“Did you toss her off your property?”
Remembering the fire blazing in those beautiful green eyes, Jack held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he slotted the arrow’s notch against his bow’s string. “I would’ve asked her to stay for lunch if I thought she wouldn’t try to run a butter knife through my heart.”
“Will she be a problem?”
“Lord, I hope so.”
Logan groaned. “For God’s sakes, Jack. Tell me you plan to keep your pants on here.”
“After the way you mixed Lassiter business up with pleasure, you’re in no position to lecture.”
When J.D. had bequeathed five million big ones to a mystery woman who didn’t want to be found, Logan had not only tracked her down, damned if he hadn’t taken her to bed, and more than once. Talk about calling the kettle black.
“I won’t deny certain lines got blurred,” Logan admitted. “But I fell in love with Hannah Armstrong and married her. I’ll hand my resignation in to the bar the day anything approaching marriage enters your head.”
Jack laughed. What an idea.
After the men disconnected, Jack resumed his stand behind the shooting line. He drew back the arrow and, enjoying the tension of the bowstring as he took aim, thought of Becca Stevens—the undisguised malice in her eyes, the sweeping conviction of her words. Then he imagined how darn good she would feel folded in his arms...how sweet her smooth, scented skin would taste beneath his lips. In his mind, Jack heard her whimper his name and then cry out as he sank into her again and again.
Jack released his shot and then shaded his brow to measure the result. When was the last time he’d missed a target’s center gold ring? This arrow had sailed clean over the top.
* * *
Felicity Sinclair’s blue eyes sparkled as she shifted her chair closer to the café table and lowered her voice. “Becca, I have something I need to ask.”
“About Lassiter Media?”
As Lassiter Media’s recently promoted vice president of public relations, Fee was always brimming with ideas. Since Becca’s appointment with the Lassiter Charity Foundation two years ago, the women had worked closely. More than that—they’d become good friends, the kind who shared everything, during good times as well as bad.
Winding golden-blond hair behind a dainty ear, Fee explained, “My question has to do with Chance Lassiter.”
“That would be your fiancé Chance Lassiter,” Becca teased.
As Fee reached over to grip her friend’s hand, the magnificent diamond on her third finger threw back light slanting in through the window.
“You were there when I needed to vent about that mess last month,” she said. “I have to say, it feels a little strange calling Cheyenne home. I love L.A....”
“Well, you’re here now. You’ll simply have to visit often.” Becca squeezed her hand. “Promise?”
“And you promise to drop in on us at the Big Blue.”
“I’ll bring my Stetson.”
Chance Lassiter was J.D.’s nephew, the son of the billionaire’s deceased younger brother, Charles. Chance had managed his uncle’s world-famous cattle ranch—the Big Blue—and while he’d been rocked by J.D.’s unexpected death, he’d gladly accepted, via his uncle’s will, controlling interest in the ranch he loved more than anything...although now, of course, his vivacious wife-to-be had taken pride of place in the charming cowboy’s heart.
Fee sat back. “I can hardly wait for the wedding. Which brings me back to that question. Becca, would you be a bridesmaid?”
Emotion prickled behind Becca’s eyes. Fee would make a stunning bride and, given her talent for organizing grand occasions, the ceremony was bound to be nothing short of amazing. Becca was even a little envious.
Marriage and starting a family were nowhere near a priority, but one day Becca hoped to find Mr. Right—a kindred spirit who got off on giving back and paying forward. This minute, however, all her energies were centered on helping the foundation survive the storm J.D.’s unexpected death and will had left behind.
Of course, there was always room for the wonderful women in her life and their very special requests.
Becca hugged her friend. “Fee, I would be honored to be a bridesmaid at your wedding.”
The women discussed styles for dresses as well as flowers for bouquets before the conversation turned to a far less pleasant topic.
As coffees arrived, Fee asked, “Have you spoken with Jack Reed yet?”
Suddenly feeling queasy, Becca nodded. Fee knew that she had hoped to get in Jack’s ear.
“The backyard of his Beverly Hills mansion houses an Olympic-standard archery field.”
Fee’s lip curled. “Your regular Robin Hood.”
“The joke of the decade, right?” Becca pulled her decaf closer. “I let him know how his association with Angelica is weighing on Lassiter Media, not least of all the foundation. A lot of the funding comes from Lassiter accounts, but other benefactors are shutting doors in our face. While the notorious Jack Reed has a chance of pulling off a takeover bid and then tearing everything apart, we might as well have leprosy.”
Fee flinched. “Jack does have a reputation.”
Huge understatement. “He’s the most ruthless corporate raider this country has given breath to. I hate to think of how quickly he’d chop up the company and sell off the pieces if he had a chance. He doesn’t give a flying fig where or how the foundation ends up.” Becca held her stomach when it churned again. “He’s a scourge on mankind.”
“You have to admit though...” Fee lifted her cup to her lips. “He is charismatic.”
“If you can call a snake charismatic.”
“And incredibly good-looking.”
Becca huffed—and then gave it up. “Sure. The guy is hot, in a Jay Gatsby kind of way.”
“Gatsby was gorgeous.”
“Gatsby was a crook.”
“Sweetie, let’s face it. Jack Reed is smoking.”
Becca’s stomach pitched again. “I was taught that power should be used for good. If you have brains and position, for God’s sake, help those less fortunate—even a little bit.”
“Good luck convincing Jack Reed of that.”
“Greed.” Becca shuddered. “It’s a disease.” When the waitress delivered their coffees, she pointed to an item on the menu. “Can I have a caramel fudge brownie, please?”
As the waitress made a note and walked away, Fee studied her friend curiously. “Since when do you have a sweet tooth?”
“In school I was always the chubby kid who tried to get out of gym. If ever I felt anxious—upset—I’d reach for cake or candy.”
Then she’d joined the Peace Corps and all that had changed. Her life had taken its sharpest turn yet.
Fee set her cup down. “Well, you’re the poster girl for svelte now.”
“That craving for sweet stuff doesn’t win too often anymore. Don’t worry,” Becca said as the waitress delivered the brownie. “I’ll fit into my bridesmaid’s dress.”
“I wouldn’t care if you were a size two or a twenty.” Fee had an awesome athletic build but she didn’t judge any book by its cover. “I just hate to see you this rattled.”
Becca