by Sara Orwig
When Nita thrust out her hand, her eyebrows arched in surprise and she looked back and forth between Rose and him.
“How do you do,” he said, shaking her hand. As he had expected, Nita’s grip was firm.
“Do you two know each other?” Nita asked, looking at Rose, who nodded.
“Yes, we do. We met at a business convention a few months back,” Rose replied in a casual tone. She turned to Tom. “Come in and meet Daddy.”
Curious about where Rose had grown up, Tom entered a house that was contemporary and inviting. The grand foyer held an iron baluster split stairway that indicated Rose’s past had a degree of luxury. Through extra-wide windows that ran almost to the ceiling, sunlight spilled into the spacious living room. A stone fireplace stood at one end of the room and adjacent to it sat a man with his leg in a cast, his foot propped on an ottoman.
Rose took Tom’s arm. “Daddy, this is Tom Devlin, Lucas Devlin’s nephew. Tom, meet Will Windcroft.”
“You’re damned lucky I have this broken leg or I’d run you out of here before you could say a word,” Will groused.
“I’m here on a peace mission,” Tom said politely, gazing at the man whose leathery appearance was a testament to how many hours he spent working out of doors. Beneath salt-and-pepper hair Will’s eyes flashed with anger. Tom suspected he might have had to fend off a fist in his face if Will hadn’t had a broken leg. “At least hear me out. In town they say you’re a reasonable man. That’s part of why I made this appointment. My family would like to end the feud.”
“Like hell, they would!” Will snapped. “They’re doing everything they can to promote it. Who else would tear down our fences and poison our feed and dig holes so my horse went down and took me with him? Get out of my house. I didn’t agree to this meeting,” he added with a glare toward Nita.
“Daddy,” Nita said. “If Connor were here, he would urge you to listen.”
“Wait a minute, Daddy,” Rose insisted.
“It’s not us doing bad and dangerous things to Windcrofts,” Tom continued calmly. “Give me half an hour to talk, Mr. Windcroft. I have information that might change your mind.”
Will said a blunt and crude word.
“I think we ought to listen,” Nita urged. “Connor believes Tom.”
“That’s because they’re both in the Cattleman’s Club. And you believe Connor because you just married him. I’m not listening to a bunch of bull, and you can get out of our house!” Will’s voice rose, his face flushing.
“Sir,” Tom said firmly, “if you don’t hear me out, you have a lot to lose. Your mishap could’ve had worse consequences. Next time, if something terrible happens to Rose or Nita and you learn the Devlins aren’t responsible, you’ll hate yourself for not doing what you could’ve to prevent a tragedy. If you listen, you have everything to gain.”
In silence Will scowled at Tom.
“I think you know that we’ve had one murder—Jonathan Devlin,” Tom continued in a quiet, assertive voice. “Uncle Lucas doesn’t think it was a Windcroft who killed his grandfather. This may not be a Devlin-Windcroft battle after all.”
Will sighed. “All right. Sit down and let’s hear what you have to say.”
Two
“Thanks, Mr. Windcroft,” Tom replied, glancing at Rose.
When Tom looked into her eyes, Rose Windcroft’s pulse jumped. Unable to tear her gaze away, she watched him cross the room. Tall, commanding, with sexy, melt-your-bones gray eyes, he made her pulse leap as much now as that first moment they had met at the Houston computer convention. This time he was casually dressed in a leather bomber jacket, a long-sleeved red-and-navy-plaid shirt and jeans.
Tom offered his hand to her father, who glared at him without shaking hands. “Tell me what you came to tell me,” Will said bluntly.
Tom was a Devlin! Rose was still stunned. One shock right after another. Her problems had compounded a thousandfold. She brushed her hand across her stomach. How could she have brought such upheaval into her life? The answer was crossing her living room—a virile, handsome, irresistible male who had made passionate love to her and gotten her pregnant!
Tom had used condoms, but Dr. Amos Hartley had carefully explained to her that sometimes they broke or weren’t handled properly—a fact she already knew but hadn’t thought would ever apply to her.
She hadn’t informed her family of her condition, and here was Tom Morgan in her life again and living on a nearby ranch. And not Tom Morgan, but Tom Devlin.
She had decided earlier today that she would announce her pregnancy to her family. There was no use in delaying any longer. She now had to think about telling Tom soon too. She dreaded revealing the truth to Tom because the last thing she wanted was a man to offer marriage out of a sense of duty.
She recalled how she and Tom had intended to exchange phone numbers, but she had had to leave the conference early because of a lucrative contract she was getting. The client had called and agreed to go with Rose’s company, and Rose had to be present to sign the deal. With all that had happened since then, the conference seemed longer ago than five months.
Drinking in the sight of Tom, she inhaled while a pang of longing tore at her. When he had approached her at the side of the road, how she had wanted to throw herself into his arms.
“I’m sorry about all that’s happened,” Tom said as he sat in a chair facing Will.
On edge, Rose doubted her father would listen to Tom. Will sat with his lips clamped together, his chin raised as Rose had seen him do too many times before. She knew the gesture meant not only no but also hell, no!
While the men talked, she thought about Tom asking her to dinner—anticipation made her heart race, yet she knew she shouldn’t go out with him again. Truce or not, it was difficult to spend time with a Devlin because she had grown up hating them. As she gazed at Tom, she received a look in return that sent a current charging down to her toes. She tried to concentrate on what he was saying to her father.
“We didn’t do any of the things that have been happening here lately, and both families need to find out who’s behind the incidents and why,” Tom said. “We can join forces to catch the culprit.”
“I don’t know what you have to gain by this, but I’m not falling for some line of lies from a Devlin,” Will snapped.
“Sir, my uncle Lucas was going through Jonathan’s things and found some odd notations in the book so the entries were vague but mentioned payments Jonathan had been receiving from an unknown source. Lucas also found letters to Jonathan, and I brought one with me for you to see.”
Tom got up, pulled paper from a jacket pocket and handed Will the wrinkled letter. As Tom bent down to draw his finger along a line of writing, Rose went to stand behind her father and read over his shoulder. Nita pulled her chair close to read also.
“See, it mentions a payment,” Tom said. “Then look at the next paragraph.”
Rose read aloud, “There could be trouble if the Windcrofts ever find the diary or know the truth.” Rose looked up at Tom. “A diary?”
“No one has discovered a diary. Read farther down the page,” Tom instructed.
She leaned over her father’s shoulder again and continued, “The only way to survive is to keep the feud going between the Windcrofts and the Devlins. That is imperative.”
Surprised, Rose gave Tom another startled look.
“That’s all,” Tom said. “There’s nothing else to indicate the Devlins aren’t involved, but that, plus my uncle’s word, should be enough to convince you peace between us is worth a try. Let’s declare an armistice and together, see if we can catch whoever is behind the disasters here,” Tom added, looking into Rose’s eyes before he returned to his chair.
“That’s not much, but it’s something,” Will grudgingly agreed, reading the letter again. Rose had never before considered the possibility that the Devlins were telling the truth. Suppose they weren’t guilty, and it was someone else who wanted to hurt Nita and her father?<
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Will’s expression was solemn. “What would anyone have to gain by fanning the feud?”
“That’s one of the questions we need answered,” Tom said. “Someone may want to run you folks off this land.”
“Why?” Rose asked, and Will and Nita exchanged a look.
“That old legend about Jessamine Golden’s hidden treasure,” Nita replied.
“All the current trouble surfaced at the time of Royal’s one hundred and twenty-fifth. anniversary,” Will explained. “Six months before the anniversary Jonathan Devlin died. Later, items were found in a trunk in his attic. They were historical artifacts that had belonged to Jessamine Golden.”
“When the artifacts were found, rumors started flying,” Nita added. “An anniversary ball and fund-raiser had been scheduled. The artifacts were donated for the charity auction and since have been given to the Historical Society Museum, but there’s still talk about hidden gold.”
“I figured that’s legend and nothing more,” Rose said and was surprised when Will shook his head.
“A lot of people give credence to the stories. Among Jessamine’s things there is a map that indicates the existence of the treasure. I’ve seen a copy of the map and I recognized our land,” Will explained.
“Whether the gold exists or not,” Tom said, “someone is willing to kill to find it.”
“Jessamine’s map doesn’t reveal where the gold is hidden. Something is missing,” Will said. “There must be something that goes with the map that shows the location.”
Wondering how much danger all of them were in, Rose rubbed her arms. She was frightened for her father and sister, who had roamed the horse farm by themselves almost daily until her daddy had broken his leg.
Will frowned and picked up the letter to read it again, while Rose moved to a wing chair. One look at Nita, and Rose knew that they were in agreement with Tom. Otherwise, Nita’s chin would be thrust out and fire would be in her eyes.
“I think we should consider a truce,” Rose said, although part of her wondered if they were being taken in by a smooth-talking Devlin.
“If we call off the feud, we won’t stop guarding the farm or anything like that,” Nita remarked.
“I don’t think you should. It’s obvious someone is trying to harm you folks and cause you trouble. You may be in a lot of danger,” Tom replied, looking at Rose. “But if our two families cooperate, there will be more of us to hear rumors or watch for anything amiss. Lucas said he can spare some of our men to patrol your grounds.”
“Daddy, that would be a help,” Rose said solemnly.
Will nodded his head. “All right. Temporarily maybe, but we’ll accept Devlin help and friendship.”
How many surprises would this day hold? Rose wondered. The Devlins and the Windcrofts working together! She glanced at Tom and found him watching her with an intentness that curled her toes.
“Thanks, Mr. Windcroft,” he said, shifting his attention to her father. “I don’t think you’ll regret your decision. I’ll tell Lucas. Any leads anyone has, we’ll pool our information. Connor and I will stay in contact.”
“I hope you’re leveling with me,” Will said flatly. “If you’re not…” The unspoken threat hung in the air.
“I am, sir,” Tom replied. “I promise you—I’m not a part of any feud with the Windcrofts and never have been. I didn’t know I was a Devlin until a few months ago, and there are no reasons for me to hate a member of your family,” he added quietly. “If you can think of any enemies you might have, it would be helpful.”
“We’ve tried and we’ve given the sheriff and Connor even the remotest possibilities,” Nita stated.
Nodding, Tom stood. “I’ll go now. It was nice to finally meet you,” he said, offering his hand to Will.
When he reached out to shake Tom’s hand, Rose let out her breath. In the quiet of their living room, a historic moment that might change their lives forever had taken place—after a century, there was no Windcroft-Devlin feud.
Tom told Nita that he was glad to have met her and then he looked at Rose.
“Rose and I already know each other,” he said. Her father turned to stare at her.
“We met at a recent business convention in Houston,” Rose explained.
“You’re another computer person,” Nita remarked.
“Actually not,” Rose answered before Tom could. “Tom was the keynote speaker. He’s in demolition, not computers.” She headed out of the room. “I’ll go to the door with you,” she said, knowing she would return to questions from her father and Nita, although Nita was so much in love with Connor, she didn’t pay much attention to people and things around her.
Rose and Tom walked down the hall to the front door and out onto the porch. She studied his thick black hair and his unusual smoky-gray eyes. She should have known he was a Devlin—he bore a resemblance to them. He was better-looking, taller and had a squarer jaw. Her mind spun with the knowledge of who he was, and memories of the most exciting man she had ever known tormented her.
She turned to Tom. “Well, you got what you wanted.”
“Thank God. I think your family is in danger, and the incidents are getting more disastrous. Your father could’ve been hurt worse than he was when his horse fell in that hole. The same was true when Nita’s brake line was cut.”
“That’s why I’m home—to help and support wherever I can,” Rose replied solemnly. “I’ve moved my business here and have my computers set up in the guesthouse. This is the advantage of having your own business. As you well know, if you hire the right people, they can run things when you’re away.”
“How many people work for you?”
“Five. We have a small Dallas office where we do computer programming and also some graphic work.”
“You can tell me more about it tonight. I’ll pick you up around seven.”
Half of her yearned to give him a big smile and agree while the other half of her screamed warnings not to go. She started to say no, but before she could, he kissed her, covering her mouth with his. The moment their lips touched, her heart thudded. She longed to wrap her arms around him and kiss him in return.
She wanted to announce that she was carrying their baby—the one they’d made together that night—but she wasn’t quite ready to face the emotional upheaval her announcement would bring. She had to face the grim fact that he eventually would learn the truth. It wouldn’t be long until she couldn’t hide her pregnancy at all.
Then all thought fled, demolished by his kiss. His strong fingers wound in her hair while his arm banded her tightly. Suddenly he stopped. His gaze was intense, hungry for love. She could see that he wanted her. “I’ll be here at seven,” he said gruffly.
While he waited, silence stretched, and once again she knew she had the opportunity to refuse right now, to end this. Yet the words wouldn’t come. Tom’s satisfaction was evident in his expression when he gave her a faint smile, then moved away.
In long strides he walked to his pickup, and as she watched him climb in then drive away, she remembered that Houston encounter as if it had just happened. They both had been headed to the hotel’s indoor swimming pool. She had stepped out of the elevator at the same time he appeared around a corner.
When they collided, his hands went out to steady her. Transfixed, she looked into thickly lashed eyes the color of smoke from a wood fire. She was conscious of his hands on her arms, his bare chest only inches from her. When his gaze lowered to her unfastened swimsuit cover-up, he inhaled deeply.
“I hope you’re not hurt,” he said, and she shook her head, “because I’m glad I ran into you. I would’ve been to the pool sooner if I’d known you were here.” His voice was deep as he spoke in a lazy drawl. His gaze strayed to her mouth, then drifted down over her, and she couldn’t get her breath.
“That’s the best-looking cover-up I’ve ever seen,” he said softly.
“Thank you,” she replied, while her temperature rose another notch because
she knew he wasn’t referring to her cover-up but to her. He was a sexy male with sculpted muscles and rugged good looks.
“I’m Tom Morgan.”
“I’m Rose Windcroft.”
“So we’re going to swim together.” His voice became more throaty with an innuendo that implied they were going to do something together more intimate than swimming.
This handsome Tom Morgan was flirting with her, and an uncustomary recklessness made her receptive to him.
“I can’t wait to get together…to swim,” she added in a breathless whisper, toying with him in return. When she did, something dark shifted in the depths of his eyes, and his heated look set her pulse pounding.
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“I live in Dallas.” Barely able to get out the words, she knew she was taunting a tiger and she should stop before she was devoured.
“I’m in Dallas occasionally on business. I can be there when it’s not business. I’ll have to visit Dallas soon so we can—” he paused, and her heart thudded while possibilities for what she would like to do with him ran through her thoughts “—swim together again,” he finished.
“Speaking of swimming—that’s what I came here to do,” she said, walking past him. He caught up to her and reached around to open the glass door for her.
“We can’t get in,” Tom said in surprise.
They both peered through the glass walls into the deserted room with its large, sparkling blue tiled pool, but no one was inside. Tom glanced at the posted sign on the wall.
“According to the schedule, this room should be open,” he said. “I’ll go ask at the desk.”
In seconds he was back. Walking beside him was a man in a yellow jumpsuit emblazoned with the hotel logo. “Sorry about that,” the hotel employee said. “We closed to clean the pool and someone forgot to open the room again.”
They both thanked him and entered the pool area. She dropped her towel, shed her cover-up, then turned to find Tom openly watching her, his appreciative gaze moving leisurely over her brief swimsuit.
She was just as ensnared by his terrific, muscled body. His biceps bulged, and his chest was well-defined with a smattering of short black hair. He was fit, and the tiny swimming trunks barely covered his well-endowed masculinity.
