Taming the Texas Tycoon / One Night with the Wealthy Rancher. Brenda Jackson

Kate laugh. She gave Marcus a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to walk away. And she stepped right into Lance who had been standing behind her.

      Lance took Kate’s arm and led her away from Marcus. He’d never felt so enraged before. He wanted to be the man who made her laugh and smile—not Marcus.

      “Are you okay?” Kate asked.

      “I…no, I’m not okay. I don’t like you flirting with Marcus.”

      “Why do you care who I flirt with?” Kate said, a flash of anger in her eyes.

      Because she was his. But he knew that wasn’t true, couldn’t be true because he’d given another woman his ring.

      A woman that he was quickly realizing he could never marry. Lexi was not what he needed in a woman. She didn’t arouse his passion. But passion could lead to jealousy and Lance couldn’t afford to be out of control, to be like his father. Maybe that was the right answer, then. Maybe Kate would be better off with a guy like Marcus, and he should marry someone who didn’t get him all riled.

      “Damn. I know I don’t have any right to say something like that, but I want you, Kate. And I think you feel the same,” he said.

      She flushed but didn’t try to pull away. “I do. I think you should know I’ve been attracted to you for the longest time.”

      “Good.”

      “Good?” she asked. “That makes you sound very arrogant.”

      “Yes, it is good,” Lance said. He’d had a lot of time to think about Kate over the last two days. “Because anything this strong that is one-sided would be wrong.”

      “I guess I can see your point.”

      “I’m glad,” he said. He leaned down and kissed her. “Come up to the house with me while I shower and change.”

      “Into the shower with you?” she asked.

      He raised both eyebrows at her. “Would you be interested in that?”

      She blushed and gave him a very shy smile. “Maybe.”

      He was leading her by the hand toward the house when he saw paramedics running across the lawn. He dropped Kate’s hand and they both turned toward the food tent.

      “I have to see who that is,” he said.

      “I know.”

      He was very aware of Kate moving behind him and he knew that she was concerned about the emergency, the same as he was.

      Lexi was sitting on a bench between two paramedics. Her face was flushed.

      “What happened?”

      “Heat exhaustion as near as we can tell,” the paramedic said.

      “Are you okay?” Lance asked Lexi.

      She nodded, seeming embarrassed by the entire thing. “I should have had more water.”

      “It’s okay. Does she need to go to the emergency room?” Lance asked.

      “No. She’d be fine sitting in a cool room and just letting her body recuperate from the sun exposure.”

      “Let’s get you up to the house,” Lance said.

      Kate hovered nearby. The look on her face told Lance that it was past time to end things with Lexi. But not now. Not like this.

      He helped Lexi to her feet. She leaned on him and he looked over her head at Kate who shook her head and walked away.

      He had no choice but to let her leave and he didn’t like that at all. But right now his hands were tied. He couldn’t go after Kate until he took care of Lexi.

      He got Lexi settled on the couch in the living room.

      “Thank you, Lance.”

      “For what?” he asked. He hardly knew Lexi. She was a stunningly beautiful woman but other than a couple of dinners, he hadn’t really even talked to her.

      “For taking care of me just now. I’m sorry if that was embarrassing.”

      Lance shrugged. “It was nothing. I’m going to go change. Will you be okay?”

      She nodded.

      “I have a butler of sorts around here—Paul. He’s not much company but I will ask him to check in on you.”

      She shook her head. “Please don’t. I’ll just sit here in the quiet.”

      “Are you sure?”

      “Yes.”

      Lance left her and walked up the stairs to his own suite. He called Mitch on his way because he hadn’t been able to find his brother in the crowded yard.

      “Brody here.”

      “It’s Lance. Can you come up to the house? Lexi had a problem with heat exhaustion. I need a shower but I don’t want to leave her alone for too long.”

      “Is she okay?” Mitch asked.

      “Pale and weak but otherwise okay,” Lance said.

      “Does she need to see a doctor?”

      “No. The paramedics checked her out. Where were you?”

      Mitch didn’t answer. “I’m on my way to the house.”

      “Good. I’m upstairs. She didn’t seem to want company but I don’t like leaving her alone when she’s not at her best.”

      “I agree. I’ll take care of it.”

      Lance hung up and quickly showered and changed. He thought about the two women that were a part of his life right now. It didn’t matter that Lexi wasn’t the woman he wanted, he still owed her respect—and the truth.

      He realized this mess was of his own making. He finished getting dressed and headed downstairs, determined to talk to Lexi. He couldn’t marry her—not while he felt what he did for Kate.

      Kate was the woman he couldn’t live without. He knew without a doubt that Kate was the one woman that he wanted. He couldn’t get her out of his system.

      He hurried downstairs, anxious to talk to his brother and fiancée. He had a text message from Mitch saying that he was going to take Lexi to the hotel.

      Having made up his mind about Lexi and Kate, Lance felt much better. He liked the changes in his plain-Jane secretary and today he’d realized that he wasn’t going to let her slip away from him—no matter what.