had it insured for twice its value.”
“Alicia said it was a historic building. One of the oldest in Somerset.”
“Maybe they wanted to clear the way for a state-of-the-art setup. Alex has some of the finest breeding cattle in the entire state of Texas these days. He always was a competitive son of a bitch.” Mitch signaled to the bartender to bring a drink for Justin.
“I don’t think he’s behind it.”
Mitch looked at Justin closely. “Who else could it be?”
Justin leaned back in his chair. “It’s got me stumped. But I’m starting to think that the fires are somehow tied into the missing funds Darius discovered. Have you finished the unofficial audit yet?”
“Not yet,” said Mitch, “but I’m close.”
“Look, Mitch, from what Alicia’s told me, the refinery fire doesn’t sound like something Alex would do. He’s a legitimate businessman.”
“One of his best buddies is Paul Rodriquez. Don’t try to tell me ‘El Gato’ is legit.”
“No, El Gato has ‘drug cartel’ written all over him, but he and Alex Montoya aren’t business partners. They’re old friends or something. Alex has an import-export business, and from the sounds of it, he’s making money at the ranch, too, with those big-ticket bulls he’s breeding.”
A wry smile lifted one side of Mitch’s mouth. “Are you falling for Alicia Montoya?”
Justin took a gulp of whiskey. “I’m telling you what I’ve learned. The Montoyas seem like decent and upstanding people. I think we’ve all been too hasty in our judgment of Alex.”
Mitch took a swig from his own glass. “He slammed the brakes on redeveloping downtown and ruined Kevin’s deal. One of the councillors told me he was so persuasive that he almost single-handedly talked the city council into rezoning the area for historic development. I can’t figure out if he actually wants to redevelop it himself, or if he just couldn’t stand to see someone else make a buck doing it.”
“Alicia’s heavily involved in the preservation of the downtown area. She says it’s one of the few authentic and picturesque main streets in the state. She’s working on a committee to turn it into a tourist attraction.”
“Downtown Somerset as a tourist attraction? I suspect you’re thinking with a part of your body other than your brain.”
“Why not? If you look past the cheesy signage and faded paint, there are some beautiful buildings there. I think she’s absolutely right to want to preserve Somerset’s history. We already have enough strip malls in the Houston suburbs.”
“It’s hard to argue with that.” Mitch peered into his glass. “As I get older, I’m starting to take a more serious interest in the future and what will be here when my own children grow up.”
Justin’s eyes widened. “Are you and Lexi already talking about children?”
Mitch smiled slyly. “We’ve done more than talk about it. We’re expecting.”
Justin almost choked on his drink. He’d been shocked to his boot heels when Mitch said he was getting married. Mitch was always the last man standing at the bar and the first to run from any sign of a woman wanting commitment.
Apparently Alexis Cavanaugh—now Alexis Brody—had worked some kind of magic spell on him.
“That’s great. Congratulations.”
“You’re pole-axed.” Mitch’s smile broadened into a grin.
“Totally.”
“I don’t blame you. I used to laugh at the whole idea of love and marriage, let alone family. But let me tell you, when you meet the right woman, your whole world changes.”
Justin blinked. He’d certainly been looking at things differently since he met Alicia. Lying about his name, for example. He wasn’t going to do that again—ever.
“With Lexi, did you just…know?”
Mitch blew out a sigh. “It was a bit more complicated than that. You know the story. It started out as a business arrangement with Senator Cavanaugh. She was supposed to marry Lance. When Lance ruined that plan by marrying Kate, I figured I’d marry Lexi myself. Then I fell madly in love with her.”
“Sounds like a real fairy tale—Texas style.” Justin raised his glass and laughed.
“I’ll drink to that. You’re next, bro. I have a feeling.” Mitch’s dark eyes narrowed. “And from the way you’re defending the Montoya family, I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve already met your lady. I bet Alex wouldn’t mind his sister marrying into the illustrious Dupree clan.”
“Yeah, except for the fact that the Brodys are my best friends. He doesn’t know I’m seeing her.”
“She’s keeping you as her dirty little secret?”
“Something like that.”
“Well, watch your back. There are strange things going on all around us.”
“Too true. If the Brody brothers can settle down and get married, almost anything can happen.”
“Fires are burning, bro. Fires are burning. Sometimes they start right here.” Mitch tapped his chest with a knuckle. “When that happens, there’s no way to put ‘em out.”
The click of the lock made Alicia jump to her feet. She’d had plenty of time to shower and style her hair and put on one of her favorite dresses—which just happened to match the necklace Rick gave her.
And if he were to look underneath her dress—an event she fervently hoped for—he’d find a pretty lace bra and panties in a contrasting shade of pale blue.
“Alicia.” Rick’s warm, masculine voice sent a shiver of awareness through her.
“I’m here.” She hurried out into the hallway, heart pounding.
Rick stopped, as if struck motionless by the sight of her. He looked devastatingly handsome in a stylish, dark gray suit. His hair was tousled and his blue eyes sparkled with fascination.
He held out a bouquet of fat pink roses. “I bought these for you.” He frowned. “But I want you holding me, not a bunch of roses.” He glanced around for a surface to put them down on, then set them gently on a hall table. “Much better. Now my hands are free.”
Alicia’s body shimmered with anticipation as Rick took a bold step toward her. Her eyes closed as he wrapped his strong arms around her and gave her a tender kiss on the lips.
Pleasure crept over her like the sun’s heat. Her nipples thickened against the stiff fabric of his suit. And hidden, secret parts of her—parts she’d never been fully aware of—now throbbed with desire.
He grew hard against her, and she instinctively pressed her hips against his erection, delighting in the arousal that flared between them.
“Damn, I missed you so much.” His voice was rough.
“You were only gone for a couple of hours.”
“Way too long. Let’s not do that again anytime soon.” He pulled off his slim dark tie with two fingers and unbuttoned the collar of his white shirt to reveal his bronzed neck.
On impulse, Alicia slipped her fingers into the collar of his shirt, against his hot skin.
Rick kissed her nose, which made her smile. Her fingers—without checking back to her brain—unbuttoned the next button on his shirt, and the next, while her other hand slid over the rippling muscle of his pecs.
The scent of him drove her half-crazy. The fine wool of his expensive suit mingled with the musky aroma of sexually aroused male—an inviting combination of civilized and primitive.
She