I just need five minutes, but I really should grab this.”
“Of course.” She waved him along, her smile transforming her face from pretty to breathtaking. “Take as long as you need.”
Nodding his thanks, he set down the brush and hit the button to connect the call.
“Mom?” He moved toward the barn doors, sliding one open to step outside.
“Hello, Devon.” Her voice was lowered, and he could hear what sounded like a dinner party in the background—indistinct music, soft chatter and laughter. “I just saw your note about extending your stay in Montana for the launch party. I wanted to be sure you’ll be here for the wedding.”
“Of course I will.” He thought he’d made that clear in the text he’d sent earlier, but he knew his mother was nervous about her upcoming nuptials. “Mom, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. You know that.”
“Okay.” Her small laugh sounded relieved more than anything. “I thought so, but I wanted to be sure. There’s so much booked for the week before that the sooner you can be here the better.”
Devon breathed in the deep stillness of the Montana mountains, wishing he could trade places with his mother for a few days so she could enjoy the peace of this kind of setting. Then again, she wouldn’t want to travel anywhere that his father had frequented. She’d never forgiven him for not sticking around after Devon was born, and although Devon understood why, he wished—for her sake—she’d been able to put Alonzo firmly in her past a long time ago.
“I’ll be at the rehearsal dinner.” He glanced behind him at the barn door, which he’d left open a few inches. “Is there anything else going on that I should know about?”
He tried his damnedest to be an attentive son. His mother had never held it against him that he was a Salazar, the way Granddad did, even though Devon had worked hard to make sure he didn’t overtly share any of his dad’s qualities.
“Most of Bradley’s family will be in town, so Granddad wants to roll out the red carpet,” his mother explained. Bradley Stewart’s family was a force to be reckoned with in banking, a well-connected clan Devon’s grandfather would leverage at first opportunity. “There will be a welcome party, a few media interviews, that sort of thing. You’re always so good with the press, Devon. I’d love it if you could be here.”
He closed his eyes, resenting his grandfather for making this wedding about business. And he hated knowing that news of Alonzo Salazar’s salacious book could steal the spotlight from what should be the happiest day of his mother’s life.
“The launch party is only two days before the wedding.” He couldn’t leave before then. Still, guilt gnawed at him that he couldn’t be there for her when she’d given up so much for him. “But I’ll get a flight as soon as it ends.”
“Of course. I understand.” The music in the background of the call grew louder. “I’d better go now, darling. Good luck, and I’ll see you soon.”
He disconnected the call, not happy to disappoint her, but knowing that it was more important for her to have him here—though she’d never understand why.
Devon needed to speak to all the owners of Mesa Falls Ranch to see what they knew about his father’s past—about the book, about the proceeds, about their relationship with him. But he needed to keep a lid on scandal at all costs. Keep his family’s private business just that—private.
And yet, as he peered through the opening of the barn door, Devon spotted Regina Flores hunched over his discarded jacket, his personal papers spilled over her lap while she helped herself to the confidential contents.
Anger flared—fast and hot.
Shoving open the door the rest of the way, he charged toward her. Her guilty scramble to stash the papers would have been damning even if he hadn’t already seen her reading them.
He stopped a foot away from her, quietly seething. “May I ask what in the hell you think you’re doing?”
Regina froze.
She’d thought she’d been keeping an ear out for Devon’s return, but she’d gotten engrossed in reading the files she had only meant to photograph. Had he seen her with the papers? Or had he only noticed her rifling through his jacket?
Her heart pounded harder as she relinquished her hold on his coat, letting it fall back on the chair as she straightened.
“I’m so embarrassed.” She only had so many ways to play this without alienating him. For that matter, if she didn’t find a way to smooth this over, he could have her fired from her job and then she’d really have no options left to track down the profits from the book that had ruined her family.
“With good reason.” Devon glared at her, his shoulders tight and his jaw clenched. He stalked closer, his dark brows furrowed.
Behind her, Evangeline tossed her head and exhaled on a long, shuddering snort. Regina moved away from the mare, not wanting the animals to feel the nervous energy pinging through her. Stepping from the straw-covered grooming area onto the cement walkway down the center of the barn, she kept her gaze trained on Devon.
“I only wanted to touch your jacket.” She knew her cheeks were bright red, and in this case that was surely to her advantage. “I’m sure it’s obvious to you that I’m…” She forced herself to pause, wishing there was another way out of this mess. She took a deep breath. “Attracted to you.”
It wasn’t a lie. She let him see the truth of it in her expression. Her pulse galloped faster while his green eyes narrowed.
“And what did you think you might find out by snooping around in my personal papers?”
Did he know that for certain? Or was he guessing?
“Call me crazy.” Shrugging, she folded her arms around herself to ward off the chill of his doubt. “But I just wanted to breathe in the scent of you.” That part was—sadly—true, as well. The first thing she’d done when she picked up his coat was to bury her nose in the lining. “And the papers fell out.”
Her face must be on fire by now. She swore she could feel where every single capillary pulsed with heat just below the skin.
She was worried about his reaction, yes. And she’d stretched the truth. But maybe the biggest reason for her blush was that she was baring a secret she hadn’t wanted to admit—even to herself.
“I find that difficult to believe when you seemed careful to keep me at arm’s length today.” He spoke softly, studying her carefully as he stood just inches away. “Our picnic certainly offered an opportunity for that.”
“Fraternizing with a guest will surely be frowned upon by my new employer.” Her breath came fast. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a stray hair flutter in her exhale. “I didn’t think acting on the attraction would be wise.” She saw some subtle shift in his expression. His pupils widened, maybe. Or his nostrils flared. “I still don’t,” she rushed to add.
“Nevertheless.” He shifted closer, his right hand grazing her jaw to lift her chin. “I’d like to test the truth of that claim.”
The green of his eyes was just the slimmest of rings around the dark centers as he peered down at her. Her thoughts scrambled.
“That I don’t think we should act on it?” Her breathless voice sounded nothing like her.
“That you’re attracted to me.” His thumb skimmed along her lower lip and pleasure trembled through her even though she tried to hold herself very still.
Electrified, she sucked in a breath. And then his lips were brushing hers. Once. Twice. Just feather-soft touches that made her knees weak, right before he kissed her.
For