The Black Sheep and the Princess (34 page)

The hope that immediately sprang to life in her eyes lit a fire inside him he'd never quite felt before. Which was why the trepidation that immediately followed scared the living hell out of him.

“I know it hasn't been very long with us, and I'm very aware that I'm not asking for any small thing. I also thought, if you were really wanting to make a go of it here, I could talk to Finn and see if there is a way for me to set up some kind of base of operations up here. It's not really conducive to how we do things, but—”

“You'd do that?”

He set his mug down, then leaned up and reached for her, sending ice bags sliding to the floor as he pulled her full length down on top of him. “I think I'd do anything,” he told her, brushing her hair from her face. “I just want to look in those eyes and have a chance to taste you again. And again. I want to make you laugh, and make me smile more, and I want to know you'll always step into my arms like you do whenever I need you there.”

“I know the feeling. I want that, too.”

His heart rate tripled. “Then we'll find a way. I'll talk to Finn.”

“What was your plan?” she asked. “If I came to Virginia, I mean, what was your plan? I don't have any income other than this property, and it's not even mine yet. I won't keep my original inheritance and do like Finn did; I won't go back on my agreement with Shelby. Even if he is being an ass at the moment, the papers will get signed.”

“I know, and I want you to do that. But something Stan said, about Timberline, got me to thinking. What if, after all the
t
's were crossed the
i
's dotted, what if you contacted Timberline yourself? Shelby doesn't care what happens to the property, does he?”

“You mean find out if Timberline really is interested in developing this land and sell it to them?”

“Exactly. Or you could sell it back to Shelby and he can do whatever he wants with it.”

Her eyes were alive now, and he could see the wheels turning. His heart was racing, but he tried hard not to get too far ahead of himself.

“And, by chance, did you have a certain someplace in mind for me to be looking?” she asked, the smallest of smiles beginning to curve her lips.

“Well, there is a lot of farm and horse country out in the Virginia countryside. In fact, I know a guy who owns a big huge chunk of it, complete with stables that aren't being used, that you might be able to work a deal with.”

Her eyes widened. “Finn? But—”

“And if it doesn't matter, you should go with the developers in this case. Timberline won't care about the fire or the state of the property as is; they'll just come in and tear it all down anyway. The added bonus is that it puts a final end to Gilby and Stan's little sideshow events, and despite Stan's tourist trap comments, I can't imagine they'll turn down the economic possibilities a resort of that size would bring to the town. No history, no Sutherland stigma.”

“What do we do about that part? About Gilby and Stan and the rest?”

We. He'd always been an “I” kind of guy, but he was beginning to think “we” was one of the best words in the universe. His hold on her tightened a little. “We can always clue Timberline in to the situation, if you think full disclosure is necessary.”

“That's not it. I doubt a large corporation like that is going to care about what the sheriff in some tiny little town was doing, especially as it's done here for now and not a public spectacle unless we make it one. I guess I should just be happy it's over, in a sense, but if he was really doing here what you think he was, I don't think Gilby should just get off without any retribution. I mean, if Timberline bites, he wins all the way around. It just doesn't seem right.”

Mac tucked her hair behind her ear. “Well, I do know of this company who can make it their business, once all is said and done and you're comfortably set up somewhere else entirely, to ensure he never even thinks about setting up shop again.”

Kate's expression softened, and she leaned in and kissed him. “That would be great, wonderful, in fact, but I can't ask you to involve yourself here any longer, it's—”

“I can put Rafe on it. We can hire it out. We can do a number of things. But we can make it happen. Just not until you're safely out and away from here.”

“I—” She broke off and shook her head. “It's a lot to even consider. I've been working so long and hard to make this happen, and I—”

“Don't overwhelm yourself with it. Just think about it and know there is more than one solution to this. Even if it doesn't involve me, you can still leave here if you want. Regardless, I'll do whatever I can to help you with—”

She cut him off this time, with a hard, fast kiss. Which led to another, longer, slower kiss that didn't end until his hips were moving and she was moaning softly. She finally lifted her head, and had to clear her throat not once, but twice, just to form words. “I want to explore my options, especially the ones that involve keeping you close enough for a lot more of this. I want you now, tomorrow, and for as long and as often as possible.” She touched his face, his lips, brushed her hand through his hair, all while looking directly into his eyes. “You're right, it hasn't been long, but I already can't imagine a day without you in it.”

His grin was so instantaneous, and so wide, he thought he might have pulled something. “Thank you, God.”

“Are you sure you want this, Donovan?”

Just hearing his name, seeing the need and desire for him so laid bare before him. His heart tripped that final step. He kissed her. “More sure than anything in my life.” He framed her face. “It's you, Kate. It's always been you, and always will be.”

She smiled then, eyes shining, and he saw there exactly what he needed to see. “Funny how we think alike when it matters the most.”

“Yeah,” he said, kissing her again. “Funny.”

“About the rest—”

“We have time, Kate. Plenty of time. And, God, doesn't that sound wonderful?”

Bagel chose that moment to snuffle his way along the edge of the couch, making them both laugh. “You do know,” Kate said, “I'm a package deal. Love me, love my Bagel.”

“I wouldn't have it any other way.” He scratched the dog behind his ears, making him groan in glee, then turned his attentions back to Kate. His Kate. He was pretty sure he was the luckiest man alive. “We'll figure it all out, you, me, and Wondermutt, here.”

“Together.”

“Always.” He slid his hands down her back. “Now, enough talking about big life changes. I have a more immediate problem.”

She wiggled her eyebrows, and her hips. “Do you now?”

“Yes…about that therapy you were mentioning…”

“Ah, so you just want me for my…therapeutic benefits,” she teased. “Hmm, maybe I need to rethink this whole thing.”

He tucked his legs around hers and pulled her hips snug against him. “You should know that I believe very strongly in taking good care of my therapist.”

“Strongly?”

“Very. Deeply in fact. Repeatedly. And often.”

“Well, in that case, I think we need to start you on a long-term program, with routine maintenance.”

“Long term?”

She smiled. “Very.”

“I'm yours.”

“Good.” She kissed him. “It's about damn time.”

“N
ice legs. Sweet gait. Impressive.” Mac leaned against the fence and looked out over the paddock and the landscape beyond. He loved springtime in Virginia, the colors, the return of life to the trees and the greening of all the pastures and hillsides. It was like rebirth. The annual chance to start fresh, to feel hopeful about the possibilities. And he'd never felt so hopeful as he did this year.

“Yeah, but I'm not sure she's not too spirited for the job.” Rafe balanced his elbows on the top rung, careful not to get any marks on his brushed suede bomber jacket.

Mac cut a look at his partner and the direction of his gaze, before looking back at the woman presently exercising the sturdy roan in the training ring. “Are we talking about the horse? Or the woman?”

Rafe continued observing the activity inside the ring. “Both. If Kate is going to put those kids up on that horse, then she'd better be damn sure it's not going to spook. And her new trainer…I don't know about her either.”

“First, do you honestly think she'd put her kids anywhere near a horse she wasn't 100 percent on? And secondly…since when do you know shit about horses or how to train them?” Mac grinned at his partner. “Oh, yeah, since maybe you started wandering down to the barns all the damn time. Don't think we haven't noticed.”

“Who's we? And I don't see how you or Kate notice any damn thing. Too busy mooning and rubbing all over each other all the damn time. It's been a year. You'd think you'd have gotten the itch scratched by now.”

“Jealous?”

Rafe shook his head, then smiled. “About the regular sex, maybe. You can keep the rest of it, though.”

Mac just smiled. Keep it he would, with great pleasure.

He watched the woman Kate had just hired to work and exercise the horses she used in her therapy sessions with the kids. The horse was a new arrival, too, but he trusted Kate knew what she was doing there. He didn't know much about Elena Caulfield. Yet. He made a mental note to have a quick chat with Finn later. Kate would have checked her out, of course, but though she was a smart businesswoman and amazingly lionesslike when it came to watching over her kids, she was a softie, too. And Rafe was already picking up on the same things Mac had sensed himself after chatting with the new hire a few days ago. Something wasn't all it seemed there. So he'd look into it. After all, he was pretty lionlike himself these days.

“So, are you going to see if you can get yourself some of that regular…exercise?” Mac said, watching Rafe watching Elena. “Not sure Elena there is quite your type, though.”

“What makes you think I'd be interested in her? And what about her isn't my type?”

Mac adopted a casually interested tone, not sure if he pulled it off or not. “She spends a lot of time mucking out stalls. You?” He reached out and plucked a piece of straw off Rafe's elbow. “Let's just say, I don't see you as the roll-in-the-hay type.”

“I earned my high-thread-count sheets, bro. I make no apologies for wanting to sleep in comfort or dress in style.”

“Nor should you. I was just saying, is all.”

“Yeah. Just saying. You'd be right, too. She's not my type.”

The leggy brunette looked over at them just then. Mac nodded to her, she nodded back. Rafe, on the other hand, chose that moment to wander off. As if he hadn't noticed.

“Catch you later,” he said to Mac, then took off toward the main house and the Trinity offices. “Got some case files to go over.”

“Sure. I'll be up in a while.”

“Right. Say hi to the little woman for me.”

Mac smiled. Maybe he wouldn't need to talk to Finn after all. Rafe was already on the case. How long his friend fought that fact remained to be seen.

Mac pushed away from the rails and wandered in the general direction of the small outbuilding he'd constructed next to his and Kate's bungalow. She'd be in her office right about now. Hair pulled up in a messy knot, Bagel asleep at her feet. Probably dressed in something soft…and easily removed.

He snagged the picnic basket he'd packed earlier from the shed at the end of the barns, smiling when he saw someone had stuck a clean blanket in with the basket. So maybe she'd come to expect their Wednesday outings as much as he'd enjoyed planning them these past few weeks, now that the sun was out and warming the countryside. Maybe she'd decided they just might need a better cushion than his jacket…or her sundress.

He did like the way his Kate thought.

Smiling, he hefted the blanket and struck off toward home.

Next in the Black Sheep series is
THE BLACK SHEEP AND THE HIDDEN BEAUTY…

 

They're back—the boys you go out looking for precisely because your mother warned you not to—the bad boys every good girl needs at least once, if not twice…

 

Raphael “Rafe” Santiago may have left the streets years ago, but the street has never left him. A rough childhood in the Bronx taught him never to let his guard down, to keep everything in order, and always to trust that little voice in his gut that tells him when someone's got something to hide. Horse trainer Elena Caulfield, is definitely hiding something, and Rafe intends to find out what it is and take care of it—his way.

 

But his way wasn't supposed to include feeling an intense attraction to the tomboyish Elena. With her mud-caked boots, quiet strength, and gentle manner, she's nothing like the flashy, seductive, overtly feminine women Rafe usually beds. The closer he gets to her, the harder it is to control that fiery passion he's worked hard to keep cooled, the kind that can catch a man off guard and leave him open to danger—because whatever secret Elena's protecting, it's big…and worth killing for. Because when you're from the Bronx, you take care of what you love—or die trying…