by Sable Hunter
“That sounds like a good plan.” He began to ride toward the fence line, anxious to get her on the road. If she’d wondered just a little farther, she’d have seen that damn yellow crime tape still draped across the old cave entrance. This whole place gave him the creeps. A man had died and Philip was on trial for murder. The spot was cursed as far as Heath was concerned.
“I can walk,” Cato protested.
She could, but he was enjoying holding her, not that he would ever admit it. “Why do you think the lost San Saba mine is located on my land?” He remembered what Zane had said about needing someone who could help them with the research.
“Do you really want to know?” She crossed her arms over her ample breasts, trying to maintain a sense of decorum while sitting in his lap—so close, yet so far. At his raised eyebrow, she relented. “I’ve studied dozens of sources from old diaries, to letters, to Spanish land grants. This area seems like a prime candidate because of its proximity to Enchanted Rock and Sandy Creek.”
“And what would you do with the information if you found it?” Heath knew he had a problem with trust, he could admit that much. But what she knew could prove useful.
“Nothing mercenary, I assure you. Our organization is interested in preserving the past and proving historical facts, not taking advantage of people or making a profit.”
“Pardon me if I have my doubts.” He didn’t mean to be disagreeable. Well yes, he did, but she turned him inside out. “You need to be careful, though. This is no place for a woman to be wandering around alone.”
Cato could sense a change in him. Bolstered by the more relaxed look on his face, she decided to go for it. “Would you go with me to check out the mine?”
“No, I will not!”
He shouted at her, she could tell by the vibrations of his breath on her face. “Okay. Well, could I bring my boss back to have a look, with your permission, of course.”
Holding her was taking a toll on Heath. He remembered how sweet her lips had tasted and how good it felt to hold her on the dance floor. “I don’t know, I’ll think about it.” That was about as much of a concession as he could stand to make. Considering everything from his attraction to her—which could go nowhere—to Philip’s trial and their inauspicious introduction at the punch bowl, Heath thought he was being generous.
“You do that.” Courageously, she grinned up at him and rubbed the tip of her finger over his bottom lip. “You’re so handsome.”
“Stop that.” He swatted at her hand like it was a pesky fly. “Give me your boss’s name and number and I’ll give him a call when I make up my mind.” If he had that info, he could get the scoop Philip needed and maybe not have to expose himself to Cato’s considerable charms. By this time, Tempest had carried them to the fence and they were right by her jeep. He held her hand while she dismounted and found her footing.
“Not necessary, Sundance.” The bit of distance between them made her brave. Carefully, she climbed back through the fence, managing to do so unscathed this time. “You can let me know at the BBQ.”
Heath looked stunned. “My BBQ?”
“Yea.” She gave him a saucy look over her shoulder and put a bit of a swing to her step. “Your family invited me. Isn’t that nice? I’ll be spending the weekend—with you.”
* * *
Floyd Redford leaned over his desk, reaching for the notes that he insisted Cato write down for him. “Heath McCoy, you say?”
“Yes.” Cato nodded. She’d told him the name twice. Why was he acting so strange? “I didn’t get to do any exploring at all. Mr. McCoy insists we get proper permission and he was right,” she agreed begrudgingly. “So, if you could draft a letter, I’d appreciate it.” Despite her bravado, Cato intended to do things correctly this time. If she’d had any idea the land belonged to Heath, she would’ve never…well, she couldn’t say she wouldn’t have done the same thing, but at least she would have thought twice about it—and worn something more low cut.
“I’ll need all of your findings, your resources and any maps you might have access to.”
Now hold on a minute, Cato thought. She wasn’t ready to just fork over everything. “My research is private. It was done on my own time, prior to my employment with you.” She wasn’t saying she wouldn’t share, but she wasn’t ready to give him full access to all of her papers either.
Redford appeared to back off a little. “I understand, but if you could see your way to sharing some of it with me, I’m sure we could do more together than apart.” He gave her a suave, slick smile which made Cato shiver a bit.
“I’m sure we can work something out,” she hastily offered, anxious to get out of his office. Cato hated that she felt this way. Her time with Savannah and the others at the Louisiana Cultural Center had been so enjoyable, she yearned for that same experience here. Maybe it would get better. She hoped so. But Cato chose not to mention the invitation to the McCoy BBQ. She feared that Mr. Redford would insist on accompanying her and that would definitely put a cramp in her style.
Hastily, she made her escape. He had seemed amenable to the suggestions she’d made about Dead Man’s Hole and had given her leeway to draw up a proposal for the board. Cato was glad there was an overseeing governing body. It made her feel more comfortable with Mr. Redford.
Packing up her things, she headed out. The day was waning fast. Cutting through town, she headed her white Cherokee toward the cottage she’d rented up near Marble Falls. Since she couldn’t turn on the radio and get lost in music, Cato had only her thoughts to keep her company. So naturally they turned to Heath and she couldn’t help but giggle. Who would have ever thought they’d run into one another the way they did today? What he must have thought when he rode up and she was stuck up in that tree with his bull blocking her escape. Talk about luck! Shaking her head, she was still amazed at the coincidence.
And then a thought hit her. Instead of happenchance, their meeting could’ve been fate. Yea, she’d been around enough Louisiana hoodoo to believe there was such a thing as destiny. Cato could still remember when Nana Fontenot had predicted that Savannah would meet, on her birthday, the warrior who would become her husband. And she did. That same day she met Patrick O’Rourke—bigger than Dallas.
The BBQ at the McCoys was only days away. She had a lot to do to get ready. Deciding what to wear was crucial. Cato wanted to fit in, but she wasn’t fancy by any means. Heath didn’t act uppity. In fact, none of the McCoys put on airs. So she probably had sufficient clothes, perhaps there would be an occasion to wear the little black lace dress that showed off her tan. And as for lingerie, well, that called for a bit of splurging.
Cato always wanted to be spontaneous, so she put on the brakes, pulled over, made a U-turn and headed back to Austin.
Victoria’s Secret, here I come.
* * *
Heath trudged from the barn to the house, mumbling all the way. “Beats all I’ve ever seen in my life.” He raised his eyes to the heavens. “What are you trying to do to me? Is this some kind of test?”
If he’d glanced at the porch, Heath would’ve seen that three of the six big rockers were occupied. His younger brothers were all watching him make his way across the lawn, through Pepper’s flower beds and around the fountain that Ryder insisted they have in their front yard to honor their mother’s memory.
Heath was still grumbling. “Just wait till I give those girls a piece of my mind. There’s such a thing as meddling and this time they’ve gone too far.”
“You need to get laid, brother,” Tennessee drawled.
Philip pulled out a chair. “He’s right, Heath. You look like you’re about to explode.”
“Sex isn’t the answer to all of life’s problems, boys,” Heath answered, sitting down and taking his hat off to rest it on his knee.
Jaxson leaned back in his chair, balancing his cast on the banister. “If it ain’t, it oughta be.”
Heath shook his head. He wasn’t going to argue about it. The females in his s
ocial circle expected white lace and promises. Commitment was one thing he was in short supply of, so sex, for him, was one night stands with out of town women. And that got old fast. “Is Ryder and Pepper at home? I have a bone to pick with them.”
“What have they done now?” Tennessee asked as Philip looked off into the distance, trying to appear innocent and uninvolved.
“Gone too far, that’s what.” He no more than got the words out of his mouth when Ryder exited the house carrying a tray filled with a pitcher of amber liquid and glasses full of ice. “Would anyone like a glass of tea?”
Tennessee couldn’t help but be amused. Actually, he was relieved to be thinking about anybody else’s problems other than his own. “I’ll take mine with a few drops of Jack and you’d better get yours to go, Ryder. Heath’s on the warpath.”
It had been years since any of her brothers truly intimidated her. Sparring with them took her mind off of…no, she wouldn’t say his name out loud. She wouldn’t even think it. As far as Ryder was concerned, he didn’t exist anymore. If her brothers knew what had truly transpired between her and him, they’d be after their so-called friend with weapons locked and loaded. So, facing Heath’s wrath was a piece of proverbial cake. She set the tray on a round table next to the door. “Found out about Cato, I guess?”
Heath leveled his gaze at Ryder. “How dare you invite that woman to this house?”
Tennessee roared with laughter. “You didn’t!”
“Need I remind you that this is my home too?” She raised one elegant eyebrow and faced down her brother. When he had the good grace to look sheepish, she directed her next comment to Tennessee. “I did, as a matter of fact.” Ryder looked triumphant. “And she accepted.”
“You know we got on like two sore-headed tomcats in a tow sack.”
“That’s not what I heard.” Jaxson smirked. “I heard you two almost had sex on the dance floor.”
“Oh, for crying out loud.” Heath bowed his head, holding his hat between his knees. This would teach him to try any form of social interaction with the opposite sex in front of his family. Trust them to hear wedding bells when all he was after was a good time. “Why would you do something like that?” Heath looked around at his brothers for support, which he didn’t seem to be getting at the moment.
“Aw, I think you two were cute together.” Philip offered with a grin.
“Yea, cute like a cobra and a mongoose,” Tennessee joked, making the situation worse.
“Hush!” Ryder admonished everyone. “She’s coming as mine and Pepper’s guest. We need female friends. There’s enough testosterone in this place to blow up Fort Knox.” Putting a hand on her hip, she stared down her older brother. “You’d be lucky if Cato had anything to do with you. But just so you know, Pepper is planning on setting her up with somebody. She invited several eligible men from the country club.”
“Pepper is getting out of hand,” Heath murmured and looked around for support, which he didn’t get. They all knew Pepper was the pet. If anyone could get away with anything in Heath’s eyes, it was Penelope McCoy.
“She even invited Caesar Arness.”
“Arness!” Heath bellowed. “Why would she invite that thieving cattle rustler?”
Philip pulled his Stetson down over his eyes. Sometimes it was better to hide.
“Dammit!” Heath protested. “Jimmy doesn’t like Caesar, you know that.” His brothers and sisters didn’t know about Caesar and Amy or Arness’s family’s involvement with Highlands and the Hollings family. He’d never burdened them with the details and he wasn’t about to start now. There were just some things he’d rather not talk about.
“Jimmy likes Caesar fine, I’m sure. It’s you who has it in for him and all because he outbid you on that Beefmaster bull you both wanted.” Ryder shook her finger in her brother’s face, at a safe distance of course. “And if Cato likes him, you’d better keep your distance. She’s a nice girl and I want her to have a good time.”
Heath didn’t like what he was feeling. Honestly he didn’t even want to analyze what he was feeling. Jealousy? Surely not. “She’s dangerous and Arness is a crook. I haven’t exactly figured out what his game is, but I know I don’t trust him.”
“Wait,” Jaxson held up his hand, “I’m confused.”
Tennessee laughed. “That’s nothing new.”
“No, wait a minute.” He looked at Heath. “How did you find out Cato was coming to the BBQ?”
Heath looked at his family. They were going to love this. “When I was out riding the fence down by Sandy Creek I found her up in a tree with T-Bone at the bottom.”
“You found Cato up a tree? What? Why?” Tennessee leaned forward, enjoying the frustrated look on his brother’s face.
Heath took a deep breath as if he were counting to ten before answering. “The bull was just trying to be friendly and she didn’t understand.”
“No,” Ryder countered. “Why was she there to start with?”
“Was she looking for you?” Philip knew he was just making the situation worse, but by this time no one cared. It was just too funny.
“That’s what I said to her,” Heath agreed in a much beleaguered toned. “I asked her if she was on my trail and she denied it. Her story was that she works for some cultural center and they’re trying to find the lost San Saba mine.”
Philip immediately sobered. “No shit? I’d sure like to talk to her about what she knows.”
Ryder hid a smile as she poured a couple of glasses and began to give them to her brothers. “Well, I guess you’ll get the chance to talk to her this weekend.” She held out a glass to Heath. “Need to cool off?”
“Hell no. I’m heading out.” Heath got up and stepped off the porch. “Just remember, nobody is going to tell me who to date or how to live my life. That woman may come to the BBQ but just keep her out of my sight. That’s all I have to say about that.” Raising his hand as if to forestall arguments, Heath walked toward his truck. “I’ll be with Dushku.”
“I thought he was coming after you,” Tennessee called. “I wanted to talk to him about a website idea I have for the trackers association. The man is a cyber-genius, you know.”
“I’m meeting him somewhere. Catch him at the BBQ, he’ll be here along with everybody else, I guess,” Heath yelled over his shoulder. “I gotta get out of here. You people would worry the horns off of a billy-goat.”
Ryder lingered and as Heath crawled into his truck, she looked at her siblings with a mischievous smile on her pretty face. “I think our brother is protesting too much. What do you think?”
Jaxson nodded, noting the dust that Heath’s old truck kicked up as he sped away. “I think it’s about to get exciting around here, if you ask me.” He raised his glass of amber sweet tea as if in a toast. “Let the games begin.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Heath drove his old pickup under the tall Highlands ranch sign, traveling south toward Austin. He’d phoned Jimmy and they planned to meet at the Iron Cactus Bar on 6th Street. People might wonder why he drove this beat-up old relic. He really didn’t care what they thought. Amy had wanted him to buy a fancy car, especially after he’d purchased Canyon of the Eagles resort and started up Highland Green Alternative Energy. But to Heath, having money didn’t necessarily mean you had to spend it. This old red truck had seen better days, happier ones too. He remembered taking his mom down on Bayou Teche for a picnic one Mother’s Day and he could recall his dad driving it down to the hay meadow with him and all the other boys riding in the back, ready to throw the bales on a trailer. During the hot summers, he’d piled the bed of the old truck high with watermelons and cantaloupes to sell on the side of the road and in the fall they’d all camped out at the beach using the pickup bed to sleep in instead of pallets on the sand. Yea, there were some good memories associated with this truck.
Driving down 281, he turned on 71 toward Austin. Holding the wheel with one hand, he massaged his left shoulder. God, he could use a rubdown, but tha
t thought naturally led to fantasizing about Cato’s hands running all over his body. Damn, what he needed was a distraction. Flipping on the radio, he found his favorite country station and soon Garth Brooks was belting out about having friends in low places. He laughed. That song always made him happy. Now all he needed was some fresh air. Rolling down his window, Heath let the wind whip through the cab. With dusk falling fast, he knew most men his age were settling down to dinner with family. Their wives would fix them a plate, kiss their neck and after the meal, they would cuddle on the couch and watch television. Later, they would go to bed and make love. Even though his life was full of business, the ranch and his family, Heath was alone and lonely.
Though he’d never admit it on threat of torture, he’d been thinking a lot about Cato Vincent. His brain could logically assimilate the reasons why he needed to keep her at arm’s length, but his body was screaming for release in her embrace. As he sped along in the darkness, he let his imagination run wild, picturing her naked, his hands and mouth full of her soft tits and his cock seeking solace between her thighs. “Damn.” He raised his ass and adjusted his package to give his cock some much needed space. How in the hell could he withstand her charms for an entire weekend?
Well, the answer to that question should be simple—another woman to take his mind off the tempting morsel he couldn’t have. Since he was about to spend the next few hours with Dushku, his problem might be solved. Jimmy was a pussy magnet. Just thinking about his friend made him smile. They’d met in college and remained close. Even though they didn’t have a whole lot in common, their differences only seemed to make their bond stronger. While Heath stayed at home and made his living off the land, Jimmy was a jetsetter and managed assets he owned worldwide. One day he was in Dubai and the next he might be in Paris. He was friends to movie stars, sports icons, sheiks, and world leaders. The most famous relationship he’d fostered was with the president of North Korea. Although Jimmy said he couldn’t exactly remember how it came about, when the leader of North Korea followed Jimmy’s twitter account, he followed back out of courtesy, greeting him with a ‘hello, my friend’—and a relationship was born. One that he didn’t seek, yet one he wouldn’t break. After all, as one acquaintance advised, ‘you never unfollow anyone with nuclear weapons.’
