“Our land? Do you have a share of Espada?”
“No.” Caitlin’s mouth thinned. “I think I told you, I’m not a Baron.”
“And only Barons are good enough to own Espada?”
“Something like that.”
“But you love the ranch. And you damned near run it.”
“Yes, and yes…and please don’t try to change the subject. Why did you come to Espada?”
Tyler looked across the table at this woman he’d only met days ago. There was no artifice to her, neither in the way she looked and dressed nor in the way she spoke. He’d known so many women in his life…some of them must have had more perfect features, more voluptuous bodies. He knew, for certain, that he’d never dined on Texas ribs at a table set outside a handsome house all done up like an overblown whore.
He knew, too, that he’d never spent a more wonderful evening, that he’d never dreamed he’d hear a woman tell him she wasn’t ready for what they both wanted and know, in his gut, he wasn’t ready, either, because he was flat-out scared of what she made him feel.
And he knew that this was the first time in his thirty-five years he’d ever been tempted to tell a woman the truth. To say, look, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I don’t know who I am. I don’t even know my real name. That’s why I came to Espada, to try to solve the mystery that’s haunted me all my life…
Was he losing his mind? Tell her that he was an orphan? That he’d grown up first in the care of two polite people who’d never particularly cared for him, then in the even more tender care of the state? Tell her that he’d spent the better part of a year at a place for kids who’d gotten themselves in trouble?
He pushed back his chair and got to his feet.
“Tyler, please.” Caitlin rose, too. “Tell me what’s going on. Jonas has done nothing but growl since he threw you out.”
“Threw me out?” He gave a snort of laughter. “It would take that old son of a bitch and his three sons to throw me out, and even then, they’d have a tough time doing it. Besides, I didn’t bring you here to talk about Jonas Baron.”
“Tyler, if you’d just listen…”
“I am listening.” He came around the table toward her, his eyes locked on hers. “I liked the way you said that.”
“Said what?” Caitlin cleared her throat and took a step back. “What did I say?”
“My name.” She caught her breath as he reached out his hand and touched her cheek. “Say it again.”
“You’re right,” she said unsteadily. “It really is late…”
“Caitlin.”
His voice was as soft as honey but there was a roughness to it that sent a lick of flame through her blood. He was so beautiful. So impossibly, dangerously male. He was everything a woman would dream of, everything she had dreamed of since she’d first begun to wonder what it would be like to lie in a man’s arms and give herself up to passion.
“Tyler,” she whispered, and she knew that one, softly spoken word had given everything away. His green eyes darkened and his gaze fell to her mouth. She trembled as he reached for her, as she imagined his weight bearing her down into the softness of his bed.
“I’m on fire for you,” he said huskily, and kissed her.
She didn’t fight him. How could she, when the taste of his mouth was richer than wine? When the feel of his arms was everything that mattered? She moaned as his tongue parted her lips, and she arched against him and wound her arms around his neck.
Tyler swept his hands down Caitlin’s body, molding her, marking her with his touch. He groaned, slid his hands up under her skirt, and it was almost his undoing. God, how he wanted her.
“Sweet Cait,” he whispered, and he cupped her bottom, lifted her to him, shuddering when she pressed herself against him. “Come to bed with me,” he said, against her throat. “Let me make love to you until dawn lights the sky.”
Caitlin moaned and tore her mouth from Tyler’s. She pressed her face to his throat and inhaled his scent.
“I—I don’t do this,” she whispered. “I don’t.”
Tyler drew back, cupped her face, and lifted it to his.
“Damned right, you don’t,” he said fiercely. “You’re only going to do it with me.”
She struggled to hold on to reason. Things were moving too quickly. She knew what she’d always believed was right and what was wrong, but Tyler had swept all of that aside. Right and wrong had given way to hunger and need, and it frightened her.
“I need—I need time,” she said. “We just met. You hardly know me, and I don’t know anything except that you’re Tyler Kincaid.”
The change in him was stunning. He let go of her and stepped back, his eyes cold and flat.
“And that’s not enough, is it?” His voice was quiet but she sensed the fury of the storm beneath the calm façade. “After all, who in hell is Tyler Kincaid?”
“No. That isn’t what I meant.”
“Of course it is. And you’re right to ask the question. A woman would be a fool to get involved with a man who has nothing but a name.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
He walked across the room and stood looking out at the dark hills. Seconds passed. When he turned to her again, she felt as if she were looking at a man wearing a mask.
“It’s late, Caitlin, and we’ve both had a long week.” He smiled as he came toward her but the smile was empty of meaning. “I’ll drive you home.”
His hand closed on her elbow. His touch was polite and removed. It was hard to believe that only moments ago, his touch had seared her with fire.
“Tyler.” She touched his shoulder. “Please, what’s wrong? I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s all right,” he said gently. “You didn’t.”
He gave her the same empty smile as he had before, pressed his lips lightly to her forehead and took her back home, to Espada.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MARTA was waiting at the foot of the steps when Caitlin came down the next morning.
She shook her head before Caitlin could greet her, put a finger to her lips and drew her aside.
“What’s wrong?” Caitlin asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.
“I just wanted to warn you that Jonas is in a terrible mood this morning.”
“As if that were something new. He’s been mean as a rattlesnake all week.”
“Yes, Catie, but I have the feeling you’re going to be the one getting all his attention.”
Caitlin blew out a breath in exasperation. “What’d I do to get so lucky? Near as I can tell, I followed every one of the orders he snarled at me.”
Marta sighed and took her stepdaughter’s hand. “It’s about last night.”
“What about last night? He wanted me to be sure and remind Abel to check on that colt, and I did.”
“No, no, dear, this has nothing to do with the ranch.” Marta cleared her throat. “Were you out with Mr. Kincaid last evening?”
Color rose in Caitlin’s cheeks. “Marta,” she said stiffly, “you know how much I care for you, but I really don’t think—”
“You don’t think who you see is any of my business, and you’re right, of course. It’s Jonas. He heard about your date—”
“It was hardly a date. Mr. Kincaid showed up here without any warning. I went with him so I could make sure he understood that I have no intention of ever seeing him again.”
Marta said nothing but she didn’t have to. The look on her face said it all, and who could blame her? Caitlin thought irritably. The excuse sounded laughable, even to her.
“Anyway, I don’t owe Jonas an explanation.” She tugged her hand free of Marta’s but not before giving her stepmother’s fingers a reassuring squeeze. “I think there are times he forgets that I’m a grown woman.”
“I know he does.” Marta smiled. “As far as my husband is concerned, you’re still his little girl.”
“Not his,” Caitlin said stiffly. “Neve
r his. I’m not a Baron, remember?”
“Oh, Catie, I know he’s hurt you terribly by saying you can’t inherit Espada, but—”
“You’ve got it wrong. He won’t let me inherit Espada. There’s a big difference. And it’s crazy. He trusts me to run the ranch, to oversee everything that goes on here, but because I don’t carry the precious Baron blood, I’m not good enough to—” Caitlin broke off the rush of angry words and threw her arms around her stepmother. “Oh, Marta, I’m sorry! He’s your husband and you love him.”
“And you love him, too, Catie.”
“I do, dammit, despite the fact that he doesn’t love me. Not the way he should.”
Marta stepped out of Caitlin’s embrace and clasped her shoulders.
“He loves you with all his heart. And he’s proud of you. He talks about you to everybody.” She sighed. “Trouble is, he’s as stubborn as a mule when it comes to Espada. He built this place from nothing, you know that. Fifty acres of dirt, a secondhand tractor, two horses—”
“And a dozen head of cattle.” Caitlin had to smile. She’d heard the story a thousand times but never grown weary of it. “I know.” She sighed, kissed Marta on the cheek, then smiled at her. “Really, I do. And if I try hard, I can even see things from Jonas’s viewpoint. He created a kingdom and he wants to bequeath it to someone who carries his blood.” Her chin lifted. “But for all of that, I still think he’s as stubborn as a mule.”
Marta grinned and put her arm around her stepdaughter’s waist. The women started slowly toward the dining room.
“An excellent description,” she said. “I might just have trouble looking at my beloved husband from now on without seeing him with a pair of twitching ears.”
The women looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Glad somebody’s in a good mood this mornin’,” a deep voice grumbled.
Caitlin looked up. Her stepfather was seated in a high-backed chair at the head of the massive dining-room table, his bushy brows drawn together. The king, holding court, she thought grimly, and tried her best to see the picture Marta had painted with words—Jonas with a pair of twitching mule ears—but it was difficult to manage. Difficult, hell. It was impossible.
No mule could ever look so coldly furious.
“Jonas,” Marta said, the word a gentle plea, but Caitlin looked at her and shook her head.
“It’s okay,” she said softly.
Marta sighed, gave her a quick hug, and hurried away. Caitlin waited a moment, until she was certain she had her temper under control. Then she walked to the sideboard and poured herself a cup of coffee.
“That’s all you’re gonna have for breakfast?”
She smiled pleasantly at her stepfather as she sat down at the table. “And good morning to you, too,” she said.
“Ain’t nothin’ good about this mornin’.” Jonas reached for a platter of biscuits and shoved them toward her. “Nothin’ good about goin’ around with an empty belly, neither. Eat somethin’, girl.”
“I’m not hungry, thank you.”
“Et too much last night, did ya?”
The first shot had been fired. Not that she was surprised. Jonas wasn’t noted for his subtlety.
“What’s the matter?” She looked over the rim of her cup and smiled politely. “Didn’t your spies fill you in on the menu?”
She was gratified to see two streaks of color arch across his cheekbones.
“Carmen ain’t a spy. She’s jes’ interested in your welfare.”
Jonas bent over his plate and attacked his bacon and eggs with more energy than was warranted. Behind him, the kitchen door swung open just long enough for Caitlin to see Carmen shake her head from side to side and roll her eyes. Caitlin nodded. The housekeeper’s message was clear. However she’d divulged the information about Tyler’s visit, it had been done innocently.
“Well?”
Caitlin jerked her attention back to her stepfather. He’d pushed aside his plate and was glaring at her over the oversize coffee mug he favored.
“Well, what?”
“Don’t you gimme no sass, girl.” He banged the mug down on the table. “You got an explanation for what you done, I’m ready to listen to it.”
“Explanation? Sass? Girl?” Caitlin put down her cup, too. “Is there someone else in this room, Jonas? Some child you think you can address like that?” Her eyes grew as chilly as his. “There must be, because you surely wouldn’t speak this way to me.”
The old man stared at her. His mouth narrowed, then twitched, and finally he grinned.
“You’re a chip off the old block, missy. There are times listenin’ to you is like listenin’ to a younger version of me.”
“Not enough of a chip, evidently,” Caitlin said coolly, “but let’s not get into that, this morning.” She rose, went to the sideboard and refilled her cup. “Yes, Tyler Kincaid came here last night. Yes, I went out with him. Yes, we had dinner, and—just to save you the trouble of asking—yes, I suspect he’ll ask me out again.”
“And? When he does, what’ll you say?”
“I’ll say, yes.” Yes? Where had that come from? Until the word left Caitlin’s lips, she’d have been willing to swear she would never agree to see Tyler again.
“Dammit!” Jonas slammed his fist against the table. “You listen to me, Catie. That man is up to no good. No good whatsoever.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do, that’s all. He came sneaking onto Espada, pretending to be something he wasn’t—”
“I’m sure he had his reasons.” What in hell was she doing, defending Tyler, especially since she’d made the same accusation just last night?
“Never mind that. I do not want you seeing him again.”
“Why not?”
Jonas glared at her. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, girl. You’re not to see the man again. Is that clear?”
“What’s clear,” Caitlin said coolly, “is that you’ve managed to lose that down-home accent of yours again. How do you Barons manage that, I wonder?”
Jonas kicked back his chair and stood up. “Did you hear me? You’re not to see Kincaid again.”
Caitlin’s jaw firmed. Her stepfather towered over her, but neither his temper nor his size had ever been enough to make her back off in a confrontation with him and she wasn’t about to start backing off now.
“I’d have to be deaf not to hear you!”
“Just make sure you do as you’re told.”
“You can’t order me around, Jonas.”
“I can and I will.”
“No, you cannot!” She stood, slapped her hands on her hips and jerked her chin up. “I’m not a child.”
“Well, you’re behaving like one! Letting that man suck up to you—”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Why would he suck up to me? I’m nobody. I have nothing he could possibly want.” Her eyes narrowed. “Tyler Kincaid’s got more money than God, Jonas. Did you know that?”
“Money isn’t everything.”
“No. No, it certainly isn’t. I’m just taking your remark to its natural conclusion. You obviously think Tyler’s interested in me because he thinks I have money, and I’m telling you he doesn’t need anybody’s money, much less what little I’ve got.”
“You can have all the money you want, girl. Have I ever denied you anything?”
“Dammit,” she said angrily, “that’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. You said Tyler wants something I’ve got, and I said—”
“I heard what you said.” Jonas tucked his hands into his back pockets. “Maybe he wants something other than money.”
“Maybe.” Caitlin flushed. “In which case, I’m perfectly capable of deciding for myself whether or not to let him have it.”
“You got a smart mouth on you, young lady.”
“I’m sorry you think so.” Caitlin pushed her chair toward the table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—”
“I wasn’t r
eferring to sex.”
She looked at him. “What?”
“When I said maybe he wants something other than money, although I’m sure the son of a bitch wants that, too.” Jonas took a deep breath. “I was referring to Espada.”
Espada. Everything always came down to Espada in Jonas Baron’s world. Caitlin gave him a brilliant smile.
“Ah. Now I get it. Tyler wants to get his hands on the ranch.”
“Maybe.”
“The man’s a megamillionaire, he lives a thousand miles from here, he never heard of us and we never heard of him but he wakes up one morning and says to himself, ‘Kincaid, you know what I want? I want something only Jonas Baron can give me.”
Jonas looked at her for a long moment. Then he picked up his mug and turned to the sideboard.
Caitlin laughed. “I hate to burst this bubble, but Tyler’s already bought himself a ranch. The Wilson spread. You remember it, don’t you? Big, handsome house. A couple of thousand acres of prime pasture and woodland. Not the size of Espada, I’ll admit, but I suspect it’ll do.” She stared at her stepfather’s straight back, muttered a curse and started for the door. “I have news for you, Jonas. Not everybody thinks owning Espada is the most important thing in the world.”
“I do. And so do you.”
The cruel words stopped her in her tracks. She took a breath before swinging around. Jonas was looking at her, his face expressionless.
“Is that what this is about? You think Tyler’s sniffing around me because he thinks I stand to inherit Espada?”
Jonas folded his arms over his chest. “It wouldn’t be the first time a man’s tried to get at what he wants through a woman.”
“Well, not to worry. You and I both know Espada will never be mine. If it makes you feel better, I’ve told him that already.”
“You told him that? That you weren’t going to inherit the ranch?”
“Not in those words, no.” She flashed a brittle smile. “I just made it clear I’m not one of the anointed.”
“You’re sure of that, are you?”
“That Tyler’s not interested in me because he thinks your little kingdom will be my dowry?”
The Taming of Tyler Kincaid Page 10
