Propositioning Mr. Raine (11 page)

Adam cleared his throat. “He’s right, Ryder. You haven’t seen how bad Dusty is.

We were left with just over a week to get our hands on that money or they would have taken everything away and we don’t have that kind of money sitting around.” Adam eyed Navarro. “Where did the money come from?”

Navarro hesitated.

“I grew up on this damn ranch too.” Adam looked grim. “You all tell me I’m your brother even if we aren’t blood. This is where I live and you say the land is as much mine as yours since I grew up with you. I have a say, right? Where did you get the money? Please tell me you didn’t do something crazy, like sell your championship buckles.”

A groan came from Ryder. “Not your buckles, bro. Tell me who you sold them to and we’ll buy every damn one back.”

“Fuck.” Navarro didn’t want to tell them. “It goes no farther, okay? It’s between the three of us.”

Both men nodded and Navarro relaxed. “Trina had the money and she wrote me a check for twenty grand. She’s the one who made it possible to save the ranch.”

“Nice girlfriend.” Ryder whistled. “We’ll pay your woman back. What happened to Red anyway? You upgraded, by the way. I hated her. She was bitchy and whiney.”

Adam snorted. “You have no idea what kind of bitch she was. When she realized the ranch was going to be lost she dumped Nav faster than you could say broke.”

“I’m sorry.” Ryder frowned at Navarro. “You liked her a lot.”

5“I liked fucking her.” He shrugged. “She was okay but I wasn’t in love. It pissed me off more than anything that at the first sign of trouble, she was leaving dust trails on her way out of here.”

“Who is this Trina? I don’t remember her from town.”

“Her name is Trina Mattews and she bought the Vern’s farmhouse. She’s from California.” Navarro hesitated. “She’s a widow whose husband was accidentally killed in some job-related accident last year. Don’t bring it up though because it’s still painful for her. She came here to start a new life away from reminders of the life she had with him.”

“Kids?” Adam sipped coffee from his mug.

“Her husband couldn’t have them and he didn’t want to adopt. She married him despite it.”

Ryder’s body tensed as he stared at his brother. “Really?”

Navarro met Ryder’s eyes. “Yeah and yes I told her I couldn’t get her pregnant. She didn’t bat an eyelash. She is a good person.”

“I like her already.” Ryder smiled.

“So do I.” Navarro turned his attention toward the barn. “Trina’s a great cook who makes omelets that melt in your damn mouth. She bakes and she made me something.

I’m hungry so let’s see what she made.”

Navarro retrieved the tub and placed it on the truck bed next to Adam. “It’s heavy.

She said she overdid it but I thought she was kidding. She used to bake shit and send it to work with her husband for his friends.” He popped the lid and stared. “I mentioned I’d like to see how she could bake yesterday morning so she was nice enough to send this so I could sample her cooking.” A grin split his lips. “It looks like she sent me everything to try.”

“Shit,” Ryder chuckled, diving a hand in. “Cookies. A cake. Brownies. Hot damn! Is that banana bread?” He sniffed and groaned, his gaze lifting to Navarro. “How interested in her are you? I might give you a run for this woman if this tastes as good as it smells.”

Adam grabbed a bag of chocolate chip cookies and popped one into his mouth, chewing, and grinned at Navarro. “Forget Ryder. Worry about me. I always believed Mama when she said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach and I’m falling in love.”

Navarro grinned, tasting the best damn brownie he’d ever had in his life. “Hands off, guys. She’s all mine.”

* * * * *

At home Trina showered and heard the phone ring as she dried off. It hardly ever rang so she was hopeful it was Navarro and ran for the phone. “Hello?”

“Hi, Trina.”

6Pain lanced through her at the sound of the voice on the other end of the phone.

“Paul. Hi.”

“I was wondering how you are doing.”

Biting her lip, Trina gripped the phone hard. “I’m getting along. How are you?

How are your parents doing?”

“Fine. We’re good. It’s Mom and Dad’s anniversary on Sunday and I was hoping you’d fly back here to come to their party. It would mean a lot to them if you showed up since you meant so much to Ted.”

She sat on her bed, not caring that her towel was wet, or that she was getting the bedspread damp. “I…its short notice. It’s already Friday.”

“You have the money.” Anger tightened Paul’s voice. “My brother made sure you were well off and could afford to make last-minute trips.”

Ted’s family was angry that Ted hadn’t left them any money. The insurance policy had been put in her name, everything had been, and Paul, Ted’s brother, had been especially angry. He and Ted were ten months apart and resembled each other as though they were twins. Just seeing Paul was really painful, as if she were looking at Ted—until Paul opened his mouth. They looked very similar, sounded alike, but Paul was an asshole while Ted had been a sweetheart.

“You haven’t gone through all that money, have you?” He spat the words.

“Of course not.”

“I know you have to be shit with money since Ted had to treat you like you were a kid rather than a woman. He took care of everything. He—”

“Don’t.” She cut him off.

“He deserved better. You were always wrong for him.”

Pain and anger hit her. “He was happy. I quit my job because he asked me to and we lived that way because he wanted that kind of life with me. Don’t blame me if you didn’t understand our lifestyle. He wanted to take care of everything and he wanted me at home to take care of him and I did that. I was the best housewife I could be. I put aside all of my dreams and ignored what I wanted because I loved him, Paul. Don’t you dare accuse me of being wrong for him when I gave up everything to make him happy.”

A snort sounded over the phone. “He knew you couldn’t do anything so he kept you at home. You’re one of those pathetic women who—”

The phone made a loud sound when it slammed into the cradle. Trina stared at the receiver, stunned that she’d hung up on him, having never done that to Ted’s brother before, no matter how mean he got. He was bitter about Ted’s death and resentful that Ted had left everything to Trina. She was pretty sure he was even bitter that Ted’s marriage had lasted while Paul had gone through four wives, proving what a big jerk he was.

6The phone rang. She hesitated. It rang again. She jerked it up. “I won’t let you talk to me that way, Paul. Do you understand me? I won’t be berated and put down. Do you get that? Don’t call here and start tearing into me, damn it. I lived to make Ted happy and it cost me plenty sometimes but I did it because I loved him that much.” She took a deep breath.

“Babe?” Navarro’s voice was soft. “This isn’t Paul. Are you all right? You sound pissed.”

She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just hung up on him and the phone rang. I thought you were him calling me back.”

“Who is this jerk?”

“Ted’s younger brother.”

Navarro hesitated. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry. Hi.” Trina tried to shake off her anger.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

She hesitated. “Ted’s brother is upset that Ted left everything to me. I was just his wife. The family thinks no matter how many years we were married that they should have gotten everything. Paul is particularly upset and he calls sometimes just to rile me, I swear. I’m really fine. I just didn’t expect his call or his verbal attack.” She took another deep breath, relaxing. “So to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

He chuckled. “I loved the brownies the best. I had to fight Adam and Ryder for one of the loaves of banana bread. Thanks, babe. You can bake for me anytime.”

“I’m glad. I know I overdid it.”

“We ate it all.”

A sudden burst of laughter came from her as she lay back on her bed, Paul totally forgotten. “No way. I made enough to feed ten guys.”

“We made breakfast out of the whole thing.” He laughed. “That’s why I’m calling.

You offered to bring something to dinner so can you make us up something for dessert?

I was going to offer ice cream but after tasting what you take out of an oven it just pales in comparison. Adam and Ryder are eating with us but then they are going to the bar tonight so we’ll be alone.”

“Okay. Any suggestions?”

“Surprise me.” He lowered his voice. “I’m looking forward to the alone time with you the most.”

“Me too.” Hearing his words made Trina smile as warmth spread throughout her body.

“Thanks for the backrub last night. Thanks for everything.”

“I had a good time.”

“Sure you did. Sleeping in a barn on the uncomfortable dirt floor with me had to be a hell of a lot of fun.”

6“I did have a good time.” She sat up. “And I didn’t sleep on a dirt floor. I slept on you and you’re damn comfortable.”

He chuckled. “Always happy to be there for you, babe. I’ll see you at six.”

“Okay.”

“And, babe?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let that jerk get to you, okay?”

“I won’t. See you then.” She hung up, grinning.

6
Chapter Seven

“You’re an excellent cook.” Trina smiled across the table at Navarro.

“Now,” Adam laughed. “When he was sixteen he invited a girl over and decided to impress her with his grilling techniques. He damn near burned the back porch down.

We had to hose off him…and his date.”

“Not the kind of smoking hot date he had in mind,” Ryder laughed.

Navarro chuckled. “I learned to never grill that damn close to the house again.”

Trina turned her attention on Adam. “So I take it you are a lifetime friend?”

“Not lifetime but damn close. My mom worked for their dad after Ryder and River were born. We came to the ranch when I was four and I grew up here with them after that. My mom worked here right up until she died last year.”

Ryder chuckled. “He’s one of us and so is his brother Trip. We made them blood brothers when we were just kids. He about fainted when he realized real blood was involved.”

“Cool. So do you have a place around here?” Trina couldn’t help but grin.

Adam hesitated. “I live on the ranch.”

Navarro met her gaze as she looked at him. “Adam put a nice mobile home on the land. He didn’t want to live with all of us in the house.”

“Want wouldn’t exactly be my choice of word to use,” Adam chuckled, pointing at Ryder. “He kept stealing all the women I brought home. Between him, River, and Dusty, I couldn’t keep one for long so I moved out so I could have the same woman in my bed more than a week at a time.”

Trina grinned as her attention focused on Navarro. “What about you? Is he being polite and not mentioning your name? Did you try to swipe his girlfriends too?”

“No.” Navarro didn’t smile. “I was engaged to Debbie at the time and then we got married.”

Debbie. So that is the ex-wife’s name.
She nodded and noticed the laughter had died when Navarro spoke. A glance at the other men revealed their grim expressions as they stared at Navarro. He met their looks and then looked at Trina.

“She was a bitch. She fooled me completely, but I didn’t want to see it. I was young and believed I was in love. For some reason she thought I owned the entire ranch and was getting someone with a hell of a lot more money than I ever had. When she realized I wasn’t just modest but actually didn’t have much money she was spiteful.” His mouth twisted into a grim line. “She tried to fuck every one of my brothers and then she went after my friends.”

6Ryder took a sip of his beer. “We wouldn’t touch her.”

“Damn straight,” Adam nodded. “Brothers don’t do that shit to brothers.”

“My friends weren’t so saintly.” Navarro sighed. “I met her when I was on the rodeo circuit so I should have known better. She was kind of wild but she was fun. I talked about the ranch and how I wanted to retire from the circuit to go home. Then I got hurt so while I was recovering she got me to marry her and I brought her home when I was well enough. It all fell apart hard.”

“I’m sorry.” Trina meant it. “You got hurt on the rodeo circuit?”

A surprised look was on Adam’s face. “She hasn’t seen the scar?”

Ryder snickered. “Sorry, man. Maybe you can show her soon.”

Trina frowned. “I saw some scars on you but…”

Navarro shot Adam and Ryder a dirty look. “I got gored in the nuts by a bull.

Unless you lift them up and look on the backside near my ass you won’t see the scar.”

Trina nodded, understanding now what was so amusing to Adam and Ryder. “I missed that. I was too impressed with the front view to pay attention to anything else.”

Adam choked on his beer. Ryder laughed, pounding him hard on the back. Navarro chuckled.

“I’ll show you soon. That’s why I can’t have kids. Everything works but that part of me. At first I was terrified I’d never be able to have sex again so I know I should count myself lucky that being sterile was the worst of it.”

“I’m sorry. Everything does work though, and pretty damn great too.” She winked at him.

A grin curved Navarro’s lips. “We’ll test out the equipment after they leave.” He glanced at both men with a telling look. “Hopefully that will be soon.”

“Not until we get some of that cake your woman brought,” Ryder said, chuckling as he grinned at Trina. “I’m in love with your banana bread. If you ever dump Nav, when you realize he’s not someone you want to spend an eternity with, I want you to marry me.”

Trina was surprised that they thought she was Navarro’s girlfriend and it was obvious they believed she was more to him than just a woman he was having sex with.

After finding them naked and curled up together in the barn, she knew both men realized they were having sex but they were taking it as more. It told her that Navarro obviously hadn’t shared the facts with them on why she was really there. Her gaze flew to his but he just winked at her, smiling.

“She’s too bright to dump me for you, Ryder. You’re in a band and on the road way too much.”