Texas Gold (13 page)

He didn’t even give her words a moment's consideration. “I can agree to that.”

“Good, I’m not done. If we’re going to separate this part of our lives, let’s do it completely. No talking about it when we’re together, no meetings with your business partner if we’re together.”

Again he agreed immediately.

“So, what are we doing here, anyway?”

He pulled her into his arms. “Right this second?”

She nodded and looked up at his face. The mischievous grin she loved so much was back, and she laughed as he lowered his head to hers.

“We’re sealing this bargain with a kiss.”

She loved the way he did business.

As he touched his lips to Mallory’s, Brenton heard Nina and Jen clapping. No sense hiding the relationship now. Because that’s exactly what it was. It wasn’t some business proposition. He might be better at making millions than he was at this sort of stuff, but he was going to give this relationship his best.

He was thankful his daughter supported it, thankful Mallory was willing to at least try.

Lifting his head, he stepped back. Better stop now.

Mallory was looking up at him with her sexy blue eyes, biting her bottom lip with uncertainty as the red dirt blew around them.

“So Carrie said the press is here. What’s the story?”

Even though she asked, Brenton was certain she didn’t want to know. “You said no business talk.”

“Hey, I’m out here. I might as well know now.”

“They’re covering growing metroplex areas.”

“Hmm. They should talk to some of the locals.”

As Brenton watched the reporter talking to an animated Jen, he figured they were doing just that. “They probably will.”

“You said we don’t stand in each other’s way in debates or with the media, right?”

He nodded wishing he’d amended part of that statement.

“So I can’t break the camera or cuss the reporter out.”

He couldn’t see her doing either, but still he agreed.

“Well, good. You go on back to work. I see John standing over there shooting me the evil eye. I’m going to get Jen and Nina and head back to the house before it’s over a hundred out here.”

She reached up, barely kissed his lips and started climbing up the dirt pile the reporter and photographer were standing on.

Brenton couldn’t help but admire Mallory’s sexy bottom, or any of the rest of her either as he made his way across the site to talk to John.

“What’s she doing?” John shoved his thumb in Mallory’s direction looking none too thrilled.

Brenton knew he should be right there with John, ticked at the silly country bumpkin who couldn’t see the benefits of their plan.

But as he watched Mallory’s face light up at the questions the reporter asked, he could only feel satisfaction. The story might portray his company as Goliath now, but Mallory had the right to voice her opinions.

“Looks to me like she’s talking to the press.”

“They’re here to cover us.”

“I bet they get to hear about a whole new side now.”

“Whatever.” John didn’t give the thought time to register. “So you sleeping with the enemy these days, boss man?”

For a second, red anger washed over him, and Brenton thought about telling John to find himself a new business partner.
 

The thought shocked him. He and John had made most of their millions together. He wasn’t going to jeapordize the company or its profits over a relationship that might not even work out.
 

Plus it wasn’t John’s fault he’d never felt this way about a woman before.
 

He’d make it clear now that some subjects were completely and totally off limits.

“It would be wise for you to find something productive to do, John. Very wise.” His anger was quite apparent in his words, and John obviously heard it.

“Hey, I can take a hint, but whatever’s going on, don’t let it interfere with the project, buddy. We’ve got a lot invested, and it’s too late to turn back now.”

Brenton watched as John walked over to the site manager. His partner was right. They couldn’t stop now. Not Serendipity’s development and not the matter of her father’s job.
 

Both were set in motion. He could stop everything he was doing, and it wouldn’t matter a bit.

And as far as Mallory’s father was concerned, he’d keep his word to her. He’d never say another word about firing the man.

Still, it would happen, and he figured it would happen in the next two weeks when the board reconvened.

He knew he should tell Mallory that now. But if he did, she wouldn’t even consider their bargain.

So he’d keep that knowledge to himself. In the mean time he had two weeks.

He’d faced tough problems before and conquered them completely. He’d take care of this problem when it hit. Until then, he’d focus all his energy on building a relationship with Mallory. One that could endure tough times.

Brenton heard Mallory laughing at something the reporter asked. She looked completely at home here on a pile of red dirt, surrounded by work trucks, reporters and barbed wire fences.

Fences he was tearing down.
 

Hopefully, she’d understand he wasn’t tearing them down to destroy her idea of paradise. He was just giving more dreams a chance to grow, including theirs. He could make Serendipity better than almost paradise, if she’d give them a chance.

Chapter Nine

Brenton was due in five minutes for their morning run when Mallory’s phone rang.

“Have you seen the paper?”

Mallory knew Carolyn had to be talking about the Metro paper. Serendipity’s paper, the Caller, came out once a week, and its stories tended to be who won what, who went where and who was marrying whom.

“I haven’t made it into town to buy one yet. What’s it say?”

“Honey, let’s just say, you are the champion. Damn girl, they even made you look good standing on top of a dirt hill. You’re going to love it.”

She already did, and she hadn’t even seen it.
 

Brenton knocked on her door, opened it when she yelled, “come in,” and threw “said” paper on the table.

If it made her side look so good, why was he smiling like that?”

“Caro, I’ve got to get. Call me later.”

When she hung up the phone, Brenton wrapped his arms around her. “You’re a celebrity.”

She relaxed against him. “I love it when you do that.”

“What’s that?”

“Hold me.” She sighed against his chest. “I know we’ve got this bargain about no business talk when we’re together, but can I at least see the picture? You brought the paper over.”

He shrugged. “Sure. I brought it for you. You look like a million dollars.”

“Well, you would certainly know about that.”

She grabbed the paper and looked. There, smack dab in the center, above the fold, top left she stood looking like superwoman out to save the world. “Hey, I do look good.”

“They couldn’t do anything to make you look bad.”

She smacked him playfully with the paper and then looked at it again. “Can I just skim the story?”

He nodded again. “Sure, but I can save you some time. Basically, it says I’m the big bad bully and you’re Joan of Arc out to stop me from destroying a dying culture.”
 

With an evil grin, he pulled her to him and kissed her neck. “You sound smart and reasonable, and John and I sound like a couple of money hungry millionaires set on turning our millions into billions.”

“You are, aren’t you?” She teased.

“I was.” He was serious, and she felt her heart plunge to her toes at his words. It was just like when she rode a giant roller coaster and the cart stopped for a second before plummeting down a steep decline. Death defying.

It scared the crap out of her.

“So what else does it say?”

“Well, I did score one point courtesy of your niece. Jen said it would be cool to have something to do around town other than hang out at the school or lake, ride horses or go to church. But then Nina ruined it all by saying in a town like Serendipity everyone was family. The reporter really played up the fact that my own daughter is against me now.”

“Serves you right.”

He reached down for another kiss. When his lips were at her ear, he whispered, “It ends with our kiss.”

“What?”

“The story. The reporter ends with how we’re adversaries on this issue, but not on all. Makes me want to find out what all we agree on.”

She scanned the story. “You’re joking.”

He shook his head and pointed to the last paragraph. Nope. He wasn’t.

“Now I look ridiculous.” She slapped the paper on the counter.

“Not at all. You look wise and wonderful. A modern day Solomon. Know your enemy and know them well. Now John,” Brenton pointed to a smaller picture, “he looks ridiculous.”

She laughed and pressed against him. How could he be so cavalier about this? The story really did make him seem greedy, almost malicious. But he wasn’t. She had to believe that to go on with this crazy idea.

“So are we just going to stand here all day making out, or are we going to run?”

He pushed her against the wall. “I don’t know. I could swear I saw an article that said you burn more energy making love than any other exercise out there.”

A few kisses later, Mallory finally had a chance to answer. “Maybe minute for minute.”
 

Stepping away, he grabbed her hand. “You might have a point. And now that you’re a celebrity, you need to keep that svelte figure.”

She loved his teasing. Loved the way he made her laugh. “That’s a fact.”

He grabbed her hand and headed out the door before saying more. “Plus,” he said as he pulled the door closed, “we can get all sweaty and come back for a shower. Could prove very interesting.”

Mallory fought the urge to head right on back into the house dragging him along. “Very interesting indeed.”

Later that day, Brenton sat in his office trying to help John see the humor in the newspaper article.
 

“A story like this could have long lasting repercussions.
 
Serendipity might be a sure thing, but what’s next?”

“Next is a long time from now. Relax.”

“Easy enough for you to say. You’re the one making friends with the locals.”

It didn’t matter what he said, John wasn’t buying any arguments, and Brenton could only be thankful the conversation was via telephone.

As John continued listing all the reasons the story could turn into a nightmare for them, Brenton thought of the main reason he didn’t care.

When Mallory read that story this morning she’d practically glowed. Whatever happened was definitely worth it.

And the fear he’d had that Nina would prove surly at the idea of him dating her coach hadn’t come to fruition at all. In fact, if he had to wager, he’d say Nina was their biggest fan, followed closely by Mallory’s niece.

As if from a distance, Brenton heard John repeating himself. “Hello. Hello. Are you there? Why am I bothering with this...”

“Hold on. I’m here, and I was listening,” Brenton lied. “But the simple fact of the matter is you’re blowing this way out of proportion. It’ll blow over.”

While trying to calm John down, he heard the doorbell ring and Mrs. Johnson answer.

A few seconds later, his housekeeper stopped at his office door.

With a quick goodbye, he waved the woman in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, sir. But a Mr. Baber is here to see you.”

On their run, Mallory had said how surprised she was that she hadn’t heard from her father or her brothers. “You don’t happen to know which Mr. Baber it would be, do you? Young or old maybe?”

 
Mrs. Johnson shook her head. “Well, no sir, but he seems a little agitated, and he’s definitely young. Should I ask him to wait?”

Brenton stood. “No, I’ll go on out there, but if you could keep Nina from coming in while he’s here, I’d be most appreciative.”

The older woman seemed to stop a chuckle. “Of course, sir.”

Brenton followed her out of the office and down the hall ready to take whatever might be coming.

Happy to finally face this confrontation.

He found Tim standing near the front door looking none too pleased.

Reaching out his hand, Brenton decided polite might be the best way to start. “Hello, Tim.”

Such niceties weren’t on Tim’s agenda. After refusing to shake his hand, Tim started right in.

“When Mallory wouldn’t sell you her land, I didn’t figure you’d sleep with her to get it.”

For a second, Brenton considered punching the oldest Baber son, but then he thought of Mallory’s reaction and decided that might not be the best course of action.
 

Instead, he coldly met her brother’s eyes with his own. “My relationship with your sister is just that. With your sister. I won’t discuss it with you or anyone else.”

“A man like you could destroy her easily.”

Brenton wondered when Tim had last seen his sister for who she really was rather than who he thought she was. “As I just said, I won’t discuss my relationship with Mallory with you even if you think you’re entitled. And for the record, I don’t think you have to worry about anyone destroying your sister.”

For a second, Tim seemed to consider his words. “She might be tough, but Mallory isn’t some socialite used to moving from boyfriend to boyfriend.”

Brenton opened his mouth to restate what he’d already said when Tim interrupted. “I know, I know. You won’t discuss my sister with me. But I’m warning you, if she gets hurt, you’ll answer to me for it.”

Brenton almost asked why he’d stop there. Why not send over the entire Baber clan? But he didn’t figure that would earn him any points. Instead, he simply nodded and said, “warning heard.”

“Good. And I’m here to invite you to lunch with us tomorrow. Mal can tell you when and where. And Nina’s invited, too.”

Lunch with the Babers. Brenton could just hear what the reporters would do with this scene.

Hopefully, he’d live through it.

“I’ll be there, if Mallory asks. Has anyone talked to her about this or did you just take it upon yourself as protecting guardian to leave her out and ask me yourself?”