He peered at her, and for a moment his face hardened, but a beat later he shook his head and rested his hand on his belt. “All right. We’ll go with that for now. I’ll talk to the few young bucks I have in mind and be sure to forward any developments to you.”
“No. I want to talk to them. I thought we went over this already.” Did he think she’d just take a back seat and let him run the show?
“That’s right.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I got distracted. So if you want to be involved in every single stage of this operation, you’ll need to come to Texas with me. That’s where the potential auctionees are.”
She glanced around her office, his words registering in her brain. Bringing those men to Las Vegas for interview could be more troublesome—they could find leverage by being in a place with other opportunities for auctions. Besides, seeing them in their natural habitat would be particularly inspiring. If they found the one, they could offer him an ironclad contract on the spot and secure the deal.
He threw his hands in the air. “I’d hate to inconvenience you, Madam.”
She waved him off. This was about business, and refusing to go to Texas meant Brooks Taylor had already messed with her head. And that she wouldn’t allow. “Oh, it’s no inconvenience. I’ll fly to Texas.”
“Great. I need to go back today to deal with some pressing issues, but otherwise my jet will be at your service,” he said in that rich, deep twang that quickened her pulse. “And so will I, Madam.”
Chapter Two
“Is she here yet?” Brooks asked, popping his head into the kitchen.
Gina, his loyal sixty-year-old housekeeper, closed the dishwasher and turned to him. She leaned against the countertop, folding her arms and tossing him a smartass look. “Nope, boss. Do I hear wedding bells? You don’t usually bring women to this ranch. Even Miss Adelaide didn’t come often,” she said, reminding him of the last woman he’d dated.
Wedding bells… What a crazy idea. He snorted. Marrying someone like Alexa would be social and professional suicide. It was one thing to do business with her, in such a way he could call it an isolated incident. A bad decision. Another thing would be to bring her to his life permanently—not that it’d ever happen. He could never marry someone with such an occupation.
He grabbed his mug and slid it under the coffee machine. The more he traveled to other properties, the less Gina felt compelled to do when he was home. Not that he’d ever let her go. She’d been working for him for twelve years, and though she was now way too comfortable, she did a great job maintaining his home. “No bells of any kind. It’s a complicated story. Remember what I said.”
“I won’t mention Pamela to your lady friend. I removed any pictures of her and hid them in your closet.”
He sipped some black coffee, the hot liquid rolling down his throat. “Good.”
Gina tilted her head in his direction. He refused her silent demand for an explanation. He trusted her, but he couldn’t risk compromising his goal. The less people knew about his plan, the better. Until he had concrete proof, he didn’t want the story to become public—why give his ailing mother a load of concern without good reason?
“Is she pretty?”
He finished his coffee, then sat it on the table. Pretty didn’t begin to describe Alexa. A flush of desire traveled through him. “She’s…intriguing.”
A spark lit Gina’s brown eyes. “Hmmm… That’s more promising than pretty. I can’t wait to meet her.”
He left the kitchen, avoiding any further conversation about Alexa.
He entered the large living area, glancing at Duke, his four-year-old black Labrador who snoozed on the sectional couch. His first strategy certainly hadn’t entailed bringing Alexa to the home where he spent most of his time. But after he’d kissed her and she’d melted in his arms, he’d changed his plan. Rather than keep things professional and hope she’d trust him as a partner, why not also add a personal touch?
If she knew him better and trusted him, he’d be one step closer to finding out what had happened to Pamela—and bringing her justice. He’d make the culprit pay, even if that meant Alexa going to prison.
He cleared his throat, the knot pulsing. Memories of their make-out session populated in his mind, and his body went rigid. Damn. Sleeping with her sure would be no sacrifice. He licked his lips, missing the taste of her sweet pussy.
If she hadn’t stopped him, he’d have fucked her in her office. Hard. Deep.
The sound of a car approaching the property yanked him from his thoughts. Buck up, man. He had to keep his head in the game. Sleeping with Alexa would be a means to an end—enjoying her was a bonus. But he couldn’t for one minute forget who she really was. How many lives she’d probably wrecked with this glorified human trafficking stint she called an auction.
Startled, Duke jumped off the couch, barking his way to the entrance.
Running his fingers through his hair, Brooks followed the dog, whose insistent barks were echoing in the marbled foyer. When he opened the door, his heart came to a halt. Without the glamorous dress, Alexa was even more intriguing.
A gray sweater and some tight denim jeans covered her, and tall boots completed her look. He half expected her to show up in one of those dresses with long slits that would give any man within miles automatic boners. But no, she’d actually come looking appropriate for staying at his beloved ranch.
“Welcome to Texas, Madam,” he drawled. “Hope our quiet nights won’t bore you.” He gestured for her to enter. The driver who had picked her up
