Before he could call out to her, the girl jumped from the swing and ran for the house. She yelled for her mother, spooking about thirty white hens and a couple of roosters into loud squawking as she pelted across the driveway.
Good girl, Luke thought as he let himself through the field’s back gate into the K & K’s sprawling back lot. You stay safe.
A minute or so later, Gina Garcia met him on the porch, looking nothing like she had at the Christmas benefit. Today she had her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, and her white tank top had more purple stains than clean fabric. Probably blackberry or blueberry juice, Luke realized. Gina had left the back door ajar when she came out, setting free a tantalizing smell of baking pies.
The girl was nowhere to be seen, and Gina followed Luke’s glance into the kitchen. “She took off to her bedroom.” Gina dusted flour-covered hands against faded jeans and studied Luke with wary green eyes. “Lola gets nervous easily, and you scared her, coming in the back way like you did.”
“Sorry.” He relaxed against one of the porch’s wooden columns. “Wasn’t my intention, but you’ve got her trained well.”
“I’ve been homeschooling her since—we came here.” Gina reached behind her and pulled at the back door until Luke heard it click shut, masking the delicious smells of home baked pies. “I think I’ll let her try school next year. She’ll be in fourth grade. What are you doing here, Luke Rider?”
Luke appraised Gina’s steady, emotionless face. Not nervous today, at least not on her own turf, with her baby to protect.
Easy, mama bear. I’m not a threat to your cub. “I was out with a friend and left my truck nearby. Thought I’d check by on my way to get it and see how you’re doing, since you didn’t seem too happy or comfortable at Nevaeh’s Christmas gig.”
This made her mouth twitch, there and gone, just a flicker of movement. “Neither did you.”
“True.” Luke had to smile. He liked it when people were direct. She wasn’t finished with the direct thing yet, either.
“I’m not in the market for a foreman, or a husband, or even a boyfriend.” Gina’s voice took on a furious edge, sharp enough that Luke raised both hands as he continued to lean against one of the back porch’s columns.
“Not trying to sell you anything like that. Seriously, I’m just checking on you.”
Gina’s green eyes turned as hard as her voice. “Why? I’ve got pies baking and a kid already fifteen minutes late on starting her mathematics for the day, so if you’ve got something to ask me, spit it out.”
Direct.
No kidding.
Bulls could take lessons in basic self-defense from this woman. Maybe he’d read her completely wrong at the Christmas party. She didn’t look like someone who needed anybody’s support or protection.
Luke met her stony gaze with his, and tried a little directness of his own. “Francisco Guerrero seems to have scared a lot of women around here, according to some of my friends. Are you one of them?”
Gina’s mouth came open, and her eyes misted so fast Luke blinked.
Well, hell. I pushed a button.
He felt like shit for spooking her, and the kid, too. Before he could apologize, Gina appeared to collect herself. When she straightened up and lifted her chin, she looked like a woman who should have on an evening gown again, and be drifting from high society party to high society party instead of baking pies on a ranch outside of Douglas.
“I’m not afraid of Francisco Guerrero,” she said, but Luke heard it in her voice.
She wasn’t scared at all. She was terrified.
His fists clenched as he wondered why, wondered what had happened. What had that fucker managed to do to her?
He tried to relax his fists. “If you need help, Gina, I know people.”
Gina closed her mouth, then let out a laugh that didn’t sound convincing. “You’re a ranch foreman, Luke.”
“A ranch foreman with a lot of friends.” He pushed away from the porch column, careful not to crowd her.
Gina studied him in absolute silence, hands frozen against her hips, and her expression unreadable. The glint in her eyes seemed like anger mixed with fear mixed with—
What?
Hope?
Interest?
Luke took a chance on the last two emotions. “If you know anything you need to tell somebody, my friends could keep you and Lola safe.”
Gina kept on staring at him, weighing and measuring. This time obviously considering what he said, and considering it very seriously. Her eyes drifted toward the barn, then snapped back to Luke’s face.
“Thanks,” she said, backing up toward the kitchen door. From somewhere inside, a timer went off, beeping, and beeping and beeping. “I’ll keep that in mind. You have a good day, Luke.”
She opened the kitchen door and had it closed behind her so fast Luke barely saw her move. He heard the dead bolt thump into place. A few seconds later, the beeping timer went quiet.
If Luke had less regard for laws and procedures and women in general, he would have searched her barn right then, or banged on her door and demanded more information.
Something wasn’t right.
Gina was scared to death, and he’d made it worse just by coming here.
Luke didn’t even let himself glance toward the barn.
If anybody was in there watching, he didn’t want to give a hint that Gina might have tipped him off.
He left the porch, walking toward his truck, slow at first as if he was just out for a stroll.
A mile or so down the road, he picked up his pace and placed a call to the county sheriff, Clay Wayland, and asked for a favor.
“Can you find out everything on Gina Garcia and her background, as well as the K and K’s boundaries and history?” As he spoke with the sheriff, Luke glanced at the sky as he walked, aware that Ralston had to be on the ground somewhere, since he didn’t hear the chopper overhead. “I’d like the schematics on the barn if anybody filed construction or plumbing and electrical permits for it.”
“Got something?” Wayland sounded like he might be writing the info down, to be sure he kept it straight.
“Could be my office can help out. You know the number—I’ll get Rios on it when he gets back, too.”
Wayland’s voice went a little crackly, like he had moved his mouth closer to the phone. “Tell me what’s up.”
“I’ll let you know. Nothing I can get a warrant for.”
“Too damned bad.”
Luke thought about Gina and her little girl. “Yeah. No shit.”
Chapter 14
Three days after the Christmas party at Nevaeh’s, Trinity waved her sister and new brother-in-law off as Zack’s black truck sped down the dusty road away from the ranch house. They had a holiday party to attend in Tucson, and had decided to spend the night at a resort there, rather than making the hundred-plus mile drive back the same night.
Skylar had wanted Trinity to come, but Trinity had begged off, telling her sister that she still needed to recover from jetlag—never mind the half-zillion or so photos Zack had dumped on her once he saw the initial output from her first rudimentary tracking algorithm. She needed to get those scanned into her laptop, and factor them into her equations. And she needed to e-mail Chloe and Nev about the whole Race situation to get all the screaming and are-you-crazy’s over with.
For a moment she stayed on the porch, enjoying what was left of the early evening sunshine. The December desert air smelled so fresh and clean. Over the Mule Mountains to the west, the sun hung low, teasing the sky with wisps of lavender, peach, and mauve. Skylar’s Border collie raised his head and sniffed the wind, then trotted off toward the barn.
Trinity turned her gaze to the east, to the rocky Chiricahua mountains rising behind the ranch. She’d explored parts of those mountains many times with her sister when they were younger. Memories of the fun times they’d shared returned clear and crisp, like they’d happened last week instead of years ago. Light glinted o
ff a certain special spot on the slopes, where Skylar and Zack always used to sneak off to carry on, like they thought Trinity wouldn’t know.
Trinity had to fight not to cry, and she knew she really couldn’t stay here much longer at all, even if she kept putting off the call to DropCaps.
Because it’s already happening. My old life is already sneaking down those slopes, ready to pounce on me and try to keep me here.
She ran her palms up and down her upper arms, rubbing away the evening chill as she headed back into the house. After she shut the door tightly behind her, the complete quiet of the house settled over Trinity, reminding her of times she’d been home alone as a teenager, and Skylar had been off working the ranch. Would she ever get over the guilt of having left all the ranch’s responsibilities to Skylar?
Pausing in mid-step, Trinity’s gaze drifted over family photographs displayed prominently around the room. Pictures of her with Skylar, of both the two of them alone, and with their parents. After their father took off with his new wife and left them alone, Trinity had refused to contact him. He never took the time to see how she was doing, so why should she bother?
Trinity moved to one of the end tables, stopped in front of her senior photo, and slid her fingers along the wooden frame. In the picture her face was pudgy, her smile soft and wistful. Despite the wire-framed glasses she used to wear, her green eyes were bright and full of hope for the future.
Next to her senior photo was a recent picture of Skylar and Zack. She was standing in his embrace, her face tilted up to his, and the way he was looking at her with so much love, it made Trinity’s heart ache with both pleasure for her sister, and envy for herself.
She still couldn’t believe Skylar was married to Zack, after all these years. Trinity had to admit they made the perfect couple now, as they had a decade ago. There was so much fire and passion between the two of them then, and now... wow. To have sparks like that. Trinity hadn’t thought that kind of passion between a man and a woman could possibly be real—just something she’d read about in romance novels.
That was, until she’d met Luke.
With a groan of frustration, Trinity jerked herself away from the photographs, skirted the Christmas tree, and started down the hall. Why the hell did that cowboy keep popping into her mind? Maybe what she needed was a nice, long, relaxing bath.
Better yet, an evening dip in the hot tub would be perfect. They’d always kept it heated and used it year-round. Knowing Skylar, it still would be ready for use.
In her bedroom, Trinity kicked off her Nikes and yanked off her socks, then ditched her jeans and T-shirt. After she’d donned a short terry robe over her bra and underwear, she grabbed a thick towel and headed out to the hot tub in the enclosed backyard.
The French doors squeaked as she opened them, and then again as she closed the doors behind her. There was a coolness to the air, and the steam rising off the top of the water in the sunken tub was a welcome sign. Thank goodness Skylar had the outdoor heaters set up close to the hot tub to take the chill out of the air. The pole heaters were easily six feet tall with tops that looked like woks turned upside down.
Trinity tossed her towel onto a deck chair and flipped on the heaters. In moments their elements began to glow rich orange-red, the same color as the sun sinking in the west. After she turned on the whirlpool jets, Trinity dropped her robe onto a lounge chair. For a moment she stood on the redwood decking in only her royal- blue satin bra and panties. With one little adjustment of her hair clip, she piled her hair up on top of her head so that it would stay out of the water.
The whirlpool bubbled and frothed like a witch’s cauldron— even the lights beneath the surface appeared green and eerie, as though it truly was a magical potion. She started forward then hesitated.
What the hell? She was alone—the backyard was completely enclosed. It was secluded and hidden from view by countless trees and bushes, so no one could see her. And Skylar and Zack would be gone till tomorrow.
Trinity stripped out of her bra and bikini underwear, her nipples growing painfully hard in the cool air. When she walked in front of one heater, its warmth radiated along one side, the chilly air brushing her other side.
She stepped down into the hot tub and sighed in complete bliss as she sank into the warmth and settled onto the underwater bench. Jets of water pulsated along her skin while she breathed deep of the clear and clean country evening air. She’d forgotten how dry the Arizona desert was—it felt somehow lighter here than in England.
While she relaxed, for the millionth time her thoughts returned to the other night.
To Luke Rider.
Everything about the man screamed sex. Rough, wild, and hard... all that Race couldn’t begin to give her.
No, Race couldn’t be considered wild about anything. Anything other than Wildgames, that is. He was a shrewd businessman, but he’d been calm and refined as a boyfriend and as a lover. There’d never been any fireworks with him, but it had always been comfortable and enjoyable.
All the guys she’d dated—pretty much the same story.
I’ve never known it wild.
Is that what I want?
Trinity rolled her gaze heavenward and stared into the darkening sky and sighed.
When she thought of that cowboy there was nothing remotely calm or unemotional about how he’d made her feel. In just that short time she’d been with him, he’d made her feel sexy and alive.
Infatuation, Trinity, that’s all it is. Not that you’ll ever see him again, anyway.
She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of the heaters warming the back of her head, the water bubbling at her nipples and jets pulsating along her legs. Spreading her thighs, she adjusted her hips so that one of the jets aimed right where it mattered. Mmmm, yeah. That felt so good. She could almost imagine Luke licking her right where the water pulsed. Maybe he’d bite her there. Not too hard, but enough that it would drive her even crazier for want and need of him.
Trinity slipped the fingers of one hand between her thighs. Even through the water she could feel her own desire.
She brought her other hand to her breast and kneaded and plucked her nipple. Eyes still closed, she fantasized about sucking her own nipples while Luke devoured her. She raised her breast and flicked her tongue across the hard nub. A pleasant warm lick that immediately chilled in the night air until she licked it again.
Her fingers aided the jets, stroking her harder and harder, her tongue flicking again and again over her nipple, urging her closer and closer to climax. Imagining Luke’s tongue all over her body. Imagining Luke sliding into her—
The squeak of the French doors jolted Trinity from her fantasy.
Her eyes snapped open. She jerked her head up and her heart started to pound.
The large figure of a man. He stood beside the hot tub, his face shadowed by a dark cowboy hat.
“Welcome home, Trinity MacKenna,” he murmured.
Chapter 15
Luke.
Trinity would recognize that deep, sensual drawl anywhere.
Omigod.
Heated embarrassment prickled her skin. She wanted to die from humiliation at being caught masturbating—by the very man she’d been fantasizing about. And darn it if her brain and mouth hadn’t taken another vacation.
Her cheeks burning as hot as the heat lamps, she slid farther beneath the water so that her breasts were hidden by the bubbles and crossed her arms over her chest for good measure.
“I—I—” She couldn’t find any words that made sense. She needed to tell him to back off, to get out and let her get herself covered and decent. She needed to say something, didn’t she? Anything?
“Who were you fantasizing about, sugar?” His eyes were shadowed by his hat and his voice was rough. “The man who hasn’t had the sense to claim you by now?”
Trinity didn’t know what to say, then what came out was, “I broke up with him. My boyfriend.”
Damn.
I have totall
y lost my ever-lowin’ mind.
The rough, aroused look on Luke’s face seemed to catch fire, burning her deep inside, and convincing her yes, yes, she was crazy, completely and totally.
Trinity slid farther into the water.
“Uh-uh.” Luke crouched down beside the hot tub and pushed his Stetson up with one finger. She could clearly see his roguish blue eyes in the waning evening light. “Keep going, sugar.”
“What—” She swallowed, her throat incredibly dry. “Ah, what are you doing here, Luke? How did you find me?”
“Later.” He reached out his hand and ran his thumb along her lower lip, causing more warmth to spread throughout her—but this time it was from arousal. “Right now you’re gonna touch yourself, just like you were doing when I walked in here.”
Trinity sucked in her breath. “You want me to... in front of you?”
“Oh, yeah.” His sensual smile and the way his finger moved on her skin almost made her climax on the spot. “I want you to touch yourself while I watch. But first you’re going to move up a little higher to give me a better view.”
Face burning impossibly hotter, she shook her head, pulling away from him. “I—I can’t, um, do it in front of you.”
“You can.” Luke caught her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. “And you will.”
Trinity trembled, yet managed to ask, “And if I don’t?”
His eyes glittered with dark sensuality. “I’ll pull you out of that hot tub, lay you across my knee, and spank your naked, sexy ass.”
Oh. My. God.
At the visualization of him doing just that, Trinity’s eyes nearly crossed, her whole body aching with a wild urgency. The need to have Luke inside her, and to have him now exploded through her like a storm.
But she couldn’t have sex with this man, this cowboy—although for the life of her, she wasn’t able to remember why not.
Like, she didn’t even know the man?
What was that again?
His fingers slid in a slow and sensuous movement from her chin along her jaw line. “Now what’ll it be?”
Luke (Armed and Dangerous Book 2) Page 8
