Whispered Promises

“What?” Caitlin whispered, caught off guard by the question. His voice echoed a Texas drawl that made her breath lodge in her throat. Masculine and distinct, it conveyed a strength and an endurance all its own. Together, his eyes and voice were a deadly combination.

Dex smiled in a way Caitlin thought enhanced the fullness of his sensual mouth. “I asked how old you are?”

Caitlin cleared her throat. “I’m twenty-one. Why?”

“Because you look rather young for the job. By the way, you can call me Dex. Do you mind if I call you Caitlin?”

“Not at all.” She nervously lifted the glass of tea to her lips and asked, “And how old are you, Dex?”

He shot her a surprised glance before answering. “I’m thirty-two.”

The waiter came and took Dex’s order. Caitlin used the interruption to contain her breathing. Dex’s presence had her heart beating at an alarming rate.

“What about you, Caitlin? Can I order something for you?”

“No, thanks, I’m fine.”

Dex nodded then dismissed the waiter. “I understand you graduated from college a few days ago. Now that school’s over, why do you want to spend your summer working when you could be celebrating by heading for the beach, or the border like most of the other graduates?” he asked.

Caitlin looked away then returned her gaze to his. “In the fall I’m going back to college to begin a masters program. I really don’t consider what I’ll be doing this summer as work. I’ll get to do something I enjoy.”

“Working with computers?”

“Yes,” Caitlin replied, tensing under Dex’s direct stare. Somehow she managed a smile. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to spend some time on a real ranch.” She didn’t add that she’d often heard about the handsome cowboys and broncobusters that worked there. If he was a sample of what the place had to offer, then what she’d heard had been true.

“Oh?” Dex laughed softly. “And how does your family feel about that?”

“My mother died a few years ago, so it’s just me and my father. Although he’s not thrilled with the idea, I convinced him it would benefit me in the long run to gain a degree of experience in my field of study. But to pacify him, I’ve agreed to return to San Antonio for a while before going back to school in September.”

“San Antonio? Is that your home?”

“Yes.”

He studied her intently. “Do you always give in so easily?”

Caitlin lifted her brow, unsure whether he was referring to the incident with her father or something else. “No. I’ll stand my ground when I believe what I’m doing is right.”

The waiter interrupted them when he served Dex his drink. Caitlin watched as he took a sip and thought it was the most sensuous gesture she’d ever seen. She tried to submerge the heat flaring in her stomach as she watched the way his mouth touched the rim of the glass of wine, tipping it up to his lips, savoring the taste as it slowly slipped down his throat. She felt a strange ache in her limbs when he ran his tongue over his lips in appreciation of the wine’s fruity taste.

“Tell me a little more about your background, Caitlin.”

Caitlin tore her gaze from his mouth and directed her attention to the scented candle burning in the middle of their table. She cleared her throat. “I graduated from the University of Texas,” she said, “with a degree in computer technology and a minor in accounting. For the past three years, I’ve been part of the work-study program on campus, working in the computer department.”

Dex swirled the liquid around in his glass. A faint sparkle lit his eyes when he spoke. “Uncle Jake’s business is livestock. He raises cattle and horses and then sells them to farms all over the country. His reputation as an excellent stock breeder has spread, and over the years his business has grown tremendously.”

“I think everyone in Texas has heard of the Whispering Pines ranch and Jacob Madaris,” Caitlin said.

Dex took another sip of wine. “Fortunately he wants to upgrade his billing system. The system he’s using now is really outdated. What he wants you to do is to analyze his present setup and come up with some suggestions on computerizing his business accounts.”

Caitlin nodded. “Smart idea.”

“I agree, however, I may as well warn you that the person who does the bookkeeping, Delane Ormand, has been there for ages and detests change. According to Uncle Jake, she doesn’t feel comfortable working on a computer, since she doesn’t know anything about them. Think you can handle setting up the program and selling the idea of computerized accounting to Delane?”

There was a determined gleam in Caitlin’s eyes. “Yes,” she said with easy confidence. “Once Ms. Ormand realizes how much easier her work will become with a computer, she’ll love it.” Caitlin paused for a moment before asking, “Do you work at the ranch, too, Dex?”

He smiled. “No, I don’t work there, although I used to during summers and vacations while in high school and college. Right now, I’m just visiting my uncle. I’m a geologist in oil exploration. My company has transferred me to Australia for two years. I’ll be at the ranch for the next three weeks for some rest and relaxation before leaving the country.”

Caitlin hoped her face didn’t show her disappointment. She swallowed against the fullness in her throat. The intensity of Dex Madaris’s eyes stirred her insides. He had a way about him she was sure attracted numerous women. He was dangerous, not in the normal sense, but instead dangerous to one’s common sense.

She didn’t doubt for a minute he had the ability to make the most sensible woman throw all caution to the wind for an opportunity to get to know him intimately. Her cheeks heated from her candid thoughts. She twisted slightly in her chair.

“Is there something wrong, Caitlin?”

Her gaze flew to Dex’s face. She felt her body stir under his intense scrutiny. She suddenly realized she was dealing with a man with the ability to strip away any emotional barriers with one smoldering look.

“Caitlin?”

She inhaled deeply and forced herself to shake her head. “No, nothing’s wrong.”

Dex took another sip of his wine. “The pay is twelve dollars an hour and includes your room and board. Uncle Jake figures the project shouldn’t take any longer than four to six weeks. Are you absolutely sure you want the job?”

“Yes, I’m positive.”

“Then it’s yours.”

Joy swept through Caitlin. “Thank you.”

A widened smile touched Dex’s lips. “How soon can you begin—?”

“Caitlin?”

The soft, gentle voice brought Caitlin’s thoughts back to the present. She immediately recognized the person standing before her. “Reverend Timmons. I’m so glad you came…”

By the time Dex crawled into bed that night, he was bone tired. Before returning home from the restaurant, he’d stopped by his office, and he and his project foreman and good friend, Trevor Grant, had worked well past midnight going over an important job proposal.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted what he’d hoped to be the beginning of a good night’s sleep. Reaching over to the nightstand, he picked up the phone.

“Yeah?” When Dex didn’t get a response but heard the faint sound of breathing on the other end, he became annoyed. “Who the hell is this? State your business or hang up.”

“Dex?”

Dex frowned, trying to recognize the voice. “Who wants to know?”

There was a pause. “It’s Caitlin, Dex.”

The words were a hard blow to Dex’s firm stomach. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, finding himself drenched first with disbelief, then a surge of renewed anger. There was a tightness in his throat. “What do you want, Caitlin?” His words were clipped and devoid of any emotion except one. Bitterness.

“I’m calling for my dad. He’s very ill and wants to see you. I don’t know why, but he’s asking for you. Please come, Dex.”