Against the Wall

Chapter Ten

Sophie’s stomach stopped churning as Quinn and Colton strode inside and sat on the farthest bench from the dais. They’d both dressed in dusty jeans, denim shirts, scuffed boots, and cowboy hats, obviously having been working on the ranch.

“Are you a ranch hand or the sheriff today, Lodge?” Billy asked from his podium.

Quinn tipped back his gray Stetson and slowly pulled off his leather gloves, his dark gaze meeting Billy’s across the room. “I’m always the sheriff to you.”

Billy flushed a deep red and glared. “I find it interesting you’d attend today.”

“Why?” Colton settled back against the hard wood. “We’re concerned citizens.”

“Isn’t the tribe opposing the development?” Reverend Mosby asked.

Quinn shrugged. “Our attorney can describe our official position when he arrives.”

“Your attorney is coming?” Judy said from her seat in the front row.

“Yes. He was a bit farther away and asked us to come and save him a seat,” Colton said, his eyes warm on Sophie.

Sophie’s heartbeat slowed to a dull gallop. She was safe. At least for now. “Are there any more questions about the development?”

A young woman in faded calico raised her hand. “Have you done any studies about what the development will do to the local tax base? I mean, will our property taxes increase?”

Billy answered before Sophie could. “Of course they’ll go up, Jeanine. A high-end country club development with high-end homes right next door? We’ll all pay more just so out-of-towners have a place to golf for a couple of months in the summer.”

“What about the lake?” A twenty-something man with long blond hair, faded jeans, and a green flannel shirt hissed out. “Does anybody care that a golf course will do nothing but pollute Mineral Lake with fertilizers, sewer problems, and such? And what about water supply? Our wells go dry now. Add watering a golf course in, and we’re screwed.”

Sophie sat up and placed her hands on the table. “The plan calls for a type-one irrigation system, which basically recycles water, cleans it, and then reuses it to irrigate the golf course. Your wells won’t be affected.” A rumbling of disbelief filled the crowd as several people shook their heads. It didn’t matter what she said. The crowd didn’t want to hear it. Sophie’s heart sank. “Are there any more questions?”

Gregton raised his hand again, his eyes lasers through the dim light. “Yeah. How much was the commissioner’s bribes?”

A shadow fell across the aisle as Jake asked from the doorway, “What was that?” Danger coated his voice with a softness that slammed silence into the room.

Gregton shifted in his seat, and Sophie fought the urge to stand and cheer.

“Don’t tell me you represent the commissioners and are going to sue me for slander,” Gregton sneered.

“Yes, I do. And I will sue, if need be.” Jake took three steps into the room—all male animal in a deep navy suit with tan silk tie.

Gregton dipped his head toward Sophie. “You gonna sue me on her behalf, too?”

Jake’s eyes darkened to coal as he ran his gaze over her from head to toe. He turned back to Gregton and slowly shook his head, his jaw tightening to iron. “No. You insult her, and we’re stepping outside.”

“Is that a fact?” A thick man next to Gregton clomped to his feet while two others followed suit.

“It is,” Jake affirmed.

Quinn and Colton moved behind him. The three brothers formed a powerful wall that gave Sophie the first peace of mind she’d felt all day.

Jake eyed the crazy son-of-a-bitch and shoved all anger into a box to be dealt with later. It took the combination of his military training and his legal education to keep him from going for Gregton’s throat. Even with a strong hold on his temper, chances were blood was going to fly.

The fanatical group used intimidation to get their way, and he doubted bloodshed would bother them much. When he’d heard Sophie was headed there alone, he’d panicked for the first time in years.

Truly panicked.

Thank God for his brothers. Quinn would back him in an instant, even if it meant losing his sheriff’s position. Colton would fight to the end for him, too. As little Sophie stood so defiantly up front, he wondered who’d fought for her in the past. Suddenly, his chest hurt.

So he smiled to reassure her that he was there for her. “This is over. Come on, Sunshine.”

She faltered, her blue eyes too big in her pale face. Then she pushed back from the table and stood.

“Now there, boys,” Billy said from the podium, his eyes on the crowd. “I believe we’re finished with our questions for Miss Smith.” He nodded her way. “Thank you for coming today.” His gaze beseeched her to make a quick exit.

“Thank you for having me,” she murmured while walking into the aisle.

Jake moved slightly to the right so she’d keep her focus on him and not on the angry people.

Relief filtered across her face, and she made it to his side without mishap. When he took her arm and ushered her toward the door, his muscles finally unwound. Several pairs of eyes bored holes into their backs as they left.

She released a pent-up breath as they walked into the sun. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“We’re not hitting anybody?” Colton grimaced and stomped toward the chestnut stallion tied to a nearby tree.

“Guess not,” Quinn rumbled as he stalked toward his own mount and lifted himself into the saddle. He smiled. “It’s always interesting, Sophie.”

Jake cleared his throat and tightened his grip around Sophie’s bicep. “Thank you.”

Both of his brothers nodded.

Sophie gave a halfhearted wave as Quinn and Colton rode into the nearby trees. “Thanks for the support.”

For now, they needed to get the hell out of there. “Get in your car, and I’ll follow you to Shillers.” Jake gave her a gentle push toward her Jeep.

Sophie escaped into the green vehicle and drove toward the main road and Jake followed, keeping a close eye until they reached Shillers.

He was out of his truck before she’d even closed her door. “What in the hell were you doing meeting with that crazy group all by yourself?” He knew he towered over her, and maybe frightened her, but something in him didn’t give a shit. How dare she put herself in such danger?

She shifted so her back rested against the hard metal of the vehicle and shrugged. “They wanted to meet. I didn’t know they were nuts.”

“They’re nuts,” Jake confirmed. God, he had no right to be so angry with her—she wasn’t his. Yet tension still squeezed up his throat. “The Rockefellers changed their name three years ago. They used to be the Johnsons.”

“No,” Sophie laughed out.

Jake nodded, forcing his shoulders to relax. He had no right to yell at her. Yet.

Sophie grabbed his suit lapels with both hands. “I wasn’t in any real danger, was I?”

Lust clawed through Jake’s gut. If this was her way of appeasing him, it was definitely working. “Probably not. But they’re a bit off.”

“Yeah, I got that.” She lifted smiling eyes to his. “So I guess I owe you a thank-you, huh?”

Oh yeah. A thank you sounded nice. “I guess you do.”

She tugged. He complied by dipping his head. Sophie stretched to her tiptoes and pressed her lips gently against his. “Thank you.” Her voice was husky as she dropped back to her feet.

“You’re welcome,” Jake murmured. If she thought that was the end of it, then she’d misjudged him. He lowered his head and kissed her, going deep. The woman tasted like strawberries, and he wanted to feast for days. Maybe weeks. His hands encircled her waist to pull her against him. Finally, he let her go. “You make up your mind?”

Sophie smoothed out the wrinkles she’d caused. She kept her eyes chest level. “Still mulling it over.”

Jake stepped back and released her waist before placing one knuckle under her chin and lifting it until her eyes met his. “Take your time, Soph.”

He’d learned patience as a lawyer, and knew when to back off—which is why he always won. Sophie’s acquiescence was much more important than any case he’d ever taken, and finesse was necessary. “I need to get to court. I’ll call you later.”

He jumped into his truck, not looking back. If he looked back, no way would he leave. The woman had to make up her own mind to come to him. When she did—then he’d take over.

Saturday night arrived, and again, she’d agreed to dinner with Jake. It was as if she wanted to get her heart smashed.

She’d spent Friday alternating between designing the garden, playing in her sketchbook, and pondering Jake’s proposal. The time would soon come for her to make a decision. She wanted him, without question. But the last thing she needed was a broken heart.

Sophie wore a light pink skirt with deep blue blouse for dinner, and she waited for him on the porch swing. Her new boots finished the outfit perfectly. Tall, broad, yet somehow graceful, he approached from his truck, a sexy predator in civilized clothing.

She smiled from her perch on the swing. “I have something for you.”

“What’s that?” His boots made dull thuds as he crossed the painted wood.

Sophie handed him the charcoal of Leila with her pretty hair in ribboned braids, her eyes sparking with spirit and intelligence as she won a new foal from her uncle. Softly rounded cheeks and delicate features hinted at the lovely woman who would one day emerge from the impish body.

The scents of natural pine and wild berries lifted the air around them as Jake accepted her gift.

“Sophie,” Jake breathed, holding the thick paper at arm’s length. “It’s beautiful. She’s beautiful. Thank you.” His eyes warmed her.

He really liked her work. Delight flashed through her as she accepted his hand and walked to the truck. They drove for a while, both lost in their own thoughts, and Sophie stilled in surprise when he pulled into his long driveway.

“I’m cooking you dinner.” Intimacy and something deeper wove through his words. Sophie took a deep breath. “I won’t push you. Just dinner.” He enfolded her hand with his larger one.

She nodded. The need to see where he lived, where he slept, propelled her from the truck. Thick logs made a three-story home with large wraparound porch and deep green door. A massive three-car garage sat apart from the house to the right.

“That’s a big house, ,” she murmured.

“It was my family’s. Mom moved to Tom’s when they married. I bought out my siblings when I married Emily.”

“Where do your siblings live?” Sophie climbed the burnished oak steps.

“Colton plans to build a house over behind the east ridge with a great view of the lake, and Quinn already built his over on the south side next to the river. It’s closer to town so he can get there in a hurry if they need the sheriff. Dawn still lives at home and hopefully will until she’s forty.” He opened the heavy door and gestured her inside. “We own the ranch equally, so whoever’s working it takes a salary, and then we split the profits or losses.”

“Wow. That’s great that you guys split it so fairly.” Renewed longing for a family washed through her.

“How else would we have done it?” he asked.

Sophie turned and gasped at the amazing view. While Loni’s house overlooked the valley and Mineral Lake on the north side, Jake’s home overlooked it from the south side. The mountains extended well into Canada in the distance.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “I’d love to paint it.”

“You should.” Jake closed the door behind them. “I’ve seen your work. You should paint all the time.”

There he went again, making her feel strong and talented. A girl could get used to such security.

She smiled at the comfortable room laid out similarly to Loni’s. Big stone fireplaces must be required during the cold Montana winters. Thick green couches, Western oils, and floor-to-ceiling windows made the house a home. She followed Jake into a pale yellow and tan kitchen and out a slider onto a huge cherry-wood deck. The glass table was set for two with the candles flickering in the twilight hour; the smell of barbecued steaks filled the air.

“Sit.” Jake pulled a chair out for her, and she sat, her gaze still on the amazing view. The lake and mountains looked too still to be real. Too beautiful with the vibrant pink and orange sunset to exist naturally.

Jake brought side dishes out from the kitchen then flipped open the barbeque lid and speared a steak for her plate. He filled his own and took a seat across from her, pouring the wine.

“This looks great, Jake.”

“So do you.” His gaze roamed her face over his wineglass. Heat and interest combined into an irresistible invitation in his fathomless eyes.

Desire skipped past humming to raging within her in no time. How did he do that?

They ate in silence, comfortable in the warm night. The food was delicious.

“Are you ready for the hearing Monday night?” Jake refilled their wineglasses.

“I think so. My part is just describing the golf course and maybe the clubhouse.” She took a sip of the red wine. “Are you going to be there?”

“Yes.”

Her hand stilled. “Opposing me?”

“No. Opposing the location of the Charleton Group’s development.”

“That’s me.” She set down her wineglass.

“No, it isn’t. I want to make you happy, Sophie. But a golf course does not belong so close to Mineral Lake.”

Her heart hitched. “I don’t like being on opposing sides from you.”

Jake grinned. “Worked for Hepburn and Tracy.”

She reclaimed her wineglass. The thought of sparring with him thrummed awareness through her veins. “Where’s Leila?”

He leaned back in his chair. “Girls’ night at Mom’s.” He continued at her inquisitive look. “Don’t ask me. Mom, Leila, and Dawn all paint nails, do hair, eat popcorn, and who knows what else. Girl stuff.”

“Sounds like fun.” Wistfulness filled her tone, unbidden.

“I’m sure you could join them sometime. Though if you talk about boys, I’d trick a rundown from my daughter. Maybe my mother, too.” Jake grinned.

Sophie rolled her eyes.

“Why don’t you paint more? You’re an amazing artist.”

Pleasure flushed her at the compliment, but then quickly died. “Artists don’t make any money, Jake. I need security and my job provides that.”

Coal-dark eyes surveyed her. “Those words don’t sound like you. They’re not yours, are they?”

“Of course they are.” Sophie tossed her napkin on her plate and pushed back from the table. “I’ll clear these for you.”

One strong hand around her wrist stopped her. Then he tugged, and she lost her balance. Straight into his lap.

“I’m sorry if I upset you.” His mouth was an inch from her ear. Heat and hard masculinity surrounded her, and she repressed a groan. She perched on granite-hard thighs against a too-warm chest as firm arms held her tightly. As if he’d never let go. She turned her face to meet his.

“I’m not upset.” Breathiness quieted her voice.

“Whose words were they, Sophie?” His eyes held hers captive while he shifted her into a more comfortable position.

The need to confide in him swelled. “My mother’s.”

“Do you still believe them?”

Right now, she was finding it difficult to believe anything. To concentrate on anything but the talented lips of the man before her. She had known what would happen when she accepted his dinner invitation. She leaned forward and pressed her mouth against his, her hands splaying against firm pectoral muscles earned on the ranch.

Jake stiffened, one hand moving to cup her head and ease her back enough for their eyes to meet. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” It came out a breathless dare.

He didn’t ask again.