“Alex. This is the man who taught me most of what I know. This is Everett Covington. Ev, meet Alexandria Payne.”
Covington extended his hand to her, and when they shook it was like the mountain meeting Mohammed. Before her stood the man who previously had been unavailable to APM Corporation. The business world knew him as James, but it appeared his cronies knew him as Everett. This was Jackson’s mentor. If only she’d put two and two together sooner, she would have been a good deal more interested in what went on between Everett and Jackson. She was going to enjoy telling Paul facts that his “extensive” research missed.
“Pleasure to meet you, young lady. I hear you’re puttin’ Jackson here through his paces.”
“Nice to meet you too, Everett,” she said, sharpening her claws. “I’m guessing from your delightful drawl that you’re from Texas?”
“Can’t hide nothin’ from a smart woman,” he grinned. “You’d better keep your eye on this one, sonny.”
Alexandria wanted to continue the conversation, but her class was called and Jackson reminded her to go get ready.
“I’m gonna buy you two dinner after this pea shoot is over, so go give it your best and we’ll watch.”
Another stroke of luck. A friendly dinner was perfect to get to know the old codger, whom she judged to be considerably less formidable than Paul had led her to believe. He had a friendly face and a seemingly jovial nature, but the war wasn’t won yet. She still had a lot of work to do, the least of which was her turn in the cutting pen.
By the time her name was called, Alexandria was refreshed and focused. She rode through the gate like a crusader riding into battle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jackson and Everett. How ironic that the two men with whom she had been consumed sat side by side in the bleachers, both waiting for her to ride, both wishing her success, and both unaware of how each played into her plan.
Jackson smiled and nodded, offering a special kind of moral support only he could give. Alexandria rode into the pen with renewed confidence. She felt strong and bold. Thousands of things that Jackson had told her in the course of lessons ran through her mind one by one at warp speed. Almost on automatic, Hattie slowly made her way into the herd and began the sort. Alexandria tried to remember everything about a cow, the way it held its head, the way it moved among the others, the way the eye looked as it was cut off from the rest. Finally she had one separated from the herd and Hattie settled into her job.
If it hadn’t been for the experience of the mare, Alexandria might still be standing, looking at the herd. The mare made her look good and she knew it. A thousand pounds of horse moved like a five-pound cat under her, and it was exhilarating. Each and every move felt as if her soul took flight.
Suddenly Alex wondered how long she’d spent on that one cow. She waited carefully until the right moment and then pulled Hattie off. She’d been lost in the thrill, but now she realized she had to wake up and help the horse.
Her second sort was for a brindle-colored cow that hid its head among the others. Hattie made the separation without flaw, and then as she began to work, Alexandria fell out of time. Just stay in the middle of the horse, she reminded herself, but no matter what she did, it never felt as good as the first work; she couldn’t get with the flow.
After a few seconds working the brindle cow, she realized it was pretty high-headed and wild. Hattie was doing a good job of keeping up, but the cow was quick and hard to predict. About thirty seconds had passed when the horn blew and time was up.
She raised her hand, reined Hattie in, and rode out past Trisha, who flashed an insincere smile and congratulations. Alexandria was shaking as she rode toward the trailer, but she couldn’t hide the smile that broke out all over her face. She hadn’t fallen off. She hadn’t lost the cow. Life was great. She felt like shouting; she felt like dancing. It was better than closing a big deal.
At the trailer, she dismounted and hugged Hattie’s neck. Hattie nuzzled her back, and as Alexandria stroked her soft cheek, it hit her how attached to the mare and to this cutter’s life she’d grown.
Jackson walked up and saw Alex, not Alexandria. Ever since Paul’s visit, he’d told himself that Alexandria was sleeping in his bed, sharing his meals, unavailable, unapproachable, and untouchable. He’d resigned himself to deal with Alexandria, but right now, seeing Alex cuddled up to Hattie, smiling and fresh from a good ride, he wasn’t sure he could separate the two.
“Congratulations.”
She spun around, still smiling. “I was more nervous than I thought, Jackson, but I made it.” She ran her fingers through Hattie’s glossy mane. “Of course, it was all Hattie. I—”
“Did you stay long enough to hear your score?”
She looked up, stricken. “No. I forgot. Did you hear it?”
“I certainly did.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his toes and heels like a little boy.
“Well?” she asked, now impatient. “What did we score?”
“Seventy-four. You probably have the class won.”
“Oh, Jackson!” She leaped into his arms and wrapped herself around him. “Thank you. I can’t believe it. Things just kept running through my mind and I wasn’t sure of anything except that Hattie would take care of me.”
Her body fit his perfectly, and when his arms wrapped around her, he closed his eyes and imagined her as his. He’d been prepared to teach, to tell her that she’d spent way too much time with the first cow and to warn her about picking the pistol out of the herd, but now that seemed the farthest thing from his mind. “I knew you’d do well, Alex,” he said softly as he memorized the feel and smell of her.
“A seventy-four! I can’t believe it!” she squealed as she pushed away. “That’s pretty good, isn’t it?”
A nod and a smile were his only answer. Her success at her first show was something to celebrate, but it also was another step toward her leaving.
“That land lizard!”
Jackson and Alex turned to find Everett walking their way. “Lizard?” Alexandria asked, suddenly cautious and looking around.
“A Brahma crossbred, like that brindle second cow. But never mind all that. Good job, young lady. Put up your horse and let’s get to dinner. I’m so hungry I could eat a folded tarp.”
Throughout dinner and over the next two days, Alexandria had the feeling that Everett was watching her like a hawk. Brushing a horse or warming up, or once even when she was reading—times when she thought she was alone—she’d turn or look up and find him watching from afar. Sometimes he’d acknowledge her when their eyes met; sometimes he’d pretend he hadn’t seen her.
Alexandria had the urge to question him, but what would she say? Are you watching me? Why are you looking at me? Everything sounded pretty self-centered and any answer he might give was bound to be innocent and harmless.
Each time she spoke to Paul, she mentioned Covington’s interest, and he assured her that it was only a man’s interest in a beautiful woman that made Covington watch her. Alexandria was not convinced, but had nothing solid to go on.
“I’m sure there is some real connection between Covington and Jackson, I’m just not able to put my finger on it. They talk like they’ve known each other for years.”
“My check on Jackson gives his father’s and mother’s names, and neither of them had living relatives. My guess is that they are just cutting horse chums and that you worry too much.”
Alexandria heard his impatience over the phone and bristled. “I worry because you guess too much and guessing isn’t good enough to make COMJET a reality. I don’t want to be caught unaware as we both were in the beginning.”
“You’re getting more snippy every time I speak with you, Alexandria. I do believe country life doesn’t agree with you.”
But country life did agree with her. There were parts of her that had never been happier, working with real things, dealing with concrete problems like which way the cow was going and…she stopped herself
before finishing. And being with Jackson.
“Alexandria. Yoohoo, Alexandria!”
“What?”
“I said it’s a pure stroke of luck that Covington is right there in your ever-so-capable hands. Have you been able to draw him into your confidence?”
“Weren’t you listening, Paul? I don’t think Covington is a man who can be led by the nose. I don’t want to tip our hand too soon…”
The day before Everett left, he found her sitting on a stool in the tack room cleaning Hattie’s bridle. At first she thought he would pass her by as usual, but surprisingly, he stopped to talk.
“Gotcha hard at work, huh, little lady?” He leaned against the doorjamb, running his fingers into the tight Wrangler pockets that hugged his slender hips. The morning sun behind him sent hot rays into the tack room and silhouetted him like the financial god he was. “Clean tack says something about a person.”
She tilted her head and smiled as she looked toward him. “And what does it say about me?”
He crossed his arms and raised one brow. “Maybe a lot, maybe a little.”
Chuckling to herself at the vague response, she replied, “You mean a lot if you can read my mind, a little if you can’t.”
“You’re a sharp lady. I would like to know what’s inside your head, but I’m afraid I might not like what I hear.”
She stopped.
She laid the heavy leather reins in her lap and looked directly at Everett. “Why don’t you ask and maybe you’ll like what I have to say.”
Eyes narrowed, he stood tall, not moving a muscle; she could see him thinking, plotting his strategy, and instantly knew she might have made the fatal mistake of underestimating the quiet Texan. He reminded her of Wyatt Earp at the OK Corral, cunning, ready for battle.
Finally he uncrossed his arms and moved deliberately into the tack room, fingering several expensive silver bits as he strolled to the other side of the cramped room. He turned to face her. “You know, Jackson was only a boy when I first met him.”
Finally she was going to find out what that special connection was between Jackson and Everett. Like a skilled bargainer, Alex sat quietly and let him talk.
“He was in a juvenile detention home and felt like the whole world had spit on him. I needed ranch help and he was one of the oldest, and the only one who looked like he might handle a manure fork, so he came to live with me.”
Alexandria leaned back, intrigued. “So you taught him how to ride a horse?”
Everett smiled, then continued. “Nope. He already knew how to ride. All I had to do was steer him in the right direction.” He stared into the past as he spoke and his face softened in love. “He was a pistol, all right. He was hungry to be the best and there wasn’t a blade of grass gonna grow under his feet.”
He looked to her, and to disguise her interest, she immediately picked up the rein and rubbed saddle soap into the fine leather. “He’s still the same. If there’s a minute of spare time, he has a book to read, a video to watch, or,” she held up the reins, “odd jobs to do.”
Everett said nothing until she finally looked back to him. “I’ve never seen him smile so much.”
Alexandria was caught in Everett’s tough-as-nails gaze. “I wouldn’t know,” she said, suddenly wary.
“He’s always been solid as a rock.” He shifted position, his hand dropping to a saddle on the rack and his back to her. “If he ever falls for some gal, he’s gonna fall hard.”
Alexandria felt as if she’d been hit by an avalanche. She was sure Everett said something else before he left, but couldn’t remember what. The only thing she remembered was the way her heart beat in her throat and the way “he’s gonna fall hard” was burned into her soul.
The rules of the game had changed. Things had become complicated, and she was having trouble sorting fact from fiction. Illogically, the only thing she was sure of was the way she felt when Jackson kissed her. Fire raged inside her, and nothing she said or did seemed able to douse the intense sense of excitement when she recalled how it felt to be branded by his touch.
Suddenly she was on shaky ground. The footing was bad and the cow was wild. Her mind was out of control and Jackson Morgan was the reason.
Everett Covington left for Texas as suddenly as he’d come. Alexandria angrily relayed what she’d found out about Jackson and Covington to Paul, who was overjoyed with the prospect of a deeper, more reliable connection for Alexandria to follow. She argued that Paul’s failure to expose the real connection between the two cowboys increased the danger of the deal blowing up in their faces. After she hung up, she quizzed herself. Was it the deal that worried her most or the fact that Jackson would consider any move on the man he called father a betrayal?
Paul called her Sunday morning at Rancho Murieta and again at noon, when Jackson’s final cut was about to begin. Each time he became more insistent that she take quick advantage of her strategically perfect position. Each time he insisted she became less willing and more resentful of his persistence.
“I’ll do this in my own time,” she said impatiently.
“Alexandria. You’re getting soft. I can’t believe you, the Wall Street barracuda, is sitting on this opportunity.”
“And you aren’t here. You don’t know what’s happening. This is not Wall Street where people can be bullied. You tried and got nowhere with Covington. Now leave me to handle this.” Alexandria hung up feeling like a trained bear, under pressure to perform.
Jackson’s performance was flawless, however; the entire weekend, he’d been supportive, friendly, and wonderful. But he’d kept everything on a purely business-as-usual basis, and Alexandria had finally accepted that she wanted more. She wanted more long, passionate kisses that built toward an explosion of the senses, and she wanted romance. She wanted the fairy tale. She wanted to see how Jackson would wake her in the morning. Would he kiss her awake or would he touch and tease her awake?
Yes, the rules had changed.
CHAPTER 6
The day after their triumphant return from Rancho Murieta Paul came to the ranch. He arrived just before lunch as Alexandria and Jackson were putting up horses for the morning.
The indoor arena and barn were beginning to heat up and Alexandria had worked hard enough to be looking forward to relaxing at lunch with Jackson. She had pulled the saddle from her horse and put it away in the tack room while Jackson went to the wash rack to rinse the sweat from his horses. She had heard Jackson speaking to someone other than Juan, but when Paul appeared, dressed impeccably as usual, she was caught off guard.
“Hello, darling.” He stared intently at her as he stepped forward and politely kissed her cheek. “I checked with Jackson and he says you’re free for the rest of the day. I thought we’d go to the Slocum House for a leisurely lunch.”
“Um, I thought, well…” Her brows knit in question. “Are you sure Jackson said he had nothing for me to do later?” After being away there were lots of things they needed to catch up on, and she would much rather eat in the neat mobile home at the top of the hill with Jackson than finish her chores. That wouldn’t work now that Paul had shown up.
“He said something about a horse, but I told him how lonely I’ve been without you; he agreed that we needed time together.”
“Oh.” She nodded slowly, reading between the lines and not liking it.
Suddenly Jackson appeared, as if he’d been waiting around the corner until Paul had outlined his plans. He had two glistening, wet horses in hand and spoke as he led them toward the hot walker. “You know, Alex—”
The use of her nickname was a firm reminder of where she was and where she wanted to be.
“I forgot all about having to go to Sacramento early tomorrow, and I’m sure it’ll take a while, so why don’t you just take a day off? We’ll get started again Wednesday.”
“But, I thought—”
Paul wrapped a supportive arm around her. “Now, darling, you have been working much too hard. You’re brown as a
coffee bean, which tells me how much time you’ve spent in the damaging sun.” He looked from her to Jackson. “And Jackson agrees you need a break.”
Alexandria met Jackson’s steely gaze and winced when she heard him say, “Go ahead. I understand.” His voice was slow and seductive. “If I was in love with a woman, I wouldn’t want to be apart as long as you have. See you Wednesday.”
I understand. Again. She watched him walk back out into the sun toward the hot walker. The afternoon promised one hundred-degree weather, but the chill was obvious.
“Good.” Paul smoothed the front of his suit as he faced her. “I’m going to whisk you away from this hot, desolate dust bowl and treat you to not only lunch, but to a very expensive dinner, and I’m going to lavish excessive gifts and treats upon you.”
Alexandria just stood and looked at Paul. When had she lost control of the situation and at what point had she become unsure of what she really wanted? Alexandria reached for the lead rope. “But first, I have to finish with my horse.” One after another she conjured up tasks necessary to finish before she left. Finally, taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at Paul, standing ramrod stiff, impatient as he waited for her.
Things had changed. It was obvious that she and Paul needed to talk. Perhaps this afternoon was the perfect opportunity. It was simple. Seize the moment. Put Paul in his place and let him know that he’d already taken too many liberties and assumed too much in a relationship that she had controlled very nicely prior to James Everett Covington and Jackson.
“I’ll wash up and change at the house,” she said as she started up the driveway. “I’ll only be a minute. You can come if you like.”
“I have a few calls to make; I’ll wait for you in the car.”
Alexandria hurried once she found Jackson was very conveniently nowhere to be seen, and within ten minutes she emerged in shorts and got in the black BMW.
The air conditioner was running; the cool air hit her and sent a shiver through her body as she settled in and fastened her seat belt. Paul was on his cell phone and shifted into reverse as he spoke. “We’re on our way now. Have everything ready when we arrive.”
Hot Quit Page 8