by Katie Lane
“Can you move your toes?” Holden asked.
She wiggled her unpolished toes, suddenly wishing she had a pedicure. “It’s not broken. It’s just a slight sprain. I’ve sprained my ankle more than once in my life.”
He glanced at her. “You fall a lot, do you?”
“My parents had to take me to the emergency room so often when I was a child that the doctors filed a report with social services to find out if I was being abused. I was just clumsy. Or maybe not clumsy, as much as not paying attention to the world around me. Which is probably why I get lost all the time.”
His mouth tipped up at the corners in his off-kilter smile. It was the first time he’d smiled directly at her and she felt like the sun had just risen on the horizon. “My sister was like that. She lived in a dream world of fairy princesses and pretty pink ponies.”
“I’m sure she grew out of it. My mind still wanders.”
His smile faded and he got to his feet. “We should get some ice on your ankle.” He left the room and a few moments later, he returned with a baggie of ice and an ace bandage. Once he had her ankle snugly wrapped, he tugged off her other boot and had her lie down on the bed so he could prop her foot up on a pillow. “You can sleep here tonight. I’ll sleep in Lucas’s room.”
She quickly sat up, knocking the ice bag to the floor. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly stay here tonight.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. I’m not going to let you drive back to town with a sprained ankle. And you’ve obviously had too much to drink at the wedding.”
“I can drive with a sprained ankle. And I’m not intoxicated.”
He studied her. “Then explain what happened tonight. ”
He had a good point. Only a thoroughly intoxicated woman would act the way she had. And alcohol would be a good excuse for her embarrassing behavior. People got drunk and behaved out of character all the time, including acting sexually inappropriately with people they barely knew. It was a normal thing to do. The abnormal thing was acting that way without a sip of alcohol. And Devlin refused to let Holden know just how abnormal she was.
“You’re right. I’m drunk.” She forced a high-pitched giggle that sounded as fake as it was. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice, but I’m completely inebriated and probably won’t remember a thing I said . . . or did tonight.”
His gaze narrowed as if he was trying to figure her out, then abruptly he seemed to give up. He replaced the ice bag on her ankle, and then turned for the door. Before he clicked off the light, he spoke. “If you need anything, I’ll be right down the hall.”
Once he was gone, Devlin stared at the dark, empty doorway. As she saw it, she had two choices. She could wait until he went to sleep and then leave and never have to deal with Holden Lancaster and her embarrassing reaction to him again. Or she could stay and face him in the morning. She wanted to take the first option. But if she left and returned home, her family would take it as another failure. Her mother and father would act like it wasn’t a big deal, but she knew that underneath their smiles and hugs, they would be sighing to themselves and thinking, “At least we have three sons to be proud of.”
Being a major disappointment to her parents mattered more to her than a little embarrassment. They were the best parents—even to a daughter that was far from perfect. She couldn’t disappoint them again. But how could she get Holden to agree to lease her his land?
She had been so certain money would entice him. She had learned from Penny that Holden lived in Houston and worked for very little money as an attorney for a private law office that offered legal advice and representation to people who couldn’t afford it. According to Cru, Holden enjoyed fighting for the rights of the underdog.
Suddenly, it hit her why Holden wanted nothing to do with her, and she felt like a complete imbecile for not figuring it out sooner. She had been trying so hard to be an assertive representative of her family’s business and seal the deal with talk of the millions Holden would make. And that’s exactly how he saw her. He saw her as a representative of one of the big money-grubbing companies he fought against in court. A company that was only interested in the bottom line.
But Devlin wasn’t all that interested in making money . . . or oil wells, for that matter. She was interested in researching new energy resources that had a lower impact on the environment. She’d tried numerous times to talk to her father and brothers about putting more of the company’s profits into new energy research. But they weren’t convinced it was a smart business move. Probably because she wasn’t very business minded. She had hoped if she found oil and proved herself, they would be more likely to listen to her ideas. And maybe if Holden knew her plan, he’d be more willing to listen to her too.
Of course, if she tried to tell him now, he’d just think she was making it up. But if she stopped pushing so hard and gradually released the information, he might start to believe her.
Now all she needed was time. Time to prove to Holden that she wasn’t a spoiled little rich girl who only wanted to make more money for her family business, but rather an introverted, insecure klutz who just wanted a chance to prove herself.
She glanced down at her bandaged foot.
Maybe being a klutz might work in her favor.
Chapter Four
Holden burned the bacon. Something he didn’t realize until the smoke alarm went off and snapped him out of his thoughts. He carried the smoking pan to the sink and opened a window before he climbed on a kitchen chair to turn off the alarm. Before he could push the button to get the blaring to stop, Devlin came hopping into the kitchen like a kid in a three-legged race and ran right into the chair he was standing on. The chair teetered and he lost his balance. Still, he would’ve been able to land on his feet if Devlin hadn’t tried to save him by grabbing his legs.
“I got you!”
They both ended up sprawled on the floor, Holden on the bottom and Devlin on top. The press of her body against his brought back the same memories that had caused him to burn the bacon. Memories of soft lips, soft breasts, and soft ass cheeks. But just as he slid his hands down to her butt to see how well his memory served him, the front door banged open and Cru and Penny came rushing into the kitchen, followed by Chester and Lucas. They all froze when they saw Holden and Devlin tangled on the floor.
“What in tarnation are you doing in my kitchen, boy?” Lucas yelled above the blaring alarm.
Chester laughed. “If you can’t figure that out for yourself, you old coot, then you’re dumber than I thought you were.”
Realizing his hands were on Devlin’s butt, Holden quickly removed them and shifted her so he could get to his feet, and then help her up. Righting the chair, he climbed up to turn off the alarm. Once the blaring stopped, he got down and addressed Lucas’s question.
“I burned the bacon.”
“Before or after you started wrestling with Devlin?” Cru asked with a smirk on his face.
Before he could answer, Devlin spoke. “It was all my fault. The smoke alarm went off and I assumed there was a fire. I came hurrying into the kitchen without my glasses and didn’t see Holden standing on the chair until I ran into him.”
“When you woke up?” Penny asked. “You spent the night here?”
“I didn’t want to. Holden insisted because I’d . . . been drinking.”
Penny’s eyes narrowed on Holden. “I’m sure he did.”
Holden held up his hands. “It’s not what you’re thinking. She came here last night to try to convince me to lease her my land, and she ended up falling and twisting her ankle.” He pulled the chair closer to her. “In fact, you probably shouldn’t be standing on it.”
“And I guess you couldn’t have driven her back to the boardinghouse.” Penny was still eyeing him suspiciously, as if he’d done something evil to her friend.
“It was late and we were both tired.” Holden glanced at Devlin. “But I’ll be happy to drive you back to the boardinghouse this morning.”
&n
bsp; “That’s all right. Cru and I can drive her back on our way to South Padre.”
“Oh, I couldn’t let you do that,” Devlin said. “You’re leaving on your honeymoon. You don’t need any tag-alongs. And I don’t need anyone to drive me. I’m perfectly capable of driving myself.”
Penny looked down at her bandaged ankle. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. It feels much better this morning.”
“In that case,” Cru took Penny’s arm. “We’ll be on our way.” He glanced at Holden. “Thanks for holding down the fort, but maybe you and Lucas should both stay away from the stove while I’m gone.”
“I haven’t forgotten to turn off the stove since the fire,” Lucas snapped. “Proving that the doc was right, and my memory loss had to do with those painkillers and the flu medicine I was mixing. And Holden doesn’t need to hold down the fort. Chester and I aren’t feeble. At least, I’m not.”
“Watch who you’re callin’ feeble, you old coot,” Chester said before he gave Cru a hearty slap on the back. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine. Now get out of here and enjoy your honeymoon.”
Penny hugged Chester and Lucas before moving over to Devlin. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” Devlin stood to give Penny a hug, but Holden noticed that she didn’t put any weight on her injured ankle. Once Cru and Penny left, she immediately sat down in the chair. “I probably should be going too. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
Her gaze zeroed in on his mouth and he wondered if she was remembering their kiss. It was hard to forget. Not just because it was amazing, but also because of her reaction to it. Who reaches orgasm from just a little making out? There was little doubt in his mind that Devlin had reached orgasm. Not even Meryl Streep could fake those throaty moans and satisfied hums. Or the embarrassed blushes after she pulled from his arms. Devlin had come to seduce him, but she hadn’t planned on being seduced herself. Her response to him had been real. As had his response to her. And the last person he wanted to be turned on by was Devlin McMillian.
Logan had told him about Devlin and her driving need to find oil, and Holden knew all about driven women. He’d spent most of his life resenting a mother who put the family business and making money above everything else . . . including her own son and daughter. He wasn’t about to get involved with the same type of cold, emotionless woman.
Although right now, Devlin didn’t look like a cold, emotionless woman. She looked like a disheveled prom date after a wild night of sex. Her dark hair was mussed, her short pink dress wrinkled, and her vulnerable hazel eyes smudged with makeup.
“So you twisted your ankle, did you?” Lucas said. “I did that myself a few months ago.” He slid another chair over to Devlin. “You just put your foot right up there, sweetheart, and rest while I whip you up some flapjacks for breakfast.”
“Oh, I couldn’t be any more of an imposition,” Devlin said.
“It’s no imposition,” Lucas said as he headed to the pantry.
Holden didn’t want Devlin to stay. She made him feel conflicting things, and he wasn’t the type of person who liked conflict in his personal life. He had enough in his professional one. But this wasn’t his house, so he didn’t have much choice but to deal with it.
He walked to the sink to clean up the burnt bacon. While he scoured out the pan and Lucas cooked breakfast, Chester sat down at the table and asked Devlin about her job. Most of the scientists Holden had met spoke in industry jargon that was way over ordinary people’s heads, but Devlin answered all of Chester’s questions in a way the old cowboy could understand. The only thing lacking was enthusiasm. She didn’t seem at all excited when she talked about her job. This was made very clear when the conversation switched from oil to alternate energy resources. Her voice lifted a few octaves and she became much more animated.
“I’m convinced that the sun is our most potent, dependable, and sustainable energy source. We already use solar panels to gather energy from the sun to heat and cool our homes. I really think we can harness it for cars too. While no cars primarily powered by the sun are available now, I definitely think there will be in the future. I did my doctorate on solar power. It’s a fascinating subject.”
“Why didn’t you pursue it after you got out of college?” Chester asked the same thing Holden was wondering. “It sounds like you love it.”
“I did enjoy my research immensely, but the plan was always that I work for the family business.”
Holden understood “family plans” completely. He’d become an attorney to please his family. Actually, to please his mother. She had pushed him into studying the law ever since he was a child. Not because she admired lawyers, but because she didn’t trust them. She figured she could trust her own son to handle all of her legal needs, and she had been thoroughly disappointed when Holden had decided not to work for the family publishing business.
“Take these to the table, boy,” Lucas said as he handed him a plate of flapjacks.
All during breakfast, Holden couldn’t seem to keep his gaze from going to Devlin. Most of the women he knew were cautious about how many carbs they consumed. Especially when those carbs were covered in butter and maple syrup. But Devlin ate as if she was completely unaware of carbs and calories. When she finished, she released a little burp and placed a hand over her mouth.
“Oh, pardon me.”
“No need to be pardoned for burping in this house,” Chester said. “It’s just nature’s way of expressing satisfaction.” He let out his own burp before he got to his feet. “Now I’m going to go feed the horses.”
Feeling guilty that he hadn’t taken care of the horses already, Holden got up too. “I’ll help.” On his way out of the kitchen, he hesitated. “Goodbye, Ms. McMillian.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Lancaster. Thank you for all you did last night.” Her gaze traveled to his mouth and she bit her bottom lip.
He had the strong urge to pull her out of the chair and take over the biting for her. Instead, he gave her a brief nod as he walked out of the kitchen.
In the barn, he helped Chester feed and groom the horses. Misty was an old mare that had long since passed the age for riding, while the other two mares were much younger. Lucas had named the sorrel Cookie, because he said she was the same color as the molasses cookies his grandmother used to make for him. And Chester had named the other one Doris, because he’d always had a thing for Doris Day.
Holden was brushing Doris when Chester rested his arms on the stall door and gave him a stern look. “Did you take advantage of that sweet gal last night?”
Holden wasn’t surprised by the question. He could tell Chester liked Devlin. “I didn’t take advantage of her. If anything, she’s trying to take advantage of me.” He continued grooming the horse. “She came here trying to get me to lease her my land—land I didn’t even want, if you remember.”
Chester blew out his breath in a huff. “Not want land? That don’t make no sense, boy. I get why you don’t want to strike it rich. You think that your mama’s desire to make money screwed up your family and you don’t want to fall in the same trap. But land is different. God made this beautiful country. You don’t need to put anything on it or pump anything out of it. All you need to do is enjoy it. And that’s what Lucas and me want for you six boys. We want you to enjoy the land as much as we have.”
Immediately feeling guilty, Holden stopped brushing Doris and turned to Chester. “I’m not trying to be ungrateful, Chester, but I don’t really have time to enjoy a piece of land.”
Chester squinted at him. “Maybe that’s why you look so hangdog. You aren’t taking any time to enjoy life. Sounds like all you do is work.” He pulled out a can of chewing tobacco and slipped a pinch inside his bottom lip.
“I enjoy life.”
“How? What do you do for fun?”
It took him a while to find an answer. “Every Saturday night, I get takeout and watch old Westerns.” Once the words were out, he realized how pathetic
they sounded.
Chester must’ve thought so too, because his squint got even squintier. “When I was your age, I had better things to do than sit in front of a television eating fast food. I admire how you’re helping folks out with your lawyerin’ skills, but as my mama always said, if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of other people. And it don’t sound like you’ve been taking very good care of yourself.”
“Okay, so maybe my life isn’t exactly fun and games, but I had a pretty cushy time for a lot of years, so I figure I’m due a little hard work.”
“Are you punishing yourself for growing up rich?”
“Of course not.”
Chester stroked his handlebar mustache as he studied him. “Then if that’s not it, maybe you’re punishing yourself for something else.” He paused for a second before he spoke. “Like maybe your sister?”
Holden felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He turned away and resumed brushing the horse, trying to act like the question didn’t bother him at all. But his hand shook so badly that he dropped the currycomb. When he picked it up and glanced at Chester, the old man’s eyes were filled with sympathy.
Holden sighed. “Val told you, didn’t he? And here I thought you giving me that piece of land was just a coincidence.”
“Don’t be too mad at Val. He just wanted to make sure we didn’t sell it without talking to you first. Lucas and I thought giving you the land was a good idea considering the connection you have to it, but now I’m not so sure. Maybe we should’ve given it to one of the other boys. Maybe you want to forget what you buried there.”
That had been the plan. He had planned to bury the past and forget it. But then Chester and Lucas had given him the exact land he wanted to forget. Not that he’d been doing such a great job of forgetting even before they’d given him the land. And just the thought of one of the other boys getting it and letting Devlin dig wells all over it made him feel a little insane.
