by BJ Wane
“Then they’re waiting for her mother to pass away before contacting her. We can still pull this off by taking advantage of her amnesia and putting the screws to her. We just have to get to her first. Call me if you see or hear from her. I’ll keep an eye on the house.”
“Good, because I’m not going near that place until you have a plan to take care of Alex’s body. I still can’t believe you let your temper get the better of you.” Alex and Meg had been friends-with-benefits since their senior year of high school, but Meg’s greed for a cushy life had always taken precedence.
“He was a jerk and had already blown it. It’s not like I planned to kill him. I was just trying to stop him from alienating Skye altogether. It’s not my fault he turned at the last second.”
It was never Meg’s fault. Why did Harper always forget that about her sister? “It’s your fault you kept sleeping with him after they married. Just come up with something that will keep us out of prison, will you?” She hung up without giving her a chance to reply.
Harper surprised herself with how little remorse she felt over Alex’s death. At first, she’d been genuinely shocked walking into that room and seeing his body, but it was Skye’s confused, horror-stricken face that bothered her the most. She’d never liked Alex, had always thought him a jerk and never trusted him much, but she’d never wished him dead. She’d befriended Skye long before mentioning her grandfather’s sudden appearance and wealth to Meg, liking her devotion to her mother and admiring her strength in handling Mona’s decline alone, without the support of other family. When her sister had found a way to make that information work for her next scheme, she’d talked Harper into agreeing by pointing out the old man had enough wealth to give the three of them and his granddaughter an easy ride through life with no one getting hurt in the process.
The plan had seemed simple – introduce Skye to Alex, who had a way with women. He would take advantage of her vulnerability, propose then divorce her after she inherited, taking half for the three of them to split. Meg had discounted Skye’s feelings by the time Alex would divorce her after convincing her he loved her, saying Skye would have all that money to help her get over him.
Harper parked in front of her apartment building, berating herself for the umpteenth time for listening to Meg. With no choice left now but to see this through somehow, she could only hope the outcome proved worth the risk and hurting Skye.
****
Clayton didn’t make it easy for Skye to set aside her longing for more from their relationship than sex when he walked her upstairs after their dinner and left her with a kiss that produced more of those shivery goosebumps. “Good night, sweetheart,” he said, running his knuckles under her chin before pivoting and trotting back downstairs. Shaking her head, she spent the rest of the evening watching television, wishing he were there then berating herself for not concentrating on other things, like how to get her life back.
Tuesday morning, she’d just emerged from taking a shower and trying to clear the cobwebs from a sleepless night plagued with dreams about her mother and Harper when Clayton knocked on the door. She only took time to slip on panties, bra, and her stretchy knit top before answering the door when he insisted she open for breakfast. Unable to resist a chance to lure him over to the unmade bed with her state of undress, she didn’t bother yanking on her jeans. He greeted her with the delicious aroma of coffee, fresh baked goods from the local bakery, and his devastating grin as he eyed her bare legs.
Leaning forward, he brushed his lips over hers, leaving tingles in his wake before stepping around her, saying over his shoulder, “That’s a nice way to greet me, sweetheart, but I prefer you don’t make a habit of opening your door like that to anyone else. I brought you a blueberry muffin straight out of the oven at the bakery.”
How was she supposed to concentrate on returning to her life in Boise when he kept doing unexpected, nice things using his engaging smile and heated looks – the ones that caused her heart to flip and left her troubled? She found herself miffed with him for thwarting her plan to spend this week getting over the impact he’d had on her in such a short time before asking him for one more night at Spurs. Shutting the door, she turned to face him with her hands on her hips and a bite to her tone.
“Why do you insist on calling me sweetheart when you know I don’t like it?”
He set the coffee and bag on the table, giving a shrug of his wide shoulders his sports coat couldn’t disguise. “Tell me why it bothers you so much, and why you look as if you haven’t slept, and I’ll consider it. Come eat. I can’t stay long.”
Other than to kiss her hello and goodbye, he hadn’t touched her anywhere else since the other night, confusing her, and leaving her aching for him even more. The aroma wafting from the steaming cups and bag as he opened it drew her forward against her will. If he wasn’t going to touch her, at least she could indulge in another decadent vice – gluttony.
“More bad dreams?” he asked as soon as she sat down and started unwrapping the muffin.
“No, just confusing ones,” she replied honestly, figuring that much couldn’t hurt. “You never said what it is you do when not ranching.” She took a bite of the fruit-laden muffin and closed her eyes at the burst of flavor. “Mmmm, good.” When he didn’t reply, she opened them again to see him frowning. “What?”
Clayton shook his head. “Nothing. I’m a prosecutor with the D.A.’s office.”
Skye’s throat went dry, and she grabbed the coffee to swallow the muffin bite. She couldn’t believe her poor luck. She’d fallen in lust and more than like with someone who could very well send her to prison if she was found complicit in Alex’s death.
“What’s wrong?” he asked with sharp concern.
“Nothing, you just…took me by surprise. I didn’t peg you as an attorney.” She took another swig of coffee to steady her jittery nerves. That revelation should make her decision to leave stronger, but all she felt was another wrench in her chest as she gazed at his rugged face stamped with suspicion, those cobalt eyes never leaving her face.
“I only put bad people away, Skye, those I’m convinced deserve the penalty they get. You don’t have any reason to fret, do you?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” That was the most honest answer to one of his probing questions she’d stated, and it didn’t make her feel any better. She might be sure in her mind she wasn’t the one who shot Alex, but that didn’t clear her of all involvement with his death.
“Glad to hear it.” He finished his long john, grabbed his coffee, and stood.
Her heart skipped a beat as he came around the table and tilted her head back by her hair to hold her still for a ravishing kiss. By the time he released her, her scalp and lips were tingling, her pulse had gone haywire, and her breathing had turned shallow. She realized her feelings ran deeper than she’d thought when she could respond like that after learning the fine line she was straddling between her troubles and his job.
“I’ll check in with you later. Try to take it easy today. You look tired.”
Skye didn’t say anything, just watched him walk out while wondering if she should even wait until the end of the week to leave. She shouldn’t push her luck by staying, but with her future so uncertain, when would she get the chance to be with someone like him again? Men like Clayton and his friends didn’t come around every day. When she added the whole sexy package to the protective, dominant, possessive traits, she couldn’t bring herself to play it safe just yet. One more night, something to tide her over in the weeks ahead of finding herself, was that too much to ask?
The following day, she drove out to the Rolling Hills Ranch looking forward to riding with Lisa even though she’d said Poppy couldn’t get away from work. After spending another restless night plagued with confusing dreams, this time where Clayton was either her knight in shining armor defending her or the devil in disguise prosecuting her, she was more than ready for something to take her mind off her troubles. His Bronco wasn’t parked
in the back, or in front of the city building when she pulled out, his absence removing the temptation to stop in and see him. It hadn’t taken him long to worm his way past her defenses and into her life, and under better circumstances, she would welcome exploring a relationship with him. The timing for that couldn’t be worse, and the most she could let herself hope for was a few more hours of his undivided attention.
Skye spotted Lisa playing with two German shepherds outside the first house she came to after entering through the open gates. Her head started hurting when the memory of her as a kid playing with a black puppy on Christmas morning popped up. She rubbed her temples, blinking back tears recalling the lab mix her mother had surprised her with.
Lisa rapped on her window, startling her. “Hey, are you okay?”
Opening the door, she worked up a smile she hoped was convincing. “I’m fine, just a slight headache. Beautiful dogs.”
“They are now. When Shawn rescued them they were in rough shape. Curly, Mo, come.” When the dogs didn’t budge, Lisa cast her an apologetic look. “They’re still shy around strangers.”
“Understandable. Don’t push them.” She felt sorry for the dogs’ abusive past that made them so reluctant to trust again.
“Let me put them in the house, then we can drive over to the stables. Scotty, one of the ranch hands, picked Jazzy for you to ride. She’s a sweetie.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Skye just hoped she guessed correctly and would discover she’d ridden before once she mounted.
On the way to the stables, they passed another house, this one a sprawling modern ranch, the opposite of Shawn’s log home. Before she could ask, Lisa pointed out, “That’s Clayton’s place. Dakota moved into the Coopers’ two-story farmhouse near the barns since he works full time on the ranch.”
Taking advantage of the opening to appease her curiosity, Skye said, “They’re close, the three of them, aren’t they?”
Lisa nodded. “Yes. They met in foster care, all three orphaned in their teens. I never forgot Shawn, or the night he rescued me from our abusive foster parent.”
Just like Skye doubted she would ever forget Clayton, and how he’d come to her aid without knowing her circumstances. “I’m sorry. That must have been traumatic.”
“It was, but I got counseling and put with a good family. Do you have family?”
Her heart twisted as she pictured her mother in her comatose state. “Just my mom, and she’s….not well.”
“It’s my turn to say I’m sorry.” Lisa nodded toward several massive barns. “Those are the stables for the horses. The barns are mostly for storage and the livestock in need of veterinary care. Dakota’s place is about a mile that way.”
Skye glanced to the north where she could just make out a two-story house. “It’s nice out here, so different from the city.” With the wide-open fields dotted with summer wildflowers and grazing cattle, she could almost forget what waited for her back in Boise.
Lisa parked in front of the stable where two horses were saddled and tethered at the corral fence. “I moved here from Phoenix and fell in love right away.”
“With the ranch or the sheriff?” Skye teased.
Flashing her a quick grin as she got out, Lisa replied, “Both. Let’s go. We’re supposed to meet the guys at the lake in an hour.”
“We are?” That’s the first she’d heard Clayton planned to see her today, and she couldn’t prevent the warm rush of anticipation at the thought. Her instant reaction confirmed she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this temporary hiatus from her life and troubles back home, or to the man who had befriended her despite her resistance to his probing inquiries and now the unease over his job as prosecutor.
They walked toward the corral as Lisa said, “Yeah, Shawn told me this morning it was Clayton’s idea. Poppy and I are surprised he’s shown such interest in you, given how resistant he is to a relationship. There are a lot of broken hearts envying you right now.”
“They shouldn’t.” The needy part of Skye that craved more time with Clayton couldn’t help but be pleased at the ego boost that gave her, but she didn’t doubt he would move on and forget about her by the time she discovered the truth about Alex’s death. “I can’t stay, and my life is a mess right now. As much as I appreciate what he’s done for me, it’s just temporary.”
Lisa turned to her as they reached the horses. “That’s too bad. We were rooting for you two. Isn’t she sweet?”
Skye ran her hand down the palomino’s silky nose and got a nudge of affection from the little mare. “She is, and just the right size.” She nodded toward the large, dark gray stallion in the adjacent corral. “That one is huge.”
“That’s Dakota’s horse, Phantom. He’s either out on the range riding one of the Quarter horses or working in his office today. Ready?”
“Sure.” At least, she hoped so. She watched Lisa mount on the left and did the same, the maneuver feeling familiar, as did the shift of the horse under her once she sat astride her. “It was nice of you to invite me out today,” she said as they headed across the pastureland at a slow, relaxing walk. The breeze helped keep her cool while the late afternoon sun beat down on them.
“You looked like you could use some girl time, and I confess, I was hoping you’d want to pick my brain about Clayton, but it sounds like you have more pressing issues to deal with first. That’s tough. I know how overwhelmed I was when I was dealing with a stalker. If I didn’t have the guts to come here, and then accept Shawn’s help, there’s a good chance my half-brother would have succeeded in doing away with me.”
“Are you trying to tell me I should enlist Clayton’s help?” Shaking her head, Skye sighed in regret. “I wish I could,” she murmured. “Tell me something. Is he a good prosecutor? I just learned he works for the D.A.”
“He’s the best if you’re a victim of one of his cases. God help you if you’re the criminal. He doesn’t give an inch when it comes to pushing for the maximum sentence, probably due to the drunk driver responsible for killing his parents getting off on a technicality.”
Since she wasn’t altogether positive she wasn’t complicit in Alex’s death, Skye figured she was wise in sticking with her plan to return to Boise this weekend. Time to change the subject.
“I’m itching for a faster pace. Is that okay?”
Lisa grinned, her green eyes sparking with excitement. “You bet. I was just waiting for you to get comfortable.”
Skye laughed. “Any more comfortable and I’ll fall asleep.”
Forty minutes later, they reached a large lake, the clear water shimmering like glass showing an image of the mountains. Out of breath but elated from the rigorous ride, Skye’s already accelerated heartbeat went up another notch when she saw Clayton astride a beautiful tan horse with striking white markings on its legs and side, its mane and tail each half white, half dark. But it was his devil-may-care grin as they rode up and the way he nudged his Stetson back to reveal his assessing gaze that caused butterflies to flutter in her abdomen.
Lisa rode over to Shawn, who stood at the lake’s edge, fishing pole in hand, leaving Skye alone with Clayton as he nudged his horse forward.
“I can tell you’ve had fun, sweetheart. The only time I’ve seen you that flushed was when I fucked you the other night.”
Skye sent a quick peek toward the other couple to see if they heard Clayton’s remark, shifting on the leather saddle to ease her damp arousal. His low chuckle brought her gaze back to him as he moved alongside her, and she flushed at his knowing look.
“Relax. If they didn’t already guess we’ve slept together, they’ve suspected it, since they know what an easy lay I am.”
Sputtering on a laugh, she said, “Isn’t that what men usually say about women?”
He shrugged. “It’s only fair to apply it to us guys also, if the term fits.”
She cocked her head, enjoying their easy banter. “So, any girl can have you for a song and a dance?”
“Don
’t even need the song.” He turned serious and leaned forward, reaching out to cup her nape and draw her toward him. “No, Skye, not just any girl can have me, and now that I’m with you, none can as long as we’re together.”
“I’m leaving this weekend,” she blurted, his words causing her to panic because of how much she wished she could stay and see where this might go.
“Are you now?”
Pulling her closer, he took her mouth in one of those devastating kisses, holding her head for his assault on her senses as he slid inside her mouth to do the tango with her tongue. By the time he pulled back and released her, she wanted nothing more than to get naked with him again, as many times as possible before she left.
“You want me, don’t you?” His rough tone demanded an honest answer.
“I’ve never denied that, at least not after the demonstration in the club.” That was one thing she didn’t mind answering honestly. He could read her so well, it would be a waste of time lying anyway.
“Take Jazzy to the water and dismount.”
Turning her horse, she accompanied him to the lake’s edge, wondering from his gruff tone what he had in mind. Following his lead, she dismounted, surprised when her horse walked into the lake up to her ankles and stayed in place, the same as the other horses.
“We’re going to hike to Scout’s Lookout. Don’t wait on us if you’re ready to head back before we return,” Clayton told Shawn, reaching to snag Skye’s hand.
“We’ll likely still be here. Dakota offered to grill if I catch dinner for everyone, and I’ve only reeled in the two fish so far,” Shawn said. He handed a pole to Lisa who took it with an eyeroll. “Two poles are better than one, so don’t fuss.” He smiled up at Skye. “She hates fishing.”
Lisa wrinkled her nose. “It’s boring, but as long as I don’t have to touch the worms, I’ll help out since I like eating them.”
Clayton flashed them a grin. “Then we’ll return shortly.”
Skye welcomed the rough clasp of his hand around hers as he led her toward the narrow path bisecting the woods. “What’s at Scout’s Lookout?” she asked when they entered the trees and she breathed in the cooler air along with the aromatic scent of pine as she trailed behind him.