Her forehead bunched. “Why would they think that?”
He set his beer back on the table and met her gaze straight on. Hell, she’d find out sooner or later.
“Because I was first in line to inherit the ranch, that is, until he changed his mind and deeded it to you.”
Three
Nina opened her mouth then snapped it shut. Lance would’ve inherited the ranch if not for her? Lord, he must have wanted to kill her grandfather when he’d deeded the place to her.
Since she’d first laid eyes on Lance, she’d been thinking about jumping his bones. Had he been thinking about burying hers?
She drew in a deep breath.
What if Lance had known her grandfather had changed his mind about leaving him the place? Then killed him, not knowing her grandfather had already signed the ranch over?
She realized the direction of her thoughts and mentally shook her head. Who did she think she was? Nancy Drew?
No, she wouldn’t even go there. It was stupid. But she couldn’t stop suspicious thoughts from racing across her mind.
“Exactly—” Her voice cracked. She reached for her beer, tilted the bottle and swallowed the last drink, then tried again. “Exactly how did my grandfather die? I mean, the lawyer didn’t say. I assumed it was from old age.” She flattened out her napkin, ironing across it with the palm of her hand.
He leaned back in his chair. “No one knows exactly. You see, they never found his body. Just an empty boat floating upside down in the water. The Wrangler River swells pretty bad in the springtime from runoff waters.” He looked down at his hands. “Everyone just figured he’d drowned.”
“But wouldn’t they find a body?”
“Not if something”—he shifted in his seat—“we have wild animals in the hills…and…”
“Ah, I see,” she interrupted, not wanting any gory details. She understood perfectly what he was trying to tell her and she didn’t want to hear more.
How convenient they couldn’t do an autopsy.
What the hell was she thinking? That Lance had actually murdered her grandfather? Damn, she could feel the heat going up her face. She looked at Lance, then quickly averted her gaze.
“I didn’t kill him if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Of course I didn’t think that—pfft.” But when Nina looked at his face, she saw his doubt. Okay, so maybe she was thinking he might have hurried the old man along. Why wouldn’t she? Lance might be downright sexy, but she didn’t know the guy.
“I wouldn’t blame you for thinking like that. We don’t know each other.” He stood, taking his plate and glass to the dishwasher. “I liked Pete. He was a good man.”
“It doesn’t make any difference what I’m thinking. You and my grandfather could’ve been like father and son, for all I know. It doesn’t matter.” She cleared her throat. “But I do have to wonder why you aren’t really pissed at me because the ranch won’t be yours.”
He hesitated before speaking. “I was, but I’ve had time to adjust. When Juliet came to town and claimed your grandfather’s bar, I figured the ranch would go to you or the other sister. The fact of the matter is, it was Pete’s ranch to do with as he saw fit.”
“It was still rotten of him. After I sell the ranch, I can’t guarantee what the new owner will do. I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Who knows, this place might grow on you. You might even decide to stay.”
“I’m not the country-girl type.” But this proved to her that the Maddock side of her family were real jerks. How could her grandfather promise the ranch to Lance, then give it to her?
“Hey, don’t worry about it.”
The warmth of Lance’s smile made Nina feel a little more at ease around him. Lord, she’d been in the city way too long if she was seeing a killer around every corner. It wasn’t inconceivable that her grandfather had fallen into the swollen river and drowned. He must’ve been nearly eighty.
She placed her dishes inside the dishwasher and closed the door, then leaned against the cabinet. “What time are we leaving on your guided tour tomorrow?”
“We’d better head out before it gets too warm. Around eight?”
An uneasy silence followed his words. It was time to end their evening before she did something crazy—like lean forward, press her lips against his. A shame they couldn’t have met under different circumstances. Like her photographing him naked.
A damn shame.
“Eight is fine,” she told him. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
“Actually, I live here.”
“I’m sorry?” Surely she’d misunderstood.
“My room is just down the hall.” He motioned toward it. “Unless you’d like me to move into the bunkhouse. I’d hate to think you were”—his gaze slowly roamed over her, then touched back on her face—“nervous about having me in the same house.”
It took a second or two for his words to sink into her brain. First, she had to get past the stirrings he’d created when his gaze had slid down her body. When his words got past her muddled brain, she frowned. What exactly did he mean by that? Her, nervous of him? “I’ve lived in California most of my life. Believe me, you don’t make me nervous.”
“I don’t?”
He stepped nearer, his hand going to the back of her neck and pulling her closer. Resist! He was about to kiss her only to prove a point.
But the heat of his mouth was so damn consuming. She didn’t want to resist, and when his lips touched hers, she automatically opened her mouth. Little earthquakes erupted inside her body as he teased with his tongue. She pressed closer to the heat, wanting more…needing more.
All too soon, he pulled away. For a moment she thought she saw surprise on his face, but he quickly masked his expression with a cocky grin, and she was left wondering what exactly she’d seen.
“I don’t make you nervous?” he asked again.
She tilted her chin. “Not at all.”
His expression said he thought she was lying. “Good night, California girl.” He sauntered out of the kitchen and down the hall.
She should say something. After all, he’d kissed her. She usually had a smart-ass remark for everything. A few minutes later, she heard the sound of a door closing and it was too late. Not that anything had come to mind except how the warmth of his kiss had left his brand on her.
She realized she was gripping the counter for support. Not make her nervous? Yeah, right, let go and see if your legs will hold you up. She waited another minute before she turned loose.
Damn, he kissed good. No, he was a fantastic kisser. Her body felt like mush. Very hot mush. It was a good thing his room was downstairs and hers upstairs or she might be tempted to jump his bones.
This was just great. She had the hots for the man who’d stood to inherit the ranch if not for her. A cold flush washed over her like a blast from a freezer.
Who might still inherit it if something bad happened to her.
And she was going sightseeing with him tomorrow? All that California smog had fried her brain cells.
She left the kitchen and started up the stairs to her room.
But what if Lance had done something to her grandfather?
She gripped the stair rail, stopping halfway up. There’d been genuine sorrow on his face when he’d mentioned her grandfather. Sadness, or was he a good actor?
Another chill ran down her spine. No, she wouldn’t even go there. She was not here to solve a murder mystery, just to sell a ranch.
It was odd, though, that no body had been recovered.
Sleep. She needed at least eight hours of peaceful slumber so she could think more clearly.
But when she came to her grandfather’s door, she paused. There were so many unanswered questions. Like the fact that she knew nothing about her grandfather.
What had he been like? Why would he leave her the ranch when he hadn’t cared enough to want to see her in all these years? Sure, they were blood, but apparently that hadn�
�t mattered when she was growing up. He hadn’t even attempted to contact her. So why the turnaround?
Without thinking twice, Nina opened the door and stepped inside his room. Her gaze scanned from one side to the other, looking for some clue that would tell her more about him. Unless she started digging through the nightstands and dresser she was afraid she wouldn’t discover…
Her gaze swung to the dresser, then the nightstand. Hadn’t the jar of peppermints been on the dresser when she’d peeked in earlier? She stepped farther into the room, taking a deep breath as she did.
The smell of peppermints was strong. Almost as if…
She chuckled at her fanciful thoughts, but it sounded a little forced to her ears. She must be more tired than she’d thought.
Or maybe someone wanted to scare her away.
She turned around and walked out of the room. She couldn’t stop herself from looking down the staircase.
Someone who might want to get rid of her?
Yep, she was losing it all right. What the hell did she think she was doing? Living a Gothic romance? She was positive Lance was not a murderer. Call it gut instinct or whatever, but she was pretty damn good at judging people. Lance was not a killer.
Shaking her head, she went to her room, but as soon as she closed the door, she turned the lock. One thing living in the city had taught her: better safe than sorry.
The next morning, Nina was in the kitchen by seven. She was accustomed to rising early for shoots, so eight actually seemed a little late. Maxine was already in the kitchen and had a pot of fresh coffee ready. She could learn to love this woman.
She looked around as she poured a cup but didn’t see Lance. Before she could ask Maxine where he was, the back door opened and Lance came into the kitchen.
It wasn’t fair that a man could look this downright sexy so early in the morning. It wasn’t good for her equilibrium.
He looked ruggedly handsome in jeans and a western shirt. His hat sat low on his forehead until he pulled it off and ran a hand through his sandy-blond hair. Even that motion put fire into her blood.
“Good, you’re up,” he drawled, his gaze sliding over her before returning to rest on her face. His eyes twinkled, as if he knew a joke that she didn’t.
She took her coffee to the table. “Did you expect me to still be in bed? You forget I’m a working woman.”
“Photographing naked men, right?”
“Taking pictures of men in the buff?” Maxine turned from the stove, her jaw dropping all the way to her chest.
Nina bristled, casting a glare in Lance’s direction. “Do you have a problem with my job?” she asked Maxine.
“Oh, hell no, child. I just didn’t know there were jobs like that out there, and I was wonderin’ what the hell I’m doing fryin’ bacon and cookin’ eggs when I could be doing somethin’ fun.” She shook her head as she turned back to the stove.
Nina smiled, liking Maxine more by the minute.
They ate a quick breakfast, then left the house. Nina walked toward the pickup parked at the side, camera strap looped over one shoulder. The air was crisp and clean with a freshness you didn’t normally find in the city. The ranch would be a great place to get back to nature. She knew exactly who she’d want to play Adam to her Eve, too.
“It’ll be easier if we take the horses,” Lance said, breaking into her Zenful thoughts.
“Easier for whom?” She turned and looked at him, one eyebrow raised. She’d never ridden a horse, had never planned on riding one, and wasn’t exactly thrilled about the prospect of climbing onto one right now, either.
He grinned. That slow lifting of the sides of his mouth. The kind of smile that reached out and caressed her, leaving no spot untouched. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath.
“You don’t want to bounce around in a pickup all day, do you? Unless you’re scared of climbing on.”
His words carried a whole different connotation and she had a feeling he’d meant for her to read more into them. She swung around to where two horses were saddled and bridled, their reins looped loosely over a wooden railing.
“Being on top of anything has never bothered me,” she threw over her shoulder as she headed for the horses with more bravado than she felt. It didn’t help when he chuckled.
When she got to one of the horses, she had more than a few doubts running around in her head. It looked really high. Besides the fact that she didn’t know how to go about getting up there.
“Here, let me help.”
Before she could protest, he slipped her camera off her shoulder, his knuckles grazing her arm in the process. His hands were warm through the thin material of her shirt. If the mere touch of his hands on her shoulder could send tingles down her arms what would making love be like?
He set her camera on the porch, then came back. “Turn around,” he told her.
“I still don’t see why we couldn’t take your pickup,” she grumbled but faced the horse.
“First, you want to put your foot in the stirrup.” He slid his hand down her thigh.
She bit her lip as heat spread through her. Before she could have a fantasy moment, he’d placed her foot in the stirrup.
“Grab the horn,” he said close to her ear. So close that the warmth of his breath tickled her ear, sending little tremors over her body.
She didn’t have time to protest that she wasn’t ready when he placed his hands on her hips and lifted. As she went in the air, his hands slid to her bottom and he boosted her up and onto the saddle. She clutched the horn with both hands at the same time as she swung her leg over the saddle.
And there she was on top of the horse before she even had time to think about being there.
Well, that sucked. She could’ve explored all kinds of possibilities when he was standing close and even more when he’d cupped her butt, but they’d fizzled away into a puddle of “I don’t like heights”!
Oh, crap. Are we having fun yet? she thought, with more than a little sarcasm. Being on top of the horse was a whole different ball game from being on the ground looking at it.
“Ready?” he said after he handed her the reins and looped her camera over the saddle horn.
“No.”
He smiled. “It won’t be so bad once you get used to it. You might even discover you enjoy riding.”
“I doubt it,” she said, between gritted teeth.
But after an hour in the saddle, she had to admit that he’d been right. Riding wasn’t so hard and the horse had a nice easy gait. She’d even managed to take a couple of shots with her camera.
Lance was great about pointing out different things. Like the wildflowers that dotted the landscape with glorious color. The feathery pink basket flower; the bright yellow black-eyed Susan, with its chocolaty center. She’d even captured a jackrabbit when it had poked its head up from behind a splash of red petals. Its ears were almost as long as her arm from elbow to wrist.
Lance kept pointing out different areas of interest until she was dizzy from absorbing so much.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered without realizing she’d spoken aloud until Lance agreed.
“Pete loved the land.”
“And my father, did he love it as well?” She didn’t look at him.
“I only met Drew twice.”
She shifted in her saddle. “Twice? But I thought…”
“Drew was raised by his mother. She divorced Pete when Drew was young and they moved back to Connecticut. From the bits and pieces I’ve heard, she was pretty much the socialite. He came here a couple of times when he was older.”
It didn’t look like he was going to embellish so she prodded. “And…”
He tilted his hat back a little on his forehead. “We didn’t get along.”
“In other words, you didn’t like him.”
“You could say that.”
“I did say that,” she said, with more than a touch of sarcasm. “I never met him,” she admitted. “He had a short affair with my
mother, promised her the world and all his love. Then when she discovered she was pregnant with me, he took off and she never heard from him again except a couple of times by phone. Drew told Mom that Grandpa wanted nothing to do with me.”
Why was she telling him all this? Maybe because she felt like clearing the air a little. Her grandfather might have been a friend to Lance, but he hadn’t bothered to get in touch with her or, as far as she knew, her sisters. Which made all this even more puzzling.
“Why did he leave me the ranch, Juliet the bar, and Lillie the hotel? If he didn’t care to see us when he was alive, then why would he leave us his property after he died?”
“Guilty conscience, maybe?”
“I’d rather have had him.” As if she’d said too much, Nina turned away.
That’s when she saw the deer.
“Look,” she whispered, raising her camera and clicking pictures. She snapped off about ten before the deer raised her head, apparently caught their scent, and gracefully leapt away.
“Do you look this enraptured when you take pictures of naked men?”
She raised an eyebrow and glanced in his direction. “Only if the subject warrants being enraptured over. Are you vying for that audition?”
“I’m hungry,” he said, conveniently changing the subject. “Maxine packed us a light snack. I’ve been smelling peanut butter cookies for the last hour.”
He nudged his horse nearer to a grouping of trees and climbed down. She had no choice but to follow since her horse had a mind of its own and seemed to follow Lance’s horse without question.
When he raised his hands, she waved him away. “I’m perfectly capable of getting down on my own.” But when her feet hit the ground, her legs wouldn’t hold her. Lance was right there to catch her.
“You could’ve warned me that I’d be wobbly.”
“Your legs will be wobbly,” he said.
“Smart-ass.”
She turned. Another mistake on her part. Now she was facing him, and for a woman who enjoyed photographing naked men, Lance was just a little too tempting, even with his clothes on. She moved away, hoping she wouldn’t make a fool out of herself and fall flat on her butt. Thankfully, there was a large rock nearby. She leaned against it for support…and unabashedly stared.
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