Page 21 of One Scorching Summer

“This is business, ladies, not a foraging session.” He called.

“Just chill, Rake.” Cody chided, helping Skye with another bucket and several gallon-sized bottles full of water. “Five minutes isn't going to mess anything up.”

Rake grimaced and speared his fingers through the thick dark waves Jorja’s fingers itched to play with.

“Five minutes. You’re on the clock.” He retorted, earning eye-rolling from both Skye and Cody.

Lord love a duck; he sounded like a parent. “Discipline comes easily to you.” Jorja commented.

“It's a challenge, but if it involves safety, it’s far easier. She's a wild thing, like her mama was.” His gruff tone was the only way she could read his emotions since sunglasses shaded his eyes.

“Can I ask?”

“Sure.”

“What happened? Those details weren't in the property documents.”

He shifted his attention to his niece and attorney who gathered flowers. “Boating accident.” His voice dropped so low that she had to lean toward him to hear. “Nell, Luis, and his parents were off the coast of Florida, deep sea fishing. There was a collision. The boat exploded. No one survived. Fortunately, Nell and Luis had all of the paperwork in order, so I became guardian, never dreaming it would happen. None of us did. But—” He compressed his lips, then expelled a long sigh. “It's been an honor to step up and do this for my sister, brother-in-law, and niece. Luis’ family sued, but the paperwork was doneproperly and held. Skye inherits Nell’s third of the ranch when she turns thirty. Until then, I'm trying to teach her everything I can, including how to negotiate oil and gas leases.”

“Your parents?”

“They retired when I turned thirty. Travel all over. When here, they prefer to stay in the Creek House, the original house up front. Near where you ended up on your hands and knees.” He slipped off the sunglasses and locked eyes with her. His were full of heat. “Mm … That image of you still stirs my blood.”

Jorja squirmed in the seat, warring between the ember of desire he had kindled and mulling over all of what he had disclosed about his family’s tragedy. It was obvious that it still affected him. How could it not? If she lost Clem or her parents, Jorja had no idea how she would cope.Please God, she prayed, blinking back the tears.

“Hey.” Rake gently squeezed her knee. “It's okay.” He waved to Skye and Cody, who was behind the wheel this time, to go on.

Jorja watched the UTV disappear over a rise. “I’m good. Just very sorry about your family. She wished she had known ahead of time, was more prepared. “It’s a lot.”

“It was and still is at times. But we’re doing okay.”

She became lost in his eyes and inhaled a stuttering breath, trying to quell the sensations of longing. Of craving.

“You need a better poker face, love.” Rake canted toward her, his breath caressing the shell of her ear. “Your reaction to my touch arouses a fever pitch in me and now is not the time to deal with what we want?—”

The detector mounted above the rearview mirror beeped loudly once and lit up green.

He straightened and looked around them, scowling. Suddenly the sunlight faded, and thunder rumbled in rolling echoes, that radiated in every direction. A light mist coated the windshield, quickly turning to a steady rain.

He reached for his phone and grimaced as he studied the radar. “You’ve got to be kidding. We’ve gotta get to shelter immediately. This storm is on steroids, and we’re totally exposed. We’re about to get washed out.” He gunned the gas, his head swiveling, continually scrutinizing the world around them.

“It’s here?”

“It’s close. Early.”

“What about Skye and Cody?”

“They have a detector. All of our vehicles and structures have them. Phones fail. I expect the girls have taken cover.”

The heavens opened and rain splattered the UTV like paintballs. The wind gusted, blowing the rain sideways, drenching her. Then came the sizable hail. The storm’s violence and the sudden change in temperature made her shiver. His solid presence was comforting.

Time crawled as they sped through deteriorating conditions. The utility vehicle skidded over ponding muddy water and flew over another rise. Rake turned a sharp left after passing a group of mature trees; the torque swayed Jorja toward him. He yelled over the noise. “Hold on.”

Heart hammering, Jorja death-gripped Rake’s powerful bicep, and gulped.Damn, he’s solid.She jumped when the massive boom behind them reverberated in her.

“You’re okay.”

She nodded and gulped. The detector beeped twice as it turned blue.

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