Sandy Sullivan (9 page)

"Hmm."

"I
gotta run. I've got work to do. See you around?"

"Yeah.
I'll be here for a month or so anyway."

"Hey,
maybe you'd like to have dinner with me one night. We can talk cattle. I hear
you're pretty handy with a rope and a branding iron."

"I'm
flattered really, but I'm not dating while I'm home."

"It
wouldn't be a date, Elizabeth, just dinner and drinks."

She
shrugged as she stepped back. He moved toward the door.
"Maybe.
We'll see. For now, I'm just visiting family."

"Well
think on it, pretty lady. I'd love to have a nice time with you."

Not
sure if his words had a double meaning or not, Elizabeth moved back out of his
reach, grabbing the brushes from the bucket on the other side of the door so
she could groom her gelding. Jackson Leaf winked and strolled off, the soft
whistle of a tune coming from his mouth as he disappeared out the door of the
barn. She wasn't sure why, but the man rubbed her wrong.
Cocky
came to mind when she thought about him.
She didn't like cocky. Her life
had been way too full of those types of men lately.

The
sound of a truck pulling up caught her attention. She removed the tack from her
horse and started brushing his coat wondering who might be visiting. Moments
later, men's voices floated on the breeze. She could tell her father spoke with
someone near the steps of the house, but she couldn't quite make out the words.

After
she finished grooming her horse, she put him in his stall before she put away
his tack.
Shower and
lunch.

When
she stepped into the sunshine, she shielded her eyes as she made her way toward
the house. Marcus' truck sat near the porch. She wondered if her dad had called
him to discuss the problem.
Probably.
Dad seems
impressed with Marcus' knowledge and expertise with the stock.

The
cool interior of the house soothed her overheated body. Low murmurs came from
her father's office. Glancing at her watch, she knew she had a few minutes
before she needed to get ready to meet Natalie.

The
low, sexy rumble of Marcus' voice sent awareness along her nerves like an
electric current after a summer storm. "I don't know Mitchell. There are a
lot of things that could have happened to them. First thing I'd check is the
water supply up there."

"It's
always been great water for the cattle though."

"Even
a dead animal in it could poison the supply."

"True.
We didn't check it after the last bunch went down." Elizabeth cleared the
doorway and stopped just inside the room. "Hey, honey. We were discussing
the cattle you found up on the ridge."

"Hi,
Marcus."

"Elizabeth,"
he replied with a tip of his head.

He
looked good—too good. Jeans molded to his lean thighs, emphasizing the muscles
beneath the material. A soft looking chambray shirt the exact color of his eyes
stretched over his pecs, showing off the strength and breadth of his shoulders.
Damn the man was mouthwateringly sexy.
Those
lips lifted in a slightly mocking smile, like they shared a secret—the secret
of last night’s kiss.

"I
assume Dad filled you in on the cattle."

"Yes,
he did. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what might have happened."

"I
talked to the foreman, Dad. He said he hadn't seen anyone around here that
shouldn't be."

"You
talked to Jackson?
When?"

"In
the barn a little bit ago. He was on the phone with someone in the tack room.
They sounded like they might have been arguing. He wasn't a happy guy when he
hung up."

"Hmm."

"You
sound like you don't trust him or something, Marcus."

"I
don't know the man very well, but he just rubs me the wrong way."

"He
said you were the last person not working for this ranch, up on the hill near
the pool when you inoculated the cattle."

"I
didn't see anything unusual while I was up there."

"Well
think about it. Maybe you missed something.
Anything."
She kissed her father's cheek before headed back for the door. "I'm off to
the shower and then lunch with Natalie. I'll talk to you two later."

"Have
a good time, sweetheart."

"Enjoy
your shower."

His
eyebrow shot up over his left eye as a sexy smirked lifted the corners of his
mouth, reminding her of the heat of their kiss the night before. "I'm sure
I will." Her gaze wandered over his body before it rested briefly on the
bulge in the fly of his jeans. Just to tease him, she licked her lips and
tilted her head. "I'll see you later."

Chapter Five

Little witch.

"Marcus?"

"Sorry,
Mitchell.
I was lost in thought there for a
moment. What did you say?"

"Nothing.
Maybe you could happen by the diner while Natalie and Liz are having
lunch?"

"Playing
matchmaker?"

"Not
me. Not that I wouldn't mind my daughter living close to home again, but I know
she's got a few years of residency to complete before she can settle down
again."

"She
does plan to practice here, from what she's told me."

"She
does?"

"I
take it she hadn't told you her plans."

"Not
really, no. After her break up with her boyfriend in Los Angeles, she hasn't
mentioned much of anything. I don't think she wanted to get our hopes up."

"During
our dinner date last night she mentioned returning to Red Rock."

"I'd
forgotten you two had a date."

"The
whole situation wasn't really much of anything to write home about. We had
dinner together. Some good conversation, compared notes—that sort of
thing."

"She
needs a good man in her life. The idiot she was seeing before didn't appreciate
her for her intelligence and her fun nature. She's a great gal. I hope she
finds the perfect man for her someday. I think you two would be good for each
other, but I'm not pushing."

He
laughed at Mitchell's blatant shove in the direction of his daughter. Yes, the
attraction was there in spades, but she wasn't staying and he didn't want a
relationship, did he?

Their
talk returned to the cattle and the death of so many. He still thought
something with the water supply had killed the animals. Testing the pool would
need to be done immediately to rule out contamination. Unfortunately, with the
buzzards already doing so much damage to the carcasses, he wouldn't be able to
tell what had killed them. He could have done some testing had one of them died
a little closer to the house.

Several
moments later Elizabeth sailed down the stairs, her hair a wild disarray of
curls around her face, pink tank top, cut off shorts showing off her gorgeous
long legs and sandals on her feet completed the picture.
God, she's stunning.
"You look good enough to eat."

Her
face lit up. "Why thank you, Marcus." She grabbed her purse and her
car keys. "I'm off to lunch. I probably won't be back for a couple of
hours."

"No
problem, honey," her father said. "We'll see you when you get
back."

The
door shut with a soft click behind her. The sound of her car starting made him
want to follow her like a lost puppy. He shook his head. Getting involved with
her would be a bad idea. She already distracted him to no end from things he
needed to do.

"She's
a very beautiful woman, isn't she?"

"Yes,
she is, Mitchell. I'm sure whoever finds himself in love with her will be one
lucky man, even more so if she loves him in return."

* * * *

The
diner sat in the middle of town. Everyone ate lunch there which is why she told
Natalie eleven. Even then, the place seemed busy when she parked her car.
Pickup trucks lined the street along with cars and one cop car.
Maybe Laurel is around.

Elizabeth
shut her car door behind her as she glanced across the street to the Harley
shop and the small gas stationed owned by Delaney Dunn—oops, Delaney Monroe
now. The Harley shop looked busy too. She noticed a long, lean guy standing
near the bay doors. Muscle shirt, black jeans, dark hair to his shoulders and
dark sunglasses. Jake Monroe. She remembered him from high school although he
graduated a few years behind her. Man, did he turn out yummy.

Blonde
hair in a ponytail and coveralls caught her attention next as the woman walked
quickly toward Jake. Delaney, Elizabeth assumed. It had been a long time since
she'd seen any of these people, but when the two embraced and shared a hot
kiss, she couldn't miss the fire between them.
Wow
. Jake grabbed her ass, swung her around and pinned her to the
side of the building with his body.
Holy
shit!
Cream slid down between Elizabeth's legs at the display. She wanted
that. She wanted someone to take control, make her his, fill her up, and leave
her wanting more. She quickly blew her bangs off her forehead and spun around.
Damn, I need to get laid.

Natalie
waved from two cars down. "Hey girl!" she squealed as she grabbed
Elizabeth in a hug. "Damn those two can heat up the sidewalk, eh?"

"Two?"

"Delaney
and Jake.
I saw them across the street.
Newlyweds, you know."

"Yeah,
I'd heard. What I wouldn't give to be in love like that."

"Someday,
hon. He's out there. You'll find him soon enough," Natalie replied,
looping her arm through Elizabeth's as they walk toward the diner.

Once
inside, they found a booth near the back. The place was already crawling with
people but Mabel waved them over to seat them in a booth. "Elizabeth,
honey, my goodness, how are you? I haven't seen you in ages."

"I'm
good.
Home for a month or so.
Natalie talked me into
some of your famous food for lunch."

"Well
of course. Nat, where are those babies?"

"At
home with Dad today so I could have some girl talk with my sister-in-law.
What's the special today, Mabel?"

"Chicken
and
dumplin's
."

"Oh,
sounds good to me," Natalie said.
"A soda to drink,
please.
What are you gonna have?"

"The
same for me, Mabel."

"Very
good.
I'll be right back with your drinks."

They
both put the menus away. Natalie grabbed her hand. "Now, tell me about
things with Marcus."

"There's
nothing to tell," Elizabeth said, pulling her hand back, stuffing her
napkin down on her lap.

"Bullshit.
I see the twinkle in your eye when his name is mentioned."

"It's
nothing, Natalie. He's very nice and all, but I don't want any kind of
relationship or anything."

"You're
attracted to him though, I can tell."

"Yes,
I am. Maybe we'll have a quick fling while I'm here. I could definitely use
some attention like that for a change. Things with Ari sucked in the making
love department."

"Pencil
dick?"

Elizabeth
burst out laughing. "He wasn't well endowed."

"Well
I couldn't tell you about Marcus' but I'm pretty sure he's attracted to
you."

"If
our kiss says anything, I'd say so."

"Kiss?"

"I
didn't tell you, did I?"

"No,
spill it girl."

"I
went to his office yesterday to apologize for my behavior. The night before
when I found out who he really was, I jumped to conclusions I shouldn't have.
By the way, I'm pissed at you for not telling me."

"Telling
you?"

"About
Marcus being the guy from the ball."

"He
asked me not to."

"I
realize that, but I'm still pissed. Anyway, I asked him to have dinner with so
I could grovel appropriately. He agreed. We went to the Millhouse."

"I
love their food."

"My
steak was excellent, of course. Anyway, he walked me out to the car and kissed
me goodnight."

"Nothing
else?"

She
glanced from her right to her left to make sure no one paid any attention to
their conversation before she said, "It curled my toes."

"See!
I told you!"

"Sshh."

"Sshh
what?
You two are perfect for each other."