Rancher On the Line Page 2

  “Why were you driving down the road without your lights on?” she asked, breaking her no-talking rule.

  “That?” He sounded shocked. “I didn’t want to be seen and I was trying to be polite.” The calmness was gone from his voice, replaced with irritation. “If you would calm down, we could talk like adults.”

  Polite? The very real fear she’d misread the situation loomed like a rain-heavy cloud. If she wanted to stay at the cabin, and she did, she was going to have to do some fast talking to explain herself.

  2

  “Sorry, I-uh,” the woman’s gaze darted around like she was searching for an escape route, “thought you might be an ax murderer or sadistic rapist.” This person wasn’t much taller than five feet four inches but was surprisingly strong and had a few maneuvers that made him believe she’d at the very least taken a martial arts class. Dane half figured the digs on his arms from her fingernails were bleeding and don’t even get him started on the near-miss with her knee to his groin.

  “My name is Dane Firebrand. I’d appreciate it if you kept it between us.” He figured sharing something about himself might put her at ease. He truly felt bad if she believed what she’d just said. It also told him she was most likely staying at the cabin next door by herself, which would explain her reaction to him.

  “Wait,” she said, sounding like she’d just seen a ghost. “You’re Dane Firebrand? Stetson?”

  “How do you know that nickname?” Dane took a step back, trying to get a better look at the woman. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness. The fact she didn’t offer her name didn’t get past him.

  “I knew one of your close friends.” Her voice caught on the last word and it seemed to take her a few seconds to be able to keep her emotions in check. “You’re the reason I’m here.”

  “What does that mean?” Now he really was confused. No one knew he was coming except for family and they didn’t even know when he planned to arrive. “Are you looking for me or something? Because I can promise you we’ve never met.”

  Dane could count on one hand the number of folks who called him Stetson, and none of them were from around these parts. This lady had some explaining to do.

  “No. Not exactly. I’m here in Lone Star Pass because of you,” she explained but he was still confused.

  “So, let me get this straight. We’ve never met. You don’t know me, but I’m the reason you moved here?” he asked.

  “I’m not living here.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Just…vacationing for a week or two.”

  She didn’t know how long she was vacationing?

  “Sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” he said, figuring hearing it might ring a bell. She still hadn’t come up with an explanation as to where she’d heard his nickname or explained her connection to Bagram.

  “Lucas used to talk about you,” she said on a sigh, and he noted that she still hadn’t willingly given her name. Was she testing him in some strange way? Lucas Hawkins, a.k.a. Hawkeye, was dead and she didn’t need to spell out her identity after mentioning him. Based on her prim ballerina silhouette, he knew exactly who she was.

  “You must be Catalina Ivey.” An IED had caused more than nerve damage. Twelve months ago, Dane had lost one of his best friends when a roadside explosion created enough confusion for Hawkeye and Bastien to be captured. Hawkeye, had taken point, as usual, on a mission that eventually ended with two fine soldiers going home in pine boxes.

  “You know my name?” She sounded confused and more than a little concerned.

  “Hawkeye talked about you all the time,” Dane admitted. Said she was the love of the man’s life and he was going to wear her down and convince him to marry her when his tour was up. This didn’t seem like the right time to ask if she’d known about the plan.

  “He did?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” This also didn’t seem like the time to tell her soldiers talked to each other, admitting things they normally wouldn’t tell a soul, while they were in the dessert.

  Dane hadn’t thought about Hawkeye in months. He’d suppressed all the memories, good and bad, shoving them down somewhere deep where they wouldn’t easily resurface.

  “Now that we know who we are—”

  “We could catch up over a cup of coffee,” Dane cut her off. He wanted to know why she was out here in the middle of nowhere by herself and why she’d chosen Lone Star Pass because of him.

  “It’s late.” There was hesitation in her voice but nothing finite. Inflection was everything and hers said she was on the fence. Did she really want to go back to her cabin alone?

  “Or early, depending on your point of view,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. His attempt at humor seemed to fall flat.

  “Do you know anything about computers?” she finally asked after staring him down for a long moment.

  “Afraid not.” He put his hands up in the surrender position. “I’m more of a weapons guy than communication.”

  “Thanks anyway for the coffee offer.” She started to walk past him.

  “Are you staying at the cabin alone?” His question stopped her in her tracks. Maybe it was the common thread of Hawkeye or the fact the man talked about Catalina endlessly while on missions, and Dane was the unfortunate soul who usually got to listen to how perfect she was or how beautiful. But he didn’t want her to leave.

  “Maybe. Why do you ask?” She didn’t turn to look at him.

  “Because I feel like a stranger in my hometown and, frankly, I could use the company.” He couldn’t see her face clearly enough to decide which way she was leaning. It didn’t matter. He shouldn’t have asked. It was probably just him missing Hawkeye and feeling all kinds of out of place in Lone Star Pass that had him asking when he should just let her walk away and them both be done with the whole situation.

  Her muscles stiffened. Her shoulders came back. Her hands fisted. Dane prepared himself for the blow that would come with rejection as she prepared herself to deliver the punch. Instead, she surprised him by turning around to face him.

  “One cup can’t hurt,” she said, walking toward his cabin.

  Rather than pump his fists in the air at the victory, which he wanted to do, he followed her inside. “I probably should have mentioned that I have no idea if there’s any coffee here.”

  She stopped after taking a step inside the door. He flipped on the light, bathing the room in a soft glow.

  “Why is that?” she asked.

  “The owners don’t technically know I’m here,” he admitted. “But Jacob is an old friend and I have a standing invite.”

  His explanation seemed to appease her. She walked over to the adjacent kitchen and went to work, searching for coffee, filters, and cups. Thankfully, all those items were within arm’s reach. The layout of the cabins on this row was identical.

  “This place is nice,” she said, examining a mug. “Why is it your friend doesn’t know you’re here?” She poured water into the carafe. Her movements were delicate and graceful, belying the tigress she’d been not ten minutes ago who’d dug her fingernails into his arms until they broke the skin.

  “This cabin belongs to a friend. I forgot to call and let him know I’d be staying here,” he admitted, figuring giving up a little about himself might go a long way toward getting her to relax. Half a dozen questions sprang to mind about the blonde-haired beauty standing in the kitchen, working the coffee machine like she was a barista.

  Catalina had a quiet grace and strength. She had the kind of sculpted figure he would imagine on a dancer. Black velvety eyelashes framed the most beautiful cornflower blue eyes. Shoulders straight, chin high, her long neck gave her the elegance of a princess. Her hair could best be described as long, soft, silky blonde waves that fell past her shoulders. It was the kind he’d like to see splayed out across his pillow. A sculptor couldn’t have carved better features or created such beauty. Dane stopped himself right there.

  Didn’t Hawkeye say she was a computer programmer? The profession would make her know a thing or two about needing caffeine to work long hours while staring at a screen. Besides, no good could come from him spending too much time admiring her physical features, perfect as they might be.

  The pictures he’d seen of Catalina didn’t do her justice. Guilt stabbed at Dane for the attraction he felt toward the woman his buddy had loved.

  Catalina kept one eye on Stetson. Even when he thought she’d turned her back on him, she hadn’t. Dane Firebrand was a gorgeous man. The photos Lucas had sent home fell woefully short. She’d seen the pictures of him around Lucas and the man was even more attractive in person, if that was even possible. Stetson always stood in the background, though, whereas the other guys crowded the camera phone, throwing an arm around one another or making bunny ears behind someone’s head. The photos on one of the most dangerous military bases in the world looked more like an extended high school sleepover than men who faced life and death situations on a daily basis. Looking back, she wondered how much of their posing had been intentional to keep her from worrying about Lucas, her childhood sweetheart, and a love that ran deep.

  After pouring two cups, she joined Stetson at the table. Trusting him was another story. Handing one over, their fingers grazed and she ignored the jolt of electricity that came with contact despite the fact it awakened sensations in her she hadn’t felt in far too long. Feeling them with one of Lucas’s buddies from overseas should make her feel ashamed. So, why didn’t they?

  “I’m sorry,” Stetson said, and she looked into the truest shade of pale blue eyes. He had the thickest, blackest eyelashes framing those gorgeous blues. His hair was black as pitch, on the short side with tight curls. All signs of the military cut was gone, so she assumed he’d been sent somewhere to cool off before the gov
ernment decided it was a good idea to allow him to interact with civilians again. Aside from that, he was roughly six feet three inches with a body built for sin.

  “Thank you.” She knew exactly what he referred to…Lucas. “I don’t remember seeing you at the...” She flashed eyes at him in an apology.

  “No, it’s fine.” A mix of emotions crossed his expression before he reined them in. Regret? Guilt? A moment of shame? She wasn’t trying to make him feel bad for not showing up to the funeral.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “I couldn’t make it. I was in pretty deep overseas and the government didn’t think they could trust me to mix with ‘regular’ people,” he admitted.

  “Were they right?” She was all too familiar with the policy of finding a place to let soldiers cool off before clearing them for civilian interaction. She’d almost married someone exactly like him.

  “Yes.” He caught her gaze. Was he searching for disapproval? Disgust? He wouldn’t find it with her. She knew better than most what his life had been like overseas. Lucas had shared stories with her that he’d made her swear not to repeat. She’d forced him to open up a little when he’d nearly slit her throat one night when she surprised him in bed. She’d been trying to be playful but quickly learned never to make an unexpected move again when his eyes were closed. He’d changed so much during his time in the military. She’d respected his need to serve but always felt like she lost a little part of him every time he came home, which sometimes wasn’t for a year at a time. She suspected he chose not to come home at times when he had leave. Was he afraid she wouldn’t approve of the changes in him?

  “Why come to Lone Star Pass?” he asked. It was a fair question.

  “Lucas mentioned it a few times. He wanted to come here when he got his twenty years in. Buy a little land.” The memory was bittersweet.

  “And you just decided to rent a cabin here a year after…” Stetson didn’t finish the sentence, but it would have been, after his death.

  “What about you?” She turned the tables. “Why are you slinking around in the middle of the night when your family owns a cattle ranch here? Don’t you have a home to go to?”

  Stetson issued a sharp sigh. He picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip.

  “I guess the answer to your question should be a yes.” He tapped his left index finger on the table. “Suffice it to say that I don’t exactly want to be seen right now.”

  “Mind if I ask why?” If she could keep him talking about himself, she might be able to avoid more questions about why she’d come to town.

  “Would, ‘it’s complicated’ suffice?” He brought his gaze up to meet hers and the air in the room crackled between them when their eyes met.

  Catalina hadn’t felt this kind of chemistry before. Ever. There was a lost quality to Stetson’s eyes that Catalina connected with on a most basic level. Two broken souls that fit together?

  She rejected the idea as unfair to Lucas.

  “I’m the last person who is going to try to force you to talk about something you don’t want to,” she said before taking a sip of the dark brew. It wasn’t exactly French roast but was hands down better than tap water.

  He shrugged massive shoulders. “My family doesn’t exactly get along.”

  “With all due respect, you’re the last person I would expect to shy away from a fight,” she said, wishing she could reel those words back in the second they left her mouth after she saw his reaction.

  “I’m a work in progress on that one,” he said after a few tense moments of silence.

  “It’s none of my business,” she quickly added, grateful for the company. This was the first face-to-face conversation she’d had in twenty days. And looking at Stetson’s wasn’t exactly a hardship.

  “It’s fine,” he said.

  “No, it isn’t. I shouldn’t poke my nose where it doesn’t belong.” She shook her head. “I just…it’s just been a while since I’ve really talked to anyone. You know?”

  When she lifted her gaze to meet his for the second time, she instantly realized he did know. More than he would probably ever tell. Could she get answers out of him?

  3

  “You still haven’t told me why you’re really here.” Dane turned the tables, wanting to help if he could.

  “I lied before. I’m not on vacation.” She took a sip of coffee before setting the mug down and studying it. Her cheeks flushed, making her even more attractive. “Did Lucas tell you what I do for a living?”

  “Computer programmer,” he said. Catalina was the total package, intelligence and beauty, or so Hawkeye had said more times than Dane could count. Seeing and speaking to her now, Hawkeye hadn’t don’t her justice.

  “Which means I can work anywhere I want,” she said. “Within reason.”

  “Still doesn’t explain why you came here,” he pointed out.

  “That’s personal.” She shrugged. “Sue me. I miss Lucas. He wanted to move here in a couple of years, so I came here to be close to him.”

  The explanation didn’t sit quite right with Dane. Or maybe it was her expression when she spoke. The way her delicate eyebrow twitched just a little and her cheeks flamed when she mentioned Lucas’s name. Something was off.

  “So, Stetson, tell me about your family. Will I run into them when I go into town for groceries?” She changed the subject. Another telltale sign she was uncomfortable with the former topic.

  “My name out here is Dane,” he corrected. His curiosity was piqued because she had no reason to lie to him unless she was doing something illegal. “I left Stetson at Bagram.”

  “Oh. Right. Sorry.” Her cheeks flushed again against creamy skin and he had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to touch her. He wasn’t trying to be a jerk but coming back to civilian life meant he needed to separate himself from his overseas identity. It was the only way he knew how. “Dane.”

  “It’s fine,” he said, and he could hear the huskiness in his own voice. Hearing his name roll off her tongue sent an electric impulse rippling through his body from the middle of his chest to his toes.

  “You’ve said that twice now. It’s not fine.” She lifted her gaze to meet his and his chest took another hit. “Dane it is.”

  “It’s been nice talking to you.” He stood up, needing her to go before this attraction got out of control. He immediately regretted his knee-jerk reaction. Being back in Lone Star Pass was getting to him.

  A look of surprise darkened her eyes. It seemed to take a second to register that he’d just asked her to leave. Her mouth formed an, “Oh.”

  Before he could figure out a way to backpedal she was on her feet.

  “You didn’t willingly tell me your name and you’ve dodged answering my questions about the real reason you’re here,” he said, playing these off as the real reasons. There was some truth to what he said. Something wasn’t sitting right with what she’d said when they had their first confrontation. “Now that you know I’m not an ax murderer or rapist, you can feel safe to go home.”

  She stared him down for a long moment like they were playing a game of dare and the loser blinked first. He didn’t give an inch.

  “Since you already know my name, there’s no point in me repeating it. I wasn’t lying when I said I was here working. I don’t know what else to tell you, but I can take a hint so I’m out of here.” She’d skipped over an important detail. He could see it all over her face and he wanted to know what it was. Since asking outright wouldn’t get the job done, he’d shocked her in the hopes she’d volunteer information. She wasn’t the only one who needed it. He’d had to do the same for himself before a serious attraction could take hold. There was a whole lot of secrecy going on with the beauty inside the cabin, and his familiarity with Hawkeye caused Dane to forget that he didn’t know her.

  His cell buzzed, shocking them both. He fished it out of his pocket as she placed her coffee cup in the sink. He’d noticed that even when it seemed like her back was to him, she kept an eye on him. Good. She shouldn’t trust a stranger no matter how comfortable they were. His history with Hawkeye would taint her judgment. Although, Hawk didn’t seem to do a whole lot of sharing about his buddies with her.