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sipped her wine. She sat naked on the bed. Why dress when she had all those Drones to receive? “I won’t have wild animals in my temple. If they’re not tame when you bring them, Tarik will drain their lifeforce. We can always use the extra energy.”
    “I’ll inform Tarik now.” Dante wanted to return to his chamber first, dress and get back to his ranch.
    “He can’t be disturbed,” Valdon argued. “He’s in the middle of his preliminary testing.”
    “I’ll tell him, Dante,” Gwyllain said. “Bring your horses, but make sure they’re under control.”
    “Yes, mistress.”

Chapter Three
     
    Haley Moore balanced a tray of drinks on one hand, while she placed mugs of beer and prickly pear margaritas on a table in front of her customers. Finally the dinner rush at the Red Rocks Bar and Grill started to wind down. Arizona’s spring tourist season was going strong. She moved to the next table to take an order and felt the rush of energy even before she heard the creak from the front door. She’d always been sensitive to the subtle energies, even Ambros, her metaphysical teacher, had told her so. But since her incident in the desert six months ago, she’s been more tuned-in somehow.
    More customers meant a late night. She glanced at the tall, dark-haired man blocking the doorway. Dante Akanto. Her heart fluttered as he took a couple steps inside and scanned the room. After all these months, the man still stirred her insides and made her muscles feel like warmed caramel. He studied the bar with dark, predator eyes, like a big game hunter scoping the landscape to make a kill. His black hair brushed the shoulders of his leather jacket. In one hand he held a motorcycle helmet. Was he looking for someone? Her nipples tingled, then hardened. Forget it, the man wasn’t looking for her.
    In fact, he’d always seemed to go out of his way to avoid her.
    Haley still wanted him bad. Where had he been all these months? Standing in the middle of the room with a tray in hand, she realized how foolish she looked. Taking a deep breath, she did a quick mental relaxation technique, then approached him.
    “Are you eating tonight or looking for someone?” Haley said as cool as she could, hoping he didn’t detect the quiver in her voice. “Sakari’s working the bar tonight. I think she’s in the kitchen right now.” Had he kept in touch with her? They had been friends once but she hadn’t mentioned anything to Haley.
    Dante locked eyes with hers and gave her a teasing half smile that had the same effect as a shot of their top-shelf tequila—sensually warm and smooth, so good you couldn’t resist having more. Before you know it, you wake up forgetting what you’ve done, missing a shoe, your bra and wearing the other person’s underpants.
    “Looking for you.”
    Damn him.
    “Really?” she said with a sarcastic tone. “And I thought you were avoiding me.”
    “Not true. I’ve been busy at my ranch.”
    “Ranch? Right.” Still not believing him.
    “That’s why I’m here. My ranch hand is sick. He’s in the hospital getting his gallbladder out, and I need help with the horses. Tucker recommended you.”
    “Tucker’s a good man. But I have a job.” She walked toward the bar and dropped off the tray of dirty glasses. Dante followed. “I don’t have time to be a ranch hand.”
    “Not to care for them,” he corrected. “I need a horse whisperer. Tucker said you were the best.”
    She smiled and her insides soared. Finally after leaving Texas and all these months of training with Ambros, she was recognized for her metaphysical skills, not for her lousy family background. She knew coming to Sedona was a good move.
    She nodded sagely. “I can help your horses, or you, with horse whispering, sometimes it’s the owner and not the horse that has the problem.”
    “Great. When do you finish work?”
    “Hang here. Have Sakari get you a beer while I finish my shift.” Sakari walked out of the kitchen with