He stood up and stretched, and she allowed her gaze to flick across his long, lean frame. His story about trusting Violet and how she done him wrong only increased his standing with her.
She’d figured him as just about close to perfect, pitying her mistakes and her dysfunctional family. Seemed he had mistakes of his own in his past and a family just as dysfunctional as hers.
The fact that Violet had used a pregnancy to try to trap Logan into marriage made her stomach turn. She’d been accused of the same stunt when she’d gotten pregnant for real. Blaine’s family had convinced him of that fact and had sent him off to his Ivy League college in record time. She’d never seen him again and he’d never tried to see the baby. And she’d accepted payment from his parents for never contacting Blaine again and giving up Carla.
Logan didn’t need to know that part of her story.
She stacked their pages and waved them at Logan. “We’re not making the same mistake twice. Is there someplace you can lock these up?”
“Not without raising eyebrows and alerting Junior that I’m trying to hide something. He controls all the safes in the house.” Logan took a turn around the room and snapped his finger. “There are some loose floorboards near the fireplace.”
“How do you know that and would anyone else know about them?”
“My brothers and I—mostly Hugh and Cody—used this guesthouse as party central when we were teenagers.” He crouched in front of the fireplace and flipped back the Native American rug on the hardwood floor. “This space was big enough to hide a couple bottles of whiskey, a few packs of cigarettes and a supply of condoms. I think it can accommodate some pages from a notebook.”
Clutching the papers to her chest she hovered over him as he tapped on the floor. Then he took a knife from his pocket and jimmied it between two floorboards.
“Told ya.” He lifted one floorboard and then tapped the underside of the one next to it and punched it out. He directed the light from his cell phone into the cavity and reached in with his hand. “There’s something still in here.”
“Some aged whiskey?”
He pulled out a blue box and pinched it between his fingers. “Aged condoms. I guess those boys didn’t get as lucky as they’d hoped.”
As he started to toss the box onto the fireplace, she put her hand on his arm. “Leave them. We should probably just keep everything the same so as not to raise suspicions.”
Curling his fingers around the box, he said, “I don’t think my brothers are going to come sneaking around to find a box of condoms they left here almost twenty years ago.”
“Humor me.”
“You got it.” He held out his hand. “We’ll put our pages in first and the box can anchor them.”
She gave him their precious notes and he slipped them into the space. He dropped the condoms on top and replaced the floorboards.
He brushed his fingers together. “Nobody’s going to find those...and nobody’s going to be looking. You’re safe here, Lana.”
“What if they follow me here?” She pulled the rug back over the floor and smoothed it with her hand. “If the guys after me took the time to find out your name, it wouldn’t be hard for them to trace us to the Double H, would it? They’d just have to do an internet search of your name like I did, and they’d find this place.”
“That’s if they find out my name.”
“They’re already in touch with Jaeger somehow. They could just ask him if they don’t already know.”
“Bruce or Dale would’ve mentioned my name to Jaeger? Because Jaeger and I never formally met.”
“Believe me, Jaeger would find out the name of the man who brought him to his knees and humiliated him.”
Logan cupped her elbow and rose to his feet, taking her with him. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he said, “Don’t worry about that. This ranch is secure. My brother’s not going to let anyone who doesn’t belong here wander around the land.”
“As long as you’re nearby, I’ll feel safe, Logan.”
“I wish I could be closer, but talk about raised eyebrows. If I moved in here, my family would implode. Unless—” he touched her nose with the tip of his finger “—you want me to stay in the house with you. I don’t give a damn what my family thinks at this point. If you’d feel safer with me...in the next bedroom, I’m there.”
The thought of Logan sleeping in the same house, away from the prying eyes of people who knew her and her past sent a flood of excitement through her system, but it would blow their cover.
“If we do that, they’ll know I’m here under false pretenses. They’ll think you arranged to get your girlfriend a job at the family ranch.”
“So?” He lifted his shoulders. “In fact, that’s the way we should’ve played this. You’re my girlfriend. I heard about Charlotte leaving and thought it would be a good gig for you.”
“They’d probably believe you’d introduced another woman to the ranch ready and willing to take advantage of you and your family’s money.”
“Told you. I don’t give a damn.” He captured a lock of her hair and twirled it around his finger. “Should we revise our story?”
“Will your father fire me?”
“Are you a good trainer and teacher?”
“Damned good.”
“Then no.”
She placed her hands against his chest. “Let me think about it. It could be...awkward.”
“It could be...fun.”
She gave him a little shove. “I’m going to shower and change, and you’re not my boyfriend yet so don’t get any fresh ideas.”
“Yes, ma’am. I mean no, ma’am.” He grabbed his jacket off the hook by the door. “When will you be ready?”
“Give me an hour.”
“An hour?”
“If I’m going to be your girlfriend, I need to do you proud, Logan Hess.”
He laughed but as he slipped out the front door, she could’ve sworn he whispered, “You already do.”
* * *
THE HOSTESS AT the Longhorn Bar and Grill had given them a table in the corner, but they couldn’t escape the noise and activity of the bustling restaurant. The locals didn’t have much choice when it came to entertainment, so they flocked to the Longhorn with its Old West decor of red velvet wallpaper and brass fixtures.
Lana popped the last bite of her filet mignon into her mouth and savored its buttery smoothness as she raised her eyes to the ceiling. “I have to say the Double H produces some seriously yummy beef.”
“Only the best, but you gotta give the Longhorn credit for their preparation.” Logan narrowed his eyes as he gazed past her left shoulder. “Incoming.”
Lana cranked her head over her shoulder and waved at Alexa, heading for their table.
“Hope you don’t mind. When I told my sister we were coming here for dinner tonight, she asked if we’d join her at the bar for a drink, which means we’ll probably have to put off the grocery shopping for tomorrow.”
“I don’t mind, and I can always eat those leftover enchiladas for breakfast.”
When Alexa reached their table, she pulled over a chair from the recently vacated table next to them. She tapped the side of Lana’s plate. “Did you have the filet? It’s to die for, isn’t it?”
“It was delicious. Have you eaten? Do you want to join us?”
Logan nudged her foot with the toe of his boot, but she ignored him.
“No, thanks. I ate at home.” Alexa plucked a french fry from Lana’s plate. “But I’m not above poaching steak fries.”
Logan slapped her hand. “That’s rude. If you want an order, I’ll get Jeannie back over here.”
Lana laughed at the interplay between the siblings. She’d had that familiar joking relationship with Gil. Logan could pretend all he wanted that he viewed Alexa as the annoying little sister, but th
e way his green eyes sparkled when he looked at her told a different story.
“Ouch.” Alexa’s big, blue eyes widened as she bit off the end of the fry. “It’s just one.”
“You’re welcome to as many as you like.” Lana scooted her plate toward Alexa.
“Well, maybe a couple more.” Alexa stuck her tongue out at her brother.
“I thought we were meeting you for a drink, not dinner,” Logan addressed Lana. “Now that she’s over twenty-one, Alexa has been spending a lot of time in bars.”
Alexa licked some salt from her fingers. “He’s exaggerating, as usual. At least it’s all legal. I never bought hooch and hid it in the guesthouse like you guys did.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I have my ways.” Alexa quirked her eyebrows up and down. “I do still want to meet you in the bar for a drink. I just came over here to see what’s taking you so long—and to find out what you knew about Drew Halliday, the new ranch hand.”
“A new employee? You’re asking the wrong guy. You should be talking to Hugh.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t want Hugh to know I’m interested. You know how he gets.”
“I know how you get. What’s so special about this Drew Holiday?”
“Halliday.” Alexa closed her eyes and patted her chest over her heart. “He’s hot and he wears his jeans tight. What else is there to know...oh, and he’s in the bar as we speak.”
Lana raised her water glass. “Then what are you doing here?”
“Just wanted to get a little intel first, but it’s obvious you don’t know anything.” Alexa snatched another french fry and waved it at Logan. “Hurry up.”
As she sauntered back to the bar, Logan rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to get her interested in something other than cowboys in tight jeans, but Junior just keeps throwing money at her to do whatever she wants.”
“I think a lot of twenty-two-year-old women are interested in cowboys in tight jeans.” Lana’s gaze flicked over Logan’s broad shoulders. A lot of twenty-seven-year-old women, too. “She’ll figure out something.”
“Dessert? Coffee?”
“No, I think I need to check out Drew Halliday and his tight jeans for myself.” She winked at Logan.
As they made their way downstairs from the dining room to the bar, the noise level kicked up another few decibels. Country music blared from a jukebox and couples crowded the postage-stamp-sized dance floor.
Lana tugged on Logan’s sleeve. “Alexa is over there, to the right, and it looks like she snagged her man.”
“Oh, God. I hope he’s not full of earnest questions about the ranch, trying to suck up. He’s got the wrong Hess brother for that.”
Logan put his hand on her back and steered her through the crowd to the bar.
Alexa jumped off her stool. “So glad you finally made it. Lana, this is my friend Becca, and this is Drew. He’s new to the ranch, just like you.”
Lana nodded to a vivacious blonde, who looked like she could be Alexa’s sister, and to Drew, who tipped his black hat and returned the nod.
Since Logan and Becca already knew each other, Alexa introduced her brother to Drew and the two men shook hands, sizing each other up the way men did.
A few other workers from the Double H joined the group and soon the drinks were flowing and the laughter bubbling. Lana had a couple beers, even though everyone kept buying rounds and the bottles lined the polished bar.
Logan clicked his longneck down on the bar with one hand and grabbed her arm with the other. “Let’s dance.”
Lana followed him willingly, ready to stumble through a line dance, but the music changed to a slow song when they hit the dance floor.
Without missing a beat, Logan swung her into his arms and propelled her across the floor with surprising ease and grace. Even though he’d revealed a few of his warts to her, the man was still pretty close to perfect.
He made her a better dancer or maybe just being in his arms felt like she was floating on a cloud.
Her head couldn’t quite reach his shoulder, so she contented herself with resting her cheek against his chest, where his heart thudded beneath the soft material of his shirt.
When the song ended, her feet refused to budge. She could stay here forever, forget about everything and everyone—except Logan.
He leaned down and put his lips close to her ear. “You ready to join this mess?”
Her eyes flew open and she realized they were the only couple still clinging to each other as a line began to form across the room.
“I think I already wore out my dancing shoes.”
“Me, too.” He took her hand and led her back to the bar. “I’ve worn out my bar shoes, too. It’s been a long day for us. Are you ready to leave?”
“I am.”
They said their goodbyes to the gang still yukking it up at the bar.
As Lana hugged Alexa, the younger woman whispered in her ear, “I hope you’re more than just the riding instructor.”
“Good night, Alexa, and good luck with your hot cowboy.” Lana nodded toward Drew, who looked like he’d had a few too many.
On the ride back to the ranch, Logan asked, “What do you think of Yellowtail’s nightlife?”
“At least everyone knows each other and there’s no disagreements about where to go.”
“You didn’t see Mickey’s down the street.”
“We drove past it and I saw enough to know that’s where the serious drinkers go. Don’t forget. I grew up with one of those serious drinkers. Those dive bars all look alike.”
“They sure do.”
The movement of the truck and the two beers in her belly caused her to doze off, and she woke with a start when Logan stopped the truck to open the gates of the ranch.
When he got back in the truck, she yawned and said, “I’m sorry. I must’ve fallen asleep.”
“Like I said before, we’ve had a long day.” He glanced over as he took the turn toward the guesthouse. “You sure you don’t want me to stay tonight?”
“I think I’ll be fine. I’m on the ranch, I’ll lock up, the journal notes are hidden away...and you’re just across that field.”
“And you’ve got my number in your new phone. Don’t be afraid to use it.” He parked in front of the guesthouse.
Lana unsnapped her seat belt and slid from the truck.
Logan met her at the front door. “Tomorrow you can look at the horses and Charlotte’s schedule, and then we’ll do some more work on Gil’s journal. Once you start matching some dates and numbers to the notations, I think we can send it off to someone who can make sense of it.”
“We’ll need to get someone interested first, won’t we?”
“Let me worry about that. You just work on connecting some dates to those events that Gil painstakingly recorded.”
She grabbed the front of Logan’s jacket. “It’s not going to be for nothing, is it? Gil’s death?”
“It’s not for nothing now, Lana.” He brushed a thumb across her cheek. “Your brother died in the service of his country—however his superiors want to spin it. Nobody can take that away from him.”
“Thanks.”
He touched his lips to hers in the briefest of kisses. “Lock up behind you.”
Once inside, she locked the door and the dead bolt. She stomped on the part of the floor that hid her notes and got ready for bed, barely able to keep her eyes open as she brushed her teeth.
After dragging a nightgown from her still-packed suitcase, she curled up in the fresh sheets of the bed and couldn’t even indulge in her favorite fantasies as a heavy curtain of sleep descended on her.
Several minutes? Hours? Sometime later a man—Logan?—yanked back her bedcovers. “Hurry, Lana. You have to get out.”
“Get out?” Lead weights lay heavy on her lid
s. She struggled to open her eyes.
“Come with me.” Logan whipped back the covers on her bed, and she shivered.
“Hurry, Lana.”
She tried to form some words with her fuzzy tongue. “Where? Why?”
“Fire! There’s a fire.”
She jerked her legs, but they didn’t seem to move. She felt pinned to the bed, but now the acrid smell of smoke invaded her nostrils. “Fire.”
“That’s right. I’ll save you.”
Logan would save her. Logan always saved her.
He scooped her up in his strong arms and her head lolled against his shoulder, her nose pressed against his neck. She breathed in his scent, and her body stiffened.
Not Logan.
She arched her back or tried to, but the strange lethargy continued to claim her body. “Not...no.”
“It’s all right, Lana. You can come with me now.” The man who wasn’t Logan threw her over his shoulder, digging his gloved fingers into her backside through the thin material of her underwear.
She clawed at the man’s back as he charged out of the house. The heat of the fire warmed her bare legs, which hung limply against the man’s body.
She knew now that this man was abducting her and there wasn’t a damned thing she or Logan could do about it.
Chapter Twelve
Logan cradled his cup of coffee in both hands on his second patrol of the ranch and sniffed the air. His nostrils twitched at the smell of fire.
He tossed the coffee that had been keeping his eyes open and placed the cup on top of the nearest post. A fire in the stables could spell disaster.
He tipped back his head and sniffed again. Then he didn’t have to smell out the blaze. He spotted black smoke rising from the direction of the guesthouse—Lana’s house. Adrenaline pumped through his system.
Taking a shortcut, he raced across the field between the ranch house and the guesthouse, shouting Lana’s name and calling the alarm system for the ranch on the phone clutched in his hand.
Two seconds later, before he even reached the guesthouse, a loud alarm blared across the ranch and several lights illuminated the landscape.
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