“I only want what's best for you and your family. I'm not trying to get rich. I'm just trying to make this ranch the best it can be. Isn't that all any of us wants?”
Lyric swallowed hard. “That's what I want. I just thought…”
“I've been watching Azer and Riskin for months. They don't understand what to do or how to do it. I'm sure Azer did the best he could to take over after your father quit, but he doesn't have a plan and he lacks the vision to make this ranch thrive. He's too wrapped up in the status quo and he won't take risks to make solid improvements. Take a look at those cows out there. That's the ranch's future walking around in that corral, and he would have sent them to the slaughterhouse. He let them go way too cheap, and now they're mine. I'm the only one who can take this ranch where it needs to go if you want to stay in business for the next hundred years or so.”
Lyric couldn't stop her heart racing. What could she say to this man? She couldn't think of one decent answer to any of his arguments. He had her cornered. He had the ranch cornered. “And where does that leave me?”
“You?”
“I'm marrying Riskin. If you take over, that will leave Azer and Riskin out in the cold. Our whole plan for the future depends on me marrying him. You want to replace that plan with your own.”
“Then don't marry him. It's that simple.”
Lyric winced. Every word out of his mouth struck to her heart. Every glance of his eyes made her quake in her shoes. Who was he? What this man might be capable of, she could only guess.
She opened her mouth to say something—anything—but he cut her off. His voice caressed her as never befor,. “You're not happy with Riskin. Anybody can see that. You think you're doing the ranch some kind of favor by selling yourself to him. It's not true. This ranch belongs to you. By short-changing the ranch, Azer and Riskin are short-changing you. You deserve so much better than either of them can give you. You deserve someone to make you happy.”
“Someone? Someone like you, you mean?”
He shrugged, but he didn't turn away. “I didn't say that. You're very attractive and everything, but I wouldn't presume to introduce myself to your affections. If you want to marry Riskin, go right ahead. I won't do anything to interfere with that.”
“You are interfering with it. You're interfering with it by building this pedigree.”
“How do you figure?”
“I can't turn my back on Riskin.” Lyric heard her voice rising to a shriek.
“Would you really marry a man who treated you the way he did yesterday? You're not the person I thought you were if you do marry him.”
She threw up her hands. “I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think anymore. Nothing is what I thought it was.”
He put out his hand. “Come over here and sit down. You're getting too wound up. Sit down until you catch your breath.”
She started away from his hands. “Don't touch me!”
He drew back. “I didn't mean to offend you. I only want to help you.”
“Don't come near me. You're making this so much harder than it has to be.”
“What am I doing to make it harder?”
“I can't stand being around you,” she cried. “You're driving me insane. I don't know how to talk to you or how to deal with you. I don't even know you.”
“If you can't stand being around me,” he returned, “all you have to do is walk out that door. No one is forcing you to stand here being driven insane by me. We're just talking, and you're getting hysterical. That's why you ought to sit down.”
She whirled one way and then the other. Even as the words came out of his mouth, she sensed the truth in them. How could he make her overreact like this? What did he ever do to drive her crazy like this? He didn't do anything. She did it all by herself.
He advanced on her, and when she held up her hands to ward him off, he paid no attention. He took her by the shoulders and guided her down on the hay bales. She panted and gasped in agitation, but once she sat down, she started to relax.
Mattox sat down next to her and waited. In the end, she covered her face with her hands and let out a shaky sigh. “I should go. I've got lunch to make.”
“Are you going to be okay?”
“I'll be fine. I just need to sit somewhere and think about this for a while. I never expected this. I never expected you to…” Words failed her.
“Is it because I look different?”
“It's not just that. Everything about you is different. You act different. You even talk different. You're doing exactly the opposite of everything you did yesterday. You're a completely different person.”
“I wouldn't go that far.”
“Everybody notices it. Even Azer responds differently to you now. He does what you say and follows your lead. You're in charge.”
Mattox chuckled. “I think he would disagree with that.”
“What happened to you? What made you cut your hair and change your clothes? What made you change the way you act toward everybody? What made you so...so bold and direct?”
Mattox stared at a spot on the floor. “I guess it's been building for a long time. I guess it's just something that was a part of me, and it came out yesterday.”
“Was it something to do with finding Papa and bringing him home? Was that it?”
Mattox's head shot up. He fixed his blazing eyes on her face. “Whatever it was, I can't go back on it now. This is who I am now. I won't change back into Azer and Riskin's punching bag.”
“No one expects you to. No one could respect you the way you were before. Now everyone has to respect you.”
He murmured under his breath, “Hmm. Maybe.”
She turned around to face him. “I have to go up to the house now. I just want you to know I don't hate you. I'm not trying to stop what you're doing here. I'm happy for you. I respect what you're trying to do.”
He gazed up into her face. “Thanks for saying that. I appreciate it. I couldn't do anything to hurt you or your family. I want this herd to improve the ranch, not destroy it.”
“I understand that now. Thank you for explaining it to me.”
“I meant what I said, Lyric. I'm willing to sign the whole herd over to you to prove it, as long as you own the cattle instead of Azer.”
“Why me? I'm still a Mackenzie.”
“You're the only one who understands what I'm trying to do. Azer already threw these cattle away. He won't make good use of them, but you will. I can live with putting money in your pocket.”
She blushed and looked away. “I'm nothing special. I'm just a housewife in the making.”
He shook his head. “I've seen the pictures of you roping steers. You're definitely not a housewife, and you never will be one. You could spend the rest of your life in the kitchen and raising batches of cubs. You'll always be a steer-roper to me.”
Her eyes shot to his face. “Really? Do you mean that?”
“You don't belong in the house. You belong on a horse, in the dust and the muck. Anybody can see that.”
She tried to smile, but her mouth twisted in a mask of anguish. “Don't say that.”
“I don't know how you can stand it. I wish I had you helping me with this herd. You're the only person on this ranch with the know-how to make it as good as it could be. I wouldn't trust those cows to anybody else.”
Her hand flew to her mouth, but her eyes brightened for the first time. “Could I really help you? You don't know what it's like, working in the house with no end in sight. Sometimes I think I'd rather die than spend another day inside.”
“You can come out here and help me anytime you want to. I'm always happy to see you.”
“You don't act happy. You act like you don't want me around.”
“That's 'cuz I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to get in the way of you and Riskin.”
Lyric waved Riskin away with her hand. “You don't have to worry about that. Riskin gets in the way of me and Riskin.”
“I want to
know everything you have to say about these cows. If you decide we should do something with them, you tell me and we'll do it. You think of them as your cows. That's the way I'm thinking of them.” She turned away to hide her quivering lower lip, but he still saw. He covered her knee with his hand. “Hey, hey. Shh-shh. Don't worry about it. It's gonna be all right.”
Her voice cracked with emotion. “You don't know what it means to have something like this to look forward to. You don't know what it means to be involved in running the ranch again. I thought I would never get another chance.”
“You never should have given it up. You belong out here.”
She peered into his eyes for any sign of hope. “You won't forget, will you? You won't change your mind tomorrow?”
“I won't change my mind. I've been watching you for a long time, only I didn't want to say anything.”
His hand sent tendrils of warmth into her knee. She couldn't drag her eyes away from his face. Her eyes traced a line between his eyes and his mouth. That overwhelming force hauled her toward him, no matter how hard she tried to resist it. He met her gaze with his direct eyes. He didn't try to turn away.
Lyric shifted on her bale. “I better go. It'll be lunchtime soon.”
“Let the guys get their own lunch. The only person around here who should have his meals made for him is your father.”
She started to laugh, but she caught herself and stifled it. She stood up. “Thanks for talking to me. You really helped me.”
He got up, too. His hand trailed off her knee and left her cold. “Anytime.”
She smiled up at him. “You're a good man, Mattox Farrell. I didn't realize it until yesterday. I just want you to know I realize it now.”
“I'm just me. That's all.”
She stood up straighter. “Melody was right, you know. You're incredibly good-looking, now that you cut your hair and beard and got rid of that jacket.”
Mattox's cheeks flushed. “You're not too bad yourself.”
“Whoever your life's mate is, she's a lucky girl. I hope I can find someone like you someday. There must be someone on Bruins' Peak for me. There must be someone on Bruins' Peak for all of us.”
“Lyric…” he began.
She put out her hand to him. “Don't say it. When you finish here, you'll move off. You'll find your mate and get married, and you won't stay around this ranch anymore. You'll build your own herd and make your pile, and I'll never see you again.”
“You don't want someone like me, Lyric. I'm too…”
She waited for him to finish. “Too what?”
“I don't know. Just don't talk about finding somebody. I don't want to think about that when I'm talking to you.”
She stiffened. “I guess I blew it with you before, when I said mean things to you. I understand.”
“It's not that. You're the one marrying Riskin. Why do you want to talk about never seeing me again? You don't care about me sticking around here.”
“I do care.”
“Then what are you doing marrying him?”
“I'm not marrying Riskin. I can't stand him.”
Mattox's eyes widened. “You're not?”
“No.”
“Oh.” He blinked.
She put out her hand again to squeeze his. “I better go. I'll see you later.”
He smiled. “Sure.”
She stepped back, but he caught her hand and wouldn't let it go. She tugged, but no hard enough to break free. His eyes blazed with inner fire. He squeezed her fingers.
She returned the pressure of his squeeze. “See you later.”
He nodded, but didn't say anything. He let go of her hand, but she caught him again. Their fingers wound together, and sparks danced back and forth between their skins. Blood rushed to Lyric's cheeks. She wanted to run for it, but she couldn't back out that door.
He nodded again. “You come back anytime. You're always welcome.”
“Thanks.”
Some magnetic pull pinned her to the spot. Why did he seem to inch toward her, even when he didn't move? He loomed large before her eyes. His massive shoulders blocked out her whole view. He occupied her very thoughts.
His voice murmured in her ear. “Lyric, I....”
She gasped for breath. “Yes?”
He tried to take back his hand, but their fingers married together into one seamless flesh. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. She studied his lips. The red blood throbbed under the skin. His saliva glistened between his teeth. What did that mouth taste like? Would she ever find out?
Before she knew what happened, he stood right in front of her. She stared up into his smoldering face. Nothing could stop her falling into his power. His breath blew Bruin scent into her nostrils. His seething presence exploded through her being. She couldn't pull away.
His nose touched hers. Her lips tingled with electric excitement. Her fingers tightened on his hand. Her mouth watered in anticipation.
He teetered on his heels. He barely spoke above a whisper, “Lyric...”
Her lips parted. He was right there, in front of her. His bulk overpowered her with an attraction impossible to resist. His lips brushed her mouth, and fireworks exploded through her mind.
“Lyric…”
She didn't hear. She leaned one inch forward, and her lips collapsed against his. Searing warmth shot through her. Her whole soul screamed for this.
All of a sudden, he pulled back with a jolt. He fought for breath. “We can't. We can't do this.”
She stared at his mouth. Had she really just kissed him? Had he really filled her life with this intoxicating excitement? She never experienced this thrill for life before. She couldn't turn her back on it now.
“Mattox…”
He moved back another inch. “We can't do this. You belong to Riskin. If he found out…”
She leapt up and planted her lips on his mouth. She devoured him with all her passionate intensity. “Don't say it. Don't talk about Riskin.”
He hesitated for a fraction of an instant. The next moment, his arms crushed her against his giant chest. Her breasts came to rest against his massive muscles. Every cell ached to touch him, to press against him. His hands closed wide and warm around her back to draw her in.
Their lips locked in a cosmic kiss. That kiss lingered on and on. It grew deeper and wider and more delicious. Lyric couldn't stop her mouth opening to taste that irresistible tongue. The pungent Bruin taste titillated her senses and set her mind on fire.
His muscles undulated under her. His hands stroked up and down her back, up to her neck and down to her waist. Those hands awoke all kinds of fantastic dreams in her head. She wanted this. She wanted this more than anything.
She threw her arms around his neck and gave herself over to the passion sweeping through her when a thunderous voice rocked the barn. Lyric jumped out of her skin. She whirled around and came face to face with Riskin standing in the door. He glared at Lyric still hovering in Mattox's arms. “What in the name of God is going on here?”
She stared at Riskin in horror. Then she tore herself out of Mattox's embrace and ran from the room.
Chapter 11
Riskin stepped into the tack room. His hands balled into fists, and his shoulders swelled to twice their normal size. He glared at Mattox with bared teeth. “Just what do you think you're doing?”
Mattox swept his eyes down to Riskin's boots and back up to his face. “I'm not doing anything.” He pushed past Riskin and headed out of the room.
Riskin grabbed him by the arm. He yanked Mattox around to face him. “You're horning in on my fiancée there, man. That's a one-way ticket to trouble.”
Mattox jerked his arm free. “If someone's got a one-way ticket to trouble, it's you, not me.”
Mattox tried to walk away again, but Riskin jumped into his path. “Stop right there. You've been doing a lot of strange things lately, but this one takes the cake. You bought all these cows and a bull. You're building your own herd. You're trying t
o take over the ranch, and now you're trying to steal Lyric. Admit it, and I might let you off with a severe pounding. I won't try to rip your head off right here and now.”
Mattox drew himself up to his full height. When he puffed out his chest, he dwarfed Riskin by a mile. “I would love to see you try.”
Riskin crunched up his face in a hideous mask of deadly hatred. He hauled back his fist and let it fly toward Mattox's face. Mattox never twitched a whisker. He stood still, and Riskin's fist slammed into Mattox's open palm. His fingers closed around Riskin's fist and crushed it to a pulp.
Riskin fought to free his hand, but Mattox held it firm. He kept it locked in his grasp in mid-air between his face and Riskin's shoulder. He measured Riskin with easy calm. “You're right, Riskin. I'm glad you came in when you did, because I've been wondering how to break the sad news to you. You'll never marry Lyric, and you'll never get a controlling share in this ranch.”
Riskin's eyes widened. No matter how hard he tugged, he couldn't wrench his fist out of Mattox's hand. “What are you talking about?”
“Lyric doesn't love you. Whatever you were to each other before is over and done with now. You were never true mates. She knows it now, and she'll never marry you. She told me herself. That means you'll never inherit a share in the ranch. You might be Azer's friend, but you'll never be anything more than a grunt ranch hand, just like the rest of us.”
Riskin gave his arm one mighty yank. At that moment, Mattox released his hand. Riskin overcompensated and staggered back in a flurry to regain his balance. He came bouncing back with both fists flying. He bellowed in Mattox’s face. “You traitor! I'll kill you for this. Do you think you can barge in here and snatch anything you want? I'll make you pay. I challenge you, bear to bear and man to man. I challenge you, and the winner take all.”
Mattox stuck his arm out straight. Riskin slammed his chest into Mattox's hand and bounced off. “Cool your jets, Riskin. We still have to work together. This ranch still needs three men to make it work, and we've got the round-up coming next month. The ranch can't afford to lose either of us right now. No one is challenging anyone.”
Bruins' Peak Bears Box Set (Volume I) Page 62