A County Girl's Heart

by Dena Blake

  Elizabeth sighed. “Rebecca doesn’t know what it’s like to do without.”

  “You don’t have to do without to appreciate what you have,” DJ said.

  “Maybe so.”

  DJ swung around quickly and grabbed the top of the chair firmly. “Who is Victoria Maxwell?” she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

  Elizabeth’s brows drew together slightly. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”

  “You’ve never heard or seen her name on any legal documents you may have signed?”

  Elizabeth looked thoughtful for a moment. “No. I don’t believe I have.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure, Elizabeth? I need you to be truthful with me.”

  “The name is not familiar to me, Danica, and I don’t appreciate the interrogation or your tone,” she said adamantly. “Now what’s this all about?”

  DJ relaxed her grip on the chair. “Apparently, she owns some land just north of Kerrville.” She observed Elizabeth’s reaction for a moment. “Land that I believe belonged to your family.”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “I wouldn’t know anything about that. Charles didn’t involve me in any of his real-estate dealings.”

  “Seeing as how the Montgomery side of the family originally owned this particular piece of land, I thought you might know something about the transfer.”

  “What land are you talking about?”

  “The land abutting Kathryn’s ranch.”

  “That’s impossible,” Elizabeth insisted. “That land was to be deeded to Rebecca from her grandfather’s trust when she turned twenty-one. Just as Kathryn’s land was deeded to her.”

  “Somehow that land was deeded to Victoria Maxwell instead of Rebecca, and it looks to me like someone has gone to great lengths to cover up the transaction.” DJ absently rubbed her hand across the back of her neck. She could tell Elizabeth was disturbed and had no idea the land had been deeded to Victoria. “From what I can tell, it looks like an attorney by the name of Mark Hamilton took care of most of your husband’s real-estate deals.”

  Elizabeth’s gaze snapped to DJ. “Did you say Mark Hamilton?”

  “Yes. Do you know him?” DJ had rarely seen Elizabeth lose her composure, but she could see she was rattled. “What’s the matter? Why are you so upset?”

  “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Danica, but I believe Rebecca and Mark are personally involved.” Her words were slow and cautious.

  DJ drew her brows together. “How long has she been seeing him?” DJ’s only worry was whether the man could be trusted.

  “Six months, at least. She doesn’t think I know about him, but the two of them have been sneaking around for quite some time.”

  “Not real tall, but lanky, with jet-black hair?” DJ guessed his height to be only about five foot ten, but his lean, sculpted frame hinted that he took more pride in his looks than the average Joe.

  “I’ve only seen him once or twice, but that sounds like him.”

  “Humph.” DJ threaded her fingers through her hair. When Rebecca had introduced her to Mark at the company Christmas party last year, DJ had told her to be careful. The man was just a little too smooth, but apparently she’d ignored DJ’s advice. “Didn’t take her long to move on with her life, did it?”

  “And you?” Elizabeth hesitated. “Your heart belongs to someone else now as well, doesn’t it? Someone who is beautiful inside and out,” she said, not waiting for DJ to respond.

  “Don’t you worry about me, Elizabeth.” DJ skirted the issue, knowing full well she’d planned for it to happen all along.

  “If I don’t, who will?”

  “So, how about you pay off that mortgage we spoke about.”

  “As soon you complete your task, it’ll be done.”

  DJ shook her head, knowing it was useless to protest. “Is Hamilton’s office in the Montgomery Building?” She headed for the door.

  “I believe it is.”

  “Oh, and Elizabeth.” She turned momentarily. “Please don’t mention anything about our conversation to Rebecca until I have all the facts straight.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “Danica,” she called before DJ went out the door. “Is this about Rebecca or Kathryn?”

  “This is about both your daughters, Elizabeth,” she said, closing the door behind her.

  DJ slid down into her BMW and drove the short distance from the Belmont estate to the Montgomery Building. She didn’t like the way things were beginning to sound regarding this land deal. Learning that Rebecca was personally involved with Hamilton would make finding the truth more difficult. Maybe Rebecca wasn’t involved in any of the dirty deeds. Either way, the fallout would have an impact.

  After passing the security desk, DJ stopped to check the building registry. She located Hamilton’s office, boarded the elevator, and rode straight up to the twenty-fifth floor. As she rounded the corner past her own office, DJ wondered why she’d never seen Mark in the hallway before. Then the thought crossed her mind that he might have been purposely avoiding her.

  “Is he in,” DJ asked the woman sitting at the desk just outside the office.

  “Yes. Your name, please?”

  “Danica Callahan. Mrs. Belmont’s personal attorney.”

  The woman pushed the intercom button. “Mr. Hamilton? There’s a Danica Callahan here to see you. She says she’s Mrs. Belmont’s personal attorney.”

  “Send her in.” The voice rang through the intercom.

  Mark met DJ halfway across the office with his hand extended.

  “I appreciate you seeing me,” DJ said and shook his hand.

  “No problem. I always have time for Mrs. Belmont. What can I do for you, Ms. Callahan?”

  “I have a few questions concerning a land deal involving Mr. Belmont and a woman by the name of Victoria Maxwell.”

  “I’m not aware of any such recent deal.” Mark turned and walked behind his desk.

  “It wasn’t a recent transaction. It would have been about eight years ago.”

  “I can check my files.” He slid down into his leather chair. “But it doesn’t ring a bell.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” DJ took a business card out of her wallet and handed it to him. “If you come across anything, please give me a call.”

  DJ had the feeling the man knew more than he was saying, but she wasn’t ready to push him until she knew just how involved he was with Rebecca. Besides, it was close to six o’clock, and DJ needed to get moving if she was going to make it to the ranch in time to see Kat tonight. And she wanted to see her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kat settled into the arms of her surrogate, wishing she was dancing with someone else. Her head fogged with thoughts of DJ, and heat rushed her system as visions of last night overwhelmed her. First, the seductive, mind-blowing kiss. She’d wanted DJ so badly, she was ready to give her everything. All she had to do was ask. Maybe that was wrong, but DJ did something to her that she couldn’t deny. Thoughts of the fire shot through her, and she shuddered. She didn’t know what she would’ve done if something had happened to her before she’d had a chance to be with her, touch her, love her. Love her? Oh God, am I falling in love with her? That can’t be. Can it happen in only a matter of days?

  That adorable grin of DJ’s popped into her head, and she knew how it happened. Kat couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across her face. When DJ came back, if she came back, Kat wasn’t going to deny her feelings anymore. She wanted another chance at happiness, and she wanted it with DJ. Kat knew well enough that life was too short. A rush of panic flew through her. God, she hoped DJ was coming back. She clamped her eyes closed, thinking only of DJ as she danced.

  “Now this is the kind of dancing I like,” Cody whispered.

  She slung her head up and stared into Cody’s puzzled eyes. They weren’t the eyes of the woman she’d been thinking of. She was gone, and with the way Kat’s luck ran, she’d probably never see her again.

  “I’m sorry, Cody. I
’m gonna have to sit this one out.” Kat turned and left her standing solo on the dance floor.

  “Hey, what’d I do?” Cody followed her to the table.

  “Nothing.” Kat shrugged as she sat down. “I just need to take a break.” Kat gave her a polite smile, then pressed her fingers to her forehead as thoughts of the woman who’d been inching her way into her heart for the past several days whirled through her mind. Interrupted by scattered images of Arizona, her head ached as the two women battled for her heart.

  “How about a drink?” Cody asked.

  “Just water, thanks.”

  Kat was staring off into space, still sorting through her thoughts, when the waitress set a shot glass full of amber liquid in front of her. “Wrong table.” She looked at the drink. Tuaca.

  “It’s from the woman sitting at the end of the bar.” She motioned behind her. “The one with the curly-blond hair.”

  The seat at the end of the bar was empty. “What woman?”

  The waitress glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. “She asked if there was somewhere quiet where she could make a call. I told her the best place was probably the hallway.” She set a lavender rose on the table. “She sent this too.”

  Kat picked up the rose and held it to her nose, slowly taking in its delicate scent. It filled her senses, and she tingled all over. She knew who’d sent this. Kat looked up quickly, searching the room, and caught a glimpse of her as she rounded the corner into the hallway. Her pulse quickened.

  “Thanks.” She gave the waitress a quick smile and shot up to follow.

  Her heartbeat doubling with every step, she fought her way through the guests and locals, smiling politely and not stopping when each one spoke to her as she passed. By the time she reached the hallway, no one was there.

  Kat tossed her hair across her shoulder and cursed as she looked to the bar and scanned the crowd. Where could she have gone? She heard the faint creak of the office door opening behind her, and before she could turn, someone took her hand and pulled her inside.

  The door slammed shut, and she was pressed up against it in the darkness, being sucked into the most urgent, wanting kiss. Trying to adjust to the sudden darkness, Kat struggled until the familiar taste filled her mouth. She’d kissed DJ only a few times before, but her essence had been embedded deep within her memory. She had come back. Rippling emotions rushed through Kat like a rampant river. It had been a long time since any woman had excited her so completely. Kat’s hands, pressed firmly against DJ’s chest, quickly lost their strength as they felt their way up and across the fuzzy remnants of hair on her neck. She let out a soft moan and melted into her, wanting to be so much closer as she returned DJ’s kiss fully.

  “I thought you’d never stop dancing.” DJ broke away just enough for her lips to form the words.

  “And I thought I might never see you again.” Kat uttered softly. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and sought DJ’s. Kat could see her in the faint glow of the security light shining through the window.

  “I had a few things to take care of in Austin.” DJ’s voice was soft and low.

  Kat thought for a moment about the name DJ had mumbled in her sleep. “You’re not going to tell me you have a wife and kids waiting for you there, are you?”

  The corners of DJ’s mouth curved up. The only woman she’d ever thought about getting attached to was in her arms right now. She shook her head. “No wife. No kids.” Just one other unforgivable thing that DJ would keep to herself for now.

  Kat drove her fingers into DJ’s soft, blond curls.

  “You like those?” She’d stopped by her penthouse to shower and had left them loose again.

  Kat cupped DJ’s neck in her hands and drew her in. “Uh-huh.” She tugged at DJ’s bottom lip and then let her tongue slowly make its way inside her mouth.

  The result was a long, slow-kissing inferno that needed to be either doused or stoked. DJ dragged her mouth away. “You want to dance more?”

  “Not really.” Kat locked DJ’s gaze and touched her lips softly with her own again.

  DJ trailed her thumb down Kat’s neck and felt her pulse skitter beneath it. Kat let out a groan, and DJ almost lost it as Kat’s heated breath lingered on her neck and her soft breasts melted into her chest. Kat’s body trembled against her, and her need multiplied. Every inch of DJ’s body pulsed. The slightest touch would trigger an explosion. Kat stared up at her through thick, fluttering lashes. There was no mistaking the plea in her eyes tonight. Kat was begging her to explore.

  “Are you sure?” DJ offered Kat one last out but hoped to God she didn’t take it.

  Kat pressed her thigh against the apex of DJ’s legs, and her stomach flip-flopped.

  “Positive.” Kat’s eyes were dark and wanting.

  “We’d better go to the house.” DJ needed her now, but quick-and-dirty here in the office wasn’t how she wanted it to happen with Kat. She took her by the hand and led her out through the crowded bar. When Kat’s hand slid out of DJ’s, she turned to see the woman Kat had been dancing with earlier blocking her path. She couldn’t hear the conversation, but the woman had grabbed Kat’s arm, which was not okay.

  “Is everything all right?” DJ slipped in beside Kat.

  The woman’s lip hitched up, and she cocked her head. “Oh, I see. Your bed’s already taken tonight.”

  Kat must have seen the anger flare in DJ’s eyes. She quickly wedged herself between the two women. “Please don’t,” she pleaded, forcing DJ to look at her. “Not here. Not now.”

  DJ sucked in a deep breath, backed up, and moved Kat in front of her. Kat led her out the door. The cool night air whisked across DJ’s neck. She noticed Kat cross her arms and rub her shoulders briskly to fight the chill. DJ took off her jacket, put it around Kat’s shoulders, and felt the masses of tiny goose bumps prickling at her skin.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Kat said with a twinge of embarrassment in her voice.

  “She’s the one who should be sorry.” DJ put her arm around Kat and rubbed her shoulder as they walked. “The woman should thank her lucky stars you ever gave her a second look.”

  She shook her head and stared at the ground. “DJ, I’ve done some things in the past that I’m not very proud of.”

  “Haven’t we all?”

  “I mean I’ve made more than just a few—” DJ stopped, blocked Kat’s path, and took her by the shoulders. “Mistakes from the past don’t matter to me, Kat.” Kat’s vivid blue eyes glowing in the moonlight had DJ mesmerized until the wind began to blow wildly, sending Kat’s loose onyx hair flying into the air.

  “Come on. We’d better get you inside. It looks like we’re going to have a storm tonight.” DJ clasped Kat’s hand in hers and led her across the grounds.

  “I just need to know one thing.” Kat moved closer, shortening the distance between them.

  “What’s that?” DJ stopped and turned.

  Kat curled her fingers into DJ’s shirt. “Are you going to stay tonight?”

  “I could never walk away from you twice,” DJ said, brushing her lips lightly with her own. Seeing her in the bar tonight, dancing with another woman, had made DJ realize she didn’t want to resist the force between them any longer. She let out a low, rumbling growl, took Kat’s hand, and settled her up under her arm. Kat tucked her thumb into DJ’s waistband and let her fingers drift across her ass, sending a completely new array of hyper-erotic sensations surging through DJ.

  As they approached the house, they could see a light in the horse stalls. “I’d better go check that out,” Kat said, noticing the wide-open door. “I only want one kind of blaze going on tonight,” she said with a suggestive smile.

  DJ grinned. “It’s probably just Virgil. Why don’t you go on in the house, and I’ll see what he’s doing.” DJ kissed her softly and pushed her toward the steps.

  “Don’t take too long,” Kat chanted seductively from the bottom step of the porch.

  “I’ll be right there.” DJ peeked
over her shoulder and felt the familiar flutter in her stomach.

  DJ was almost to the stable when the light went out, and Virgil came through the doorway.

  “Ah, Ms. Callahan. You’re back. Or is it still Callen?”

  “Let’s just keep it at DJ for now,” DJ said, ignoring the disapproval she saw in Virgil’s eyes. “I was walking Kat home, and we saw the light.”

  Virgil looked to the house and waved at Kat. “Had to close all the windows and shutters. It’s fixin’ to storm tonight.”

  DJ looked up and watched the clouds roll across the darkened sky. “Looks like it could be a big one.” She heard the clatter of the wooden screen shutting and returned her attention to the house for a moment. “Any word on what caused the fire?” DJ had a feeling it wasn’t an accident.

  “Not yet. Fire inspector came through and took a few things.” Virgil walked to the rubble. “Looks like it started in this corner.”

  “Electrical?”

  “Doubt it.” Virgil pushed a burned timber with his foot. “No electricity on this side.” He flattened his lips. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

  “Let me know what you find out.” DJ turned toward the house.

  “Not so fast, young lady,” Virgil said, and DJ whirled around. “Did you tell her who you are yet?”

  “No, but I will. I promise. Just give me a little time.”

  “I may have told you this before, but I’m gonna say it again.” Virgil stood nose to nose with DJ and moved closer, narrowing his eyes in what DJ took as warning. “That girl is very special to me. In fact, you could say she’s like a daughter. So you’d better be very careful with her. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” DJ said without flinching, then turned and walked to the house. She didn’t want to hurt Kat, and she knew it would sting when Kat found out why DJ had really come to the ranch.

  She quickened her stride as she tried to outpace the huge raindrops beginning to fall. DJ could see Kat in the kitchen staring out the window as she took the last few steps to the porch. Her mood had changed.