"Yeah. No wonder." Tyler's leg throbbed, and pain lanced his thigh. He stumbled backward, and Caitlyn grabbed his arm.
"Don't!" He jerked away, ignoring the heat of her touch and careful y lowered himself into his chair again.
"Sorry." Caitlyn stepped back, her emerald eyes ful of concern and something else Tyler refused to acknowledge. He didn't want her pity. God, how he hated feeling so weak and helpless.
She stood there looking down at him. Silence hung heavy between them and threatened to stretch into awkwardness. Thankful y, the dog barked before it became too embarrassing.
"Excuse me," Caitlyn said. "Do you mind if I let my dog out? She's been cooped up for hours."
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Thanks, I won't be long." She jogged over to her truck and petted the dog, nuzzled her nose in the yel ow fur, cooing al the while. The dog wiggled and trembled, making happy dog sounds. When she opened the door, the big yel ow Lab bounded out, ran around the truck and trailer three times, found a patch of grass to do her business, then ran back and plunked her butt in front of her mistress.
Caitlyn squatted down and ruffled the dog's fur, rubbing her ears, whispering unintel igible words. The dog ate it up; her tail wagged a mile a minute.
Lucky mutt.
Tyler had to admit Caitlyn Ross was one mighty fine looking woman. Something about her was vaguely familiar. Those eyes were kil er and the sprinkle of freckles over her smal nose attractive. Her short blond hair tumbled around her head in a glorious mess, begging a man to run his fingers through the silky curls. She wasn't very tal , but she had a knockout body with luscious curves that tempted a man to try his luck with her, as Tyler would have undoubtedly done once upon a time.
But not now. Now al he could do was wish that things could be the same as before.
Caitlyn returned to Tyler's side, smiling big and wide. She had a beautiful smile. Again that long-absent arousal tugged low in his groin.
The dog dashed up, bumping Caitlyn's hand with her head, begging to be petted. Caitlyn squatted down again, giving the dog more loving attention.
Tyler watched the woman pet her dog. "What's her name?" he asked, wondering how it would feel if al that loving attention were aimed his way.
"Reba." The dog recognized her name, barked and licked Caitlyn's face. The woman laughed; a deep throaty laugh. "Yes, you are a good dog.
Yes, you are." Another kiss, another ruffle of fur. "I found her at a campground several months ago. She was skinny and filthy. We're good friends now."
"I can tel ." Tyler picked up his coffee and took a sip. He stared at the attractive young woman. She was doing a number on him; that was for sure.
"What's with the plane on the trailer?"
She looked toward her truck. "It was my dad's. It's al I have left."
"He passed away?" He set his cup on the table, not liking the soft tremble in her voice.
"Last year." She mustered another smile. "Dad taught me to fly. He was retired Air Force and owned a flight school and air taxi business just outside of San Antonio. After I graduated from high school, I helped out with the flying and the teaching. And the maintenance, of course."
"What happened to his company?"
"It went bankrupt. I had to sel everything to pay off his debts. I stil owe quite a bit."
"Damn, that's tough."
"Yeah, wel . . . Dad was great with planes; not so great when it came to business." She pointed to the truck and trailer. "That's basical y al I own.
Finding this job was a stroke of good luck. Truth is, I can't do much of anything except fly."
Caitlyn gave Reba one last pat then straightened to her ful height, which had to be al of five feet two. She smiled again with a cheerfulness that looked forced. Tyler guessed Caitlyn had been putting on a good face in order to deal with her losses. Just as he'd been doing for the past six months.
She gazed at him out of those kil er eyes. "So, I'm sure there's paperwork to fil out. In our emails, you said there were hookups for my rig?" She looked around the airfield as if searching for a place she could park her truck and camper.
"Right." Tyler grabbed his crutches again and winced when that familiar throbbing blasted through his left knee. He should have taken another pain pil this morning, except he was trying to wean himself off. He might be weak and helpless, but he sure as hel didn't want to be dependent on drugs.
That was no way to get back in the cockpit. He needed a clear head if he wanted to fly again. And he wanted to fly again. More than anything else in the world. He hated being grounded.
Slowly, he heaved himself up and out of the chair again. "We'l go to my office. There are a couple more questions I want to ask, then we'l fil out the paperwork and sign the contract." He started for the other hangar, where his office was located.
Caitlyn walked beside him toward the hangar housing several of his planes. "Looks like you run quite an operation here. Just how big is the Diamondback Ranch anyway?"
Tyler kept his eyes on the rocky ground before him and tried not to inhale too deeply. Caitlyn's subtle fragrance smel ed delicious. "We own ten sections. Sixty-four hundred acres. It's been in my family for three generations."
"Good gracious, that's a lot of land. Three generations, huh?"
"Yeah. My brothers and I own and operate it together. Along with my mother. My sister also owns a portion, but she's away at col ege."
"So this is truly a family-owned operation. And y'al get along okay?"
Tyler stopped walking and lifted his head. He gazed into her green eyes. This close he could see the ring of gold surrounding the irises.
For a moment, she held her ground and returned his stare. Then she stepped back, a blush staining her high cheekbones. "Do y'al get along?" she asked again.
Tyler nodded. "Yeah, sure. For the most part. We have our disagreements now and again; we try to resolve them as quickly as possible. Business is business. Personal is personal. We try to keep them separate."
"But you don't always succeed?" She smiled and a dimple showed near the left side of her mouth.
He tried not to let his gaze linger, but he couldn't help himself. The woman had a mouth made for kissing.
"No, we don't always succeed." He hitched the crutches under his arms. "Once in a while, we duke it out just like when we were kids. Only we make sure it's not in front of Mom."
Caitlyn laughed. "How many brothers do you have?"
"Three. Dal as is the oldest, then Cameron, then Austin. I'm next in age, and my sister is the baby. Tori's studying to be a vet; she loves animals."
Caitlyn sighed wistful y. "Sounds lovely. I'm an only child."
"Sometimes, I wish I were an only child." Tyler thought about everyone butting into his business. Especially since the accident.
She shook her head and her tangle of curls bounced. "Believe me. You don't. Now that both my folks are gone, I have no family. It's not fun to feel so alone." She sighed. "Anyway, I'm sure you don't want to hear my life story."
Tyler stepped closer. "I'd like to get to know you better."
Her eyes dilated and her breath hitched. It seemed the sensual feelings racing through his bloodstream weren't only on his side. Sweet.
"You would?" Her voice was low and soft; her eyes searched his.
What the hel was he doing? He shouldn't be thinking about getting naked with Caitlyn. She was here to fly his planes, not warm his bed. Tyler tightened his hands on the crutches, instead of moving nearer and kissing those delectable lips.
Even so. Life was looking far better now than it had since the accident. Because Caitlyn was here to help him pul his business out of a sinkhole.
Not because the sexual attraction between them had instantaneously combusted.
Liar.
"Wel , yeah," he said. "We're going to be working together, right? So of course, I'd like to get to know you better." Inside and out. Cut the crap, McCade.
"Of course." Caitlyn cleared her throat and deliberately put some space bet
ween them. She looked off into the distance where acres and acres of fields stretched as far as the eye could see. Mesquite trees and prickly pear cactus dominated the rugged landscape that wasn't under cultivation.
On the horizon, two lonely mountains stood guard over the surrounding flat plains. "It's so beautiful here. And the air's even drier than back home.
Do those have a name?" she said, pointing toward the mountains.
Tyler swiveled his body around on the crutches and gazed toward the eastern horizon. "Those are the Double Mountains. They've been a landmark in these parts since Indian times."
"Indian times," Caitlyn repeated. "What must it have been like way back then?"
"No cotton fields, no fields of any kind, and no need for crop dusting, that's for sure." As he swiveled around again to face her, he stumbled and almost lost his balance. Caitlyn's hands shot out to steady him.
" Son of a bitch," he muttered, as he leaned against her for a moment, his breath coming out in a ragged gasp. A sharp agonizing pain wrenched his leg. Maybe he should have taken that pain pil after al .
"Are you okay?" Caitlyn's breath whispered against him.
"Give me a minute, and I wil be."
CHAPTER TWO
Tyler's warmth and the musky scent of his aftershave sparked something deep inside Caitlyn. Something she hadn't felt in a long time. She tried not to flex her fingers that were resting against the man's rock-hard chest where solid muscle bulged beneath his black T-shirt.
His breath rasped hot and heavy in her ear, while she waited for him to regain his balance.
It didn't take long.
Tyler gently disengaged and transferred his weight to his crutches. "Sorry about that. I haven't ful y recovered from the crash. Believe it or not, I'm actual y a lot better now than I was at first."
"Must've been some accident. Do you know what caused it?" She stared at the twisted metal that had once been a sleek little plane. Why hadn't anyone hauled it off and cleaned up the mess?
"Mechanical failure," he said. "The FAA investigated, of course. Then I had it moved from the crash site to where you see it now. I'l check it out myself, once I'm off these damned crutches. For my peace of mind . . . and closure."
Caitlyn caught his gaze. Those oh-so-blue eyes held hers steady, yet she detected the fear behind the bravado. He was afraid it was his fault even though he'd been cleared of blame. He was obviously physical y unable to fly at the moment. He was probably afraid he'd never be able to fly again.
For someone like Tyler McCade, that would be a living hel .
"Come on," he said. "The sooner we sign those papers, the sooner you can get situated and squared away."
A young man walked out of the hangar that housed the office. He looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. "Hey, Tyler. Miss." The kid tipped his hat in an old-fashioned gesture.
"Hey, Pete. I'd like you to meet our new pilot, Caitlyn Ross. Caitlyn, this is Pete Lafferty. He's working for me this summer before he heads off to col ege."
Pete offered his hand and Caitlyn shook it. "Nice to meet you, Pete."
"Ma'am."
"Please. Cal me Caitlyn." Ma'am made her feel older than her twenty-eight years.
"Yes, ma'am." The boy's cheeks turned ruddy and he quickly squatted on his haunches and patted Reba. "I'l look after her while you're in the office .
. . Caitlyn. If you don't mind, that is. I used to have a dog just like her."
"I don't want to put you to any trouble. I'm sure you have other things to do."
Pete shook his head. "No trouble, ma'am." He stood and patted his leg, whistling as he moved toward the hangar door. "Come on, girl. I bet you're thirsty and hungry. Is she on a special diet? I have some scraps from breakfast I could give her."
"Reba eats just about anything you set in front of her," Caitlyn said. "Thanks, Pete."
"My pleasure, ma'am." The young man tipped his hat again, then disappeared into the hangar, with a happy Reba fol owing by his side.
Caitlyn stood staring after them. "He seems awful y young. Especial y when he keeps cal ing me ma'am."
Tyler grinned as he continued toward the office door. "He's a good kid. Wants to be a pilot some day. He's crazy about planes."
"I can certainly relate to that," Caitlyn said with a smile.
Tyler's grin disappeared. "So can I. It's just about kil ing me to be grounded."
"I bet. I haven't flown since my dad died. This job gives me the perfect opportunity to do what I love and get paid for it. After I liquidated the flying school, I thought I was going to have to get a desk job." She shuddered at the memory.
"I know what you mean. Here we go." Tyler held open the door to the office for her.
Caitlyn stepped into the smal compact room. It was extremely messy, with papers and notebooks scattered about. She couldn't imagine conducting business in such a chaotic, haphazard kind of way. Even her dad had had a filing system of some sort.
Tyler closed the door and walked to the straight-back chair in front of the desk. Leaning on his crutches, he removed a pile of magazines and dropped them on the floor. "Have a seat."
Caitlyn sat down and watched Tyler make his way around the desk and plop down in the swivel chair, wincing when his butt hit the seat. Apparently, he was stil experiencing a lot of pain. Both physical y, and probably emotional y as wel .
Wel , he had to be. That first time when she'd tried to help him balance, he'd jerked away as if she'd been a live red-hot coal. But the second time, he'd actual y leaned against her while he got his bearings. And those few minutes were enough to set the butterflies of awareness loose in her stomach. His touch had definitely burned; his clean masculine scent had intoxicated.
As he sat behind his desk, Caitlyn was struck by his dark good looks. He had a strong jawline and a determined chin. She quickly passed over the chiseled lips, focusing on the broad forehead and short spiky brown hair, the dark slanted brows over sapphire blue eyes. Eyes intently taking her measure, just as she was taking his.
She felt a blush heat her cheeks. When she'd taken the job, she hadn't thought one way or another about working alongside Tyler McCade. She'd been too thankful to be hired for the pilot's position. Oh, she knew about Tyler's reputation. She'd seen him in action at some of the air shows around the country. She'd flown the circuit, too. Tyler McCade was what legends were made from.
And now he was grounded.
She lifted her chin, folded her hands in her lap and waited.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"
"Not formal y. I compete in some of the air shows."
" You fly in the air shows?"
"Yes, I do. Oh, I'm not in the same league as you, but I've won my fair share of competitions."
"So that's why you look familiar," Tyler said. "I must have seen you at one show or another."
"Oh, I've seen you at more than one show," Caitlyn said with a smile. "Also in a few of the clubs after the shows were over. In fact, you hit on me once in Waco. A couple of years back."
Tyler frowned, as if trying to dredge up a lost memory. "I don't remember--"
"You were drunk at the time."
"Oh God." He closed his eyes and groaned. "It doesn't get much more awkward than this, does it?"
She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Everyone knows you have another nickname besides Mr. Do or Die McCade."
"Huh-oh. Here it comes." Tyler flashed her a charming megawatt smile that immediately played havoc with her hormones.
She ignored the flash of heat and kept her tone light. "Oh yeah. You know it. Mr. Love 'em and Leave 'em."
"Okay, I was mistaken. It's getting much more awkward in here. I'm surprised you even considered working for me, what with my reputation and al ."
"Oh, I'm sure you're not real y that bad."
"Thanks . . . I think. "
Caitlyn shrugged. "Hey . . . I real y need this job. I'm not a slacker. I may be smal , but I'm very strong and c
apable. I'l pul my weight, plus some."
"I'm sure you wil ."
"And I'm hoping to restore my dad's plane to its original condition. Working for you wil give me access to the tools and equipment I need to make the repairs. On my days off, of course. If you don't mind, that is."
"I don't mind. In fact, I'l help. Pete wil , too. I'd love to work on a vintage Pitts Special."
"That would be great. I plan to fly it in the Stone Creek Air Show Competition in October. I'm hoping to win one of the big cash prizes. I need the money to pay off the rest of my father's debts. And whatever's left over wil help me get back on my feet again."
"Stone Creek is right in our back yard."
"I know. One more reason that makes this job perfect for me. I real y need that money."
Tyler stared at her for a long moment. She tried not to squirm under such intense scrutiny. "You think you can restore the plane in that length of time?
Four months isn't very long from now."
Caitlyn bit her lip. "I have to. With your help and maybe some pointers, it's almost a done deal. After al , you are Mr. Do or Die McCade. Who better to show me the way?"
"I don't think that nickname applies any longer."
"Oh come on," Caitlyn said, hating how down and out he sounded. "You'l be back in the cockpit in no time."
He shrugged. "That's what everyone says. I'm starting to have my doubts."
"I'l tel you what. You help me with the Pitts and the competition, and I'l help you with your rehabilitation."
"How do you propose to do that?"
"Wel , I don't know exactly. There must be something I can do to help."
He didn't say anything for a moment; his eyes darkened with awareness and his glance fel to her lips. Caitlyn's body reacted with alarming alacrity.
Her nipples tightened against the silk fabric of her bra and a heaviness settled low in her bel y.
She waited for him to say something. Anything.
Tyler cleared his throat. "I'm sure we'l find something for you to do. I want off these crutches so bad, I'd sel my soul to the devil." He fumbled with a stack of papers on his desk, moving them behind him to the table against the wal . He swung around and faced her again, picked up a lone sheet of paper and studied it. "Now, about those questions. I need a few clarifications. Do you know how to operate aerial applicators?"
Lone Star Heartbreaker Page 2
