Kara Lennox - One Stubborn Texan

“Sydney, stop. I’ve been a complete imbecile about this whole inheritance thing. Of course I’ll sign the contract. I’ll set up a trust with the money, like you said, and use it to protect the wilderness and the animals and clean up pollution-I could do a lot of good things.”

“But what about Winnie?”

“You let me worry about her. I’ll just have to explain things to her. I could fix it so she could get a small income, enough that she’d never have to struggle but not enough to tempt her beyond her capacity. And Bert. I could make sure Bert’s okay.”

Sydney’s eyes filled with tears again. “You’d be giving me everything I said I wanted in the first place, but now I’d feel guilty taking it.”

“Where’s the contract? I’ll sign it right now. Is a million dollars enough to save your father’s business?”

“Way more than enough. Russ…are you sure? You were so adamant before about-”

“I’m positive. You can get the contract now or give it to me later, but I won’t change my mind.”

“Oh, Russ!” She threw her arms around him in an exuberant hug. “You have no idea-you just have no idea. My dad will be so excited. Not about the money, but the bragging rights. Everyone has tried to solve this case, for years and years, and Baines & Baines will get the credit. It’ll do wonders for business.”

Yeah, well, he’d known he wouldn’t be able to avoid publicity. “Do me a favor, okay? Can you wait to tell anyone until I’ve talked to Winnie? I want to break it to her gently that we’re not headed for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. ”

“Of course I will. Take as long as you need.” She hugged him again, but given the fact he was naked and she was almost, the proximity of their bodies led to more earthy results than mere gratitude. He scooted her onto his lap, where she was not able to miss the fact he was fully aroused.

“You look better in my shirt than I do,” he said just before kissing her.

There was no hesitation in her response. “It makes a dandy robe.”

“You can use it any time.” He reached inside the shirt and cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over the nipples, and she shuddered. By signing her contract, it meant their business would not be concluded today. There would be details to attend to, probably all kinds of affidavits and government forms.

He would get to see her again.

“I know you have to go back to New York,” he said as he kissed her neck. “But you’ll come back to Texas, won’t you?”

“You want me to?”

“God, yes.”

“Because I was thinking,” she said as she swiveled around to straddle him, “that I don’t want this to be over. We’re too good together.”

Amen to that. Then they were beyond words as Russ lifted her hips and lowered her onto his arousal. She moaned with uninhibited pleasure as their sensual dance moved faster and faster, culminating in a shattering climax that sent them both hurtling into space.

When they returned to earth a few minutes later, Russ simply held Sydney in his arms and stroked her hair. Maybe she wasn’t like all those other city girls. Maybe they had a future. If the past three days stuck in the woods hadn’t scared her off, she wasn’t easily scared. If he lost her, it would be because he’d screwed up. He wouldn’t be able to blame it on the great outdoors.

“I need to get going,” she said. “It’s getting late and I still have to return my aunt’s car.”

“I know. Why don’t you go shower and I’ll fix you something for breakfast.”

Russ whistled as he toasted a bagel and poured some orange juice. This was going to work out. Somehow, it would be okay. Winnie would understand. She might be mad at him for a while, but she’d changed since their Vegas days. She’d grown up along with him. Maybe he wasn’t giving her enough credit and she would accept his decision without a fight.

When Sydney reappeared a few minutes later, she was wearing a black-and-white houndstooth skirt and a black turtleneck, along with black stockings and her black, pointy-toed shoes. She looked pure New York.

“You sure you don’t want to wear the hiking boots?” Russ asked. “Your ankle is going to bother you in those high heels.”

“I’ve committed enough fashion faux pas for this year,” she said with a grin. She had a sheaf of wrinkled papers in her hand. “This was in my briefcase.” It was the contract.

He gave the contract a glance and signed it.

“Russ, aren’t you going to read it? Maybe have a lawyer look it over?”

“Why? I trust you.”

“It’s just always a good idea to-Never mind. I guess you’re used to doing business on a handshake.”

“Damn right,” he said with a grin. “But with you, it was better than a handshake.”

Sydney drank the orange juice and ate half a bagel, claiming she wasn’t hungry after last night’s decadent meal. And then it was time for her to leave.

She gathered up her things-her small suitcase, briefcase and purse. “I’ll call you when I get home. Is that…is that okay?” She nibbled her lower lip uncertainly.

“While you were in the shower I programmed all three of my numbers-home, office and cell-into your phone.” He handed her the phone, which she’d left on the sofa.

“Perfect. Walk me out?”

He’d like to walk her out, get into her car and go with her back to New York. “I’ve never been to New York,” he said. “I should go some time.”

She smiled. “I can guarantee you’ll have a place to stay.”

While Sydney threw her things in the BMW’s backseat, Russ opened the garage door-and was greeted with a camera flash.

A man strode into the garage and shoved a microphone into Russ’s face. “Russ Klein, how does it feel to be Texas’s newest millionaire?”

Russ just stood there, too stunned to say anything. In his driveway was one TV news van, several other vehicles and a half-dozen strangers with cameras, microphones and lights, all of them focused on him.

He glanced over his shoulder at Sydney, who stood next to her car with her hand over her mouth, doing a pretty good imitation of shock.

Russ finally found his voice. “I have no comment,” he said, “and please get off my property.” With that he retreated into the garage and pushed the button to close the garage door. He didn’t chance another look at Sydney until they were safely blocked from view.

She looked utterly befuddled.

“That didn’t take you long,” he said. “Did you call them from the phone in the bedroom while I was making breakfast?”

“Russ! I didn’t call anyone.”

“Well, I didn’t tell anyone, so that leaves you.”

“But I didn’t-”

“Or maybe you planned this days ago, before I ever agreed to sign the contract. Maybe you thought if word got out, my mother would already know about the money, so I would no longer have any reason not to accept the money and give you your cut.”

“I would never-”

“Is your father really near bankruptcy, or was that your last-ditch effort to appeal to my sympathy?” He knew he was being harsh, but the sense of betrayal he felt was overwhelming. He’d trusted Sydney. God help him, he’d fallen in love with her-or the woman he thought she was. But now he was beginning to see it was all a carefully orchestrated image designed to manipulate him where she wanted him to go.

“Do you really have any feelings for me?” he continued relentlessly. “Or was that all a lie, too? I notice you didn’t mention anything about wanting to continue our relationship until I’d agreed to accept the money. Why settle for a measly ten percent when you could have access to all of it, if you played your cards right?”

She wasn’t saying anything, he noticed. A moment ago she’d had denials ready to fling, but suddenly she’d gone quiet as a crypt. It was hard to tell, but her eyes looked suspiciously shiny as she eyed him, reminding him uncomfortably of a dog who’d been kicked and expected to be kicked again.