World's Most Eligible Texan (9 page)

She tried to focus on the book in her lap and forget Aaron.

 

Aaron entered the bar of the Texas Cattleman's Club and strode across to a private room where he joined his friends, shaking hands with his longtime friend Dakota Lewis.

“Your hand doesn't feel like ice,” Dakota teased, “but I'll bet you're late because you've been with the teacher.”

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Aaron admitted, greeting Matt Walker, Justin Webb and Sheikh Ben Rassad. “I've been eager to get here because we have a new problem.” Aaron sank down onto one of the leather chairs and stretched his long legs in front of him. “There are two investigators here from Asterland.”

“Garth Johannes and Milo Yungst,” Matt Walker said, sitting on a sofa and propping his elbows on his knees.

“You know about them. They questioned Pamela and shook her up,” Aaron said.

“They've wanted to talk to Lady Helena, but so far, the hospital has refused to let them. They shouldn't be aggressive with these women,” the rancher remarked. “Did you tell Pamela about the jewels?”

“No,” Aaron answered. “Not because I don't trust her. I just think she might be safer knowing as little as possible about what's happened. I'd like to keep her out of it as long as I can.”

“Good idea,” Justin added with a grim note in his voice, and Aaron wondered if the physician was concerned about the safety of his fiancée Winona Raye, since she was involved as their liaison with the police.

“There's something else,” Aaron said. “Two men are following Pamela. I don't know whether Johannes and Yungst are tailing her or if the men following her are hired guns.” He went on to tell his friends about chasing the man who had been watching her apartment.

“Did you get a good look at them?” Justin asked.

“The one I chased is tall and thin. Then, as I hit the car, I glimpsed them. Oval face, long nose—the other looked square. It was too dark to get anything definite.”

“Sounds like the investigators,” Justin said. “Winona and I saw them at Claire's.”

“I traced the license-tag number and it was a car stolen over a year ago, later found stripped and burned with the tag missing. A dead end there,” Aaron said. “I want to know why they're following her. Do they think she was involved
some way in whatever caused the forced landing? Do they think she has the red diamond?” Aaron asked, mulling over his questions aloud. While he talked, his thoughts were just partly on the mystery. Part of his thoughts kept returning to Pamela and her news of their baby. He couldn't get her pregnancy out of his mind. He thought about Justin who was getting married and adopting a baby girl. A wife and a baby. The idea was awesome and breathtaking. He wished he could talk to Justin about how it felt to become a father, but his fatherhood had to stay a secret at this point in his life. Glancing at the doctor, Aaron realized Justin was talking, so he tried to focus on what his friend was saying.

“The women who were on the plane may be in danger,” Justin said. “If the Asterland investigators are following Pamela, they may be watching Lady Helena, too.”

Aaron's concern deepened because Justin was probably right. The women could be in a lot of danger. “I think we should keep a watch on the women who were on the plane,” Aaron said. “I'll watch Pamela because I'll be with her anyway.”

“I can guard Lady Helena,” Matt said quietly, his green eyes were cold as he met Aaron's gaze. “I know Anna and Greg Hunt plan to take her home with them when she can be released, but until then, I'll stand guard.”

“Jamie Morris stayed behind in Royal instead of going on to Asterland on the next flight,” Justin added. “She was on her way to an arranged marriage to a member of Asterland's Royal Cabinet.”

“I wonder why she stayed in town. Whatever the reason she is still here, she was also on the Asterland jet and may need protection,” Aaron said. “How about you, Ben?” He looked at the sheikh who frowned. Dressed in his robes and kaffiyeh, he stood out from the rest of them.

“If she is in danger, I will do this,” he replied, nodding solemnly.

“How about Dakota keeping tabs on the investigators?”
Matt asked, and all heads turned toward the tough male who was estranged from his wife. He nodded.

“Sure. I'd like to catch them following someone.”

“Klimt's in a coma,” Matt said. “The diamond is missing, and we're no closer to a reason why the stones were on the plane or why the plane went down.”

“Someone has the missing red diamond, but evidently it isn't anyone connected officially with Asterland or their investigators wouldn't be quizzing the women so much about the jewelry they were carrying on the plane,” Aaron said, remembering all Pamela had told him about their questioning.

“None of the federal investigators of the crash have come up with the reason yet for the forced landing,” Justin said. Standing by a window, he stared outside. “As soon as they do, we'll know a little more than we do now.”

“So we still don't know if the forced landing had something to do with the missing jewels,” Aaron said.

“No, and the police are as baffled as we are about Riley Monroe's murder,” Justin added. “Who killed him?”

“When we know that,” Aaron said, “we'll know what they intended to do with the jewels. Was it a theft for the fortune they would bring, or were the stones intended for someone or some purpose in Asterland since they were found on the jet headed to Asterland?” He glanced at Justin. “You have them safely hidden?”

“Yep, they're behind our plaque in the front entrance hall.”

“Leadership, justice and peace,” Ben said quietly. Aaron knew the stones represented each of these three qualities, a mantra for the Cattleman's Club members to uphold and the words carved into the plaque.

The men sat and talked for another half an hour about various topics—how the Cowboys' football season had gone, how it should shape up next fall, until finally Aaron stood and said he needed to go.

Matt was on his feet instantly, saying he had to get to Royal Memorial to guard Lady Helena.

As they stood, before they broke up their group, they once
again went over the questions in a reminder of the problems facing them.

“We've got one murder and one missing diamond.” Justin added, “The women may be in danger. We don't want anything else bad happening and we need to find the red diamond.”

“See you later,” Aaron said, leaving the club and already thinking about his date that night with Pamela.

As they walked outside, Matt fell into step beside him. “If those bastards try to harm Lady Helena after all she's been through—they'll have to go through me to get to her.”

“I've started carrying my gun,” Aaron said solemnly. “I'm worried about Pamela's safety.”

“Yeah, well, now with Ben watching Jamie and Justin trying to keep an eye on Winona and Dakota following those investigators, maybe everyone will be safe.”

“If I can talk her into it, I'm taking Pamela to my house tonight.”

Matt arched his brow and gave him a look. “Good idea. She'll be safer there. Taking her to the ranch?”

“No, we'll stay in Pine Valley. I don't think I can get her to go out to the ranch. She's accustomed to living in town.”

“It would be easier to protect her at the ranch.”

“The lady is going to make up her own mind about it. That's for sure.”

“Yeah, they have a way of doing that. Be careful.”

“You, too. I think Pamela wants to go to the hospital to see Lady Helena so you'll probably see us tonight or tomorrow night.”

“Good. Pamela's great, Aaron. I've known her a long time and a lot of people let all that crummy stuff about Dolly color their feelings about Pamela, but she's a good person and damned nice.”

“I think so, too. I want to marry her.”

Matt nodded. “Good.”

He turned away and Aaron headed to his car. She was carrying their baby. The more he thought about it, the more awe
some and wonderful her pregnancy was. She was so mistaken about his feelings. But they'd talk it out tonight. Whistling, his spirits lifted as he looked in his rearview mirror to see whether or not he was being followed.

 

The minute Pamela swung open the door that night, Aaron knew he was in for a battle and some fast talking. Standing stiffly facing him, she took his breath in spite of the fiery stubbornness flashing in her eyes. A simple red dress clung to her slender figure like a scarlet flame. She so often wore clothes that covered her to the chin, but nonetheless she exuded a sexy air that kept him hot and disturbed.

“This dinner date is just ridiculous,” she said.

When he stepped inside, she moved back to let him pass, but he could see her reluctance before she turned to go get her coat and purse.

He inhaled her lilac perfume and looked at the satiny highlights in her hair, which swung slightly as she walked ahead of him. He watched the pull of the skirt across her hips. A zipper ran from the neck down below her bottom and he wanted to tug it down and peel her out of the dress. He knew he'd better keep his mind on the problems between them because he suspected it was going to take some of his best powers of persuasion to convince her of his feelings.

She turned to face him and folded her arms across her middle, looking challenging and stubborn and beautiful. “This is so silly for us to go to dinner. We'll spend the evening arguing.”

“Well, then, we won't argue,” he said cheerfully, picking up her coat. “You have to eat, so you might as well go with me and have a scrumptious dinner at Claire's and we can talk about any subject you want.”

“That's just putting off the inevitable.”

“It won't hurt to put it off until after dinner.” He held her black coat out for her to slip into, and they stared at each other over it.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice lowering a notch.
She seemed exasperated by his compliment and thrust her arm into her sleeve. He slipped the coat onto her shoulders and lifted her hair out of the way, brushing her nape slowly with his fingers.

“Stop flirting, Aaron,” she said darkly.

“Impossible when I'm with you,” he whispered at her ear and then brushed a light kiss across her cheek.

Turning to slant an angry look over her shoulder at him, she clamped her lips together. He could almost see her refusal to go out surfacing, so he took her arm and spoke quickly as he steered her to the door. “I told my brother Jeb about you. He has a second-grader, my little nephew Robby. He's having trouble with his reading. Can I tell my sister-in-law she can call you and talk to you about Robby?”

“Of course.”

“They have Robby in a private school, and they've had a tutor, but something isn't working right.”

“Have they had him tested for dyslexia? I'm sure they have,” she answered her own question swiftly. “I can't imagine with all the individual attention, he doesn't get the help he needs.”

Aaron held open the door, locking it behind them and looking around as they stepped outside. He didn't want Pamela to know he was carrying a gun now. If he gave chase to anyone again, he was going to be able to stop a car from getting away. And he worried about Pamela's safety.

He didn't see anyone lurking in the shadows, but once they were on Main Street, he spotted a tail again. Picking up his phone, he called Dakota to inform him of the black car and learned that Dakota already knew about it. As soon as he broke the connection, Pamela spoke.

“You're being followed again. Aaron, what are you involved in that someone would follow you? You're halfway around the world from Spain.”

“I don't think I'm the one who's being followed.”

“Not me! You're so wrong there.”

“Those two investigators from Asterland were persistent in
their questions and were with you for over an hour, weren't they?”

“Yes. You think they're following me?” She twisted around in the seat to glance out the back.

“The investigators seem a likely possibility. If you're trying to see them, the men following are two cars behind us.”

Turning to face him again, she settled in the seat. “I'm sure you're the one they're interested in. There's no reason to follow me.”

He reached Claire's and turned into the lot for valet parking, climbing out of the car and glancing at the street, but he couldn't spot the tail and he wondered if they had turned off before the restaurant.

The maitre d' greeted Aaron and led them to a table near a quiet corner of the restaurant.

“Now I know why you aren't drinking any wine.”

Reflected candlelight flickered in the depths of her luminous blue eyes that were so large, he felt enveloped in blue. “It wouldn't be good for the baby,” she said quietly.

He nodded and looked up as the waiter stopped at their table. “Good evening, Miss Miles, Mr. Black,” he said. “Would you like to see our wine list? Tonight we have a special French red wine.”

“I'll take a glass of the red wine, and the lady will have water,” Aaron replied. As soon as they were alone, he asked her, “Who's your doctor?”

“I went to my family doctor, Dr. Woodbury.”

“You should have a specialist.”

“I'm going to change because I got a call today from Dr. Woodbury's nurse and he's retiring. They're notifying his regular patients, so I called and made an appointment with an obstetrician.”

“Good. I could ask Justin who he recommends.”

“No, you don't. I'll decide which doctor I go to.”

Aaron rubbed his cheek and nodded, suspecting he wouldn't get anywhere with an argument. “Who's the doctor you have an appointment with?”

“Dr. Burke.”

“Ahh. Leon Burke?”

“Yes. I take it from your ‘ahh' that you approve of my choice?”