Caught in the Act: Book Two: Independence Falls (8 page)

Chapter 10

“W
E’RE NOT SELLING
the company to Moore Timber,” Katie assured the balding man with the weathered face. Joe Fidderman, owner of Black Hills Timber, nodded. But his hand holding the pen over the signature line of the contracts did not move.

“I have nothing against Eric. I knew his father well and he’s grown up to be a fine young man. The way he has grown that business . . .” Mr. Fidderman shook his head. “We’re not competing in the same league anymore.”

“You’re branching out into different areas.” Katie forced a smile as she tried not to stare at the hand holding the pen above the paper. “By letting us take away the branches and other typically unused pieces from your timber harvests, you’re helping to create energy. All of that material will be turned into biomass fuel. And at the same time, we’re cleaning up the forest floor. Some would argue that alone will help prevent forest fires.”

Mr. Fidderman nodded, lowering the pen to the paper.

“Eric Moore is not interested in biomass,” she added. “We are.”

“If you’re sure your brothers don’t want to sell—”

“Sir, I won’t lie to you,” she said. “Part of me wants to sell and move on with my life. But my oldest brother loves the company. Brody has worked so hard to keep it running. When my dad died . . . Brody was there for us. He found a way to pay for my college tuition even though times were tight. He could have moved away, pursued his own passions, but instead he set everything aside for us. For me. And he’s not ready to sell.”

Mr. Fidderman nodded. “Well then, you have yourself a deal, Ms. Summers.”

Katie held her breath as the older man scrawled his signature across the contract. She’d done it. She’d secured the future of Summers Family Trucking. She stood, reaching across the desk to take the papers.

“I look forward to working with you,” he said.

Katie tightened her grip on the contracts. “And my brothers.”

“But you’re the one with the vision. I like that about you,” he said, finally releasing the documents she’d been dying to get her hands on. “I feel confident that with you steering this ship, we stand to make a pretty penny.”

Forcing a smile, she nodded. Montana was sounding more and more impossible. Of course, they had not offered her the job. Yet. She’d aced the interview this morning. But still, if Brody had walked away from them when opportunity came his way after their dad died, she never would have finished college.

“Of course. And in time, I think you’ll find you like working with Brody. He knows this business inside and out.”

“I understand loyalty,” Mr. Fidderman said. “I respect what you’re doing for them. Keeping the company afloat. It’s not an easy thing to do in this market. I think we’ll make good partners. And if this helps prevent forest fires, I’m all for it. Lord knows I can’t afford another one on my land. The last one, about two years back, nearly wiped me out.”

Katie said good-bye and walked out of the Black Hills office clutching the contracts to her chest. She’d done it. Now they didn’t need Moore Timber or Liam Trulane. Of course she still needed to convince Chad and Josh that walking away from a million dollars—or more if Liam raised the offer—made sense.

In her back pocket, her cell phone vibrated. Setting the contracts on the hood of the car, she retrieved it and glanced at the screen. Montana. And there was only one person there who had a reason to call her—Carol Lewis, owner of the Safe Haven.

“Hello?” she answered, biting back the words:
Did I get the job?

“Katie, this is Carol Lewis. I spoke with your sheriff. He told me about the horses you rescued last night.”

“Actually, my brother was home and accepted them,” she said.

“Because you insisted. Katie, I’m impressed with your knowledge of finance. But that’s not why I’m offering you the position. I want to leave the Safe Haven with someone who will always put the animals first. The business side is important. And heaven knows, I couldn’t run this place without donations. But at the end of the day, it is about loving the animals no one else wants.”

“It is,” Katie said, staring out at the mountains. On the other side of those peaks stood her family’s barn filled with misfit horses and goats. Animals who depended on her, who needed—

“Wait, did you just offer me the job?” Katie said.

Carol Lewis laughed. “Yes. I did. So what do you say?”

Yes
. The word was on the tip of her tongue. “Thank you,” Katie said, closing her eyes. “I’m thrilled and honored. But I . . . I need a few days to think about it.”

“Of course. It is a big move and I don’t wish to rush you. However, I’m leaving soon and need to make sure the Safe Haven is in good hands.”

“I understand. I’ll have an answer for you soon. I promise.” Katie ended the call and set her phone down on the hood of her wagon beside the contracts.

“I got the job,” she whispered, staring out at the familiar scenery. But the triumph was bittersweet. Brody and her brothers needed her here. Part of her wanted to say yes, but she had a feeling that wasn’t the right thing to do for her family.

L
IAM LEANED AGAINST
his car, his phone in his hand. He texted Katie, telling her they were set for tomorrow’s trip to the cabin. He’d managed to push the fact that this was a “research” trip for his little sister’s bachelorette to the far corners of his mind. He was going for Katie. An entire night alone with her . . .

A response flashed on his screen
. I’ll meet you at the reservoir dock. And I have a few surprises for you.

Grinning like a fool, Liam pushed off his car and headed for the front door to Moore Timber and down the hall. Surprises? As long as they didn’t interfere with his plans to earn her trust, to show Katie that he needed and wanted her in his life, he was game to experiment. They had been pretty creative under the twin fir trees seven years ago, but he’d learned a lot since then. He had a few ideas of ways to make her scream his name again and again.

“Whatever you’re thinking, I’m guessing it has little to nothing to do with Wilson’s widow’s land,” Eric mused, his shoulder resting against the doorway to his office.

Liam chuckled. “Nope. But we’re done over there. Josh Summers hauled the last load from the landing a few hours ago.”

“Good. Come in and have a drink. I need to fill you in on my chat with my friend Tim Granger. Remember him? He’s the number two at Black Hills Timber.” Eric returned to his desk chair and started leafing through papers.

Liam followed him, collapsing into one of the leather chairs across from Eric’s desk. “Yeah, I know Tim. Good guy.”

Eric walked to the mini-fridge and pulled out two waters, tossing one to Liam. “Turns out his boss just signed a contract with Summers Family Trucking to haul the excess from their harvests to the biomass plant.”

“That’s what the new trucks and the chipper are for,” Liam said, leaning back in his chair.

“With that deal, they’re worth more than we thought,” Eric said. “But I couldn’t figure out why they didn’t tell us about the pending contract. And then Tim told me who negotiated the deal. It was all Katie.”

Liam knew he should be pissed that she’d hidden this from him, but his pride in her swelled. “All by herself?”

“Maybe. I think her brothers know, but they still want to sell. I suspect Brody thinks the company is holding his siblings back, Katie in particular. And he’ll want to do what is best for his family. He’s always put their interests first.”

“Then Katie’s the driving force behind the counteroffer too.”

“That’s my guess.” Eric placed his elbows on his desk. “After talking with Tim, I can tell you one thing. Any deal we negotiate with Summers Family Trucking should include her.”

Every muscle in his body tensed. “You want her to work here? For Moore Timber?”

Eric nodded. “Her forward-thinking business sense makes Katie one of Summers Family Trucking’s biggest assets.”

“She’s not going to like that. She plans to take that job in Montana if they offer it.”

“Maybe not, but I get the feeling she’ll understand. You’re seeing her this weekend, right?”

“I am.” Liam frowned. “But I wasn’t planning to talk shop.”

“I’m not asking you to discuss mergers and acquisitions over dinner. I don’t want to tip our hand until Monday’s meeting, which by the way needs to include her. But it would be great if she had another reason to stay in Independence Falls.”

Liam lifted his bottle of water to his lips and quickly drained it. He needed to make the right decision for Moore Timber. His best friend since grade school had trusted him with a piece of the business. Liam damn well better do right by Eric.

But the thought of spending Saturday night with Katie and not telling her about Eric’s offer—it felt wrong. And when it came to Katie, he’d already screwed up.

“There is a lot of money to be made in this area,” Eric continued. “I don’t have the connections. Hell, I spoke out against it at the state loggers’ association years ago when it was first introduced. My father was against it and I followed his lead. Most of the leaders in this area probably wouldn’t take my calls.”

Liam lowered his empty bottle. “But they’d talk to Katie.”

“They would. The industry has changed. And we need to move with it,” Eric said. “I plan to hand Moore Timber over to Nate one day. And when I do, I want it to be a thriving company.”

“I get it man, I do.” Liam wanted to leave a piece of this business to his kids one day too, not just a pile of bills marked overdue like his dad had left behind. “But I can’t hurt her again.”

“I’m not asking you to trick her into selling, working here, or even staying,” Eric said. “Just move up your timetable. Do whatever you need to do to make her see that she has a future here.”

As if his friend’s words had opened a window to his dreams, Liam pictured Katie living with him in the house he planned to build on the land. They’d keep her animals. All of them. His imagination ran wild, adding a barn to the property for her horses and riding trails cut through the woods.

He wanted to turn that fantasy into reality. But if she suspected he’d tried to manipulate her, even for a minute, she’d walk away and never look back.

Liam turned and headed for the door. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Chapter 11

K
ATIE STARED OUT
at the smooth surface of the lake. The water level was low, but Liam’s friend had agreed to let them take the boat. She’d reserved a “luxury” cabin on the other side, though she suspected that clean sheets and hot water were the owner’s definition of lavish amenities.

And an outdoor shower. The boudoir photographer had pointed that out to her. Apparently Clive Jones from Stolen Moments Photography loved working with water.

She glanced over her shoulder at the empty parking area. Both Liam and Mr. Jones should be here any minute. She planned to take the boudoir photographer with them, let him check out the location, and determined if he was a creep. Then they would take him back. And she would seduce Liam at the cabin.

In her postage stamp of a hometown, it wouldn’t take long for word to get back to her brothers that she’d spent the night with Liam. It had taken less than twenty-four hours seven years ago.

Of course, she could play cards with Liam all night and still probably spark her brothers’ tempers. Once the rumors started, what really happened in the cabin wouldn’t matter. But the thought of being alone with Liam and
not
touching him . . . impossible. Not with the memory of that orgasm in Big Buck’s burned into her memory.

The sound of tires hitting the gravel parking area drew her attention. Spotting Liam’s truck, she forced a smile and waved. He pulled into the space beside her wagon, opened the driver’s side door, and hopped down.

“Hi, honey.” The familiar endearment, the low timber of his voice that had been part of her life for so long—and her fantasies—pushed at her guilt. He’d apologized for the past. Offered explanations. They had both been young, stupid, and hurting.

Maybe she should abandon her plan. After all, she had the signed contract with Black Hills.

Katie frowned. She’d presented the contracts to her brothers after her meeting with Mr. Fidderman. But still, Brody had insisted that they sit down with Eric and Liam on Monday. Typical Brody, he didn’t like the fact that the deal with Black Hills would tie her to Independence Falls and prevent her from taking the job in Montana. And Josh had taken his side.

She needed to give her brothers another reason to reconsider selling to Moore Timber. And that left her with Liam.

Studying the man in front of her, Katie drew her lower lip between her teeth. His T-shirt hugged his muscular back as he turned and reached into the bed of his truck. He withdrew a small duffel and returned for more. Her gaze drifted south, admiring the way his cargo shorts fit his butt.

Yes, she wanted to push her brothers away from the deal with Moore Timber. But maybe part of her simply wanted one more night with Liam Trulane.

“What’s in the bags?” she asked.

“We needed supplies.” Liam withdrew two shopping bags from the back of his truck. “I wanted to cook dinner for you tonight. But don’t worry, there’s no bacon in there.”

“You didn’t have to go shopping.” She’d tossed a jar of sauce and a box of pasta in her bag, figuring that would be enough.

Liam set the groceries beside his duffel. Standing in front of her, so close she could run her hands over his chest and feel the muscles beneath his faded “Moore Timber” T-shirt, he smiled at her, his brown eyes warm and welcoming. “I told you before, I’m doing things right this time.”

She shoved her hands in her pockets. Maybe no one would find out about tonight. Maybe her plan would fail. The thought of being with him, free from the complications of family and revenge—

“Katie Summers?”

Katie stepped to the side, moving away from Liam and the way his powerful presence toyed with her common sense and disrupted her plans. A tall young man, who looked like he belonged in front of the lens instead of behind it, smiled as he headed toward them, one camera around his neck and a bag in his hand.

The photographer set his bag down and offered his hand. “Clive Jones.”

“Yes.” She smiled, noting the firm way he shook her hand. His skin was smooth, so different from the rough, callused feel of Liam’s touch. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Jones.”

“Please call me Clive,” he said, flashing a smile that screamed,
I was a male model in a past life
.

“And you are?” Liam demanded.

“The photographer from Stolen Moments Photography.” He beamed at Liam before turning to the lake. “This place is stunning. The light on the water . . .” Clive raised his camera.

“Photographing nature is my first love,” Clive continued over the snap, snap, snap of his high-end digital equipment. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about Stolen Moments. Combine nature with beautiful women? It doesn’t get much better. I can’t wait to see the cabin. And that outdoor shower.”

Clive gave her a wink. She’d spoken to him on the phone, but Katie had harbored the idea that a man who took pictures of women in seductive poses would be creepy, looking at her as if envisioning her naked. This man was playful and enthusiastic, but minus the slimy dude/serial killer vibe. Thank goodness.

“He’s coming with us?” Liam turned to her, hands on his hips.

“To get a sense of the setting,” Clive explained. “Katie wanted to meet in person and show me the location for the photo shoot in advance of the party.”

“Photo shoot?” Liam said. “Katie, if this is one of your surprises—”

“Mr. Jones is a boudoir photographer.” Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Clive move away as if sensing they needed space to talk. Smart man. But given his line of work, he had to land in number of awkward situations.

“A what?” Liam demanded.

“He sets up intimate photo shoots for women to share with their partners,” she said, doing her best to quote the Web site. Her takeaway had been:
This man takes pictures of women in their underwear or less
. She had nothing against the idea if it made Georgia happy. But she had some concerns too, which was why she’d called his list of references first. All the women she spoke with raved about him.

“I wanted to meet him first. Make sure he wasn’t crazy. I didn’t want to meet him alone and he expressed an interest in seeing the cabin. It made sense to bring him along. Do a test run.”

“Have you lost your mind?” The muscles in Liam’s jaw jumped, his voice rising to the point that anyone—including the photographer—could hear them.

“It was Georgia’s idea.”

Liam closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I should have locked her in the spare bedroom when I had the chance.”

“She wants her party to be special. Memorable. But we don’t have a lot of options. Your sister can’t handle crowds and there is no way I’m jumping out of a plane.” She stepped back and turned toward the dock. “Let’s head out so we can do a few trail shots, check the place out, and get Mr. Jones back before dark.”

Liam caught her arm. “You’re not taking your clothes off in front of that man.”

The way he said those words, as if she didn’t have a choice, as if the decision was his to make—it should have sparked fury. She hadn’t planned to strip down for the photographer. Not today. Not while Liam watched. Still, he had no right to tell her what to do.

“Maybe not all—”

“No.”

A thrill ran down her spine. Despite their history and the fact that she’d struggled to change, to become a different woman from the foolish girl who’d met him in the field, she wanted to see his brown eyes burn with a look that said,
You’re mine
.

“Liam,” she said, feeling as if she was poking an angry bear. “You might like the ones under the shower.”

He drew her closer, his eyes shining with a look of pure possession. “Katie, when you get wet that man will not be anywhere close to you.”

L
IAM RELEASED
K
ATIE’S
arm and headed for the man with the damn camera. If the guy wasn’t looking to take pictures of Katie and, shit, his little sister, he might have slapped him on the back and asked how the hell he started a business taking pictures of mostly naked women. When he heard Clive Jones say Katie’s name, Liam had known he’d hate the surprise.

Boudoir photographer wasn’t the first thing running through his head. He’d seen the other guy and wondered if she had something wild planned for tonight. He was all for kinky sex. But he drew the line at sharing Katie—even if the guy planned to stay on the other side of the lens.

He stopped beside the photographer. “Sorry for your trouble, but you need to leave.”

Clive Jones lowered his camera. “I take it she didn’t tell you first. Look, man, I’m sorry. But if the bride changes her mind, I can leave your girlfriend out of it.”

“The bride is my sister,” Liam said. This man wasn’t getting near Georgia. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. “What do we owe you for your trouble?”

“Nothing.” Clive Jones held up his camera. “The shots of the lake in this light were worth the trip.”

“I’m sorry,” Katie added, moving to Liam’s side. “For dragging you down here. But the bride’s fiancé would probably have a similar reaction to my friend here.”

Her friend? Liam kept his mouth shut. But after tonight, they were going to be a lot more than friends. He’d taken this as slow as he could, fighting the attraction. Now he needed Katie in his life.

“Most guys, when they have the pictures in their hands, don’t care who took them,” Clive said, as he turned and headed to his car.

“I would,” Liam muttered. “And so would Eric.”

Liam scooped up his duffel and groceries, then turned to Katie. “Ready?”

“That wasn’t your call.” She picked up her bag and followed him down the small dock.

Liam set the bags beside the small blue and white motorboat. It wasn’t much, but it would get them across the lake.

“If your sister wants a boudoir photo shoot, she should have one. After all she sacrificed, Georgia deserves fun and happiness—”

“She does,” he agreed. “But I have a feeling that explaining those pictures to Eric wouldn’t be much fun. You’ll have to think of something else for her party.”

“I will. Still, you didn’t need to send him away before I got a chance to talk to him and see his work. I wanted to tell Georgia that I honestly explored the options.”

Leaning over the edge of the boat, Katie set her bag on the wraparound bench. Liam moved behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist, capturing her body against his as she stood. She’d worn jeans and a fitted sleeveless shirt. Her clothes hugged her curves, but left him longing for the short skirt she’d worn to the bar.

“She can set up her own photo shoot. I’m sure Eric knows how to work a camera.” Liam’s lips brushed her ear. “But tonight, in the cabin, that’s for us. To finish what we started at Big Buck’s.”

If he had his way, it wouldn’t end with one night in a cabin.

She leaned back against him, her hands brushing his thighs. “It might have been fun. Like foreplay.”

His hands moved to her hips, slowing turning her to face him. Liam lifted his fingers to her cheek, gently brushing her smooth skin. His lips followed. Katie touched his chest, palms flat against his T-shirt. Damn, he wished he could pull the fabric over his head and feel her skin against his. But this wasn’t the place.

He deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her lips until she let him in. Her body pressed closer, seeking his. Her hands moved to his ass, holding him tight and drawing him in until Liam could feel her chest against his. Slowly, he drew back, kissing the edge of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw.

Brushing her hair away from her eyes, he looked down at her. “Honey, I know a thing or two about foreplay.”

He slid one hand over the soft curve of her waist. Breaking their full-body contact, he lifted his hand, keeping his palm flat, brushing it back and forth against her breast. He was tempted to draw her shirt and bra away, touch her bare flesh. But first, he needed to get them to the cabin.

She pulled back, turning to the boat, offering him a heated look. “And you might be surprised what I’ve learned.”

The lower half of his body responded to her words, standing at attention, ready and waiting for a demonstration.

“Get in the boat, Katie,” he said, his voice a low growl. “Let’s see how fast we can get this ship to the other side of the lake.”

Once she’d climbed in, Liam released the ropes and turned on the engine. He stood behind the wheel, guiding the motorboat into the reservoir.

“The water level is lower than I thought,” he said. He’d already counted four stumps below the surface. Turning the wheel to avoid another, he tried to focus on getting to the other side with the boat in one piece. But with Katie seated behind him, her words and the feel of her lips, her skin, and her breasts fresh in his mind, it was a freaking battle.

The quiet, apart from the sound of the motor, allowed his mind to wander. Instead of watching for tree stumps, he pictured Katie’s shirt rising up, revealing her breasts. His hand tightened around the steering wheel.

“I’m surprised your friend let you take the boat out,” she said.

“I didn’t give him much choice,” Liam admitted. He’d told Marvin that he’d cover the damages if the boat crashed, and clean up the trees on his property. Given that Marvin owned thirty acres of forest that hadn’t been limbed in years, it was a helluva bargain.

“If only Georgia knew how committed you are to planning her bachelorette party,” Katie murmured.

He glanced over his shoulder as they crossed through the center of the lake. Her green eyes sparkled with mischief.

“You didn’t need to stay overnight to check this place out,” he said.

“No, I didn’t.”

She ran her tongue over her lips as she reached up, drawing her long, straight hair into a ponytail. Her gaze never wavered from his. That look—it was wicked and so damn enticing his balls ached. He was tempted to cut the engine and anchor here, in the middle of the water. But making love for the first time in years in a small, run-down, and barely seaworthy craft wasn’t much better than the backseat of a car.

“I wouldn’t have booked an overnight if you hadn’t offered to keep me company,” she added.