The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret. Karen Whiddon

the barn, her chest felt tight. Enraptured, she saw nearly every stall was full. Matt’s horses were the most magnificent animals she’d ever seen.

      Walking down the barn’s broad cement aisle, she inhaled the aroma of horse and straw, and grinned. Perfectly chiseled features, the classic arch to the neck, the flowing lines and ideal conformations told her she was among rarified specimens. Purebred Arabians, every single one of them. Expensive, finely cared-for animals. A dazzling bay mare in the first stall, two grays, a chestnut gelding with a huge white star on his forehead. All of them looked up at her approach, swinging their beautiful heads to eye her.

      None seemed skittish. Petting their velvety noses, she found herself wondering which one Matt rode. Then, when she reached the big stall at the end of the aisle and saw the huge black stallion inside, she knew.

      This would be his horse. She could envision him astride it now.

      Blinking rapidly, she took a step back. What the hell was she doing? She’d known going in what she’d be facing’a rich, charming playboy with more money than sense. Why on earth she was letting someone like that get to her?

      As she turned to exit the barn, her cell phone rang. Caller ID said it was a private call. Which meant it would be her boss, David Northrup.

      “Checking your progress,” her supervisor barked before Skylar even finished saying hello.

      Quickly, she outlined what had happened since she’d arrived.

      “Did you meet José Nivas?”

      Matt Landeta’s right-hand man. “No,” she answered. “Matt hasn’t actually introduced me to any of his employees.”

      “Be careful. He’s dangerous.”

      Gripping her phone, Skylar grimaced. She’d reviewed the dossier front to back. “I know.”

      “Then you’re aware that Nivas has been clean since he got out of prison. He works with Landeta at the ranch. We’ve had our eyes on him for a long time, but he’s’to all appearances’stayed straight.”

      She sighed. “That was all included in the paperwork I was given.”

      “You have to befriend him.”

      “Matt invited me to dinner up at the big house tonight. Maybe he’ll be there.”

      “Perfect.” David cleared his throat, which meant Skylar wouldn’t like whatever he was about to say next. “You know what you have to do. Turn up the charm. Landeta won’t be able to resist a pretty lady like you. That’s one of the reasons you got this assignment.”

      As if she needed to be reminded. Though she’d had numerous assignments in the past’all successful’she hadn’t ever had one where she was actually attracted to the suspect. Maybe her coworkers were right and it was time for her to take a vacation.

      After she wrapped up this case, that is. She’d go to Jamaica or Key West, lie around on a beach and sip fruity umbrella drinks.

      “Are you there?”

      Belatedly realizing her supervisor was waiting for a response, she sighed. “Yes, of course. I’ll do whatever I can.”

      “Excellent. Report back to me if you learn anything. I’ll expect regular status updates.”

      Pushing the button to end the call, Skylar wondered why she didn’t want to seduce Matt Landeta. After all, she’d played the seductress role before, all in the line of duty. Yet this time, she sensed her own psyche would be in peril. Not good. The man was too damn sexy for her own peace of mind.

      But she didn’t have a choice. Ever since a drug-crazed junky had robbed the bank and shot her husband and son, she’d dedicated herself to her job. If Matt Landeta was enough of a bastard that he supplied the Mexican drug cartels with ammunition, he deserved what he got.

      She straightened her spine, once again in the right frame of mind. All she had to do was think of Robbie and Bryan, standing in line at the bank where she should have been instead, and she could do anything.

      Including seduce Matt Landeta.

      * * *

      Glancing out the window, Matt considered Skylar McLain. Something about her bugged him. It wasn’t her beauty’hell, he had his pick of gorgeous women. Or the tough-girl exterior she tried to hide, instead wearing it like a shield.

      Maybe it was the simple fact that she didn’t react to him the way other women did. Especially when they wanted something from him, like this one did.

      Not his problem. He had more important things to worry about. Like making sure this complicated plan didn’t fall apart.

      “So what’s up?” he asked his friend.

      “I got a phone call’” José sounded troubled “’from my contact down in Matamoros. La Familia just slaughtered twenty people and strung them up along the road leading back into Texas. It’s a warning.”

      Matt swore. “Were any of them our guys?” By this he meant the ones wanting to buy his ammo.

      “I don’t know yet.” José’s frown deepened. “But I’m betting this will put a damper on them being so eager to try to form their own cartel.”

      Which meant they wouldn’t need so much ammunition. Matt had been buying it for the past two years, both from online and various gun shops around the state.

      Cursing, Matt dragged his hand through his hair. “Do you think they got word of what Diego and his men are trying to do?”

      “I don’t think so. If they did, Diego would be dead.”

      “And you’re sure he’s not?”

      José snorted. “Amigo, I ain’t sure of nothin’. The only thing I’m sure of is that, no matter what happens, somebody’s gonna need ammunition.”

      With a sigh, Matt tapped the newspaper on the table in front of them. “True, and if we were really in the business of selling it, we’d make a small fortune.”

      “Hey, come on, man.” José looked over at him hopefully. “Even if Diego can’t buy it, we can still sell it, right?”

      Since this question came up just about every day, Matt didn’t respond. José already knew the answer. All of this, the stockpiling round after round of ammunition, putting out feelers in the dangerous world of the Mexican cartels, had been done for one reason only.

      To lure Diego Rodriguez. Nothing more, nothing less.

      Glaring at him, José finally shook his head. “Fine. Though it seems like a lot of trouble for nothing if it doesn’t work out. We ought to be able to make some money someway.”

      “Right.” Matt glared right back. “We’ve already got the ATF sniffing around here. First time you try anything like that you’ll end up right back in prison. You know that.”

      Expression sullen, José looked down. He knew Matt was right. “So what did you think of the ATF lady pretending to be a magazine photographer?”

      “She’s okay.” Matt didn’t feel like elaborating. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss Skylar’s obvious charms.

      Instead, José grumbled to his hands, “I still don’t get why the ATF had to send her anyway.”

      Matt wasn’t sure, either. Before embarking on this monstrous undertaking, he’d researched the law. Texas had no laws about how much ammo a private citizen could stockpile. He’d been careful, too, ordering from various online sites, trying to order as much as he could without gathering too much attention. He had close to a quarter of a million rounds now. With more on order.

      As long as he stopped there, he’d be good. Selling it to the Mexicans, however... That would put him in the realm of federal law breaking, not to mention what the Mexican government would do to him if they found out about it.

      Lucky