by Joann Baker
As he finished the call, she took time to study the office, avoiding his penetrating scrutiny. The darkly paneled walls were lined with plaques, framed ribbons, and pictures of males posing with various bulls. Some of the men were dressed in business suits, while others wore chaps and boots. These were apparently happy, satisfied customers of the Triple K. She smiled. Nothing like a proud father showing off his children. Or grandchildren she mused remembering the gestation period for a cow was just under nine months. Plenty of time to have produced several generations of cattle since the start of Mr. Kinkaid’s breeding program.
She turned when the call ended.
“Sit down.” He didn’t do her the courtesy of standing or even shaking her hand. Maybe her fantasy about him being a real old-west-type cowboy was a little off after all. He opened a folder on his desk and she could see it was a report from Collins and Collins. She frowned when she saw several pictures of herself, along with what appeared to be a short list of her personal statistics and attributes. From what she could see it read more like a dating profile than a staff profile.
Oh, heck no, Jessica had not done that, had she?
Her best friend was so dead.
He flipped through the papers, studying each one intently before moving on to next.
He looked up as he closed the folder. “So tell me, Ms. Lenard, why should I turn my grandparent’s home into a guest ranch?”
Katie didn’t hesitate. “Because you love your brother.”
That certainly got a reaction. “Excuse me?”
Katie’s nerves eased a little. This was her area of expertise. “Most small businesses fail within the first year. I’ve calculated–without knowing the exact condition of the homestead or the amenities you wish to offer, mind you–that the initial investment will probably exceed a quarter-of-a-million dollars. It is my understanding that you want to open a guest ranch of the same caliber as your other endeavors, hence the high price tag. That large of an investment will not be recouped all at once and probably not for at least three years if the business is even marginally successful.”
“You sound doubtful that it will be.” He leaned back, his fingers steepled under his chin.
She returned his stare. “Facts and figures don’t lie.”
“And?”
“You’re a smart business man, Mr. Kinkaid; I don’t think given the choice, you’d invest in this type of business. It would take too long to recoup your initial investment.” She leaned forward, holding his gaze.
“But?”
“But I do think you’ll invest that much money and that much time in your brother.”
A flicker of something akin to a smile curled his lips. “My brother is rich in his own right Ms. Lenard.”
“Then why doesn’t he use his own money? Why are you bankrolling his dream?”
“Why indeed.”
They continued to look at each other, Katie growing more and more nervous with each moment. But she intuitively knew if she blinked, she’d somehow lose more than the staring contest they seemed to be having.
He glanced down at the folder on his desk, breaking the electric contact. “I hope you’ve come prepared to work, because I want that recoupment time cut in half.”
*****
Katie rose the next morning wondering if she should send a hit man after Jessica or wait and do the dirty deed herself when she got out of this mess. Last night John Kinkaid had raked her over the coals. He’d pushed her to her limits and demanded facts and figures she’d been hard pressed to provide. After three grueling hours, he’d taken the report–a report she’d more than once pointed out had already been approved by her boss–and torn it into tiny pieces in front of her. He’d informed her that while she was working on his account, he was the boss. No one else. He’d stopped only when his secretary had reminded him of his dinner reservation in the city.
After she’d driven the hour and a half home, she’d spent the rest of the night researching and rewriting. Although she had very little sleep, she now had an almost brand new report to show the irritating man.
Eating a quick breakfast of cereal and orange juice, Katie dressed in blue jeans, an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of running shoes. She had no boots and wouldn’t have felt inclined to wear them if she had. She could just imagine the sarcastic remarks the man would have made if she’d tried to look like some rodeo groupie. Attempting to impress the man was over. He’d rarely even looked her way during the time they’d spent working on the business plan nor had he made one personal comment despite her efforts, at first, to form a connection.
She glanced down at the well-worn denim stretched across her rounded thighs. He’d said they would ride out to the homestead so she could make preliminary notes on what needed to be done on the building itself and the grounds surrounding it.
Katie had never ridden, but she’d die before admitting that fact to Mr. Know-It-All. She was sure he’d be quick to point out how her lack of riding skills disqualified her from continuing with the project. He’d been critical enough of her research skills last night. Maybe she’d get lucky and James Kinkaid would be the one to take her to the site. John had assured her that his younger brother would be joining them today.
What she didn’t understand was, if it was James’s project, why was John in charge?
Oh, wait, she knew the answer. The man was a controlling jackass.
She gathered up her laptop, the new report, and her purse. The hour-and-a-half drive passed quickly as Katie sang aloud to oldies on the radio. It was just another facet of her personality which kept her one step behind the world around her. She loved old-fashioned courtesy in a man, old-fashioned value of family, and sad country songs.
At the ranch house, she was greeted by the same woman as the day before. She’d been introduced as Marcia Lawson, John’s secretary.
“Hi. Come on in. Have you had breakfast?”
Despite her beautiful face and fabulous figure, the woman really did have a nice manner Katie thought.
“Yes, I had a bowl of cereal.”
The other woman frowned. “Are you sure that will be enough?”
Well, maybe not so nice.
Seeing the look on Katie’s face and realizing how that had sounded, the woman immediately apologized. “That came out all wrong. I mean, it might be later than usual when the men stop for lunch.”
Okay, maybe she wasn’t so bad after all. “I can do without lunch once in a while.”
“Ms. Lenard.” The pretty secretary admonished her and she sounded so much like Jessica, Katie had to smile. Jessica hated it when she made sarcastic comments about her weight or eating habits.
“Please call me, Katie.”
“My name is Marcia.”
They’d made their way down the hallway and into the ranch office. As Marcia walked around her desk, Katie noticed a brochure on top of her desk pad. It was for a Valentine’s Day cruise. She fingered the colorful advertisement. “This looks like fun.” She gave the other woman a wistful smile. Maybe she wasn’t interest in her handsome boss. “Is your boyfriend taking you?”
Marcia blushed. “Well, I hope so. I figure if I leave enough of them lying around, he’ll get the hint.”
Katie swallowed. That put the final nail in the coffin of her cowboy fantasy with Mr. High-and-Mighty. Who else was the woman hoping saw the particulars of the romantic cruise? She painted on her best ‘I’m happy for you’ smile. “That’s nice. Valentine’s Day is a special day for people in love.”
She remembered Jessica’s words as she’d handed Katie the red folder two days ago. John Kinkaid was supposed to be her Valentine. Not many men caught Katie’s attention. It was completely unfair that this one—rich, handsome, and interested in women of Katie’s stature and build—was apparently already taken by his beautiful secretary. Where did that leave plus-sized Katie Lenard? Out in the cold.
She was so tired of being left out in the cold.
Jessica was definitely going to get an
earful about her research skills. Apparently Mr. John Kinkaid was not free and he definitely liked women whose size was not in double digits.
Some Cupid she was turning out to be.
“It is, isn’t it?” The woman took the pamphlet and looked longingly at the cover.
The door opened behind them and in walked a younger version of John Kinkaid. Katie knew immediately it was James. He smiled at her but turned his attention immediately to Marcia.
“What have you got there, beautiful?”
Marcia returned his smile. “Oh, just some research.” She put the brochure casually aside. “Speaking of research, this is Ms. Lenard from Collins and Collins.”
Katie could tell it was a real hardship for James to tear his attention away from the smiling blonde. She wondered if John knew his younger brother was crushing on his girlfriend?
“Hello, Mr. Kinkaid, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand.
The younger Kinkaid was not as rude as his brother had been the previous day. He took her hand and shook it warmly. “You’re the woman who’s going to make my dream come true?”
Katie’s soft heart melted. She wasn’t sure how she could help him with his apparent quest for Marcia, but she was certainly willing to give it a shot if it meant freeing John from the woman’s clutches.
Catty much? she asked herself.
She smiled, liking the younger version of John Kinkaid immensely. “I’m not sure about that, but I’m certainly going to give your business endeavor the old college try.”
“If you’re through flirting with my accountant, James, I suggest we go.”
Katie jumped as John’s voice sounded from his office door. She’d been so busy dreaming up ways to separate him from his secretary, she hadn’t heard the door open.
It was only after he’d spoken that she realized James was still holding her hand. She started to pull it away but he tightened his hold, his eyes twinkling at the look of confusion on her face.
“But John, she’s such a beautiful accountant.”
Katie was immediately aware of Marcia’s rabid look of jealousy and John’s frozen countenance. James winked before letting go of her hand.
“Let’s go,” John said curtly, turning away. “Marcia, I’ll need you to come along and take notes.”
*****
While John, James, and Katie were dressed to ride out to the homestead on horseback, Marcia was not. She wore another sexy little outfit Katie would have given her eye-teeth to fit into. Katie was, however, grateful for the other woman’s apparently spur-of-the-moment inclusion since it necessitated a ride in a heated SUV rather than on a large, moody horse through the cold.
She did not understand the strange atmosphere that surrounded the brothers. Before John had entered the office, she’d been almost positive that James had a thing for Marcia, Marcia had a thing for John and John had a thing for Marcia. Now, James was flirting with her a mile a minute, Marcia was sitting quietly in the front seat and John appeared to be upset at his brother’s behavior. Was there such a thing as a love square?
Katie and James sat side by side in the back seat with Katie positioned behind John on the driver’s side. She caught him glancing her way in the rearview mirror more than once. Whenever their eyes met, his dark brows would come together in a thunderous scowl.
“So Ms. Lenard, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Where is your boyfriend taking you to celebrate?” James casually put one arm on the back of Katie’s seat making her feel caged in.
She cleared her throat. “I, umm, don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Now, I find that hard to believe,” James stated.
Katie dared a glance toward the front. Her gaze met John’s again and this time he didn’t scowl. Instead, his stare was intense. Assessing.
Katie licked her suddenly dry lips. What could she say? Men preferred women who looked like Marcia? Why state the obvious?
“I’m a very discerning woman, Mr. Kinkaid.” She gave him a fake haughty stare. He laughed as she’d hoped he would.
But instead of letting the matter drop, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. He lightly grazed her knuckles before turning her hand over and pressing a harder, longer kiss to her palm. “And I’m a discerning man, Ms. Lenard.”
“We’re here.”
The SUV jerked to a violent stop, forcing John to release Katie’s hand as they braced themselves against the back of their respective seats.
“Take it easy, John,” James said. “This isn’t your old truck. This vehicle does have brakes.”
James opened his door and was out of the vehicle before his brother could respond.
Katie reached down to pick up the notepad and calculator which had fallen to the floor.
As she straightened, John opened her door and reached in, taking her elbow to help her from the high seat. She tried to exit the vehicle as gracefully as she could and, to her immense relief, she managed not to fall at the man’s feet.
“I’m not paying you to flirt with my brother, Ms. Lenard.”
Katie shook the hair out of her eyes. She’d opted to wear it down this morning to go with her casual outfit. Even though she really did have a heart-stopping crush on the man, his blistering attitude was quickly helping her to dispense with her rose-colored glasses. He had been relentless yesterday afternoon and this morning, he was being, well, a jerk.
“Don’t worry,” she smiled around clenched teeth. “I won’t charge you extra.”
“Damn it, Katie.” His eyes glittered down at her and her breath hitched at the use of her given name. It was the first time he’d used it.
Her eyes roamed his tall frame helplessly. He looked his usual mouth-watering self this morning. The usual black Stetson sat carelessly atop his slightly overlong hair, the ends curling over his shirt collar. He was dressed in a dark blue chambray shirt that emphasized the width of his shoulders. It was tucked neatly into faded jeans that emphasized his long legs and perfect rear. A well-worn leather belt encircled his waist, which was thankfully not body-builder-slim. His cowboy boots added another inch to his already impressive six-three height. Dear Lord, Katie felt almost small standing next to him.
“What?” She’d been so lost in his powerful aura that she’d forgotten their train of conversation.
Leaning close, he enunciated clearly, “Do. Not. Flirt. With. My. Brother.” He still held her elbow and gave it a hard squeeze.
Oh, no, he didn’t.
“Whom do you suggest I flirt with?” She took a step forward, bringing their bodies just within touching distance. She laid one hand on his chest, right above his nipple. She was super glad she’d treated herself to a manicure last week. Her nails were still flawlessly polished with a dark pink color and she’d even managed not to break one yet.
She felt his muscles tense beneath her palm. She wasn’t supposed to flirt with his brother. Okay. So what about him? Her lack of sleep and his he-man attitude aggravated that part of her that had always been too timid to take a chance. What did she have to lose by flirting with the handsome rancher?
Since she was too short to reach his ear, she stood on tiptoe and whispered against his jaw, “You, Mr. Kinkaid?”
She allowed her lips to lightly brush the clean-shaven skin before turning sharply on her heel and calling out to James. She put an extra little swing in her hips as she walked away, thinking gleefully that Jessica would be so proud of her best friend if she could see her now.
*****
John groaned as Katie walked away, his jeans feeling a size too small as he watched the swing of her generous rear. What the hell was happening to him? The woman had been in his life less than twenty-four hours, in his company for just over five, and he was acting like a jealous jackass. And of his own brother no less.
When he’d mentioned his brother’s idea to his accounting manager at Collins and Collins, he hadn’t intended to hire someone from the firm to actually write the business plan. His corporation had plenty of MBA�
��s on the payroll who could help James make a go of his venture.
Of course, that thought had flown out of his head the minute he’d received the report on Katie Lenard. He’d studied her biography and the few photographs that had been enclosed. He’d been a little surprised at the level of information that had been included. But he’d also been very intrigued. And instantly attracted. He’d even looked her up on Facebook–something James would have laughed himself silly over if he’d caught John doing it. His thoughts concerning social media were well known. He’d been further entranced by the smiling, laughing pictures her friends had posted.
Luckily the report had given references and John had no qualms about calling the other business owners and asking questions. After all, he was about to turn over a quarter-million dollar project to a woman he knew virtually nothing about.
Except that that she was smart and sassy. And infinitely appealing.
He should have followed his first instinct and sent Katie Lenard right back out the door the moment she’d stepped into his office. He’d known then, on some primitive level, she’d be nothing but trouble.
None of the photos in the report or on Facebook had done her justice. The woman was beautiful. And engaging. Their meeting yesterday should have been a simple meet-and-greet. Instead, he’d grilled her, tearing apart a very thorough report given the little information she’d had available. The woman knew her stuff. She was the type of employee he wanted on his team. When Marcia had interrupted them to remind him of his date, he’d almost told her to cancel. He’d actually entertained the idea of asking Katie to dinner instead. He’d caught himself just in time to avoid that pitfall. She was an employee, there to do a job, and then move on. Getting involved with her was not a good idea.
But remembering the feel of her ample curves against him and the sexy wiggle of her full hips had him wondering whether he should always be good.