The Specialist

“I told you, I know all about the setup here.”

“So you did. Then you must know that you and Penny have a lot in common. She has a sharp tongue, too. I think you should come with me and meet her for yourself.”

Kendra hesitated. What would he do if she refused? Would he force her? A shiver of something that might have been anticipation but was probably fear, worked its way down her spine. She shrugged off the sensation. After all, she hadn’t come out here to play word games with him. She’d planned to reconnoiter the area before approaching the ranch later this morning.

“I’m tempted, but thanks to you, my horse took off.”

“No thanks necessary,” he said wryly. “Fortunately, my horse is better trained. He won’t mind if we ride double.”

“Maybe he won’t, but I will.” Get on top of that big horse he’d been riding—with him? No way.

“It’s a long walk.”

“So go catch my horse for me.” She saw the flash of his teeth as he smiled and she tried not to clench her jaw. She’d spent so much of her life talking to computers, she was finding it more difficult than she’d expected to deal with a man like Rafe face-to-face.

Rafe whistled, startling her. His horse lifted its head, whuffed and trotted over obediently. Kendra was impressed despite herself.

“How’d you train him to do that?”

“Charm,” Rafe replied. “You ought to try it sometime.”

She refused to let him see how that stung. “Charm only works on susceptible females.”

“Nope, he’s a gelding.”

“Very funny.”

Rafe took up the dangling reins and swung himself into the saddle with grace and an economy of movement she had to admire. He was incredibly sensual without even trying.

“I’m not riding double with you,” she said defensively.

“I believe I mentioned the long walk.”

“Settled Sue can’t have gone far.”

“Settled Sue? You rented one of Chet’s broken-down ponies? She’ll be halfway to Ash Pond by now.”

So he recognized his neighbor’s horse, which meant he must realize Kendra was staying at Chet Thilgarde’s dude ranch several miles away. Kendra watched as he reached for his saddlebag and withdrew a cell phone, quickly punching in a series of numbers. The call must have been answered immediately because he began speaking almost at once. “Hey, beautiful, what are you doing awake at this hour? Oh. Sorry. Does that mean you’re still in bed? Want to describe what you’re wearing? Something black and sheer, I hope.”

His rumbled chuckle resonated right through Kendra along with a stab of something that felt suspiciously like jealousy.

“Ah, Penny.” Rafe lowered his voice. “And here all this time I never thought of flannel as particularly erotic.”

Kendra realized that while he was speaking to Penny, he was actually watching Kendra from beneath long sooty eyelashes a woman would kill to possess. She tried to keep her face impassive, but it was more difficult than it should have been.

“You wound me, darlin’, but I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone that conversation for another time. I called to give you a heads up. I’m on my way in with company. Nope. I’m afraid Ms. Kendra Kincade assures me she isn’t a rustler, but she does pack a rather wicked six-inch knife.”

He flashed Kendra a grin and listened some more.

“Hey, what can I tell you? A man like me simply isn’t safe guarding the range anymore. Apparently we’ve got women hiding behind every shrub out here. Next time I pull guard duty you’ll have to come along and guard the guard. What’s that? Why, Penny, shame on you. But that reminds me, you might want to alert everyone who’s on watch to keep an eye out for a riderless paint by the name of Settled Sue. Yeah, one of Chet’s. She spooked when I jumped her rider.” He listened for another minute and his devilish grin widened. “Why Ms. Archer, you have a dirty mind. Why didn’t I think of that? We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

With a chuckle, he clicked off the phone and reached a hand toward Kendra. “Come on.”

When Kendra didn’t take the offered hand, he lowered his voice to an intimate level. “I only bite when I’m invited.”

Several responses leaped to mind, but Kendra was determined to maintain control if it killed her. Reluctantly, she took his hand. She found herself on top of his massive horse before she could change her mind. Rafe was stronger than he looked. His horse had to be seventeen hands high.

“Hold on, darlin’.”

“To what?”

He reached back, took her hands, and guided them around his waist. “Me.”

Kendra resisted the desire to shove him out of the saddle. For a moment it was sorely tempting but she had the distinct feeling he knew exactly what she was thinking. His lips quirked again in subtle amusement.

“Hang on tight.” And Rafe prodded the animal into a long, loping canter.

Reflexively, her hands closed around his waist, finding no purchase on the slick dark leather of his jacket. Instead, she gripped lower, where the jacket ended and the rough feel of denim met her touch.

“As much as I could really enjoy this,” he called back to her, “if you drop those fingers a few inches lower darlin’, I’ll have to assume you really are planning to become my partner.”

Instantly, her hands let go. He captured one and placed it against his belt. Her cheeks burned at the intimacy and his knowing chuckle. She gave more serious thought to knocking him out of the saddle. Only the knowledge that she needed him stilled her impulse.

She was glad he couldn’t see her expression. With her face pressed against his broad back, and the scent of man, horse, sweat and leather filling her nostrils, they plunged across the uneven ground while her wayward mind churned with all sorts of thoughts she shouldn’t be having.

Penny Archer met them at the front door of the large white house. Despite Rafe’s comment about flannel pajamas, Penny was fully dressed in loose slacks and a blouse with a baggy sweater overtop. Her stylish glasses gave her an efficient look that went with the sharp intelligence in her gaze.

“Ms. Kincade, welcome to the Smoking Barrel. I’m afraid it’s a bit early even for Rosa or Slim, but may I offer you—”

“Nothing. Thank you. I didn’t intend to drop in this way. Especially not at this hour. I’m sorry Rafe got you out of bed.”

Penny Archer raised cynically amused eyebrows in Rafe’s direction. “Yes, that isn’t his general sequence with women.”

Rafe put a hand to his chest. “Another wound to the heart.”

“It would take a cement truck,” she assured him dryly. “How can we help you, Ms. Kincade?”

“I’m afraid Rafe spooked my horse. I need a lift back to the dude ranch where I’m staying. The truth is, I was hoping to speak with Mr. Forbes later today, but I’d planned to call first and ask for an appointment.”

“Kendra knows all about our setup here at the ranch,” Rafe put in.

Penny’s expression didn’t waver. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t you rest here until Mitchell wakes up? I’ll see if he can meet with you after breakfast.”

“Oh, but—”

“It’s no problem, really. We keep a spare room ready for unexpected guests. You can rest until Rosa starts breakfast. You’ll be welcome to join us then. Come with me.”

“But—”