Diane R. Jewkes (9 page)

Touching the reins to her horse’s neck before her father had a chance to say more, she galloped away from the men.

• • •

Hawke watched Kara ride away, a smile tugging on his lips.

“Gentlemen.” Case shook his head. “I must apologize. My daughter has been out of sorts since she found out that I’ve taken on a partner.”

“Is it important your daughter be involved in your business decisions?” Alec asked. “After all, someday she’ll marry and leave. Why should she worry about the handling of your property?”

“She has always felt her future was tied to this land and this ranch. Once I knew she would be my only child, I’m afraid I treated her in many ways like a son. She knows everything there is about running a ranch.” A soft smile touched his lips. “Of course, Emma always saw she learned to act like a proper lady, though she doesn’t always choose to do so.”

Hawke saw the love and sadness in the older man’s face. It was obvious he had loved his wife deeply and adored his daughter.

Curiosity nagged him. “Is Kara planning on leaving the ranch when she marries?” It wasn’t exactly the question he wanted to ask, but didn’t want to ask outright if Austin Roberts had a claim on her heart.

“Actually, I think Kara believes if … and when she marries, her husband will live here and help her run the ranch. While she was in school she picked up many of those radical ideas touted by those ‘women’s liberation’ ladies, and has become even more resolute in the belief she can run the ranch by herself. So you can see why she is a little bent out of shape.”

Kara rode hard to get away from the group of men. Why did Hawke’s presence bother her so much? Granted he was about the most handsome man she’d ever seen, but she had met handsome men before. Austin was handsome, and he didn’t set her innards fluttering or send flashes of heat skidding through her body. Maybe it was his size; she latched on to the thought.

I practically break my neck looking up at him, and he’s broad as a bull.

She remembered the expanse of elegantly clad chest, the first thing she had seen the night they had met. Her pulse quickened and heat suffused her body at the thought of his size. The cowboys she had grown up with had been smaller, wiry men, lean and hard, compact of height and muscle, like their horses. This man was like the big animal he rode, long of limb and thick of muscle. Idly stroking Gally’s neck, she wondered if she’d be able to feel the smooth play of his muscles under his skin the way she could with her horse.

“Blast!” she swore at her traitorous thoughts. “I don’t believe it. I’ve got to quit this sort of thinking. After all I’m not some school miss mooning over some romance novel hero. If I’m not careful, I could talk myself into falling in love, when what I really want is that big Scotsman gone.”

Clucking to Gally, she headed towards the grazing cattle in the distance.

• • •

Kara returned to the house in the early evening. She saw her father and the others had returned ahead of her.

Realizing she kept referring to them as “the others,” as if saying their names would tumble the very walls of the ranch house, she grimaced, annoyed at her timidity.

She strode into the study where the men were gathered. They must have been back for a while, because they were all cleaned up and enjoying a drink before supper. A mischievous smile quirked her lips up as she walked into the room. Slowly she began to beat the dust off her work clothes with her equally dusty hat, raising a storm and coating the men.

“Kara!” Case shouted moving back, putting a hand over his glass protecting his drink, “What in hell … .”

Hiding a smile, she gave the men a wide-eyed innocent look. “Oh my. Did I get you gentlemen dusty? My, my, my … do let me fix that.” She began pounding her palm on the sleeve of Hawke’s expensive coat grinding the dust further in, all the while tsking over the mess she’d caused. She tried not to notice how firm the muscles of his arm were underneath his jacket.

Hawke turned slightly so her hand hit his chest as he caught her grubby wrist in a viselike grip.

“Nay lassie,” his burr accentuated the amusement in his voice. “A gentleman should brush the dirt from a lady’s skirts … . But,” he paused, staring at her denim-clad legs, his eyes burning hotly, “it appears ye have no skirts on.”

She twisted trying to break away, but he held her with ease. She looked over her shoulder to her father with desperation in her eyes. He seemed amused, too. “Let me go you … you coyote.” Kara struggled trying to free herself, knowing her little joke had gotten away from her. Seeing the look on Hawke’s face stilled her twisting. The heat in his eyes wasn’t anger, it was much more dangerous.

The sensual heat in his eyes radiated to her body, sending sparks through her; warmth began in her belly and slid between her thighs. This man wanted her. The realization staggered her. If he hadn’t been holding her she knew she would have turned tail and run as fast as she could from the searing flame coursing through her and the man causing it.

“Kara,” her father’s stern voice brought her out of her bemusement. “I am disappointed. You are behaving no better than a child and if you’re going to act like a child, you should be punished like one.” She was stunned by his anger.

“I should give you a good spanking … or let Hawke do it for me, but you are a little too old.”

Tension coursed through her and she clenched her fist, trying to control her anger. Hawke began gently stroking the soft skin on the inside of her wrist lightly with his thumb, apparently trying to calm her fluttering pulse.

The movement was not missed by either her father or Alec.

“Papa … .”

“No,” Case put up his hands. “You’ve embarrassed me with your refusal to treat my partner and Alec with any respect. From this point forward it is your duty to show them the workings of the ranch. You will teach them — without anymore childish pranks — what they need to know. You will be available to answer questions or to escort them when and where I tell you.”

Unbelievable! Her father had just hog-tied her to these two men, and informed her she was an embarrassment. She stung at the rebuke. How was she going to get any work done with them hanging on her saddle strings? She would be spending her every waking moment answering their questions and having to dance attendance on them. The thought of being at Hawke’s beck and call definitely sent her into a panic. She was trying to keep her distance from the swirl of emotions he created.

On the other hand, she argued with herself, it would give her plenty of opportunity to find out what they had been so secretive about.

Blast! How could her father do this to her? It was like he was taking their side, throwing her to the wolves.

An odd, but not unpleasant, sensation on her wrist interrupted her thoughts. Looking down her arm, she realized Hawke still held her wrist and was idly stroking the inside of it with his thumb. The light tickling was sending tingles of pleasure up her arm. The slow circling of his thumb on her skin mesmerized her. She couldn’t take her eyes off the darker skin of his thumb on the paler skin of the inside of her wrist. Moments passed before she realized her father had quit talking and was watching them. Yanking her arm from Hawke’s grasp, she leveled what she hoped was a withering glare at him.

“I might have to nursemaid you all over the ranch, but … but don’t ever touch me again.”

Kara saw a glint of challenge in his smoky silver gaze just before Hawke turned calmly to her father. “Sir, it will be my pleasure to have Miss Kara escort and mentor us. I’m certain there are many things she can show me that I am very anxious to see and learn.”

Alec choked on his drink behind them.

Turning, Hawke locked gazes with her. “When shall we get started? I’m eager to learn every inch of the ranch.”

Her eyes widened at the obvious innuendo. Speechless, she stalked out of the room.

• • •

Supper was quiet with Kara studiously avoiding looking at or talking to Hawke while he seemed unable to stop looking at her. Even while she talked to Alec and her father, she could feel the heat of his silver eyes. It made her flushed and edgy. She could still feel his touch. She was afraid to look at him, and be drawn into those smoky depths.

Excusing herself, she went and sat on her bed, absently running her hand over her wrist. Just thinking about the feel of his hand and the heat in his eyes set her mind reeling and warmth racing through her body. Lightly touching her lips, she wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him. Tiny shivers of desire raced along her skin and heat pooled low in her belly. Lord, this man was trouble, and she wasn’t sure if it was trouble she wanted to avoid.

She went out onto the balcony hoping the cool night breeze would calm her rattled nerves. Gazing into the darkening sky, the last traces of daylight streaked in pinks and oranges and mauves, she took a deep cleansing breath feeling an inner calm steal over her. She would try to do what her father asked, hoping she could curb the attraction and panic she felt.

• • •

Case had also retired for the night, leaving the two men alone in the study.

“Might I inquire,” Alec swirled the amber colored scotch in his glass, “just what in the hell you were doing with Mr. Jonston’s daughter earlier. God, man, I could have sworn you were going to seduce her in front of her father.” Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a cigar. “Are you looking to get leg-shackled to the chit? Keep it up, and her father will have to either shoot you, or make you his son-in-law. What has gotten into you?”

“Just seeing how tough our Miss Kara is,” Hawke replied casually. “The look on her face when she thought her father would actually let me spank her was worth it.”

The thought of her standing so close to him in the study, the softness of her skin and the attraction she tried to hide, sent desire slamming through him.

“Sorry, lad.” Alec dismissed Hawke’s glib answer, lighting the cigar. “It might have started that way, but I know what I saw. I’ve never seen you apologize for your behavior around an innocent young lady before. I don’t think you’ve ever had to. I know Case was taking a long, hard look at you.”

Alec’s words brought his thoughts back to the moment. “What do you mean? Was he angry?”

“No, actually, I’d say amused,” Alec replied dryly. “I’d also say he was contemplating some way to get the two of you together. It would certainly make it easier for him, if, say, you and his daughter were to marry. All tied up in a neat little package. Wouldn’t have to worry about the future of his ranch or his daughter.”

“I seriously doubt that, Alec.” Hawke scoffed at the notion. “He’s not some society Mama looking to make a grand match. This is America, remember, titles have no meaning. Besides, I believe he and the Robertses are hoping Kara and Austin will marry.”

The thought of Austin Roberts holding her, having the right to touch her, disturbed him more than it should. The idea of any man touching her had him clenching his jaw. Where was this jealousy coming from? Why this woman, this prickly, fiercely independent — and totally fascinating — woman?

Deciding he’d spent entirely too much time thinking about emotions he didn’t want to understand, and didn’t know how to control, he turned his thoughts to his main reason for being here.

Sitting back in his chair, he looked at Alec. “I think we need to concentrate on finding out where Tompkins is. I’ll try to see if anyone here might have information while I learn about the ranch. I want you to go into the town and see what you can find out. The detective said he would send any information he had to the telegraph office in White Oaks. Tompkins won’t get away from me this time.” His anger rose at the thought of the bastard.

“Sure this isn’t just your way of being alone with Kara?” Alec teased. “I admit she’s a beauty, but she’s a little too independent for my liking. Too much trouble, especially parading around in that mannish getup of hers.”

“I don’t know.” Hawke grinned remembering how her “mannish” attire nicely hugged her backside. “I wouldn’t say I’ve ever seen a man look quite like that in trousers.” He looked up, wondering what she was doing. “It does present interesting possibilities, doesn’t it?”

Alec left for White Oaks in the morning, while Kara, still upset about her father’s edict, rode to the branding pens with Hawke.

The mountains in the distance seemed to float above the horizon, insubstantial in the golden light of early morning.

“This is a beautiful land. You must feel extremely privileged to live here.”

Kara could hear the reverence in his voice, and it touched her. “I don’t know if I could ever be happy anywhere else.”

Looking at the man next to her, she saw how the glow of the morning sun highlighted the golden glints in his hair. She wondered if he could be happy somewhere like this, a place so different from what she imagined his home to be. “This land is beautiful, but it can be a hard master, cruel and unforgiving. You can learn to live with it, but you can never tame it.”

• • •

Hawke studied her profile, thinking the same of her. He didn’t think anyone could tame the spirit in this woman, and who would want to? Although they were engaged in a battle of wills over his partnership, he knew he would never want to harm the independence that was the very essence of her being. He could see her love of the land, and how the freedoms of being raised out here had shaped her. She was wild and untamed like the land she loved so much. The more time he spent with her, the greater his admiration grew. Watching her as they rode, he was struck again by her beauty. There was determination and strength in the set of her jaw. His gaze lingered on her lips. Full, tinted a delicate rose, they invited a man to taste, to see if they were as sweet as they looked. Watching her he understood; she was like this land, she wouldn’t be tamed, but in the hands of the right man, he was sure she could be gentled.

“We’re here,” she said, pointing to the pens in front of them. Hawke looked toward the pens.