Page 29 of Shine On Oklahoma

CHAPTER SIX

Dax felt as if she’d taken a knife and jammedit right into his heart. She was after the track. He fell onto hisback, and all the air rushed out of him.Damn, damn,damn.

“Look,” she said, pulling his shirt on aroundher, and springing to her feet. “I keep seeing what Kiley and Robhave done with the ranch. My God, it’s fantastic. And they getalong. It hasn’t come between them in any way.” She moved aroundgrabbing all their clothes, tossing his to him and pulling herson.

He frowned and looked toward her, just as hisjeans came flying his way. He sat up and caught them. “It’s broughtthem closer, Rob says.”

“Well, sure it has. And look how well it’sdoing. You know there’s a lot in common between flimflam andmarketing. I had never thought of it before, but I’m good atselling, Rob. Really good. I think I might be a promotionalgenius.”

He put on his shorts, then his jeans. It wasdamn chilly out here now that she wasn’t snuggled up beside him.She kept on talking, excited now that she’d got started. “I mean,you were willing to just give it away to the SRA,” she said.

“Or to my mother,” he said.

“But does she really want it?”

He shrugged. “She never got involved with therunning of the business. Just let Dad do what he wanted, and hesent her a check every quarter.”

She was quiet for a moment. He waited. “Ifshe was full owner, that would have to change though,” she said atlength. “Wouldn’t she rather be traveling around the world withwhoever she’s dating right now?”

“She’s notdatinganyone!”

She met his eyes again, a smile in hers. “Uhyeah, she is.”

“What are you talking about? When’s the lasttime you saw her?”

“I don’t need to see her. She’s young andshe’s gorgeous, and she’s funny and smart and entirelyself-sufficient. If she isn’t dating someone, then there are nosane men left on the planet.”

“She would’ve told me.”

“Right, ‘cause momsalwaystell theirsons about their sex lives.”

He winced on the word sex. “Jeeze,Kendra!”

She laughed very softly. He was standingthere in his jeans and unbuttoned shirt, and she came right over tohim. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

He closed his eyes, shook his head, startedbuttoning up.

“You can pay me a salary. Whatever you thinkis fair. Split the rest with your mom, or, if it makes you happy,give her all the profits. And believe me, therewillbeprofits. She won’t have to lift a finger.” She bent to pick up theblanket, rolled it into a bundle and tucked it under her arm.

He looked at her, standing there, thewaterfall her backdrop, sunshine gleaming on her lemon yellow hair,a rainbow arching right over her head like a sign from above. “Youreally want to go straight?”

“I’m already there. I mean, I didn’t think ofit as going straight, but effectively, I’ve ben making an honestliving for almost a year now. I wasn’t lying to you aboutthat.”

He shook his head slow. She wanted to gostraight like he wanted to rob a bank. She didn’t even know whatstraight was. She was running a gameright now. How could hebelieve anything she said?

But he couldn’t say no. He still didn’t knowwhat the hell she was up to.

“I’ll um…I’ll have to think about it.”

“That’s all I can ask,” she said. And thenshe smiled, and he kissed her again.

#

“Kendra? It’s me.”

“Jack!” She was so relieved to hearhis voice on the other end of the phone that she almost shouted it.“Did you get away? Where are you? Are you all right?”

“Easy, easy, I’m still here, under armedguard. I’m not getting out of here anytime soon, but I’m safe.We’re building a rapport here.”

---