One Night with the Texan

by Lauren Canan

  Tallie dressed and went downstairs. There was no sign of Cole. She followed her nose to the kitchen where the tea was brewing.

  “If you need Mr. Cole,” said Martha, the kind maid who worked with Chef Andre in the kitchen, “he said he was going to the main barn.”

  “Thank you.”

  Tallie could swing by there on her way to the dig. Grabbing a hot cup of tea, she stepped outside. She passed through the back gate of the estate grounds and followed the natural-stone footpath to the large, sprawling building.

  She heard neighing from inside the barn and her pace quickened. She loved horses. She’d had one in her younger years but had had to sell her when she’d left for college. Now, being here on the ranch, she missed that mare more than ever.

  Midway down the main aisle Cole stood talking with another man holding a baby. She didn’t want to interrupt so she slipped past them and continued down the wide stable aisle, looking at the horses in their stalls. Magnificent was the word that came to mind. Their sleek, shiny coats gleamed under the barn lights. Ears alert, they nickered to her as she passed.

  “Tallie,” Cole called to her. “Come back. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  He reached out for her when she got close and pulled her against him, his arm going around her shoulders.

  “Tallie, this is my brother, Chance. Chance, meet Dr. Finley.”

  “Very nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.

  “You, as well.”

  “And this young lady in my arms is Emma. She’s my wife’s niece but we’re raising her as our own daughter.”

  The child was adorable. “Hi, Emma.”

  “Momie gonna wide hawsee. Daddy say no but Momie not yisen.”

  “Where did the two of you meet?” Chance asked, switching Emma to his other arm.

  “New Orleans,” Cole answered. “A little over five months ago.”

  “That long, huh?” Chance grinned. “That’s encouraging.”

  “When you find what you’ve been searching for, why waste time?”

  Tallie stood there in complete shock. Cole was lying to his brother. Yes, they had met in New Orleans, but everything after that was a trumped-up story. Cole Masters could have any woman he wanted. He certainly hadn’t been searching for her. In that moment she wished things between them could be different: that Cole was really in love with her and wanted to marry her just because she was who she was. But Cinderella dreams were not in abundance this year.

  “Cole!” called a young woman leading a large, dapple-gray thoroughbred toward them. She was beautiful, with angelic features and long, silver-blond hair. Without pausing she stepped into Cole’s arms. “Even when you stay here on the ranch I never get to see you.”

  “I guess today is your lucky day.”

  “In your dreams.”

  “Holly, this is Dr. Tallie Finley,” Cole said. “She’s an archeologist doing some excavating on that land I purchased a few years ago.”

  Holly turned toward her, a wide grin on her face. “Very nice to meet you.”

  “Tallie, this is Dr. Holly Masters, Chance’s wife.”

  “Who’s going to put that horse right back inside his stall,” Chance stated firmly, which caused Holly to roll her eyes.

  “I don’t know how long you’ll be here,” Holly said to Tallie, “but one thing you’ll soon learn about the Masters brothers is they are all bossy control freaks. Always have been, now that I think about it.”

  She turned to her husband. “I’m just going for a short ride, dear.”

  Chance pulled his wife to him and kissed her. “We just found out Holly is pregnant. The doctor said no horses until after the baby is born. Some hardheaded mothers-to-be just refuse to listen to common sense.”

  “Congratulations,” Tallie said. “To both of you. That’s wonderful.”

  “We gonna has baby,” Emma chimed in.

  “We just moved into our new house on the ranch. If you can spare the time, come over and visit for a while.”

  “I would like that. Thank you.” Tallie was moved by the kind invitation.

  Cole took her hand, said his goodbyes and walked with Tallie out of the barn toward the house.

  “It was nice meeting your brothers. You have a great family.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “No, not at all.”

  “It was good to see Chance. The three of us rarely get together anymore. As Holly said, they just finished building their home about five miles away from the original house, the one Dad built for Mom, which is where I’ve been staying. Chance was in the SEALs but while he was home on leave after an injury he started seeing Holly and he never signed up for another tour. Instead he took over running the Circle M. When the profits began to soar, no one was surprised.”

  “What about Wade? Does he live here, as well?”

  “Wade lives in the family mansion in Dallas. It’s close to the airport and built for entertaining and meetings. Since Wade does most of the traveling and entertaining, it works out well.”

  “And what about you?”

  He shrugged. “I live here and there, wherever I’m needed at the time.”

  “So you were telling the truth that night in New Orleans.”

  He laughed. “Yeah. For the most part. But I can honestly say I’ve never spent a night under a bridge.”

  “You did look like a bum.”

  “That wasn’t exactly the plan, but it had a good outcome, don’t you think?”

  “I have to go this way,” she said, turning away and purposely not answering his question.

  “Tallie, why don’t you let someone else look for the artifacts?”

  She shook her head. “I could use the help. I won’t deny that. But it’s my dig, Cole. I promised my grandmother I would find the proof that an ancient tribe lived in this area. It’s my responsibility. I intend to shorten my work days and not be out in the heat so long. I’ll be careful, but I must try and find...what I’m searching for.” Whatever that turned out to be.

  She could tell Cole wanted to argue with her; she felt his body tighten. But he said nothing and for that she was grateful.

  “Then I’ll see you later.”

  “Absolutely.”

  * * *

  A week later Tallie had barely finished her morning tea, which she still took outside the trapper’s cabin even though she was now living under Cole’s roof, when a strange car rolled up to the site. The doors opened and four young women got out of the vehicle; the driver remained at the wheel. They all walked toward Tallie, excitement on their faces. Before Tallie could ask who they were and why there were there, Cole’s pickup pulled up next to the car. He got out, grinning from ear to ear. Yep. Whatever this was, Cole Masters was behind it.

  Their eyes met and his sparkled with mischief.

  “Good morning, Dr. Finley,” he said as he nodded to the four women. “Have you met them yet?”

  Tallie shook her head. “No.”

  “Carolyn Hicks, Amy Knell, April Hastings and Kathy Brown. These exceptional students all have a perfect grade-point average and are majoring in anthropology or archeology at area universities.”

  Cole had a smile that reminded her of the fat cat that ate the canary.

  “They all applied for internships at various museums for the summer. All were turned down because of budget restraints. I managed to correct that small issue and here they are. Ready to go to work. They are actually excited to help you dig in the dirt. Go figure.”

  He turned to the four students. “This is Dr. Finley. She is the one you will be helping.”

  Tallie was speechless. “Do...do any of you have any experience?”

  All but one raised their hands. The one who apparently didn’t have experience
looked anxious.

  “Well, if you have an idea of what this is about and can dig carefully, I can teach you the rest. Welcome. And thank you all. I really do need your help.

  “Look in the back of my old wagon and you will find a box with extra hand tools and brushes. Get a small hand shovel, a four-inch rake and two brushes—one small, one large. The site is that way. If you grab your supplies and head over toward that sifter, I’ll be with you in just a few minutes. Did everyone bring water bottles?”

  They all nodded; two of the women held theirs up.

  “Good. Hop to it.”

  “I can’t believe you did this.” Tallie turned to Cole.

  “What? You don’t want them?”

  “No. Yes! They’ll be great. I was about the same age when I was selected for my first dig. It will give them valuable experience and help me, as well. Thank you, Cole.” And without thinking she bounded into his arms and hugged him tight. “Thank you so much.”

  She felt his arms go around her back and squeeze her gently to him. Then his arms dropped and she stepped back.

  “You’re welcome.” She couldn’t miss the twinkle in those hazel eyes. He handed her a manila envelope. “Inside is the basic information on each student and their signed wavers. I’ll provide a place for them to stay and all the meals.”

  For the first time in what felt like forever, Tallie was speechless.

  “Tallie?”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Let’s just say I want my field back.”

  “But all of this trouble...it must be costing a fortune.”

  “It’s really not that much. I want to do it, Tallie. I look at it as a donation. Find your artifacts. I want to see your face when you show me the first one.” He must have seen her look of astonishment because he made no attempt to hide his grin. “I’ll catch you tonight.”

  Tallie stood in the shade of the giant oak tree and watched until he drove out of sight. If she was dreaming, she never wanted to wake up.

  The girls proved every bit as knowledgeable and eager as she’d first surmised. She gathered them in a small circle and explained what they were looking for. She couldn’t tell them they were looking for a new civilization, but did confirm they were searching for artifacts from a tribe that dated back several thousand years.

  “Beads, pieces of jewelry, pots in part or whole,” she told them. “Keep an eye open for anything that looks like it could be made by man. Also, you might happen on petrified seeds, plants or bulbs. There are two grids. Two of you take one, the other two take the second. If you find anything you can’t identify, set it to one side for me to look at. Do you have any questions?”

  Once all the questions were asked and answered, Tallie left them and walked closer to the cliff. Through her binoculars, she again searched for any sign of caves or openings between the massive rocks and boulders. The same dark, shadowy area she’d spotted last week still called to her. It might be worth the effort to climb up and check it out from a closer viewpoint. But in her condition, she didn’t know how a climb like that would be possible.

  With stakes and string she outlined a third grid and got to work. The hours flew by. It was almost two o’clock when she heard a strange honk and looked in the direction from which it came. It was a bus. No. An RV. Followed by a car. The massive recreational vehicle came to a stop just to the other side of the old trapper’s cabin. The sight brought Tallie to her feet. Cole had said he was going to provide lodging for the students. And here it was.

  “Hey, guys,” she called to the college students, “I’ve gotta return to the cabin for just a few minutes. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Take a break and make sure you stay hydrated!”

  Dropping her tools, she jogged in the direction of the RV. The driver, a robust man in his fifties, was just stepping out when she reached the door.

  “Good afternoon,” he said. “Are you Dr. Finley?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Clay with Big D RVs out of Dallas. If you wouldn’t mind, I need you to check the RV inside and out. If you find everything is okay, I’ll ask you to sign that you received the vehicle and all is in order. First let me get it set up. Is the location okay or do you want it moved?”

  “It’s perfect where it is.”

  “Good. There is some leveling we need to do and it has four extensions, plus the main compartment will about double in size. Let me get the TV and all the extras set up then I’ll need you to give it a look.”

  When he was done preparing the RV, Tallie stepped into the amazing vehicle.

  Clay adjusted his cap, scratched his chin and gazed longingly at the river. “Any fish in that stream?”

  “I think there might be, yes. You’re welcome to see for yourself.”

  “Good. While you do the inspection, I think I might have a look.”

  The RV was enormous. She had no idea a recreational vehicle could be so luxurious. There was a master bedroom plus two smaller ones, a whirlpool tub, even two, big, flat-screen TVs with satellite, one in the master bedroom and a larger one in the living area. The entire vehicle was actually larger than her apartment. The air-conditioning was pure heaven. It contained state-of-the-art appliances, granite countertops, even a small chandelier in the main living area. And the kitchen was fully stocked.

  As she stepped outside another car drove up and a man got out holding several large boxes of pizza and a case of sodas. “Dr. Finley?”

  “That would be me.”

  “I’ve got your lunch. Where would you like me to put it?”

  Tallie knew Cole was behind all this. He had said he would provide a place for the students to stay and all meals were on him. “Put them over on the porch of the old cabin for now.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said and walked in that direction.

  Jogging down the hill, she gathered the students and told them about the pizzas and soft drinks. That seemed to lighten their mood even more.

  They all gathered on the rickety porch and didn’t hesitate to open the boxes and grab ice-cold cans of soda.

  “When you’ve finished eating, you are welcome to go inside the RV and check out your new home.” They all looked long and hard at it. First one then all headed in that direction, forgetting about the food.

  Cole Masters was a take-charge kind of guy. If she accepted this, what was next? Her heart missed a beat at the thought.

  After signing the inspection papers, Tallie drove to the mansion. Finding the door unlocked, she stepped inside and closed it behind her. She stood in front of his office door, waiting for him to finish his phone call, ignoring his gestures to come farther into the room. Finally he ended the call and stood, an unmistakable mischievous light shining in his soft brown eyes.

  “The RV was just delivered,” she said, wrapping her arms around her chest, suddenly a bit uncomfortable. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. The girls can move in there for the duration of the dig.

  “I intend to donate it to your museum after you leave. They can use it or sell it. I don’t care. But I do care about your safety.”

  “But—”

  “No buts. The RV is for the students. A guard will be on duty at all times during the evening hours. We don’t have any crime to speak of around here but I will feel better if someone is out there making sure it stays that way. You can continue to stay here. You need rest, which it’s doubtful you’ll get if you try living with those college kids. They’ll probably keep you up until four every morning.”

  There was a moment when neither Tallie nor Cole moved. Tallie was held by the strength of his gaze; she was close enough to see the different colors of gold and brown in his eyes. There was even a touch of green.

  Almost in slow motion he dipped his head and kissed her.

  She heard him draw
in a deep breath as his hand cupped the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair. Feeling her response, he quickly took the kiss up to the level of a sensual demand. She was lost. The scent of his cologne surrounded her, his strong arms held her firmly against him. But she wasn’t going anywhere. His hungry mouth feasted on hers, his tongue seeking hidden places. Absently her hands clutched his shirt, pulling him nearer even though there was only one way they could get any closer. That thought propelled her out of his arms, breaking their amazing kiss.

  To become involved with Cole would be to commit emotional suicide. Her heart would become involved and it was almost guaranteed he would then tire of her and disappear.

  “I can’t do this,” she whispered against his lips. “I need to get back to the dig.”

  She turned and headed for the door.

  “Tallie, wait,” Cole called to her.

  But Tallie didn’t stop or slow down. As tempting as he was, she couldn’t let herself be swayed into a brief affair regardless of how badly her body wanted him. The effect of his kiss was still raging through her body, the need for him pooling deep in her belly. But she would not be a fool again.

  By the time she’d returned to the dig she was in more control. Her mind had cleared enough that she had regained her focus. She had to do more, work harder and faster, so she could leave. Before she had to tell him about the baby and bear his wrath.

  By four o’clock she called a halt to the day. The temperature was in the nineties. Everyone needed a break, including her. She had twice stepped on tree stubs, leaving the bottom of her left foot bruised. It hurt like the dickens.

  Tallie gathered her backpack from the cabin and headed for the main house on the hill. In a few minutes she had her soiled clothes washing, found a box of crackers and a jar of peanut butter in the kitchen and fixed a glass of iced tea. As bad as she wanted a shower, she made it no further than the large bedroom upstairs. Setting her glass, the crackers and peanut butter on the nightstand, she pulled back the covers and fell into bed. Sleep wasted no time in claiming her.