Caitlyn! Lisa squealed from the far side of the round pen. Why didnt you tell me Luke Kilgore was your mysterious appointment?
Caitlyn recoiled, the name of her former lover slicing her heart like a knife.
Luke? Luke, whod left her pregnant at twenty-one?
No Why would he show up today, of all days?
She jerked her head around and saw the tall, dark man in the flawlessly cut business suit lounging against the rail beside Lisa. The sight of him looking so virile and smolderingly masculine made her mouth go dry. Once, she had longed for Lukes return, dreamed of it. But now her dream felt like a nightmare!
Those gorgeous green eyes, the high forehead, the chiseled cheek and jaw, that classically straight nose and those mocking, sensual lips that had once kissed every inch of her bodythey could belong to no one but Luke. The shock of recognition made her shiver with torrid memories.
He was as handsome as ever, but this elegantly dressed man couldnt possibly be the same bitterly ambitious cowboy shed loved.
What are you doing here? she demanded.
My driver said he called and confirmed. You and I have an appointment.
Youre Raffi Bin Najjar?
He nodded. Ive been known to answer to that.
What kind of man changes his name?
I have two names. The one I was born with and the one Hassan gave me when he asked me to be his honorary son. Hassan prefers to call me Raffi. So I let him. One of my weaknesses is indulging those I love.
Youre too old to be adopted, she said, lashing out with her words.
Who said anything about adoption? His lips smiled, but his eyes didnt. Obviously, he was a man of the world now.
What exactly does it mean, then, to be an honorary son?
Ask Hassan. He probably made it up. Hell, for all I know Im the only honorary son in the world. He moved away from the rail. Sorry my showing up here is such a shock, he said.
No, you arent. You deliberately tricked me!
Think what you like.
I dont like anything about this situation!
Maybe neither the hell do I.
Still, despite her fear and the nameless dark emotions engulfing her, his taunting, all-too-familiar, husky voice drew her, just like it had that first day when hed stood on her porch asking if he could see her daddy because hed needed a job and nobody else in the county would even talk to Bubba Kilgores son. Shed been a teenager and highly susceptible to the lure of the forbidden. Her crush had lasted several yearsright up until hed gotten her pregnant and left the county for good.
Well, at twenty-six, knowing what he was and what hed done, she should be immune to his charms.
Right. If she was so grown-up and mature, why had the pace of her heart accelerated?
Her gaze darted past him to the house. Where was Daniel? She hoped, prayed hed stay out of sight until she got rid of Luke.
Youre looking good, Caitlyn, Luke said, but his lips didnt curve into the sexy smile that used to follow her name.
Not that she wanted it to.
You, too, she said reluctantly. The last thing she wanted to do was flatter him. How is this possible? she said, motioning to him, standing in her yard.
What? The son of the countys no-account drunk making good?
Lisas sudden burst of flirtatious laughter was awkward. Dont run yourself down. Youve come a long way since then, Luke. You never were anything like Bubba.
Thanks.
Caitlyns told me how rich your honorary father is! And how rich you are! She moistened her lips and glanced at him slyly through her long, dark eyelashes.
Luke looked away.
Caitlyn winced. Her friends excessive interest in Luke bothered her. As did her words.
She remembered how Luke had once had a habit of making self-deprecating remarks. People laughed, as hed intended, but shed known his jokes had covered soul-deep shame for having Bubba as a father. Luke had always wanted to be more than hed been. Well, now he was rich and powerful, but was he any happier?
Quickly she reminded herself that his happiness wasnt her problem. Hed jilted her and moved on to better things, more beautiful women. Hed probably never hungered for heras shed hungered for him.
Or had he? He did seem as keenly aware of her as she was of him, which was hatefully gratifying.
As Lisa leaned closer to him, Caitlyn insinuated herself between them. So, you really are Raffi Bin Najjar? I did some research, but couldnt find much.
Luke pushed away from the railing and stood taller. Hed filled out, but on him, the extra weight looked good. She was sure he was made of hot, solid muscle. The thought of touching him now made her own skin heat.
I pay people to remove stuff I dont want on the web, Luke said.
You can do that?
Most of the time. Im not a movie star, so Im not hounded by the paparazzi unless Im out with somebody famous.
Like your supermodel girlfriends?
His mouth twisted. Jealous?
Of course not! But you should have told me who you were, you know.
Why? Im here as a favor to Hassan. Not because I want to make your life easier. For some reason, hes become fascinated by you and your affairs.
Hes been extremely helpful.
Yes, and I want to know why. I couldnt find out if Id tipped you off.
He told me you once lived here, but, of course, since I didnt know who you really were, I thought nothing of it.
Im as curious about his motivations as you are. Did you two talk about me the night you went to dinner in France?
Not much.
Did he tell you he invited me to come that night?
Yes, but I didnt know who you were, so I didnt pursue it.
I watched you through binoculars when you were working with Sahara and decided to bow out.
So, Luke had been in Deauville, too, and had deliberately rejected her. Again.
This whole situation felt like a setup. She remembered Hassans comments at Keeneland about the color of Daniels eyes. She remembered Hassan asking her about Daniel over dinner in Deauville. When hed asked questions about her son, shed thought he was merely being polite. Shed been so proud of Daniel. Shed talked way too much about him, given away too much. Shed shown Hassan pictures, and hed stared at them for a long time, even asking if he could keep one.
Had Hassan figured out who Daniels father was? As one of the worlds richest men, he could probably find out anything he wanted to know. Of course he would be curious about his protégés past. Had he sent Luke here to discover Daniel?
Maybe this reunion could have been avoided if shed been more clever. But no, shed taken Hassans actions at face value. Hed written her a note after Keeneland, and fool that shed been, shed felt flattered that such a man had remembered her name. When hed called and asked her to help with Sahara, shed been flattered again. And shed needed the money too badly to question his motives. Then, once she was in France, shed been too impressed by the glamour of his château and stables to think rationally.
We stuck to small talk mostly, she said now, without mentioning their conservation about Daniel.
But after taking you to dinner, he bought your mortgage. Anything happen after dinner? Lukes hot gaze slid over her slowly, causing her nerves to sizzle. Did he think she was easy because shed been easy with him?
Dont you dare insinuate that your father and I had an affair, because we didnt. He was nice to me. Thats all.
The intensity of Lukes gaze unnerved her. Half a million dollars nice?
During dinner, I told him about my ranch. We got into finances, and I was frank about my problems. I was afraid I was about to lose the ranch. He said he appreciated what I had done for Sahara and that he wanted to help me. He stunned me by saying hed buy the mortgage and help me get back onto my feet.
That was all there was to it? Hassan doesnt make a habit of befriending people and rescuing them.
He calls you his son!
I saved his kids life. Took a bullet, too. You work with Sahara an hour or twoand he buys your mortgage? I dont get it.
She hadnt, eitheralthough she now had a few suspicions.
I needed the money, so I took what he offered. Wouldnt anybody in my position have done the same thing? Didnt you?
He taught me a lot when I went to work for him, Luke agreed. He opened a lot of doors.
Ill say. Those doors must have been made of solid gold. Five years later youre a billionaire.
Ramblin Man walked over to the trailer and stuck his nose inside. She noted his behavior, but couldnt take any satisfaction in his progress, so long as Luke was here.
Its true. I owe him everything. And I think the only reason Hassan helped you was because of me, Luke said.
You? I dont get it.
Somehow he must have figured out wed been involved. Theres nothing he wouldnt do for family, and if you claimed some tie to me
But I didnt.
She again remembered Hassans comments about Daniels eyes and she felt afraid. Still, with an air of bravado, she said, Why dont you ask him why he helped me?
I did ask him. He was evasive. So, I came here to satisfy my curiosity, and because Hassan forced the issue. The fact is, this ranch is the last place Id willingly return to. Just as you are the last person Id help, if I had a choice. But Hassan wants to help you, and he asked me to figure out how to do it, so here we arestuck with each other.
Why dont you just leave?
And tell Hassan to keep bailing you out? No, Im going to get to the bottom of this. Im here to protect Hassan.
His narrowed green eyes pierced her. His sharp words stung. She was the last person hed help, if he had a choice.
He was angry. Why? Hed betrayed her family, jilted her and left her pregnant, with unattractive options, while hed reinvented himself as this arrogant, world-class businessman. What did he have to be mad about? Unless he knew about Daniel which he didnt. At least, not yet.
Again her gaze strayed to the house, searching for Daniel.
Dont panic. Be polite. Just send him on his wayfast. How hard could it be to get rid of a man who didnt want to be here?
So much for her miracle. She was in worse trouble than before.
Caitlyn turned to Lisa. Look, I need to talk to Luke. In private. You can work with Ramblin Man on your own until I get back. Do a little groundwork like I showed you before he put his foot into the trailer.
Okay, Lisa said reluctantly, glancing at Luke.
Follow me, Caitlyn said curtly as she unlatched a gate and headed out of the round pen. She was tired of Lisa hanging on to their every word, and there was the added danger that Lisa might blurt out something about Daniel.
Luke nodded casually to Lisa before loping after Caitlyn. Look, if you need to get her stallion in the trailer before we talk, go ahead. I have a report from one of my CEOs that I need to read. Our meeting can wait a half hour. Lisa told me about the bees.
Hed had time for a private chitchat with Lisa before Caitlyn had seen him. Her sudden burst of jealousy infuriated her.
Caitlyn stopped in the shadow of the barn and whirled to face him. Im canceling our meeting.
The hell you are. I flew all the way from London.
I dont care if you flew in from another galaxy. You had no right to come here under false pretenses.
I promised Hassan Id figure out a solution to your problems.
I dont want your help. Youre too late, Luke Kilgore. Six years too late. Ive made it this long without you. I can keep on making it without you.
His green eyes flamed with surprise, and fresh suspicion. What the hell do you mean by that?
Her hand flew to her lips and she took a step backward. Shed almost said too much. Maybe she had said too much. Notching her chin higher, she held her ground. Nothing, she said. I want you to leave! Now! You havent been welcome here for a very long time.
Is that so? He glanced upward to the barn. I remember a time when things were very different between us.
She remembered, too. Theyd made wild, sweet, unforgettable love in the hayloft. Ever since, hed haunted her dreams. Even after hed abandoned her, hed cast a long shadow over her marriage.
When you were a teenager, you followed me everywhere. I couldnt load a bale of hay without finding you watching me, he said. You damn near threw yourself at me.
I was a young, stupid fool! she cried, hating that shed once made no secret of how intensely shed felt about him.
I was the fool. Hell, maybe I still am. He grabbed her by the waist, pulled her close. If its the last thing I do, Ill figure out why Hassan really sent me here. I thought he wanted me to marry the woman Im dating, Teresa. Then suddenly he sends me here. Why?
She jerked free of his grip because she couldnt concentrate when in his arms. I thought he sent you to solve my money problems.
Theres another reason. Im sure of it. You made him think were still connected.
She shook her head in denial. I didnt. Frantic to distract Luke, she said, Teresa? Is she another of your gorgeous supermodels?
No. A countess.
In spite of the fact that his love life was no concern of hers, Caitlyn was suddenly crushingly aware of how plain and unappealing she must seem in her dusty jeans. Hed become a mega-success while she was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Only by biting her tongue until she tasted the coppery flavor of blood was she able to remain silent. Too bad that the minute she quit biting it, she lost the battle to prove she could behave like a lady.
If shes so perfect, youd be a fool not to propose to her!
Shes a little young. Nineteen. I was actually considering asking her to marry me, when Hassan started in on me about coming here. Ever since he met you at Keeneland, hes asked questions about my life in Texas. He wont say why, but I think hes decided Im still hung up on you. Well, Im not! I dont believe in rehashing or whining about the past, and Ill do whatever it takes to convince himeven work with you on your finances.