Midnight Thunder(INCR)

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  But Cade sighed. “I was afraid of that when you said you had important news.” He looked across the table at her. “And you’d just had that heart-to-heart with Rosie.”

  “I don’t get it.” Damon sounded frustrated. “They were fine last time I asked, not that long ago. I don’t see how it could end up this way in such a short time.”

  “That’s what I’m here to explain.” Lexi proceeded to repeat what Rosie had told her about the loan to Hector Williams followed by the discovery of the Ponzi scheme. The expressions around the table grew darker by the minute.

  When she was finished, Cade was the first to lash out. “Who is the scumbag who cheated all those people? I want his name, damn it! And where he lives!” Startled, Ringo leaped down.

  “Now you’ve done it,” Damon said. “You scared the cat.” He patted his thigh. “Come on over here, Ringo. I won’t yell like that other guy.”

  Tail in the air, Ringo bypassed Damon and joined Lexi.

  Finn nodded approvingly. “Smart cat.” Then he glanced at Cade. “I understand where you’re coming from, bro, but knowing that information won’t help. That type protects themselves with crooked lawyers and soulless accountants. He probably lives on some private island in the Caribbean.”

  Cade blew out a breath. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”

  “I watched this play out with one of my grandfather’s supposed investments.” Finn got up and went to the refrigerator. “Anybody need another beer?”

  “Sure do.” Cade pushed aside his empty bottle.

  Finn returned with two beers and handed one to Cade. “Eventually the bad guys go to jail, and maybe the people they swindled will get some of the money back, but not soon enough to do them any good. What I want to know is whether Hector Williams has assets he can sell.”

  Lexi had wondered about that, too. “I didn’t ask because it sounded as if she had no interest in trying to get the money from him. He’s out of work and he has a family.”

  Finn sat down again. “And I feel sorry for him, but if he has assets, he needs to liquidate them ASAP and pony up the cash. Rosie and Herb might not want to ask him to do that, but—”

  “I will.” Damon took an angry pull from his beer. “I’d have no problem confronting him with the facts of life. He can’t go merrily on while Rosie and Herb sink like a stone.”

  “But they wouldn’t be sinking if they had the retirement money. Williams isn’t the true villain of this story,” Cade said. “Besides, if Rosie and Herb don’t want to ask him to sell everything he owns so he can pay them back, then that’s all there is to it. We have no right to interfere.”

  “We certainly don’t.” Lexi finished off her beer and immediately all three men asked if she needed another. “Thanks, but I’d better not. I’m driving.”

  “You can stay over,” Finn said. “Herb and Rosie wouldn’t care.”

  “I know, but I planned all along to go back to my apartment tonight.”

  Damon regarded her with a look that was hard to decipher. “You should stay. There are what, four spare bedrooms in this place?”

  “What he said.” Finn pointed the neck of his bottle in her direction. “We have a lot more to discuss, and it’ll go better if you have another beer. We need you to help us figure this out. And Ringo looks mighty comfortable. Stay over.”

  It made sense. Rosie had asked her to keep these guys from hatching a dramatic plan that would bankrupt all of them. If she left too soon, they could still do that. Yet staying would have consequences when it came to the man sitting across the table from her.

  She looked over and found him watching her with amusement. He’d love to have her stay. If she did, sure as the world he’d cook up some scheme so they could be alone. If she were honest with herself, that’s what she wanted. “Okay, I’ll stay. And I’ll have another beer.”

  Cade smiled. “I’ll get it.” When he brought her the beer, Ringo gazed up at him with an extremely self-satisfied expression. Cade leaned down and scratched behind the cat’s ears. “Traitor.”

  “He just recognizes a good thing when he sees it,” Damon said.

  Lexi wouldn’t be surprised if Damon had intended that to be a dig at Cade for walking away from her five years ago. At the time he’d told her point-blank that Cade was a damned fool.

  Cade didn’t linger beside her, and she was grateful for that. Being close to him and knowing what likely would happen later made her heart hammer. She waited until her hands stopped trembling before she picked up the beer. The cold bottle felt great. She wanted to hold it against her cheek, but that would be a little obvious.

  She had a hunch Damon might know something about what had happened this morning. Finn was apparently clueless, but Cade had picked up Damon shortly after that last hot kiss this morning. Damon and Cade always had been closer to each other than to Finn. She could picture Cade confiding in Damon and asking him to keep his mouth shut.

  “So where are we with this?” Damon glanced around the table. “There’s a good chance Rosie and Herb won’t allow us to lean on the borrower, and the retirement money won’t suddenly reappear, so short of robbing a bank, how can we bail them out?”

  Finn started peeling the label from his bottle. “I could sell my business.”

  “No, you couldn’t.” She was touched by how quickly Finn offered up the only thing he had. Rosie had been so right about that. “Rosie and Herb would have a fit.”

  “As well they should,” Damon said. “I, on the other hand, could turn on the afterburners and get my current project finished and sold ahead of schedule. If I jump into another one and do that in record time, too, I could end up with a chunk of money to donate to the cause. I can probably get another credit card to tide me over.”

  “Rosie wouldn’t like that any better. You need that income to keep your business going.” Lexi was so glad she was here to keep the guys from doing anything heroic but stupid.

  “All I have is Hematite.” Cade hesitated. “He’s not worth a whole lot now because he’s never been ridden.” He squared his shoulders. “But I could train him and then sell him. He’s a fine-looking horse.”

  Her heart ached to hear him offer the gelding he’d rescued and paid for with his savings. “That can’t happen, either. Rosie warned me that you’d all react like this, and she’ll be furious if any of you sacrifice to that extent. I’m sure she means it, too. There has to be another way.”

  Cade’s chin jutted. “One thing’s for sure. They’re not selling the ranch.”

  “But what if they want to?” Lexi had to put it out there, even if they didn’t care to hear it. “What if they’re tired of maintaining this big old place and it would be a relief to sell it? Because of the second mortgage they took out, they wouldn’t get the full value, but they’d get enough to buy a little house in town.”

  Three pairs of eyes gazed at her in disbelief.

  “Look, you have to put aside what you want, which is to keep this ranch as is so you can make nostalgic visits, and think about what they want. And FYI, none of you have been making very many visits.”

  Damon let out a breath. “You’ve got me there, sunshine. I kept meaning to come over more often, but life got in the way.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” Finn’s expression was bleak. “When I moved to Seattle, I told myself I’d come back a couple of times a year. I was lucky if I made it once a year.”

  “Obviously I didn’t make it back at all.” Cade glanced at Lexi. “I sincerely regret it, too.”

  “My point is that while it sounds nice and cozy to keep the ranch going, is it fair to expect them to do it so those of you who stayed here have the comfort of knowing it’s the way you remembered?”

  “No,” Cade said. “You’re right. And if they want to sell, they should. But this sounds like they have no choice. I want them t
o have a choice.”

  “Well said.” Damon raised his bottle in Cade’s direction. “So if we can come up with a way to raise the money without endangering our own futures, then that gives them the choice. If they don’t want to take it, that’s up to them.”

  Lexi glanced at Finn. “You didn’t have much money when you moved to Seattle. I never thought to ask how you got the capital for that business. I doubt a bank would have loaned it to you.”

  “They wouldn’t have. I used a crowdfunding campaign.”

  They all stared at him and then looked at each other.

  Cade began to grin. “Is everyone else thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “It could be exactly what we need,” Damon said. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Damn it, this could work!”

  “Not so fast,” Finn said. “You can’t just set up an account and ask for money. It needs to be a project with mass appeal. Nobody but the kids who stayed at Thunder Mountain will care whether the Padgetts sell the ranch.”

  Lexi had figured that, but no mass appeal ideas were coming to her. “What was your hook for the microbrewery?”

  “I found a semi-historic building that was scheduled to be demolished. Turned out people were sentimental about it, which helped a lot. I proposed to save it and turn it into a viable business, which would revitalize that area.”

  Damon looked impressed. “That’s brilliant. Unfortunately there’s nothing semi-historic about Thunder Mountain Ranch. Judging from the architectural style, I’d say it was built in the fifties.”

  “Maybe somebody famous lived here,” Finn said.

  Cade swallowed a mouthful of beer. “If they had, Rosie would have loved telling us about it. I think we’re as famous as it gets.”

  “Then we’re in trouble.” Finn glanced around the kitchen. “People would donate to revive it as a foster home, but if Rosie and Herb’s retirement is gone, they need a decent income producer.”

  “They’d be okay if they sell, though. There’s equity in the place.” Lexi wouldn’t let the guys forget that option. She didn’t want to see that happen, either, but it might be the least stressful outcome for Rosie and Herb.

  “They could do a reverse mortgage,” Finn said.

  Damon pushed back his chair. “Okay, that’s another idea, but it doesn’t sing to me. They could still end up scrimping their way through their golden years. I like the crowdfunding option, but it needs more brainstorming and my brain’s fried.”

  “Mine, too.” Finn stood.

  “We’ll tackle the subject again tomorrow when we’re not so tired.” Damon gathered up empty beer bottles and carried them over to the recycling bin in the corner of the kitchen.

  “Good idea.” Finn threw away the pizza box. “We’ll take our stuff down to the cabin and get a good night’s sleep. Then we can meet back here for breakfast and talk about it some more.”

  “You two go ahead.” Cade stood, too. “I have something to discuss with Lexi.”

  “Sure.” Damon scrubbed a hand over his face, but not before Lexi caught his grin. “How about we take your cat? You know a cabin’s just not complete without a cat.”

  “If you can pry him off Lexi’s lap, then go for it.”

  “Piece of cake.” Damon walked over to where Lexi sat cradling Ringo. “Hey, fur ball, there will be kitty treats and play toys before bedtime down at the cabin. Wanna come with me?”

  Cade peered at his friend. “And what kitty treats and play toys would those be?”

  “When we stopped to pick up cat food, I bought some kitty yummies, a couple of catnip mice and a feather wand. You must have missed that.”

  “I do believe I did.” Cade shoved back his hat to study Damon. “I thought you were all about dogs. Since when did you become a cat guy?”

  “You must not have been paying attention, Gallagher. I’ve always liked cats.” Damon neatly scooped Ringo into his arms. “Especially great ones like this dude. Come on, Ringo. It’s you and me, buddy.” Damon tucked the purring cat against his shoulder and glanced over at Finn. “You coming, brewmeister?”

  “Yep. I hope you got fish flavored, because those usually go over better than chicken.”

  “I got some of each, just in case.”

  “Good idea. What brand?” The two men left the kitchen discussing the merits of various kitty treats.

  “They’ve kidnapped your cat.” Pulse racing, Lexi pushed back her chair and stood to face the man she hadn’t been able to resist since she’d turned sixteen.

  “Looked to me like he went willingly.” He pulled her slowly into his arms. “How about you?”

  “As you probably recall, I’ve never been interested in telling you no.”

  He nestled her against his hard body as his green gaze lingered on her mouth. “I’m counting on that.”

  “But...not here.”

  “No, not here.” He leaned down and brushed her mouth with his. “Let’s take a drive.”

  10

  LIKE ANY SENSIBLE cowboy who drove in unpredictable Rocky Mountain weather, Cade kept a couple of blankets tucked behind the passenger seat of his truck. He’d gotten new ones since he and Lexi had been dating. Back then blankets had been for emergencies in the winter and lovemaking in the summer.

  “I’ve never had sex on these,” Lexi said once they’d arrived at their old make-out spot and he spread the blankets out in the back of his pickup.

  He left his hat on the tailgate and hopped down to gather her close. “Matter of fact, I’ve never made love to anyone but you in the back of this truck.”

  She smiled and nestled against him. “Because no other woman would put up with it, I’ll bet.”

  “No. Because the back of this truck is...ours.”

  “Oh, Cade.” Her sigh was long and heartfelt.

  That tender sound stirred him in ways that he couldn’t even begin to identify. The urge to bond with her in a basic, earthy way was so strong—he needed her clothes off now. A few clouds had moved in, and the half-moon continued to play hide-and-seek. In the gaps between the clouds, the stars glittered like rhinestones on a fancy pair of tight jeans. He wanted her stretched out on those blankets, moonlight and starlight gleaming on her skin as he touched every inch of her warm body. After boosting her up to the tailgate, Cade pulled off her boots and tucked them in a corner of the truck bed. He’d always put her boots right there, and he had some superstitious idea that if he followed their pattern, they’d re-create the magic they’d known all those years ago.

  She remembered her cues and pulled off her knit shirt. The next move was his. Reaching behind her back, he unhooked her bra and drew it slowly off as he kissed every precious inch he revealed. At last his mouth closed over her nipple, and she clutched his head with a soft moan.

  Their lovemaking this morning had been incredible, but he’d missed this, the sweetness of that tight bud against his tongue and the way her breathing changed as he sucked. She was sensitive to this particular caress and sometimes would come with nothing more than his mouth at her breast.

  But he longed to touch her in other ways. When he unfastened her jeans and slipped his hand underneath the denim, she parted her thighs and his blood pumped faster. She might have changed her attitude about many things, but in this, she was his Lexi, wanting his touch, wanting his thrusting fingers to bring her pleasure.

  As he used his lips and tongue to tease her breast, he stroked her slick heat, causing her to gasp his name. Pushing deeper, he coaxed her up, up, until she surrendered with the sharp cry that had haunted his dreams. He felt her climax from his fingers to his toes. He damned near came with her.

  But he held back, and, as she drifted down to earth, he stepped away from the truck and took off his clothes. His friends had done him a favor by asking him to bring his cat to the
kitchen, because that had given him a chance to stuff a couple of condoms in his pocket. He’d had no guarantee that he’d use them tonight, but having Lexi on the property had been a start.

  By the time he climbed up on the tailgate, she’d wiggled out of her jeans and lay waiting for him on the blankets.

  He knelt beside her and laid both condoms in her hand. “Hold on to these for later.”

  “How much later? I need—”

  “It’s been a long time, Lexi. I didn’t get to do all that I wanted to this morning.” He smiled at her. She probably couldn’t see that in the dark, so he leaned down and nibbled at her mouth. “You’re delicious, and I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” She wrapped her hand around his cock. “Don’t I get a taste?”

  His heart thumped wildly, and he had to swallow before he could speak. “Is that what you want?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “I’m...I’m a little out of practice.”

  “Me, too. So let’s practice together.”

  Excitement threatened to sabotage his control as he made a one-eighty turn to give her what she’d asked for. They’d experimented with this when they’d first discovered sex. While it required a certain amount of coordination, they’d taken that as a challenge and had discovered they liked it. A lot.

  She’d said she was out of practice. Had she saved this special pleasure for him? Maybe in her mind, as in his, this also belonged only to them.

  And oh, sweet heaven, it was as wonderful as he remembered. As he sipped the tangy juices of her arousal from the soft petals of her secret center, she took his aching cock deep into her hot mouth. Sucking gently, she taunted him with flicks of her tongue and light pressure from her teeth.

  He groaned and took his intimate kiss deeper. He used his tongue more aggressively, and as she applied more pressure, so did he. She massaged his balls, and he cupped her firm little ass. Pressing his fingers into her soft skin, he spread her thighs wider, giving him greater access.

  His climax hovered, demanding release. Then she lifted her hips at the same moment she took him deep. He sucked hard on her clit as his cock touched the back of her throat. They both came in a blizzard of sensation that was a hundred times, a thousand times, more intense than he remembered.