A Rancher's Dangerous Affair

by Jennifer Morey

  Realizing she was still staring at the empty doorway David had gone through, Eliza turned and caught Brandon watching her. His gaze drifted down her body before going back to her face. He seemed neither hurried nor concerned what she or Jillian would think of such blatant inspection. He hadn’t looked at her like that since she was a sophomore in high school; only now he was a man, not a boy. A warm rush swept over her, an instant reaction. He’d always been able to do that to her.

  David entered the kitchen with three bottles of red wine and saw them. His steps faltered as he pinned Eliza with an accusatory look. Brandon glanced at Jillian before busying himself with retrieving wineglasses. She missed it, her glaring gaze on Eliza. David passed his wife on his way to the kitchen island, where he put down the bottles.

  Eliza wandered past the kitchen island and stopped before the table, trying to dismiss the significance of the way Brandon had looked at her. What did it mean? Had he seen something when she’d been lost in thought? Did he know she wasn’t happy?

  She spotted a newspaper on the table. The headline read Darby College Professor Melinda Grayson Missing.

  “Here you go, darling.” David handed her a glass of red wine.

  She smirked at the way he’d said darling and took the glass, holding the paper in her other hand.

  “What are you—” He stopped short when he read the headline. “Professor Grayson is missing?” He took the newspaper from her.

  “I heard her housekeeper reported it,” Jillian said.

  David turned with the paper and kept reading as he strode slowly to the kitchen island, putting down the paper. “It says she might have been on her way to the grocery store when she was taken.”

  Eliza followed him and put her glass down. David had placed the three bottles of wine on the counter. Brandon and Jillian had yet to pour wine into their glasses.

  “She didn’t leave willingly,” Brandon said. “She had all her material ready for the semester.”

  “Who would kidnap her?”

  David’s concern didn’t pass by Eliza. If Melinda wasn’t so much older than him, she’d wonder if he’d slept with her. Then again, ten years wasn’t all that much. Melinda was in her early forties.

  “Probably someone who didn’t like her views,” Jillian said, nearly sneering. She obviously didn’t like Melinda.

  “Did you go to Darby?” Eliza asked. The woman had to be around twenty-five so it was more than possible.

  “Yes. And I hated Melinda’s class.”

  Melinda was known for her controversial teachings. She was a feminist who thought men were superior and women’s movements had the wrong approach to gaining equality. Porn stars were true feminists because of the control they had over men. Sociopaths improved society. That sort of thing.

  But Jillian’s tone hinted at deeper emotion. Brandon and David caught her animosity along with Eliza. Brandon said nothing as he assessed her, and David abandoned the newspaper to do the same.

  “That sounds like motive to kidnap and hurt her,” David said.

  Jillian’s chin rose an inch. “Just because she wasn’t my friend doesn’t mean I’d hurt her.”

  David let it pass, lifting his wine for a drink.

  Eliza saw how Jillian slid a self-conscious glance toward Brandon, as though anxious that he’d think less of her for voicing her opinion of the great Melinda Grayson. The sign of insecurity said a lot about the state of their relationship. Eliza almost felt sorry for her. Brandon must be close to running.

  * * *

  Brandon could tell Jillian wasn’t happy that Eliza and David were here at his ranch. Or maybe it was only Eliza she wished would disappear. Sitting at the kitchen table with the third bottle of wine empty, most of which his brother had consumed, he listened to Eliza talk about the Friday parties she used to plan during high school.

  “The whole school loved you,” David said.

  Brandon watched how Eliza remained stiff with the affectionate comment. He hadn’t missed how distracted she’d been when she and David had arrived. Something was going on between them. He hated the ray of hope that shot through him the instant he realized it. Why did he always have to fight his attraction to her? She was a stunning woman, but she hadn’t changed. She was still the Friday Party Girl. It was what had led to their breakup. It was what had taken her to Hollywood. She frequently appeared in entertainment news and had so many friends it made him dizzy. He often wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t always put her social life ahead of him.

  Maybe that was what had come between her and David. His brother shared Eliza’s passion for a good time, but it was easy for her to forget a man in the process. He’d tried to warn his brother, but he was already headed down the same road as Eliza. Both of them lived for the party. Except for that nagging feeling that she’d somehow changed. The way she dressed. Her hair. Her makeup. All of it was more subdued. Why?

  He stifled another ray of damn hope.

  Eliza had been the kind of girl who stood out in a crowd. Intentionally. Brandon had been the opposite. Still was. They had never meshed that way. He preferred his secluded life on the ranch. Eliza would never thrive here. She may have matured over the years, but she was still Hollywood’s hottest party planner. She shined the brightest when she was the center of attention. She’d wilt away in the silence of Reed Ranch.

  “Remember the one you threw at the park?”

  Brandon was drawn back into the discussion. Jillian had been awfully quiet. He dreaded finding out why. He was afraid he already knew.

  “Which one?” Eliza laughed.

  Did she laugh because she was no longer that girl, or did the memory delight her? Either way, he was entranced. Unwillingly.

  “The one that you couldn’t break up by ten.”

  “Oh, yeah.” She nodded with the recollection. “You weren’t there, were you?”

  His face lost its animation. “Yeah. You didn’t talk to me, though.”

  Eliza turned away, rigid with whatever thoughts pressed her.

  “I remember that night.” As soon as Brandon spoke, Jillian fidgeted beside him, pursing her lips and averting her face. He couldn’t reassure her. He had to be honest. And if he was honest, he’d admit he didn’t feel enough for her to pretend Eliza didn’t matter to him. She did. She just wasn’t the right woman for him. She was a friend. But Jillian wasn’t the right woman, either. Looking right at Eliza, he continued, “Two of the boys were angry that you kept telling them to leave.” He had stayed to make sure she was okay. He’d done that a lot with her. As wild as she was, she’d needed someone to look out for her.

  Her striking blue-green eyes lifted, and he found himself back in time with her. Bumping into each other at the Smokin’ Burger. Kissing her on her front doorstep. Beating up boys for her...

  “He was always rescuing her,” David said to Jillian, not hiding his derision.

  “Maybe we should talk about something else,” Eliza said.

  “That’s supposed to be your job now,” Brandon said to David. “You staying out of trouble?”

  Eliza averted her head, and that sparked his curiosity.

  “Stop being my big brother, Brandon. I can take care of myself.”

  He had his doubts about that. Taking in Eliza’s profile, he’d bet she wasn’t helping matters. David loved to party and that was her specialty.

  “We should get to bed,” Eliza said, pushing back her chair to stand.

  “It’s not that late,” David protested.

  “Come on, David.” Eliza took his hand and coaxed him to stand.

  Reluctantly, he did, meeting Brandon’s reproving look in defiance as he slipped his arm around Eliza. Refusing to let it get to him, he stood and so did Jillian. He didn’t understand why Eliza was affecting him so much now.

  “Good night,” she said to him and Jillian, lingering the longest on him.

  “Good night,” he answered.

  Jillian said nothing.

  Brandon wa
tched them leave the kitchen, David swaying a little against Eliza. He wished he was the one taking her to bed. He’d already shown them to their room, one that was far away from his. He’d be damned if he was going to sleep anywhere near enough to hear them. And that frustrated him. Aside from the alcohol David depended way too much on, he was his brother and Eliza was his wife. The two of them together shouldn’t bother him.

  Turning to Jillian, he saw how she still watched him the way she had all evening. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  Jillian didn’t move when he took a step toward the living room.

  “Can I talk to you first?”

  There it was. She was going to grill him now. “Sure.”

  She breathed out an uncomfortable laugh that he thought might be staged. “I don’t quite know how to say this.”

  “Just say it.”

  Slipping one of her hands around his biceps, she moved closer. Brandon had to smother the urge to shrug her away from him. How his sentiments had changed so rapidly bothered him.

  She tipped her head up to look at him shyly. “I think it might be good if Eliza and David stay in town tomorrow.”

  Her shyness contradicted her statement. “They’re staying here. David is my brother.”

  “I know, but...”

  “What’s wrong, Jillian?” He struggled for patience. Was she so insecure that she’d ask him to kick his own brother out of his house?

  Sliding her hands over his chest, she leaned against him. “I can tell she still has feelings for you.”

  Had it been that obvious? Had David noticed? He must have. A tide of guilt overcame him. “She’s married to David.”

  “That doesn’t mean anything. She could still try and take you from me.”

  Take him from her? Alarm bells buzzed in his head. That was taking insecurity to a new level. Brandon stepped back. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

  “But, Brandon...” She angled her head coyly and manipulatively.

  “We talked about this, Jillian.” He cut her off before she could continue. “I don’t want to settle down with anyone. I thought you were okay with that.”

  “I am.” She crowded him some more, clinging, her hands touching too much.

  He stepped back farther, feeling a familiar suffocation encroach. Women who demanded too much of him never lasted. Usually he saw this coming a lot sooner and ended the relationship before anyone got hurt. But Jillian was good. She’d snaked her way close to him and now she was striking.

  “You better get going,” he said.

  Something akin to panic flared in her eyes, and then she quickly recovered. “Sweetie, I know you’re afraid. So am I. But it will be all right. We’re perfect for each other.”

  Perfect for each other. This was beginning to feel rather warped. “I’m not afraid. I just don’t want a serious relationship. I told you that.”

  “You can’t stay single your whole life. At some point you’re going to have to get married.” She reached for him yet again.

  This time he caught her wrists and stopped her. “Maybe we should take a break for a while.”

  Now anger flowed into her pretty blue eyes, eyes that had enchanted him when he’d first met her. She jerked her wrists free. “You’re breaking up with me?”

  “No. Let’s just take a break.” A permanent one. He’d just let her down gently. It wasn’t his style to use women. He made sure they understood what he was after. He must have missed the signs in Jillian. She definitely wanted more than he could give.

  “I’m not an idiot, Brandon. I know when a man is trying to get rid of me.”

  He bent his head momentarily, trying to think of what to say.

  “It’s okay, Brandon. I understand. We don’t have to take a break. If you’ll just give it some time... You’re only confused because your old girlfriend came back.”

  “She’s married,” he repeated.

  “That doesn’t matter. I saw the way you looked at her, and her at you.”

  That was ridiculous. But inside, her words mocked him.

  “Please, Brandon.” He let her put her palms on his chest. “Please don’t give up on us.”

  “There is no us.”

  She stared up at him, finally believing him. This was it. He was finished.

  “What did I do to scare you away?”

  “Nothing.” Suffocate him. Try to control him. And the way she’d gone from angry to pleading...

  Something wasn’t right about her. She was a little too desperate.

  “I’m sorry.” He moved away from her, backing into the living room. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Tears swelled in her eyes.

  Damn it.

  “Brandon. I love you.” She came for him again.

  He turned and strode toward the front door, hearing her stumble after him, sobbing, “Brandon.”

  It made him ill. How could she possibly love him? They’d only dated a few times. He never allowed a relationship to last longer than a few months. Anything longer than that led to more. It had happened once. He’d gotten too close, too far out of his comfort zone. It had ended badly. If he ever settled down, it’d be with a woman who didn’t crowd him like that.

  He could not be crowded.

  After handing Jillian her purse from where she’d left it on the table in the entryway, he opened the front door. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  She stood there crying. “I don’t understand why you’re breaking up with me.”

  “Sometimes I don’t understand it myself.”

  Sniffling, her tears eased. “Then you aren’t sure.”

  No, he was sure. Especially when she kept doing that, misconstruing his words and hanging on to hope that he wouldn’t end it between them. She’d probably had other experiences like this and that was why she was taking it so hard.

  Reaching for him, she took his hand. “Let’s go up to bed. By morning you’ll feel better.”

  He removed his hand from hers and backed up against the open door, giving her room to pass.

  She looked through the open space and then back at him. Her eyes cleared of tears and anger seeped back into them. “You can’t do this.”

  He angled his head. Really? Was she going to snap on him?

  “You can’t be loving one minute and then let me down the next!” She marched right up to him and pointed at his face. “Before that bitch arrived, everything was fine. Now you’re telling me to leave?”

  How had he missed this crazy streak in her? “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  The anger melted away. “Oh, Brandon.” She pressed her body against his and began kissing him. “I knew you were just confused.”

  Whoa. Brandon grasped her arms and forced her away. “You need to leave now.”

  “But—”

  “Please, Jillian, just go.”

  “No.”

  He moved her so that she was outside his door and shut it.

  “You bastard!” she screeched, pounding the door. “I knew you were hiding something from me about that bitch. Let me back in there! I’ll make sure she knows where you belong!”

  Holy cats! The woman had lost it. Was she referring to Eliza? She’d questioned him about her. Maybe someone in town had let her in on the history between them. That he’d broken up with her, and she’d moved away with a broken heart. Had seeing him interact with her tonight triggered this bizarre tantrum?

  A few seconds of silence passed.

  “Brandon?” Jillian pleaded. “Please don’t do this. Please let me in. I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect you to do this tonight. It started out so good, and...Brandon?”

  He didn’t respond.

  The doorbell rang. Rang again. When he didn’t answer, she knocked. Pounded.

  “Brandon?” she called louder.

  She pounded for about a minute longer before she finally gave up.

  “This isn’t over,” she growled from the other side of the door.

  There
had to be something wrong with her. She was unnaturally angry. Violently jealous of Eliza. What would she do next? Would she come after him? Or Eliza....

  Chapter 2

  Was that yelling she heard? And someone had pounded on the front door. Who was it? Was someone here for David? Alarmed and worried about Brandon and Jillian, Eliza checked on David. He’d passed out as soon as he lay down. He hadn’t even undressed or gotten under the covers.

  In her nightgown, she left the guest room that was on the first level and made her way down a long hallway, opposite the kitchen. Stepping into the living room, she saw Brandon looking out the front window.

  After a few seconds, he turned and saw her, his unwelcoming face impassive the way she remembered him. She had always wondered what lived beneath that thick wall. Glimpses of a softer man had sneaked out when they were kids. Maybe that was what kept her from being able to forget him and move on.

  She stepped closer, searching for Jillian. “Is everything okay?”

  He took in her knee-length nightgown with spaghetti straps and scooped neckline as she stopped before him. “Yes. Jillian just left.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “You should go back to bed.” He started for the stairs leading to the upper level.

  “Who was at the door? Was it someone looking for David?”

  Stopping, he turned and angled his head shrewdly. “Why would anyone be looking for David here?”

  “Who was at the door, Brandon?” she insisted. Why did he not want to tell her?

  She moved toward him. He undressed her with his eyes as he once again took her in, spending too long on her scooped neckline, which was demure enough to be proper. It didn’t hide the movement of her breasts, however. She supposed she should have put on a robe, but the urgent yells and pounding had made her skip that step.

  “Jillian,” he finally answered. “She was upset.”

  Upset? “What was she so upset about? And why was she on the other side of the door?” Recalling the way she’d glared at her, Eliza had a pretty good idea already.

  “I’d really rather not talk about it.” He headed for the stairs again.

  “Did you break up with her?”