Texas Wildcat

by Lindsay McKenna

  She picked up his postcard, staring at the signature. He had signed it, “Love, Sam.” In the two months that had passed since she had last seen him, Kelly had had time to examine her feelings for Sam. Pursing her full lips, she made a decision and buzzed her secretary.

  * * *

  Sam stood on the bow of the barge, legs spread apart to ride the motion of the waves slapping around them. His eyes were narrowed against the fiery sunset on the ocean in front of them. Cupping his hands to shade his eyes, he gazed at the wrecked oil platform. Coots stood beside him, a pair of binoculars in hand, watching in silence.

  “That’s one mean blowout,” Coots finally growled, lowering the binoculars and casting a glance in Sam’s direction. “Come on, let’s get ashore and eat. We’ll set the explosives tomorrow morning.”

  Sam nodded, wiping his face clean of the ever present sweat. “I think if I have frijoles and rice one more night, I’m going to die.”

  Coots grinned. “Hey, don’t you know this is heroic work we’re performing?”

  Tyler snorted, walking aft with Coots. “Yeah, that’s what everybody else thinks, but they aren’t here in our boots.”

  “Stuff the heroics. I just want to get back to Houston.”

  Sam agreed, sitting down on a coil of rope at the rear of the boat. He rested his arms wearily on his knees, staring blankly off into the distance. Home. And Kelly. Damn, he missed her. Had she gotten the letters? The mail was undependable in this part of the world. He had signed the last one with love. If Kelly had gotten it, had she noticed that? He cradled his head wearily on his arms, exhaustion robbing him of his normal vitality. Was she taking care of herself? And had she fully recovered from her brush with death in the desert? Knowing her as he did, he guessed that she was driving everyone with a bullwhip in her effort to get her father’s company back into shape. A smile edged his mouth. At least Blanchard Pipe was performing like a champ at this damn blowout. Kelly would be happy about that.

  “Well I’ll be,” Coots rumbled. He nudged Sam on the shoulder. “Hey! You’d better see what’s waiting for you on the dock, Sam. Take a look.”

  Sam lifted his head. It was dusk, and the fading light made those on shore look like shadows. No…it couldn’t be…He stood, his eyes narrowing. His heart pounded with the tumult of emotions that surged through his body. “Kelly!” he breathed softly.

  Coots grinned. “And in our white uniform! I wonder if she’s ready to sign up for this blowout? God knows, we could use some Irish luck.” He slapped Tyler on his broad shoulder. “She’s some kind of woman! Treat her right, Sam. She’s one in a million!”

  Sam couldn’t tear his gaze from her. “You bet she is,” he agreed fervently. She stood there at the end of the dock in the white company uniform, her red hair a delicious contrast to the clothing. He could barely contain his happiness. A grin pulled at his mouth as he made eye contact with Kelly. The smile that blossomed on her face filled his heart with undeniable love for her.

  The boat came alongside the dock and Sam leaped the last three feet, landing like a cat on the rickety wooden surface. Kelly’s eyes were wide as she stared up at him. He closed the last few feet and opened his arms to her.

  “Come here,” he whispered roughly.

  “Oh, Sam!” she cried, flinging her arms around his neck. He smelled of oil and sweat, but she didn’t care. Hungrily, she lifted her face, meeting his descending mouth with utter abandon. He tasted of ocean salt, and his mouth was strong and masculine. A small cry of joy rose in her throat and she pressed herself shamelessly to him, luxuriating in the feel of his athletically muscled body. His hands seared her flesh as he ran them down her back, capturing her hips against him, making her aware of his need for her.

  Breathlessly, she broke free of his dizzying kiss. Kelly cradled his face between her slender fingers, anxiously search his eyes. “You look awful!” she wailed. He had a two-day growth of beard, his cheeks were gaunt from not eating properly and his eyes were red-rimmed.

  Sam lifted her off her feet as if she were a feather, crushing her in his embrace, ignoring her protest. “God, how I’ve missed you, woman,” he whispered hoarsely against her hair.

  She struggled free. “I was right! You were sick! Oh, Sam, why didn’t you come home?”

  He laughed, bringing her back into his arms. “I’m not sick, my redhaired witch. This always happens on a long haul with a blowout of this sort.” His blue eyes crinkled with warmth. “You look absolutely beautiful, Kelly Blanchard. Just what the hell are you doing down here? Did you get a yellow fever vaccination? A cholera shot before you came?”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. His voice was laden with emotion. She couldn’t—wouldn’t keep her hands off him. “Of course I did!”

  He placed his arms around her shoulders, guiding her down the dock. In all directions men, machinery and trucks swarmed over the jungle landscape. Kelly turned, catching a glimpse of the oil platform burning fiercely offshore. She glanced up at him.

  “You look terrible. Haven’t they been giving you enough rest?”

  He gave her a crooked grin. “You keep telling me how bad I look, woman.”

  “Sam Tyler, I’m mentioning it because I care, dammit!”

  “That’s more like it.” He gave her a pat on the rear. “Come on, we got beans and rice to look forward to for dinner tonight.”

  Kelly shook her head. “No you don’t. I brought down a care package of good Texas beef steaks, corn on the cob and beer.”

  Sam laughed. “You’re one incredible woman, honey. Come on, I’m starved!”

  The men of the company gathered in the dingy shack that they called home when they weren’t fighting the blowouts. Coots rewarded Kelly with a huge smile when the Venezuelan cook brought out the medium-rare steaks on a huge platter. They sat squeezed around the table, elbows and knees touching. The laughter, jokes and merriment were unchecked. Kelly took great pleasure in watching Sam consume his meal.

  “Is Houston the same without us?” Coots wanted to know, finishing up the last of the steak.

  Kelly shook her head. “We’re all pining away for you boys.”

  “Man,” Colly growled, “I want to get home. Two blowouts back to back is enough to kill ya.”

  Sam nodded his agreement and took a swig of the cold beer. He handed it to Kelly, who took a sip. “Another two days and we ought to be ready to fly out, Colly. Hang in there, buddy.”

  “Two days?” Kelly asked, a hopeful note in her voice.

  “Yep,” Coots said, rising. “Now that we got all the debris off the deck, we’re placing the explosives over the fire tomorrow. The platform was a mangled mess when we arrived.”

  Sam rose, pulling Kelly with him. “Enough shoptalk. You guys excuse me while I take my best girl for a walk.”

  The evening air was damp with the smell of the jungle mixed with the tangy salt air from the Caribbean. The stars were coming out, glittering like cut crystals in the black heavens above them. Kelly was content to lay her head on his shoulder as they walked slowly down a well-trodden path toward the shore.

  “Your girl, huh?”

  “Yup. You got any objections?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”

  Sam raised one eyebrow and stopped, resting his arms on her shoulders as she faced him. The shadows moved across his craggy face, the lantern light defining his strong, sensual mouth and jawline. “You’re mighty spirited tonight, Kelly Blanchard. I’ve been trying to piece together why you came down here.”

  Her heart took a leap. “I won’t play games with you, Sam.” She swallowed hard, forcing the words out, afraid of the consequences. “I was lonely in Houston by myself.”

  He tilted his head. “The prettiest woman in Houston lonely? Come on. How many single millionaires have come to your door since you got back from the Sahara?”

  “I turned them all down.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes.” Her green eyes became more serious as she met his stare.<
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  “Why did you come down here?” he repeated, running his callused hands lightly over her back.

  “You know why.”

  Sam feigned innocence. “Was it to see if Blanchard Pipe was standing up to the rigors of the job?”

  Kelly clenched her teeth. “You haven’t changed one bit, Sam Tyler! And get that self-satisfied look off your face! Oh!” She spun on her heel, walking at a fast pace back toward the camp.

  Sam’s laughter was soft, disturbing. In an instant, he had captured her arm and swung her around. “And you haven’t changed one iota either. Now come here and quit fighting me.”

  Kelly struggled as he placed both arms around her, drawing her against the hard planes of his body. His blue eyes were alive with laughter as he watched her settle down. “That’s better,” he praised, kissing her flaming red hair. “I can see that two months without me around hasn’t improved your mood any. I wonder why that is?” he whispered. He kissed her earlobe and then her temple. “I’ve missed you,” he growled softly.

  “Sam,” she protested weakly, “I didn’t come down here just to…”

  “No man in his right mind would think of you as just a bedwarmer,” he murmured.

  Kelly wanted to erase that maddening smile that lingered on his wonderful mouth. Her intuition told her Sam knew why she had flown down here and it galled her to think he wasn’t taking her seriously. Weakly, she placed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away.

  “Sam, quit making this tougher than it already is!”

  He sobered. “I’m sorry, Kelly.” He offered her a slight smile and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I know why you came down,” he provided softly.

  Kelly gave him a startled glance. “You do?” Her voice sounded high, off-key.

  “My postcard.”

  She blinked. “Postcard?” she echoed.

  “Yes, the postcard.”

  She blinked once. “I—”

  “I sighed it ‘love.’ Remember?”

  “Oh…of course…”

  He placed his hand beneath her chin. “Come on, we’ve got to talk.”

  She followed him wordlessly down the narrow path until it widened onto a small stretch of beach. As they sat down, Kelly suddenly felt very afraid. She had been such a fool to come down here!

  “I’m glad you came,” Sam said, holding her hands.

  “Now I’m not so sure,” she muttered, unable to meet his gaze.

  “What’s the matter, getting cold feet?” he baited gently.

  Kelly grimaced. “I’ve made a complete fool out of myself…”

  “I don’t think so.” His grip was warm and strong. “Matter of fact, I admire your courage, Kelly. I want to know that the woman I marry isn’t afraid of life. I want her to be brave and adventurous, with a dash of recklessness thrown in just for spice.”

  “You do…?”

  He nodded. “I made a promise to myself after my first marriage, Kelly. I made a mistake in marrying a woman who saw me as her sole emotional support. And after the divorce, I knew I needed just the opposite. I need a woman who is in charge of herself. Who is strong like me. That way, when I have a weak moment, I can lean on her. I’m not always strong. And I don’t expect my wife to always be either. What about you? What do you expect of the man you want to marry?”

  She lowered her gaze. “I…I learned from Todd that I didn’t need a man who was going to try to destroy me.” She frowned, the words coming slowly. “I want a man who will love me for exactly what I am instead of what I’m not. Does that make sense?”

  “Perfect sense. What took you so long to get down here, Kelly Blanchard?”

  Kelly gave him a startled look. “What?”

  Sam forced himself to remain serious. “I expected you to come down here sooner and propose to me.”

  Her lips parted, her eyes widened in shock. “Why…you…” She jerked her hands out of his and scrambled to her feet. “You’re such a—”

  Sam was on his feet as quickly as a cat. Before she could say another word he growled, “Marry me.”

  “What—”

  “I said, marry me,” Sam reiterated.

  Her anger abated as she stared up at him. “You meant to ask me all along, Sam Tyler!” she accused.

  His smile widened. “Yes, I did.”

  “You’re impossible!” she protested.

  “And I love you,” he murmured near her ear. “Do you love me enough to be known as Kelly Blanchard Tyler?”

  Her emerald eyes sparkled. “At least you were wise enough to leave the Blanchard in. It proves you’re not a total male chauvinist, Sam Tyler. And it also shows your sensitivity.”

  He nodded. “Guilty on all counts.” He imprisoned her face between his hands. “Now,” he breathed, “will you be my wife, my best friend and my lover for the rest of our lives?”

  Tears welled in her eyes and she touched his cheek.

  “Yes…yes, I will. Oh, Sam! I love you so much!” she exclaimed, throwing herself against him.

  * * *

  It was as if they were back on the Rub al Khali Desert when it came to sleeping arrangements. The porta-camp had been set up just inside the jungle treeline to afford some protection from the blazing tropic sun during the day. Sam kept his arm around her waist as they walked silently back toward the camp.

  “There’s even less room to sleep in the shack this time,” Sam warned.

  “I’m getting used to this kind of lifestyle, Sam Tyler.”

  He managed a wry grin. “As much as I want to make love to you, it’s out of the question.”

  Kelly looked up at his shadowed face. “I know. And it’s all right. I’m not marrying you just because you make wonderful love with me.”

  His hand tightened around her momentarily. “You aren’t so bad yourself, my redheaded witch,” he said huskily, dropping a kiss on her hair. “We’ve got one cot left. Let me rearrange things and I’ll put you in the room we use for storing our supplies.”

  The exhausted men were already sleeping, so Kelly made sure she moved silently through the sleeping quarters. Sam set up the cot, found a lightweight blanket and turned off the light. He came over and pulled Kelly back into his arms.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  She made a small, throaty sound as she sought his mouth. The kiss was gentle and exploring. Hungrily, Kelly drank of his strength, pressing her lips more firmly to his mouth. She felt Sam tremble, felt his arms tighten around her in powerful reaction. Her heartbeat rose as his tongue masterfully invaded her with delectable ease. Her breasts grew taught, the nipples hardening against the material of her coveralls.

  Slowly, Sam pulled her away from him. She was quivering, her eyes burning with an unquenchable desire. He took a deep breath.

  “Get some sleep,” he said thickly.

  Kelly grimaced. “That’s a laugh,” she whispered breathlessly.

  Amusement lingered in his eyes. “For both of us,” Sam agreed. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, honey. Dream of us.”

  * * *

  Kelly awoke at dawn when Coots and the team began moving around. She dressed quickly and met them out in the makeshift kitchen. The smell of freshly perked coffee filled the cramped space and it smelled like heaven to her. Coots offered her a dented aluminum mug.

  She took a chair and sat at Coots’s elbow. “What will you do today?”

  “We’re gonna put the explosives in a fifty-gallon drum and wrap it in a fire retardant material. Then we’ll get a crane positioned on the lip of the platform to place the explosives in the fire. Tomorrow we’ll actually place the drum in the fire and detonate it.” Frowning, Coots took another swallow of coffee. “The explosion will deprive the fire of oxygen long enough for it to extinguish itself.”

  Colly rubbed his lean, Texan face wearily. “Providing those damn winds don’t change on us again.”

  Kelly looked at the mechanic. “What will happen if they do?”

  Colly drew out
a pencil and drew a quick sketch on a piece of paper. “We got five water monitors set up on three barges anchored around the platform. Every time the wind changes direction or blows too hard the barges are torn from their positions and then we have to reposition them on the leeward side of the platform and set everything back up again.” He tapped the scribbled drawing. “It’s critical that we have enough water pouring on that fire when we use the explosives. The metal on that pipe at the core of the blowout is superheated. The explosion will momentarily deprive the fire of oxygen and it’ll extinguish itself. But it can reignite seconds after that if the water isn’t there to keep the metal pipe cool enough to prevent it from firing up again.”

  Sam wandered in and glanced over at the table. “Those winds will remain the same, Colly,” he said, reaching for a cup and pouring himself coffee.

  Colly gave him a questioning look. “Oh yeah? Did the good fairy tell you that last night?”

  Sam sat opposite Kelly and gave her a warm look. She looked absolutely ravishing this morning, he thought. Her red hair was slightly curled from the humidity and her eyes sparkled. He wanted to lose himself in them. Colly was still staring at him and Sam roused himself from those pleasant thoughts to answer his question.

  “No. Our luck’s changed,” he said. “We’ve got our Irish luck now. We won’t have to move those barges around as we’ve been having to do every third day or so.”

  Colly grinned over at Kelly. “You realize Sam’s making you the scapegoat in all this?”

  Kelly tore her gaze from Sam’s face. Despite his exhaustion he looked incredibly virile and masculine. There was a flame of happiness glimmering in the depths of his azure eyes. She was responsible for that joy and Kelly felt an undeniable thrill. A smile crossed her lips. “There’s only one thing better than Texas luck, Colly, and that’s Irish luck. Didn’t everything go smoothly over in Saudi Arabia when I was there?”

  Colly grinned. “Oh sure. You got kidnapped and almost raped. And then we didn’t think you were going to pull through for a couple days in the hospital.”