Jan Colley - In the Arms of the Rancher

Without taking his hard-eyed gaze off Jeff, Hawk tightened his grip on her fingers.

“I came to invite you to brunch,” Jeff answered, his tone of voice demeaning. “But I see you obviously have already eaten.”

Steel infused Kate’s back and her head lifted, propelled by pride and anger at the insult in his double entendre. A low, almost growling sound in his throat, Hawk took a step forward.

“Don’t,” she said, yanking his hand to hold him back. “He’s not worth your time and energy.” She looked at Jeff with distaste. “I saw a lawyer today. He is going to swear out an order of restraint against you.”

“You bitch,” Jeff snarled. “And you think that should worry me?” His laugh was harsh, demeaning. “I should have taught you who’s boss long ago.”

Kate felt the simmering anger inside Hawk with the tremor that flashed through him from his rough hand in hers.

“You gutless bastard.” Hawk’s voice was very soft, controlled and somehow terrifying. He again took a step forward, loosening his fingers to draw his hand away from hers.

Kate clasped his arm with her free hand, holding him in place next to her.

“I’d advise you to leave, Jeff, while you are still in one piece,” Hawk growled.

Though Jeff sneered and put on an act of bravado, as if unimpressed with the six-foot-six-inch Hawk, he cast a disparaging look at Kate as he turned, yanked open the lobby door, then paused to glance back this time in clear fear and anger. He glared at Hawk. “You have no idea the trouble you’re going to be in.” He sneered. “I have friends in this town.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hawk drawled, obviously neither impressed nor intimidated. “And all of them in low places, I’m sure. You know what you can do with your threats and your friends. Get lost.”

His face looking like it was about to cave in on itself, Jeff tore out of the lobby. The swiftness of his steps as he headed for his car was proof that the bigger man had more than intimidated him. He had scared the hell out of him.

“Son of a bitch,” Hawk said softly between his teeth, harsh anger in his voice. Tension hummed through his taut body. He made another move, as if to follow after Jeff.

“Hawk, please don’t,” Kate said, tugging his hand.

He paused, but his hard-eyed gaze remained fixed on the other man until he drove away. Only then did he shift his gaze to her. “I’m not a violent man, Kate,” he said, his voice still threaded with anger. “But I’ll take only so much, be pushed only so far…”

“Not today,” she said, smiling in hopes of cooling his temper.

“No?” Hawk raised one brow. “Says who?” The tension and anger were gone; his eyes teased her.

“Me…I…” She shook her head. “Whatever. I’m ready for a walk in the sunshine…I need a breath of fresh air after that nasty encounter.”

Hawk’s expression was sober, but his eyes continued to tease. “Okay, but this jaunt better be good.”

“Or?” Kate asked in challenge.

“Or it won’t be,” he said, grinning, an invitation for her to join him.

Her relief palpable, Kate laughed.

The tension gone, they had a brief tug-of-war over whose car they were going to use. Hawk won with the simple offer to drop Kate off at work afterward.

The hours they spent together seemed to fly by. They talked practically the entire time, except while they were devouring the chili dogs, sharing one order of French fries and sipping on iced tea.

In a boutique in the Forum Shops at Caesars, they discussed the array of colorful cashmere scarves since Hawk was considering giving one as a Christmas gift to his sister, Catriona. Kate didn’t hesitate giving him her opinion.

“This is beautiful. Perfect for winter,” she said, holding up a scarf in swirling shades of forest green, russet and antique gold.

His lean fingers lightly stroked the length of the soft material.

As if he were touching her, a tingle slid the length of Kate’s spine in time with the stroking of his fingers. She drew a quick breath before asking, “Yes? No?”

He nodded. “I think you’re right. “It’s perfect. Is there anything else you want to look at?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“You wouldn’t like one of these scarves for yourself?”

“I’d love one,” she said ruefully. “But my clothing budget doesn’t stretch to cashmere anything.”

From the expression that flittered over his face, Kate was afraid for a moment that he was going to offer to buy her one of the gorgeous scarves. She softly sighed with relief when he shrugged.

“Are you ready to go, then?”

“Yes,” she said, glad he hadn’t made an offer she would have to refuse, even one involving a simple, if very expensive item.

Kate was happy to get outside again and barely noticed where they were walking until they were in sight of where Hawk had parked the car. It was only then that she glanced at her watch for the first time since they had left her apartment complex.

An odd sensation, almost like sadness, settled on her as they drove to Vic’s restaurant. Their day together was almost over. Kate doubted there would ever be another one, as he would soon be leaving for his ranch, his vacation over.

“I had a lovely day, Hawk. Thank you,” she said when he brought the car to a stop in the restaurant lot. This time she waited until he opened the car door for her.

“You’re welcome, Kate.” His hand on the door handle, Hawk looked at her as she emerged from the car, an endearingly soft smile curving his tempting mouth. He leaned toward her. Without a thought, she met him halfway.

Hawk’s kiss was as soft as his smile and gentle, with no sudden hungry pressure or demand.

Naturally, Kate wanted more, a lot more. Obviously, Hawk did, too. A low groan of protest slipped into her mouth as he reluctantly drew away.

Moving back, away from her, he dragged a deep breath into his body. Looking her straight in the eyes, he said, simply, “When?”

Kate didn’t need to question him. She knew exactly what he meant. The heat radiating through her body was a dead giveaway. He wanted her. Always honest with herself, she acknowledged she wanted him just as badly. But…Why did there always have to be a but? Nevertheless, there it was. Feeling she had known him forever didn’t change the fact that she had met Hawk less than a week ago, and she didn’t really know the inner man, the unvarnished person.

Oh, Kate was well aware that there were women who “hooked up” with a man the same day or night of meeting him. Yet as hackneyed as it sounded, she was not one of those women.

“Kate?”

At the soft sound of his voice, Kate blinked to meet his direct stare.

“I’m sorry, Hawk,” she said, disappointment tingeing her tone. “I…I’m just not sure…I…”

“Shh,” he soothed, raising a hand to glide a finger along the curve of her cheek. “It’s all right. I can wait.” A self-deprecating smile played over his lips. “Well, I think I can wait.” His smile turned teasing as he added, “I’ll suffer in silent agony.”

Kate had to laugh, but she felt like crying. “You really don’t need to come back for me tonight. Vic will drive me home.”

There it was, her feeble declaration of independence. Hawk stared at her for a moment, but she knew he had understood. She was feeling pressured and was asking him to give her some room.

He gave her a wry smile and circled the car to the driver’s side. “May I call you tonight, after you get home from work?”

“Yes, of course.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go, Hawk, or I’ll be late.”

“Tonight,” he said, standing by the open car door.

“Tonight,” she echoed, softly sighing as he slid behind the wheel and swung the door shut.