Wild: Wildfire Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’m working the area.”
    “Uh-huh.” Grand spit into the dirt again and then fixed his gaze on Jake. “Is that all you need?” The rancher gestured toward the fence. “Damn rustlers cut through and I’ve gotta fix it before my cattle get out.”
    “Reckon I’ll be on my way.” Jake nodded to Ryan Forrester, pulled the brim of his Stetson down and walked back to his truck.
    As Jake strode away, Grand called after him, “You just remember what I said about Dean MacLeod, you hear?”
    Refusing to acknowledge Grand’s parting shot, Jake climbed into his truck and headed on out.
     
     
    Slamming the apartment door behind him, Jake tossed his hat onto the coffee table and headed into the kitchen. It was a few hours after his talk with Kev Grand, but he was still pissed.
    After looking in the bare cabinets and staring into the empty fridge, Jake realized he was going to have to do some grocery shopping or starve. To hell with that. He’d have a couple of pizzas delivered, along with an order of Buffalo wings and breadsticks. That ought to get him through dinner and breakfast.
    Jake went to the sink and splashed cold water over his face. No clean dishtowels or paper towels, so he wiped his wet face on his sleeve.
    The sparsely furnished apartment smelled like fresh paint and mothballs, and wasn’t even close to feeling like a home. He was renting until he found a place he wanted to buy, maybe a piece of land where he could build a new house. Most of his stuff was still in storage, and the apartment had about as much appeal as a jail cell.
    He had to figure out some way to get close to Dee again, to get her to let him back in her life. With a frustrated sigh, he went to the sliding glass doors and peered through the blinds. The apartments had been built close to the fairgrounds where rodeo events were held several times a year. The County Fair took up four days every September, and it was that time of year again. In the darkness he could see the glittering lights of the midway and floodlights illuminating the rodeo grounds.
    That time of year. The same time of year he’d met Dee, ten years ago. And this Friday would be the rodeo dance.
    He stared across his apartment at the phone and made up his mind. What was the worst that could happen? Dee could hang up, which basically put him right back where he was anyway.
    Alone and fantasizing about having the woman in his bed.
    Many times. Many ways.
    In two determined strides, he reached the phone in the cramped living room. He shoved aside a stack of newspapers, sat on the couch, picked up the handset, and started dialing. Funny how he still remembered the MacLeod’s phone number, as though he’d called Dee yesterday. Unless she’d changed the number.
    The phone rang a couple of times, and then Dee’s sensual voice said, “Hello?”
    Damn , but just hearing her made him hard. “Hey, sweetheart.”
    A pause. “Jake. I—I didn’t expect it to be you.”
    His gut tightened. Who did she expect?
    He took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice calm. “Did you think it might be Kev Grand?”
    “Kev? Why would you say that?”
    “I saw him today after I stopped by your place.” Jake clenched the phone so hard his knuckles ached. “He made it clear you two are together.”
    “ He what ?”
    Jake grinned and relaxed, a little of the tension easing from his muscles. At least Dee didn’t think of herself as Grand’s woman, even if she might be dating the man.
    “He saw me coming from your place and gave me some advice. Told me in so many words to stay away.”
    “Well that’s taking neighborliness a little far,” Dee muttered. “Is that what you called about?”
    “I wanted to ask you something.”
    “What?”
    Jake swallowed. How hard could it be? “Ah…I was wondering if you’d like to go to the rodeo dance with me this Friday.”
    Silence. “Are you asking me on a date?”
    She wasn’t going to make this easy. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
    A longer