Whirlwind Read online

  "If I were you I would don your armor, Dayna," Karen mumbled out of the side of her mouth as she, too, saw Brand. "You're going to need some kind of protection against those blue eyes."

  Dayna didn't have time to reply. Brand stepped forward, greeting Karen as she passed him, and then turned a smile on Dayna. She stopped before him. "I'm glad I ran into you," she said, drawing a pleased smile from him. "What I have to say won't take long."

  "Sounds like I'm in for a tongue-lashing."

  "You think all of this is very funny, don't you?" she asked, lifting her chin slightly. "I don't find it amusing when people deliberately try to make a fool out of me."

  "Why don't you admit what's really upsetting you?" he said, taking a step closer so that the people who were passing them wouldn't hear. His blue eyes narrowed with speculation. "For a brief moment last night in Phoenix, you were contemplating going to bed with me—with a stranger. What really bothers you is that I know it. And you thought when you returned my kiss we'd never see each other again."

  "You are really unbelievable," Dayna responded, unable to veil her own amazement over his blatant statement.

  "Come on," he said with an easy smile, his hand lightly grabbing her elbow. "I'll walk you outside to the barbecue."

  Dayna complied but said nothing as they walked through the dining room and out of the double glass doors to the flagstone walkway that led to the pool area.

  Brand broke the silence between them with a comment as blunt as his others. "I could have gotten you into a compromising position with a little more persuasion."

  "Oh, really?" Dayna replied, disbelieving humor edging her voice. "If that's so, why didn't you?" she challenged.

  "Because once you mentioned that you were coming to this ranch, I knew I'd have a lot more time. So why rush it? This way we can move at your pace, and I'll know for sure you have no regrets."

  "You are in for a rude awakening. Some women might find your direct tactics appealing, but I don't."

  "I know," he answered with a smile. "You made that very clear in Phoenix when you were discussing cowboys and sidestepping me at the same time. That's why we'll move at your pace for a while. Patience is one of my best virtues."

  "So is presumptuousness."

  "How about if we pretend we've just met?" he asked lightly. "I find you fascinating, beautiful, and very desirable."

  "And I find you extremely annoying," Dayna answered, forcing herself to meet his eyes.

  "You didn't think that way about me last night when we were in Phoenix."

  "I'm glad you brought that up. Just what were you doing there? Were you in Phoenix for that rodeo?"

  "I was doing just what I told you," Brand said with a hint of annoyance. "I was there to get information from the central computer. We needed to know who would be participating in a rodeo the Double R hosts. And," he paused deliberately, drawing her close to him, "you know the answer to what I was doing there better than anyone else. I was the one making a fool out of myself with a certain beautiful redhead." His thoughtful expression placated her more than words ever could. "I have been coming on kind of strong, but you do have a devastating effect on a man."

  His words triggered a response in her. Quickly, she reminded herself that soft lines couldn't be taken seriously. "Don't you think," she asked, "you could have told me you worked here?"

  "It wasn't done maliciously, Dayna."

  "I suppose neither was your offer to compensate me for my time?"

  Brand sighed, a grimace flickering across his handsome face. Dayna watched with fascination as first a half-smile and then a disarming full grin curved his lips. She heard a strain of self-derision in his voice. "I was in the city for two nights and anticipating a little diversion and some compatible, receptive company for the evening."

  "And you thought, on sight, that I would offer that? Do I really appear to be that kind of woman?"

  A masculine chuckle answered her. "Not really." He shrugged one shoulder in response to Dayna's frown. "When I saw you, you were leaving a room and one fairly elderly gentleman was giving you a hug and handing you some money. I just jumped to the wrong conclusion."

  "Oh, my God," Dayna groaned, understanding how her good deed had been misinterpreted. She couldn't restrain a faint smile as she explained, "He asked me to bring back coffee and a glass of milk. What you saw was a fatherly thank-you hug and the money to purchase what he and his wife wanted from the hotel coffee shop." With some satisfaction, Dayna took in Brand's expression of chagrin. "I told you I was a travel agent. Didn't you believe me?"

  "Yes, I believed you," he answered with a hint of discomfort. "I just didn't know it then, remember?" His eyes slid to her breasts, and he smiled as he reached out and his fingertips lightly touched her bare flesh above the neckline of the dress. "You didn't have that name tag on."

  Dayna looked away, drawing a deep breath, not believing how much just one quick touch from him could quicken her pulse. Her heart was racing furiously and she worked hard to keep her voice calm and not reveal the excitement coursing through her. "It is my job to be pleasant. Travel agents aren't supposed to be surly."

  "Except with me," he said with an amused grin.

  "You did provoke it."

  "I tried to provoke a lot of other things, too," he said lightly. "Unfortunately I was unsuccessful." Dayna couldn't restrain a smile. He added, "Including a few smiles like that one. I really thought my past transgressions had been forgotten and we were on friendlier terms."

  "We were," Dayna agreed. "But it's rather difficult to ignore blatant dishonesty."

  An edge of irritation crept into his voice. "Okay," he sighed as if suddenly impatient, "before you get too carried away with this pious, 'I-can-do-no-wrong' attitude, let's talk really straight to one another." His eyes narrowed slightly, the hard glint in them recalling the authoritative, take-charge demeanor she'd first noticed. "Are you telling me you would have had a few drinks and danced with me if I had been honest about what I did for a living?" he asked with a skeptical look.

  "I might have," Dayna replied defensively, lifting her chin slightly and meeting his eyes steadily.

  "Aren't you being a little dishonest now? Remember, you're the one with all those very unfavorable views about cowboys," he reminded her mockingly.

  "And you sat there in your three-piece suit nodding agreement with nearly everything I said," Dayna chided, unable to mask a smile as she saw the humor of it.

  Brand chuckled softly in response. "I did, didn't I? Guess you were right about cowboys." His voice was tinged with humor as he shifted his hand on her waist. It was gentle but possessive, yet Dayna didn't fight it. Her brow knitted slightly when she realized she really didn't want to. Brand went on. "I tried to gain your interest in the oldest way a man knows how—catch your eye, smile at you, spend a little time talking and getting to know you." Dayna gave him a skeptical look. He'd wanted more and they both knew it. "Was what I did really so different from what you're used to?" he asked softly. "If anything, maybe I am too direct, maybe I rush a woman. But that's not really so objectionable, is it?" he asked, his gaze warmly touching every inch of her face. "I also told you something else. Do you remember what it was?"

  Her heart skipped a beat. She remembered everything he had said and had to force herself not to look away from him. "Yes, I remember. You said that cowboys are supposed to be good lovers. Now that I know you're one, it sounds like you were doing some bragging." She made a face to take away the sting of her words and tried not to be caught by the soft lure of his voice. Her surroundings, the gentle breeze and the full moon in a star-filled sky were definitely capable of casting a romantic spell over even the most sensible person.

  With a soft laugh, Brand answered, "You'll find out soon enough."

  Her green eyes filled with amazement. "You don't really believe you and I… ?"

  He flashed a smile. "A few more days together in Phoenix and we wouldn't even be having this discussion. It would be a fact."<
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  For all the weakness flooding her, a strong-willed spirit balked at his comment. "I don't make a habit of going to bed with men I hardly know just for sexual satisfaction."

  He took one step closer, his chest brushing against her breasts. "You don't think I'd offer romance?" he asked, the arm around her waist drawing her closer so that his thighs pressed against hers.

  His hand rested on the curve of her hip. Dayna battled the strong sensations his nearness aroused. "That's not really reassuring. Whirlwind romances usually have devastating results."

  With a mixture of disbelief and amusement, he asked, "Don't you ever read love stories? People meet sometimes by chance, fate steps in…"

  "And they live happily ever after," Dayna interjected. His breath was warm against her face. "I know, love at first sight," she added in a bantering tone. She was trying to battle her own temptation to move closer to him and initiate a kiss.

  "You don't believe in destiny or love at first sight?"

  "No."

  "You will," Brand said with confidence.

  Dayna couldn't help but smile. "You're an incurable romantic."

  "No, I'm a man who believes you take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way."

  "And does that include taking advantage of every woman?"

  One corner of his mouth quirked upward in response to her question. "Is that what you think I want to do with you?"

  A long moment passed while his eyes never left her face. Dayna's stomach flipped over with uneasiness as his hand moved, his fingers gently touching the ends of her hair near her jaw. They slid upward slowly, touching her face with their warmth as they caressed the soft texture of her cheek. There was magic in the moment. It was as if they were alone in the world, the sounds of the party suddenly gone, the insects and soft breeze silent in anticipation. She was breathing heavily as she watched his head slowly descend toward her. The heat of his lips caressed her mouth and brushed first one corner and then the other. But as he moved to deepen the pressure, Dayna snapped herself out of the spell. She turned her face away and his lips touched her cheek instead.

  "All right. For now we do it your way," he said with a grin, his dimples strongly defined at the corners of his mouth. "But I'm going to kiss you again. You know that. And turning your head away isn't going to stop me."

  Dayna opened her mouth to offer some retort but his hand moved to the small of her back and urged her to walk. "It's almost time to eat," he commented with a casualness that made her wonder if she had imagined the special moment that had just passed.

  He guided her to the area behind the lodge where the dark water of the pool glimmered under the moonlight but left her immediately when they reached W.R. She had expected it. In fact, she noted that his hand had left her back before they were in the company of others. She wondered whom these tokens of propriety were meant to impress.

  She wasn't gullible; she'd certainly learned in just a few brief encounters that Brand moved at a fast pace, just like a lot of other men she had met. They were the type who made a practice of quick conquests.

  And yet, aware as she was of this possibility, she wasn't showing a great deal of caution where Brand was concerned. If Mrs. Minter had told the truth, he was even more of an expert than the others Dayna had met. She was determined not to let the situation get out of hand. The most important thing for her to remember at the moment was that the strong reaction she felt toward him was more girlish infatuation than sensible mature emotions.

  Calming her bewilderment, she wandered around the area. W.R. introduced her to a mixture of guests: honeymooners, a family of five, with two dreamy-eyed teenage girls whose eyes were fixed on the ranch hands seated around one of the picnic tables, retired couples who were regular yearly visitors, airline stewardesses from Albuquerque, and three college students who were avidly flirting with every single woman in sight.

  A casual, festive mood permeated the atmosphere; the aroma of smoke from the mesquitewood fire and the spicy tang of the barbecue sauce being used to baste a hindquarter of beef added to the party mood of southwestern hospitality. The melodic sounds of strumming guitars filled the night air in the huge yard. The colored lights of lanterns and fiery torches provided illumination.

  Trapped in conversation with a schoolteacher from Ohio, a Mrs. Whitaker, an avid bird watcher, Dayna listened with half an ear and maintained a smile as the woman proceeded to describe every bird she'd ever seen, then burst into a vivid performance of bird calls that drew some attention to them. Dayna listened politely but managed without being observed to keep looking at Brand as he stood on the other side of the pool and mingled with other guests, smiling and talking to them with an ease that came from years of meeting and entertaining new acquaintances.

  She scrutinized the perfect fit and expensive stitching of the dark blue shirt and beige brushed cotton jeans he was wearing. Dayna had to admit he had the kind of looks that could make the heart of any female throb. Some comments by the flight attendants during dinner confirmed Dayna's opinion. One of them in particular, Christy, a leggy brunette, declared her intention to "get to know Brand better."

  Bonnie hadn't exaggerated when he spoke of the familylike atmosphere. Most of the men present were long-term employees of W.R. The show of comradeship and good-natured bantering that went on when they were introduced provided the guests with dinnertime humor. Although there was a cookhouse somewhere on the ranch, most of the ranch hands, those willing to spruce up, joined the guests for the dinner hour.

  W.R. proved to be an interesting dinner companion, enlivening lulls in conversation with anecdotes about ranching and a few corny cowboy jokes. But Dayna was having a difficult time concentrating on what anyone was saying as she watched Christy leave their table and sidle up to Brand. Practically throwing herself at him, she didn't seem to give a thought to the conversation she had interrupted. No one really seemed to mind. The ranch hands received her with pleasant smiles, and it wasn't hard to understand why. She was wearing an extremely revealing hot-pink tube-top terry-cloth dress, which showed more of her curves than it covered. She sat on the edge of the table and faced Brand. Her tongue periodically moistened her lips as she talked to him and ran a caressing hand down his arm. Dayna rolled her eyes upward at the scene. The woman, batting her long, dark lashes, was using the tricks seen in a 1940s movie, and, like a fool, Brand seemed to be falling for them. He responded with an amused smile, but for a fleeting second, his gaze shifted, his eyes locking with Dayna's. She saw a flicker of sarcastic amusement in his perceptive eyes. He wasn't any more taken in by Christy's act than he was unaware that Dayna was watching him.

  She looked quickly away, irritated with herself for being caught staring at him.

  As if aware of Dayna's mood, Karen asked softly, "Is something wrong?"

  Unable to explain what she couldn't even understand, Dayna forced a smile. "No. I see Shelly's with her accountant."

  Karen glanced across the table at their friend, who was looking enchanted with Martin Randolph. "That's terrific, isn't it?" Karen sighed. "Leaves you and me." Her eyes shifted to Brand. "But I don't think we'll be a twosome for long, judging by the stare you're receiving from your cowboy."

  "Will you stop that!" Dayna reproved in a low whisper, hoping no one at their table had heard Karen. "He's not my cowboy. Anyway," she said with a shrug of indifference, "he seems already to have fallen into another trap." Dayna gave Karen a side glance. "A cat's trap, I think."

  "Meow! Dayna," Karen responded. "I've never heard you talk like that before. You almost sound jealous."

  Dayna threw her a look of denial. Not interested in sharing more conversation with Brand, she turned to W.R. "Even though you're a friend of my father's, I really don't know much about you. Do you have a family?"

  W.R. smiled. "A daughter who's married and has three children, and a son in Phoenix who's a lawyer. Tom never was very fond of the smells of ranching—like horse manure," he said with twinkling eyes. "He made it ve
ry clear early in life he would do anything associated with the ranch but the actual ranching. So he went to law school. He handles the legal matters for the ranch. It's worked out well. I'm sure of never getting cheated this way. My…" W.R. cut his words short as Bonnie passed by the table. He halted Bonnie with a question. "I didn't get a chance to ask Brand. I heard there was a ruckus right before dinner. Do you know what it was about?"

  Bonnie laughed shortly. "I'm not sure what ruckus you're talking about." W.R. looked up at him with a questioning frown and Bonnie added lightly, "A Brahma busted out and jumped a six-foot fence. Brand was muttering and cussing all over the place while everyone else was running for cover, but the bull wasn't free for long. He outmaneuvered himself and got trapped in a bank near the river."

  "Is the bull fenced in now?"

  "Oh, yeah, but Brand swore he'd turn that bull into tomorrow night's supper if he had to chase it again."

  Dayna smiled to herself, enjoying the trouble Brand had had until Karen reminded her of the danger of the situation when she commented, "They're big, aren't they—Brahma bulls?"

  W.R. nodded. "Yes—it could have meant a trip to the hospital for someone." He looked at Bonnie. "Probably our matador foreman. Some bulls weigh close to two thousand pounds."

  Bonnie grunted, appearing to take the incident very lightly. "That one sure was throwing and slamming his weight all over the place. There's a fence that's got to be repaired, and it rammed a water trough when one of the men dived for it."

  "I'm almost afraid to ask," W.R. said. "What else happened?"

  Bonnie commented matter-of-factly, "Brand had trouble with one of the ranch hands."

  One of W.R.'s heavy white brows rose slightly, but he merely stated, "I'll ask him about it."

  As Bonnie returned to the table where the other wranglers sat, Karen commented, "He's nice. Has he been with you long?"