Fannin's Flame (4 page)

“Don’t bother,” he said. “I placed the order under false pretenses. I didn’t really have a job for you to do. My brothers made me feel like I couldn’t be successful with a woman, so I ordered a woman with all the perfect qualities of everything I wanted. And then you came along.”

“Well, isn’t it funny how life works out sometimes?” Kelly said brightly.

He didn’t smile, and she decided this wasn’t one of those made-to-order humor moments he’d wanted.

“I deceived you,” he said, “and I apologize. And then I took advantage of you—”

“No, no,” she said swiftly, “I took advantage of you. Clearly, I had the advantage in the advantage.”

“You did not,” he said. “You were a perfect lady. I practically dragged you off by the hair, just like my brothers said a woman liked.”

“And did you hear me complaining? Not one bit. In fact, you may have even noticed how eager I was to shed my—” Kelly stopped, realizing she didn’t want to say what she’d been about to say.

“Clothes. You didn’t shed your clothes. I distinctly remember pulling them off of you.” Fannin shook his head. “I am no gentleman.”

“Oh, but you are,” Kelly said. “Fannin, believe me, I thought you were every bit a gentleman.”

“Not to take my housekeeper’s daughter in my truck. I just hope the condom held. You know, I couldn’t see in the darkness, but it might have been dodgy.”

She frowned. “What does dodgy mean?”

“It means I couldn’t examine it in the darkness. I don’t know for certain that it held.”

“Oh.” She waved that away. “It had to. Nothing else could go wrong in this affair for me. It would be way too…corny. If you had ever told me that I would run over a dead deer, send my car into a ditch and then make love in a truck, I would have said, ‘No way.”’

“I know you would have. I took advantage of the fact that you were clearly in shock.”

“I was shocked,” Kelly murmured, “but only that you wanted me as bad as you seemed to.” The crackling blaze sucked away her words. She should have known he had been responding to goading from his brothers. “Why is there a fire in this barrel, anyway?”

“We’re burning trash.”

“This close to the house?”

“The hoses are closest here.” Fannin didn’t look up at her. “Besides, we’ve done this ten thousand times. We do it often, so the fire doesn’t get too big.”

“I see.” Rural life was clearly not something one
just made up the answers to. “Hey, I’m going back inside.”

For the first time, he looked at her. “Kelly, I really am sorry that I wasn’t honest from the beginning.”

“Neither was I.”

“Yeah, but your dishonesty was a lack of information. Mine was outright deceit. You’re the perfect made-to-order woman, by the way.”

She stared at him. “I am?”

“Well, yeah. You’re happy with darts and wine, you don’t get supersqueamish about running over dead animals and you like making out in a truck. I couldn’t have asked for a better date.”

Her mother was right. These men were too wild for her. “Um, thanks, Fannin. Guess that’s all the time we have for apologies now. Think I’ll turn in so I can get up bright and early—”

His hand shot out to catch her arm. She held her breath as his gaze burned into hers. “So, when were you going to confess to being a virgin?”

If there was anything Fannin was angry about—and he didn’t have much to be angry about because he’d deceived her just as much as she’d deceived him—it was that Kelly obviously hadn’t planned to tell him about her virginity, which she’d allowed him to take as if it didn’t matter to her.

It damn sure mattered to him.

“It just wasn’t in my repertoire of conversation,” Kelly said. “It’s not in the short list of things to say after sex, Fannin.”

“I want to know why. Why did you do that? Are you husband-hunting? Did my order seem too convenient?”

“You’d be the last man I’d marry,” she snapped back. “Really. Do you think my mother would approve of you?”

He frowned and let go of her arm. “So why did you do it?”

“Look. There wasn’t a reason. I just wanted to. I
won’t bill you, if that’s what you’re worried about. That would just be too weird, wouldn’t it?”

Rubbing his hand over his chin, he considered the firecracker redhead in front of him. She looked mad enough to ignite a barrel fire of her own. “Do you like me?”

“I did for about five minutes,” she said. “That feeling has swiftly passed.”

This was the moment where he should turn aloof and act like a Cro-Magnon man descendant. She had her reasons for what she’d done; clearly she didn’t intend to reveal them to him. It bothered him, not knowing that underlying reason.

Because he really, really wanted to do the whole thing over again. Only this time, not in his truck but in a bed, where he could see every inch of that glorious body.

Too bad that wasn’t going to happen.

“What are you looking at me like that for?” she asked stiffly.

“I just can’t believe you’re Helga’s daughter.” What bad luck—the first woman he’d been attracted to in forever, and she was the daughter of the woman he was supposed to get off the ranch!

“Well, I am. Now you know.”

Mason pulled up in his truck, reminding Fannin of the unpleasant conversation he had to have with his brother. A matter which wouldn’t endear him to Kelly, that was for certain.

“Mason, can I talk to you a minute?”

Mason slammed his truck door and ambled over. “Hi,” he said to Kelly.

“This is Kelly Stone, Helga’s daughter,” Fannin said.

“Helga’s daughter. Well, welcome to the ranch! I didn’t know you were coming out.” Mason beamed. “Helga’s really worked out for us.”

Kelly gave Fannin a very wry glance. Fannin shrugged.

“Are you here for the holidays?” Mason asked. “We’d love for you to stay.”

“She’s here for a short visit,” Fannin said quickly. “Kelly’s got a very busy schedule.”

Kelly blinked at Fannin’s tone. He couldn’t have said any more plainly how he felt about her presence at the ranch.

“Well, that’s a shame. With Christmas being next weekend, things are really going to be hopping around here. And I’m sure your mother would love to have her daughter here with her. Everybody wants their loved ones around at Christmas.”

Kelly saw Mason’s gaze flicker, ever so quickly, to the house on the adjoining land. Mimi’s house. Kelly’s heart turned over inside her. “Well, I’m going to turn in,” she said. “Good night, Fannin. It’s nice to meet you, Mason.”

Mason tipped his hat to her. “Pleasure’s mine.”

Kelly walked away, making it inside the doors and toward the stairwell before Fannin’s voice stopped her.

“It’s about Helga, Mason. They’ve asked me to talk to you about her.”

The window was open in the kitchen, cracked to let cool air in and probably to let the cooking smells out. Helga had always said she didn’t like to smell food after it had been cooked and eaten. Kelly crept close to the window.

“They don’t want Helga to be the housekeeper anymore.”

“Tough. They don’t live here. I do. And as far as I can remember, they come here every night to eat in the main kitchen with barely a word of complaint.”

“They do complain, just not in your hearing. Look, Mason, the truth is, we’ve all been tiptoeing around this for a year. Helga isn’t the one who put the curtains up, she’s not the one who held everything together during the big storm. The Lonely Hearts ladies did all that.” Fannin took a deep breath. “Mason, you’re not going to want to get this wake-up call, but Mimi hired Helga to keep you from hiring a housekeeper you might fall for.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kelly shivered, realizing she was eavesdropping on a highly personal disagreement. She excused herself by thinking the best thing she could do was to protect her mother—and to do that, she needed to know the score.

“What are you talking about, Fannin?” Mason asked.

“The first woman to come in this house was An
nabelle and her baby, Emmie. Mimi panicked, realizing that a sweet young housekeeper with a ready-made family might be all it took for her to lose you forever. So she hired Helga. To keep you, you know, fed and taken care of. So you wouldn’t feel lonely. And you know what, Mason? It’s worked.”

“Nonsense.”

“Have you had any real dates? Have you gone out with anyone? What do you do all day? Moon after Mimi, who’s gone on with her life, if you haven’t noticed. And eat Helga’s cooking.”

“And your solution to this is?”

“Let’s send Helga over to Mimi’s, where she belongs. Mimi needs her. We don’t. The boys want to be alone.”

“We need a housekeeper.”

“No, Mason,” Fannin said quietly. “You need to put the past behind you and move on. We’re all a year older since the big storm and the e-mail that brought the Lonely Hearts ladies out here. Four of the brothers are gone. They were the lucky ones. They found ladies they loved. The rest of us, we’re just sinking in quicksand.”

Kelly gasped. “Butt-head!”

Fannin glanced up. “Did you hear something?”

Mason shook his head. “No. Just your opinions wearing me out. I’m tired. Can we do this later over a family council or something?”

“I guess. Thing is, Mason, you’re not the only one with needs around here. ’Night.”

“Hey,” Mason said. “How’d Kelly end up here, anyway? I don’t remember Helga mentioning she was going to have a visitor.”

Kelly strained to hear Fannin’s answer.

“Long story, bro. Not that interesting. See ya in la mañana.”

“I’ll give him
not that interesting.
” Kelly scrambled to her feet and shot up the stairs to her mother’s quarters before Mason could catch her spying.

Fannin was such a traitor! She couldn’t believe she’d ever thought he was a gentleman. Good thing she knew now exactly how he felt about women, about her mother—even about her. First thing in the morning, she was going to talk to her mother about leaving this horrible place.

Obviously, it was no place for a lady.

I
N THE MORNING
, everyone gathered at the breakfast table to eat.

Sauerkraut and sausages.

“Mmm, my favorite,” Mason said. He tucked in heartily, much to Fannin’s annoyance.

To his greater annoyance, Kelly looked like sunshine. She wore a canary-yellow, long-sleeved dress that made her hair shine. Her blue eyes never met his gaze, though, and that bothered him.

She was playing aloof, probably.

He resolved to be more aloof, too. Like his brothers, who were currently staring at their plates in dismay.

Kelly, on the other hand, had his total concentration.

He wanted her in a bed. Bad.

Last night’s conversation with Mason would mean Helga would leave, at least their house. He might not ever see Kelly again after this week.

Taking an absent-minded bite of sausage, he wondered if she was wearing a thong today. The red lacy thing Last had discovered on the ground was now tucked away in Fannin’s closet, a secreted jewel he was hoarding.

He should return it, but why? Wasn’t he old enough to develop a panty fixation? Probably past time, anyway. Every one of the brothers had their sin. He was keeping Kelly’s thong for the memories, if nothing else. His only virgin.

Frowning, he chewed at something he’d picked up off his plate. Scalps were prizes in olden days. Ladies were reputed to keep lists of men they conquered. Men supposedly notched their bedposts. He wondered if keeping a thong ranked as a trophy.

Last cleared his throat and shoved his arm. “You’re eating your napkin, bro,” he said.

Fannin spat what he was chewing onto his plate. Damn if Kelly hadn’t laid a napkin near his plate, with one edge flapping over his breakfast. He’d scooped it up with some sauerkraut and chewed away, most of the napkin hanging from his jowls.

Kelly was staring at him, her hand arrested over the stove. His brothers were grinning.

Except Mason, who looked thunderous.

“Ch, ch.” Helga gave him the naughty-boy sound and retrieved his napkin, taking it into the laundry. She came over and tied a fresh one around his neck. “Do not eat,” she said in her thick German-accented voice as she pointed at the napkin under his chin.

Kelly merely returned to washing dishes in the sink.

“You need table manners,” Mason told him sternly.

“That’s
it.
” Fannin tore the napkin off his neck, tossed it on the table and left. Being babied by Helga was too much. He had his mind on her daughter, and she was treating him like a child in front of Kelly.

Kelly appeared at his elbow, trotting to keep up. “Fannin, my mother means well.”

“I know.” But he kept walking.

She stopped him by putting a hand on his arm. He didn’t look at her, too irritated and uncomfortable to make eye contact.

“Fannin, maybe we should start over.”

He glared at her. “Like, you’re going to grow a new hymen and this time tell me you’re a virgin?”

“Like, maybe you’re going to be honest about wanting a woman and not a personal-assistant-slash-companion?” She returned his glare.

“What exactly did you have in mind, then, as we start over?”

“Let’s tell each other the truth from now on.”

“That would be novel.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Listen, buster, I can be just as sarcastic as you.” Pointing to her hair, she said, “Hair this color has a reputation for a reason. How about you give me a chance before my temper sets on fire?”

He sighed. “Shoot.”

“All right. I heard you talking to Mason about let ting my mother go.”

“Okay, that’s embarrassing, but…what can I tell you. It happened. I’m sorry. It’s the way my brothers feel.” He was sorry for the pain that crossed her sweet face, but she wanted honesty.

“You don’t like her, either, do you?”

“Kelly, I try. But it’s hard when she treats us like children.”

She looked at the ground. “You’re right.”

He felt bad, but the situation wasn’t pretty. “Kelly, I wish I’d known who you were. I wouldn’t have touched you.”

“Thanks, Fannin, you ass. That just makes me feel so much better. You don’t like my mother and you wish you’d never had sex with me.”

“That’s not what I said. I’ve thought of what happened between us a lot. That was more than what I thought I was going to get when I e-mailed the Honey-Do Agency, believe me.” He softened his tone. “But, Kelly, I wouldn’t have touched you if
you’d told me who you were, and you knew it. Or you would have been up-front with me.”

“You’re right.” She lowered her gaze for just an instant, then looked back at him. “I’m sorry, Fannin, not only for not being truthful but also for my mother. As part of the Honey-Do Agency, I need to be professional here.”

“Okay.” He wondered where she was going with that. “I can offer you two options, now that I’m aware you’re unhappy with your employee. I can talk to Mama and let her know she needs to try not to make you all her children. And whatever other changes you’d like her to make. You’d have to tell me exactly what needs to happen, because she’s my mother and I think she’s an angel. Stubborn, but an angel.”

He felt really bad about that. The brothers all felt that their mother had been an angel, too. Frowning, he wondered if Last wasn’t the only member of the family who saw life through the rose-colored glasses Mason always teased him about.

“Or I can talk to Mama and Mimi about Mama going to work next door. Your choice. Whichever option you think would work best for your situation.”

He admired the hell out of her for taking the bull by the horns. “It might be best if you referenced Mason on that one. I’ve done my part, which was to be the bearer of bad news. And since I’m the one who
has defiled the daughter and dumped on the mother, I’d say my work here is done. Or it better be.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to Mason.”

She turned and walked away. He watched her, canary yellow moving at a fast pace, swing, bang, boom. She was a big lady, with hips he wanted to sink his teeth into. And other things, too. When they’d been having their honest chat, she’d met him eye to eye, boot toe to boot toe.

He liked that. It made him think of all kinds of rowdy sexual positions he could get into with a woman built for him.

Too bad it was all so damn wrong. His order might have been placed and it might have been filled, but it was wrong on every level.

He stared out at Princess, who was at the other end of the pasture from Bloodthirsty Black. “Yeah,” he said to his brown-eyed pet, “I know what it means to have the right thing under your nose, and not be able to do a damn thing with it.”

K
ELLY WALKED AWAY
, her heart pounding. Whatever might have been possible between Fannin and her was never going to happen now. If it hadn’t been bad enough that Helga was her mother—and she had to give Fannin credit that he’d tried to be kind to Helga, but what man wanted a napkin tied around his neck?—Kelly hadn’t been honest from the start.

Fannin was right, and she knew it.

Professionalism was her only alternative at this point. Cool, calm professionalism.

The first thing she had to do was talk to Mason. And then her mother, who wasn’t going to understand. She was only being a good mother; overnurturing was what Helga knew from the old world. Still Kelly understood that the brothers wouldn’t be comfortable with that.

She turned to sneak a glance at Fannin as she stepped up on the porch—and was startled to see the cowboy staring back at her. Even across a half acre of land, she knew he was watching her.