High-Stakes Passion (6 page)

A
udrey watched Mark slow his stallion to a walk. God, she loved watching the man ride a horse. The way his hips moved in the saddle and his thigh muscles bunched to control his mount. He halted at the back porch and dismounted slowly, easing his right leg over and down with a grimace, and then tied the reins at the railing.

When he stepped into the house, her stomach did a little flip. She couldn't speak.

Mark scowled. “Hell, I nearly killed myself shaving this morning.” He pointed at himself. “Isn't this what you wanted?”

He looked so different with his clean-shaven jaw and short haircut. He was still a little pale, but determined, strong and sexy as hell in that black Stetson and those tight Wranglers.

Luckily, Helen filled in the silence. “Well, there's a
proper greeting. Where'd you learn your manners, boy, in a barn?”

Mark yanked his hat off and turned to Helen. “Sorry. Guess I need some practice in that department.” His serious gaze traveled back to Audrey. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “I was just on my way to the north pasture. Thought I'd get somethin' to drink. Uh, water, I mean.”

But he didn't move.

Helen pushed away from the table and stood. “I just remembered I've got a pie to bake.” She headed for the door, but turned back. “Mark, see if you can convince Audrey to stay a while. She's planning on leaving today.”

“Helen!” Audrey glared at Helen. If looks could kill, the foreman's wife would be in ICU right about now.

“Leaving?” Mark scowled again.

Helen grinned and winked at Audrey behind Mark's back. “Y'all have a good morning. I'll talk to you later.”

How could Helen do that to her? What did Audrey do now? What a moron she was, just standing there, staring at him. She wanted to confess, to tell him her real reason for being there, but she couldn't.

In two strides he was at her side, his eyes locked on hers. “You're not going to leave before the party tonight, are you?”

Hmm. That cologne. It was the same musky scent he'd worn the night he'd rescued her. She couldn't catch her breath. “The party's tonight?”

He leaned closer. “The temporary hands are leavin'.”

“Oh, yeah. That's right.”
And so am I.

“We need to talk.”

Talk? Did he know why she was really here? He couldn't, or he'd have thrown her out.

“About what?”

He brought his hand up and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Us,” he whispered.

She closed her eyes and swallowed.
Us?
She imagined for a moment all the possibilities in that word. Mark and Audrey. A couple. Dating. Meeting each other's families. The fantasy was absurd, but deep inside exhilaration, anticipation thrummed through her body. His hand traveled down her throat. “Jim's bringing barbecue from town.”

Audrey raised her face. “That's…good,” she whispered. Her skin tingled where he touched. Maybe just for tonight…

He stepped away. “So, I'll see you tonight.”

Her eyes snapped open, and she almost pitched forward.

He'd put his hat on and turned to leave. Then he stopped and turned back. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her against his length and brought his mouth over hers for a deep kiss.

Before she could catch her breath, he let her go and left the kitchen.

He forgot his water, Audrey thought in a daze. But Mark had already mounted his stallion and ridden away.

 

Helen came back that afternoon and, to Audrey's surprise, had two pies with her. She smiled and raised her brows. “So you decided to stay?”

“Just for the party. I'll leave in the morning.”

Helen accepted her answer with a nod. “I knew he could convince you to stay,” she mumbled under her breath.

Let Helen believe what she would, but Audrey had to discover what Mark wanted to talk about. Maybe she could find the courage to tell him she worked for a magazine, and ask for an interview. She refused to run off like a coward and not finish what she'd started.

Audrey and Helen made gallons of iced tea, and set up tables in the backyard. Someone set a CD player and speakers on the porch, Jim brought the barbecue and John set a keg of beer out by the pool.

The party was in full swing when Ruth approached Audrey and handed her a beer. Audrey took a big sip just as Ruth said, “Hey, girl. I heard you and Mark were the only ones left at that poker game the other night. What happened?”

Ruth slapped her on the back a couple of times as Audrey choked. To Audrey's horror, Ruth broke into a deep laugh and looked over to where Mark stood. “I don't blame you for wantin' to check out his, uh, ‘breeding methods.' Just remember my warning.”

Audrey considered the odds of God granting her a favor and making a hole appear to swallow her up. She had to distract the cowgirl—quick. Looking over Ruth's shoulder, she spied another interesting source of bunkhouse gossip. “So, what's the deal with you and Dalt? Anything serious?”

Ruth took a quick look behind her. “With Dalt? Mr. Haven't-met-a-woman-I-couldn't-seduce? He's definitely not into serious. But horses ain't the only thing he knows how to handle.” Ruth turned knowing eyes on Audrey.

Dalt sauntered over and pulled Ruth into a two-step. Audrey remembered all the school dances she'd stood around waiting and waiting for some boy to ask her out on the floor. Her throat tightened.

Her emotions were out of control. Guilt assaulted her conscience. She'd lied to all these nice people. And what did Mark want to talk about? It couldn't be anything good.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him. Mark held a plastic cup of iced tea, and was talking to Bill Kingston,
the owner of the feed store in Quitman. He had one thumb hooked in the pocket of his jeans and his hat pushed back on his head. His blue western shirt matched his eyes, and he was so handsome it hurt. As if he sensed her stare, he turned to look at her.

Somehow, things were turned around. Tonight, Mark was the upstanding citizen and she was the self-pitying jerk.

She couldn't stay in this crowd one more second. She looked away and slowly made her way past the barn and bunkhouse.

It was a clear night with a waning moon and a blanket of twinkling stars overhead. You didn't see stars like these in the city, with all the lights and pollution. She became aware of crickets chirping and frogs croaking, and the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees. The serenity of the pine trees beckoned her like arms waiting to embrace her troubled soul. Audrey kept walking, losing herself in the beauty of the country.

She came to a stop at a creek bank. The gurgling of water over stones and the sweet smell of new grass calmed her. Nature had a way of putting things in perspective. She sat and wound her arms around her upraised knees.

She knew what was really bothering her—she didn't want to leave. Maybe if she'd finished that beer, she'd have had the guts to tell Mark the truth. What if she told him now and he threw her out in front of everyone at the party?

Leaves and twigs rustled and a shadow moved from behind a tree to her right as a figure approached. Fear immobilized her.

“You all alone out here, Audrey?” Pete came closer, stopping only a couple of feet away.

Too late she realized she'd been an idiot to come out here alone. Hadn't Ruth warned her? “Uh, well, I was just about to head back. Ruth is waiting for me to, uh…” She put her hand down and started to stand.

Before she could get fully to her feet, he lurched closer and grabbed her shoulders. “Why'd you come out here? You wanted me to follow, didn't you?” She struggled to escape his hands, but he slid one arm around her back and pulled her against him with a wiry strength. His foul breath hit her cheek as he dipped his head and planted a sloppy kiss on half her mouth.

“Pete, no.” She shoved with all her strength, but he didn't budge. Her heartbeat raced as he growled and swooped down again. This time she barely avoided his mouth.

“You aren't serious about saving yourself for that crippled old has-been, are ya?” He spat out the words as he fought to kiss her. “He's been holed up here for so long he'd screw the first thing that held still long enough.”

A wave of nausea hit her. Struggling was getting her nowhere. Time for extreme measures. Position the knee, aim for the groin….

“What are you doin' out here? Everything all right?”

Oh, that deep, husky voice. Audrey had never been so glad to hear it.

Pete dropped his hands and backed away. “Just talking, man. Everything's cool.”

She needed a moment to compose herself. She stayed where she was, gazing at the creek.

Pete turned his head and spit into the grass. “See ya later, Audrey.” He strolled back toward the party.

She heard Mark move closer and straightened her dress. There was a minute of tense silence. Had he seen her fight
ing Pete off? Did he think she'd been a willing participant in that?

“Was he botherin' you?” Mark's voice shook. He stalked past her, heading after Pete. “I'm gonna knock that punk from here to next Sunday.”

She grabbed the back of his shirt. “No!” Pete would be leaving tomorrow. No sense in Mark making a scene at the party.

Mark swiveled to face her. “You sure you're okay?”

“I'm fine. Just tired. Had a busy day.” She hoped her voice sounded normal. She tried to step away, put some distance between them. Big mistake. She didn't watch where she was going. She tripped over her own feet and started to pitch backward.

“Whoa, there.” He caught her in his arms and didn't let go.

His big hands held her shoulders just as Pete's had, but she wasn't afraid. Beneath her dress, her skin burned. She ached. Audrey looked into his eyes. They seemed black in the moonlight, and still sparked with temper. Her gaze traveled down to his close-shaven jaw, and over to his chiseled, masculine lips. They parted, and she became aware of his ragged breathing. The breeze shifted, and she smelled the musky, clean scent of his cologne. Barely aware of her actions, she rose on tiptoe and buried her nose in his neck, inhaling until she was dizzy.

Mark moaned under his breath, turning his face to nuzzle against her cheek. He stepped closer, spread his legs and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tight. He brought his palms up to cradle her face and crushed his mouth to hers for a long, hard kiss.

His lips were warm, strong and soft at the same time. Her arms stole around his neck and she angled her head to
deepen the kiss. This was so right. No hidden motives or games, only a soul-deep longing for him.

Too soon, he pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “I called your company today and let them know you're stayin' here.”

“What?” Did workers' comp cover panic attacks?

He shrugged. “The place needs a housekeeper. And you and I have some unfinished business.”

What unfinished business?
He must know! As upset as she was, she couldn't begin to sort through all the implications of his announcement. Would Mr. Burke think she had quit? And who did Mark think he was, calling Uncle Bill without asking her? He had no right.

But hadn't she been depressed at the thought of leaving and never seeing him again? Did she want to stay?

Stay? Her heart dropped to her stomach at the thought. Suddenly a lifetime of waking before dawn, cooking and cleaning for a dozen hungry ranch hands didn't sound that bad if it meant being with Mark Malone every day.

Was she in love with Mark?

Hah! It would be ridiculous if it weren't so…true. Love? No, no, no. This was just a response to his attentions. He'd kissed her and made her feel desirable. No one had ever done that before. She was just flattered and grateful.

He was a grouchy, overbearing—handsome, tender and sexy…. Enough! So he was all that. So what? Was she seriously considering giving up a career as a journalist—okay, copy editor—in Dallas just to scrub pots and pans in the middle of nowhere? Besides, she was living a lie. She couldn't do that.

“I can't do that,” she said, pushing away from him.

He let her go. “Your uncle says you can. I doubled your salary, and he accepted a finder's fee.”

She looked back up, her mind spinning. “But I, I have to be in Dallas on Monday for, uh, another job.”

“He said to tell you not to worry, he'd take care of your other assignment.”

What the heck did that mean? Had Uncle Bill talked to Mr. Burke? Was their deal off? Was she fired? Why did Mark want her to stay? Was he impressed with her spectacular housekeeping skills? She thought not.

It didn't matter why. She just couldn't do it. Even if she were willing to alter her life, she couldn't stay here without telling him the truth. The thought of telling him why she was really here made her short of breath. He'd hate her for deceiving him.

“No.” She backed away. “There must be some mistake. I can't stay here. I just can't!” She half stumbled, half ran toward the house.

Mark wanted to roar his frustration to the sliver of moon just breaking the tree line. Or better yet, jump in the creek and cool his heated flesh.

He'd watched Audrey at the party, standing on the fringes of the yard, talking to Ruth. The sight of her in that green cotton dress, with her soft hair curling around her face and those full, red lips had had him painfully aroused all night.

He felt like he was back in eighth grade, when a glimpse of one of the cheerleaders in her skimpy little skirt forced him to step into the bathroom and make a few adjustments.

When he'd caught Audrey in his arms, fire had rushed through his veins. When she'd started snuggling into his neck, he'd gone beyond the call of duty not taking her right there in the grass.

And Audrey had wanted him, too, the way she'd leaned in and opened her mouth, asking for more. What kind of
game was she playing now? And what the hell had she been doing out here with Pete? Had she arranged to meet him out here and then changed her mind? The kid was barely shaving.