The Rancher Returns (8 page)

Frustration spilled from her lungs in a sigh and with very little control left, she unsnapped her seat belt and leaned closer to him. In spite of her misgivings, she was prepared to give him the kiss he wanted because it was a kiss she wanted, as well.

He leaned in to meet her and their lips touched. On her breathless sigh, he slid his tongue inside her mouth and began mating with her tongue. She felt his intensity all the way to her toes.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They were sitting in his truck, kissing like oversexed teenagers. Like they had nothing better to do and all day to do it. How crazy was that? But the insanity was lost as she tasted him. He tasted primitive, untamed and wild with lust. How could she detect such a thing in a kiss? Was this a warning that she should back off? That Gavin Blake would be the one man she couldn't ignore?

The latter gave her pause, but not enough to stop her tongue from mingling with his. Not enough to refrain from following his lead when he deepened the kiss. Not enough to stop the moan escaping her throat.

Layla knew then that she was a goner.

Seven

G
avin greedily devoured Layla's mouth. Never before had any woman escalated his arousal to such a state. And never had any woman made him want to kiss her each and every time he saw her.

Every bone and muscle in his body throbbed with a need for her that went beyond desire. Intense heat curled inside of him, threatening his control. And the one thing he was known for was control. So why were his brain cells faltering under the onslaught of such a delicious kiss? Why was his body making urgent demands for him to make love to her right here in his truck? Damn. What could he say?

Nothing. He was totally at a loss for words, which was a good thing since he didn't have time to indulge in any. He preferred using his mouth for this kiss. He intended to get his fill. But a part of him wasn't sure he could ever get his fill of Layla. He saw her and he wanted her. That wasn't good. He had to get control of his body and of the situation. And he needed to do so now.

Gavin reluctantly broke off the kiss. Drawing his mouth away from hers was one of the hardest things he'd had to do. He saw the look of denied need in her eyes before she leaned back, dropped her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. He figured she was as in awe of what just happened as he was.

What they'd shared wasn't just a kiss. It was an acknowledgment of deep sexual desires. He knew what was driving his and he thought he had figured out what was driving hers. She just refused to accept it. She was stubborn. It would take a lot more kisses like this one to bring her around. They'd felt an intense attraction to each other from the first, and from all appearances, things had gotten worse.

He continued to stare at her as heat curled inside of him. He wanted her. Bad. And that pushed him to say, “So tell me again why we can't sleep together.”

* * *

Layla heard his words but she couldn't respond. Neither could she open her eyes to look at him. There was no point. She knew what she would see in the depths of his dark gaze. A sexual need so hot it was likely to sizzle her insides. It would make her fully aware of her own sexual need. A need he stirred to life inside her whether she wanted him to or not.

“Open your eyes, Layla. I'm not going anywhere.”

At least not today. She suddenly remembered Ms. Melody mentioning he had to go to Mississippi on business. “When are you leaving?” she asked, opening her eyes.

Just as she'd expected. The eyes staring at her were dark and seductive.

He lifted a brow. “Leaving for where?”

“Mississippi. Your grandmother mentioned you had important business to take care of there.”

“Trying to get rid of me, are you?”

“It wouldn't hurt,” she said and saw his eyes get even darker when she moistened her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue. “So when are you leaving?”

He moved his gaze from her mouth to her eyes. “I changed my mind about Mississippi. I'm not leaving here any time soon.” She couldn't stop the disappointment that flashed through her.

“But I thought you had important business to take care of.”

“My plans have changed. Do you have a problem with that?”

“I just hope you don't plan to get underfoot.”

“I'll try not to. Now show me the exact spot where you plan to dig,” he said, opening the truck door to get out.

No matter what he said, Layla knew Gavin would try getting underfoot.

* * *

When Gavin pulled an odd-looking camera from his backseat, Layla lifted a brow. “What is that?”

He smiled. “A Vericon 12D. It's a high-tech camera that's mainly used underwater. Flipper messed around with it so we could use it on land, as well.”

“Flipper?”

“Yes, Flipper. One of my team members. He's into technology and all that high-tech stuff,” Gavin said as they walked side by side.

“Surely Flipper isn't his real name.”

Gavin chuckled. “His real name is David Holloway. His code name is Flipper.”

“Oh,” she said, glancing up at him. “Do you have a code name?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

He saw no reason not to tell her since his grandmother was well aware of it, too. His teammates called Gavin by his code name whenever they came to visit. “Viper.”

Layla scrunched up her features. “Viper?”

“Yes, Viper.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do they call you Viper?”

He stopped walking to answer her, and when he stopped, she did, too. He hadn't noticed before how small she seemed, standing close to him. He figured he'd never noticed because usually when he faced her he was fixated on her mouth.

“The reason I'm called Viper is because when I set my sights on a target, I don't give up until I make a hit. I love taking the enemy down.”

She tilted her head to look up at him. “Do you consider me an enemy?”

He didn't hesitate. “No.” She wasn't the enemy, but he had every intention of taking her down...right into his bed.

Evidently satisfied with his response, she looked around him, back toward where the truck was parked. Then she turned around. She did it several times and each time he saw her confusion deepen.

“Is something wrong?” he finally asked.

She whipped around to look at him. “Yes, something is wrong.”

He glanced around before returning his gaze to her. “What?”

“Someone moved my marker. It's gone.”

He lifted a brow. “What do you mean your marker is gone?”

She frowned. “Just what I said. Someone moved my marker. It's not here.”

Gavin released a deep sigh. “Why would anyone move your marker? Are you sure you put one down?”

“Of course I'm sure,” she answered in an annoyed tone. “Someone moved it.”

Gavin raised his gaze upward. “And who would do that?”

“I don't know, but someone did.”

He shook his head. “Layla, the Silver Spurs is out in the middle of nowhere. And this particular spot is considered way outside our working area, almost six miles from the main house. No one would deliberately come on this land to remove your marker.”

“Well, someone did, Gavin. I marked the digging site,” she said with deep irritation in her voice.

Gavin stared down at her. “Are you sure? Maybe your mind is clouded right now. I can understand my kiss leaving you that way.”

Her frown deepened. “I'm serious, Gavin.”

“So am I, Layla.”

Exasperation darkened her expression. “Will you get your mind off sex for a minute?”

A smile touched his lips. “My mind wasn't on sex,” he said. “It was on that kiss we shared. But since you've pulled sex into the conversation...it's hard to think of anything other than getting you in my bed when you look so good.”

Layla pushed to the back of her mind that she'd deliberately taken more time with her appearance just so he would think she looked good. That was before she'd come out here and discovered her marker
had
been removed.

“You moved it, didn't you?” she asked with an accusing glare.

“Now why would I want to do that?”

When she didn't say anything but continued to stare at him, his amusement was replaced with a deep frown. “I have no reason to mess with any marker you claim to have put down. This is the first time I've been out this far from the house since returning home.”

He rubbed a hand down his face in frustration. “If that marker has in fact been removed, then that means someone trespassed on this land to do it. Although for the life of me I can't imagine who would have cared enough to do such a thing. I just think you're confused as to where you placed the damn marker,” he said, glancing around. “The south pasture is rather large. Maybe it's all the way on the other side.”

“I am not confused and it's not on the other side. Not only did I map its coordinates, I recall parking near those tree stumps and walking twenty to thirty feet to my right. The marker was a wooden stake with a red flag on it, and I planted it exactly where we would dig.”

“If you're sure of that, then you need to consider who knows you're here. And who would want to see you fail.”

She lifted her chin. “And why wouldn't your name head the list? The deal we agreed on means I would have to sleep with you if I fail.”

Gavin took a step closer to her. “Whether you fail or succeed means nothing to me because I have every intention of sleeping with you regardless of the outcome of this dig.”

Layla was taken aback by Gavin's words. Of all the audacity. She placed her hands on her hips. Anger poured through her. “And how do you figure that?”

“Because, like I explained to you earlier, I'm Viper. I set my sights on a target. I don't give up until I make a hit. You are my target, Layla, and I plan to break down your resolve.”

She all but stomped her foot in frustration. “And I've told you that won't happen. What part of that don't you understand?”

“This part,” he said, brushing his finger across her cheek. She couldn't downplay her sharp intake of breath or the way her body shuddered beneath his touch. “You do something to me and I do something to you,” he continued. “We do things to each other. We can only hold out for so long.”

She tilted her lips stubbornly. “I will fight you on that with my last breath.”

“And I suggest you save that breath for that explosive orgasm you're going to have.”

Layla opened her mouth to blast out a resounding retort but then she closed it without responding. What was the use of arguing with him about something she knew for a fact wouldn't be happening, no matter what he thought? So what if his touch warmed her to the core? She would put him out of her mind. She had more important things to be concerned with. Like who'd removed her marker and why. No matter what Gavin might assume, she was not imagining things.

“My marker was removed, Gavin.”

He rolled his eyes. “We're back to that again?”

“Yes. The dig is why I'm here. Why I crazily agreed to your deal. If you didn't remove the marker, then who did?”

* * *

Gavin drew in a deep breath, trying to hold his aggravation and frustration at bay. He knew for certain she was not incompetent. So someone had removed the marker like she claimed.

“Here, hold this,” he said, handing Flipper's camera to her. He then began walking, studying the ground. He slowed when he saw footprints he knew weren't hers or his. He crouched down and pressed his finger to one, touching the indention in the earth. It was cold. The tracks looked fresh, as if they hadn't been made any more than forty-eight hours ago. Whose prints were they? One of his men? Possibly, but for some reason he doubted it. All his men had been working in the north and west pastures for the past few days. None had any reason to come to the south pasture.

It appeared more weight had been placed on the left leg as that impression was deeper. He also noted the sole of the right shoe appeared more worn than the left.

He stood and backtracked to where Layla said she'd parked her vehicle when she'd come out here. He walked, looking down and around the entire time. When he'd gone about thirty feet he stopped. Crouching down again he studied the earth and that's when he saw the small plug where the marker had been. He glanced to the right and the left, studying the ground. Again he saw footprints. The same ones.

He stood and slowly walked back to Layla. Without saying anything, he took the camera out of her hand. “Thanks.”

She raised a brow. “Well?”

She hadn't asked what he'd been doing. She was smart enough to figure things out. He was using his skill as a SEAL to determine if there was proof that the marker had been removed.

He met her inquisitive expression. “I saw footprints. I also saw where the marker had been. You're right. The marker was removed.”

“Why? By whom?”

“Don't know, Layla.” He honestly didn't have a clue. The Silver Spurs was private property. And although there were numerous ways to get on the property, he couldn't imagine anyone having a reason to come to this particular area. The one thing he didn't see was tire tracks. But the person could have parked elsewhere and walked.

“I planned on using this camera to scan the area,” he said. “I suggest you make a list of anyone who might have a reason for wanting you not to succeed in your dig. And make sure you take me off the list. I told you my position and I'm sticking to it.”

And without saying anything else, he walked off.

Eight

I
told you my position and I'm sticking to it
.

Later that day, Layla paced the floor. Gavin Blake was bullheaded, stubborn and full of himself. He was crazy if he actually thought he could get her to bend to his will. No way. No how. So why was she pacing the floor, wearing out both herself and her shoes?

She had watched him use that high-tech camera, but she hadn't been impressed with his findings. Gavin agreed there was something buried in the area but he refused to consider it was Jesse James's loot. To his way of thinking, since that area used to be a popular hunting spot, the camera had picked up nothing more than buried bullet shells.

Layla refused to believe her research was wrong. There was buried treasure somewhere in the south pasture, she was sure of it. And as far as who would not want to see her succeed in this project, that could be a number of people, including her parents. But she didn't for one minute think they would go so far as to sabotage the dig site. They were hoping failing at this would make Layla realize she should pursue medical school, after all. Then there was her older colleague Dr. Clayburn and others at the university who felt she'd been too young and inexperienced for such an expensive project. Did the person who removed the marker actually think she wouldn't have kept the coordinates and just re-marked it? That she would give up so easily?

She stopped pacing when she heard a knock on the door. The tightening in her stomach told her who it was. Why was Gavin here? She had spoken to Ms. Melody an hour or so ago when she'd called to invite Layla to dinner. Layla had regretfully declined, knowing she would not have been the best of company this evening. Besides, she needed distance from Gavin. Evidently he hadn't taken the hint.

The knock on the door sounded again. There was no need to pretend she wasn't there when Gavin knew she was. Crossing the room, she opened the door to find Gavin with a tray of food in his hand.

“After you told Gramma Mel you weren't coming to dinner, she strongly suggested I bring you something. I believe she thinks I'm the reason you didn't come to breakfast or dinner.”

Layla moved aside to let him in. Tray and all. Especially the tray. Everything was covered but the food smelled good. “I'll let her know that's not the case when I talk to her tomorrow.” No need for him to know he
had
been a factor in her decision.

“She might not be here. Not sure when she's leaving, whether it's tomorrow or the day after.”

Layla closed the door and followed him to the kitchen. “Leaving? Ms. Melody is going somewhere?”

“Yes, to a library convention in Cincinnati for a week. But I'm sure she won't leave without saying goodbye. And if you expect me to take her place and make sure you don't miss meals...that won't be happening.”

She frowned. “I never asked your grandmother to cook for me, Gavin.”

He put the tray on the kitchen table and turned to her. “Don't you think I know that?”

“Then why did you insinuate otherwise?”

“Did I?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, you did.”

“Then I apologize.” She couldn't help noticing how his gaze roamed over her. “You changed clothes,” he said.

Was that disappointment she heard in his voice? Seeing his gaze had moved to her chest, she dropped her hands to her sides. “I showered.”

“I know. You smell good. And you look good in that dress. Nice legs.”

She would have appreciated the compliment if she wasn't still so uptight about that marker being moved. “I want to go back out to the dig site tomorrow and look around, Gavin. This time I want to use my own detector.”

“If you're still concerned about why the marker was moved, I might have a reason for that.”

She came into the kitchen, trying to ignore the way he was checking out her legs and the way her nipples responded to his blatant appraisal. “What reason is that?”

“Clete. He's an older man we hired years ago to keep the grounds clear of trash and debris as well as repair anything that needs fixing. That way Caldwell and the men can concentrate mainly on the cattle. When I mentioned the marker to Gramma Mel, she reminded me that Clete has a tendency to move stuff when he's keeping the land cleared.”

“But why would he remove the marker?”

Gavin shrugged. “He probably didn't know what it was and thought it was trash. He and his wife left a few days ago to visit their son who is in the navy and stationed in Hawaii. I'll talk to him when he gets back.”

Layla drew in a deep breath, feeling somewhat relieved. The thought of someone tampering with the dig site had definitely bothered her.

“Sit down and eat. I promised Gramma Mel that I would make sure you did.”

She raised a suspicious eye. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would you care one way or the other if I eat?”

A slow, sexy smile touched his lips and her womb seemed to contract with the weight of that smile. And his dimples had bone-melting fire spreading through her blood. “The reason I care is because I don't want you to start losing weight.”

She crossed her arms over her chest again, and then quickly dropped them by her sides when she saw his gaze shift back to her chest. Could the man think of anything other than sex for a minute? “And what does my weight have to do with you?”

“When I make love to you, I want to feel meat on your bones.”

His statement answered her earlier question. No, he obviously couldn't think of anything other than sex. “We won't be making love, Gavin.”

“Your food is getting cold.”

He was blatantly ignoring what she'd said. “I'll eat after you leave.”

He chuckled. “If that was a hint that you want me to go, forget it. I want to make sure you eat.”

She frowned. “What do you plan to do? Stay here and watch me.”

“Yes, that was my intent.”

He was serious. “I don't need a babysitter, Gavin.”

“No. What you need is a lover, Layla. And you never did answer my question from last night. When was the last time you made love with a man?”

“And I don't intend to answer it because it's none of your business.”

If he insisted on staying, she would ignore him. She moved to the table where he'd placed her food. Her mouth began watering the moment she uncovered it. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, candied yams and iced tea. And a slice of chocolate cake for dessert.

A smile lit her face. “Your grandmother is something else.” Layla walked over to the sink to wash her hands. After grabbing utensils out of a drawer, she returned to the table and found Gavin sitting there. Did he plan to actually watch her eat? Didn't he have anything better to do?

Deciding nothing would stand between her and that food, she sat down, bowed her head and said grace, determined to ignore him. When she slid a forkful of mashed potatoes between her lips, she closed her eyes and groaned. Delicious.

“If you get off eating mashed potatoes, I can only imagine your reaction when we make love.”

A part of her wanted to claim she wouldn't enjoy it. She quickly dismissed the idea when she glanced over at him. A woman could climax just from staring at him. Even so, she said, “In your dreams.”

“My dreams will one day become your reality, Layla.”

She decided not to argue with him anymore. But if he was intent on watching her, she might as well ask him a few questions. Get him talking, so she wouldn't think about how good he looked sitting there. How sexy.

She took a sip of her tea. “You mentioned your teammate named Flipper. Any others you're close to?”

“I'm close to all of them. We're a team.”

“How many?”

“Enough.”

She rolled her eyes. Had she asked about classified information or something? “I'm sure you're closer to some of the guys more than others.”

He leaned back in the chair as if getting comfortable. She couldn't recall the last time she'd shared a private, intimate dinner with a man. And, whether she liked admitting it or not, this
was
intimate. They were alone, sitting at a table with the backdrop of a blazing fire roaring in the fireplace.

“In that case, I would say Flipper, Bane, Coop, Mac and Nick. The six of us went through all phases of training together. A couple of years ago, Nick took a job with Homeland Security. He needed a little more stability in his life when his wife gave birth to triplets.”

As if he felt right at home, he stood and went to the refrigerator to get a beer and then returned to his chair. “Bane is a master sniper,” he continued, popping the cap. “Coop is the mastermind behind most of our strategic moves. Mac is slightly older than the rest of us and likes to think he can keep us in line most of the time. He's been married for ages, has four kids and likes to impose his words of wisdom on us whether we want to hear them or not. And Flip can hold his breath under water longer than any human I know.” He chuckled as he took a swig. “We're convinced Flipper has gills hidden somewhere.”

Layla heard the fondness in his voice when he spoke of his teammates. “What's a master sniper?”

He looked at her. She thought he would say she was asking for classified information but then he said, “A master sniper is the best shot on the team. Bane is one badass. He can hit a target with one eye closed. He's covered all our backs more than once.” He paused. “Bane and his wife, Crystal, are renewing their vows next month.”

“Oh, were he and his wife separated for a while or something?”

“Yes, you could say that.”

Layla knew he was being elusive but she was getting used to it. She didn't have to ask if his job was dangerous. Anyone who knew of the navy SEALs was aware of the types of missions they went on. She finished the rest of her meal in silence, with him watching her. She was tempted to ask if he wanted some but knew the trouble she'd gotten into when she'd asked him that question the last time.

She took a sip of her iced tea and looked over at him when she pushed her plate aside. “Satisfied, Gavin?”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Baby, my satisfaction will come when I get inside of you.”

The glass nearly slipped from her hand. She recovered long enough to set it down by the plate. The impact of his words had her burning from the inside out. “Why do you say such things?”

“Just keeping it honest.”

* * *

Gavin liked rattling Layla. Evidently she wasn't used to a man talking to her this way, telling her what he wanted and how he planned to make her feel. While watching her eat, his imagination had run wild. The conversation hadn't distracted him enough to demolish his desire. He doubted that was possible. He wanted her. He'd made that point pretty damn clear and he knew she wanted him as well, so what was the holdup?

“I've finished eating so you can leave now.”

He held her gaze, felt the flare of response in their bodies when they looked at each other. Giving in to temptation, he lightly traced his fingertips along her arm. He felt her shiver beneath his touch. He heard her sharp intake of breath. “Why are you fighting this, Layla?”

“And why are you being so persistent?”

He could tell her that one of the reasons was because he hadn't been with a woman in six months, eight days, twelve hours and no telling how many minutes. Being around her was taking its toll. However, telling her such a thing would make him sound like a greedy jerk with only sex on his mind. That was only partly true. The other part was that he found her as fascinating as he found her beautiful.

“Being persistent is part of my nature.”

When he saw her lips form a frown, his groin hardened and he couldn't help drawing in a ragged breath. Standing, he said, “I'll leave you alone now and report to Gramma Mel that you ate all your food.”

He reached to remove the tray, but she blocked him. “Surely you don't think I'll let you return with dirty dishes.”

“We've had a conversation about the purpose of a dishwasher before, Layla.”

“That might be your way of doing things but it's not mine. I will wash the dishes and return them to Ms. Melody tomorrow,” she said, standing.

Doing so brought her right smack in front of him. Gavin knew that if she inched closer, she would feel his erection. Even so, he intended to kiss her before he left.

“Walk me to the door, Layla.”

From the look in her eyes, he knew she was aware of his plan. He watched her nibble her bottom lip. “Relax, baby. I won't bite.”

She stopped nibbling her lips long enough to lift her chin and stare into his eyes. “You'll do something even worse, Gavin.”

“What is that?”

“You will make me want you.”

He eased closer, pressing his body to hers, wanting her to feel his erection. There was no way she could miss it. “Welcome to the club. And you already want me, Layla. Why are you having a hard time accepting that?”

Gavin could tell she was at a loss for words, which suited him just fine. He had other uses for her mouth. He leaned in to capture her lips.

* * *

Why was she having such a hard time accepting this?
Layla asked herself when Gavin took her mouth. She didn't resist. She couldn't. In fact she felt herself practically melting into his arms. That was why, she reasoned, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Otherwise she would become a puddle on the floor.

He kissed her with an intensity she reciprocated in every part of her body. His mouth locked onto hers, not leaving any part of her mouth untouched. He tapped into areas she hadn't known existed. He was staking his claim on her mouth in a scandalous way. It was as if he was intentionally making her crazy for his kiss.

And then there was the feel of his erection, pressing hard against her middle. What man could get
that
aroused? To know she was the cause sent heated shivers through her body. The hard tips of her breasts pressed through the material of her dress as if eager to make contact with his chest.