Round-the-Clock Temptation (3 page)

Something told him this woman didn't have a demure bone in her body. She would be full of passion and fire.

All the more reason to keep his thoughts on the assignment and off Nita. He wasn't looking to get involved with anyone—especially someone like her. The more attracted he was to a woman, the more desirable he found her, the more likely he was to lose control. And when he lost control, bad things happened. Which was the number one reason he hadn't been in a gratifying relationship with a woman in longer than he could remember.

“Besides,” Nita said, drawing him back into the here and now, “last I heard he was foreman at his cousin's farm in Kentucky, so it couldn't have been him.”

Connor was sure there was more to the story, but he had the suspicion he'd get his head bitten off if he asked. And she was right, it probably wasn't that employee. “Is
there anyone besides the Devlins who has some kind of grudge against you?”

“I've asked myself that same question a million times and I just can't think of anyone.”

“Maybe your father would know of someone?”

“I was planning to go visit him after we're finished. I can ask him then.”

“If you don't mind, I'd like to come with you.”

“Who's going to watch the farm?” she demanded.

He hadn't planned to come right out and tell her that he was assigned to be her bodyguard, and he had the feeling that when she figured it out for herself all hell would break loose. Either way, he was going to escort her to the hospital. If someone meant her harm he was going to be there to protect her.

“I'm sure Jimmy and the other men can keep an eye on things until I get back.”

“We can do that,” Jimmy said. The old man gave Connor a look, as if he had a pretty good idea that Connor wasn't there to watch just the farm.

“Besides,” Connor said. “I doubt someone would be foolish enough to try something in broad daylight. Unless you think your father's not up to the company yet.”

“If I know my daddy, he's already pitching a fit to get home. He wants to get to the bottom of this just as badly as I do. I'm sure he won't mind you coming.”

“The sooner he gets back, the better,” Jimmy said gruffly. “The boys went into town for supplies this morning and already there's been talk.”

“What kind of talk?” Connor asked.

“That with Will gone, and all the disturbances out here, things are bound to fall apart.”

Nita's face flushed with anger. “Don't those busybodies in town have anything better to talk about?”

“Why would they think that?” Connor asked.

“After word got around about the poisoned feed we lost customers,” Jimmy said. “People pay top dollar to have their horses trained by Nita. If we can't guarantee a horse's safety, people stop callin'.”

“All the more reason to catch the son of a bitch,” Nita said, her eyes two violet embers.

Connor was convinced right then and there that Nita would never purposely cause trouble on the farm, not if it affected her livelihood.

“Seen enough?” she asked him.

He nodded and followed her out of the corral to where they'd left their horses. As they mounted, Nita noticed that he winced a little as he settled into the saddle. She often gave lessons to new riders and recognized the signs of a sore rear end. If he was achy from the short amount of time they'd been out, he'd be hurting like the devil by nightfall.

“We'll go this way,” Nita said, leading him up the property line toward the main stable.

“How bad is it?” Connor asked.

“How bad is what?”

“Your financial situation.”

She didn't want to discuss the farm finances with a stranger, whether he'd agreed to help her or not. It was no one else's business. And every time she let herself think about it, a new notch of fear worked itself into her side.

“We're holding our own,” she told him. What she didn't say is that if business didn't pick up soon, if they continued to lose customers, it wouldn't be long before
they went bankrupt. Then the Devlins would get what they'd been after all these years.

With her daddy out of commission, the burden of making things right landed squarely on her shoulders. But she could handle it. And when she found out who was trying to ruin them, that person was going to wish they were never born.

W
hen Nita and Connor stepped into her daddy's hospital room an hour later he was asleep, and Jane was perched in one of the visitor's chairs reading a romance novel—her one personal indulgence. 1:00 p.m. every afternoon, for exactly one hour she could be found on the cedar swing, or curled up on the couch, her nose buried in a book. Unless someone was bleeding to death or the house was in flames, everyone knew better than to weasel in on her “me” time.

Nita figured, under the circumstances, it would be safe to interrupt her. “Hi, Jane,” she said softly.

Jane looked up, smiled and set the book down. Despite being away from the farm, she wore her typical work attire—plaid shirt, jeans and canvas tennis shoes—and her long dark hair was pulled back into a
neat bun. She was nowhere close to the stunning beauty Nita's mother had been, but she had a quiet grace about her that Nita had always admired. And Jane didn't let anyone, especially the men on the farm, push her around. Though she was a good ten years younger than Nita's daddy, if anyone wore the pants in the Windcroft family, it was her.

“Hey, honey,” Jane said, rising to give Nita a hug. Jane had been at the hospital late last night and had come back early that morning, and she looked tired for it. “How are things going at the house?”

“Breakfast was a bit of a fiasco,” Nita said. “But I managed to get most of the burnt smell out of the house.”

Jane cringed. “Lord, I don't even want to know.”

Nita nodded toward the bed. “Has he been asleep long?”

“He's been in and out all morning. When he's not asleep he's complaining that he wants to go home.”

“That sounds about normal.” For as long as Nita could remember her daddy had hated hospitals, especially Royal Memorial. He'd never said so, but she figured it had a lot to do with her mother's illness. From what Nita had been told by her sister, who was old enough at the time to remember the chain of events, their momma had been feeling sick for a while but never went to the doctor. When she finally did, the cancer had spread so far there was nothing they could do but make her comfortable. She'd hung on for three months. Most of that time spent in this very hospital.

“Who's this young man?” Jane asked, giving Connor a curious look.

“Jane, this is Connor Thorne. He's going to be staying with us for a while, keeping an eye on things.”

“Ma'am,” Connor said, shaking her hand.

“Well, thank heaven for that,” Jane said, glancing in Will's direction. “Things have gotten out of hand.”

“Do you think it would be okay to wake him?” Nita asked. “Connor has some questions.”

“Like a fella could sleep through all this chitchat,” Will mumbled from the bed, gazing up at them through bleary eyes.

Nita moved to his side and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. He looked a hell of a sight better than he had yesterday. But propped up in the hospital bed, his leg in plaster from his foot all the way up to his thigh, he looked a decade older than his fifty-eight years—as if he'd aged overnight. “How are you feeling Daddy?”

“Like I keep telling the doctors, I feel fine. I'm ready to go home.” He looked past her to Connor, who stood by the door, hands clasped behind his back, military straight. “You keepin' an eye on my girl?”

Connor gave a single nod. “Yes, sir.”

Nita didn't correct her father by telling him Connor was there to watch the farm, not her. She'd let him believe that if it eased his mind.

“Daddy, Connor would like to ask you a couple of questions.” She motioned for Connor to join her at his bedside. “He's trying to find out who did this.”

“I know exactly who's responsible,” Will said bitterly. “It was the Devlins.”

“The truth is, there's just no evidence pointing to the Devlins and they've firmly denied any involvement,”
Connor told him. “Is there anyone else you could think of that has a grudge against you?”

He shook his head. “No one. It's the Devlins all right.”

Connor could see where Nita got her stubborn streak. They looked alike, too. Same dark hair, same high cheekbones and proud chin.

“You just worry about getting better,” Nita said, patting his hand. “I'll handle things.”

Will smiled up at his daughter, pride shinning in his eyes. It amazed Connor how easy it was for some men to show the emotion. He'd strived for years to see that look in his own father's eyes. And despite all he'd done to please James Thorne, Connor still didn't feel he measured up. He probably never would.

“I want you to hire extra help,” Nita's father told her. “Temporarily, until I'm back on my feet.”

That chin of hers rose. “I can handle things just fine.”

Connor had a feeling her resistance had little to do with her own abilities and everything to do with their financial situation. He suspected things were worse than she'd let on earlier that morning. And she probably didn't want to worry her father.

“Don't worry about things on the farm, Mr. Windcroft,” Connor said. “I'll be helping Nita while I'm there.”

He didn't know much about horse farms, but this gave him a good excuse to be close to Nita so he could keep an eye on her.

Nita flashed him an uneasy look, then turned to her father and smiled. “See, Daddy, I've got all the help I need. You just concentrate on healing.”

Nita, Jane and her father chatted for a few more minutes, then Nita kissed him goodbye and she and Connor headed out to the parking lot. They'd barely cleared the door when Nita turned to him and said, “I didn't want to say anything in front of my daddy, but here's the thing. I really appreciate your offer to help out, but I can't afford pay you.”

“I never asked you to.”

Nita matched his long stride. “That's not the point. It wouldn't be fair for you to work for free.”

“If I'm going to be there anyway, I may as well make myself useful.” Connor pulled his keys from his pocket and as they neared the car, he unlocked the doors. “Besides, you are paying me. Room and board.”

“What do you know about working a horse farm?” she asked.

“Not much.” He opened her door for her, and though she hesitated and looked at him a little funny, she got in. He walked around and climbed behind the wheel, wincing as his backside hit the leather seat. Hell on earth, that smarted. How could a couple hours on a horse do so much damage?

“Do you know anything about horse training or breeding?” she asked.

He started the engine. “Nope, but I'm a fast learner.”

“I don't know,” she said, looking wary. “It just doesn't seem right.”

“Nita, I'm not hurting for money, if that's what you're worried about. I'm set for life. Working for you isn't going to break me.”

He could see her hackles rising. “So, what? Are you saying I'm a
charity
case?”

He shook his head. She did have pride by the bucket-load. “How about this? I'll help you out at the farm and you can teach me everything you know about raising horses.”

“Like a trade?”

“Yeah, like a trade. Then it all comes out even.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “You would want to learn?”

“Sure, why not? I like to learn new things.”

“And while we're at it, I'll teach you to ride. Since you're looking a little—” she gave his backside a meaningful look
“—uncomfortable.”

“It's that obvious, huh?”

“I'm just very observant,” she said, and he could swear there was a suggestive lilt in her tone, in the way she let her eyes wander over him. She was the last woman in the world he would have expected to be a flirt, but here she was doing just that. And doing it well.

“So we've got a deal?” he asked.

She considered it a minute, then nodded. “Yeah, we've got a deal. Now, how about some lunch at the Royal Diner. With Jane gone there's no one to do the cooking and I'm starved. If I botch another meal the way I did breakfast, the men are gonna string me up by my toes. They said my cooking is about as appetizing as horse feed.”

Connor let a grin slip through. He was feeling a bit hungry himself. “The Royal Diner it is.”

 

Though some people preferred the fine French cuisine of Claire's, the Royal Diner would always be Nita's favorite. She loved the red vinyl booths and stools, the long counter where you could always find a friendly companion to share lunch with. She breathed in the
scent of frying burgers and the mouthwatering tang of Manny's famous chili. But most of all, Nita liked it because her sister told her their momma liked to take them there. They would have burgers and milkshakes and their momma always gave them a penny for the gumball machine. Even though Nita didn't remember it, it was one more small connection, one link to the mother she wished she could remember.

“Can I take your order, folks?”

Nita looked up from her menu, expecting Sheila, the regular waitress. Instead she found Valerie Raines, the new, younger addition to the restaurant staff. She was a speck of a thing, skinny and petite, with eyes that made Nita think of shuttered windows. She was friendly enough, but always seemed a bit on the wary side, always on her guard.

“Hi, Valerie, I'll have a cheeseburger, fries and a soda.”

“Sounds good,” Connor said. “I'll have the same.”

“And I'll take one of your sweet smiles,” someone said, and all three of them turned to see Gavin O'Neal approaching the booth from the back of the diner. He flashed Valerie a charming grin. The Cattlemen Club men sure were a good-looking bunch, although Valerie looked less than impressed.

“Sheriff,” she said, her eyes going from wary to ice-cold, before she turned on her heel and walked away.

“Whoa, talk about the cold shoulder,” Connor said.

“What did you do?” Nita teased. “Leave her a lousy tip?”

Gavin shook his head. “I don't get it. I leave her a good tip and I'm sweet as candy to her but she seems inclined to dislike me. Must be the badge.”

“Care to join us?” Connor asked.

“No, thanks. I was on my way out. I just wanted to stop and see how your father is doing.”

“Better,” Nita said. “He should be home in the next day or two.”

“Glad to hear it. Give him my best,” he said, and turned to Connor. “Your brother mentioned that you have experience reading maps. Is that true?”

“Some, sure.”

“I'd like you to take a look at a copy of the map from the museum. I feel like we're missing something. Something obvious.”

“I could come into the club sometime this week.”

“I don't want to drag you away from your—” he glanced at Nita “—business. Why don't I bring it by Nita's place later this week, after Nita's father is feeling up to the company?”

“Nita?” Connor asked.

“Fine by me,” she said. “I wouldn't mind getting a peek at that map to see what all the fuss is about.”

“Settled then,” Gavin said, dropping his hat on his head. “I'll see you two later this week. Enjoy your lunch.”

When he was gone, Nita said, “Well now, aren't you Cattleman's Club men covert.”

“What do you mean?”

“He doesn't want to drag you away from your
business?
Why doesn't he just say ‘assignment'? That's what it is, right?”

“You asked for help, and I'm helping. That's all there is to it.”

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”

“Two cheeseburgers and fries and two sodas,” Valerie said, unloading her tray onto the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

Nita shook her head. “Nothing for me.”

“I'm good, too,” Connor said.

Valerie reached in her uniform pocket for their bill, but as she pulled it out, it slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor. “Oops.”

As she bent over to get it, a gold, heart-shaped pendant suspended from a delicate chain slipped from inside her uniform. Etched on its face were two intricately intertwined roses.

“Oh, my sister would love that,” Nita said.

Valerie set the bill on the table and looked at Nita questioningly.

She pointed to the pendant. “Your necklace. Her name is Rose. She likes anything with roses on it.”

“Oh!” Valerie pressed a hand over it and slipped it back beneath her collar.

“Did you get it here in Royal?” Nita was always on the lookout for a birthday or Christmas gift.

“Family heirloom.” She flashed them a forced smile. “You two enjoy your lunch.”

“She's an odd one,” Nita said after Valerie was gone. “I'll bet she's hiding something. Some juicy secret.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Everyone has a secret. Something they've done or said or felt that they don't want anyone to know.”

“Oh yeah,” Connor said, his interest piqued. “What's yours?”

Nita's violet eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?”

Okay, so he hadn't really expected her to just blurt out that she'd done in Jonathan Devlin, especially after she'd so vehemently denied it that morning. But a tidy little confession would have been convenient. Though he had a tough time imagining her killing anyone, she did seem to have a quick temper. If she felt her family was threatened, who knows what she might be capable of?

They ate in silence for a while, and he could tell by the glances she kept shooting his way, the quiet would be short-lived. Finally she said, “So, tell me about yourself. Your brother says you used to be in the army.”

“Rangers.”

“Sounds exciting. Why'd you quit?”

Talk about secrets. When he'd left the military, it wasn't exactly by choice. “Just wasn't for me anymore,” he told her—the oversimplified version of the events that led to his leaving.