That Night With The Rich Rancher. Sara Orwig

wasn’t a relationship with Tony Milan. A relationship was the one thing she needed to avoid at all costs, because it would vastly complicate her life. She was here only to win his friendship so he would discuss their problems with her. If possible, even talk about their water situation.

      From her earliest memories she had been taught by her grandparents not to trust Milans. Now her brother had married one and he was blissfully happy. She had to admit that she liked and trusted her sister-in-law Madison. And a distant Calhoun cousin—Destiny—had married a Milan—Wyatt, who was sheriff of Verity. Wyatt had been a shock because he proved untrue everything Lindsay had been taught by her grandparents and mother about Milans. In all her dealings with Wyatt, she had found him to be honest, friendly, fair and definitely trustworthy.

      She gazed at Tony’s handsome features and wondered if he could be trusted, as well. As they danced, he constantly touched her, looked intently at her. He paid her compliments, got her whatever refreshment she wanted. All his attention, his casual touches, increased her awareness of him, as well as her desire for him. She fought the temptation to tell him that she wanted to go someplace where they could be alone. She had a hotel room in Dallas for the night provided by the auction board. She could invite him back for a drink.

      As much as she told herself she wanted to kiss him again, she knew where the kissing might lead. And she couldn’t make love with Tony. Difficult as it was to curb her desire, she had no other choice.

      Finally, as the band took a break, Tony turned to her. “It’s time for us to meet our chauffeur so we can take the plane back to Dallas. It’s all arranged to get us back by midnight, so we should go now.”

      “Let me pick up my purse,” she said.

      On their flight home, Tony embodied the perfect gentleman, continuing to surprise her. She’d known he had to have a good side to him, but she’d never expected to be charmed by him or even find him such enjoyable company. Certainly not once had she thought she would be attracted to him or see him as a sexy, exciting man whose kiss set her heart pounding.

      As they flew back to Dallas, Tony reached for her hand, holding it in his. “The evening will still be young when we get home. We can go dancing or just go have a drink and talk. Better yet, I have a condo in Dallas. Come back with me. I’ll take you to your hotel whenever you want. We can have the place to ourselves.”

      Eagerness to draw out the evening made it easy to answer. “Let’s go to your place,” she said. “I don’t want tonight to end yet. It’s been fun, Tony. I know things will go back somewhat to the way they were because that’s reality, but this has been a special night.”

      “You have no idea how special it has been. Things may go back to sort of like they were, but they won’t ever again be the same as before. You’ll no longer have an antagonistic neighbor. I promise.”

      “Dare I hope,” she gasped, clutching her heart, making him laugh. Shaking her head, she smiled. “There’s no way this truce is going to last.”

      “I’ll try if you will,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief, and she had to laugh in return.

      “I promise I’ll try, too,” she said, looking into his eyes and again feeling an electrifying current spark between them.

      “I keep waiting for a pitch from you to get me to agree to something. You all but admitted that’s the purpose of your bidding for me tonight.”

      “Maybe I’ve delayed that original agenda,” she said in a sultry voice. “I’m having fun, Tony. Fun that I don’t want to spoil. The night is magical, a trip into a world that doesn’t really exist. But for a few hours, we can pretend it does and enjoy it.”

      He raised her hand and brushed a light kiss on her knuckles, his breath warm on her hand.

      “I’m glad,” he said. “I’m not ready to tell you good- night and watch you walk away.” He placed his hands on the arms of her seat, facing her and leaning close, his voice dropping to a whisper as he said, “I want to hold you and kiss you again.”

      Her heart thudded and for the first time she realized she might be in trouble. Was Tony the one who would get what he wanted out of tonight instead of her? She’d planned to wring concessions from him, but now it seemed he was once again in control and she was under his spell. Not once had it crossed her mind that she could be so beguiled by him.

      And she was powerless to stop it.

      His gaze lowered to her mouth and suddenly she couldn’t get her breath. She tingled, feeling as if she strained to lean closer to him while she actually didn’t move at all. He moved closer, until his mouth settled on hers. He kissed her, another kiss that set her heart racing and made her want to move into his lap, wrap her arms around him and kiss for the rest of the flight.

      Instead, in seconds—or was it minutes?—she shifted away. “This plane isn’t the place,” she whispered reluctantly. She had to keep her wits about her. Had to mind her goal of working out her water problem, at least partially. Still, her breath came quick and shallow, matching his own.

      Looking at her mouth, he didn’t move for a moment and her heart continued to drum a frantic rhythm. He leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “I want to kiss you for hours.” His words caused a tremor to rock her. Another shock added to the continual shocks of the night. She had no choice but to admit the truth—she wanted him to kiss her for hours.

      As his gaze met hers, he scooted back into his seat and buckled his seat belt again.

      When her breathing returned to normal, she tried for conversation.

      “Why do you have a condo in Dallas? I thought you were as much into ranching as my brother Mike, that both of you had devoted your lives solely to ranching.”

      “I’m on two boards that meet in Dallas—for my brothers. Wyatt has recently acquired a bank and I’m on that board. Nick recently became owner of a trucking company with two close friends and I’m on that board, too. In Dallas, I have a small condo and I like having a place of my own I can go relax when I’m in the city. It’s convenient even though I don’t spend a lot of time there. I don’t have a regular staff in Dallas unless I plan to stay a long time, which rarely happens. Then I hire from a local agency to cook and clean.”

      “That makes sense.”

      “I spend most of my time on my ranch. When we’re back in our regular routines, I’d like for you to come over to the MH Ranch sometime. I have a new horse and I’m boarding a new quarter horse that Josh bought. You’re welcome to come see them, ride them and tell me what you think.”

      “Sure,” she said. “I suspect you better let all the guys who work for you know that you invited me or they’ll tell me I’m trespassing and toss me off your ranch.”

      He laughed. “I’ll tell them. Now if you’ll come wearing a dress with your hair down, they’ll be so dazzled, there’s no way they’ll mention trespassing. Far from it. We’ll all welcome you with open arms.”

      Smiling, she shook her head. “Nice try, but I don’t wear a dress to ride a horse.” She shrugged. “In fact, I don’t wear a dress anywhere around home. But you can tell them I’m coming.”

      “Sure. Better yet, let me know beforehand and I’ll pick you up. I probably should do that anyway, so they all know we have a truce of sorts.” He turned more so that he faced her in his seat. “And it is a truce, Lindsay. Definite and permanent. I’ll never again be able to fight with you.”

      “Don’t say things you don’t mean, Tony. Your intentions might be good, but there is no way this side of hell that you’ll be able to stick by that statement.”

      Once again he leaned in closer and her heartbeat quickened as it had before. “Yes, there is definitely a way that I can be influenced to stick by that statement. You can wind me around your little finger if you really want to.”

      “I don’t believe that one.”

      “You