Twelfth of Never (Book 3 of the McKay series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Thanks. I generally draw up a short contract with people, just so there's no problems later."

  "You draw it up, I'll sign it," Wade said and moved toward the barn.

  "Thanks Wade, I'll have it to you by the end of the week," Mike insisted.

  Wade nodded.

  "Hey." Mike pulled on her elbow, when he realized he was ignoring her. "You had something you wanted to talk to me about?"

  Sandy jumped off the fence and waited for Mike to follow.

  "So…what's this all about?" Mike asked when she was silent too long.

  Sandy glanced over her shoulder to make sure Wade wasn't in hearing distance. "You know how Wendy feels about Wade, don't you?"

  Mike snickered. "Everyone does but Wade I think."

  "Well, that's the problem," she blurted.

  "What?"

  "He doesn't know. He doesn't suspect. And she's been this way over Wade for years, but it isn't getting her anywhere," Sandy explained. "If she doesn't do something before long, she'll be too old and no other man will have her. At least that's how she feels."

  "Yeah, we all know that too. But how is this my business?" Mike asked, pulling on her elbow once more.

  Sandy faced him, feeling the tingle from his touch. "I like that hat." She smiled, temporarily distracted by his raw good looks.

  "Thanks…makes me feel a little like I fit in around here. Now, what is this all about?" Mike probed.

  "She needs to make Wade jealous. Jealous enough to make a move," Sandy blurted out, her face feeling hot with his eyes searching hers for answers. "Not angry, just a little jealous or uneasy."

  His skeptical expression said it all. "And what exactly does that have to do with me? I mean, I feel for her, we all do, but what can I do about it?"

  Sandy thrust her boot tip into the dirt. "Well…you are good looking, a man of the world. She thought maybe if you would pay attention to her, Wade might respond."

  His expression became an instant frown. "You want me to…to what?"

  "Just pay attention to her, that's all," Sandy insisted.

  "And just how far is the little flirt supposed to go?" Mike snapped.

  Sandy was stunned. Why was he mad? Wendy was a beautiful young girl, he should feel flattered.

  "I don't think very far…" Sandy began.

  "You don't think? My God Sandy…your sister?" Mike yelled. "You are actually asking me to seduce your little sister? Wade's my friend. I like him. I can't do that to him."

  "Well…you see that's the whole thing in a nutshell, Mike. She's my little sister. Everyone thinks of her as little, not grown. And she is grown." Sandy looked behind her, but the others were paying no attention. "It wouldn't be for long. Just long enough to shake Wade up. And I really don't think it would take much time at all. Why are you so shocked?"

  Mike shook his head. "Shocked? I can't believe you would plan this."

  "Mike…I…I just wanted to help my sister, that's all."

  "So what exactly would you have me do?" Mike asked, his expression still shocked.

  "Kiss her maybe, take pictures of her…just make a little fuss over her," Sandy said flippantly. "And make it obvious you are making a fuss over her."

  "And you approve of this?" Mike asked.

  Sandy shrugged. "I don't know…I mean…kinda…I guess."

  "Your sister is a beautiful girl. Any man would like her."

  Sandy felt a pang of jealousy from the way he said that. "I know. Very pretty."

  "A guy could get lost in that beauty." Mike stared at her seriously now.

  Sandy moved away, wishing she'd never said a thing to Mike. Wishing she had stayed out of her sister's life. Wishing that pang of jealousy would go away when he talked about Wendy like that. Pictures of all the outfits she had picked out for Wendy floated through her mind. She was about to tell Mike to forget it, when she heard him say it.

  "All right. I'll do it." Mike nodded.

  She whirled around to look him in the eye. "You will?"

  "Sure, why not. After all, I've got your approval, don't I?"

  "Y-yes…of course." She gulped, wishing he didn't have a little gleam in his eye.

  "You won't hurt her…will you?" Sandy wanted him to refuse and he hadn't.

  "No…I won't hurt her," Mike promised. "Is that all you wanted?"

  "Uh…yes," Sandy murmured.

  "Okay, see ya." Mike nodded and walked off as though nothing had transpired.

  Sandy stood there for a long while, trying to figure out why she felt so bereft. Why did it bother her? It wasn't like it was his idea. He merely agreed. That's what she wanted, wasn't it?

  But a little voice echoed in her head. "What have I done?"

  Chapter Seven

  Mike threw his t-shirt and hat down on the bed and cursed under his breath.

  How could Sandy ask him to do this? Why had she asked him to do this?

  He'd never been so angry with Sandy in his life. How could she plan something like this? How could she ask him of all people?

  "Man, what's eating you?" Chad asked as he caught him slamming doors and grabbing a towel from the hall linen closet.

  "Your girlfriend… that's what!" Mike almost yelled as he slammed the door to the closet and frowned at his brother.

  "My girlfriend? Sandy? What are you talking about?" Chad's innocence bugged Mike, especially right now.

  "She wants me to romance Wendy."

  The dramatic way he said it, had Chad taking a second look.

  Chad shrugged. "Wendy? Isn't she the younger sister?"

  "That's right." Mike grit his teeth.

  "Well, what's so bad about that? She's pretty." Chad shrugged as he followed him down the hall to the bathroom.

  "You've noticed?" Mike nearly yelled again. He threw the towel on the bathroom counter and turned to his brother, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

  "Of course I have, I'm not blind. The McKay's are a beautiful bunch of women. All of them. So what is so bad about you romancing the littlest one?"

  "A lot of things. For one, Wendy is in love with Wade Weston. You know Wade, the foreman?"

  Chad nodded with a slight smile. "Oh yeah…the big guy that runs the place. Sure, but I didn't know they had a thing for each other." Chad laughed.

  "A thing? Wendy is nuts about the man. Wade doesn't give her the time of day."

  "Oh…wow!"

  "Yeah, wow! Everyone on the ranch knows how Wendy feels but Wade. It's no secret to anyone but Wade. He has got to be the blindest man I've ever known," Mike protested. "Besides, I don't want to get in the middle of that."

  "So why romance her at all?" Chad asked innocently. "Just tell Sandy no."

  "Tell Sandy no…!"

  "Why not?"

  "Because Sandy thinks it will make Wade jealous," Mike explained, giving Chad a strange look over his shoulder. "Then Wendy might get his attention. Wade's hang-up is her age, I'm sure of that."

  "Maybe she's right. I mean, jealousy does stir the dust a little." Chad chuckled. "Say, how come you are showering here?"

  "'Cause I’m hot and tired and need to clean up before I go home. And because this is my home too, you know. Do you mind?" Mike turned an angry frown on him.

  "No-no, of course not. Go ahead. It's your home too. Anyway, that doesn't sound so bad. After all, all the McKay girls are gorgeous. All of them."

  "I don't care how gorgeous they are. I work with gorgeous women every day, Chad. Gorgeous is only skin deep anyway. Doesn't mean I want to romance them. Wendy's just a kid. I don't want to take the advantage," Mike insisted.

  "Then don't. Just kiss her a little in front of Wade; that ought to do it." Chad patted him on the shoulder for reassurance. "I mean, you wouldn't have to carry it that far. Just a little romancing, that's all."

  Mike whipped about to face his brother who wore an amused look on his face. "Kiss her. In front of Wade? He might tear me into pieces. He may not love her Chad, but he is way too protective of her."

 
; "If he's so crazy about her why doesn't he make a move on her? And why did you agree to it in the first place if you didn't want to do it?" Chad chuckled.

  "I don't know. It's pretty stupid of me." Mike frowned and turned the water on. "Sandy's my friend and she asked me to."

  "If she asked you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?" Chad chuckled.

  Chad backed up to the door and smiled. "If it was me, I'd enjoy it and quit worrying. You got permission."

  "I don't want permission. And I don't go around kissing girls I don't like."

  "You don't like Wendy?"

  "Well…she's a stranger. I don't know her." Mike started to let his pants down. "Do you mind, bro?"

  "Oh…yeah, sure. Don't sweat it." Chad snickered and walked off. "Just enjoy it."

  "You don't understand. I don't make out with girls I have no interest in," Mike yelled. "It's kind of like an unwritten law for me."

  "Really, that's interesting. So why do it at all then? I guess you are just the more serious type, aren't you?" Chad laughed.

  "I'm glad you think this is amusing. It irritates the heck out of me."

  "I can see that. But maybe you should loosen up a little and realize you don't have to marry every girl you go out with." Chad laughed again.

  Mike's anger began to ease a bit as he stared at the floor. "I know what you are saying. I do. But I guess because I work with some of the most beautiful girls in the world, I've disciplined myself not to get involved with them. And believe me, there have been some times when it was hard. I've been proud that every time I have a shoot with one of them, I can honestly say it was work, not play. I think dad and mom too think that I'm some playboy. God knows, you are probably the only one in the universe that knows I'm not some Romeo. I take my work seriously. And I do work at it, Chad."

  "Why don't you ever tell dad this kind of stuff? He might take you a little more seriously if you did."

  "Because dad has a mindset. And getting the best education is the only right thing to do, according to him. Nothing is going to change his mind, no matter what I say. The only thing that really bothers me about dad or mom is that they don't take the time to find out about my work. And until they do, they will never respect it."

  "You are right about that. Even I can see that…and I'm sorry. Maybe I can help."

  "Don't worry about it. Mom and Dad are the least of my worries these days." Mike turned the shower on.

  "Unless you really like her, don't let Wendy tear down all those barriers you have up with women."

  "I won't," Mike assured him.

  Chad walked off slowly as though in thought.

  The shower began to steam the room. Mike got in, and began to ponder once more all his problems. Why had he agreed? Why had Sandy been the one to ask him? Why did she approve?

  Obviously she didn't care that he might kiss Wendy, hold her and appreciate her young beauty. It would serve her right if he did romance Wendy. Maybe it might stir a little dust up for him too.

  Maybe Chad was right, maybe he ought to just enjoy it. Romancing a pretty girl wasn't that hard. Of course, when she was madly in love with another man, it was. He should know!

  ~*~

  A few days later, Wendy approached Mike after another shoot with one of his best models. She had watched him work for nearly an hour and he was curious as to why. She'd never bothered before. And she'd never bothered wearing such an eye-catching outfit before either. Her shorts were almost indecent; her top was pulled high against her small breast and tied, leaving a small waist that lured the male eye. Wendy had developed into an eye-catching young woman. With her shape she could easily become model material.

  Wade must have noticed because when he came out that morning he was fit to be tied, growling at everyone. Mike stayed out of his way. The tension in him was tighter than a rusted screw.

  "I guess Sandy's told you all about it?" Wendy backed up a bit when he turned all of his attention to her.

  "Yeah. Are you sure you want to do this?" Mike asked in a whispered voice. He was giving her every out he could.

  The whispers threw them into an intimacy that made Wendy jump.

  "No, but I don't know what else to do?" Wendy's comment was low and embarrassed.

  Mike nodded.

  He threw a relaxed arm over her shoulder and she nearly jumped, but Wade rode up to them with a frown bigger than the Red River. From his expression Mike knew he had to be on guard. He wasn't at all sure how Wade was going to react to it all, but from the looks of things, he was ready to attack him on the spot.

  "Wendy, did you check those fences this morning?" Wade barked.

  Wendy jumped again, but the jump caused her to move closer to Mike and had a great effect on Wade's grimacing glance.

  "I did, Wade," she answered, glancing at Mike and realizing she was very close to him.

  She moved away just a tad and grabbed Mike's hand instead. "Anything else you need right now?"

  "I'll let you know," Wade barked again and rode off almost at full gallop.

  "Well," Mike glanced at the way Wade whipped at his horse. "That had an effect."

  Wendy moved away and dropped her hand from Mike's. "It did, didn't it?" She grinned. "Honestly, that's the first time anything has bothered him about me, yet."

  Mike relaxed now, able to see the love in Wendy's eyes as she stared after Wade. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. After all, the kid had carried a torch for a long time.

  "Wendy, I want you to know I agreed to help you a little, but I'll only go so far. I'm not the Romeo you think I am. I work with lovely women all day long. It's not that hard to be nice to them or to give them attention. But I feel as though I need to warn you. I want you to know that I draw the line to anything more than kissing. And I won't be doing much of that. I do know however, things that can tick a guy off. Just a mere little touch." He came closer now, staring down into her brown eyes. "Like this…"

  His hand came around her bare midriff and he pulled her against him.

  She was startled but she didn't object.

  "It won't take long to get an explosive reaction from him at the rate he's already going. The reason I'm showing you the moves now, is so you can relax and know what is coming at you. This is an act, Wendy, not the real thing. I won't fall in love with you, you understand. Although, I am not sure he's reacting because I put my arm around you, or because of what you are wearing." Mike glanced at her clothes.

  Wendy went red all over. "It isn't me, is it?" She hesitated.

  "No ma'am, it isn't. And I wouldn't tell you that unless I cared about you, Wendy. But Wade doesn't know it, obviously. The man has a lot to learn about love, but I've got a feeling you might be just the one to teach him." Mike smiled at her.

  Wendy smiled back. "He thinks I'm too young."

  "You are…age wise. But I think you seriously are in love with the man or you would never change your personality to something like this to get his attention. And…I have to tell you that your loyalty to him amazes me." Mike got his equipment out once more as Wade and his men were working not far off and he wanted to give Wade every advantage of seeing them together that he could. He also knew that he couldn't fall for Wendy either. However, that would be no problem since he felt an immediate protectiveness about her. She was very young, even though her heart was as old as Wade's. Mike was sure of that. Her innocence was showing.

  Wendy hung her head once more. "You know the attention he just showed could be he is just feeling protective."

  Mike glanced at her. "Wendy, he's smitten with you, but the laws of romance dictate to him that he's too old for you and that is what you need to have him overcome. He's an honorable man; anyone here can tell you that. And he's obviously still very loyal to your father. So you are fighting something that is going to be hard to overcome. You see a man isn't worth much if he doesn't set some standards in his life. And your Wade has some very high standards."

  Wendy looked at Mike now. "Do you hav
e high standards too?"

  "Yes ma'am I think I do…" He smiled at her. "Now…let's move this along a little and let me get some pictures of you. This could be the breaker right here."

  "What do you mean?" Wendy asked moving closer and watching him get his gear ready once more.

  "Wade said I could take pictures of anything and anyone, as long as I have permission. If I take some of you, in that outfit, he might think twice about that. And there's only one way to find out." Mike glanced at the cowboy who was doing everything to pay attention to his job without obviously spying on them.

  "Now, don't get upset with me. I'm a professional photographer and I know what will bust his fuse better than you. You've tried being a loyal worker and supportive of his every move, that didn't work. So I'm going to pose you in provocative ways, and when I come up to you and pose you I want you to giggle, and laugh and relax around me. I won't hurt you, Wendy. I think much too much of your family to ever hurt you. Letty and Sandy would have my hide if I ever hurt you, not to mention Julie. So relax around me. And these pictures will eventually go to Wade if he wants them, which I'm pretty sure he will. So you relax, let me make you a sex kitten, and then he'll figure it out, and fast." Mike chuckled.

  "I do trust you, Mike. Sandy told me you are the nicest man she knows. She said she would trust you with all the McKay money and all of us girls too," Wendy blurted as he came close.

  Mike looked deep into her sincere brown eyes and was amazed at the truth staring at him.

  "She said that?" Mike swallowed.

  "Yes, she did. And if Sandy trusts you, I trust you." Wendy hitched a breath when Mike reached down to grab at her legs.

  He posed her in the most provocative way, showing more skin, and she giggled as his hands went all over her to make sure the shot was as hot as the camera could stand. "You are good," Wendy whispered then giggled loudly.