I bet he doesn't get you this hot, does he?"
Her body went completely still in his arms, she reached down and moved his hand off her breast then squeezed out from between him and the wall. Luke dropped his hands from her body and turned to face her just in time to catch her hand across the side of his face. Luke gritted his teeth against the sting. For a girl, she packed a wallop and it stung like crazy, but he wasn't going to rub it.
"How dare you!" Her fists were clenched at her sides and color rode high on her cheeks. Her blue eyes were fierce and angry.
"How dare I what, cupcake? Turn you on? Or bring it to your attention that your boyfriend must fall short in that department?"
She growled, her body shaking now, practically vibrating, as she pointed toward the door and ground out, "Get out."
He grabbed her hand and inspected it. "Where's that honking ring the bastard gave you?"
Cassie sucked in a breath and glanced at her naked finger, then pulled her hand from his. "In my pocket. I took it off at the barn, before we went out." She shoved her hand into her pocket and searched around for it. Digging in as deep as she could, she felt along the seam at the bottom and didn't find it, so she searched her other pocket.
A horror-stricken look came over her beautiful face and then tears filled her eyes. "Oh, my god..." she gasped and then turned her pockets inside out. "I lost it." He saw her swallow hard and then the tears started falling.
If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was a crying woman. Especially this woman, one he'd never seen cry before, and it made him damned uncomfortable to see it now. With a growl, he pulled her into his arms and held her. "Shh...we'll find it."
Finding that damned ring was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd be happy if she never found it. It was just a constant reminder that another man was going to have what was supposed to be his. But he was going to help her. He didn't like the heartbroken look in her eyes, or the sadness that was evidently in her heart.
Cassie sobbed into his shirt and clutched it with her fists, then hiccupped a couple of breaths, before looking up into his eyes. "I--I--have to find it, Luke."
"I'll help you first thing tomorrow," he told her then kissed her forehead and hugged her again. She sniffled, and he rubbed her back. "Let's go get cleaned up and eat. I'm starving." For more than food, he thought and squeezed her again, before pushing her away and wiping at her tears with his thumb.
***
Three days later, they still hadn't found the ring and Cassie was in desperation mode. They'd searched all over the barn, house and bunkhouse and even out by the tree in the field where she'd been thrown. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Luke, true to his word, had helped her search in earnest, although he didn't look any too happy about it. He had been sullen and withdrawn since he'd kissed her at the house the other night. Grumpy. That was a good word to describe him, but still sexy as hell when he was brooding.
No matter what he was doing, he was sex on a very tall stick, and she couldn't help her body's response to him when he got near her. So she tried to avoid him as much as she could. Thank goodness, he didn't seem intent on pursing her now, or she'd be in real trouble, regardless of what he'd done to her ten years ago. That was old news, but what she was feeling for him was the same, yet so much more intense than back then. He was a man now, filled out and definitely ready for action.
And guilt for noticing that fact was riding her like a swayback mare. James had called yesterday before she'd gotten back to the house, and she hadn't called him back. She couldn't. Between what was stewing with Luke, and the fact she'd lost the very expensive ring he'd given her, she didn't think she could talk to him without breaking down. She'd call him once she found the ring.
Cassie was in the barn this morning tearing up the tack room searching for the ring on her hands and knees. "Any luck?" Luke's deep voice sounded behind her and startled her. She lifted up and bumped her head on a saddle rack.
"Ouch." she said and lifted her hand to her head. "No, I still haven't found it."
"Get Honey saddled," he ordered gruffly.
"Why? I have to keep looking."
"We're going out to look by the tree again. That has to be where you lost it. Either there or by the fence we jumped." He said his brown eyes moving over her face then across her chest and back up.
Her blood heated and she licked her lips. "Okay, I'll be ready in ten minutes."
Luke nodded then turned away from her and walked out the door. She sat there for a moment staring after him, daydreaming about what ifs. Ten years ago, Cassie had thought Luke was the real deal. A good man that cared about her. Before he broke her heart. Before she'd gone running away like a little girl.
If the same thing happened today, she'd handle it a lot differently. She'd confront him, make him face his treachery, demand answers, and then she'd kick him in the balls. Cassie was ten years older now and knew how to face down hard truths and chip them into diamonds. The hard truth she faced right now was that she was not over Luke Matthews.
Was there a hidden diamond there? She hadn't thought so when she came here. But the facets that Luke was showing her now made her wonder. Even though he probably hated her, he stopped to help her fix her truck. She'd tried to push him away, but he stubbornly stayed to help her manage the ranch, because her daddy was down. Although she'd been a hard ass to him, he was tender and loving when she'd gotten thrown out in the field, and now he was helping her find another man's ring, even though she knew he wanted her badly from the way he'd kissed her at the house the
other night. It all didn't add up to the heartless bastard she'd written him off as ten years ago.
Maybe her dad was right and he had changed. Or maybe he hadn't changed at all, and she'd just misjudged him? Cassie blew out a breath and went to stand when a shadow fell over her from the doorway and she looked up to see a stranger standing there with his thumbs dangling through his belt loops.
CHAPTER FIVE
"Well, ain't you a pretty little filly," the greasy-looking man drawled, his eyes moving over her body, before a shifty grin appearing on his cracked lips. He was probably thrity-five or so but looked a lot older. He also looked like he hadn't shaved or bathed in a few days. His worn jeans were stained at the knees and his hands and nails were dirty.
"What can I do for you?" She asked firmly then widened her stance so she could run if she had to.
"Oh, there's a lot you can do for me little lady," he said and stepped inside and moved toward her.
"Who the hell are you?" Cassie took a step back from the unkempt man, but his smell still insulted her nostrils. Horse shit and sweat weren't smells she cherished.
"Name's Randy...and who are you sweet cheeks?"
Cassie bowed up at him and put her hands on her hips. "Well, Randy, I think you need to tell me what the hell you're doing on my ranch before I scream the place down and you have fifteen ranch hands on your ass."
"Ain't nobody here for you to yell for, missy. So we're gonna have us a little fun." He moved closer to her and backed her into the saddle rack. She almost gagged from his stench up close.
Pushing against his round chest, Cassie struggled against his hands which were now on her hips pulling her toward him. She brought up her knee between his legs as hard as she could, but he turned to the side and she caught his thigh. He grunted and then his fingers dug into her shoulders painfully. "Settle down now and I won't hurt you," he growled near her ear.
She sucked in a deep breath then let loose a scream that would have peeled the paint off the walls inside the house, at the same time she boxed his ears with her closed fists. He leaned back at the last minute, so her blow landed on his jaw instead, then he grabbed her shoulders and shook her until her teeth rattled.
Cassie screamed again and jerked hard enough that she got loose, but he pulled her back against him before she could take a step, and put his hand over her mouth then threw her on the ground and fell on top of her.
Breath whooshed out of her when they landed and she was momentarily stunned. His heavy weight made it nearly impossible for her to drag in a breath. Suddenly, his weight left her back and she heard the sound of a fist hitting bone then a grunt, and another crunch.
She gathered her wits and rolled over to see Luke sitting on top of the man with his fist raised about to deliver another smashing blow to the man's already bloody nose.
"You fucking bastard. I'm going to kill you," Luke said in a strangled voice then cocked his elbow even higher, before he swung it downward.
"Luke, no!" she gasped and surged to her feet to catch his arm. His fist glanced off the man's ear instead of landing on his nose. She slid her hands down his forearm to his wrist and looked at his mangled fist, then placed a kiss near his wrist. "Don't honey, he's not worth it."
Luke's chest was heaving and anger poured off him in waves. He swallowed thickly, then looked at her. There was a red haze in his eyes, that was slow to clear. Anger smoldered there and something else. Hatred blacker than any she'd ever seen, especially in this man's eyes. Even when he'd kicked Jimmy Jones' ass when they were teenagers, he hadn't looked like this. Murder had definitely not been out of the question here.
When Luke's breathing calmed down a little he wiped his knuckles on the unconscious man's shirt and shook her hand off his shoulder to stand up, then he stepped over the man. He turned his back to her and leaned down with his hands on his knees. "Get me a rope. I don't have my cuffs with me."
She scurried out through the door and grabbed a rope down from the peg. Going back inside, she handed it to him and watched as he rolled the man over and expertly hog-tied his hands to his feet like a professional roper in a rodeo. She expected to him to stand and throw his hands up for a time when he finished, but he didn't. Instead, he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms hugging her fiercely. "You sure know how to attract trouble don't you, darlin'?"
She sighed deeply then gave him a watery chuckle. "Looks that way, darlin'," she said and snuggled her cheek against the soft cotton t-shirt of his t-shirt. Her arms went around his waist and she hugged him back. "Thanks for the rescue...again," she mumbled against his chest.
"I'll always be here for you, cupcake," he said in a low growl then kissed the top of her head. Then he pushed her away and looked her over carefully. "Did he hurt you?"
"Nah, but I'd have hurt him if I'd have landed that knee to his balls. That's twice now that move has failed me. I need to practice, I'm a little rusty." She lifted an eyebrow then asked with humor in her eyes, "Care to volunteer?" Her eyes followed his hand down when he moved it to cover his crotch and she laughed.
"No way, sugar. I just barely avoided that move the other night."
She glanced over at the unconscious man lying on his side with his hands and feet trussed up behind him. "What're we gonna do with him?"
"We're going up to the house to call Cole, so he can come and haul this piece of trash out of here," he ground out between clenched teeth then leaned over and picked up his hat and dusted it off.
Luke saw interest spark in her blue eyes then she said, "You and Cole still hanging out together?"
"He's my Chief Deputy...and still my best friend. He's covering for me while I'm out here."
"Then I'll have to thank him," she told him with a grin. "Maybe I'll ask him to come by for supper."
"He'd probably appreciate that." Although his friend was loyal to a fault, he didn't really want him around Cassie. Cole had been on the verge of asking her out himself way back when, right before Luke had. Jealousy seemed to be a constant knife twisting in his gut where she was concerned, and Luke couldn't seem to stop it. Even his best friend wasn't immune from him. Luke didn't want any man touching her...except him. And he didn't have the right to do that anymore...not that it was going to stop him.
They walked up to the house side by side and ran into Bud on the way. Luke told him what happened and they found out the man was the newest hand that Bud had hired. They had to almost physically restrain Bud, when he grabbed his rifle from the saddle and was headed out to the barn to take care of the scumbag, as he'd called him. Instead, they managed to wrangle Bud up to the house with them and Luke called Cole.
A little while later, Cole pulled up the long dusty driveway of the ranch in his department-issued SUV and pulled to a stop in front of the house. They all walked outside and met him at the porch steps.
He got out of the truck and walked over to them. "Jesus, Luke you take a vacation, but make sure you keep me busy." He laughed and smiled widely then tipped his hat to Cassie. "Hi, darlin'." She thought she heard a growl come from Luke standing behind her to the left.
She smiled her rodeo queen smile at Cole then rushed down the steps to launch herself into his arms, knocking his hat off in the process. Cole went back on his heels and hugged her to him spinning her in a circle. "Now that's what I'm talking about," he said then set her down and kissed her on the cheek. "How's your daddy, sugar?"
"He's getting along, but being in the bed is making him itchy. I think Imelda might put a pillow over his head and put us all out of his misery."
"That's not something you should be telling a deputy, darlin'." He chuckled and pinched her cheek.
Cassie snorted. "She'd probably tell you herself."
"So, what's going on out here?"
"Damned cowhand almost raped Cassie," Luke barked.
"Is that right, sugar?" Cole grabbed her by the shoulders and looked deeply concerned.