by D. L. Roan
“Dani.” Grey popped off the desk and walked over to her, taking her by the shoulders. “I am sorry. I didn’t do what I did to hurt you, or because I didn’t trust you. I do. Completely. It’s just…”
“Just what?” Dani prodded.
Grey took a deep breath and shrugged. “It was only a few years ago you were calling me your boyfriend, and writing little love notes with your crayons, and asking me to dance with you. I need time to—”
“Daddy, that was more than a few years ago. I was what? Eight?”
“Seven,” Grey corrected.
“That was fifteen years ago.”
“I know-I know.” Grey sighed. “Your mom unmercifully pointed it out to me yesterday. My point is, for me, it still feels like yesterday. I’m trying to catch up, Dani. I really am. And I know I treat you differently than your brothers, but that’s because you are.”
“Ugh.” Dani tipped her head back with a groan. “Do you have any idea how unfair that is?”
“It’s incredibly unfair,” Grey agreed. “I love Con and Car, and Jonah and Cory. You know I do. They’re our boys, our pride, and each one of them is a better man then I’ll ever be. But Dani, my sun rises and sets on you. Well, you and your mother. It always has.” Grey tipped her chin up and made her look at him. “You’re the absolute best of me, baby girl. You’re so smart it’s scary, and talented, and beautiful, just like your mom. I’m proud of you, and I know I’m not supposed to say these kinds of things, but you are special to me, to all of us, in a completely different way than your brothers. I don’t know how else to explain it, but I won’t apologize for it.”
All the tension and anger Dani had held onto all night moved from the pit of her stomach to her chest, the ache rising to the back of her throat as her eyes began to burn. She dipped her chin and tried to shake it off, but her eyes flooded anyway. “Dang it, Daddy. You’re gonna make me cry.”
“Don’t you dare.”
Grey tugged her into his strong arms and she burrowed against his chest, hugging him back like the little girl she’d tried so hard to leave behind. No matter how old she got or how angry she may get with him, she would never forget or tire of this, the feeling of being held in her daddy’s arms.
“If you cry, then I’ll cry,” Grey said, the wobble in his voice betraying his own tears as hers fell, too, despite her best efforts to hold them back.
“I love you, Daddy.”
Grey tightened his hold on her and then pulled away, turning his head to wipe his eyes before he pulled her into another quick hug. “I love you, too, baby girl,” he said with a choked laugh. “Dammit.” He sniffled as he kissed the top of her head. “This is hard.”
“I’ll try to go easier on you if you’ll try to give me some space,” she said and wiped at the streaks on his shirt. “Deal?”
Grey nodded. “Deal.”
Dani held up her pinky. Grey stared at it, his eyes glassing over a bit before he hooked it with his own and they both shared a watery laugh.
“Can I ask you for one more thing?” she asked before letting go. Grey nodded. “Can we maybe nix the whole ‘baby girl’ thing?”
“Not on your life,” Grey snipped.
“Figured as much,” she mumbled. “Had to ask. But just so I’m clear,” she added as Grey moved back to his desk. “You basically just said you love me more than my brothers, right? Because I fully intend to use that little nugget of info at some point.”
“Oh, excuse me. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
Dani turned toward the familiar voice and froze.
Her worst nightmare stood in the open doorway. He looked different, his hair a little longer, but she’d recognize that crooked smile and those dimples anywhere. Clay Sterling—AKA Asshole. All six-foot-however-many-inches of his thick, well-defined, jean-clad—oh my God! I just looked at his crotch! In front of my dad!
Dani swallowed and quickly looked away, but was still too stunned to move. What is he doing here?
“Nonsense. Come on in, Clay. It’s good to see you.” Grey waved him into the room, strangely unsurprised to see him.
“Sorry to interrupt. Your wife sent me on back,” he said as he reached for Grey’s outstretched hand and gave it a sturdy shake. He turned to Dani and winked, the corner of his mouth pulling up into the most annoying grin. “I can wait outside if you’re not finished.”
Dani shook her head, her initial shock giving way to the resentment she still harbored against him. She cleared her throat and gave him a curt nod. “Nope. We’re done here.”
Chapter Five
Despite his attempts to hide his enthusiasm in front of one of Dani’s fathers, Clay couldn’t contain his grin. He’d have more luck roping the wind.
She hadn’t changed a bit since last winter. Now that she was standing in front of him, her face fresh from her morning shower, her long mahogany hair wet and tangled, pulled up into the same ponytail she’d worn the last time he’d seen her, she was setting him on fire all over again. And if the way she’d just checked him out was any indication, the attraction was still mutual.
“Dani, wait, baby girl,” Grey called after her, the reminder she was the McLendons’ only daughter snapping the fool-hearted grin from Clay’s lips.
He knew what kind of fire he was playing with. Chasing after the only woman in a ten-state radius with three tough-as-nails fathers wasn’t one of his better ideas. Neither was making friends with her dads knowing full well he couldn’t ignore his attraction to her. But hell, he’d tried for months to get her out of his system.
When he’d spotted her truck on the highway the day before, his fingers were dialing her number before he could remind himself of all the reasons he shouldn’t. Reasons including, but in no way limited to, her being damn near a decade younger than him.
Dani spun on her heels. She caught his gaze, her eyes narrowing a fraction before she looked at Grey. Yep. She was still pissed at him, all right.
“I was hoping you could stay for a bit,” Grey continued. “I want to get Clay’s opinion on that livestock tracking system you showed me last month. And then maybe show him around the ranch, now that the snow’s gone.”
Clay didn’t miss the flash of resentment in her eyes when their gazes met again.
“Sorry, Daddy. Matt’s waiting on me, remember? Have a nice trip back to Texas, Mr. Sterling,” she snapped on her way out the door, stomping her boots on the wood floor so hard the sound echoed all the way down the hall.
Clay’s grin grew bigger as her footsteps faded, followed by the sound of the front screen door slamming shut.
I sure will, Miss McLendon. And if I have my way, you’ll be joinin’ me there soon.
“Don’t ever have children,” Grey said as he took a seat behind his desk, propping his boots up on the corner like he’d seen his own dad do countless times. “At least not if you want to keep your hair.”
With a laugh, Clay sank down into one of the chairs. “I don’t know. Seems like you’ve done pretty well on that account.” Grey sobered a moment, just long enough to make Clay feel as though he’d tipped his hand about his attraction to Dani. “Keepin’ the hair, I mean.” he quickly clarified, feeling like a douche for misleading the man.
He respected the McLendons. Sure, they may have their quirks in the familial ideology department, but they were good people, and ran one hell of an operation. Sterling Eagle Ranch may be one of the largest ranches in the country, and on the cutting edge of science when it came to his brother Levi’s breeding and genetics operation, but Falcon Ridge was one of the most successful multi-purpose ranches in the west.
He hoped to do a bit of business with them one day soon, but wanted to feel things out with Dani first. He was already neck-deep in conflicts of interest when it came to her. He’d been serious when he’d offered her a job. In the small amount of time he’d spent with her, she’d impressed the hell out of him with her knowledge of the Eco-Agri movement. Contract leads were piling up on his desk back home and he
needed someone with her passion.
In more ways than one.
And that right there was the conflict that had driven him to distraction the last few months. He needed her by his side in business as much as he wanted her in his bed. In the world he was raised in, that made him an asshole, a moniker usually left to his younger brother, Jackson, who wore it effortlessly these days.
“Did you fly your plane up this trip?” Grey asked.
“Not this time.” Clay adjusted in his seat, grateful for the change in subject. “Flew in commercial. Havin’ some maintenance issues with the Cessna.”
“That’s too bad. I’d love to take you up on your earlier offer for a flyover of the ranch.”
“Offer’s still good,” Clay assured him. “I closed the deal over in Flat Range, so I’ll be back up this way once they’re ready to break ground in a few weeks. If the Cessna’s up and runnin’, I’d be glad to give you a ride before I head back down south.”
“Does the offer still stand for us to come down and take a look around Sterling Eagle this summer?”
“Anytime,” Clay said. “Whenever you’re free.”
“Well.” Grey drummed is fingers on his desk. “Mason wanted to go, too, but he’s got a genetics conference down in Denver in a few weeks, so depending when, he probably won’t be able to make it. I’d like to bring Dani with me instead. She’s been pushing to implement some big changes around here, and I think it would be good for her to see how it’s done on a few other big operations before I hand over that much responsibility.”
Clay’s heartrate skipped a beat. Hot damn! Once he got past that stubborn wall she’d erected between them, he’d planned to invite Dani himself, which probably would have gone over just as well as his invite to dinner. Having Grey there looking over his shoulder may not be ideal, but if it got her there… Getting her out of her box and into his territory for a change might level the playing field a bit. Give him a chance to tell her more about his business and how right she was for him—it!
“Sure thing,” he said as coolly as he could manage.
“How about we plan for next month?” Grey eagerly suggested.
“If that works for you.” Clay gave him what he hoped looked like a casual shrug. Shit. Grey was a smart man. He’d catch on eventually, and Clay needed time to talk to Dani before he had an army of McLendon men stacked up at his door ready to castrate him. “I’ll be back up here for a few days to oversee the surveying, and then the two of you can fly back down with me. We’re in between roundups, but if you can spare a few extra days, I could arrange a huntin’ trip while you’re there.”
The second the invitation flew out of his mouth Clay inwardly winced. He had no idea if Dani liked to hunt, or why he’d even offered, except maybe some subconscious suicidal tendency. How else did he explain putting a long-range, high-powered rifle in the hands of an overprotective father of the woman he hoped to seduce?
Grey’s eyes lit up with approval. Clay watched with tepid anticipation as the older man clicked the mouse in front of him, checking what he assumed was his calendar. “That should work out great,” Grey said with a nod. “Just give me a heads up when you know the dates and we’ll be ready.”
Yes!
“Will do.” Clay’s lopsided grin pulled at his lips again as the thought of introducing Dani to his family overshadowed the image of him being shot and left to rot in the Texas desert.
Grey shuffled through a stack of papers on his desk and pulled one out, handing it across the desk to Clay. “Dani’s been wanting to upgrade our livestock tracking software. What do you think about this system?” he asked as Clay took the pamphlet he’d seen a dozen times before in his line of work.
“It’s a good concept,” Clay said, handing the paper back to him. “But they’re a young company. I’d give ’em a year or two to work out the bugs before you invest that kind of money with them. I’m looking for a good replacement to recommend to my clients, too, since Hallister Technologies went belly up last year, but haven’t found anything that fits the bill.”
“We’re in the same boat,” Grey grumbled. “System’s getting glitchy lately, and without any further updates coming out, I’m not sure it will last that long.”
Clay nodded. “I’ve got my ears to the ground and I’ll let you know if I find a good alternative.”
Grey sighed. “Appreciate that. I think my fathers were right. This is what happens when you try to replace good old fashioned cowboys with microchips and the internet.”
Their easy conversation flowed through the morning hour. The more they talked, the more Clay found in common with Grey. The more he found in common, the more he second guessed his plan to hire Dani out from under him, personal feelings for her aside. Grey had made it abundantly clear he planned on handing the reins to Falcon Ridge over to her. He knew firsthand what kind of damage walking away from your heritage could do to a family. But, dammit, he needed her.
An hour later, Clay was strolling down the aisle in the horse barn with Grey, admiring the McLendons’ cattle horse breeding stock, when Grey’s brother, Mason, greeted him with an easy smile.
“Grey said you were coming by today,” Mason said, wiping his hand on his jeans before extending it to Clay. “How you been?”
“Busy,” Clay said as they shook hands. “Looks like you are, too.” He nodded at the full-term mare being examined at the other end of the aisle.
“First one of the season,” Mason said with pride. “Should be any day now. Giving her one last checkup before we move her over to the foaling barn.”
“Have you seen Dani?” Grey asked his brother. “She was supposed to be out with Matt, but I didn’t see her when we drove out that way.”
Mason arched a brow, and Clay didn’t miss the glare they shared before Mason spoke. “Did you try calling her?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’d say she’s not ready to talk to you yet.”
“Dammit, Mason, don’t give me that bullshit.”
“Can you excuse us for a moment?” Mason asked Clay, who nodded and back stepped a few paces to give them some privacy.
“No need for that,” Grey insisted, waving him back over. “Sorry. Dani and I had a bit of a…disagreement yesterday,” he explained, “but we worked it out this morning.” He glared at Mason. “I need to talk to her about the trip down to Texas.”
“You decided to take her with you?” Mason asked.
“Yeah,” Grey said with a nod to Clay. “If everything goes as planned, looks like he’ll be flying us down the week you’re in Denver.”
“Sorry to hear you won’t be able to join us,” Clay said to Mason. “You’re more than welcome anytime. Whenever your schedule opens up.”
“Thanks,” Mason said, and gave Grey an uneasy glance before he looked out one of the stall windows. “Last I saw her, she was in Duncan’s old office going over some paperwork.”
Tucked away in the corner of their main stock barn was a small cluttered office Clay’d seen once before when he was there during calving season. It looked different without all the electronics they’d set up for the drone project. An old metal desk was half-hidden beneath several stacks of files. It was the office’s only occupant when he followed Grey inside thirty minutes later. Lunch came and went shortly thereafter and still no sign of Dani. She was avoiding him.
Stuffed to the gills with the two barbequed chicken sandwiches he’d eaten, Clay sat at a long picnic table beneath an old cottonwood tree, the sound of the creek trickling in the background of the multiple conversations going on between the McLendons and the ranch hands.
“Grey tells me you were in the Air Force?”
Mrs. McLendon’s question snapped Clay’s attention from scanning the barns for any sight of Dani. Dani’s mother sat across from him, sipping a cup of coffee, and Clay considered her kind smile as she spoke. There was something in her eyes, an astute but light-hearted glimmer that reminded him of his own mother. “How long were you in f
or?” she asked him.
“I served eight years.”
“Sounds like you’re talkin’ about a prison sentence,” Matt interjected with a chuckle.
Political correctness forced him to grin, though Matt’s observation was closer to the truth than he knew.
“Is that where you learned to fly?” Mrs. McLendon persisted.
Clay’s grin grew larger. “No, ma’am. I was takin’ flyin’ lessons before I even had my driver’s license.”
“There you go with that ma’am stuff again,” Gabby reprimanded.
“Sorry.” He chuckled. “Habit and breeding.”
“How in the world did your mother handle letting you fly an airplane at such a young age?”
Clay held his grin through the pain that always accompanied the bittersweet memory of his first solo flight. “She’s the one who taught me.”
“Wow.” Gabby’s eyebrows rose in surprise, and he braced himself for the turn the conversation was about to take. “She sounds like an exciting woman.”
Feeling the sudden urge to be in the air, he looked at his watch, then glanced back across the fields, still seeing no sign of Dani. “She was,” he finally said, unwilling to meet Gabby’s gaze to keep from seeing the awkwardness his next words always caused. “She passed away a few years ago.”
“Oh.” Gabby reached across the table and laid her hand over his. “I’m sorry, Clay. I didn’t realize—”
“No, it’s fine.” He shrugged off her predictable reaction, forcing a smile as he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, ma’—Gabby.” He laughed at his slip. “It was a long time ago, but it’s still a little prickly.”
“Of course,” she offered graciously.
Clay pulled his hand free and pushed to his feet. “I’d better get on the road if I’m going to make it to Billings in time to catch my flight.” He shook hands with Matt, Mason, and then Grey. “Thank y’all for your hospitality.”
