Jennifer Morey - A Rancher's Dangerous Affair

The answer was standing across the room, a woman jabbering away while all he did was stare at her. For a moment, she slipped into that gaze, so full of impossible fantasies. If only…

The woman followed his gaze, and Eliza recognized Jillian. Her face tightened with jealous intimidation. Covering it before saying something to Brandon, she managed to capture his attention. He said something back that made her smile. And then he took two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed her one. She beamed even more. The woman had it bad for him. The poor thing.

As she sidled closer to him, she looked across the room at Eliza, pure triumph and a dash of warning. If that wasn’t a hands-off sign, Eliza didn’t know what was. Brandon better be careful. If he kept leading Jillian on like that, she might do more than pound on his door and yell.

The party was a hit. The whole town would be talking about it tomorrow. Eliza would probably be in the local paper. The Vengeance High School bad girl was back with a bang. Good thing his stupidity wouldn’t be printed. How could he have allowed that kiss to happen? Brandon was still cursing himself, and guilt came at him in waves. How could he do that to his own brother? A brother who was missing and could be in trouble while they enjoyed a party.

Watching her direct the cleanup, Brandon knew deep down why he’d kissed her. He’d watched her all night—to make sure Jillian didn’t try anything. But as the night had gone on, something else entirely drove him. The Eliza he remembered thrived on being the center of attention, and tonight she’d done it without stealing her best friend’s boyfriend or dancing on the bar with a beer in her hand. She’d changed. Matured. Brandon had to commend her for turning her bad habits into a lucrative career.

Her brother had left hours ago, when people had first begun to leave around ten. He’d practically had to drag his wife with him. She’d wanted to stay with the rest of the diehards who hadn’t left until midnight. This wasn’t a nightclub. It was a birthday party for a thirty-seven-year-old. One David hadn’t shown up for.

Something had to be driving him away from Eliza. After witnessing her hosting this event, he wasn’t as convinced she was the main cause. David hadn’t come to Brandon for help, and that could only mean bad news. What kind of trouble had he gotten himself into this time? And did the note Eliza had received have something to do with it? Brandon didn’t think so. Jillian might have sent it. He couldn’t be sure, though. He’d been busy all day around the ranch and hadn’t seen anyone drive up. It could have been anyone.

But Jillian was his first bet. She’d shown up here tonight as though nothing had happened. He’d been civil with her because they were in public. He was afraid that had encouraged her. She’d left happy, sending him bedroom eyes as she waved goodbye around eleven. Crazy woman. If he hadn’t been there, would she have gone after Eliza? He wouldn’t take the chance.

Checking his watch, Brandon had an idea of where he’d find David. Unless something had happened to him. Hopefully, he was all right and only drinking his troubles away for the day. Or gambling again.

When all that was left was the hotel staff, Eliza finally noticed him. Or maybe she had noticed him and hidden it by pretending to be busy until now. That kiss had to be weighing on her, too.

She approached him and stopped a few feet away, keeping her distance. “What are you still doing here?”

He’d have to make extra sure he never touched her again. “I think I know where David is.” He pushed off the bar and started for the door.

“Where?”

“The Cork. We have about an hour before they close.”

“How do you know he’s there?” She walked with him toward the exit.

“I don’t. It’s worth a try, though. He goes there every time he comes to town.”

“He spends all afternoon and night there?”

“It’s a favorite nightspot. I’m hoping he’s there.”

Outside, she walked beside him. “I’m not so sure I want to find him.”

Because he’d kissed her or because David hadn’t shown up tonight?

“We need to make sure he’s all right.” He opened his big diesel truck’s door. “We’ll get your car later.”

Reluctantly, she climbed up into the cab and he shut the door, annoyed that he was aware of every curve in that dress of hers.

He drove away from the hotel. The tension was palpable between them. He could almost feel her thinking about that kiss, just like him, and at the same time wondering why David had disappeared all day. If something had happened to him, Brandon wasn’t going to like the guilt trip that would surely follow. While he and Eliza had been groping and hot for each other, David could have been running from gangsters, gambling debt collectors.

He had to get his mind off that. “I noticed you didn’t drink at all tonight. Did you quit or something?”

“I never drink when I work.”

“It was your brother’s birthday party.”

She shrugged. “I don’t drink much anymore.”

That was new. She hadn’t drunk much the night before, so she must be telling the truth.

“What made you come to the party?” she asked.

He’d rather not tell her he came to protect her from Jillian. Even when she was in grade school he’d had the instinct to do that. Apparently that had never gone away. He was glad she was staying at his ranch so that he could keep an eye on her.

“Curiosity.” What he’d intended to be a lie turned out to be partly true. That was the other reason he’d come here tonight. To see if she’d changed at all. She had, and he worried he liked it too much.

She smiled. “Did you think I’d still be dancing on bar tops?”

He chuckled, that old attraction coming back. Only now it was a lot stronger. He fought the building desire that threatened to set aside reason. Eliza may have grown up, but she was still a party girl.

Parking in front of the brick-and-white-trimmed bar, Brandon saw his work truck the same time Eliza did.

All her animation fled. “There’s your truck.”

She both looked and sounded so deflated, and it seemed as though more than catching David drinking had triggered it. Why was she upset? Because their moment of reuniting would come to an end? Or did finding David here instead of with her hurt her that much?

Why? She didn’t actually love him, did she?

“Why did you marry him?” he asked out of annoyance.

After shooting a look at him, she didn’t respond. She didn’t have to. They both knew she’d married him to spite Brandon. Now David was out of control and she and Brandon were fighting this damn attraction that he had thought they were both over. Why couldn’t she have married someone else? Someone who wasn’t from Vengeance. An actor or something. Then she’d have her limelight that she craved so much and she wouldn’t have to come for family visits.

He stepped out of the truck. When she didn’t do the same, he came around to her side and opened the door. She kept staring at the front entrance to the Cork, as though dreading what she’d find inside.

He couldn’t resist her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be with you. We’ll get him and bring him home.”

“It isn’t that.” She lowered her head and then lifted it to meet his gaze, her eyes full of sorrow.

“What’s wrong, Eliza?” he asked softly.

After a brief hesitation, she began, “He’s been acting strange lately.”

“Drinking too much?”

Again she hesitated. Whatever troubled her, she didn’t want to say. She was humiliated and would rather not go into the bar. Did she know about David’s gambling problem? It didn’t seem so. And there was no gambling at the Cork.