by Sara Orwig
“Come in, Mike,” Henry said, stepping back to hold the door and then closed it behind Mike. “Vivian is waiting. She told me she asked you to take her out. I’m glad. I’ve never trusted Clint.” He held out a small slip of paper, which Mike took. “Here’s my cell phone number. My wife and I are going to dinner in Dallas with your driver Ben and his wife.” He explained that after Ben dropped them off at the charity ball he was meeting them at a restaurant in town. “But we won’t be far should you need the limo or us for any reason,” he added.
“Have you ever had trouble with Clint Woodson?”
Henry shook his head. “No, I haven’t. He doesn’t look the type to cause real trouble, but I promised Thane I’d watch out for Vivian and I’m keeping that promise even though you’re with her.”
“Thanks.” Mike looked down at Henry’s cell phone number and memorized it. Then he put the paper in his jacket pocket. “We won’t be out late.”
“Do what you want. I figure you can take care of yourself. We shouldn’t have any trouble, but I’m not taking a chance. This guy has been obnoxious when he thought she was alone, but I think he’ll stop trying to see her now that you’re here. Slade couldn’t deal with him. You can, and he’ll know it the minute he sees you. And if he thinks Vivian wants to go out with you, the man should be smart enough to leave you alone. Every guy on this ranch knows you were a US Army Ranger and that means everyone in the county that has any interest in this ranch knows you were a ranger. Just like they all know I was a marine. That includes Clint. He isn’t going to aggravate you.”
“I don’t think he will, either.”
“I just want to be around if we’re needed.” He motioned Mike down the hall. “Vivian is in the study. I’ll show you where.”
“No need. I remember,” Mike said, moving past Henry. He walked down the hall, turned a corner into the main hall and walked to the open study door. Knocking on the open door, he glanced around the room and saw Vivian by a window. He inhaled deeply, his gaze riveted on her as she turned and smiled at him.
She wore a sleeveless red gown of some soft material that clung to her curvy body and revealed her slender figure and tiny waist. In the low-cut V-neckline, the diamond pendant from Thane sparkled. With that one glance, all Mike’s peace of mind over the past few days shattered. He thought he would remember how she looked in this moment for the rest of his life.
“You’re gorgeous,” he said as she walked up. He realized what he had said to her and hurried to correct himself. “I’m sorry, I know we should keep this evening impersonal.”
Her melodic laugh eased the tension he felt. “Don’t worry, Mike. Thane is gone and he wouldn’t be angry if you complimented me, anyway. A compliment is welcome, especially from a good-looking guy, so don’t apologize. We’re friends, or I hope we will be, because right now we barely know each other. A compliment between friends is always welcome.”
He relaxed a fraction, relieved that she had taken his admiration lightly and could laugh about it. Laughter, however, wasn’t what he was feeling. He couldn’t stop looking at her. She was so stunning that his heart was racing. He didn’t want that kind of reaction when looking at his friend’s wife. He felt an obligation to Thane to keep a distance from Vivian. It didn’t matter that much that she was a widow. He felt honor bound to keep his distance. Thane didn’t hire him to come home and seduce his wife.
All evening he would be with Thane’s gorgeous, breathtaking wife who made his pulse pound and heated the room another ten degrees by being there. And he would have to relax and look as if he was enjoying himself or Clint Woodson would never be fooled.
Could he do that?
Before he could answer, Vivian’s question broke into his thoughts. “The limo is ready, so shall we go?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, walking beside her, but taking care to leave space between them. “Your necklace is beautiful. Thane chose well,” he said, thinking more about her than the necklace.
She touched it with perfectly manicured red fingernails. “I will always treasure this. I don’t expect to ever marry again. Thane was the love of my life even though we didn’t have much time together.”
“You’ll marry again,” Mike said, unable to keep from smiling at her.
“I’m not going to argue that point tonight. I’m happy to go out, and I think this will stop Clint from pestering me and that’s an enormous relief.”
“You could have found some cowboy on the ranch to do what I’m doing.”
She shook her head. “Clint would never have believed that I was doing anything except trying to avoid him. It wouldn’t have stopped him. This, however, most likely will stop him. You’re an unknown factor and you’re good-looking and—”
“Thank you,” he said, nodding at her.
“Well, that’s a fact. But you have something about you that says ‘don’t mess with me.’”
Mike couldn’t help the slight chuckle that rose from his chest. “This is going to be an interesting evening. I feel as if I’m going to get my fortune told.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I have no idea about your future. I’m merely an artist and I’m observant and I’ve painted portraits of scores of people. I’ll draw your picture if you want,” she said, and he knew she was teasing him.
“Thanks. But you should use your talents on real stuff.”
“You’re definitely real stuff,” she said while he held the door for her. She switched on the alarm and the lock clicked as he closed the door.
“I told Henry that they could ride with us in the limo, but he wanted to drive,” she explained as they walked down the path.
“I think Henry half expects there might be trouble from Clint tonight. I thought you said he’s never given you any physical threat.”
“He hasn’t. Henry’s afraid he might have some guys come after you.”
“I doubt that. It’s our first time out and we’re at a country club and we’re in a limo. I don’t think we’ll have a problem.”
“I don’t think so either or I wouldn’t go tonight. Clint is a pest, but I don’t think he would stoop to anything violent. Or hire anyone to do something bad. I’m going to have a good time tonight. We’ll convince Clint that we’re attracted to each other. And while we do that, I’ll enjoy the evening. Mike, I haven’t been out like this in oh, so long.”
“Neither have I as a matter of fact. I’m sure we can convince Clint that you have someone in your life now. While we do that, I hope you can have a good time.”
They reached the limo and Vivian greeted her driver for the evening then turned back to Mike. “Mike, you probably know Ben.”
“I do,” he said, looking at the tall cowboy who had changed his jeans and hat and was now wearing black slacks and a white shirt. “We were together about three hours ago. Hi, Ben,” Mike said easily, offering his hand to the cowhand.
“Hi. It’s going to be a nice night.”
“That it is,” Mike said.
In seconds they were seated in the limo and Ben went around to the front to drive. Mike sat on the long seat with a lot of space between Vivian and him. He turned slightly to face her.
“So tell me about yourself, Mike,” she said. “I don’t know anything except Thane trusted you totally and counted you as one of his closest friends.”
“We lived in Amarillo,” he said, beginning a rote description of his life that he had become so accustomed to giving, he didn’t need to think about it. He was light years away from the life she’d had with limos and servants and all kinds of opportunities. “I worked on ranches and went to school on scholarships. I won some money in rodeos. My dad died when I was a teen. I have two older brothers and one younger. With four boys, my mom had a hard time making ends meet, but we all got part-time jobs, scholarships, that sort of thing.” He shrugged. “That’s it. Nothing
exciting. I’d much rather hear about your background. You told me a little about your family. Where did you go to college?”
“The University of Texas where I majored in art. No surprise there.”
“And then you came home to start painting?”
“That’s about right. I opened the Dallas gallery the second year I was out of college and I did well those early years, showing my paintings and others.”
Mike listened, but he paid more attention to the woman rather than the words. He could sit and look at her all evening. In the dim light of the limo he could see the antique diamond laying against her flawless creamy skin. He took a deep breath and shifted his gaze higher to look into the bluest pair of eyes ever. Vivian looked so breathtaking, that he was grateful there would be a lot of people around tonight, including some friends she had joining them. That would make it a lot easier to keep the conversation impersonal and to keep from flirting with her. The woman was head-to-toe temptation. He hoped they didn’t have many of these dinners before Clint Woodson disappeared from her life. It constantly nagged at him that Thane had trusted him to come home to help her not to come home to seduce her.
Lights blazed at the country club as the limo rolled up a wide drive and stopped at the front door. Ben held the door and told Mike to call later when they were ready to be picked up.
Mike took her arm lightly as they walked inside. The minute he touched her, he had the same searing awareness that he’d had before. They weren’t talking or even looking at each other, yet his skin tingled. Instantly he lowered his arm, banishing the sensation and promising himself he’d avoid further contact. He didn’t want to feel that awareness around her.
In the center of the entryway, the round fruitwood table beneath a mammoth chandelier held a large crystal vase of red anthuriums and deep purple gladiolus. Guests and members stood talking to each other while staff hurried around them. Vivian spoke to a maître d’ and he looked at his chart.
“Table four, Ray,” he said. A waiter in a matching black suit and bow tie with a white shirt hurried over. “Table four,” the maître d’ repeated as Ray gathered menus and smiled at them.
“Good evening, Mrs. Warner. Sir, if you’ll please follow me, I’ll show you to your table.”
As they followed the waiter in single file past the tables, Mike glanced briefly at the sway of Vivian’s hips. With an effort, he turned his attention to the room around him. It was an older club with polished oak floors, ornate crystal chandeliers and thick blue carpet that muffled the noise. A piano player sat in a corner playing old ballads and there was a hum of conversation. Each table was centered with a vase of fresh pink roses and daisies.
As soon as they were seated, she received a text. “My friends are about fifteen minutes away so they’ll be here soon.”
“This is a big crowd.”
“Which means they raised a lot of money for Parkinson’s disease. Oh, oh,” she said. “I think you’re about to meet Clint. Mike,” she said, her voice lowering to a whisper, “please take my hand so it looks as if this is more than a friendly dinner.”
“Vivian, look at me and forget him. He’ll have to interrupt us if he wants to talk to us. Frankly, I want to meet him. It’s best to know your enemy. Surprises aren’t good.”
As she instructed, he reached over to take her hand in his. Her fingers were cool from touching the goblet of ice water, but at the contact, heat flashed within him as quick as lightning. He gazed into her blue eyes and the dining room grew instantly warmer and he bit back several things that he would like to say but knew better not to.
Damn. He’d resolved not to touch her, yet here he was, only minutes later, holding her hand.
And now he was paying the price.
Three
“Good evening, Vivian.”
At the sound of the man’s voice, at first Mike was filled with trepidation at meeting Vivian’s pushy neighbor, yet relieved to finally let go of her hand. He stood and held out his hand to shake the rancher’s as Vivian introduced them.
“Clint, this is Mike Moretti, Thane’s friend and my new foreman,” she said without hesitation.
“New foreman? That’s a good job,” Clint remarked as he scanned Mike with a rake of his eyes. Mike felt as if he was being measured and dismissed. Clint eventually shook his hand, and Mike looked into cold hazel eyes. Broad-shouldered, Clint was as tall as Mike and handsome enough for some women to find him appealing. He had thick black hair with a few curls above his forehead. His clothes looked expensive as did the gold rings he wore on several fingers.
“I heard Thane hired you when you both were in the service,” Clint said to Mike.
“That’s right.”
“Have you ever been a foreman before this job? That’s a big job.”
“Yes, it is, and the Tumbling T is a fine ranch. And yes, I was a foreman before.” He wasn’t about to give Clint Woodson any details of his life, but he had been a foreman on a Texas ranch for two years before he joined the Army.
“We’re neighbors, in case you didn’t know.”
“That’s what Vivian told me.”
Woodson gave him another once-over, then clearly he’d seen enough. “I’ll see you around.” And without waiting for Mike’s reply, he promptly turned his back on Mike and focused solely on Vivian. “How’re you tonight?”
Mike sat down again and sipped his water while he listened to Clint talk to Vivian. “I have a new proposition I’d like to talk to you about sometime soon. I think it would be mutually beneficial to both ranches since we’re in a drought.”
“Maybe you can run it past Mike,” Vivian replied. “Right now, I think we’re doing fine, and it’s April. Texas usually has spring rains.”
“Yes, well, you have a good evening, Vivian,” he said, leaning down slightly and speaking softly. “I’ll see you around.” He walked away without even glancing back at Mike.
“So now you know Clint Woodson,” she said as she resumed her seat at the table.
“So I do.” It occurred to him he hadn’t updated Vivian on the Clint situation, so he took the opportunity. “I’ve already talked to Slade about keeping a man at the front gate and he’s agreeable to it. Is there anywhere else Clint might enter the ranch?”
“No. There’s another way in, but that gate is locked and only certain people on the ranch have keys or know the code to get in.”
“Yeah, Slade showed that gate to me. I wondered if there’s anywhere else you know about but Slade doesn’t.”
She shook her head. “But we’re neighbors, so all he has to do is get over the fence that divides the two ranches. He can’t drive in and Clint would never climb a fence and walk across the ranch to the house.” She cast a glance over her shoulder to the rancher as he walked away, then turned back to Mike. “Thanks, Mike, for taking my hand when he approached. Clint saw that. He didn’t like it and he didn’t like you.”
Mike looked across the room and saw Clint sit at a table. The woman sitting there turned to greet him. She was a head-turner with black hair in an elaborate upsweep and a black dress that clung to her slim silhouette. Even from this vantage point, Mike could see the tight skirt of the dress was slit clear up to her thigh. “He’s here with a friend.”
“That’s Dora Grayson. She has her own real estate agency in Dallas. A very successful woman.” Vivian smiled, her tight voice relaxing as she said, “Here are my friends.”
Mike stood and turned, looking at a couple approaching their table. The top of the woman’s head barely reached her companion’s shoulder and her light brown eyes sparkled with friendliness.
Vivian made the introductions. “Ashlynn and Dan, this is Mike Moretti. Mike, meet my childhood friend Ashlynn Coleman and her husband, Dan Coleman.”
Dan had a slight beard, high cheekbones and a rugged appearance tha
t was softened when he smiled. His wife was a pretty woman with midnight tresses that fell straight over her shoulders. She wore a deep blue sleeveless gown with a straight skirt that highlighted her slender figure.
Mike received a firm handshake from Dan and Ashlynn gave him a warm smile.
Mike sat between Vivian on his right and Dan on his left. After a few minutes Dan turned to him. “Do you like the ranch?”
“Absolutely. It’s up-to-date, a big operation, nice guys, it’s great—all Thane said it would be.”
“You get rid of Clint Woodson and you’ll be the miracle man. Ashlynn and Vivian are close, so Vivian has told her about Clint. There’s no love lost between Clint and me, but we stay civil to each other because we’re at a lot of the same functions and know the same people due to our connections in the oil business. But I don’t like Clint and he doesn’t like me.”
Mike knew the feeling. “Clint has already stopped to meet me and talk to Vivian. Don’t worry. I’ll keep him off the ranch.”
“Good deal.” Dan clapped him on the back. “Enough about that. Do you keep up with baseball?”
“I do since I’m home again.” For the next few minutes, Mike talked to Dan about baseball, until their waiter appeared to take their drink orders.
Mike enjoyed her friends and as they went through dinner, he glanced around the room casually, each time catching Clint watching Vivian. Mike knew he should keep his attention on Vivian to convince Clint that he was interested in her. He stopped looking at Clint, focusing on Vivian and giving her his full attention, which was easy to do.
When Dan asked Ashlynn to dance, Mike asked Vivian. He took a deep breath before she stepped into his arms out on the dance floor for a ballad. He held her a discreet distance and she smiled at him, her blue eyes holding mischief.