Im cutting in, Aaron Black announced, before either of you come to blows. Besides which, I dance a ton better than he ever will, Winona. And Im better looking.
Well, hell, Justin grumbled. But he let Aaron take off with Winona across the dance floor. For one thing, the orchestra changed tunes to a rousing, foot-stomping bluegrass, so any cheek-to-cheek opportunities had abruptly disappeared. For another, Aaron was not only a fellow member of the Texas Cattlemans Club, but a friend that Justin would trust to the wall-and had. And for yet another reason, damn Aaron, but he was a diplomat in his professional life as well as his private one, and when he motioned a thumb toward the bar, Justin picked up the subtle, tactful clue that, just possibly, he needed to get out of Winonas sight for a minute or two.
He loped over to the bar, all rightbut watching Win whirl off in Aarons arms still gave him a case of the glums that a whole well of whiskey couldnt cure.
Theyd always bickered like two toddlers in the same sand-box. Justin didnt specifically mind that, because they mutually enjoyed teasing each other. But shed always treated him like a friend, a neighbor, a loved but insufferable big brother. Never as a man.
He must have asked her to marry him fifty times-and all fifty times, shed cracked up laughing, as if the idea of marrying him was the best joke theyd ever shared.
He got it, he got it. It didnt matter if half the women in town chased him nonstop. Winona just couldnt seem to imagine him as a lover. For several years now, Justin kept thinking if she could just need him. If he could just get a chance to show her a different side of himself. If something could jolt her into looking at him differently, maybe, just maybe, hed have a serious shot with her.
Hi, Dr. Webb. Riley Monroe, the Clubs longtime caretaker, had a smile waiting even before Justin reached the bar. You guys sure outdid yourself with the party tonight. This is quite a shindig. What can I get you?
Whiskey. Straight. And thanks, Riley. Justin didnt have to wait thirty seconds before the glass of liquid gold was in his hands. Riley might be the Texas Cattlemans Club night caretaker, but hed subbed as a bartender for formal functions for as long as Justin could remember. The ladies loved him-likely because he had a dose of flimflam in his character. Occasionally he could spread on the Las Vegas-type charm too thickly for Justins taste, but that didnt matter. Riley was as dependable as the sunshine and as loyal as a hound. Good qualities in any man, and normally Justin would have chatted for a few minutes.
Tonight, he gulped down a big enough sip to feel the whiskey burn some new holes in his tonsils, then leaned back against the bar.
He spotted her, still out there, still high-stepping with Aaronand damnation, looking like she was having a hell of a good time.
He looked around, determined to get his mind off Winona-and to keep it off. The party was in full swing, and although good taste had to be an issue with so many royal guests, so was having fun Texas-style. Messy, finger-dripping lobster and Texas barbecue was set up on the same table as the fragile hothouse roses and elegant ice sculptures. The formal orchestra was all dressed in black tie-but naturally, it had a damn good fiddling section. The giant boars head hanging on one wall looked down on more diamonds and rubies than the bugger had ever seen in the wild, for darn sure, but the blaze of firelight winked on the iron-studded plaque over the entrance door. Leadership, Justice and Peace was burned into the wood-the long-term logo for the Club that had a uniquely special meaning this night.
Justin gulped down another slug of whiskey, trying to ignore the short-haired brunette dancing past him yet again. He winked at a blonde instead. The Princess Anna von Oberland of Obersbourg-at least thatd been her title until shed married Greg, who was plastered against her on the dance floor in total oblivion to the foot-stomping, sassy rhythm of the current song being played.
The whole purpose of this black-tie shindig was Anna. An outsider would surely find the situation confounding-what could a bunch of Texans possibly have in common with royalty from the small European countries of Obersbourg and Asterland? But months earlier, Princess Anna had been in grave trouble, and the Texas Cattlemans Club had stepped in to rescue her. Two days from now, twelve citizens from both Asterland and Obersbourg were returning to Europe via private jet-without Anna, of course, who was head over heels for her bridegroom and Texas both. But this party was it. A chance for Annas family-and government-to say thank you to the Texas Cattlemans Club boysand a chance for the Club to strengthen the ties between the governments.
Justin finished the last gulp of whiskey, thinking how unusual this whole shindig was. Not the party itself. Truth to tell, the Texas Cattlemans Club used any excuse to throw a formal brawl-and the bigger the better. But the group generally kept a low profile about their quieter activities. The world was pretty damn lousy at protecting its innocents. Its not like the Club stuck its nose in a hornets nest if there was any choice, but sometimes an innocents life could hang in the balance-a situation where diplomacy either failed or where politics were so ticklish that tuning to normal channels simply didnt get results.
An edgy thought needled through Justins mind, stealing the jubilant party mood and making him shift uneasily on his feet. He was the only Club member who didnt own a gun. He used to. His grandparents were big in ranching and oil both, and anyone owning a big spread who lived in that kind of isolated country knew how to handle a gun. So did Justin, but that was years ago. At this point, he was starkly aware that he was the only member who never shot anything but a hypodermic. The others had strong military skills in their background. He did his rescuing with a scalpel.
And there was nothing precisely wrong with that, but suddenly his mind was whirling, spinning down dark roads. Hed come home from Bosnia to abruptly and completely change medical specialties. No one had asked him why hed switched to plastic surgery. No one had noticed that there were certain medical cases he no longer touched. And so far it hadnt mattered, because none of his private work with the Texas Cattlemens Club had forced him into situations that he couldnt handle. But it could, Justin knew, and he feared letting his Club members down.
So far, thank God, the only one hed let down was himself.
The orchestra suddenly changed to a slow dance. Swiftly, Justin lifted his head. A redhead winked at him as she sashayed past. Moments later, an elegant blonde wagged him a hello over her dance partners shoulder.
He winked back and smiled back, but his heart wasnt in it. Tarnation, where had Winona disappeared to? Invariably he got a lot of female attention at these gigs, and that was nice, real nice, but primarily the reason he got such a rush from the single females in town was because of his wealthy, jet-set reputation.
The wealth was real enough-his grandparents had left him a ton, on top of what he hauled in as a plastic surgeon. But believe the social columns, and he only did tummy tucks and nose jobs when he wasnt taking off on impulsive, lavish vacations.
He not only didnt mind the stupid image. He catered to it. Since people expected him to disappear on a whim, it made his projects and missions with the Texas Cattlemans Club easier to pull off. In this particular situation, though, the media had been led to believe that some good old Texas boys had accidentally become involved in Princess Annas dilemma. Justin had never kept his association with the Club a secret. He never kept secrets. Nothing in life got out faster or caused more trouble than a secret. But he did believe in keeping quiet when
There she was. Win. His narrowed gaze soldered on her brilliant smile. Who was the blasted woman smiling at now? She wasnt still dancing with Aaron Black. This guy had lighter hair, broader shoulders, wasnt quite so tallJustins stomach muscles suddenly unclenched. It was Matt. She was just dancing with Matt Walker, and although God knew the rancher was known to turn more than one single womans eye, he was also a member of the Club. A friend.
Still, that didnt mean Justin had to like the way he was holding Win. Or smiling at her, for that damn matter. There was a limit to loyalty and friendship. Come to think of it, there was a limit to loyalty and friendship and honor and ethics.
And that damn limit was Winona Raye.
Aw, hell. He was losing his mind. It was her. Shed always made him lose his mind, and every year it was getting worse. He was beginning to sound like a lovesick cow. More pathetic yet, he was beginning to act like one.
Hey, Dr. Webb, can I get you another?
Justins head snapped around. Sure, Riley. Id appreciate a refill. Well aware hed been acting-and thinking-way too soberly for a party, he offered a companionable grin for Riley Monroe and another for the stranger next to him.
The short gentleman offered his hand. I believe that we met on one other occasion, Dr. Webb. My name is Klimt. Robert Klimt.
Oh, yes. Of course, I remember. Actually Justin had no memory of the man whatsoever, but he scrounged his brain for some connection. Klimt, Klimthe was almost sure somebodyd told him that Robert Klimt was a minor cabinet member in the Asterland government.
I was just asking Mr. Monroe about the sign over the entrance door. Klimt motioned to the Leadership, Justice and Peace logo. I heard someone say that slogan came from a historical story about the town. I gather that theres some kind of romantic legend about Royal, Texas, and some jewels?
Oh, there is, there is. Riley topped off Justins glass with a flourish, then reached behind the bar for Klimts poison-imported schnapps. Next door to our Texas Cattlemans Club here is a park. You probably noticed. In the early l800s, there was a mission here, an old adobe church. Its just part of the park now, but back in the War with Mexico, l846 or so, there was a Texas soldier found a comrade fallen in battle, tried to save him
The fiddlers had picked up the pace for The Yellow Rose of Texas. Justin, half listening to Klimt and Riley, researched the dance floor for the black, bouncing curly hair again. She wasnt with Aaron, wasnt with Matthew. In a sense, she really was working this evening, even if she was wearing formal attire. Win had never been a carry-a-gun kind of cop-she normally worked with juveniles, kids in trouble, kids at risk. But everyone on the local police force had been quietly coaxed to attend the gathering tonight, because the whole town wanted this shindig to go well, and Winona was always pulled into special problems like this. She was ideal. Everyone knew her. Everyone trusted her. And that was just great, except that she was so damned beautiful, Justin figured some guy, sometime, was going to zip down those cool defenses of hers