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They pulled into the parking lot at the rear of the rodeo grounds and unloaded the bulls into their pens. Across the lot she could see the long silver Tolman Ranch trailer with its sleeping quarters up front. So Brock’s bulls were already here. Brock should be here, too. But he preferred a fancy hotel to roughing it, and he didn’t usually come with the truck. Maybe he’d driven one of his vehicles or even flown his plane.
After seeing Ruben off to get some breakfast, she took a moment to splash her face with a water bottle and finger-comb her wind-tangled hair before she fished out her cell phone and called Brock’s number.
“Tess. Are you here in Vegas?” His deep, velvety voice set off a sensation that was like being stroked. Tess willed herself to ignore it.
“We just got in and unloaded. Ruben’s having breakfast. I’ll be staying here with the bulls until he gets back.”
“Have you eaten?”
“I’ll just grab a power bar out of a vending machine.”
“No, you won’t. You need to take better care of yourself. Let me know when you’re coming up and I’ll order room service for both of us.”
She hesitated, then sighed. She really was hungry. “All right. I’d be a fool to turn down a nice meal. I’ll call you.”
A few minutes later, Ruben was back. Tess explained where she was going, found her briefcase, made a quick call to Brock, and strode the distance between the parking lot and the towering hotel.
Brock had told her how to find his suite. Her stomach fluttered as the elevator took her higher and higher. Maybe this whole adventure was a mistake. She could have signed the contract and left it at the desk.
She found the numbered door near the end of a lushly carpeted hallway. Brock answered and ushered her inside. The suite was modern in style, decorated in earth colors. Through the open door to the bedroom, she glimpsed a king-size bed, rumpled from the night. Val’s teasing words came back to her.“Go for it.”
Don’t be an idiot, she scolded herself.This is nothing but business.
Turning, she gazed out through the floor-to-ceiling windows with their dizzying view of the city—a forest of lavish hotels and casinos with ant-size people bustling along the sidewalks.
“I’m surprised you don’t get vertigo up here,” she said, making conversation.
He smiled. Dressed in jeans and a soft, blue linen shirt, open at the collar, he looked as powerful as a sheikh. Blast it, why did she always feel so overwhelmed by him? “I don’t mind heights,” he said. “Maybe that’s why I enjoy flying my plane.”
“Is that how you got here from your ranch?”
“It is. With what’s going on, I didn’t want to be away from there any longer than I needed to. My Cessna’s at a private airport just outside of town. If you’re interested, I could take you for a spin after breakfast.”
Tess shook her head. “No way. I’ve only flown a couple of times, on big airliners. I was terrified then. If I were to go up in your little plane, my breakfast would soon be in a paper bag.”
“That surprises me. I’ve never known you to be afraid of anything, including rattlesnakes, bulls, and fire—well, maybe fire. Have a seat.” He indicated a buttery leather sofa. “Breakfast will be arriving any minute. But I just made coffee and it’s still hot. Want a cup?”
“Sure.” Tess sank into the sofa. Maybe coffee would at least make her more alert after the long drive. “I brought the contract,” she said, setting her briefcase on the low table. “There are a few things we need to go over.”
“The contract can wait until we’ve eaten.” He poured steaming coffee from a carafe into a white stoneware cup. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her, the brief contact like an electric spark. She lowered her gaze, adding a packet of creamer from the tray on the coffee table. “Did you bring Quicksand?” he asked.
“No. We talked about it, but he isn’t ready. He needs more experience before he goes to a big rodeo like this one.”
“Too bad. When he bucks, he’s dynamite. He could be a real crowd-pleaser.”
Tess sipped her coffee, which was very hot and very strong.
“I know. But if he freezes here, nobody will want to have him at their rodeos. Even as a stud, he’ll be worthless.”
“That’s probably a good decision. Give him time to grow up. When he’s ready for the big leagues, I’ll be cheering the big bastard right along with you.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of room service. The breakfast of French toast, crisp bacon, and fluffy scrambled eggs was delicious. “I hate to bring it up, but have you learned any more about that bomber?” she asked him.
“No. I’m cooperating with the police. They’ve analyzed the residue, but the materials were common. The bomb was a type so simple that a kid could make it. It was rigged to detonate when the box was opened. No fingerprints. The box was wiped clean. The bomber was likely a professional.”
“So you’ve got nothing.”
“Not yet. I’ve hired security guards, dressed as cowhands, to guard the gates. If anybody suspicious shows up, they’ll grab him.”
