That Night in Texas

It was a plan she could live with. But she still needed a job. So Vivi opened the laptop and clicked on the message containing the first proposal.

Ten

Attending the Texas Cattleman’s Club meeting was the last thing she wanted to do today but her father was insistent. Annoyed, Angela walked across the massive Perry Holdings boardroom, a room built to intimidate and impose, and glanced at the vast display of refreshments and the full bar. It was more than was needed for a late-afternoon meeting, but Sterling wanted to impress. And as usual, he had.

Ryder would be here, somewhere. They hadn’t spoken since their lava-hot kiss last week and she was a nervous cat walking on a hot tin roof. How would he treat her? What would he say?

Too edgy to eat—thank God she rarely saw Ryder Currin or she’d waste away—she saw his dark blond head and, ignoring the swoosh in her stomach, decided to confront the sexy beast. She headed in his general direction, wondering how she could casually insert herself into the conversation he was engaged in. She looked at the man he was talking to and wrinkled her nose. She recognized Cam McNeal but she’d never met him. Oh, well, she’d just have to hold out her hand, smile graciously and welcome them to Perry Holdings. It would all be very civil...

If she could stop thinking about Ryder’s big hand on her hip, his sexy mouth covering hers.

“Nice spread,” Cam commented, his voice drifting over to her.

Ryder scowled at the food. “Perry always goes overboard.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Cam replied, reaching for a plate and a small, elegant fish taco. After popping the delectable bite into his mouth, he nudged Ryder with his elbow. “God, Ry, lighten up. You look like you want to set someone on fire.”

“Preferably Sterling Perry. Jesus, who does he think he is, calling a meeting of the TCC in his boardroom, in the headquarters of Perry Holdings? And especially given everything else that’s happened.”

He had to be talking about the discovery of the unidentified murder victim at the construction site. Angela, partially blocked by a screen just behind Ryder, stiffened.

“Look, this is a PR move by Perry, it has to be. He’s just trying to curry favor with the powerful members of the TCC,” Cam suggested.

“The still-under-construction TCC,” Ryder snapped back before continuing. “Or maybe he’s trying to distract and evade. Keep our attention on something else while he deals with the fallout of finding that body on his construction site. He might have something to hide.”

Okay, she’d heard enough. Angela, her blood now pumping with fury and not with lust—okay, a little lust but she’d ignore it—stepped into their space. They both winced and shame flashed in their eyes. Good. “Don’t you think it’s rude to malign my father while eating his food?”

Ryder looked like he was about to point out that he hadn’t touched anything, but Angela narrowed her eyes at him and he got the message. Cam McNeal cleared his throat and she turned to look at him. He was even better looking up close. Tall (like Ryder), built (like Ryder), rough and ready and so very masculine, he exuded that bad-boy vibe. A woman would need a strong backbone to handle a man like him.

As one needed with Ryder. Right now hers was feeling a little jellylike.

“Ms. Perry, you are completely correct,” Cam told her. “I sincerely apologize.”

Angela nodded her appreciation and watched Camden walk away. When he disappeared into the crowd, she turned back to Ryder.

“Yeah, apologies,” he murmured.

Half-assed, but it was better than nothing. Angela whipped a glass of wine off the tray carried by a waiter. Being this close to Ryder Currin, she either needed wine or a fire extinguisher. God, he was unfairly good looking. She’d always had a weakness for blue-eyed blonds. Because he made her feel off balance and fluttery, she channeled her inner ice goddess.

“May I remind you that Perry Construction has had to do major cleanup at the site due to the flood and we haven’t been allowed access to certain parts of the site because it was designated a crime scene? Has everybody forgotten that a man lost his life? That he was shot? We don’t know who he is, how he got there...”