Her Desert Treasure (Entangled Ignite)

by Larie Brannick

  “I want Rex if his owners don’t come for him.”

  In that moment, all of his concerns about the wild horses fled. “That’s great, Meg, but don’t feel like you have to take him. It hasn’t even been a full day since we called. Let’s give it some time.”

  She nodded. “I know I don’t have to. I really would like to have him if he doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”

  Jake stopped and took her hand, stroking skin that was soft, smooth against the roughness of his thumb. “You are too sweet.”

  He brushed her knuckles with his lips. An almost imperceptible tremor shook her when he kissed the spot where his thumb had been. Looking up, he found her staring at their entwined fingers, her teeth pulling on her lower lip. Her gaze lifted to meet his as he cupped her cheek. He craved the taste of her, needed to feel her delectable lips against his. Unable to resist any longer, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

  Electricity arced between them just as it had the first time he kissed her. Moving his hand to the back of her neck, he pulled her close, deepened the kiss. His tongue swept across her lips, and she opened for him, her own tongue darting between his lips. Lust fogged his brain. At some point, her arms had wound around his neck, and his arm encircled her waist. Their bodies pressed together from chest to thigh, their mouths locked in a desperate fusion of lips, teeth, and tongues.

  Jake hardened to the point of pain. Every brush of her stomach against his zipper brought him closer to the edge, and he knew if he didn’t stop, he’d embarrass himself in a way he hadn’t since he was a horny teenager. It took every ounce of his will to break the kiss. He pulled his head away and watched her slowly open her eyes. Her lips were still parted, and her ragged breathing matched his. God, she was incredible. And as turned on as he was.

  “Wow.”

  He smiled at her breathy whisper. “Wow?”

  “Yeah. Just…wow.” Her pupils covered her irises until only a thin ring of violet remained. Wow was right. How easy would it be to pick her up and carry her to his house, to his bed? Visions of her stripped naked lying across his sheets invaded his brain. His physical response to the mental images had him shifting in his jeans. He stepped back. Being so close to her was dangerous. If her grin was anything to go by, she understood the bind he was in. Literally and figuratively. The minx.

  “I’d better get going.”

  She picked up her purse from where she’d dropped it and fished out her car keys. It wasn’t until that moment that Jake really took notice of her car. The vintage, cherry red station wagon somehow matched her perfectly. “Is this a Falcon?”

  “Hmm? Yeah. It was my grandpa’s. He bought it new in 1964.”

  “Awesome. It’s in great shape.”

  “It’s been in the garage for years. This car could probably drive here by itself, as many trips as it’s made over its life.”

  “I’ve never seen John drive it. It’s pretty cool.” He admired the two-tone paint and chrome wheels. It was unique, original, like its owner. “You brought it out for old time’s sake?”

  Meg opened the solid door. “I’ve kind of been without a vehicle for a few weeks, so the Cherry Bomb is handy until I can get something else.”

  “The Cherry Bomb?”

  She patted the roof of the car. “I named it when I was seven, and it stuck. But don’t let the name fool you. This thing can haul a—the mail.”

  Something in Jake’s brain clicked. “Meg, it’s late, and the road to the cabin isn’t well lit. I’d feel a lot better if you didn’t drive out there by yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s not far, and I’ll drive slowly. No worries.”

  He ran a hand through his hair, blew out a frustrated breath. “But I do worry. It just seems like inviting trouble for you to stay out in the desert alone.”

  “This again?” She shook her head and spoke slowly, deliberately. “I told you yesterday, I can take care of myself. My grandparents practically lived out here for years and never had any trouble.”

  He touched her shoulder, felt her tense under his fingers. “It’s not the same thing, and you know it.” His words came out sharper than he’d intended, but dammit, he had to get her attention.

  The shift was subtle but clear as she shrugged out of reach. “Dinner and a couple of kisses don’t give you the right to boss me around. What makes you think you have to look out for me, anyway?”

  And there it was. Hadn’t he heard those very words before? He was the last person she should count on to keep her safe. If he was smart, and he liked to think he was, he would let her go and forget about her before he could disappoint her when it really mattered. “Meg.”

  Her voice softened. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s not necessary. I’m going home.” She turned and slipped into the car. “Thank you for today.” She closed the door on any further conversation. When the engine turned over, Jake could do nothing but stand there and watch her drive away.

  Chapter Seven

  The next day, Meg woke with good intentions but was slow getting out of bed. For the second morning in a row, she felt tired and frustrated. Sleep had eluded her when she got back to the cabin last night. First, Jake’s words, then the feeling of being watched had sparked a bout of paranoia that had her jumping at shadows. After checking the doors and mentally scolding herself for leaving her bedroom window unlocked, she’d fallen into bed.

  Unfortunately, thoughts of a sexy veterinarian with deep dimples and sinful lips crowded her brain, and sleep had been a long time coming. Even now, after two cups of coffee, she was still trying to convince herself that the kisses they’d shared last night couldn’t possibly have been as good as she remembered. Hell, who was she kidding? Meg ran a fingertip over her lips. She could feel the firm pressure of Jake’s kiss, taste the hint of chocolate mixed with the flavor that was all his own. Her abdomen tightened with the memory of his arousal pressing against her through his jeans.

  Good Lord. She fanned herself. Again. The man inspired her imagination to run wild, to wonder how far things would have gone if Jake hadn’t had enough control to stop the kiss. A smile tipped her lips. What would it take to strip that control? She’d have to rely on her fantasy life to answer that question. Yes, she and Troy had lived together, but she was far from experienced. Troy had been a master at charming her to get what he wanted with little regard to her needs. What would it be like to make love to a man like Jake?

  Cold reality of their parting words doused her heated thoughts. Why did he insist on suggesting she shouldn’t stay here? Did he not want her on the property? The unlikely notion that he was somehow involved in the petition against the estate flashed briefly in her mind. Bernie had said it might be an environmentalist group. Jake wanted to protect the wild horses in the canyon. Was it possible he would go to that far?

  No. She’d only known him two days, but there was no way Jake Matthews had anything to do with hurting her grandfather, and by extension, his family.

  Why then, was he so worried about her staying by herself? She was intelligent. Self-reliant. Had lived alone for years and knew how to take care of herself. She and Gwen took refresher self-defense classes a couple times a year. Never again would she be a victim. But Jake didn’t know any of those details about her and was simply being a nice guy, voicing his concern. And once again, she’d bitten his head off. The look on his face had been a mixture of hurt, worry, and something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Maybe self-loathing? How she hated that she’d made him feel bad when he was only trying to help her. She would stop by the clinic to check on Rex after finishing her errands. And maybe her sexy vet would forgive her.

  The small Laundromat in town was her first stop, then she headed to the bank to open an account. Everyone she met was friendly and helpful, and most of them had a funny story or something nice to say about her grandpa. The clerk at the hardware store even gave her the name of a handyman who could install her new lock. By the time she’d checked off several
items on her list, it was after noon. Her stomach loudly reminded her that she’d skipped lunch. There was still food shopping to do, and she wanted to check on Rex. Making a quick decision, she swung into a sandwich shop, grabbed a couple specials, and turned her car onto the now familiar road.

  The small parking area in front of the veterinary clinic was full, so Meg pulled in next to the house beside Jake’s pickup. If he was too busy with patients, she would just drop off lunch as a peace offering and go on her way. She hoped to see Rex, but wouldn’t interrupt him to do so.

  Every chair in the waiting room was taken, and every eye focused on Meg when she entered. The phone was ringing, but there was no sign of Jake. She stepped behind the counter and picked up the phone, juggling the drink carrier and lunch bag.

  “Animal hospital.” She wasn’t sure how Jake usually answered, but figured that about said it all. The caller asked about making an appointment for her cat, so Meg searched the desk for a schedule and found it under some papers. She grabbed a pencil and flipped the pages. The next several days were crossed out, so she wrote in a time for the following week, getting a phone number in case the doctor needed to change anything. Was Jake going somewhere? She’d just hung up when the vet in question came out of the exam room with a man and his young son who was holding a puppy.

  “You bring him back in two weeks, and we’ll finish up his shots, okay, Bill?” The boy nodded his head and started out the door.

  The man turned to Meg. “Do I make the appointment with you?”

  Jake seemed surprised but happy to see her there. “Yeah, can he make the appointment with you?”

  She grinned back at him. “The phone was ringing, and I saw how busy you were, so I decided you needed some help. Hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s more than okay. Thank you.” Jake walked around behind the desk with her. “Good, you found the schedule. We’ll put Bill in for a fifteen minute appointment two weeks from today.”

  The man and his son left the office, and Jake spoke to one of the women in the waiting room. “Mrs. Wilson, if you want to take Patch into the exam room, I’ll be right in.” The woman rose from her seat with her calico cat in her arms and went into the room he indicated. Jake turned to her. “What are you doing here?”

  The urge to check her chin for drool was strong, but she kept her hands at her sides. She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t seem to drag her gaze away. Jake stood in front of her, downright drool-worthy in his standard uniform of soft denim and snug T-shirt. The forest green of his shirt contrasted with the deep brown of his eyes. Dark blond stubble covered his cheeks and chin, and she longed to run her hand over his jaw.

  “Meg?”

  He was smiling. At her. She should probably say something, right? Thankfully, the phone rang, and she automatically reached for it, too aware of him watching as she penciled in another appointment and ended the call. With a quick, calming inhalation, she turned back to him. “Do you always run this place by yourself?”

  “Mrs. Clayton used to come in a few days a week, but she retired, and I haven’t gotten around to replacing her yet. It’s okay, though. I can handle it.”

  The phone rang again and another man came through the door with his dog on a leash. Meg rolled her eyes as she picked up the phone.

  Jake greeted the new arrivals and waited until she hung up. “So, maybe it is a little crazy today. Give me a minute, and I’ll take you to see Rex.”

  “I have a better idea. I’ll stick around until things calm down, then we can see Rex.”

  “Really? You’d stay and help me? It’s not too much for you?”

  Her heart did a little flip at his surprised face. “Of course not. I’m used to running an office with fifteen people. This should be a piece of cake. Just tell me how much time each appointment needs, and I can at least handle that part.”

  His grateful smile sent warm fuzzies through her as she listened to him explain the scheduling system.

  Finally, he showed her the price list for basic visits and procedures, ending with, “If you have any questions just make a note, and we’ll catch up between appointments.” He squeezed her hand and, as he’d done the previous night, brought it to his lips to brush a kiss across her knuckles. “Thanks, Meg. This is really great of you.”

  Then he walked into the exam room before she could say anything else.

  The next hour went by smoothly and quickly. She scheduled several more appointments, collected payments, and even checked out the two overnight boarders. Her cell phone chimed with an incoming call, but she was busy on the clinic line, so she let it go to voicemail.

  A break in the schedule gave her time to set out their lunch on the desk before anyone else checked in while Jake leaned against the door frame and stretched his arms high. Good…Lord. The T-shirt hugged his muscular chest and arms. His well-worn jeans hung low on his hips, and a tantalizing strip of toned abdomen peeked below the hem of his shirt.

  In surprise, she realized she wasn’t just hungry for lunch anymore. She had never felt this kind of attraction to any other man, and even though the feeling was alien to her, it also felt very right somehow. Her heartbeat quickened when he came toward her, smiling broadly.

  “Man, what a morning. It’s usually pretty steady around here, but today has been unbelievable.”

  “I was wondering if it’s always this busy. You really do need an assistant if it is.”

  He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “Are you applying for the position?” His voice had grown husky, and she melted a little at the sound. “I could offer you some sweet fringe benefits.”

  One more step brought him directly in front of her. Their gazes locked—and the damned phone rang again. Jake reached it first and answered it, his gaze on her. When the call ended, he replaced the receiver in its cradle and noticed the food on the desk behind her. “What’s all this?”

  “I brought lunch. I planned to drop it off for you when I visited Rex, but we haven’t gotten that far yet.”

  He stopped unwrapping the sandwich she’d given him. “Let’s go see him now. He’s doing great today.”

  “No. Let’s eat while you have a minute. I’ll be sure to see him before I leave.”

  “Deal.” He sat beside her and dug into his food. “This is really good, Meg. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She took a bite, enjoying the sharp cheddar cheese and smoky ham mingling with the vegetables and French bread.

  “This is definitely better than the peanut butter and crackers I planned on having.” Jake took the pencil and crossed out the three o’clock appointment.

  At Meg’s questioning look he said, “That call I answered before? They rescheduled.” He flipped the pages and made the necessary correction. “It looks like I’m about done for the day.” They finished their lunch and cleaned up. “Come on, let’s go see Rex.”

  Rex wagged his tail wildly when Meg hugged him and ruffled his fur. Jake helped him out to tend to his doggie business and watched as she petted the other dogs and refilled their water bowls. All the air left his lungs when she threw a smile over her shoulder at him. She was absolutely stunning. Her violet tank top brought out the color in her eyes, making them even darker. The silky blonde hair flowing gently over her shoulders begged him to run his hands through it. The tan denim skirt she wore came to mid-thigh and hugged her rear perfectly.

  His mouth went dry as he drank in the sight of her.

  The mood between them today was much more relaxed. He hadn’t meant to upset her last night, but stood by his opinion that it wasn’t safe for her to be at the cabin alone. Her stubbornness, however, hadn’t done a single thing to curb the intense attraction he felt toward her. Surely, she felt it, too. And maybe after thinking about it, she’d come around to his way of thinking. After all, she’d brought him lunch and been an absolute life saver helping during clinic.

  He was impressed by her ability to adapt so quickly to the job and make everyone feel
welcome. He enjoyed listening to her making conversation with the people in the waiting room. It sounded like she was having fun getting to know a few of the locals and had even been encouraged to check out some of the activities at the Summer Festival that would be starting this weekend.

  Letting Rex off his leash in the outdoor kennels, he joined her where she was measuring out dog food. “Hey, you don’t have to do that.”

  Her smile was brighter than the afternoon sun. “I don’t mind. I like taking care of these guys. And I’m sure it’s because I’m the one with the food, but I think they like me, too.”

  Almost as much as he was starting to, he thought. “You’re good with them. Of course they love you, they can sense that you’re a good person.”

  “I miss having a pet. Skip and I were inseparable when I was young. I thought about visiting a shelter in San Diego, but it really isn’t fair to keep an animal cooped up in an apartment all day long. Now I’ll have time and plenty of room for a dog.”

  “Your property would be like Heaven for a dog.” He wanted to add that having a watch dog would be smart, but he didn’t want to start another argument. After attaching Rex’s leash, he led him to the door. “I’ll get Rex settled before I head to the stables. Feel like saying hello to the horses?”

  “Yes! Thank you.”

  Watching her with the horses lightened his heart even more. There was a brightness, almost innocence about her that drew him, and the horses, like the dogs, sensed her genuine caring as they allowed her into their space.

  “You should come on a ride with me.”

  What? There weren’t many things Jake enjoyed more than the solitude of his morning rides. The time he spent alone with his horse and his thoughts was his own personal brand of therapy, and he’d never welcomed an intrusion of any kind. How then, had the words slipped out of his mouth with such ease?