Page 32 of Disciplining Dana

Not to mention last night.

Dana was more than halfway through her meal when she spoke up. “So, do you know how much of the area surrounding Rawhide Ranch is actually owned by Derek Hawkins?”

“I…” He narrowed his eyes. “Well, shit. No, honestly, I don’t.” He looked at her. “Do you?”

She shook her head. “We’re slipping. That should’ve been one of the first things we looked into.”

“Your original research was focused on the mine, right?”

“It was focused on the mine as a starting point, yes, but not as the potential sole source. In fact, I’m betting whatever substantial deposit we do find probably won’t be directly located here. This is simply the best and easiest place to begin the search.” She stared down at her plate. “Once we can begin the search.”

“Understood, and we will, but until then?”

“We wait,” she said glumly.

“Which I know you hate doing,” he replied, with understanding. “But… thank you.”

She gave him a weak smile, then slowly her eyes widened. “Hold on a second, Didn’t Mr. Hawkins say something last night about someone else sniffing around nearby?”

Kurt frowned. “You’re right, he did.” He furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment. “Wait… do you think it could’ve been Bob Thoenberg?”

“Maybe?” she replied with a slight lift of her shoulders. “But they ended up finding their strike over in Colorado.”

“Right, I know,” he said, capturing her gaze with his. “Because they weren’t as smart as you.”

Dana rolled her eyes. “You know you don’t have to flatter me to fuck me, Kurt,” she replied. “Although I’ll admit it doesn’t hurt.” Flashing him a wicked grin, she continued, “But speaking of being smart, here’s an idea I just thought of...” She pulled her cell out and began tapping at the screen. “Okay, we came in off of Highway 38. This road here”—she flipped her phone around where he could see it—“is Skalkaho Rye Road. We could take a little drive and see if we can visually locate any indications not on the property.”

Kurt nodded. “Are there any other older mines in this area?”

“Not that my research found, but most of the activity around here was over a hundred years ago, so that doesn’t mean there wasn’t work done that went unreported.”

“And you think it could be worth looking at?”

“Evidently someone else did as well. Why, did you have other plans?”

He raised an eyebrow, grinning slowly.

“Oh my God,” she groaned. “I never should’ve invited you back to my room last night.”

Kurt laughed. “Hey, take the compliment. You’re just that irresistible.”

“And you’re just that much of an ass.”

“Okay”—he raised his hand—“seriously, you want to take a drive?”

“It couldn’t hurt.”

“No, I suppose it couldn’t, and besides”—Kurt looked back toward inside the main building—“maybe by the time we get back, Mr. Hawkins will have an answer for us.”

Kurt had the valet bring the car around, and in less than an hour they were on the road Dana had pointed out, winding through the Montana mountains. The early fall air was crisp, the crystalline clarity making the fir-covered hillsides pixelated sharp. The road was dirt and gravel, but snow hadn’t come here yet, so there was no mud, no ruts, and their passage was slow but comfortable.

As they drove, Dana kept her eyes on the countryside around them, and while Kurt did too, he stole more looks in her direction than he probably should have. There was no denying he loved seeing her like this. She was in her element, and Kurt hadn’t been lying when he’d said her intensity was hard not to fall into. Her dark eyes shone with concentration, and the swiveling of her head as she scanned the terrain cascaded her hair back and forth across her shoulders in silky black waves. The mountains blocked the sunlight periodically, highlighting her high cheekbones as it passed from brightness to shadow and back. The tawny color of her skin spoke to her Indian heritage separated by three generations from a country about nine thousand miles from where they now were, as she’d explained to him years ago. There was so much about her he found attractive. So much he loved about her. So much he feared losing if she were to do something that?—.

“Stop, stop, stop!” she shouted.

Kurt slammed on the brakes, his blood pressure suddenly thudding double-time as his foot tried to punch a hole through the floorboard.

“What!” he cried as a slew of dust rose around the SUV as it shuddered to a halt.

---