Free Texas Heat by Bárbara McCauley Page A

Myrna? Turn it into a shopping mall? No one besides you would drive this far to shop.”
    â€œAll I have is the house.” Myrna’s voice was a near whine. “I have no land. Daddy’s willing to offer you a great deal of money for this ranch—more than it’s worth. We thought we might build some stables and hire a couple of trainers for some thoroughbreds. It would be fun.”
    Fun? She wanted to buy the ranch so she could have fun? He counted slowly to ten. “No, Myrna,” he said tightly. “I’m not selling.”
    Exasperated, she let out a long breath. “Well, what about the child’s land, then? You don’t need it, and I’m sure the money will come in handy for both her and her aunt.”
    Anger shifted, then settled in Jake’s gut. He’d known it was only a matter of time before his stepmother tried to get her fingers in that piece of pie. “It’s not for sale.”
    â€œThat’s really not your choice, Jake. You might be the executor, but I’m sure the child’s aunt has some say in the matter.”
    â€œHer name is Emma,” he ground out. “Emma Victoria Roberts Stone. And the land is not for sale. ”
    â€œWhat land?”
    Jake turned sharply at the sound of Savannah’s voice behind him. Wearing a blue cotton sleeveless dress, she stood in the doorway, her still-damp hair pulled into a French braid. Her cheeks were flushed from her shower and he felt a swift stab of desire as he remembered that same flush on her cheeks after he’d kissed her. Damn it, but his timing was consistently off with this woman.
    Savannah paused before she entered the room. Jake and Myrna obviously hadn’t heard her come in and the look of annoyance on Jake’s face suggested he’d rather she left. But Emma’s name had been mentioned, and what concerned her niece concerned her, as well.
    Myrna smiled brightly. “Savannah. We were just talking about you.”
    Savannah glanced at Jake. The tight expression on his face told her it wasn’t a conversation he’d intended her to overhear. “Hello, Mrs. Stone.”
    Gold bracelets jangled on Myrna’s wrist as she reached over and patted the couch beside her chair. “Come sit down, dear. And please, do call me Myrna.”
    Savannah noticed the muscle that jumped in Jake’s jaw as she moved hesitantly into the room. She also noticed the snug fit of the clean jeans he’d changed into and the contrast of tanned skin with the white shirt he’d rolled up at the sleeves. He folded his arms tightly, watching her as she sat on the couch, and for one brief instant she saw the hunger in his eyes. Her pulse skipped, then broke into a full run.
    It was a good thing Myrna was here, Savannah decided. After what had happened between them this afternoon, she hadn’t known how she was ever going to face him again. Neither one of them had spoken on the ride back in. Even as they’d unsaddled and taken care of the horses, not more than a dozen words had passed between them. How could she have lost control like that? What could she have possibly been thinking? But that was exactly the problem, she realized. She hadn’t been thinking. At least, not with her head.
    â€œI want to apologize for my behavior the other day, dear,” Myrna said, interrupting Savannah’s renegade thoughts. “I was just caught unawares, you understand.”
    The Stone men had a way of doing that to women, Savannah thought. “I realize that our stay here will be awkward for you.”
    â€œNot at all.” Myrna gave a flick of her wrist. “In fact, it gives me an opportunity to get to know you both better. J.T. would have liked that.”
    Savannah glanced at Jake when she heard him mumble something under his breath. His narrowed eyes were a dark menacing blue, but he kept his mouth tightly closed. Why did he resent the woman so much? she