“The photographer comes to our selected location,” Georgia continued. “He said we can wear as much or as little as we want, and afterward we each have a collection of intimate pictures to share with whomever we want.”
“I think your fiancé might have some objections,” Katie said. “Starting with the fact the person taking the pictures is a he.”
“Eric might love the final product.” Georgia studied her toes. “We could do the girls’ getaway at the cabin without the photographer, I guess. But this sounded fun and different. A twist to the traditional hiking and camping routine.”
“I’ll look into it.” But talking about cabins—and thinking of Liam—she knew she had to tell Georgia about last night.
“I had dinner with your brother.”
Georgia’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Just dinner, or did you stay for a sleepover?”
“It was a business dinner. Sort of. I went home.” After that kiss on his bike . . .
“I love my brother,” Georgia said. “But he’s not exactly boyfriend material. You know that, right? I can’t recall his last serious relationship.”
“I’m not looking for long-term. Not here in Independence Falls.”
“You’re taking the job?”
“I haven’t received an offer yet,” Katie said. “My interview is set for Thursday.”
“They’ll make an offer. And you should take it.”
“My brothers said the same thing. And I want to say yes, but it’s complicated. Now doesn’t feel like the right time to leave.”
Georgia raised an eyebrow. “Because of my brother?”
“No.” Katie shook her head. “No. I’m not interested in a relationship with Liam.”
“Does that have anything to do with the fact that your brothers don’t like him very much?”
“Maybe a little.”
Georgia nodded. “Now that he is negotiating the deal for your company, things could get complicated.”
“They already are.” She wasn’t about to tell Georgia her plan to seduce Liam and send the small-town rumor mill into a frenzy that would inevitably make its way back to her brothers. But the history? She had a feeling that would rise to the surface soon. “We had a fling. Liam and I.”
Georgia shifted on the bench, turning to face her. “When? While I was deployed?”
“Before that. The summer before I went to college. You’d already left for school.”
“Let me guess, it ended when your brothers found out and started throwing punches.”
“That was part of it.” Betrayal, coupled with the way he’d taken her love and handed it back to her, ended things.
“Are you going to see him again?” Georgia asked.
“Yes. But whatever happens, however it ends—” Given her plan, she knew it wouldn’t end well. “I hope it doesn’t change our friendship.”
“As long as you two are still speaking when it comes time to stand up at our wedding, we’ll be fine.”
Katie nodded. But she had a feeling that in a few days, Liam Trulane would have every reason to never say another word to her.
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
Liam stared at the paper the receptionist had handed him. Brody Summers had dropped off their counteroffer while Liam had been out on a job site. But Liam didn’t have the first clue what to make of that number. He’d known their initial bid was low, but to counter with freaking four million dollars?
He walked past the closed door to his own bare office and stood at Eric’s door. Knocking once, he waited for Eric to call him in—just in case Georgia had stopped by.
“Just the man I wanted to see.” Eric stood and went to the mini-fridge in the corner of his office. “Georgia pushed up the date of the wedding. She’s thinking Valentine’s Day. Claims she doesn’t want to wait until spring.”
“A holiday wedding, huh?”
“I’d marry her tomorrow, but she wants to do this right. I spent my morning looking at wedding venue sites online and setting up appointments to see them.” Eric tossed him a water bottle. “So if you’ve got a crisis, you’re going to have to handle it.”
“Not a crisis.” Not yet. But shit, if the Summers brothers knew where their sister wanted to take their dinner last night—one wild night of no-holds-barred sex—Liam had a feeling this deal would blow up in his face. Or maybe they’d caught wind and the counteroffer was a form of payback? No, they’d come looking for him with their fists if they found out that Liam was trying to start something with their sister, not send a piece of paper.
“I have the counter from Brody,” Liam said. “They’re asking for a helluva lot more.”
Eric sat at the edge of the desk. “What are the trucks worth?”
“About two hundred thousand apiece. They own ten in good working order. And their crew is top-notch. They also have agreements with some of our competitors to haul their timber. Smaller operations than yours, no major competitors on the list.”
“Ours,” Eric said.
Liam nodded. That word still felt tenuous, as if his claim to Moore Timber would dissolve if he didn’t close this deal.
“They’re worth something,” Liam said, handing Eric the offer. “We’ll need more information to find out how much. But I know it doesn’t add up to this.”
Eric frowned. “Brody gave every indication that they were facing hard times. But this number says otherwise.”
Liam ground his teeth together, glancing around at the office walls. A few weeks ago, he’d sat here and agreed to take an equity stake in Moore Timber in exchange for helping out on the business side of things. But now he couldn’t escape the feeling that failure was nipping at his heels. Give him a chainsaw and a tract of land that needed to be harvested and he’d tackle it in a heartbeat. Out in the forest, he knew which trees to cut when, how long they needed to be when they hit the landing, and how to manage his crew. Buying companies, reviewing financials—this was a different world.
But he hated the idea of walking away. His father had spent his entire life working in the forest. And in the end, he’d had nothing to show for it but a pile of medical bills from a swift-moving cancer. Liam wanted to prove he was worth more, that he deserved his empty office down the hall. He had to find a way to close this deal.
“We need to talk to the Summers brothers,” Liam said.
“You’re right.” Eric handed him back the piece of paper. “Have Leah set something up for Monday. We have to finish the thinning over on that piece of BLM land this week and complete the clear-cut for Wilson’s widow. I need you on those jobs while I find a place to marry your sister.”
Liam nodded; the image of Brody, Chad, and Josh sitting around the conference table, staring him down, formed in his mind. And the night before, Liam had his hands all over their little sister. Again. If Liam had his way he would take it further.
But he had to close this deal first. He couldn’t blow this chance to cement his future.
He couldn’t allow his friendship with his business partner to disintegrate either. And it might, if Liam didn’t come clean. Reaching for the door, he turned to Eric. “I took Katie out last night. We planned to talk about the deal. She was feeling left out of the conversation. But it turned into more.”
His best friend frowned. “Do her brothers know?”
“No. And I don’t plan to tell them. I’ll leave that up to Katie.” He didn’t have to tell his friend why. Eric knew how things ended last time.
“Brody, Chad, and Josh might find out anyway. You may want to hold off on seeing her again until after we close this deal.”
Liam shook his head. “I can’t. Not if she plans to take that job in Montana.”
“You’re trying to give her a reason to stay?”
“I can’t let her go again. The timing stinks. I know that, trust me. But I can’t stay away any l
onger. Katie, she is . . .” Liam ran his hand through his hair. There was only one word running through his mind. Mine.
Eric crossed over, slapping him on the shoulder. “I get it, man. Believe me, I do. But do us both a favor and find a way to tell Katie before we sit down with her brothers.”
Chapter 7
“FEEL LIKE SADDLING your horses?”
Katie turned away from the mare she had cross-tied in the barn’s center aisle, and found Liam leaning against the open door. He’d traded his work clothes for clean jeans, cowboy boots, and a button-down flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal his powerful forearms. “Shouldn’t you be playing in the forest?”
“I started early. Spent the morning playing and the past few hours at my desk.”
“Brody dropped off our response to your bid today.” Katie turned back to the horse, running the brush down her neck. “I figured that would keep you tied up for a while.”
“Eric and I plan to sit down with your brothers, and you if you’re interested, on Monday morning. But I’m not here to talk about your family business.” Liam stepped inside, moving slowly, and offered his hand to the skittish horse. “I have carrots in my pocket. Can I give him one?”
“Her. The mare’s name is Princess.” She gave the horse, a rescue that had abuse in her recent past, a reassuring pat. “And yes. She’d like a carrot.”
Liam reached behind him and withdrew the treat from his back pocket. Breaking it in half, he offered the first piece to Princess.
“Do you always carry horse treats?”
His gaze locked on hers as the mare ate the second piece. “Only when I’m coming to visit you. So how about a ride?”
She shook her head. “I can’t. I have plans tonight.”
“Hot date?”
She heard the edge in his voice. It left her wondering what would happen if she said yes. Would he demand that she cancel? All because of one kiss on his bike? That long-held anger rose to the surface. Liam didn’t have the right to make choices for her. He never had.
She drew her shoulders back, reaffirming her desire to seduce the man gently feeding her mare carrots. But with the meeting scheduled for Monday, and Liam’s determination to take things slow, she didn’t have much time.
“More like a research project.” She hooked a lead line to Princess’s halter and released the crossties. “I hadn’t planned on taking a date with me. But you’re welcome to ride along.”
Liam trailed behind her as she led the horse into her stall and closed the door. “I’m game. What are we researching?”
“Surprise. I’ll pick you up at eight. This time, I’m driving.” She turned, leaning back against the stall door. “Plan on a late night.”
He took a step back. “Katie—”
“And wear your dancing shoes.”
WITH THE FULL moon rising in the Oregon night sky, Liam climbed into the passenger side of Katie’s station wagon and reached for his seat belt.
“Want me to drive?” He’d never liked riding shotgun.
“You don’t know where we’re going.”
“You could navigate.” Seat belt secure, he looked over at her. She’d changed out of her usual jeans and T-shirt into a short, pale pink dress that did amazing things for her long legs. Hell, maybe she should drive. He’d rather watch her skirt inch higher on her legs.
She put the car in reverse and backed out of his driveway. “I can do both. Settle in. Relax. We’re going to be here for a while.”
“I like how you dress for research, but I’m wondering if my jeans and boots will make the cut.” He glanced up at her profile. She’d blown out her hair again and put on makeup. A light coat of shiny gloss on her lips, which left her looking like she wanted to be kissed, and a dusting of something that highlighted her green eyes. “Mind telling me where we’re headed?”
“Surprise. But I think you’ll fit in just fine.”
He shook his head. “You have an independent streak a mile wide, don’t you?”
“I couldn’t stay eighteen forever.”
“Honey, you knew your own mind back then. Your headstrong spirit is part of the reason I never realized how innocent you were. I never imagined it was your first time.”
She stole a quick glance at him before returning her attention to the road. Putting on her blinker, she steered the wagon onto the highway. “We don’t need to talk about this.”
“I think we do.”
He hadn’t been looking forward to this conversation, but he knew it needed to happen. She’d told him the other night that she didn’t hold a grudge, but he suspected that was a lie. Maybe she hadn’t admitted it to herself. Either way, if he wanted to move forward with Katie, they needed to revisit the past. Here, in her moving car, where he couldn’t invite her to sit on his lap, was probably the best place.
And there was one question he’d been dying to ask for seven long years. One he should have addressed to her that night instead of shutting her out. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your first time?”
“I was afraid you’d stop. I didn’t want you to walk away.”
“I would have,” he cut in.
“I know. And I told myself that it didn’t matter. I thought you—” She bit her lower lip as if trying to stop herself from letting another word escape.
“That I’d fallen in love with you?” He kept his voice soft and gentle as if speaking to one of her skittish horses. “Katie, I never meant to hurt you. Never. But I was young too. And pretty damn stupid. I wasn’t looking for love back then.”
“And now?” she demanded. “What are you looking for now?”
Liam hesitated, staring out the window. It was too soon to tell her that he wanted a second chance at that moment when she’d offered him her heart, her future, her everything. He needed more time to prove that he deserved her, show her that he’d cherish her. This time it would be about what she wanted and needed from him.
“I’m not as stupid as I was back then. I like to think I’ve learned from my mistakes.”
“And yet here you are. Taking me out for a second time this week,” she said, not bothering to mask her sarcasm. “What would my brothers think?”
“I’m planning to leave them out of it this time.” At least until he’d won her, which sure as hell better happen by Monday.
“And if that’s not possible?” she challenged.
“Like you said, you’re not eighteen anymore. I would expect them to respect your decisions.”
She let out a mirthless laugh and headed for the exit ramp. The sign overheard indicated they were approaching one of the nearby college towns.
“Am I allowed to know where we’re going yet?” he asked.
“Big Buck’s Country Bar. According to the reviews I read online, they have a mechanical bull.”
His gaze fixed on the bare skin of her thighs. “And you’re planning to ride it wearing that?”
“No.”
Thank God. He’d have ended up in a bar fight if she’d mounted the machine in that dress.
“We’re just checking the place out. I want to find out if they have dancing. See if it gets too crowded. And if I can, talk to a manager, ask if they allow dogs.”
Dancing and dogs? Liam furrowed his brow, unable to piece this puzzle together. “You lost me.”
“It’s for Georgia. The guest list for her party includes a friend with a service dog. I get the sense he’s not a purse dog we could keep hidden. And Georgia wants to go dancing.”
Katie turned into a parking lot lined with cars and a few motorcycles. The neon sign in the corner read: “Big Buck’s, Live Music Tonight!” She pulled into a vacant space. “This doesn’t look promising. I don’t want your sister to run away and hide at her own party, not when we’re supposed to be celebrating her last hurrah as a single woman.”
Liam
reached for her arm, stopping her from exiting the wagon. “Hold up a minute. We’re here ‘researching’ my little sister’s bachelorette party?”
She nodded. The smile on her face—it was almost devilish.
“Not a chance, Katie.”
Her eyes sparkled with a naughty glint. “I can go in by myself.”
His mind filled with the image of Katie’s long legs wrapped around a mechanical bull. Every man in there would be staring at her. And when she got off and hit the dance floor? They’d be lining up for a chance to get close to her.
“Hell no.” He let go of her arm and reached for the car door. “I’m coming with you.”
KATIE SLAMMED HER door and turned around. Closing her eyes, she drew a deep breath, needing a moment before she played the part of the determined seductress again. She’d been having fun with her role. But then Liam had mentioned the L-word—the one that had no place in her plan.
That one word had thrown her off course. She’d started asking the wrong questions. Instead of wondering if he was ready to fall in love, she should be pressing to find out why he was demanding a place in her life now, after all this time.
She knew from experience that Liam always took charge, claiming what he wanted. That was part of who he was. He issued commands. But while his words haunted her fantasies, she knew they’d wreak havoc on her dreams for the future.
Still, when he spoke of respecting her choices, her heart had surged as if it wanted to send hope rushing through her veins. It was as if the stupid organ wanted to hear him out, find out if things would be different this time. Not that words and promises could change the past.
And if she wanted to keep her grandfather’s company from slipping away, she had to follow her plan. She couldn’t let her family down again. Her brothers accepted her choices, most of the time. But they had a limit. And when they found out she was involved with Liam again? She had a feeling that respect would go out the window in a heartbeat.
She’d seen the looks her brothers had given Liam over the past seven years. Back when Georgia had come to stay with her, before her friend had worked out her problems with the man she planned to marry, Katie’s brothers—especially Chad—had been ready and willing to start a fight when Liam had come looking for his little sister.
Caught in the Act: Book Two: Independence Falls Page 6