Sweet Stallion. Deborah Fletcher Mello

      Patrick countered. “One fifty.”

      “Two hundred thousand,” Naomi called, cutting a quick glance in his direction.

      “Two fifty,” he responded.

      Naomi took a quick breath and held it. That land had been appraised at just over one million dollars. She had no desire to see the bidding go that high, but something told her with the Perry Group in the mix she wasn’t going to have much choice. She blew the air she’d been holding past her lips and countered, “Three hundred thousand.”

      The back-and-forth intensified. By the time the bidding hit eight hundred thousand dollars, Naomi and Patrick were the only two still in the game. Garrison had moved to the other man’s side, urging him on. With each bid she countered, he glared in her direction and Naomi glared back.

      She felt her heartbeat quicken, and her chest tightened with a vengeance when Patrick bid one million dollars for the land they both wanted. He turned, contrition painting his expression as he waved his bid paddle in the air. Naomi bit down on her bottom lip as everyone waited to see what she was going to do. Her budget had been blown at seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. To go any higher would mean a total reevaluation of her business plan and the productivity her current farms would have to be able to make up the difference. She calculated and recalculated the numbers in her head, with nothing adding up the way she needed it to. She suddenly wanted to cry and had to bat her lashes fervently to hold the tears at bay.

      Noah suddenly leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Bid,” he said, as he held out his cell phone for her to read the text messages on the screen.

      A series of responses had come in back-to-back, answering Noah’s message for help. Each of her siblings, and her Texas cousins, billionaires John and Mark Stallion, had pledged their support, promising to help with any shortfall if she needed it. Money wasn’t going to be a problem if she didn’t want it to be.

      “One million going once. Going twice...” The auctioneer’s voice echoed through the room.

      “One point five million!” Naomi chimed. She crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to give Patrick a look.

      The man’s eyes widened. Garrison Perry inched forward, the resulting terse exchange seeming heated. Nolan had joined the two men, eyeing her and her brother with sudden interest. His unwelcome, intense stare sent a shiver up Naomi’s spine.

      The auctioneer paused before continuing. “Going once... Going twice...”

      Garrison nudged Patrick’s arm, but the man didn’t budge, his gaze still locked on Naomi’s face. When the auctioneer cried, “Sold to the highest bidder,” and slammed his gavel on the wood podium, Patrick smiled, his grin widening into a chasm of gleaming white teeth. Beside him, Garrison threw up his hands in frustration.

      Naomi jumped up and down excitedly, then threw herself into her big brother’s arms. Noah hugged her tightly, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “Congratulations!” he said. “Now you need to figure out how to pay everybody back!”

      Naomi laughed. “Don’t worry. I have a plan,” she said. “At least I think I do.”

      Patrick moved to her side, his hand extended. “Congratulations,” he said softly. “You were a formidable opponent.”

      “You hesitated,” she said. “Why didn’t you bid? Clearly your employer is not happy right now.” She gestured toward the Perry family with her eyes. Garrison looked like he was ready to kill somebody, his father standing like a stone as his son ranted.

      Patrick tossed a look over his shoulder, then turned back to her. A moment of silence stretched between them before he answered. “You needed that land more than they did,” he said, his beautiful smile returning. “Congratulations again.”

      He turned to go, then hesitated once more. His ego had been slightly bruised before; no woman had ever dismissed him the way she had. He’d been taken aback by her aloofness, but he refused to let that deter him now. “Naomi, would you have dinner with me?” he suddenly asked.

      Behind him, Garrison called his name, his condescending tone grating on Naomi’s nerves. Patrick tossed another look over his shoulder. “I said I’d be there in a minute,” he answered, his own tone just as abrupt.

      He turned back to her. “Sorry about that. My friend can be a little rude at times. I apologize for his behavior.”

      “Your friend?”

      “Garrison Perry. We graduated from Brigham Young together.”

      Naomi nodded, and a gray cloud seemed to cross her expression as she looked from one man to the other, before her gaze settled back on Patrick.

      He continued, “So about dinner. Maybe we can get together tomorrow night, or later this week, if you’re available? I’d really like it if we could get to know each other better.”

      Her gaze skated over his face. His eyes pulled at her, with something in their depths almost beseeching. She felt her stomach do a flip and a wave of anxiety wash through her. But then she found herself nodding again, her head moving of its own volition. “I think I’d like that,” she said.

      Patrick passed her his cell phone. “If I can get your number,” he said, “I’ll call you and we can firm up our plans later.”

      Her head still moving, Naomi accessed his phone directory and pushed the add button. When her name and number had been saved to the device she passed it back to him.

      He handed her his business card. “My private number is on the back. Just so you recognize it when I call,” he said.

      “Thank you,” Naomi finally responded.

      Patrick grinned wider and then, with a wink, moved back across the room, turning his attention to the two men who stood eyeing them curiously.

      “The land you wanted and a date!” Noah exclaimed, stepping up behind her. “Sounds like today was your lucky day!”

      * * *

      “Why didn’t you counter her last bid?” Garrison snapped, the look he gave Patrick cutting.

      Patrick shook his head. “You didn’t want to go that high, remember? You specifically instructed me to go no higher than one million dollars.”

      “No, I told you I didn’t want to pay more than a million dollars, but that I didn’t want to lose that land, either.”

      “Well, it’s done now. We’ll just proceed with your plan B. This isn’t the only land in town. I think that property off the highway would be better suited for what you want to do, anyway.”

      “And do you have a plan B?” Nolan Perry suddenly interjected, moving between the two men.

      Patrick found himself feeling some kind of way as the older man looked from him and then to his son for an answer. His face flushed with color as neither answered, waiting for the other to reply.

      Nolan shook his head. “Patrick, who is that young woman you were talking to?” he suddenly asked.

      Their collective gazes followed Naomi as she exited the room, her brother following closely on her heels. Patrick replied, “Her name’s Naomi. Naomi Stallion. And that’s her brother, Noah Stallion.”

      Nolan nodded. He shot his son one last look and then turned and walked out of the room.

      * * *

      Naomi stood off to the side, a stack of paperwork and a paid receipt for the land she now owned in her hand. She was waiting patiently for Noah to come out of the men’s room when Nolan Perry suddenly appeared at her side. She bristled, immediately feeling out of sorts at having her father close enough to reach out and touch.

      “Congratulations,” he said. “That was nice work in there.”

      Naomi didn’t answer, her mouth suddenly dry, her throat feeling as if she’d