Rafe Was A Survivor. Letter to Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Epilogue Copyright

Rafe Was A Survivor.

He would survive this trip, as he had survived gunshot wounds and raging fevers.

However, the pain would be intense.

He reviewed everything he’d learned since he’d arrived in Texas. Some of that knowledge would have been better left untouched. He’d been content with his life. Content with his solitude. Content not needing anybody, not wanting anybody.

All of that had changed now.

Now he knew what it was to wake up with Mandy in his arms. He knew the scent of her, the taste of her....

Being with her last night had been the culmination of every fantasy he’d ever dreamed since he left Texas. After this trip, he would no longer need imagination to conjure up the experience. Memories would haunt him. Forever....

Dear Reader,

Welcome to Silhouette Desire—where you’re guaranteed powerful, passionate and provocative love stories that feature rugged heroes and spirited heroines who experience the full emotional intensity of falling in love!

Wonderful and ever-popular Annette Broadrick brings us September’s MAN OF THE MONTH with Lean, Mean & Lonesome. Watch as a tough loner returns home to face the woman he walked away from but never forgot.

Our exciting continuity series TEXAS CATTLEMAN’S CLUB continues with Cinderella’s Tycoon by Caroline Cross. Charismatic CEO Sterling Churchill marries a shy librarian pregnant with his sperm-bank baby—and finds love.

Proposition: Marriage is what rising star Eileen Wilks offers when the girl-next-door comes alive in the arms of an alpha hero. Beloved romance author Fayrene Preston makes her Desire debut with The Barons of Texas Tess, featuring a beautiful heiress who falls in love with a sexy stranger. The popular theme BACHELORS & BABIES returns to Desire with Metsy Hingle’s Dad in Demand. And Barbara McCauley’s miniseries SECRETS! continues with the dramatic story of a mysterious millionaire in Killian’s Passion.

So make a commitment to sensual love—treat yourself to all six September love stories from Silhouette Desire!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

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Lean, Mean & Lonesome

Annette Broadrick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ANNETTE BROADRICK believes in romance and the magic of life. Since 1984, Annette has shared her view of life and love with readers. In addition to being nominated by Romantic Times Magazine as one of the Best New Authors of that year, she has also won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best in its Series the Romantic Times W.I.S.H. award and the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Awards for Series Romance and Series Romantic Fantasy.

This book is dedicated to

Candy Kacena

1954-1998

I will always treasure your

beautiful gift of friendship.

You will not be forgotten.

One

A friend in need is a real pain in the ass.

Rafe McClain had muttered the thought to himself more than once in the past few days, but the utterance did nothing to change the present situation. Until the letter had arrived, Rafe hadn’t given friendships much thought. He’d been a loner for a long time, which was just the way he liked it.

Then Dan Crenshaw’s letter had turned up in mail that had finally found its way to him. As soon as he read the letter Rafe had been forcibly reminded of another life and time, one he’d dismissed from his conscious mind years ago.

The letter had been a plea for help and Rafe had known that, inconvenient as it was—and it was damned inconvenient—he couldn’t ignore Dan’s request. Thus, Rafe now battled jet lag on this, the final leg of a journey that had started many hours and tune zones ago.

He scratched his cheek and made a face at the feel of the rough surface against the pads of his fingers. He should have shaved during that last layover in Atlanta on his way to Texas. It was too late, now. They’d be landing in Austin in less than an hour.

He’d been flying for two days—waiting around in airports for the next available flight. Killing time. Wishing he knew what the hell was going on to cause the summons he’d received. He was long past being tired. Hell, he didn’t even know what day it was in the Central Time zone.

None of that mattered. He was doing what he could to respond to a friend’s summons.

Texas.

He hated the place. He hadn’t been in the state of his birth in twelve years. Not a hint of nostalgia stirred within him at the thought of his return. When he’d left with his high school diploma stuck in his back pocket, he’d vowed never to return.

So much for pledges. Dan Crenshaw was his best friend—probably his only friend if he were to be honest. They’d met in the fourth grade. The unspoken message in Dan’s note was that he knew he could count on Rafe, just as Rafe had always known that Dan would be there for him if he ever needed him.

He wished Dan had been a little more specific. Other than mentioning that he could use his help and hoping to see him at the ranch soon, Dan hadn’t indicated what kind of assistance he wanted or needed.

Rafe felt badly that his mail hadn’t caught up with him right away. The postmark showed the letter had been mailed five weeks ago. For all Rafe knew, he could be too late with whatever help he was supposed to be offering.

He’d tried to call Dan as soon as he got the letter, but there had been no answer, no answering machine and no way of knowing whether Dan was working somewhere on the ranch or actually gone.

Rafe had seen no other choice but to head back to the states. He had no idea whether or not his showing up at the C Bar C Ranch would accomplish anything positive.

He could think of a hell of a lot of negatives that could occur.

For one thing, he’d been warned by old man Crenshaw never to step foot on his ranch again. Of course, Dan’s father had been dead for the past five years, so he supposed he could ignore that particular threat.

So, here he was, landing in Austin at ten o’clock on a hot and muggy July night, rushing to the rescue like some damned knight.

If he weren’t so blasted exhausted, he’d laugh at the picture that came to mind. His armor was rusty and dented, his steed gone long ago and his lance had been smashed to smithereens. But he was there.

Once on the ground, Rafe grabbed his bag and picked up the rental car he’d reserved. Within the hour he was headed west out of town, following road signs on thoroughfares that hadn’t existed when he’d lived in the area.

The ranch was located about thirty miles southwest of the state’s capital in the rough and rugged hill country of Central Texas. As he drove, he was amazed to see how much expansion had taken place as civilization moved westward to claim ranch country. He noticed a Polo Club on the way, for God’s sake. Polo? In Texas?

He shook his head in amusement. The times, they were definitely a-changing.

When he finally pulled up at the entrance to the ranch a while later, Rafe was more than ready to find a bed and crash for a few hours. Whatever the reason for his summons, he had a hunch it could be postponed for at least long enough for him to get some rest.

He got out of the car to open the gate and found it was padlocked. There was a large sign on the gate:

Private Property

No Trespassing

The sign and padlock were new. In the past, the combination lock had been easily opened if you knew the birthdays of Dan and Mandy, his sister.

Amanda Crenshaw. Rafe hadn’t thought about her in years. She’d been fifteen the last time he’d seen her—a gangly, coltish girl with russet colored curls and an infectious smile. He had a hunch she would have as little use for him as her father had...with more reason.

Dan mentioned once that Mandy lived in Dallas, which was just as well. It would be much better for all concerned if they didn’t run into each other while he was in Texas.

He studied the sign and the lock, then glanced at his watch. It was close to midnight. He could either sleep in the car and go on foot to the house in the morning, or he could make that multi-mile hike now.

Neither option particularly appealed to him.

Oh, what the hell. He returned to the car and grabbed his bag—thank God he traveled light—locked the car and climbed the fence.

He knew he was taking a chance going on the property at this time of night. In this part of the world trespassers could get shot before they had a chance to explain their presence on the premises.

If Dan wanted to shoot him he’d have to spot him first.

Rafe smiled to himself at the thought of putting into practice the training he was paid to teach in Eastern Europe. He’d see just how good he really was.

By the time he reached the ranch buildings, Rafe had slipped by two armed guards. What in the hell was going on? Rafe was beginning to get a bad feeling about all of this...a really bad feeling.

Yard lights surrounded the house. There was no way to approach it without being seen.

The house was a single story, Texas-traditional style home. Made of limestone, it had a tin roof that seemed to stretch over several acres. A long, covered porch graced the back of the place. Rafe knew the interior well, unless the family had done major renovations. Mexican tile covered the floor in most of the rooms except for the bedroom wing. A luxurious, deep-piled carpet covered the bedrooms, baths and hallway.

He recalled his youthful dreams of one day having a similar home and a loving family. Rafe was amused by those boyhood dreams, now, but they had served him well at the time, getting him through the bad patches when he was growing up.

Well, standing there admiring the place wasn’t getting him any closer.

The area around the house looked free of guards but he wasn’t taking any chances. He stashed his bag in some brush and began the intricate and laborious approach that would keep him from getting spotted and shot. By the time he reached the comparative shadowy area on the back porch he was royally pissed off. Mostly at himself. Why hadn’t he just called and had Dan pick him up at the airport? That would have circumvented the necessity for all this sneaking around.

Suddenly all hell seemed to break loose inside the house. A large-sounding dog began a barking spree that was guaranteed to wake the dead. Rafe leaned against the wall next to the kitchen door and waited for Dan to check on why his watchdog had suddenly gone ballistic.

Amanda Crenshaw bolted out of bed as soon as Ranger started barking. Someone was out there. He didn’t bark at animals. He was a trained watchdog who was now making it clear there was an intruder on the premises.

She peered out the window of her bedroom. The canine alarm should have some of the men coming to check on her soon. In the meantime, she slipped on her robe and shoes and silently made her way down the long hallway to the main part of the house.

Ranger was at the kitchen door, barking loudly. She heard a low, male voice talking in a soothing tone to him. She froze, her mind unable to accept what her heart had immediately recognized. She knew that voice. It was a voice she hadn’t heard in years, one she’d never expected to hear again.

With something like panic, Mandy peered through the glass of the back door as she turned on the kitchen light.

A tall, lean man stepped away from the side of the house when he saw her at the door. The illumination from the kitchen revealed him to her slowly, as though her senses would go into overload if she were presented with his entire presence at once.

“Rafe,” she whispered to herself, trying to come to grips with his unexpected presence. She cleared her throat. “Ranger, that’s enough!” she said firmly. The dog stopped barking, but continued to growl. She opened the door and motioned for Rafe to come inside. Her heart felt as though it was going to jump out of her chest.

As he moved into the light she saw his boots first—work—ing boots that should have been retired years before. The light moved up his frame, slowly revealing him to her. Faded denim jeans lovingly clung to his long, muscular legs and emphasized his masculinity. A faded denim shirt that looked strained across his broad chest was open at the neck to reveal a strong column of dark skin at the throat. She saw a well-defined jawline bristling with a couple of days’ growth of beard.

He definitely needed a haircut, she thought, noticing how his dark hair fell across his forehead to his brows. The last to be revealed as he stepped past her into the house was the expression in his black eyes.

She shivered. “What are you doing here?”

A glint of white showed when his lips turned up in a half smile. “I didn’t intend to frighten you. I’m looking for Dan.”

“Dan?”

“Yeah. He asked me to come back.”

She placed her hand on Ranger’s head. “Enough,” she said to the rumbling dog. “You’ve made your point.” She spoke without taking her eyes off Rafe.

The light mercilessly showed her that the man before her was no longer the boy she remembered. There were creases in his cheeks that bracketed his mouth. More creases covered his forehead. Deep lines were around his eyes. Whatever he’d been doing since she’d last seen him, Rafe’s life hadn’t been easy.

The shock of being awakened from a sound sleep to find Rafe McClain had suddenly leaped back into her life had her reeling. “How did you get here?” she asked. What she really wanted to know was if this was some stress-induced dream she was having. Could she find a way to wake up and discover she was still tucked in bed with only Ranger for company?

He leaned back against the door and allowed Ranger to check him out. When the dog appeared to be satisfied, he said, “The usual way. Plane and car—until I got to the ranch. Then I had to hoof it the rest of the way. Why does Dan have the gate padlocked? Does that have something to do with why he sent for me?”

She shook her head, trying to clear it None of this was making any sense.

Rafe McClain was back in Texas. He was here because of Dan.

Dan. She shivered. “When did you talk to him?” she asked.

“I haven’t. He wrote me a letter a while back. It took some time to catch up with me. Said he needed my help.” He shrugged his shoulders. “So I’m here.”

She spun away from him, needing some space from the roiling emotions he provoked within her. Peering out the window, she said, “I don’t understand how you reached the house without someone seeing you.”

“I didn’t figure getting myself shot was part of the deal. So I was careful.” He stretched and smothered a yawn.

She forced herself to face him She leaned against the kitchen cabinet and asked, “Where have you been? I mean, where were you when Dan’s letter caught up with you?”

“The Ukraine.”

That surprised her, although she wasn’t sure why. “What were you doing there?”

He lifted one of his eyebrows into a quirk. “You writing a book or something?”

Some things never changed. Rafe had always had a sarcastic comeback when he didn’t want to answer personal questions. As far as he was concerned, every question was personal.

Why hadn’t Dan ever mentioned to her that he was in touch with Rafe? The man’s name had never come up in all of these years. Now she finds out Dan had contacted Rafe. Why would he have thought Rafe could help him? So many unanswered questions. They continued to race around her head.

She had to make a decision. Did she call the foreman and have Rafe evicted from the place? Surely she wasn’t expected to welcome him, despite the fact that the ranch belonged to Dan, who appeared to have invited him.

Rafe drew up one of the kitchen chairs and sat down with a sigh. Mandy knew she was being rude. She could feel the hated color creep across her throat and cheeks.

She’d often envied Rafe his beautifully tanned skin tha darkened into a burnished copper in the summer. In the su she turned an angry red and peeled. She’d long since decided she needed to stay in the shade. There was nothing she could do about her thin skin that reflected her embarrassment at the most inopportune times.

This was one of them.

He must have recognized her discomfort because he decided to answer one of her questions. “I’m a consultant.”

A consultant. Somehow she had trouble seeing him in a suit and tie working for a corporation.

“What kind?”

His white smile flashed across his dark face. “Believe me, you don’t want to know.” He looked around the room “I like the way this place has been updated.”

“So do I. Dan had it redone a couple of years ago.”

“Do you live here now?”

She paused. “No. I live in Dallas. I’ve taken some time off.”

He glanced at her hands and she realized that she wa clenching them tightly. She deliberately placed them behind her and leaned against them and the cabinet.

“You’re not married?” he asked, sounding surprised.

She shook her head without quite meeting his gaze “No.”

“Why not?”

It was all right for him to ask personal questions, she noticed. “Why aren’t you married?” she replied, carrying the inquisition into his corner.

“I never stayed in one place long enough, I guess. Mos women I’ve met tend to want their husband at home with them.”

She couldn’t imagine Rafe in the role of husband. He was too untamed. “I suppose,” she murmured, wishing she knew what to do with him now that he was there.

“So what’s your excuse?”

Her gaze darted to his. She raised her chin. “Maybe no one has asked me,” she replied evenly.

He grinned and her stomach did a somersault. “I don’t buy that one,” he said, his gaze sliding over her in an intimate perusal that made her shiver in response.

She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “No one that I wanted to marry, anyway.” She straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. “Dan says I have lousy taste in men.”

Their gazes met and held for a long, silent moment before each looked away.

“You never told me where Dan is,” he said.

“He—he isn’t here right now.”

“Well, where in the hell is he, damn it? You keep avoiding my questions. I came a long way to find out why the hell Dan needed me here. So where is he?”

She had known that she was going to have to answer his questions and had hoped that she could talk about Dan without breaking down. But the lateness of the hour and her sense of vulnerability where Rafe was concerned weren’t helping her deal with the situation.

She attempted to swallow around the lump in her throat. It was hard to put her thoughts into words. She wanted so much to be wrong.

“I think Dan’s dead,” she said, her voice breaking on the last word.

Two

Rafe studied the woman before him. She no doubt believed what she was saying, but it had no meaning to him. None at all.

“Dead?”

He repeated the word as though he’d never heard it before. He shook his head. “He can’t be. I’d know it if something had happened to Dan. He...” His voice trailed away. He knew how stupid that sounded. He, better than most, knew how easily a life could be snuffed out. Rafe wiped a hand across his face, ignoring his exhaustion. “You’d better start at the beginning, Mandy, and fill me in on what the hell’s going on around here.”

Mandy picked up a glass and absently filled it with water. He thought about asking her for a drink, then decided against it. At the moment he had more important things on his mind. She faced him once again, but her lustrous gray eyes stared past his shoulder and he knew she no longer saw him sitting there.

While he waited, he looked for the young girl he’d known in the woman standing before him. There were traces of her in the way she stood, the way she moved. He still had the same strong reaction to her, he was sorry to discover.

Although she was still slender, she’d added curves that would make any man take a second look. Her satiny smooth skin made his palms itch, wanting to touch her cheek. She still wore her reddish-brown hair long. Tousled waves tumbled around her shoulders, unnecessarily reminding him that she’d just come from her warm bed.

She focused on him once more and swallowed painfully. He found her nervousness around him troubling, but he wasn’t surprised.

“I haven’t seen Dan in a couple of months. We’ve both been busy, although he usually calls me every week or so. About ten days ago I received a call from Dan’s foreman, Tom Parker. He asked me if I’d seen or spoken to Dan.”

“Why would he call you?”

“Because he said he’d checked with everyone else—in—cluding Dan’s business partner—to see why Dan had left without letting anyone know.”

“You mean he just disappeared?”

“Tom said he spoke to Dan late one afternoon. He told Dan he needed to talk to him about moving some of the cattle to a different feeding area. Dan told him he had a meeting that night, but would meet with him the next morning. However, the next morning Dan wasn’t to be found.”

“Does anyone know who he was meeting or where?”

“Unfortunately, no. I think he must have met someone at the airstrip and left, because his car is still in the garage and Tom found the Jeep parked at the airstrip.”

“What airstrip?”

“Dan had one built on the ranch about three years ago. He and his partner were thinking of buying a plane together. According to the partner, they never did, but they rent planes from time to time and use the strip on a regular basis.”

Rafe shook his head. “This is all a jumble to me. I guess I’m going to have to get some sleep before I can make any sense of it.”

“I hope sleep helps. It hasn’t helped me, although I have to admit I haven’t been sleeping too well since Tom called me. I came down immediately to see if I could help figure out where he’d gone. I’m so frustrated because outside of Tom and me, no one seems to be concerned—not Dan’s partner nor the sheriffs department. His partner said that Dan would be back in his own good time. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that Dan would just disappear like that, especially after arranging to meet with Tom. I also think he would have called someone if he ran into some kind of a delay so that we wouldn’t worry.”

“So do I. Dan is one of the most responsible people I know.”

“Exactly.” She studied him for a moment. “You’re right, Rafe. You need to get some sleep. You’re out on your feet. Go on to bed. We’ll discuss this in the morning.”

He knew that she was right. He could feel weariness claim his body now that he’d finally reached his destination. He stood and stepped away from the chair. “He’s been missing this long. I don’t suppose another few hours will matter.”

She entered the hallway and spoke as she moved away from him. “You can sleep in Dan’s room.”

Rafe waited until a light turned on in the hall before he turned off the kitchen light. Ranger watched him without blinking.

“I’m glad you’re watching out for her,” he said in a low voice.

Ranger didn’t change expression. Rafe got the feeling that Ranger didn’t particularly care what Rafe might think about anything.

Smart dog.

Rafe followed Mandy into the hallway.

“Dan moved into the master bedroom after Mom died,” she said, motioning to the end of the hall.

Rafe paused beside her. “I was sorry to hear about your mother, Mandy. She was always kind to me. I’ve never forgotten that.”

“It was quick,” she replied, her gaze on her arms, folded across her chest. “At least she didn’t suffer.”

“Her heart?”

“Yes.” She looked up at him. “Dad, on the other hand, lingered months longer than expected with his cancer.”

He didn’t want to talk about her father, not now, not ever. He stepped past her and entered one of the few rooms in this house he’d never been in before. Mandy followed him into the room and glanced into the adjoining bathroom. “There are plenty of clean towels and things,” she said. “I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

With that, she quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.

Only then did Rafe remember that his bag was still hidden outside, but he wasn’t about to go back out there tonight to look for it. He glanced around the large room. A king-size bed was on one wall. Another wall was lined with bookshelves, filled with a mishmash of fiction and nonfiction. He smiled, thinking of Dan and his love of reading.

His smiled faded when he remembered what Mandy had told him. Dan couldn’t be dead. There was no way Dan would allow himself to get into a situation that was life-threatening. But accidents happened all the time, Rafe reminded himself.

Where was he? If Dan was alive, why hadn’t he returned?

Rafe walked over to the third wall, next to the door leading to the bathroom. This wall was filled with photographs, large and small, of varied subjects. Most of the photos had been taken at the ranch. There were shots of longhorn cattle, deer, family pets, and many pictures of family members.

Rafe was surprised to see that he was in many of them. He hadn’t remembered being that thin, or looking so grim.

As he turned away, he paused and looked again at photographs that must have been taken at the party the Cren-shaws gave the night that he and Dan graduated from high school, the last night he was on the ranch.

There was a picture of Mandy in a cotton-candy-colored dress with a full skirt and sleeves that rested just off her shoulders. He still recalled, without the need of a photograph to remind him, how she looked at the party with her glowing eyes and her contagious smile. She’d looked much older than fifteen that night and had delighted in her newfound ability to attract admiring gazes. He touched the photograph lightly with his forefinger, tracing the curve of her lips, the shape of her shoulders.

He could still remember how her mouth had tasted, how smooth her shoulders had felt, how much he’d wanted to make love to her that night.

Rafe deliberately withdrew his gaze from Mandy’s photo and focused instead on another one taken the day they graduated of Dan in his suit, looking solemn enough if you didn’t look too closely at the amusement in his eyes. The one of Rafe alone caught him by surprise. He’d filled out from the earlier pictures Dan had on display and wore the first and only suit he’d ever possessed. Rafe looked closer at the boy he had once been. He’d had his hair cut and looked equally solemn. However, there was no amusement twinkling in his eyes, just a firm resolve to make something of himself.

He’d managed to do that, all right, with the help of Uncle Sam.

Rafe continued into the bathroom and shucked off his clothes. He stood under the hot, steamy water and let it massage the soreness from his body. He could scarcely keep his eyes open. Once the water began to cool, he turned it off and grabbed a towel. He didn’t need anything to sleep in tonight. He’d raid Dan’s closet in the morning so he could pick up his bag outside. Now all he wanted was a few hours of oblivion.

After Rafe closed his bedroom door, Mandy returned to bed, Ranger padding softly behind her until she turned off the light and crawled beneath the covers. Then he stretched out on the rug beside her and gave a deep sigh.

She wanted to echo that sigh.

Having Rafe McClain show up like this had been a shock she could have done without. However, now that he was here, she had to admit to herself that if anyone could solve the mystery of Dan’s disappearance, it would be Rafe. She should be relieved that he had shown up. Just as important, knowing that Dan had notified his friend strengthened her belief that something in Dan’s life had gone wrong. Why else would he have contacted Rafe?

Her thoughts kept circling back to the man. How could a person she hadn’t seen in twelve years still have such a strong effect on her?

She would never forget the day all those years ago when he showed up at the ranch for the first time. He’d been fourteen, Dan’s age. She’d been eleven.

He’d worn ragged clothes, much like what he’d had on today. He had needed a haircut, as he did now. Not much had changed in his overall appearance for that matter, she thought to herself.

He’d been thinner then. Much thinner. He’d still had bruises on his face, bruises he hadn’t chosen to explain. Her mind drifted, returning to those long-ago days when she had been a child filled with curiosity, eager to learn.

Mandy was in her room on a Saturday morning, trying to decide if she was ready to pack away her dolls and other childhood things. She enjoyed playing with them once in a while, when she knew Dan wouldn’t catch her at it and tease her for being such a baby. However, she could use the space they took up for other things. School started on Monday and she felt the need to organize her room and get ready to face the new school year.

It was tough being too old for toys, too young for boys.

She heard the yard dogs clamoring outside and peered out her window to see what had set them off. She saw a tall, skinny boy standing beside the gate of the fence that protected the lawn from the rest of the ranch. He stood as still as a statue, while the dogs carried on all around him.

Dan’s voice carried ahead of him as he dashed out the back door, the screen slamming behind him. “Hey, Rafe! How ya doing?” Dan chased the dogs off and invited the boy inside the stone fence.

Mandy vaguely recognized the boy. He’d gone to the same elementary school in Wimberley that she and Dan had attended. Of course now the two boys would be starting high school this fall. Except maybe Rafe had dropped out of school a couple of years ago. Either that, or his family had moved away. She hadn’t seen him in a long time.

Now he was back. Curious—as usual—Mandy raced downstairs and walked out on the porch. She was surprised by what he said.

“I’m looking for work.”

Dan laughed. “You serious? Aren’t you going to school?”

“I intend to enroll on Monday, but I need a local address. So I thought maybe I could work here on the ranch for your dad evenings and weekends until I finish up with school.”

Dan reached over and touched a gash just above Rafe’s eye and Rafe flinched. “What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Your dad?”

“Forget it.”

“Are your folks still living in East Texas?”

“Yeah.”

“Do they know where you are?”

“No.” He frowned at Dan. “You gonna tell ’em?”

“Not if you don’t want me to. Won’t they be looking for you?”

Rafe laughed, but he didn’t sound amused. “Not hardly.” Rafe looked past Dan and saw her watching them. He looked away. Dan turned around and saw her.

“Quit being so nosy and go back into the house,” he yelled.

Without a word Mandy went back inside. She went looking for her mom and found her in the front yard, working in her flower garden as usual.

“Mom, there’s a guy here wanting a job.”

Her mother sat back on her heels and looked quizzically at Mandy from beneath her wide-brimmed straw hat. “Why are you telling me, honey? Your dad handles that.”

“He’s just a kid.”

Her mother grinned. “Really? How old is he?”

“Dan’s age. They used to be in the same class until Rafe moved away or something.”

“Rafe?”

“That’s what he goes by.”

Her mom got up, dusted her knees, removed her cotton gardening gloves, straightened her hat and walked around the house. She saw the boys sitting on the back steps and joined them.

Mandy followed her, daring Dan to say anything about her presence.

“Hello. I’m Dan’s mother, Amelia Crenshaw,” she said, holding out her hand to Rafe. Mandy noticed that her mother acted as though there was nothing unusual about his appearance.

He looked at her hand uncertainly, then reluctantly took it, shook it quickly and released it. He bobbed his head without meeting her gaze. “Hi. I’m Rafe McClain.”

“Amanda tells me that you’re looking for work. Is that right?”

Dan glared at Mandy. She gave him a sunny smile in return.

Rafe cleared his throat. “Yes, ma’am.”

“After school, of course ”

“Yes’m.”

She smiled. “Why don’t you come inside and have something to drink? Dan’s father should be coming in for dinner in an hour or so. You can join us and discuss the matter with him.”

Mandy sensed Rafe’s embarrassment. He kept looking at everything but her mom. “That’s all right,” he mumbled. “I can come back later.”

“Nonsense,” her mother said gently, smiling at him. “You have to eat like the rest of us. Dan can show you around the place after you get something to drink.” She walked up the steps and across the porch as though there was no doubt in her mind the boys would follow her into the house.

“Snitch,” Dan muttered, walking past Mandy and pulling her hair.

“What’s so secret about wanting a job?” she asked him, swatting at his hand.

Rafe glanced at her and smiled. “Nothing. There’s nothing wrong.” She smiled back, liking the boy with the black, sad eyes.

Later, over the noon meal, her dad asked Rafe a bunch of questions about what he was trained to do, but nothing about why he needed a job and a place to stay. Mandy had a hunch Dan had already filled him in on that part when she wasn’t around.

And so it was that Rafe McClain made his home on the ranch on that day in late August. There was a small cabin—really only a large room with a bathroom added off the side—that was just over a rise from the house and barns. A small creek ran nearby and the place was shaded with large—and obviously old—live oak trees.

Her dad had suggested that Rafe move in there.

Nobody talked about the fact that he didn’t have any belongings. He just showed up at mealtimes wearing some of Dan’s old shirts and jeans. Her dad insisted on paying him in addition to his room and board—and gradually Rafe acquired a pair of shoes that weren’t falling apart and had his hair cut. He worked from dawn until time for school, then from after school to dark or later.

Sometime during the following four years, Mandy developed a crush on Rafe. She could still remember the pangs of adolescent angst where he was concerned. He, on the other hand, hadn’t known she existed as anything but Dan’s pesky little sister.

Too bad she hadn’t left things that way. Life would have been so much better for both of them if she had.

The sounds of voices and the routine of activity around a working ranch roused Rafe the next morning. He opened his eyes and lay there, remembering why he was back in Texas. He sat up and groaned, feeling the stiffness in all his joints.

He forced himself out of bed and stalked over to the dresser in search of some briefs. When he pulled the drawers open, he let out a silent whistle. These were not discount store items. He picked up a pair of silk boxer shorts and smiled. The kid certainly believed in his comfort. He’d have to give Dan a rough time the next time he saw him.

If he saw him.

Damn. He hated the not knowing. He opened the closet door and stepped inside a spacious walk-in area. Racks of suits, dress shirts and shiny shoes were on one side. Jeans, Western-cut shirts and boots were on the other.

Interesting. It looked to Rafe like a town and country wardrobe to fit any occasion.

He tried to remember the last time he’d talked to Dan, or heard from him before this letter that had finally caught up with him. He’d gotten a short letter a couple of years ago mentioning an engagement and that he expected Rafe to show up and be his best man.

Before Rafe had found the time to respond—and he’d put it off, admittedly, because he didn’t know how to remind his old friend that he wouldn’t be welcome around the Crenshaw family—Dan had written an equally terse letter saying the engagement was off.

What Dan hadn’t told him now spoke volumes. What did he do that called for suits, dress shirts and a wide assortment of expensive ties?

Rafe pulled one of the work shirts off a hanger and put it on. The fit was fine. He didn’t have as much luck with the jeans. It seemed as though Dan had put on a little weight around the middle since high school. Rafe rooted around until he found an old pair of jeans that would fit him.

They were worn white at the knees and the seat of the pants. Hell, for all he knew they may well be Jeans from high school.

He grabbed a pair of socks before putting on his own boots. Then he went in search of some coffee with which to start his day.

There was no sign of Mandy but she’d left evidence of her passing. A pan of biscuits sat next to a plate filled with crisply fried bacon. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. His stomach growled at the thought. He poured himself a cup of coffee and stuck a piece of bacon between two halves of a biscuit. By the time he’d finished his coffee, he’d made a large dent in the biscuit and bacon supply.

He peered outside, but there was no sign of Mandy. One of the first things he needed to do was to get his clothes out of the brush where he’d hidden them. After that, he’d talk to someone about getting his car back to the rental place. He walked to the back door and eased it open. In addition, he wanted to hunt up the foreman and get his view on what might have taken place here the night Dan disappeared.

He stepped off the end of the porch and started toward the gate. He was almost there when a slight noise at his back caused him to glance around, but he was too late. He felt a blinding pain directly behind his ear.

His last memory was a vision of the limestone walk rapidly coming up to meet him.

Three

Rafe knew that he was getting too old for this business if someone could take him out in a friend’s backyard in the middle of the morning. He sat in the kitchen holding a cold compress to the back of his head while Mandy apologized to him and explained to the foreman that he wasn’t an interloper and shouldn’t have been ambushed.

From what Rafe could gather as he sat nursing his goose egg and bruised ego, Tom Parker wasn’t any too pleased with Mandy’s explanations. He appeared to be upset that all of his carefully planned security measures hadn’t prevented Rafe from reaching the ranch house undetected last night.

At the moment, Rafe was having some difficulty working up much sympathy for the man.

“I’d intended to introduce Rafe to you this morning, Tom,” Mandy said in a conciliatory tone that wasn’t improving Rafe’s mood of the moment. Hell, she didn’t need to apologize for him. “I wasn’t aware he was awake or I would have invited you to the house for coffee so the two of you could get acquainted.”

“So introduce us,” the man replied in a gruff voice.

Mandy rolled her eyes. “Rafe McClain, this is Dan’s foreman, Tom Parker. He’s worked for Dan for several years.” To Tom she added, “Rafe is a family friend.”

Rafe wasn’t in the mood to be polite, damn it. Getting his head bashed in wasn’t on the top of his list of ways to start the day. Hell, Ranger had been better protection for Mandy than all the armed guards. Where was this character last night when Ranger had carried on so loudly?

Rafe leaned back in his chair and looked over the man who was propped against the cabinets with his arms folded, glaring at him from across the room. He wasn’t particularly impressed with the man or his glare, although he might have been more tolerant of the man’s attitude if this was the first time they’d had occasion to meet.

“A little quick to take a person out, aren’t you?” Rafe drawled, holding Parker’s gaze with a steady look.

“You’re a stranger on the property. As far as I’m concerned, you have no business being here. I have zero tolerance these days.”

Rafe carefully touched the knot behind his ear. “Yeah. I noticed.”

“Hope you’re not waiting for an apology,” Parker growled. “With Dan missing, I’m not willing to take any chances where Mandy’s safety is concerned.”

Mandy interrupted. “Tom, I’ve already explained that...”

Parker ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture. “Hell, I know what you said, Mandy. Has it occurred to you that if this guy—”

“Rafe—” Rafe reminded him softly.

“—If Rafe could get on the property without any of us seeing him, so could anyone else. Until we locate Dan, we don’t know what the hell is going on. For all we know, this guy could have something to do with Dan’s disappearance.”

Rafe chuckled, then groaned, holding his head very carefully, afraid it might tumble off his shoulders at any moment. “I’m not up to laughing at your absurd accusations just yet, so try to hold back on the humor for a little while, okay?”

He was amused to see that this Tom character was actually grinding his teeth. I bet his dentist was going to love him for that.

Parker straightened. “I’ve got to get to work. I need to—”

“—show me around the place?” Rafe inserted. “Thanks, I’d appreciate it. Now that I’m here, I can relieve you of some of the burden of figuring out what’s going on.”

A rush of emotions seemed to sweep across Parker’s face—disbelief, anger, with more than a hint of bewilderment. “Just who in the hell do you think you are?” he finally managed to get out through clenched teeth.

Rafe continued to lean back in his chair. He smiled, feeling better by the minute. “The man who’s going to find out what happened to Dan.”

“I see. You think you can do any better than I have, or Mandy, or the sheriffs department?”

Rafe shrugged. “Won’t know ’til I try.”

Mandy spoke up. “Look, Rafe, you don’t have to stay. Just because Dan contacted you doesn’t mean that you have to—”

“Dan contacted him! When?” Parker turned and looked at Rafe. “How come I’ve never heard of you, if you’re such good friends with the family?”

Rafe scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Tell you what, Parker,” he finally drawled. “The minute I finish my autobiography, I’ll make damned sure you get the first copy off the press. Until then, I don’t owe you any explanations about anything, you understand me? I’m here now. I aim to stay until I get ready to leave, and not one minute sooner.” He studied the other man thoughtfully before adding, “Unless you’re already seeing yourself as the boss around here now that Dan isn’t around.”

Parker straightened and took a step toward him before Mandy stepped in front of him. She placed her hands on Parker’s chest. “Look, Tom, I know Rafe very well. You aren’t going to win this argument. I’ll talk to him...try to get him to calm down—”

“Calm down?” Rafe repeated. “Hell, Mandy, if I was any more calm at the moment, I’d be comatose.”

She ignored him. “Why don’t you give us a few minutes,” she said to Parker. “Rafe and I will be out later. I want to show him the airfield and other things that weren’t here the last time he was here. I’d like you to go with us.”

Rafe idly noted that Parker contented himself by giving Rafe a hard look. Rafe assumed it was supposed to make him tremble in his boots. Parker nodded to Mandy and left the kitchen, allowing the door to slam behind him.

“His mother must not have taught him much manners, slamming the door that way,” Rafe commented. He got up and went over to the coffeepot and carefully poured himself another cup. His head hurt something fierce, but he’d be hanged before he’d admit his pain to Mandy.

Part of the macho creed, he supposed, amused at himself.

“Oh, you’re a great one to be spouting off about manners. You practically accused him of doing away with Dan so he could run the ranch!” Mandy turned away and quickly scrambled some eggs and placed them on a plate along with what was left of the bacon and biscuits. She set the plate hard enough down at the table where he’d been sitting that Rafe feared for the safety of the china plate.

“Eat,” she said tersely.

“What about you?”

“I’ve managed to look after myself just fine for all these years without your help, McClain. I don’t need you or any other man looking after me, have you got that straight?”

“Look, Mandy, I’m not sure why you’re upset, but I—” But he what? Was he sorry for anything he’d said or done? Not only no, but hell no. So what did he say to her? “I don’t want to see you upset,” he finally muttered.

“Then sit down and eat your breakfast,” was her only reply.

He sat down and ate his breakfast, which he found a little tough to do since he’d already helped himself to a large portion earlier. But he figured it wouldn’t hurt to pacify her at the moment. She seemed to be just a mite touchy. Maybe he should have taken into consideration all she’d been through these past few days before he let loose at the foreman.

“You had no reason to accuse Tom of trying to take over the ranch,” she finally said from across the room, where she busied herself loading the dishwasher. He tried not to wince when breakables collided.

“Didn’t I? Well, that’s good to hear.”

“He and Dan are very close.”

“So?”

“If you think that he might have had anything to do with Dan’s disappearance—”

“Whoa! Now wait a minute, Mandy. That’s quite a leap you’ve made between the two subjects.”

“Is it? I don’t think so. You’re implying that Tom has something to gain if we can’t find Dan.”

“Am I? Funny, but I don’t see it that way. In the first place, I don’t know enough about what has happened to start coming up with conclusions about anything.”

“Then what were you implying by your out-of-line comment?”

He grinned. “I figure he was making damned sure that I understood he’d already staked his claim where you’re concerned and he didn’t like the idea I might be trespassing on that claim.”

“Me?!”

“Aw, come on, Mandy. You’re not that naive. The man is obviously playing the protector role where you’re concerned. Not that I blame him. In his place I’d be doing the same thing. After all, if Dan hadn’t been worried abou something several weeks ago, he never would have sent me that letter. The fact that he has now disappeared and no one seems to know why or where, or even—God forbid!—it he’s even alive tells me we’ve got something serious on our hands. If something has happened to Dan, that leaves you in a very vulnerable position.”

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “In what way?”

“You’re a very attractive woman, Mandy, as well as being the only family member left to inherit the ranch if something has happened to Dan. Don’t pretend not to see wha a sweet setup that would be for some unscrupulous male.’

“Ah. I see. You think Tom hopes to acquire me and this ranch in one neat package. How gracious of you to believe that a man would want more than just me in a relationship Not only that, you’ve already managed to figure out tha Tom is just unscrupulous enough to make a play for me based on those terms.” She crossed her arms and glared a him from across the room. “What sort of stuff are you smoking these days, Rafe? I swear, you must be downrigh delusional!”

He certainly wasn’t making any points at the moment Rafe decided. So maybe he’d better get started on his plans for the day.

He got up and carried his dishes to where she stood Nudging her aside, he rinsed his plate, utensils, cup and saucer and quietly placed them in the dishwasher. He looked down at her, suddenly amused at the fiery glints shooting from her eyes. He’d forgotten how much fun he’d had as a kid teasing her in order to provoke just that expression.

He had a sudden urge to kiss her, just to provoke another reaction. He leaned toward her, wondering if she would taste as sweet as he remembered. She’d been staring past him, looking out the window. When he leaned toward her, she glanced back, focusing on him once again.

Their eyes met and he realized how much trouble he’d be in if he actually followed through on the idea. Man, what was he thinking!

He immediately straightened and turned away. He had already learned one thing since he’d returned to Texas. Mandy Crenshaw affected the grown man just as strongly as she had the young boy. This time, he was supposed to have enough self-discipline not to succumb to the temptation she presented.

Four

Rafe walked over to the door and looked outside, watching the activity in the ranch yard and concentrating on why he was there. “You mentioned Dan’s partner last night,” he finally asked when it became obvious that Mandy wasn’t going to speak. “His partner in what?”

“He and James Williams started a business with computers. I think they met in college. They make circuit boards for computer companies who want to hire that part out. I guess they’ve been fairly successful. I know they have a small factory with over fifteen employees. James takes care of running the plant—he’s some kind of computer whiz—while Dan’s been handling sales and contacting potential clients.”

She walked over to the table and sat down. Rafe glanced around and saw what she had done. With a certain amount of reluctance he decided to join her. He needed whatever information Mandy could give him. The sooner he resolved the matter, the sooner he could hightail it out of there.

He crossed the room and sat down across from her. “Which would explain why he spends his time traveling,” he replied, thinking out loud.

She nodded.

“But this Williams—he doesn’t know where Dan could be?”

“No, but he said he isn’t worried. He said Dan travels all the time. When I pinned him down, he admitted that Dan usually lets him know when he’s going to be out of town for any length of time.” She hugged her waist. “He’s never been out of touch for this long.”

“When is the last time either the foreman or Dan’s partner saw him?”

“It’s been almost two weeks now since July 1. Tom said he spoke to Dan that evening, but he wasn’t around the next morning when he came up to the house for their meeting.”

“Any of his clothes gone?”

She shrugged. “I have no way of knowing. Plenty of his things are still here. I don’t know what kind of luggage he kept, so I have no way of knowing if he has bags with him.”

“You mentioned last night that you reported this to the sheriff. What sort of response did you receive from that avenue?”

“A deputy came out to talk to me. He was very patronizing. Asked a lot of personal questions about me and my interest in my brother and his possible disappearance. Wanted to know if I was his heir if something had happened to him. He was a real jerk.”

“Do you remember the deputy’s name?”

“Oh, yeah. I’d never forget it. Dudley Wright. I think of him as Dudley DoRight. Treated me like some kind of neurotic female who needed to get a life instead of trailing along behind my brother, asking inane questions.” She looked at Rafe for what seemed to be a long time before she asked, “Do you think there’s a chance Dan could stil be alive?”

“Will you stop thinking that way?” Rafe replied in a growl. “Just because we don’t know where he is doesn’ mean he’s dead. There could be all sorts of explanations why we haven’t heard from him. Let’s don’t start jumping to conclusions.”

“Then why hasn’t he been in touch with anyone?” she replied with some heat. “Why is it I’m the only one who sees something strange about the fact that he hasn’t gotten in touch with me, or with Tom, or even James?”

He shook his head as though he wasn’t sure what she was implying. “You think it’s a conspiracy?” he finally asked “You think everyone else knows where he is but no one i: telling you?”

She glared at him. “Oh, puleeze. So now you’re agreeing with the good deputy and think I’m neurotic as well?”

Rafe took a deep breath and let it out very slowly. “For what it’s worth, Mandy, I think you’re a tad sensitive abou what others might or might not think of you. Like you, I’m puzzled about how a person could disappear like that with out somebody, somewhere, knowing what happened and where he is now. It’s possible someone knows more than he or she realizes he knows.” He rearranged the salt and pepper shaker, moving them around each other. He glanced up at her. “When did you last speak to him?”

Mandy was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, she sounded calmer. “About a month ago. He’d been checking on me more often than usual. During that particular conversation he suggested that I might want to take my vacation early and come to visit him.” Her voice wobbled and she swallowed before continuing. “He said we hadn’t spen much time together since Mom died. He thought I could use a break.”

“From what?”

She nibbled her lower lip. “I recently broke an engagement.”

“Seems to run in the family.” He smiled, trying to put her at ease. “Dan wrote me about his engagement. Then later let me know there was not going to be a wedding.”

She shook her head. “That was Sharon. He seemed to be crazy about her. All she wanted to do was party. I wasn’t sorry to see her back out of their engagement, although I think Dan took it hard at the time.”

“Could his disappearance have anything to do with her?”

She looked at him, startled. “Oh, I don’t think so. That was a couple of years ago. He’s dated several women since then.”

“Any seriously enough that they might have some idea where he would be?”

“I don’t know. I could talk to James about it.” She hesitated, then said, “Better yet, I’ll let you talk to him. He makes me uncomfortable.”

“How?”

“Every time I see him, he makes a pass at me.” She shivered, as though repulsed by the idea.

Rafe smiled. “The man shows good taste, at least.”

She frowned. “Very funny.”

He could see he wasn’t going to win any points around her at the moment. He shoved back his chair and stood. “I’m going out to get my bag. Is the cabin in use these days? If not, I might as well bunk down in it.” He moved rapidly toward the door, but came to an abrupt halt when Mandy spoke.

“Uh, no. The cabin burned a few months after you left here.”

He turned around.

“Really,” he said softly. “How did that happen?”

She shrugged. “One of the hands got careless, was my dad’s guess. Left a smoldering cigarette too close to something flammable. By the time anyone saw it, the cabin was in full blaze. It was too late to do anything but keep the fire from spreading.”

Rafe looked out the window for a moment before returning his gaze to her. “Then I’ll find a motel in town. I have a rental car parked outside the gate that I need to return. ] figure there are enough vehicles around the ranch for me to use one of them while I’m here.”

“Of course you can use one of the pickup trucks and there’s no reason why you can’t continue to stay here at the house. Dan isn’t going to mind your using his room and you know it.”

Rafe knew that he would get little rest staying in the same house with Mandy. He needed all the distance he could muster between them. However, his choices at the moment were limited. In his opinion, the ranch held the key to Dan’s disappearance. It made more sense for him to stay put.

“What about Parker?” he finally asked. “He’s not going to like us sleeping under the same roof.”

“And whose fault is that? You certainly didn’t put yourself out trying to get along with him.”

“Yeah, I’m funny that way. Somebody slugs me from behind with no warning, I become very judgmental about his character.”

“You know why he did that.”

“I know why you think he did it, but I’m not buying his explanation. He could see I was making no effort to hide for God’s sake. I was no threat to any one. It’s my guess he doesn’t want anyone hanging around you. He might have figured that taking me out would discourage me from lingering for more than a brief visit.”

“Will you please stop it! Tom isn’t interested in me...o in acquiring this ranch through me. Really, Rafe. I don’t remember you being so cynical.”

“Right. I always waited around for the Easter bunny every spring.” He walked out the door and let the screen slam behind him. He strode across the porch shaking his head at his juvenile behavior.

What did it matter to him what kind of relationship Mandy might have with the foreman of Dan’s ranch, anyway? Maybe he was still reeling from too many hours of travel. Mandy had nothing to do with the reason he was here. He needed to remember that.

“You looking for something?”

He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around. Parker stood a few feet away, his hands on his hips. Damned if he didn’t look like a gunfighter waiting to draw on him.

“I left my bag out there,” he said, nodding toward the thick foliage across from the house. “Thought I’d go pick it up. You got a problem with that?”

Parker ignored his question and asked one of his own. “How long you intending to stay?”

Rafe turned back and continued to walk toward the brush, forcing Parker to follow him if he intended to continue the conversation. “Until Dan shows up. Why?”

“Then you think he’s still alive.”

Rafe stopped Why in hell was everyone so willing to think that Dan was dead. “Don’t you?” he asked pointedly.

Parker shifted his feet, removed his hat, smoothed his hair, replaced his hat, then looked toward the rolling hills that surrounded them. “I don’t know what to think,” he finally admitted. “He’s never just disappeared like this before. He’d know we’d be worried about him and would do everything in his power to let us know if he was all right. If he could. I think something’s happened to him. I’m just not sure what. It’s been too long now. Much too long.”

“Tell me about the airstrip.”

Parker looked at him, surprised by the shift in subject. “What about it?”

“Can you hear when a plane lands or takes off from the ranch buildings?”

“Sometimes. When the wind’s right.”

“Did you hear a plane the night Dan disappeared?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Mandy mentioned his Jeep being found down there. I figure that’s how he left the place. Which reminds me, I need to turn in my rental car. Is there someone who can follow me into Austin?”

Parker took his own sweet time about answering. “I can send Carlos,” he finally said.

Rafe nodded in acknowledgment of the foreman’s reluctance to accommodate him in any way. “Thanks,” he said wryly. Rafe pushed through the thick undergrowth and picked up his bag. When he came out, Parker was still standing there.

“You made my efforts at security look pretty bad, coming in like you did. How did you manage to do that?”

“I’m professionally trained to get in and out of places without anyone knowing about it, courtesy of the United States government. So don’t feel too bad, okay? Unless enemy infiltrators decide to take over the country by starting with this ranch, your security is just fine.”

He turned away and left Parker standing there, a frown seemingly etched permanently on the man’s face.

Rafe figured it probably wouldn’t hurt for him to brush up a little on his people skills now that he was back in the States. He could see that he certainly wasn’t winning many points around here. Then again, he had no plans to teach any Dale Carnegie courses as a second career, either.

His immediate plans were to find out what had happened to Dan.

Mandy watched Rafe slam out of the house. What was she going to do if she wasn’t able to better handle her reactions to him? It was obvious that he had no intention of leaving until the mystery of Dan’s disappearance was solved.

She should be feeling relief that she could turn the matter over to someone as capable as Rafe appeared to be. There was nothing to be gained by her continuing to stay on at the ranch. Her life was in Dallas, after all. She could go home, return to her job and wait there for developments.

She had come to the ranch when Tom first notified her about Dan’s disappearance, thinking it would help her peace of mind to be closer to where he had disappeared. She had thought that if and when Dan did show up, he would return to the ranch. Unfortunately, now that Rafe had arrived there was no more peace of mind to be found.

This morning had certainly proven that. They couldn’t be in the same room without arguing. Which was ridiculous. She generally got along with everyone, but Rafe seemed to deliberately bait her with his caustic remarks.

As if his attitude wasn’t irritatmg enough, there had been a moment there when she’d suddenly felt as though he was about to kiss her. She’d looked up at him and seen something in his eyes that had started her heart racing. She must have imagined it, though. He’d turned away as though nothing had happened.

Oh, but something had happened to her. She’d been thrown back into all those confusing feelings she’d had for Rafe McClain when she’d been a teenager.

Her thoughts drifted back to that time in her life...when she had been fifteen and in love for the first time.

After weeks of feverish anticipation, the night had finally arrived for the big barbecue celebrating the high school graduation of Dan and Rafe. Mandy could scarcely contain herself. Her mother had allowed Mandy to choose the dreamiest dress she’d ever owned to wear to the party. She loved the soft pink color, but more important to her was the fact that the neckline barely hung on each shoulder, the sleeves puffing out and thereby disguising her rather bony shoulders. The dress accented her small waist, then flared in a full-skirted way to her knees, with flouncing petticoats beneath it.

Mandy took a last look at herself in the mirror before going outside. She no longer looked like a child. In this dress, she appeared to be a full-fledged woman—attractive, seductive and alluring. She leaned closer and slowly smiled at her reflection...and blinked...startled at the sensuality she portrayed. Wow, she scarcely knew herself.

She patted her hair, swept up in a coil with an ornamental comb, blew herself a kiss and strolled out of her room.

She paused once she reached the patio. There had never been a more beautiful Texas night, she decided. The stars looked as though they’d been freshly polished and hung, glittering on the black velvet backdrop of sky.

She breathed deeply and smiled. The giant barbecue smoker had been going long enough that the scent permeated the area.

A large dance floor had been laid down on the back lawn, surrounded by the live oak trees that shaded the house and surrounding area from the blazing Texas sun. Lines of Chinese lanterns stretched from tree to tree, casting colorful lights and adding a festive atmosphere.

People would soon be arriving, bringing casseroles, salads and desserts. Her mom and dad had been planning this party for weeks. Their friends, neighbors and all the members of the graduating class and their families were invited. Her dad was in charge of seeing there was enough barbecued brisket, ribs and chicken for everyone.

Mandy wondered if her folks would do this again in another two years when she graduated. If so, she hoped that Dan and Rafe would be there to help her celebrate.

Rafe had mentioned the possibility of his going into the military sometime this summer, but Dan wanted him to stay at the ranch and go to college. Dan had talked about possible scholarships that were available. Rafe would certainly qualify because his grades were excellent.

Mandy didn’t want Rafe to leave. Her dad had promised her that as soon as she turned sixteen he would allow her to go on single dates. He was still living in the Stone Age, insisting that she could only go out with a group until that time, preferably one that included Dan. Neither she nor Dan liked that idea at all. But once she was sixteen, she hoped that Rafe would ask her out on a date.

Of course he had no idea how she felt about him. She’d made sure that no one did. If Dan got a hint that she had a crush on Rafe, he would never let her forget it. He’d taunt and embarrass her every chance he got.

People would be arriving any minute, but for now it was just her parents and the hands making sure there were enough tables, chairs and picnic tables outside for people to have a place to sit and eat.

Mandy wandered away from the lights so that she could enjoy the luminous heavens. She loved living on the ranch away from the city lights. It gave her a sense of belonging to the land that she had never felt whenever she visited anywhere else.

From her sheltered position, Mandy spotted Dan and Rafe when they came out of the house. They looked so grown up in their Western-styled summer suits. She’d never seen Rafe dressed so formally. He’d chosen a light beige, which set off his bronzed skin tones. Rafe and Dan were opposites in coloring, opposites in personality, but were as close as brothers, closer, even, because they never really quarreled.

Dan had been the team quarterback for the past two years. Because of the extra time it took for him to practice and play, Rafe had covered for him here at the ranch, doing the work they’d both been assigned without complaint.

Rafe showed no interest in sports. He’d always been a loner and seemed to prefer his own company even when he was on the ranch. He probably wouldn’t have come to the party if her mother hadn’t insisted that the party was for both of them.

A couple of hours later Mandy found herself on the dance floor, having the time of her life. It must be the dress. All of Dan’s classmates seemed to suddenly discover her tonight and were giving her the rush.

She loved the attention. She hoped Rafe had noticed.

When she looked around for him, she saw him standing with her dad and some of his friends, listening to them talk. With newfound courage, Mandy walked up to him and in front of her dad and everyone else said, “When are you going to dance with me, Rafe?”

His ears reddened and one of the men chuckled, causing Rafe to stiffen slightly. “How about now?” he replied in a husky voice.

He held out his hand.

Mandy couldn’t believe it. He was actually going to dance with her. She almost laughed out loud, but that wouldn’t do. She smiled, the smile she’d been practicing in front of the mirror, and grasped his hand.

He felt warm, which wasn’t surprising. Even though it was after ten o’clock, it was probably still eighty degrees outside. He looked as if he’d like nothing more than to remove his Western string tie, unbutton his collar and toss aside his jacket.

That was the first thing she asked him when they started to dance to the slow, melodious music from the tape deck that had been set up for the party.

“Why don’t you get comfortable? It’s too hot for a jacket.”

He glanced around at the other males, young and old, dancing nearby. “I don’t know. I guess I thought I was supposed to wear it all evening.”

“Naw. Dan had his off fifteen minutes after the party started.”

He smiled. “You look cool enough, like cotton candy.”

“Yuck. That stuff is so sticky it gets all over you.”

“I was thinking about your bared shoulders. That dress makes you look years older.”

Ah, bless him. What a wonderful thing for her to hear. “Thank you.” She took a breath, then blurted out, “I think you look very handsome in your suit, Rafe. I’ve never seen you in one before.”

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