Texas Heat by Bárbara McCauley

on Sunday.”
    He watched her pace the length of the room. “What else do you have ‘planned’?” she asked tightly.
    He definitely didn’t like the tone of her voice or the direction this conversation was taking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    Arms folded, she closed the distance between them. “Who’s the executor of the estate?”
    Jaw set tight, Jake ground out, “I am.”
    She lifted one eyebrow and gave an irritating, cocksure nod. “So you have control over the property?”
    Jake set his back teeth, wondering how it was that this woman was able to incite such a range of emotions from him. Five minutes ago he’d wanted nothing more than to drag her to his bed. Now he was seriously entertaining the idea of throttling her. “Do you think you could get to your point sometime this year?”
    â€œTen thousand acres is a lot of land and a big chunk of Stone Creek. A nine-year-old child living in the big city wouldn’t be interested in owning desolate ranch land. It must have worried you, not knowing if you’d find a For Sale sign on the property one day.”
    He held his growing anger in check. Barely. “I’d be notified in the event of a potential sale.”
    â€œBut in the meantime you wouldn’t know what the owner’s intentions were. I’m sure you’d sleep better if you had the land’s rightful owner close by, where you could keep an eye on her.”
    He almost laughed at that. He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since the day he’d brought them here. He narrowed his eyes in warning and took a step toward her. “Savannah, so help me—”
    â€œWas that your plan for Emma, Jake?” she continued, his warning unheeded. “And me? Was I part of your plan, too? Did you think I’d fall for that Stone charm as easily as my sister?”
    Something inside him snapped. He took hold of her shoulders. He watched her eyes widen, but defiance shone there, not fear. “You seem to forget your little performance that first day we met, Savannah, when you led me to believe you were Angela. It seems you had a plan of your own then.”
    â€œI would have said or done anything to protect Emma.” She tried to twist out of his hold. “I still would.”
    â€œAnd so would I,” he countered through gritted teeth. “My great-great-grandfather bought Stone Creek with a gold watch and two prize bulls. I wouldn’t sell one foot of this land, let alone ten thousand acres. Maybe it’s something you could never understand, but this land is our legacy, what we stand for, and that includes Emma, too.
    â€œAnd as far as you and me, Savannah,” he said, his voice rough as he pulled her against him and lowered his face within a whisper of hers. “I’ll tell you right now I sure as hell wasn’t thinking about Stone Creek or Emma this afternoon when I kissed you. I had one thought, and one thought alone—to have you in my bed, naked, with those damn sexy legs of yours wrapped around me.”
    Savannah knew she should be shocked by Jake’s admission, but the only thing that shocked her was her reaction. His verbal image of their making love aroused her, as did his closeness. She went still, lifting her eyes to his. His blue eyes blazed with a dangerous mixture of desire and anger. His hands tightened around her arms.
    There was no stopping this thing between them, and there certainly was no denying it. Her lips parted, waiting impatiently as he closed the breath of distance between them—
    A horn honked repeatedly from outside, the sound growing louder as the car came closer. Swearing, Jake dropped his hands from Savannah and turned away. He dragged a hand through his hair and stalked to the window.
    Saved by the horn, Savannah thought, drawing a deep breath as she folded her shaking arms in front of her.
    A car door slammed,