Heather Graham Read Online Free PDF

as she raged against the man.
    And he admitted a little wryly, he could all too clearly remember her compact form: the rise of her half-exposed breasts before she thought to grab at her shirt, the narrow enchantment of her waist, and the definite lure that was the flare of her hips.
    “Kane. You beat me back!”
    He turned with a slow frown at the sound of the gruff voice. The man approaching him was almost as tall as, but several decades older, than Kane was. His hair was as white as drifting snow but still thick upon his head.
    For an old coot, Joe Devlin, you cut a fine figure, Kane thought, extending his hand to take the one offered him.
    “Yeah, Joe,” Kane said.
    “Did you get out to the Four-Leaf Clover?” Joe asked anxiously.
    “That I did,” Kane said dryly.
    “And?” Joe walked to the bar but watched Kane as he did so. Kane followed him and took a seat in one of the huge leather chairs that flanked the fireplace beyond the bar.
    “I came upon the lady in question under a certain amount of duress,” Kane told the older man, his eyes following Joe’s movements as he also pulled out a cold beer, then took a chair opposite Kane.
    Joe’s thick white brows were pulled over his eyes in a worried frown. “Lord a’mighty! Was she hurt?”
    “No.” Kane decided not to go into detail. “But Lander was there. With a little persuasion he left.”
    “Did he recognize you?”
    “No. Why should he?”
    “Your picture’s been around,” Joe said thoughtfully, “but maybe not too much. So go on. What’s the real problem?”
    Kane shrugged. “Martine Galway admitted she signed a promissory note to him. And the note was due today.”
    “Damn!” Joe exploded. “It’s my fault the fool girl ever did a thing like that to begin with.”
    “Your fault? How?” Kane asked. “Joe, you’re a Senator. When the Senate’s in session, you’ve got to be there.”
    “Not to the point that I don’t know what’s going on in my own backyard!” Joe distractedly drummed his fingers against the arms of the chair. “Thank God Bart got wind of this in time.” He stood and angrily paced over to stare out at the pool as Kane had done. “I promised that girl’s father I’d watch out for her. Some guardian I turned out to be.”
    “There wasn’t much you could have done,” Kane said. “The ‘girl’ is a woman, Joe. And a spitfire if I’ve ever seen one. You could never hover over her like a mother hen.”
    “Yes, but if I’d just been available, she’d have come to me for assistance.”
    There was no real answer for that, but Kane loved the old man, so he gave him the best assurance he could. “Joe, it doesn’t matter. It’s all over now. I’m going to find Lander, pay him, and see that he keeps his distance.” Kane stood, finished his beer, and set the empty bottle on the bar. “Mind if I keep that bay of yours for a while?”
    Joe turned back to Kane, frowning in perplexity. “Hell, Kane, I don’t care if you keep him for life, but what are you talking about? Why would you need to keep him anywhere? I thought you were planning on spending some time here.”
    Kane grinned. “I’ve decided to take a job.”
    One of Joe’s bushy eyebrows shot up.
    “At the Four-Leaf Clover. That girl needs a foreman.”
    “Woman.” Joe corrected him this time.
    “Mmm.” Kane agreed, still grinning. Then he sobered, and even Joe Devlin was reminded that the man could look as hard as the devil himself when he chose. “Don’t forget, Joe, I’ve got my own settling up to do with the ranch.”
    “You’re on a fool’s quest, Kane.”
    “Maybe. But you’ll keep my secret, won’t you?”
    “Yes, you know I will. I just thought you might want to spend some time relaxing. You know, days out at the pool sipping margaritas, catching up on some reading, riding for the pleasure of it.”
    “If things go my way,” Kane said, slipping his hat down low over his forehead, “I will be spending a few days by the