CHAPTER EIGHT

Wade stood on the back steps to the main house, frozen in place as Lauren’s heated words carried outside. All of his complacency about the future was being destroyed by the half of the argument he could hear.

“Jason, you can forget about it,” Lauren snapped in a furious tone Wade had never heard her use. “I’ve told you at least a hundred times that I am not coming back. Why can’t you get it through your head that that part of my life is over?”

Those were the same words she’d spoken to him the night before, but they sounded very different now. Wade’s gut churned as he waited to see what would come next.

“No,” she said flatly. “No, absolutely not. Look, it was a great run while it lasted, but that’s it. No more.”

So, he thought, listening to her, despite her claims the night before, she had left someone behind, someone who hadn’t liked being dumped, someone who was still pestering her. She had lied to him about the men she’d married. They weren’t out of her life, the way she’d insisted. Was it possible that one of them was stalking her? That he hadn’t gotten over the divorce? Or could this be someone entirely different, not an ex-husband but a third man who had a hold on her heart—or thought he did?

Just let him show up in Winding River, Wade thought, filled with rage. He’d put an end to any lingering possessiveness this Jason felt toward Lauren. The thought of another man putting his hands on her—having the right to put his hands on her—made Wade crazy. And the fact that it did made him crazier yet.

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm down. He had no right to let it make him nuts. He knew that. But that didn’t seem to ease the tightening in his belly or the raw fury that bubbled up inside. He spun away from the door and headed for the barn. Halfway there, he muttered an oath and turned back.

They had business to discuss. They had made a vow in his kitchen the night before to leave the past alone. He wasn’t going to start the day by letting whatever had gone on in Lauren’s past get in the way of the here and now, at least not when it came to the horses. When it concerned the two of them…well, that was a whole other issue. One of these days, he’d ask all the questions that were suddenly nagging at him about whether she’d been totally honest about being rid of emotional ties to her ex-husbands or any other man.

By the time he got back to the house, it was quiet. Apparently the call had ended. He rapped on the door and stepped inside, forcing what he hoped was a completely neutral mask onto his face.

He spotted Lauren at once, sitting at the table, her shoulders hunched, her head resting on her arms. Everything about her looked dejected. Wade had never seen her like that before. She reminded him of Miss Molly. Who the hell was this guy who was capable of sapping the fire right out of her?

“Problems?” he asked cautiously, not sure he wanted to provide a sounding board for whatever personal issues she might have that involved another man. It was one thing to hear about past loves in the abstract, but to hear all the telling details might be more than he could stomach.

Her head snapped up at once. “No,” she said flatly. “Nothing I can’t handle anyway. Did you need me?”

“Grady wanted the two of us to ride over to the Grigsby place today. Grigsby’s got a couple of horses for sale. Word is that he might be planning to sell out.”

A hint of sadness passed across her face. “I remember Otis Grigsby. Gosh, he must be ninety by now. I’m amazed he’s kept that place going as long as he has.”

“Grady seems to think it’s gone downhill a lot the last couple of years, but he says the one thing the old man would never slack off on was caring for his stock.” He studied Lauren’s lackluster expression. “Do you feel like coming, or should I head on over alone?”

“Of course I’ll come,” she said, though without much enthusiasm. “Let me splash some water on my face first. I’ll meet you at the truck. Are you taking a trailer along just in case?”

Wade nodded. “Might as well be prepared. The way I hear it, now that Grigsby has made up his mind to go, he’s in a hurry.”

“Or maybe his son is,” Lauren said. “Otis Junior never did have much patience where his daddy was concerned. I heard he moved to Phoenix years ago. Maybe he’s intent on getting his father down there, so caring for him will be less inconvenient.”

“Maybe so. Grady didn’t say.” Wade’s gaze narrowed when she showed no sign of moving. Finally, because he couldn’t bear to see her looking like this, he dragged out a chair and sat down opposite her. “Okay, what’s going on? And don’t tell me it’s nothing. You look as if you lost your best friend.”

She met his gaze. “Sorry. I’m just having a bad morning.” She shoved her chair back and started to stand.

“Sit,” Wade ordered. “Talk to me.”

A flash of fire lit her eyes for an instant, and he thought he might have stirred her temper back to life, but then she sighed and sat back down.

Though he’d vowed to say nothing about what he’d overheard, he couldn’t help himself. “Lauren, dammit, what does this mood of yours have to do with that phone call you were on a few minutes ago?” he demanded. “Did you have a little lovers’ tiff?”

Bright patches of color darkened her cheeks at that. “You were listening?” she asked, practically quivering with indignation.

“It was hard not to. I came to the door and you were shouting at the top of your lungs.”

“So you just stood there and eavesdropped?”

“No, dammit, I walked away.”

Her gaze narrowed. “You did?”

“What the hell difference does it make whether I did or I didn’t? Unless, of course, this lover is still very much in the picture after all. Was it one of your ex-husbands?”

She started to respond, then snapped her mouth shut, her expression vaguely guilty.

“What?” he prodded. “Who is Jason?”

She hesitated for a full minute before responding. “Someone I knew in California,” she said eventually, then added pointedly, “Not one of the men I married.”

“A lover?” Wade demanded again.

She looked as if she might take offense, but eventually she shook her head. “No. He was a business associate. Nothing more.”

Wade wasn’t buying it. Nobody had that kind of passionate exchange with a business associate, especially a former business associate.

“And that’s all you intend to tell me?”

She nodded. “Believe me, Jason doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”

Wade should have been relieved, but instead he was irritated by her refusal to open up any further. He also found her easy dismissal of the man annoying. Would she dismiss him that cavalierly when their relationship ended? Come to think of it, was her relationship with this Jason even ended? Despite what she claimed, it certainly had sounded as if the two of them had unfinished business. He lost patience with trying to figure it out when it was evident she wasn’t going to give him anything further to go on.

“Fine, whatever,” he snapped, and stood up. “I’ll be waiting in the truck. Don’t take too long. We’ve already wasted enough time this morning.”

He turned his back and stalked outside, barely resisting the urge to grab the nearest object and hurl it across the yard. Why did he let her get to him? Why the hell did it matter to him who she’d been with or what secrets she was still keeping from him? She was with him now. Well, at least he had reason to believe they would be together one of these days…unless, of course, she drove him completely nuts in the meantime.

* * *

Where the heck did Wade get off cross-examining her like a jealous lover? Lauren was still muttering under her breath as she took her own sweet time about getting ready to ride with him to the Grigsby ranch.

Of course, she might not have been half as upset if she hadn’t panicked that he might have overheard something that would give away the secret of her identity. Nothing he’d said, however, suggested that had happened. He was only irritated because she wouldn’t tell him what Jason really meant to her. As if that persistent little weasel could mean anything at all.

Her hotshot agent still hadn’t given up on that big movie deal. He refused to believe that she had no intention of returning to Hollywood. He couldn’t imagine anyone giving up the life she’d had out there to stick around a small town in Wyoming and work with horses. Sometimes Lauren didn’t believe it herself. But the bottom line was that she was happier than she had been in years, and Wade Owens was a big part of that…even if in his own way he was almost as infuriating as Jason.

Maybe she should just tell Wade everything and get it over with, she thought as she splashed water on her overheated face. She wasn’t that great at being secretive. It was taking a toll on her.

But glancing in the mirror at her reflection, Lauren could see on her own features the fear that the prospect stirred in her. Not only was she not ready to give up her prized anonymity, but given all of Wade’s issues with the wealthy, he might walk away the minute he discovered she had oodles and oodles of money in the bank. She needed more time to convince him that none of that mattered, that she was simply a woman who loved horses and ranching as much as he did.

When she finally joined him in the truck, she turned to face him. “I want to make a pact.”

He studied her with a guarded expression. “Oh?”

“No more talk about Jason or my ex-husbands or your father. Agreed?”

“How did my father get into that mix?”

“They’re all touchy subjects.”

“Okay, then. Are we talking today or forever?”

“We’ll start with today and see how it goes.”

He nodded. “Fair enough, as long as I can say one last thing.”

“Go ahead,” she said.

“Promise me that if you ever need any help, you’ll come to me.”

“Help?”

“With this Jason,” he said tightly. “If the guy doesn’t get your message, let me rephrase it for him.”

He sounded so worried, so completely sincere about his desire to protect her, that she leaned across the gearshift and planted a kiss squarely on his mouth, lingering just long enough to feel the heat flare. When she pulled away, he stared at her, bemused.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“For wanting to fight my battles for me. Not that I’d ever let you, but it’s sweet just the same.”

“I didn’t offer to be ‘sweet,”’ he grumbled.

“I know, that’s why it was so wonderful. Now let’s get over to see Mr. Grigsby. I feel like doing some high-powered horse-trading.”

Wade laughed, the last of his tension draining out of his face. “Good. Then I’ll let you negotiate. The man will be so dazzled, he’s bound to give us rock-bottom prices.”

“Very funny. I will not use my looks to get a better deal.”

“Too bad. I’m here to tell you it’s your best weapon.”

“Then you haven’t heard me sweet-talking anyone yet,” she assured him with a grin.

His grin spread. “I can hardly wait.”

* * *

“You should have heard Lauren,” Wade boasted to Grady when they returned to the Blackhawk ranch with four magnificent horses, all bought at prices well below market value. “She was amazing.”

“I just did a little negotiating,” Lauren insisted. “Otis Junior was anxious to sell, and I took advantage of that.”

“Otis Junior was tongue-tied and all but on his knees by the time you finished with him,” Wade corrected. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m just glad you were on our side.”

He realized then that Karen and Grady were exchanging a thoroughly amused, knowing look. “Of course, you two know she’s good. You’ve probably seen her in action. This was a first for me. I’ve never before known anyone who could rob a man blind and make him grateful for it.”

“Thank you, I think,” Lauren said.

“Trust me, it was a compliment, darlin’. I would have kissed you on the spot, but I was afraid it might shake the delicate balance of the negotiations. I think Otis Junior will be calling before the night’s over to ask you out himself.”

“Otis Junior is a pig,” she said, dismissing the man. “He has a wife and four children down in Phoenix and everyone knows it.”

“That didn’t seem to stop him from thinking he’d made a conquest this afternoon,” Wade said. In fact, for a minute, he’d almost belted the man for daring to look at Lauren as if she were high-priced beef available for the right price. Then he’d realized that Lauren was in total control of the situation, and he’d forced himself to sit back and let her run with it.

“All part of the strategy,” she assured him now.

“I want to hear everything,” Karen said. “Dinner’s in the oven. We’re expecting you two to join us.”

“I’ve got to get the horses settled,” Wade argued.

“And I need to help him,” Lauren said.

“And dinner will wait till you’re done,” Karen said. “You’re not getting out of this, so hurry before the pot roast overcooks.”

Wade resigned himself to an evening of probing questions and pointed looks. He knew that Grady and Karen had a whole lot of ideas about him and Lauren. He shared quite a few of them, but that didn’t mean he wanted to have his every action held under a microscope.

“It’s going to be a long evening,” Lauren noted as they unloaded the horses from the trailer and led them into the barn.

“Yeah, I got that impression,” he said.

“You could get out of it,” she offered. “There’s no reason both of us need to be cross-examined.”

Wade paused in what he was doing and met her gaze. “Here’s the thing. The way I see it, we’re in this together.” He grinned. “Besides, if we’re both there when they’re poking and prodding, there’s less likelihood we’ll get our stories mixed up.”

Lauren laughed. “I see you’ve caught on to their divide-and-conquer strategy.”

He nodded. “Not five minutes after you showed up,” he said. “There was no mistaking which way the wind was blowing with those two. They’ve been hoping something will happen between us.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not if you don’t.”

“Oddly enough, I don’t. Normally I’d hate the meddling, but it’s Karen and Grady.” She chuckled. “Besides, I gave them fits when they were seeing each other. I guess they have a right to bug me. I’m surprised you’re not bothered by it, though. It pretty much puts you on the spot.”

“I’m only on the spot if I want to be there,” he said, and met her gaze evenly. “There’s no point in denying the obvious. We’ve got a lot of chemistry between us. We might not know what we’re going to do about it yet, but that won’t make it go away. And they’re not going to be able to rush us into anything that both of us aren’t ready for. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” she said solemnly, and held out her hand.

Wade grinned. “I think a pact like that deserves more than a handshake, don’t you?”

Gaze clashing with hers, he crossed the barn and tucked a finger under her chin. Slowly, he lowered his head until their lips met. The solemnity of the gesture pretty much got lost in the explosion of need that rocked through both of them. He had to drag himself away before he tossed her down on the hay and took them right back to the edge of passion they’d reached the day before. One of these days there would be no turning back, but not tonight.

“I think we’d better get to dinner while I can still walk,” he said wryly.

“It’s possible you’ll have to carry me,” she said, her own expression rueful. “I think you made my knees too weak to hold me up.”

“Gladly,” he said, and scooped her into his arms until she was cradled against his chest. Unfortunately, that put her tempting mouth within inches of his own.

“Bad idea,” he said, and lowered her to her feet. “I think you’re going to have to get there under your own steam.”

“Too bad. I kind of liked your way.”

“Me, too, but my way was likely to land us in a heap of trouble,” he said with regret. “I’m pretty certain neither of us wants Grady and Karen to wonder what’s taking us so long and come looking, especially if they’re likely to find us making love in a pile of hay.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, giving him a wink over her shoulder as she sashayed past. “At least it would put an end to all that wild speculating they’re doing up at the house right now.”

* * *

Two nights later, Lauren sat at a table at Stella’s and endured a whole host of speculative looks from the Calamity Janes. Apparently Karen had been busy sharing information with the others about the budding romance out at the Blackhawk ranch.

“But what do we really know about this guy?” Emma demanded. “I think we need to look into his background.”

Lauren frowned. “He’s a wrangler. Grady interviewed him. He’s excellent at what he does. Isn’t that enough? You met him. Does he strike you as anything other than a decent, hardworking cowboy?”

Emma waved off the question. “First impressions don’t count. I’d feel better if we knew more. For all we know he could be after your money.”

“He doesn’t know I have any,” Lauren said quietly.

The others stared at her.

“How can that be?” Gina asked. “He has to know you’re a Hollywood superstar.”

Lauren shook her head. Karen chimed in to confirm it. “He doesn’t even know her last name. We sort of made sure it never came up.”

“That’s what you think,” Emma insisted. “It’s entirely possible he’s known all along. Even out here in the wilds of Wyoming, Lauren has made a name for herself. Surely he’s seen her face on a supermarket tabloid or on some TV talk show.”

Again, Lauren shook her head. “I don’t think so. He has issues with rich people. If he knew who I am and what my net worth is, he’d run the other way.”

“Not likely,” Cassie scoffed. “What man would turn his back on that? I’m with Emma. I think we need to be sure he’s not a golddigger.”

Lauren frowned. “Did I put your men on the spot like that?”

“Yes,” they replied in a chorus.

“I did not,” she insisted, then shrugged. “Okay, maybe I gave some of them a rough time to make sure they weren’t out to hurt you, but I didn’t go snooping around trying to get dirt on them.”

“Gee, that wasn’t how it seemed to Rafe when you confronted him with his society page mentions from the New York papers,” Gina teased. “The ones you researched on the Internet within ten minutes of meeting him.”

“I was just being protective,” Lauren said, undaunted.

“And that’s what we’re being now,” Emma told her. “I can call an investigator and have him do a quick check just to be sure there are no major skeletons rattling around in Wade’s closet.”

“Absolutely not,” Lauren said, horrified by the idea. “I will never speak to you again if you do that. I know everything I need to know about Wade Owens.”

“Sweetie, I have just two words for you,” Emma said. “Two divorces.”

Lauren groaned. “Okay, my judgment was impaired, but I’ve learned my lesson. Besides, I have Grady and Karen to back me up. They like Wade.” She turned to Karen. “Right?”

Karen nodded. “I don’t think Grady would have him working at the ranch—much less be encouraging a relationship with Lauren—if he didn’t have total faith in Wade’s honesty.”

“Maybe so,” Emma began.

“That’s it,” Lauren said, cutting her off. “No investigator.”

Emma sighed. “Okay, I’ll agree to that on one condition.”

Lauren regarded her with suspicion. “Which is?”

“We all get to spend time with him,” she replied. “Check him out. See how he fits in with the Calamity Janes and our guys.”

Cassie’s eyes lit up. “Perfect. A party is just what we need. We can have it at our place. Cole needs to learn how to fire up that humongous gas grill he insisted he had to have.”

“He can cook the steaks, but I’m bringing everything else,” Gina said, jumping on the bandwagon. “Everybody have their calendars? I want to be sure Rafe’s going to be in town. We never get to do anything fun together.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she blushed furiously. “Well, nothing in public anyway.”

Lauren laughed. “Then this will definitely be good practice for your social skills.”

Only Karen looked worried by the plan. “Are you sure Wade will go along with this, especially if it’s at Cassie’s?”

“Why wouldn’t he? He’s in here all the time. He knows me,” Cassie said.

“Yes,” Karen agreed. “But he probably doesn’t know that you’re married to one of the richest computer geniuses in the universe. Once he gets a load of that house you and Cole built, he’s going to conclude you don’t need the tips.”

Cassie grinned. “I don’t. I have the most overloaded piggy bank in ten states. All that money is going to end up in a trust fund for the kids.”

“Which brings up another point,” Lauren said. “Why are you still working here? I thought after the baby came, you’d give up the job.”

“Never. It’s what I do,” Cassie said simply. “Just like you want to work with horses, even though your glamorous Hollywood career left you rich enough to retire. I like being with people, finding out what’s going on around town. It gives structure to my days. I’d go nuts sitting around the house while Cole shuts himself away with his mysterious computer software. Besides, I don’t put in that many hours. I have plenty of time for the baby and Jake.”

“Good point,” Gina said. “We’re all independent women. We love our men, but we want more.” She lifted her soft drink. “To us and the lucky men who have us.”

“Amen,” Emma said as they clinked their glasses together.

“So, are we agreed? I’ll have the party at my place?” Cassie asked.

Lauren hesitated, giving Karen’s concern a little more consideration, then nodded. “I think it’ll be good for Wade to see that people aren’t automatically bad just because they have money. He’s already excused Grady and Karen from his generalization. If I can get him to look beyond the dollars with a few more people, maybe I can finally tell him exactly what I did for a living over the last ten years.”

“We could always let it slip out at the party,” Emma said. “Watch his reaction. Then we’d know for sure whether he’s known all along.”

“I predict that finding out he’s been sleeping with a superstar is going to be quite a shock,” Gina said. “I don’t think a party with Lauren’s friends is the place for that particular revelation.”

Lauren blushed. “I agree. Besides, he hasn’t exactly been sleeping with me,” she said, then grinned. “Not yet, anyway, but I have high hopes for tonight.”

“Tonight?” they chorused, glancing pointedly at the clock above the counter. It was already eight-thirty.

“I figure his defenses will be weak at this hour,” she said, then lifted the package beside her. “Besides, the sexy new nightie I ordered just came in. It’s guaranteed to make him forget why sleeping with me is a bad idea.” Never mind that she had been the one holding out till the time was right. This would send Wade the message loud and clear that that time was now. She was counting on extraordinary sex to make the news of her identity—and the fact that she’d deliberately kept it from him—a bit more palatable to Wade.

“Let me see,” Gina insisted, peeking into the box at the scraps of pale peach lace. “Oh, my,” she whispered, fanning herself. “And Rafe’s in New York.”

She passed on the package.

“But Cole isn’t,” Cassie said, scooting out of the booth as soon as she’d caught a glimpse of the gown.

“Grady, either,” Karen added, right behind her.

“And, lucky me, Ford is right across the street,” Emma noted. She looked at Lauren. “Are you sure you’re not going to be wasting this on Wade? I’d pay big bucks to take it off your hands.”

Lauren snatched the package away from her. “Get your own.”

“In Winding River?” Emma asked.

“I’ll bring you the catalog,” Lauren promised. “I have big plans for this one.”

And if Wade didn’t cooperate, she was going to have to reconsider whether he was half as smart as she’d given him credit for being.