by Kat Martin
She couldn’t have said no if a gun had been pointed at her head, not with her mouth so dry and her body so hot and wet. No was the last word on her mind. She could think of several dirty words she wanted to say, blushed just thinking about them.
“Yes . . .” she said. “Yes, Kade,” and arched her back to give him better access.
Kade groaned. He returned to her breasts, suckled and tasted until she was begging for more. “I need you too,” she whispered. “Please, Kade.”
He left her a moment, then returned with a handful of condoms he tossed on the nightstand and started kissing her again. “I’ve been hard for you half the damn day.” He slid the robe off her shoulders, let it pool at her feet. She was naked underneath. Maybe she’d dressed for seduction after all.
Kade kept kissing her, plundering her mouth as he plundered her body. A hand slid down to the curve of her waist, moved lower to cup her bottom and pull her into the vee at the front of his jeans, letting her feel his erection. He was thick and hard, straining against his zipper.
Ellie whimpered as he stroked her, kissed her again, and just kept kissing her. She was wet and ready when he lifted her, wrapped her legs around his waist, and unzipped the fly of his jeans.
“I can think of a dozen ways I want to have you, starting right now.”
She made a sound in her throat as he filled her, slowly, then more deeply. Backing her up against the wall, he drove into her, out and then in, easy at first, then faster, deeper, harder. Ellie made a sound low in her throat and just hung on, her heart pounding, her breath coming in short, sharp pants. Her insides lifted on a swelling tide of need, and her belly tightened as she exploded into climax.
Kade didn’t stop, just kept pounding into her, coaxing her toward the peak again, riding her hard, demanding she respond.
Heat burned through her, hot waves that sucked her under and wouldn’t let go. Pleasure deep and erotic had her sobbing his name. She came hard, and Kade came with her, their mating as violent as the storm they’d endured, Kade taking her mouth again in a final kiss that went on until the tide of passion finally abated.
Ellie slumped against him, her arms still around his neck, her fingers entwined in his thick brown hair. She lifted her head off his shoulder as Kade carried her across the room and settled her in the middle of his big four-poster bed. He left to deal with the condom, returned, and began to strip off his jeans. As he climbed into bed beside her, she saw that he was still hard.
“I didn’t come here for this,” she said, looking up at him.
“I figured. Doesn’t matter now, does it?”
She whimpered as he lowered his head and kissed her, started kissing his way down the side of her neck.
“I-I’m on the pill,” she said, “but—”
“You don’t have to worry.” He pointed toward the string of foil wrappers he had brought from the bathroom. “We’ve got plenty for tonight.” He kissed the side of her neck. “I promise I’ll make it good for both of us.”
Dear God, she had no doubt of that.
As Kade settled his big, hard body between her thighs, she thought he would take her more gently this time, make love to her with slow, tender care. Instead, he touched her as if he owned her, kissed her as if she belonged to him. He made love to her as if she had no choice but to give him what he wanted.
It shocked her to realize it was exactly what she wanted too.
They slept for a while, spoon-fashion, his broad, powerful chest against her back. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she felt his hand stroking over her hip, arousing her. Soft and easy turned to wild and frenzied, and finally to completion.
She’d had sex before, but not like this. Not this wild, reckless passion that demanded everything she had to give and more. Like a dangerous drug in her system she hadn’t known she craved until now.
But as he worked his magic to give her the kind of pleasure she’d never known, she sensed the dark fire inside him that she had recognized from the start.
She wondered if that fire would incinerate them both.
* * *
Kade felt the mattress dip as Ellie slipped out of bed. She grabbed her robe off the floor and dragged it on, then moved quietly to the door and disappeared into the hall.
Kade let her go. He’d had her three times last night and again before dawn. Beneath her reserve, he’d discovered a wildly passionate woman whose needs matched his own. Just thinking about the things he had done to her, the things he still wanted to do, had him hard beneath the sheets.
He hadn’t gotten nearly enough of Ellie Bowman, wasn’t sure he would anytime soon. But as much as he wanted her, a voice inside warned him to be wary.
Kade didn’t trust women, hadn’t since Heather had played him for the perfect fool. For years, he’d been the laughingstock of Coffee Springs, so busy building the ranch into a bigger, more powerful empire, he’d blindly ignored the signs of her betrayal. They’d been together since high school. No way would she cheat on him. Or so he had thought.
But the web of lies and deceit could only go on so long. He’d ignored the truth the first time, convinced himself it would never happen again. The second time, he’d confronted her, and Heather had admitted her betrayal. The men she’d been with thought she was beautiful, she’d said. They wanted her in a way Kade never had.
Kade had filed for divorce the next day. No amount of tears or begging could convince him to forgive her. Kade had watched her drive off that night filled with an anger that still hadn’t left him.
But he’d never thought it would be the last time he’d see her. Never expected that she would be brutally murdered and the sonofabitch who killed her would never be brought to justice.
One thing Kade knew. He would never be free of the guilt that rode him like a ravenous beast until Heather’s killer was dead.
Alone in the room, he glanced at the clock on the nightstand and rolled out of bed. Catching the scent of sex in the sheets, his morning hard-on returned. He still wanted Ellie—maybe more than he had before.
And he needed her. He’d hired her to help him find Heather’s killer. That hadn’t changed.
His mind remained on Ellie as he strode naked into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and stepped beneath the warm, soothing spray. Ellie was pretty as a picture, not as glamourous as Heather, but in some ways even more attractive. She had an openness Heather had never had, and she seemed to really care about people. She was intelligent and good at her job.
And with her plump, milk-white breasts and that round feminine behind, she was sexy as hell.
But Ellie was still a woman. Kade had vowed long ago that no female would ever dupe him again. It was a vow he intended to keep.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ELLIE SERVED BREAKFAST TO THE HANDS; THEN SHE AND TURTLE cleaned up the kitchen. Kade didn’t appear. Maria had called to say Alejandro was being released today. She was waiting for the paperwork to be completed, then driving him back to the ranch. Ellie couldn’t help wondering what Alejandro thought of Maria’s newly revealed affections.
For both their sakes, Ellie hoped it would work out.
With the kitchen spotless, Turtle closed a kitchen drawer, hung up his apron, and headed for the back door. “You have a good day now, ma’am.”
“It’s just Ellie, Turtle.”
He grabbed his hat off the rack and crammed it onto his round, balding head. “Yes, Ms. Ellie.”
Ellie laughed as he walked out to join Wyatt and the rest of the men. She tried not to think of Kade and what had happened between them last night, but it was impossible. The sex had been hot and raw and unbelievably satisfying. But there was an underlying darkness in Kade, a simmering anger that never completely left him, not even when he was making love.
She wasn’t sure who the anger was aimed at, but she had a feeling it was mostly himself. He blamed himself for his late wife’s death, or at least for not bringing her murderer to justice. Maybe, working together, they coul
d find the man who had killed her.
Kade still hadn’t come down to eat. Ellie was sure he’d been awake when she’d left, but he hadn’t said a word. He was avoiding her, ignoring what had happened between them. Clearly he wasn’t interested in a “morning after” conversation. Or maybe one night of uninhibited passion was enough for him.
A flicker of something that felt like regret slid though her. Kade wasn’t interested in more than a physical relationship. He’d been honest about that from the start. Ellie was no longer sure what she wanted from Kade. For the moment, she told herself, sex was enough.
She sighed as she wiped her hands on a dish towel, took off her Diamond Bar apron and hung it on a hook near the stove. Whatever Kade was thinking, they still needed to talk about Frank Keller, try to figure out if there could be another motive for the attacks. They needed to be certain Keller was the man responsible, because so far they had no proof.
And there was the not-so-small matter of solving Heather’s murder—the job Kade had originally hired her to do.
She glanced up at a noise in the hall, saw him walk into the kitchen, and felt a sweep of sexual desire it was ridiculous to feel after last night.
Kade’s eyes locked with hers and seemed to glitter with heat. “Good morning,” he said, his voice a little rough. “I see you got the men fed and watered.”
Her lips twitched. “They aren’t livestock, Kade, but yes, the guys left for work a while ago.”
“I want you to know, Ellie, I appreciate the job you’ve done here. Nothing more important to the ranch hands after a hard day’s work than a hearty, good-tasting meal. When I suggested you work as cook, I figured Maria would do the actual labor and you’d just sort of pitch in as cover for the job you’re really here to do. Instead, you took over at a time we really needed you, and I’m more grateful than I can say.”
She was touched by his words, certainly hadn’t expected them. “Thank you.”
His eyes found hers across the distance between them. “So . . . about last night—”
Ellie’s raised a hand, cutting off whatever he’d planned to say, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color rising in her cheeks. Talking about the intimacies they’d shared wasn’t easy for her, either.
“You don’t have to say anything, Kade. We enjoyed ourselves. That’s all that matters.”
One of his dark eyebrows went up. “That’s it, then? One night was enough for you?”
Heat tugged low in her belly as she remembered the things they had done. “Was it enough for you?”
He walked up behind her, slid his arms around her waist, and eased her back against him. She gasped at the feel of his heavy erection against the curve of her behind.
“Hell, no, it wasn’t enough.” He pressed his mouth against the nape of her neck. “I want you. That hasn’t changed.” His voice thickened, grew husky. “If I had my way, darlin’, I’d bend you over the kitchen table and have you right here.”
Shock widened her eyes, and a little sound came from her throat. When she turned to look up at him, he briefly kissed her lips.
“Don’t worry, it’s not going to happen. We can’t let this thing between us interfere with our work. I have a ranch to run. You’re here to find my dead wife’s killer. I think you understand that—probably better than I do.”
She released a breath of relief. She wasn’t sure if it was because he understood the situation—or because he still wanted her.
“I understand completely. Which reminds me of the reason I came to see you last night.”
His mouth edged up at one corner. “You mean before things got a lot more interesting?”
She ignored a rush of warmth. “I came to talk to you about Frank Keller.”
His eyes sparkled with what could only be male arrogance. “I guess we got sidetracked.”
Ellie clamped down on the memory of Kade’s hard body pressing her down on the mattress. “I guess we did.”
“Before we get started, I need a cup of coffee.” He eyed the round metal baking pan covered with foil sitting on top of the stove. “If those are biscuits, I could sure use a couple.”
“I can cook you something.”
“Biscuits and coffee will do.”
Ellie poured some of the dark brew into a mug, which Kade carried over to the table. Ellie took him some biscuits, butter, and raspberry jam, carried her own cup over, and sat down across from him, wondering if she’d ever be able to look at the kitchen table without remembering what Kade had said.
“You wanted to talk about Frank Keller.” He took a drink from his mug.
“That’s right. All the way back to the ranch yesterday, I kept thinking about him. I don’t have any trouble believing a guy you fired would be angry enough to kill a couple of your steers. Shooting your dog was definitely personal, something an angry man might do. But setting off a bomb in a mine? Shooting one of the ranch hands? It had to be something more than just payback because he was mad at you.”
Kade sipped his coffee. “I’ve thought about it, that’s for sure.” He set the mug down on the table. “Wyatt said Keller refused to take orders from Alejandro because he was Latino. That could definitely have made him a target.”
“True. Attempted murder seems a little over the top, but I guess it’s possible. Still, it was the mine explosion that convinced us Keller’s the man we’re after.”
“The guy is an explosives expert. Army EOD. There can’t be many of those around.”
“I think we should talk to Will Turley up at the mine. See if he’s ever heard of Frank Keller. Maybe there’s a connection we don’t know about. If not, maybe he can give us the name of someone else.”
“Good idea. I could phone him, but I’d rather talk to him in person. Seems like you usually get a better take on things face-to-face.”
“I agree. Sometimes something useful comes up that wouldn’t have if you were on the phone.”
Kade nodded. “Speaking of which, I got a call from Delaney. He wanted to check in, let me know he and his men are settled in and on the job.”
“I’m glad they’re here.”
“So am I.” He glanced around the kitchen. “You’re finished here. Let’s take a drive up to the mine. I’ll call Turley, make sure he’s there.” Amusement crinkled the sun lines at the corners of his eyes. “In the meantime, I promise to keep my hands off you—at least until we get back home.”
* * *
The pickup dipped and swayed as it lurched along the steep gravel road winding up the side of the canyon to the mine. The crew was busily working when Kade pulled into the open area surrounded by wood and metal buildings and turned off the engine. Men shuffled in and out of the dark hole in the side of the mountain that was the entrance to the mine.
As he and Ellie climbed out of the pickup, Will Turley walked toward them, curly red hair gleaming in the sun. Ellie’s hair was a darker shade of red, her curls loose and silky. Kade flicked her a glance, wishing he could free those luscious strands from her ponytail and slide his fingers through them.
“Always good to see you, Kade,” Will said. He turned, looking surprised to see him with Ellie again today. Kade never mixed business with pleasure. He told himself this time he had no choice.
Will smiled at Ellie. “Kade didn’t say he’d be bringing you along, but it’s nice to see you again.” The knowing gleam in his eyes said he could guess what they’d been doing in the bedroom last night. Kade’s hand unconsciously fisted.
Ellie smiled at Will. “I had an errand to run in Vail, so I came along.” Her motive for the trip was none of Turley’s business.
Turley’s attention returned to Kade. “So what can I do for you?”
“How’s the investigation going? Any idea who blew up the tunnel?”
“Not that I’ve heard,” Will said. “But the investigation is ongoing. I don’t think the sheriff would tell me if he had a lead.”
Kade nodded. “Ever hear of a guy named Frank Keller?” Will’s answer was
drowned by a skip loader backing up, setting off a loud beeping. Men scrambled to get out of the way.
“Why don’t we go inside where we can talk?” Will suggested.
They followed him into the office, and Turley closed the door. Kade’s jaw tightened at the way the man’s eyes lingered on Ellie’s breasts as she took off her puffy jacket.
Jealousy was an emotion Kade had learned to ignore when he had been married to Heather. Somehow it felt different with Ellie. Maybe because she wasn’t flirting with the other man to purposely spark his temper.
His gaze went to Turley. Ellie was a beautiful woman. Turley was just a man. Kade’s temper eased.
He sat down next to Ellie in folding chairs in front of Turley’s metal desk. The office was cluttered by metal shelves against the walls filled with an assortment of ore samples, heavy chunks of rock containing silver, lead, zinc, and any of a half dozen different substances, all covered with a fine layer of dust.
Turley sat down across from them behind his desk. “You asked me about Frank Keller.”
“That’s right,” Kade said. “You recognize the name?”
Will nodded. “Keller worked here for a while. He was our blast technician when we started the new tunnel. It was a while ago, though. At least six months.”
“Did you give the sheriff his name after the explosion?”
“It never occurred to me Frank would be involved. Like I said, he’s been gone for at least six months, and he never gave us any trouble. We parted amiably, and that was the last I saw of him.”
“Why’d he quit?”
“We got to a point we didn’t need him, and he’d only been hired for a specific project. He completed the work, we paid him, and he left.”
“Did he say where he was going?” Ellie asked. “Or leave a forwarding address?”
“He said something about a job in one of the mines in southern Colorado. Didn’t say which one. That’s all I know.”
Kade rose from his chair. “Thanks for the help, Will. If you think of anything else, I’d appreciate a call.”
He didn’t mention the dead steers or what had happened to Alejandro. Those were ranch problems, and so far he had no proof Keller was involved. If Keller hadn’t blown up the mine, maybe the events weren’t connected.
