“There are a lot of things I should be doing, but first…”

Mitch pulled Kate into his arms and kissed her.

She started to object, but he took advantage of her parted lips and stroked his tongue into her mouth, slow and deep, until she helplessly responded.

He had come to her. There had been no games, no lame attempts at seduction. She tasted his need in his kiss, felt his determination in the strong steady beat of his heart against her breast.

She touched his tongue with hers, heady from the warm smell of his skin, from the heat of his body where it pressed intimately against hers. He used his free hand to brush a wayward lock of hair away from her face, and then stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

“You feel so damn good.” He kissed her again, hard, his stubbled jaw rasping against her overly sensitized skin.

She knew he wanted her something fierce. But was it enough to ignore his duty?

Dear Reader,

For those of you who read Texas Heat, you may be wondering about what happened to Kate Manning. Sure, she was engaged, although beset with misgivings, and then Mitch Colter stepped out of the past and into her life, sending her into a tailspin. As a smitten schoolgirl she’d had a mad crush on him, her brothers’ friend—older, confident and elusive. Yet he’d still been a boy when he left their small Texas community. Now he’s a man, and infinitely more tempting.

I must confess I sometimes wonder about boys from my past. Who are they now? What do they do? Would their smiles still make me giddy? Okay, maybe not. I think I’ll let the answers remain a mystery. Or at least let my imagination fill in the blanks.

Happy reading!

Debbi Rawlins

Debbi Rawlins
TEXAS BLAZE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbi Rawlins lives in central Utah, out in the country, surrounded by woods and deer and wild turkeys. It’s quite a change for a city girl, who didn’t even know where the state of Utah was until four years ago. Of course, unfamiliarity never stopped her. Between her junior and senior years of college she spontaneously left home in Hawaii, and bummed around Europe for five weeks by herself. And much to her parents’ delight, returned home with only a quarter in her wallet.

Books by Debbi Rawlins

HARLEQUIN BLAZE

13—IN HIS WILDEST DREAMS

36—EDUCATING GINA

60—HANDS ON

112—ANYTHING GOES…

143—HE’S ALL THAT*

160—GOOD TO BE BAD

183—A GLIMPSE OF FIRE

220—HOT SPOT**

250—THE HONEYMOON THAT WASN’T*

312—SLOW HAND LUKE*

351—IF HE ONLY KNEW…*

368—WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS†

417—ALL OR NOTHING

455—ONCE AN OUTLAW††

467—ONCE A REBEL††

491—TEXAS HEAT

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

1

KATE MANNING JUMPED at the loud pop. She tilted her head back, her gaze going to the explosion of red, blue and silver that burst against the night sky, and then rained down in glittering streamers to the delight of the spectators. The annual July Fourth celebration and fireworks display hosted by her family was almost over. Friends and neighbors would soon leave the Manning ranch, exhausted from the three days of festivities. She couldn’t wait for them to go.

She should have been happier. Ecstatic, really. Standing apart from the crowd, she leaned against the kitchen door and stared down at the sparkling one-carat diamond ring on her finger. She was engaged to be married in six months for goodness’ sakes. She’d long ago chosen a dress and started making plans for a late-winter wedding when West Texas wasn’t so horribly hot.

Her college friends were here, having traveled thousands of miles to join her in celebrating her engagement. Only two weeks ago she’d called each of them herself, and practically begged them to come. A day later the blues had taken hold, and she’d nearly called them back to rescind the invitation. But she hadn’t, and now she wondered if subconsciously she wished they’d come to talk her out of getting married.

Another explosion of red and blue lit up the sky, and she peered into the crowd, focusing in the direction where she’d last seen Dennis talking to Clyde Thompson, owner of the Red Rock Ranch. One thing about her fiancé, she thought wryly, he had quite a knack for zeroing in on the wealthy and powerful.

Damn him for missing most of the weekend. He knew how important it was to her that he meet her friends, but he’d skipped the barbecue and dance yesterday, then the rodeo and picnic this afternoon, finally showing up an hour ago. Since then he’d spent his time working the crowd like a seasoned politician. Was that her appeal, she thought uneasily, her family name and community standing?

It was nerves making her short-tempered with him. That’s all. Over a hundred and fifty people had shown up this weekend, requiring an enormous amount of preparation to make sure there was enough food and drink. After the cleanup was through, and she’d had a couple nights of good sleep, she’d be back to normal. Happy again that she was marrying such a good man. One she would always be able to count on. One who understood her and loved her. She could continue planning her wedding without all the distractions, which would surely lift her spirits.

Feeling a bit queasy, she wrapped her arms around her middle. One minute, then she’d go find Dennis. So far he’d met Jessica, but not her other two friends. They were both off somewhere with her brothers. Man, she hadn’t seen that coming.

A breathtaking array of blue and gold blossomed in the sky, quickly followed by a rapid succession of fiery rockets in brilliant colors, which meant the show was building to the finale. Kate smiled at the appreciative murmurs of the crowd, content that the weekend had been a success. Near where the children’s rides were set up, silvery white sparklers bobbed in the dark, and she briefly considered turning on the driveway floodlights for anyone wishing to get a head start on the exiting crowd. Or was it a tad too soon?

She turned toward the lineup of trucks and cars, and thought she saw the silhouette of a man coming down the drive. Odd that someone would be arriving only now. Squinting, she waited for the next burst of light. Her breath caught. The man almost looked like…

No, it couldn’t be Mitch Colter. This man’s shoulders were broad like Mitch’s, and he was tall and narrow-hipped, his hair long and dark. He even walked with that slight swagger. But Mitch wasn’t even in the country, as far as she knew. God, he hadn’t been back to West Texas, much less Appleton, in eight years.

Two months.

And one week.

As the man got closer, her insides started to flutter, and she straightened. No way on earth could that be Mitch.

HE SAW HER STANDING outside the kitchen door. Mitch almost hadn’t realized it was Kate. All grown-up, taller than he remembered, and a lot curvier. But the rich auburn hair gave her away. He’d never seen that color on any other woman. She’d cut it, though, to just above her shoulders. Too bad. He’d always liked it long and kind of wild.

As he closed in on the house, he knew she’d spotted him and he reversed his decision to head into the crowd. Instead, he strode toward her and noticed how she suddenly straightened, her stance almost defensive. That he didn’t understand. Maybe she didn’t recognize him. No one knew he was coming. He hadn’t known himself until two days ago.

The fireworks were almost over. He’d been to enough of the Manning’s July Fourth shindigs over the years to know that the big finish was coming any minute. Which made him wonder why Kate was standing off by herself.

She moved away from the door and down to the bottom step. “Mitch.” She frowned slightly. “Does anyone know you’re back in town?”

“It was a last-minute decision.” He opened his arms to her. “Don’t I get a hug?”

Her lips parted, uncertainty flickering in her face, and then she smiled and moved toward him. “It’s good to see you,” she said, hesitating a moment before clumsily embracing him.

He slid his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, swinging her in a half circle. It was a mistake. He knew it the moment their bodies touched.

Little Katie had breasts now. Nice, firm round breasts that felt too damn good pressed against his chest. When the hell had that happened?

He quickly put her down. Too quickly, judging by her confused look. And then he really screwed things up by running his hands down her back until his palms molded to the top of her backside. Careful not to make another sudden move, he drew his hands to either side of her slender waist, set her back to look impassively at her, and then gave her a brotherly smile.

“You look terrific,” he said, casually lowering his arms.

“I swear you’re taller than when I last saw you.”

She blinked, and hunched her shoulders. “I had a surprise growth spurt.”

Rather than hide her breasts, the action drew his attention because the blue shirt gaped slightly. He abruptly lifted his gaze. Got a grip. This was Katie, Joe and Clint’s baby sister. “What’s it been, Katie, six years?”

“Eight,” she said with faint irritation. “And no one calls me Katie anymore.”

“Ah.” His smile broadened at the defiant lift of her chin, an old habit he’d found amusing because she’d always been on the shy side.

“What?”

“I promise I’ll try to remember.”

She drew in her lower lip, studying him for a second, before her gaze drifted toward the crowd. “Your parents aren’t here, are they?”

“Still in Little Rock with my sister and her kids.”

She sighed. “I’m so sorry about what happened to their cattle. Tom Jenkins and the Reynolds were hit by rustlers, too. The Double R is still in business but they’re hurting.”

He nodded. Hard to hear even though he already knew the facts. The ranchers in the area had been here for generations so he knew every one of them.

Her lips twisted in a wry smile. “So why are you here?”

“To handle some ranch business for the folks,” he said, the grim reminder of the reason for his return taking some of the pleasure out of seeing Kate.

Ranch. What a joke. Only an empty house remained, and land that had been in the Colter family for over a hundred years. The small herd of cattle that had once sustained the place was gone. And it seemed as if the authorities didn’t give a damn.

“I miss your parents,” she said, “even though I only spend summers and holidays here anymore.”

“You’re teaching, right?”

She nodded. “In Vernal. I keep an apartment there because a round-trip takes two and half hours out of my day.”

“High school?”

“Heavens no. Middle school is hard enough.”

“I bet.” He willed himself not to look at her breasts. Bad enough his chest was still imprinted with the memory of them. Her eyes looked greener, brighter, or maybe it was the light coming from the kitchen. “How many of your students have crushes on you?”

“Oh, please.” Her cheeks turned pink, and making a sound of exasperation, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Something sparkled on her hand. Startled, he stared at the diamond on her finger. “I see that congratulations are in order.”

“What?” She blinked, and then gave the ring a cursory glance before hiding her hand behind her back. “Oh, right.”

“When’s the wedding?”

She hesitated. “The end of January. Look, I don’t know where Clint is. Joe’s upstairs but I think he’s kind of busy.” She looked up at the sky and then toward the crowd. “I really should get out there and say goodbye to people.”

“Of course.” He waved her on. “I didn’t mean to hold you up.”

“No, I’m glad to see you. Really.” She moistened her lips and took a step back. “I’m looking forward to talking to you some more,” she said as she kept backing away. “If I see Clint, I’ll tell him you’re here.”

Mitch watched her hurry toward the tent and stage area. Kate was getting married? Now why was he so surprised? She was six years younger than him, which made her about twenty-seven. As a kid she’d been on the gangly side, showing more interest in trying to keep up with her brothers than in fashion or makeup. But she’d grown up to be quite a looker, always had been bright and dependable, too. She’d make a great ranch wife.

Nope, there was no trace of the tomboy now, he thought as he watched the gentle sway of her hips. He’d started getting too engrossed in her shapely rear end and had to sternly remind himself that this was Kate. Besides the fact she was an engaged woman, he didn’t need Joe or Clint kicking his ass.

KATE HURRIED IN DESPERATION toward the refreshment booth where she thought she saw Dennis. People looked at her as if they feared she were on her way to a fire. Ironically, it was the other way around. The searing heat of flesh and muscle that had threatened to engulf her in a mindless burst of flames was what had her racing through the crowd.

Mitch, here in the flesh. She still couldn’t believe it. He’d touched her. Held her against his strong broad chest until she thought she’d suffocate from lack of oxygen. The physical exchange had lasted a heartbeat, but it might as well have been a lifetime. A hundred-odd sensations crashed in on her for which she hadn’t been prepared. Sure, she’d had a childish crush on him until he’d left for college, but that was eons ago.

After dropping out of Texas A&M his senior year, he’d started drifting from one job to another and rarely came home. Once she had gone East to school, their paths crossed less frequently. She still thought about him from time to time, but normally only when she saw his parents or the Colter name came up in conversation.

But he was different somehow. Her crush had been on a boy. Mitch was a man now. A damn good-looking man, who by merely showing up, had just thrown her a curveball she could never have anticipated. Had that cleft in his chin always been that deep? Or his voice so low and sexy? Her legs felt a bit wobbly, and it occurred to her that if she didn’t sit down soon, she might end up making a fool of herself.

“Chica, are you all right?” Maria’s concerned voice came from behind.

Kate spun around and saw the older woman with one of her young grandchildren tightly clasping her hand. “Yes, I was just looking for Dennis.” Kate smiled at the child. “Hello, Hilda, are you having fun?”

The little girl nodded, her mouth curving in a toothless grin. Maria continued to stare speculatively at Kate. After being the Manning’s housekeeper for over twenty-five years, not much got by her. When Kate’s parents had been killed in a car accident, Maria had been there to cradle her as she sobbed uncontrollably for hours.

“Have you seen him?” Kate asked, her pulse finally starting to slow down. “Dennis?”

Shrugging her plump shoulders, Maria shook her head. She didn’t like Dennis, Kate knew. Neither did her brothers, even though no one had said a word to her. Maybe that was the reason for her earlier funk. He’d not only disappointed her this weekend by showing up late, but he’d disappointed them, and that didn’t help. She’d tried to tell them that Dennis was a nice man with a good sense of humor, and all the other things that made her care for him, but in her heart she knew her family thought of her as a kid, and that no man would ever please them.

“Go on,” Kate said, making a shooing gesture with her hand. “I’m fine. Enjoy the fireworks. They’re almost over.”

Anxious to be away from Maria’s knowing eyes, Kate quickly wove her way into the crowd, trying to remember the color of his shirt. Brown, maybe? That wouldn’t help much. Half the men here were wearing dark colors. Dennis wasn’t nearly as tall as Mitch, or so muscular that he could easily lift her in the air. Nor did he have thick sable hair and slate-gray eyes that seemed to darken along with his mood. And there was no comparing Mitch’s strong square jaw to…

Briefly closing her eyes, she gritted her teeth. She had to stop this. Not only was her sudden preoccupation unfair to Dennis, but she was only making herself crazy. God, how she wanted a margarita, or a beer. Anything with alcohol would do. Tequila. One shot would calm her nerves. Hell, one shot would probably put her to sleep. She occasionally drank a glass of wine, and she loved a slushy margarita with Mexican food, but that was pretty much it.

She didn’t care. Her nerves were buzzing like angry bees, and she needed the respite of blessed numbness. Heading straight for the refreshment booth, she avoided eye contact as much as possible, but smiled politely when necessary. She slipped behind the bar and found the tequila. After pouring some in a paper cup, she noticed Sylvia Crabtree eyeing her with interest. The woman had a heart of gold but was also capable of spreading gossip faster than the Internet. Kate resisted the urge to slam back the shot of tequila, smiled at the woman instead, then walked away without the drink. Silly, because why should she care what anyone thought? But she did, and that fact wasn’t going to change just because she recognized the foolishness of it.

She kept a watchful eye out for Dennis. Most people were focused on the color displays in the sky, while still sitting on the blankets they had spread out for their picnic suppers. She’d already checked out the groups of cowhands standing near the tent with beers in their hands. Anyway, she doubted Dennis would be wasting his time talking with the help.

Oh, brother, she really had to knock off the uncharitable thoughts. Yes, she was angry enough to scream, but she suspected guilt over her reaction to Mitch had more to do with her readiness to pick Dennis apart.

The area behind the bunkhouse seemed to be deserted, the perfect place where she could be alone with her thoughts, pull herself together before saying her goodbyes to everyone. The fireworks would be over in two minutes and the crowd would thin quickly. She’d find Dennis then.

She leaned back against the bunkhouse wall of rust-stained cedar, and closed her eyes, intent on savoring the moment. At the same time, a man’s voice came from around the side of the bunkhouse that faced away from the crowd.

Dennis’s voice.

Her eyes flew open. She listened, waiting. Trying to convince herself she’d been mistaken. A second later, coming from the same direction, a woman laughed softly.

Kate pushed away from the wall and stood perfectly still. Surely she’d only imagined Dennis’s voice. What would he be doing there at the side of the bunkhouse? It didn’t make sense. Again, hushed voices and laughter drifted toward her. She struggled for her next breath. Perhaps her body had acknowledged what her mind refused to accept.

Slowly she forced herself to take a step toward the sound. She moved quietly, dreading what she might find. Right as she got to the corner of the bunkhouse, before she rounded the corner, she took a deep breath, fortifying herself. Then she ducked around the corner. The darkness and the ancient oak tree both obscured her view. By the same token, she wasn’t visible, either, and she waited another second, listening and hoping she’d imagined the whole thing.

“I have to get back.” It was Dennis’s voice. “I think the fireworks are almost over.”

“Hmm, not yet,” the woman whispered seductively.

“Damn, you’re making this hard.”

The woman laughed. “That’s the point.”

Kate’s heart twisted in a queasy knot. It was obvious what was going on behind the tree. She told herself she should just leave. Why humiliate herself by letting them know she was here? But she couldn’t move. She could barely breathe.

Damn him. This was her house, her property, her party. Why make it easy for him by not letting him see her? She loosened her fists, unaware that she had clenched them, and lifting her chin, stepped out into the open.

The woman’s back was to Kate. A blur of blond hair and curves, and an indecently short denim skirt. Dennis was pressed against her, kissing her, running his hands down her back. Even though a shadow muted his face, Kate knew the second he noticed her.

He straightened and then jerked away from the woman. “Jesus.”

“Bastard.” Kate’s voice came out a whisper. She couldn’t deny she wanted to slap him. Instead, she backed away.

“Wait.” Dennis rushed toward her. “Kate, please, this isn’t what it looks like.”

Every ounce of her wanted to run, hide until the scene faded from her memory, but she stopped, a hint of hysteria bubbling inside her. Calmly, she said, “Then what is it?”

His face was clear to her now, the pallor of his skin, the fear in his eyes largely satisfying. He stared mutely at her. Then he lifted a hand to touch her, and she jumped back, unable to trust herself to remain genteel.

“Leave, Dennis. Now.”

“We need to talk.”

Without another word, she turned and headed back toward the house, praying her legs would carry her the entire way.

2

MITCH MOVED FARTHER BACK into the cover of the shadows, clenching his fists in helpless rage. Hidden, he waited until Kate had passed by, the man who was obviously her fiancé right behind her, before Mitch dared to relax his hands. The blonde who’d been with the scumbag wandered off in the opposite direction. Mitch had no quarrel with her. Who knew what the two-timing bastard had told her?

Not that Mitch had the right to stick his nose into Kate’s business. She’d be mortified to learn that anyone had witnessed her fiancé’s betrayal. Still, he wasn’t reacting any differently than Clint or Joe would have. Either one of her brothers would have laid the guy flat already. That Mitch had shown any kind of restraint was a small miracle, a testament to how far he’d come from the hotheaded kid who’d left West Texas all those years ago.

The fireworks were over, the last of the red, white and blue from the finale already fading from the dark sky. Dozens of people had started trudging toward the lineup of cars and trucks that stretched for a quarter mile down the private road leading to the highway. He tried in vain to keep track of Kate’s movements, but he lost her in the crowd. Although he figured she had to be headed for the safety of the house. Poor kid. He hoped she wasn’t stopped by too many people.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he strode in the same direction, staying clear of the lighted areas, not anxious for anyone to recognize him and start shooting the bull. He wouldn’t mind running into Clint or Joe, although he knew enough to keep his mouth shut about what he’d just seen. Whatever happened with the engagement, whether she was foolish enough to give the guy a second chance or send him packing, it was up to Kate to deliver the news to her family.

Man, he hoped she did the smart thing. Nah, he didn’t have to worry. Kate had more pride and gumption than to take back the bastard. She’d cut him loose. Unfortunately, that was the easy part. The next few days of second-guessing and painful self-doubt was the stage he didn’t envy her. The pointless replaying of conversations that had left her uneasy, of the excuses he’d given that she so readily and irrationally accepted. Mitch knew the drill. He’d been there himself once.

Mitch rubbed the tension building at the back of his neck. Damn, he wished he hadn’t headed to the bunkhouse. He needed to focus on the rustling problem, and now all he could think about was rearranging that jerk’s face.

AFTER BEING STOPPED TWICE, Kate raced though the kitchen door and upstairs to her bedroom. More people would undoubtedly be looking for her to give their thanks and bid her good-night. She didn’t care. Better they couldn’t find her than breaking down in front of them.

If no one mentioned her engagement, she’d probably be okay, but she hadn’t been willing to take the chance. Word would spread soon enough that the wedding was off. Not even if Dennis got down on his knees and begged forgiveness, or took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle announcing to the world what a jerk he’d been and pleading for a second chance would she give in.

She locked her bedroom door, leaned back against it and slowly sank to the floor. How could Dennis have been so callous? It was horrible enough that he’d betrayed her, but in her own backyard? The throbbing at her temples intensified until the pain blurred her vision. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to cry, the searing sting of tears burning the backs of her lids.

The hazy image of the woman he’d been kissing edged into Kate’s mind. She hadn’t gotten a very good look at the blonde and couldn’t say if she knew her or not. Everything had happened so fast. But she recalled the short skirt and the bleached, teased hair. The kind of woman the cowhands picked up in the local bar for a night.

Kate shuddered. Ironically, one of the problems she’d had with Dennis was that he was a bit of a stuffed shirt. Conservative and proper to a fault, even for a school principal. His goal was to become superintendent of schools for the West Texas district. She understood he needed to protect his image, but how often had she tried to get him to loosen up when they were alone? Yet he’d risked everything by compromising himself at the side of the damn bunkhouse.

Drawing her legs up, she hugged her knees to her chest, hoping to ease the pressure there. She felt hollow and empty and so terribly stupid. How could she not know this man? She’d been dating Dennis for nearly two years. Even when they had no time to share dinner or go to a movie or a play, she saw him every day at school.

“Oh, God.” She covered her mouth with her hand, afraid she was going to be sick.

How would she be able to face him? It was one thing to have to announce that their engagement was off, but how could she expect to do her job? Go to her classroom and teach knowing his office was right down the hall, ignore the other teachers gossiping in the lunchroom and giving her pitying looks. She had a month and a half before the school year started, she reminded herself calmly. It did no good.

What a bastard. How many times had he told her how perfect she was for him? How good they were together? What he’d really meant was that she could help his career, she realized with a fresh stab of pain.

Her parents had left Kate and her two brothers a vast and profitable ranch. In the thirteen years since their deaths, under her older brother Joe’s leadership, the Sugarloaf had become the second-largest ranch in the county. Although none of them had been politically active, the Manning name meant something in the community. Enough to help Dennis become superintendent of the district.

Anger squeezed out the hurt, and she slowly pushed herself up. Good thing she’d dragged her feet over ordering the invitations and meeting with the caterers. Her excuse had been that she needed to prepare for the July Fourth weekend, but the truth was, she’d effortlessly organized the festivities for the past ten years. Had instinct regarding Dennis’s motives made her cautious? She couldn’t deny the doubt that had plagued her lately, which she’d attributed to prenuptial jitters and fatigue.

The phone rang, startling her. It was him. She knew it without question, yet she moved to the nightstand to check the Caller ID, anyway. She stared at the familiar cell number, her anger snowballing with each incessant ring. Stupid jerk. Did he really think she’d be willing to talk to him at this point? Or ever?

Finally, the ringing stopped, and she exhaled slowly. Her gaze caught on the pretty pink tote bag sitting near her closet door, and a fresh wave of pain and anger swept over her. Fueled by a fury she didn’t recognize, she grabbed the bag of sexy lingerie she’d bought a week ago. The impulsive purchase had been the only thought she’d given to the wedding. Ironically, the lingerie was to have been for the honeymoon. Because she’d so desperately wanted to light a fire under Dennis. Boring, straitlaced Dennis, who’d always seemed to prefer watching the news channel to cuddling with her.

With a whimper, she took the bag with her as she started yanking open dresser drawers. Why, she didn’t know, because she doubted she’d find a pair of scissors. There was one in the kitchen and probably a pair in the laundry room, but she couldn’t wait to cut up the stupid black lace teddy.

How many times had she reasoned with herself that Dennis simply wasn’t the passionate sort? His kisses were tame, his sexual appetite bordering on nonexistent. Yet he’d been all over the blonde as if he was a starving man. Obviously Kate was the one lacking, the one he found inadequate.

She swallowed back a sob. Screw him. He wasn’t worth a single tear.

The phone rang again, and without even checking to see who it was, she picked up the receiver and slammed it down. But before she got to the door, it rang again. Was he insane? Was he going to call all night? Her nerves couldn’t take it. This time after she slammed it, she picked up the receiver again and laid it beside the phone. Clint and Joe used their cells more than the landline. She doubted they’d realize the phone was off the hook. She was the one who was going to go mad if she had to listen to the warning buzz another second.

The tote bag still clutched to her breasts, her gaze darted to the dresser. Her car keys. Hadn’t she left them there? No, they were in her purse. She grabbed the brown leather strap and swung the bulky pocketbook over her shoulder. She had to get out of here. No one would miss her. Not until morning. The problem was, she didn’t know where to go.

She hesitated at the door, her hand on the doorknob, her palm suddenly clammy.

Mitch. He’d be staying at his family’s ranch alone tonight. Her breath caught in her throat. Could she really do that? Just show up? Her gaze lowered to the scrap of black lace lying in the tote bag, and she suddenly recalled their hug. She briefly closed her eyes and replayed how good his arms had felt around her, how close he’d held her. How fast he’d made her heart beat.

No, that’s not what she wanted right now. Besides, he’d never considered her as anything other than a pesky kid sister, and the last thing her bruised ego needed was more rejection. She stiffened, her hold on the doorknob a death grip.

Except that wasn’t how he’d held her.

There had been nothing casual about the way he stroked her back, and had started to cup her fanny. Mitch had physically reacted to her. And definitely not as little Katie Manning. The thought registered with shocking clarity. At the time she’d felt too guilty about Dennis to absorb what had happened, but she wasn’t wrong.

She swallowed. Was she?

Before she lost her nerve, she opened her bedroom door, checked to be sure the coast was clear and slipped into the hall. If she hurried, she’d probably beat him back to his place.

IT HAD BEEN GOOD TO SEE Clint again, Mitch thought as he passed the detached garage and parked his pickup near the front door of the rambling old ranch house. The porch steps needed a few repairs and the whole front a new paint job, but considering the age of his family’s place, it was still in pretty good shape. No thanks to him.

Mitch pushed away the guilt that had started to gnaw at him the moment he’d set eyes on the wooden sign that arched over the entrance to the ranch. Though his father had never once complained, Mitch knew that keeping the ranch operational for the past few years had been a struggle. Their longtime foreman had retired, and then Clarence, who’d been expected to take his place, had to step aside after injuring his back while dropping hay from the back of a pickup. Soon after, the rustlers had struck for the first time.

It was Mitch’s sister who’d finally filled him in on the news. His parents hadn’t bothered. Why should they? Hadn’t they figured out long ago they couldn’t count on their only son for help? That the only thing they could count on was for him to selfishly go his own way?

Exhausted suddenly, Mitch climbed out of the truck and headed for the front door. He’d driven ten hours straight yesterday, and another ten today with only a half hour stop to shovel in some fast food. Turned out he’d pushed hard for nothing. He’d missed the July Fourth celebration anyway. Probably just as well. Once again he’d been thinking about himself by wanting to use the gathering to talk to as many neighbors as possible. But the folks around here deserved a festive weekend without their thoughts being consumed by the rustling problem.

Just as he got to the porch steps he thought he saw a light flicker from the second floor. He stopped, his gaze scanning the darkened windows. The moon was full, and he decided that he must have seen a reflection off the glass. He’d stopped by earlier, long enough to take in his duffel bag and grab a quick shower. As he’d always done, he’d left the front door unlocked without giving the habit a second thought. Maybe he’d better start paying more attention.

He let himself in, then waited and listened. Enough moonlight shone in through the windows that he didn’t need to turn on lights. He climbed the stairs, smiling at the familiar creaks. How many times had he been busted trying to sneak in after curfew because of these damn noisy stairs? More than he could count. Even his sister had gotten in trouble a night or two.

He stopped in the bathroom to brush his teeth before going to his old room. Now that he was six-one, he wasn’t looking forward to sleeping in the double bed that had been perfectly fine until college. His parents had a king-size bed in the master bedroom that would be more comfortable, but the pull of his old room was too strong.

The moon’s glow continued to provide enough light until he got to the end of the hall. His parents had left most of the furnishings, but surprisingly, he noticed the few missing pieces they had taken with them. As a kid he couldn’t have cared less about the cherry table his father had painstakingly labored over for two winters or the grandfather clock his great-great-grandmother had brought with her from Germany, but their absence produced a pang of sadness he couldn’t explain.

When he got to his room, he stopped short of flipping on the switch for the glaring overhead light. Instead, he used the moonlight to guide him to the lamp.

“Mitch?”

The soft voice startled him and he nearly knocked over the lamp. “Who the—Katie?”

“Yes.”

He righted the lamp, found the switch and muted light flooded the room. Lying in his bed, the blue handmade quilt drawn to her chin, she blinked and squinted at the invading glow of the lamp.

“Damn it, Katie, you scared the hell out of me.”

Her mouth curved in a tentative smile. “I didn’t think you were afraid of anything. You even worked as a bodyguard for that TV actress for a while, didn’t you?”

“What are you doing here?”

Her lips thinned and she shrank back. “Waiting for you.”

“In my bed?”

She blinked, uncertainty and embarrassment filling her green eyes. And then she lifted her chin. “You want me to leave?”

Mitch stared at her, feeling more helpless than he had in a long time. His mind flashed back to the earlier scene at the bunkhouse. Obviously that’s what this was about. She was hurting, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d only make her feel worse. But this was Katie…in his bed. Shit. This was totally messed up.

“No, I don’t want you to leave,” he said finally.

She gave him a fleeting smile of relief, and then moistened her lips. “The front door was unlocked.”

“Old habit. Maybe not such a good idea these days.” Giving her his back, he walked to the dresser to toss his keys, feeling like a flustered fourteen-year-old.

“Probably not,” she said, sounding wounded.

He realized what he’d said, how she had taken it, but he had no idea how to backtrack. Or move forward. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Remind her she was engaged? Yeah, that would go over real well. He tried to get a furtive glimpse of her in the mirror but the angle was wrong. What was she wearing? She had the quilt pulled so far up he couldn’t tell. A succession of possibilities flitted through his head, the one of her totally nude shocking him back to reality.

He cleared his throat and slowly turned around to face her. “What’s going on, Kate?”

She hesitated, and then calmly lifted the quilt and folded it back. “Just keeping your bed warm for you.”

Black lace and bare creamy skin. Just this side of naked and as tempting as sin itself. All thoughts of her as his friends’ skinny sister fled as he slowly traced the curves of her body. Everything about her was lush and inviting, and his cock hardened in response.

Somewhere deep in the recesses of his brain he knew he should look away. But he just stood there, mesmerized. The sight of her plump pink-crowned breasts sent his ache deep. Visible through the sheer black material, her nipples were large and budded. His whole body tensed. Man, he had a thing for large pink nipples. He could almost taste them. Hungered to roll his tongue over those tight nubs as he thrust into all that magnificent heat. He stepped forward, reminding himself he was invited.

Then he saw her hand tremble. He gave himself a mental shake, and moved back as he lifted his gaze to her face. “This isn’t a good idea.”

She blushed. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

In spite of himself he glanced at her breasts. “No, you certainly aren’t.”

She looked pleased, and then her brows drew together in a frown. As if the thought had just occurred to her, she slowly asked, “Are you involved with anyone?”

“No.” Too late he realized he should’ve lied.

“Good.” Her attention shifted to below his belt.

No use trying to hide his erection, which only grew at her blatant stare. He had to do something now, stop this before he made a huge mistake. “I’m not involved, but you are.”

Her eyes widened, flooding with hurt and humiliation, before she shuttered them. Her chin quivered, and she pulled the quilt back over her body. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

A rush of fierce protectiveness hit him like a tidal wave, sweeping away his common sense. She looked so crushed and vulnerable he wanted to go to her, hold her. But that could be a mistake. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust himself…

That was a lie, and he knew it. He shouldn’t still be hard, knowing what she’d been through, but damn it, he was. He wanted her something fierce, almost enough to ignore his duty, their friendship.

Like the coward he was, he sat at the far edge of the bed.

“Look, Kate,” he said quietly, clasping his hands together and putting his elbows on his knees. “I understand why you’re hurt and angry. But the guy’s obviously a jerk and isn’t worth you doing something foolish that you’ll regret later.”

“Must I repeat that I’m not a kid anymore? As far as your patronizing tone—” She abruptly stopped, her expression guarded. “What did you mean? Why should I be hurt and angry?”

Mitch cursed himself. He tried to think of something quick to cover his slip, but he was at a total loss.

“Why do you think Dennis is a jerk? You haven’t even met him.” Suspicion clouded her face and she stared hard at him, as if looking for a clue.

He shrugged. “You two obviously had a fight.”

She raised herself to one elbow, oblivious of the quilt slipping from her body. Her gaze stayed fixed on his until guilt got the better of him and he had to look away.

“You saw—Oh, no.” Her words ended in a whimper. She shoved back the quilt, kicking it free of her legs and tried to crawl out of the bed. She managed to get one foot on the floor.

Mitch lunged and caught her around the waist. “Katie, wait.”

“Let me go.”

“Hear me out.”

“You were right. This was a mistake. Please.” Her voice caught. “I have to go.”

He tightened his hold, bringing her quivering body to rest against his chest. Selfishly, he was glad he couldn’t see her face. The pain he knew was there would tear him up inside. “Stay.”

“I can’t.”

He settled back and drew her onto his lap. “I promise I won’t touch you. I know you don’t want to go back and face your brothers. You think I’m an insensitive idiot…”

A strangled laugh broke from her lips, and she sniffed. “I’m okay. Really.”

“I’m not. What if the rustlers come back? You want to leave me here all alone?”

She twisted around to look at him, amusement gathering in her watery eyes. “You’re a dope.”

“Yep.” He smiled and hugged her closer. “Stay the night. We can talk if you want to. I’m still your friend, Katie, and you shouldn’t be alone. Stay.”

3

“EXCUSE ME, but five minutes ago you asked me what the hell I was doing here.” Kate tried to sound spunky but she sounded more like a whipped puppy.

Mitch chuckled. “Sorry, must be getting old. A beautiful woman wants my company and I fold just because I’ve been driving for two days.”

She sighed. “Don’t, please.” She struggled to get off his lap, but his arms tightened around her.

“What did I say?”

“When I was twelve you could’ve patronized me and I still would’ve thought the sun rose and set on your ass. Fifteen years later, I’ve had enough of patronizing men, thank you very much.”

He snorted. “Explain how I was patronizing.” He sounded genuinely perplexed, and maybe even irritated.

She smiled sadly. “Okay, so maybe you are just being a nice guy. A friend. But honestly, you don’t need to soothe my wounded ego, okay? I’m a big girl. Dennis is a creep, and I’ll get over this.” Amazing how saying his name managed to slice through her. She didn’t love him. That truth had slowly revealed itself to her over the past couple of weeks, and then come to a head tonight. But his betrayal still hurt. Did he have no respect for her at all? Why hadn’t she seen that?

If she weren’t so exhausted, she probably would’ve had the good sense to have already changed out of this ridiculous outfit and sneaked back home and into her room before anyone knew she’d left. Glancing down at the skimpy black teddy, she winced. No matter what she’d thought, this had never been a good idea. As a cocky high school jock, Mitch had been out of her league even before he’d left town.

Since then, he’d worked as a personal trainer to the rich and famous, a bodyguard for a gorgeous TV star, and last Kate heard he’d gotten his pilot’s license and now flew a private plane for a rich developer in Miami. She’d bet her brand-new SUV that the man had a beautiful young daughter who’d begged daddy to hire Mitch. He was simply one of those guys who women found charming, and no matter what, he’d always landed on his feet. And Kate was, both literally and proverbially, simply the girl next door.

Catching him off guard, she quickly pushed off his lap. Being cradled against him felt far too good, and even though she’d managed to keep the tears at bay, she didn’t trust herself to remain composed.

“Kate.” He caught her hand.

She stood there, wondering where she’d dumped her clothes, feeling terribly exposed. “Would you turn around, please?”

“Nope.”

She turned to glare at him. “Mitch.”

His gaze ran down the front of her, and she instinctively jerked her hand away and folded her arms over her chest. He cupped her waist and drew her closer. Then using one finger, he lightly stroked the upper curves of her breasts, where they plumped above the black lace and protection of her crossed arms.

She froze, barely able to breathe.

“You’ve turned into a beautiful woman, Kate. A very desirable woman. Don’t think for one moment I wouldn’t want you lying beneath me. But I’d be a bigger jerk than Dennis if I took advantage of you now.” He lowered his hand, his gaze touching the tops of her breasts before meeting her eyes.

For a second, she had trouble finding her voice. The way he looked at her, she could almost believe that he found her desirable. Almost. “Like I said, you’re a nice guy.” To her astonishment, her eyes started to burn. Damn him. She’d been holding it together. She spun away from him, furtively swiping at an errant tear. “My clothes…I don’t know where I left them….”

“Ah, Katie.” He scooped her up from behind and carried her back to the bed. The gentle way he handled her renewed the threat of tears. She did her best to hide her face as he laid her down on the sheets. “Move over.”

She felt like a big clumsy oaf trying to scoot her fanny to the other side, where the bed had been pushed up against the wall. He tucked the quilt around her body, and then sat at the edge of the mattress and pulled off his boots. Leaving on his clothes, he stretched out beside her on the small bed. He didn’t try crawling under the sheets or the quilt, but punched the pillow under his head before giving her another look.

“You okay?”

She nodded, sincerely hoping her nose wasn’t too horribly red. “This bed is too small for you as it is. I shouldn’t—”

“Come here.” He shifted, so that he could slip his arm under her neck and around her shoulders. He brought her close enough that she could lay her cheek on his chest. “Are you more comfortable?”

She hesitated, and then curled tentatively toward him.

“Are you sure you—”

He reached to switch off the lamp and then picked up her arm and put it in a more comfy position around his waist. Giving her shoulders a light squeeze, he said, “I’m sure.”

She smiled wryly. “You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“I figured you were going to tell me about that crush you had on me.”

She gave a startled laugh and lifted her head. Moonlight washed in through the parted curtains and illuminated the amusement in his face. “What?”

He lightly kissed her hair and urged her to lie back down. “Let’s see, how did you put it? You thought the sun rose and set on my ass.”

“You’re awful to bring that up. My admission was made in the heat of the moment. Besides, I was twelve.”

“I’m fascinated because I had no idea.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

Kate laughed. “I thought I was so pathetically obvious.”

“Nope. You were such a tomboy, I figured you were just trying to keep up with Joe, Clint and me.”

“Jeez. All that angst for nothing.”

“So let me get this straight. You only had the hots for me when you were twelve and then it just disappeared?”

“Shut up.”

Mitch chuckled. “I like the idea of being the coveted older man.”

“As if you didn’t have enough girls chasing after you. If I recall, the entire cheerleading squad drew straws to see who you and Clint would take to the prom.”

“Right.”

Along with the sarcasm, she thought she detected a hint of embarrassment in his voice, and she grinned. “Besides, I got over you by the time I went to college.”

“Cast aside for those college hunks, huh?”

“I rarely saw you anymore.”

The sudden tension radiating from his body put her on alert. Although the Colters never confided disappointment in their son’s frequent absences, it had to be an issue. She was sorry to have brought it up.

They lay there in silence until she wondered if he’d fallen asleep. As exhausted as she was, she was suddenly keyed up. The mere act of lying here with Mitch was so surreal it was impossible to relax. Plus, she was wearing a teddy, for heaven’s sake.

Darn it, why did she have to remember that? It shouldn’t matter. The thick quilt was quite an effective barrier between them. The thought of the sheer black lace that did nothing to hide her breasts made her squirm anyway. This was so not her style.

He lightly squeezed her shoulders. “I thought you were asleep,” he whispered.

“I thought you were.”

“We both should be.”

“Yeah.” Right. She was snuggled against Mitch’s broad strong chest. His rock-hard biceps held her a willing prisoner. Sure. She was going to get all kinds of sleep. “I have another confession.”

He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Do I want to hear this?”

She smiled. “Probably not.”

“You’re going to tell me, anyway.”

Kate wrinkled her nose, her courage slipping. It seemed funny a second ago, but maybe this was too much information. “Never mind,” she murmured.

“Now I’m curious.”

She nibbled her lower lip. “I used to kiss my pillow and pretend it was you.”

He hooted with laughter. “How did I do?”

“You weren’t bad.”

“At least better than a bedpost, I suspect.”

“Oh, much.”

Mitch laughed again. “I’m not going to ask.”

She lightly pinched his ribs. At least she tried. But he had no spare flesh. Just lean muscle that reminded her how near-perfect he was, and that she hadn’t exercised since school let out last month. “Tell me you didn’t practice kissing when you were a kid.”

“I did my share, except it always involved a girl.”

“Of course, silly me. You had them lining up.”

“You have a warped sense of history, young lady.”

Kate knew better, but she said nothing. If she were to pinch anyone, it should be herself. She was lying in bed with Mitch Colter. So he had on his clothes, and she was stiflingly swaddled like a newborn. It didn’t matter that the AC was on, this was July and the evenings didn’t cool down all that much. Normally she’d sleep with only a sheet covering her lower half. The heat from Mitch’s body didn’t help, either, or maybe it was her own rising temperature, but she had no intention of moving.

Her mind helplessly returned to Dennis. If it were him beside her, she wouldn’t hesitate to put some distance between them or tactfully point out that it was too warm to be this close. Not that he’d ever been the physical type. The lack of affection had bothered her at first, but after a while she’d gotten used to it. In fact, she’d never been crazy about the way he kissed. Too stiff, too perfunctory. And damn it, kissing was important to her. So why had she been willing to overlook such a major flaw?

“Dennis was a lousy kisser,” she muttered, for an instant uncertain whether she’d said that out loud, and then wishing she hadn’t.

Mitch shifted slightly, his chin grazing her temple, but he didn’t comment.

“Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t be talking about him.”

“Go ahead. I told you we could talk. Let it out.”

She sighed. “Maybe it was me. Maybe I just wasn’t…” She paused. This wasn’t helping. She was still too raw to censor herself, and this wasn’t the kind of conversation she wanted to have with Mitch.

“Wasn’t what?” He almost sounded angry.

She’d clearly overstayed her welcome. First she’d barged in uninvited, and now she was depriving him of sleep. “I should go. It’s late and neither of us is likely to get any rest.”

“If we don’t get to sleep, it’s because it’s too damn hot.” He freed his arm and swung his feet to the floor.

She threw back the quilt, untangling her legs, and preparing to crawl around him. Facing him tomorrow was going to be a bear. But right now she only had to worry about getting to her car, which she’d parked in the back, in the dark. Crap.

“Hold on. I’m just taking off my shirt.”

She swallowed, tempted to linger and get a good look at his naked chest. She rose before she changed her mind. “This is crazy. There’s no reason for me to stay.”

“Look, if you leave now, I’ll have to follow you back to your ranch,” he said, sounding weary. “Someone will hear us. Then Joe or Clint will come out and want to know what’s going on. Is that what you want?”

“I live fifteen minutes away, in case you’ve forgotten. You’re not following me back.”

“You’re not leaving unless I do.” He unfastened the last button, and then met her eyes with irritating authority.

“Wanna bet?” She planted a hand on her hip, ready to do battle, but then he did something totally unfair.

He shrugged out of the shirt.

The moonlight hit him just right. Helplessly, she stared at the rippling muscles of his smooth chest, the way they flexed and relaxed with the flow of his movements as he tossed the shirt toward the oak chair in the corner.

When she finally lifted her gaze, she found that he was staring at her breasts through the sheer black teddy. His preoccupation made her feel marginally better. At least he hadn’t caught her ogling him.

He blinked, briefly met her gaze and then pushed the quilt to the foot of the bed. “A sheet should be enough,” he murmured.

“Enough for what?”

The question drew a crooked smile from him. “Get back in.”

Kate pressed her lips together. She was enjoying this. No matter how small the chink in his armor, this was a human side to Mitch she’d never experienced. He’d always seemed controlled and in charge.

“Do I have to pick you up?” he asked with one arched brow.

“I thought you were afraid of bodily contact.”

“Afraid, hell,” he scoffed. “I’m terrified down to my little toes.”

She grinned. He was being sweet, and she appreciated the gesture. “You know, there is a sensible solution. I could sleep in your sister’s old room.”

He hesitated, considering the possibility. “Too dusty. It took me half an hour to get this room ready.” He yawned heartily. “How much longer are we going to argue about this?”

Disappointment dampened her spirits. She’d enjoyed the brief flirtation, but apparently she wasn’t that irresistible. Like the good girl she’d always been, she crawled back into bed.

The truth was, she didn’t want to have to talk to anyone else tonight. Or disrupt the whole house by trying to sneak back in this late.

The sheets were nice and cool compared to the heavy quilt. She slid between them, and then shrank close to the wall to give him as much room as possible.

After Mitch got in beside her, he pulled her back to lie on his chest again. But this time there was no fabric between her cheek and his smooth taut skin. She fisted her hand, afraid she might unconsciously grope him.

He stroked her back. “Am I crowding you?”

“No.”

“Then relax,” he whispered.

She thought he might have kissed the top of her head, but she wasn’t sure. “I have one more question and then I promise I’ll shut up.”

“What’s that?”

“Did you get a good look at her?”

His hand stilled; she missed the soothing motion. “Who?”

“The woman.” She cleared her throat. “The blonde who was with Dennis.”

“No,” he said reluctantly.

“It happened so fast that I—” She couldn’t seem to clear the obstruction in her throat. “I know she had blond hair, that’s about all.”

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not,” she said softly.

“The guy is a friggin’ dirtbag,” Mitch said hotly. “And an idiot.”

She smiled, knowing Mitch’s fervor burned in her defense. “And a lousy kisser. That’s quite unforgivable, actually.”

Mitch caught her off guard by hooking a finger under her chin. As he forced her to look up, he tilted his own head back. “Any man who doesn’t take the time to kiss you thoroughly isn’t worth his salt.”

She held her breath. Was he simply making a point or was he going to kiss her? At this angle she couldn’t be sure, but she could feel the tension in his body, like a tiger restraining himself from pouncing on his prey.

He gently brushed his lips across hers. “You deserve better, Kate,” he said quietly. “You’re pretty and smart and kind and—”

“A real girl next door, huh?” Her shoulders sagged. He wasn’t going to kiss her. He was patronizing her again. “Guess the only way I’m ever going to light a fire is with a book of matches.”

He chuckled. “And you have a sense of humor.”

“Yeah, I’m hilarious.”

“Ah, Katie, I am sorry about what happened tonight. But don’t let that guy do this to you.”

“Deep down I think I’ve known for a couple of weeks what I had to do, but I hadn’t wanted to face it.” Damn, but she had to stop trembling. “I probably owe Dennis a thanks. He saved me the trouble of having to call off the wedding myself. I always did have a knack for picking out the wrong men. I should just plain give it up.”

MITCH STIFFENED. She wasn’t thinking clearly, that was for certain. It wasn’t like her to indulge in this kind of self-pity, even though she deserved to wallow. And here he’d been about to take advantage of her vulnerability. Hell, it was only going to be one kiss. Still, bad timing. But he knew she was feeling unwanted and unattractive, and it wasn’t right. He hated that the ass had her second-guessing herself. A kiss from him wasn’t going to fix that.

She’d get over the betrayal, since the Kate he remembered was too bright and sensible to let a man determine her worth. But it would take some time for the fog of pain to lift. In the meantime, the best thing he could do for her was be a friend.

“Mitch?” She was looking up at him, most of her face in shadow, but the slight tremor in her voice told him more than he could read in her eyes. “Are you going to kiss me?”

He should’ve let her go, he realized. Urged her to leave the minute he’d arrived home. She’d be safely tucked away in her own bed right now, asleep, after having indulged in a cathartic crying jag. Then, tomorrow she could get on with the grieving process. Leave it to him to mess up everything.

Mitch kissed the tip of her nose, and then each eyelid.

He lowered his hand from her chin. “Get some rest, Kate,” he said, before extricating his arm from beneath her shoulders. It wasn’t easy but he rolled over, giving her his back and letting one arm dangle off the bed.

Best thing for everyone concerned was for him to stay the hell away from Kate Manning.

4

MITCH WAS STRETCHED OUT on the hardwood floor beside the bed when she woke. His pillow was beneath his head but he had no sheet or anything else to keep him comfortable. Kate winced, but there would be time later for kicking herself for being so self-centered. The muted dawn light coming through the window told her she had to get home fast. Never mind the embarrassment of facing Mitch in the light of day, her girlfriends would be leaving for the Houston airport soon.

Carefully, she crawled to the foot of the bed where she could avoid stepping on him. Suddenly, she remembered the pink tote—it held her clothes and it was sitting on the floor near the door. She tiptoed toward the bag, snatched it up and kept walking until she reached the bathroom. For all she knew, she’d awoken him, but she hadn’t dared turn around. It wasn’t even so much the skimpy black teddy barely covering her bottom that had her anxious to disappear, although that would probably haunt her later. It was the idea that she’d for even a mere second thought she could find comfort, or worse, validation in Mitch Colter’s arms.

She slipped quietly into the bathroom and changed in record time, her skin clammy with the residual effects of a bad dream. The kind you wake up to and feel intense relief that the events hadn’t been real. She should have reconsidered before coming here. The tequila couldn’t be blamed for her poor judgment because she hadn’t touched a drop. Yet her reckless actions had been atrociously akin to the time when one of the cowhands had come off a bender and deemed it smart to climb on a newly acquired wild mustang. He’d ended up breaking an arm and a leg. Maybe she should consider herself lucky. Then again, she might prefer broken bones to her shattered pride.

Fortunately, she made it out of Mitch’s house, and back to the Sugarloaf without incident. Several men were out near the barn doing their morning chores, but the house was quiet, even the kitchen. Kate had given their housekeeper the week off after all the extra work she’d done for the party, so Kate started the coffee and then hurried upstairs to get out of last night’s clothes and grab a shower.

The place was eerily quiet. Normally Joe and Clint would have been up already, eating a quick breakfast and slurping down coffee before they went outside to work. But Kate hadn’t expected them to lapse into routine this morning. Not after hooking up with two of her friends over the weekend. Even Jessica, her third college roommate, had found an unlikely connection with Ben, a friend of the Manning family. How ironic that the three of them had come all the way to Texas to help her celebrate her engagement and each ended up finding someone.

Kate hated that she was jealous. But Dennis had never once looked at her the way Joe had gazed yearningly at Lisa last night. And the glorious way Clint made Dory smile…

It was more than Kate could think about without wanting to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over her head. She hurried with a minimum of makeup, mostly to hide the dark circles under her eyes, leaving her hair to dry by itself. It would end up wavy and too wild but she didn’t care. After her friends left, she planned on hibernating for a week.

By the time she started downstairs, she still hadn’t decided what to tell her friends. She didn’t want their weekend to end on a bad note, yet they had to be wondering about what happened last night.

“Kate?”

She heard Dory’s voice just as she entered the hall to the kitchen. Kate pasted on a cheerful face and turned to her friend. Jessica was directly behind Dory, both of them wearing concerned frowns.

“Good morning,” Kate said brightly, and then burst into tears.

THE SUGARLOAF WAS BACK to normal. The tents were gone, the stage and booths already dismantled, only a few picnic tables and benches remained near the bunkhouse. Mitch had intended to help with the teardown and clean up, but he’d gotten up too late. He pulled his pickup off to the shoulder of the driveway and noticed Clint’s truck parked near the barn. Good. Mitch was hoping to catch either him or Joe, preferably both of them.

As he climbed out of his pickup, his gaze went toward the house. Kate’s small SUV was nowhere in sight but that didn’t mean she wasn’t home. She could have parked in the garage or on the other side of the house. He hoped it wouldn’t be awkward when they saw each other later. That she’d skipped out while he was still asleep wasn’t a total surprise, but he wished they could have talked first. He was totally okay with how last night had played out, but he had a feeling she wasn’t.

Pete, one of the cowhands who’d been working for the Mannings for as long as Mitch could remember, waved him toward the barn. The tempting smell of coffee coming from inside was enough incentive.

“Good to see you again, Mitch,” the old-timer said. “I thought I spotted you last night.”

“Yep, I got here late. Wish I could’ve made it for the rodeo.”

“Don’t know if you heard, but Ben didn’t ride yesterday. Got himself a spinal fracture and had to quit rodeoing. The doc said if he gets thrown one more time it could do him in.”

“I found out last night.” He’d felt badly about the news and looked for Ben. They’d known each other since kindergarten. “Too bad his career got cut short, but at least he had enough sense to call it quits.”

Nodding, Pete raised his mug. “I reckon you’re looking for Joe and Clint, but there’s a fresh pot of coffee brewing inside if you’ve got a mind to take a cup.”

“Come on, Pete. Have I ever turned down your coffee?”

The gray-haired man chuckled, and Mitch followed him inside, noticing the slight stoop to his shoulders and how he favored his right leg. The eight years since he’d last seen Pete hadn’t been kind to the older man. Mitch thought about his own father, trying to keep the ranch afloat with only two hired hands for help. Granted, he was a good ten years younger than Pete, but that knowledge didn’t dull the stab of guilt.

The inside of the barn had hardly changed. A large assortment of tack was neatly arranged on the left wall, dozens of bales of hay were stacked between the horse stalls and two rows of saddles. In the corner was a shed. That was new. Not so the smells. The musky scent of sweat mingled with leather and hay was as familiar as the packed dirt beneath his boots.

By the time Mitch filled a mug with the strong black brew that Pete was famous for, he heard Clint’s and Joe’s voices as they entered the barn. They both wore new jeans and Western-cut shirts, instead of the usual faded work Levi’s jeans and T-shirts. Joe looked as if he might even have polished his boots.

The old-timer obviously noticed Mitch’s surprise because he leaned over and whispered, “Them boys are in love.” Cackling to himself, he strode past Joe and Clint on his way out of the barn.

Joe saw Mitch first and extended his hand as he approached. “Clint told me you were here last night. Sorry I missed you, buddy.”

“I hit a lot of traffic outside of Dallas and got here late. But I’ll be staying awhile.” He shook Clint’s hand, too, even though he’d seen him briefly last night. “What are you two all gussied up for?”

“We just got back from the airport,” Joe said, glancing at Clint. “Kate’s friends had flights to catch.”

“They must be mighty-fine-looking friends.”

Clint grinned.

Joe rubbed his jaw, looking uncharacteristically sheepish.

Mitch guessed the old-timer was on to something. “Where’s Kate? Didn’t she go with you?”

Clint frowned. “Kate? No, why?”

Mitch tensed. “They are her friends.”

“We kind of wanted to see them off, and anyway she had a headache. Look, I’m going to go change.” Joe clapped him on the shoulder. “Have you eaten?”

“Thanks, but I have to run into town,” Mitch said absently, his mind on Kate. Clearly she hadn’t told her brothers about Dennis yet. Mitch hadn’t expected her to mention his role last night, but he was still relieved to know that her brothers had been kept in the dark. “Before I go I wanted to ask you about the new sheriff.”

“He’s not that new. Been in office over a year now. For the most part folks have been fairly happy with the job he’s done.” Clint poured himself a cup of coffee. “I expect you want to talk to him about the rustling.”

Mitch nodded, and Clint and Joe exchanged concerned looks.

“I can change later,” Joe said grimly. “Why don’t we go sit in the kitchen and talk?”

Something about the way Joe had lowered his voice made Mitch uneasy. There were a couple of cowhands working near the stalls. Did Joe suspect their own men of being involved? Or had the situation deteriorated to the point that no one knew who to trust? Then, too, Mitch wasn’t anxious to go to the house and run into Kate. Not in front of her brothers.

“I didn’t mean to ambush you. I’m going to be around awhile. This can wait.”

“Now is as good a time as any.” Joe passed a weary hand over his face. “I’m still tired from the weekend. It’s not like I’m gonna get much done today.”

“Amen.” Clint drained his coffee. “Let’s go.”

Mitch had little choice but to follow their lead, and hoped like hell Kate was locked away in her room. Though he had a feeling she’d do her best to stay clear of him, too.

After walking the modest distance under the broiling sun to the house, they all decided they’d had enough coffee. Clint got a pitcher of iced tea out of the refrigerator, while Joe brought out glasses and set them on the kitchen table. As he’d done hundreds of times before, Mitch sat at the familiar oak table with his two friends, and damn if it didn’t feel like only weeks had passed instead of years.

“Where’s Ben?” he asked. “He hasn’t left yet, has he?”

“He had some business in Dallas, and then he was going to head up to look at some land in the panhandle.” Clint removed his hat and hung it off the back of a spare chair. “He’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”

Mitch figured he hadn’t worn his Stetson in ten years. He hoped it was still in his closet. “How’s he doing? Having to quit rodeoing had to be quite a blow.”

“I think he’s still in shock.” Clint shook his head. “The dummy wanted to ride one last time yesterday. Good thing one of Kate’s friends talked him out of it.”

Mitch felt for Ben. Hard enough to be forced to give up something you love, worse when it happens when you’re at the top of your game. “I’m glad I’ll get to see him.”

“So you are sticking around for a while then?” Joe unsnapped his cuffs and rolled them back.

“For as long it takes to find out what’s going on with these rustlers.”

Clint snorted. “They’re sneaky cowards. After they strike they lie low long enough for everyone to think they’ve moved on, then bam, they move in again.”

“You guys haven’t had any trouble, have you?” Mitch asked.

“None.” Joe shook his head. “They only seem to be hitting the smaller, lower-tech ranches. Except for the Double R. Frank Reynolds got slammed twice by them. He lost so many cattle the second time that he had to let half his men go. Friday night he told me he might have to sell off his north pasture just to make payroll and supplement whatever herd he has left.”

A sickening thought occurred to Mitch. “Anything happen over the weekend?”

“No, Joe and I brought in extra security from Houston and made sure guards were posted at all the ranches,” Clint said. “We figured the long weekend would be open season with most folks attending the festivities here.”

The Mannings’ generosity didn’t surprise Mitch. They were busy running the second-largest ranch in the county, yet they’d always looked out for their neighbors. “Shouldn’t the sheriff have taken care of that?”

“It’s only him and two deputies,” Joe said, shrugging. “They can only do so much. As it was, neither Chuck Jackson or Lou Davis came with their families to the party this year. They were too afraid to leave their property even with the extra guards.”

Mitch grudgingly acknowledged that the sheriff could cover only so much territory. He still didn’t like the man.

Clint studied Mitch thoughtfully. “Have you met the sheriff yet?”

“No, I talked to him on the phone. But he sure was one uncooperative son of a gun.”

Clint frowned. “Can’t account for that. He seems to be a fairly straight shooter. Nobody’s complained about him, anyway.”

“Look how long this has been going on, and he has no leads?” Mitch grunted. “You’d think he would’ve asked for outside help by now.”

“You have a point,” Joe agreed. “Though there hasn’t been an incident since beef prices dropped. Which makes sense since typically that’s when rustling cools down.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t help the victims who’ve already been chased off their ranches.” Mitch’s bitterness rang through loud and clear. “Matter of fact, I just didn’t like the sheriff’s attitude when I called. I hope he’s not an ass in person.”

“Want me to go to town with you?” Clint offered.

Mitch half smiled and pushed back from the table. “I promise not to raise any hell.”

KATE WOULD HAVE MUCH preferred to shut herself in her room for the day, but from her bedroom window she saw Mitch’s truck coming down the driveway and knew she had to leave. Joe and Clint would probably invite him to dinner later, and she was far from ready to face him even then. Especially not in front of her brothers. For a minute she considered stretching out her headache excuse if they tried to get her to go downstairs, but eventually she concluded she’d be better off leaving.

After scribbling a note that she’d gone to town and leaving it in the den, she sneaked out the patio door near where she’d parked her car last night. If her brothers and Mitch heard her leave, she didn’t care, though she doubted they would be able to all the way from the barn.

As soon as she got to the highway she switched on her cell phone, annoyed to see that she had four messages from Dennis. She didn’t want to worry her brothers by being unreachable. Dennis, on the other hand, could get lost. She still hadn’t talked with him since last night, nor had she told Clint and Joe that the wedding was off. Naturally, they’d want to know what happened, and she doubted they’d settle for her claiming irreconcilable differences.

If she told them the truth, they’d likely go kick Dennis’s ass. As much as he’d deserve it, the humiliation factor for her to admit that he cheated squashed that option.

She arrived in town in record time, which meant she had to have been speeding like crazy. The scary thing was that she had no recollection of how fast she’d driven. After parking in front of Wilbur’s Food Town, she sat numbly in the car. Her head felt heavy from lack of sleep and from the frank and emotional conversation she’d had with her friends before they’d left this morning. They had all wanted to run Dennis up a flagpole. She really should have let them.

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