The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret

Chapter 2



What the... Jerking his arm away, Matt stared at Skylar. He’d expected to find her a bit intense, given what he knew she actually did for a living, but this? It had never occurred to him that she might be skirting the edge of crazy.

“Get over here,” she whispered. To his shock he realized she’d drawn a pistol, a wicked-looking Glock.

He didn’t move. “That was my farm tractor, the one my hands use to clean out the barn. It backfired. Are you all right?” He held out his hand to help her up. Confusion flashed across her aristocratic features, warring with embarrassment and then relief. Finally, ignoring his gesture, she climbed to her feet, holstered her gun and dusted her hands off on her jeans.

“Sorry,” she drawled, her face flushed. “I could’ve sworn that was a gunshot.”

“Obviously.” Debating, he gave her a long look. “Do you always carry a pistol?”

She cocked her head. “Always,” she said firmly, surprising him. “I got my concealed-handgun license the first year they came out. I’m a firm believer in self- defense for women.”

“I agree.” Smiling at her, he kept the conversation banal. “Are you a fairly good shot?”

“I’m an excellent shot. I practice whenever I can. It’s a hobby of mine, second only to the shooting I do with my camera.” Holding up her camera, she smiled back, the first genuine expression she’d used since she’d arrived.

Her smile stunned him. He’d noticed her beauty before, but now she looked...radiant, with the kind of unconscious sensual appeal that begged exploration.

Damn. He slammed the lid down on his errant thoughts. No way was he planning to go there. He had enough on his plate as it was.

“I also have a CHL,” he told her, his voice sounding a bit huskier than he’d have liked. “But, no offense, you seem jumpy. I don’t like the idea of you waving around a gun.”

Meeting his gaze straight on, she considered his statement. “You’re right,” she finally said, surprising the hell out of him. “I promise you it won’t happen again.”

He noted she didn’t offer to turn in her weapon. Of course, as an undercover ATF agent, she really couldn’t.

Studying her, he considered his options. He could send her away and wait for the Feds to drum up another ridiculous excuse to send someone else. Or he could let her do her job while unwittingly serving his purpose and helping him get to the people he wanted—the Mexican drug cartel.

She’d do, he decided. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she was easy on the eyes. “All right,” he finally said. “You can stay. You say you’ve taken all the courses and are well aware of the responsibilities that come with carrying a loaded gun?’

“Yes.” Her mouth tightened. Pushing her, he knew, but he hadn’t been the one overreacting to the sound of an engine backfiring. Were all ATF agents this jumpy? Or did this one have a particular reason to be?

When he didn’t immediately respond, she opened her mouth as though she meant to argue her case, but then closed it, apparently deciding against saying anything that might give her away.

“Fine.” He decided to let it pass. “Come on. I’ll take you to see the horses.”

He turned and strode off in the direction of the barn, knowing she’d have to hurry to catch up. Which she did easily and without comment.

As they crossed the parking lot, passing by the tack building and the ranch office on the way to his large barn, she looked around and whistled. “Nice.”

Allowing a slight grin, he nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’ve heard your horses are beautiful.”

Of all the creatures on this earth, Matt loved horses the best. Especially his. The purebred Arabians were grace, elegance and intelligence combined.

Instead of taking Skylar directly to the barn, he led her to the indoor riding arena to which the stalls were attached. His trainers were working two of his newest mares now.

Taking Skylar’s arm, he stopped at the edge of the arena to watch. He glanced at her, knowing her reaction would tell him if she truly was a horse person at heart or pretending to be one because of her assignment.

To his surprise, she had her chin in the air, eyes closed. The expression on her face was one of rapt wonder.

“What are you doing?”

One corner of her mouth curled up. “Inhaling the scent. There’s nothing like the smell of a horse barn.”

Curious, he continued to study her. “Most people don’t like it, especially the manure.”

Shaking her head, she grinned at him. “Well, I do. I like it a lot.”

He didn’t know her enough to know if she was faking. For him, the scent of horses and hay and leather and sawdust were as heady as the finest perfume. No, better.

When she turned her attention to the two horses being lunged at each end of the ring, he waited expectantly. If she’d done her research, she’d know that these two animals were among the finest examples of the purebred Arabian horse breed.

“They’re beautiful,” she breathed. Raising her fancy camera, she snapped shot after shot.

Idly, he wondered if she even knew how to take decent photographs. One way to find out. “Let me see.” He held out his hand for the camera.

Slowly, she handed over the expensive piece of equipment. “Please be careful with it,” she said.

He’d already located the button that would display the digital images. Calling them up on to the display, he viewed them one by one.

They were first-rate. Professional quality. She’d truly done his horses justice.

Surprised and impressed, he handed the camera back.

“They’re good,” he said. “Very good.”

She gave a nonchalant shrug and turned away. “That’s my job.”

“How’s your dog around horses?” he asked. The last thing he needed was a crazed dog frightening his stock.

“She’s good.” Her easy smile told him she once again spoke truth. “I used to have a couple of my own. She came with me to the stables every day. I promise she won’t be a problem.”

“That’ll work.” If the dog couldn’t handle it, he’d simply ask her to keep it in the trailer.

His cell phone buzzed, indicating a text message. Digging it out of his pocket, he saw it was from José. I have news, it said.

“I’ve got to go,” he told Skylar. “Feel free to take a look around the barn and talk to my employees. I’ll see you up at the house later, if you’d like to eat with us.”

Her eyes widened, as though she hadn’t been expecting the invitation. Finally, she nodded. “Sounds good,” she said, then turned away.

Matt hurried up to the house.

José had apparently watched everything from the kitchen window.

“That’s her?”

Matt nodded. Skylar McLain hadn’t been at all what he’d expected. The slender redhead looked strong and fit, as befitted a federal agent, yet she was lushly shaped. Her facial bones were delicate, showing off her full mouth and wide green eyes. Worst of all, she was beautiful, even with her silky straight hair scooped back in a careless ponytail.

“Wow!” José’s grin showed his crooked teeth. “A looker, isn’t she?”

“Not at all what I expected when you said the woman coming to do a story on me for the Arabian Horse magazine was going to be an undercover ATF agent. I still don’t know how you found that out.”

José’s grin widened as he executed an exaggerated bow. “One of my many talents. I know people who know things.”

Despite the worry that gnawed at his stomach, Matt forced himself to smile back. His friend had gone the extra mile, using his past prison experience and connections. Not only to place himself between the ATF and Matt, but with the Mexican drug cartel La Familia, as well.

“She’s pretty damn hot for a federal agent.”

“I agree.” José briefly grinned, then frowned. “You can’t let that distract you.”

“You know better than that,” Matt said, not bothering to try to hide his anger. José knew better than anyone else what he lived for.

Vengeance, plain and simple. And he didn’t give a damn who or what he had to go through to get it.

“Take it easy, man.” José cuffed him on the shoulder. “It’s all gonna work out.”

“Maybe. I’m still not sure why we don’t just send her packing. If the cartel gets wind that we have an ATF agent here...”

“They will.” José sounded confident. “We just have to make sure they learn about it when we want them to.”

Elaborate plans. Even as a kid, José had always engineered complicated schemes that always seemed to work out. This time, he’d planned the most intricate of them all. Not only did they have to fool the ATF, but La Familia, as well. Good thing Matt trusted his friend implicitly. He wanted revenge, and that was what José promised he would get. With no collateral damage. This was important, too. Matt didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

Jamming his hands into his pockets, he stared out the window at the ranch he’d developed from the ground up. Too late for his family to enjoy it.

“You’re right, though. I’ll have to be careful,” he muttered, thinking out loud. “Since you’re positive your plan is going to work, I’ve got to figure out a way to let Skylar McLain hang around without allowing her to find anything.”

“At least until you want her to,” José reminded him.

“Yeah.” Matt gave a short laugh. Reaching deep inside to that dark, still place he carried with him always, he straightened, infusing the steel into his spine the way he’d learned in the army. “Let’s hope it all works out the way we’ve planned. I’d hate to be the one responsible for getting someone else killed.”

“Amigo, you need to stop.” José cuffed his shoulder again. Matt braced himself to blow off the words he knew his friend was about to say. He ignored them at least once a month.

“None of this is your fault.”

José always said this, like a litany, and by now Matt thought his friend truly believed it. Of the two of them, José had changed the least. Oh, prison had hardened him, shown him life was not all sunshine and roses, but José somehow managed to remain an eternal optimist, just like he’d been when they were kids. Most times, Matt envied that. Other times, he couldn’t help but feel José was foolish, destined to get hurt.

Rubbing the back of his neck with a tired hand, he thought he’d been playing this game for far too long. He was more than ready for it to be over. Patience had never been his strongest trait, but in this he’d had no choice.

“These things take time,” José said, correctly reading the expression on Matt’s face.

“So you keep saying.” Matt knew he sounded sour, but didn’t really care. “With your newfound serenity and all, you’re starting to remind me of our old priest, Father Peter, from Wednesday night catechism.”

José grinned, taking it as a compliment. Matt suspected José himself had once toyed with the idea of becoming a priest. Growing up, they’d both attended the same church, worshipped at the same masses. They even briefly served as altar boys together. Back then, the future had seemed rosy and bright. Neither had imagined what life would have in store for them, though they’d each been certain they were going to change the world.

After high school, though they’d remained best friends, they’d drifted apart. After all, they’d taken opposite paths after graduation. Matt had enlisted and had become a sharpshooter for the army. José had gone to work at his cousin’s body shop. He’d gotten into trouble soon after that.

By the time Matt had completed his second tour of duty in Afghanistan and finally returned home, José had already been arrested and was doing time. Possession with intent to distribute.

José had done his time and emerged better for it. He’d cleaned up, gotten reformed and, when Matt picked him up outside prison the day José was released, he’d been ready to help his best friend get revenge for the brutal murder of his entire family. José was the only one who’d known Matt before the complete identity change, back when Matt’s name had been Miguel Lopez. José knew about Matt’s past and understood his future.

These days, Matt trusted no one. Except José.

* * *

Skylar waited until Matt’s footsteps had faded into the distance before heading toward the barn. In a way, she was glad he’d taken off. She’d always loved horses and wanted to take her time examining his.

The instant she entered the barn, her chest felt tight. Enraptured, she saw nearly every stall was full. Matt’s horses were the most magnificent animals she’d ever seen.

Walking down the barn’s broad cement aisle, she inhaled the aroma of horse and straw, and grinned. Perfectly chiseled features, the classic arch to the neck, the flowing lines and ideal conformations told her she was among rarified specimens. Purebred Arabians, every single one of them. Expensive, finely cared-for animals. A dazzling bay mare in the first stall, two grays, a chestnut gelding with a huge white star on his forehead. All of them looked up at her approach, swinging their beautiful heads to eye her.

None seemed skittish. Petting their velvety noses, she found herself wondering which one Matt rode. Then, when she reached the big stall at the end of the aisle and saw the huge black stallion inside, she knew.

This would be his horse. She could envision him astride it now.

Blinking rapidly, she took a step back. What the hell was she doing? She’d known going in what she’d be facing—a rich, charming playboy with more money than sense. Why on earth she was letting someone like that get to her?

As she turned to exit the barn, her cell phone rang. Caller ID said it was a private call. Which meant it would be her boss, David Northrup.

“Checking your progress,” her supervisor barked before Skylar even finished saying hello.

Quickly, she outlined what had happened since she’d arrived.

“Did you meet José Nivas?”

Matt Landeta’s right-hand man. “No,” she answered. “Matt hasn’t actually introduced me to any of his employees.”

“Be careful. He’s dangerous.”

Gripping her phone, Skylar grimaced. She’d reviewed the dossier front to back. “I know.”

“Then you’re aware that Nivas has been clean since he got out of prison. He works with Landeta at the ranch. We’ve had our eyes on him for a long time, but he’s—to all appearances—stayed straight.”

She sighed. “That was all included in the paperwork I was given.”

“You have to befriend him.”

“Matt invited me to dinner up at the big house tonight. Maybe he’ll be there.”

“Perfect.” David cleared his throat, which meant Skylar wouldn’t like whatever he was about to say next. “You know what you have to do. Turn up the charm. Landeta won’t be able to resist a pretty lady like you. That’s one of the reasons you got this assignment.”

As if she needed to be reminded. Though she’d had numerous assignments in the past—all successful—she hadn’t ever had one where she was actually attracted to the suspect. Maybe her coworkers were right and it was time for her to take a vacation.

After she wrapped up this case, that is. She’d go to Jamaica or Key West, lie around on a beach and sip fruity umbrella drinks.

“Are you there?”

Belatedly realizing her supervisor was waiting for a response, she sighed. “Yes, of course. I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Excellent. Report back to me if you learn anything. I’ll expect regular status updates.”

Pushing the button to end the call, Skylar wondered why she didn’t want to seduce Matt Landeta. After all, she’d played the seductress role before, all in the line of duty. Yet this time, she sensed her own psyche would be in peril. Not good. The man was too damn sexy for her own peace of mind.

But she didn’t have a choice. Ever since a drug-crazed junky had robbed the bank and shot her husband and son, she’d dedicated herself to her job. If Matt Landeta was enough of a bastard that he supplied the Mexican drug cartels with ammunition, he deserved what he got.

She straightened her spine, once again in the right frame of mind. All she had to do was think of Robbie and Bryan, standing in line at the bank where she should have been instead, and she could do anything.

Including seduce Matt Landeta.

* * *

Glancing out the window, Matt considered Skylar McLain. Something about her bugged him. It wasn’t her beauty—hell, he had his pick of gorgeous women. Or the tough-girl exterior she tried to hide, instead wearing it like a shield.

Maybe it was the simple fact that she didn’t react to him the way other women did. Especially when they wanted something from him, like this one did.

Not his problem. He had more important things to worry about. Like making sure this complicated plan didn’t fall apart.

“So what’s up?” he asked his friend.

“I got a phone call—” José sounded troubled “—from my contact down in Matamoros. La Familia just slaughtered twenty people and strung them up along the road leading back into Texas. It’s a warning.”

Matt swore. “Were any of them our guys?” By this he meant the ones wanting to buy his ammo.

“I don’t know yet.” José’s frown deepened. “But I’m betting this will put a damper on them being so eager to try to form their own cartel.”

Which meant they wouldn’t need so much ammunition. Matt had been buying it for the past two years, both from online and various gun shops around the state.

Cursing, Matt dragged his hand through his hair. “Do you think they got word of what Diego and his men are trying to do?”

“I don’t think so. If they did, Diego would be dead.”

“And you’re sure he’s not?”

José snorted. “Amigo, I ain’t sure of nothin’. The only thing I’m sure of is that, no matter what happens, somebody’s gonna need ammunition.”

With a sigh, Matt tapped the newspaper on the table in front of them. “True, and if we were really in the business of selling it, we’d make a small fortune.”

“Hey, come on, man.” José looked over at him hopefully. “Even if Diego can’t buy it, we can still sell it, right?”

Since this question came up just about every day, Matt didn’t respond. José already knew the answer. All of this, the stockpiling round after round of ammunition, putting out feelers in the dangerous world of the Mexican cartels, had been done for one reason only.

To lure Diego Rodriguez. Nothing more, nothing less.

Glaring at him, José finally shook his head. “Fine. Though it seems like a lot of trouble for nothing if it doesn’t work out. We ought to be able to make some money someway.”

“Right.” Matt glared right back. “We’ve already got the ATF sniffing around here. First time you try anything like that you’ll end up right back in prison. You know that.”

Expression sullen, José looked down. He knew Matt was right. “So what did you think of the ATF lady pretending to be a magazine photographer?”

“She’s okay.” Matt didn’t feel like elaborating. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss Skylar’s obvious charms.

Instead, José grumbled to his hands, “I still don’t get why the ATF had to send her anyway.”

Matt wasn’t sure, either. Before embarking on this monstrous undertaking, he’d researched the law. Texas had no laws about how much ammo a private citizen could stockpile. He’d been careful, too, ordering from various online sites, trying to order as much as he could without gathering too much attention. He had close to a quarter of a million rounds now. With more on order.

As long as he stopped there, he’d be good. Selling it to the Mexicans, however... That would put him in the realm of federal law breaking, not to mention what the Mexican government would do to him if they found out about it.

Lucky for him he had no plans to sell even a single round. He only wanted the cartel—or specifically, several specific members of the cartel—to believe he did.

Since José knew Matt wouldn’t even discuss doing anything else with the ammo, he sniffed again and continued talking about Skylar. “I wonder who in the ATF came up with the horse-magazine reporter as a cover idea.”

Matt grinned. “I have to say, it’s brilliant.” He was known for his love of his Arabian horses, and he had a full-time team who worked on showing them around the country. He had a second full-time team who stayed here at the ranch. They took care of breeding and training and all the other things that came with having a successful horse ranch.

Leaving Matt to focus on his overarching goal: vengeance. He let his grin slide off his face, replacing it with a frown.

“When this is all over, you know it won’t bring them back,” José said for what had to be the hundredth time.

“Are you taking up psychoanalysis?” Matt asked as he always did. “If so, stop.”

José shook his head. “Fine. But what about the Fed? Are you letting her in the house for meals?”

“Sure, why not?” Matt shrugged. “I don’t really have a problem with her. Plus, she’ll be easier to keep an eye on if I keep her close.”

José’s knowing smile made Matt grimace. “And it doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes, does it?”

Refusing to dignify that remark with a reply, Matt snatched up his hat and stalked off to check on his barn. He’d hired several new barn helpers and wanted to make sure they stuck to the established schedule. Nothing upset a horse worse than a deviation from its normal routine.

It dawned on him that he’d become a lot like that, too.

Shaking his head, he realized it might be time to mix things up. Since he was planning for a big showdown to occur soon, he’d damn well better be ready.

* * *

After photographing the barn horses and the surrounding area for future reference, Skylar strolled outside toward the pasture. Twenty or thirty head of horses grazed lush grass under the cloudless sky. She took several more photographs, knowing when this investigation was over she’d be able to use some of these for her growing portfolio. Photography as a hobby brought her more enjoyment with each passing day. It was the only other thing besides her job that she could lose herself in for hours at a time.

She thought of Matt with his craggy features and easy-limbed grace. If possible, she’d like to sneak in a few shots of him, but only when he wasn’t aware. She’d bet he’d make an interesting subject.

She snapped the pasture in all four directions, knowing she could enlarge the digital images later and study them for any anomalies.

“Are you still out here?”

Speak of the devil. Matt had come up behind her unnoticed. Either he was able to move with a lot of stealth, or she’d been way too involved with her camera.

Glad she hadn’t jumped, she turned slowly. “I can’t get enough of your beautiful horses,” she said, meaning it.

He wore a black cowboy hat, putting much of his face in shadow. She felt heat begin a slow burn somewhere in her stomach.

The odd look he gave her told her he didn’t believe her, as though he’d seen her taking additional shots of the pasture, barn and outbuildings. Ignoring the uneasy feeling tickling her spine, she leaned on the fence and busied herself snapping a few more photos. This time she made sure they were only of the horses.

“I’m surprised you didn’t go get your dog,” he said. “A dog like that would love running through the pasture, especially if you brought her a Frisbee.”

Surprised, she glanced at him. “She does love her Frisbee.”

He graced her with another one of his devastating smiles that sent her pulse into overdrive. “You did bring it, didn’t you?”

Slowly, she shook her head. “No. I planned on taking her for a walk after dinner. On a leash, so I can get a feeling for how she’s going to react.”

“I thought you said she was used to horses.”

“She is. Or rather, was.” Fidgeting with her camera, she squinted up at him in the early-afternoon sun. “It’s been a while since I owned them. I probably need to take it slowly with her.”

As she stared at him, his smile slowly faded. He made her uneasy. And not for the usual reasons. It wasn’t because he struck her as particularly dangerous—she’d been around a lot worse characters than this millionaire cowboy who apparently amused himself by dabbling in illegal ammunition sales.

No, it was more of a physical-appeal thing—she felt his presence like a punch in the gut, making it difficult for her to catch her breath. She didn’t like this and needed to find a way to cope with it.

Oddly enough, she sensed Matt felt equally uncomfortable around her. Despite his brash self-confidence, she sensed this was as much an act as her pretend photojournalist job.

The next instant she nearly snorted out loud. She needed to stop overanalyzing him and do her job.

Making a show of glancing at her watch, she managed a fake smile of her own. “I’d better get going. I need to unpack, let Talia out and freshen up before dinner.”

He nodded. “See you then.”

Batting her eyelashes and hoping she wasn’t overdoing it, she looked at the house, shadowed by the towering oak trees. “Will there be a lot of people at dinner?” She kept her tone deceptively casual.

“No.” He tugged his hat lower, hiding his eyes. “Just me and my friend José, and of course a few of my staff.”

His staff. She nearly shook her head. Unlike the rest of the world, the man was filthy rich, with filthy being the operative word. No one knew where he’d gotten his millions, but she had no doubt they hadn’t been by ethical means.

“See you later.” Turning away, he headed off. Unable to help herself, she once again watched him go. The inexplicable yearning she felt filled her with disgust as she headed back toward her little trailer.

Focus. On. The. Job.

So she would meet Matt’s right-hand man. Good. She planned to watch José Nivas like a hawk. In fact, after meeting Matt and noting his laid-back manner, she wouldn’t be surprised to learn José was behind the entire ammunition-smuggling operation. Once a criminal, always a criminal. Just like that thug who had robbed the bank and killed her husband, Robbie, and young son, Bryan.

Pushing the painful thought away, she grimaced. At least the shrink had been right about one thing. She’d taught herself coping mechanisms. These days, she considered herself fully functional—at least as a federal agent. As a woman, not so much. After all, how many women went around with a gaping hole where their heart used to be?

As she neared the trailer, Talia’s enthusiastic barking told her the dog had heard her arrival. Opening the camper door, she let the border collie jump and whirl around her in greeting. Locating the leash, she took her pet outside.

Once that was done, they went back inside and Skylar unpacked. She fed Talia and made sure she had a bowl of fresh water.

“Matt invited me up to the house to eat, Tali,” she said. Used to the one-sided conversations, Talia cocked her head and wagged her plumed tail.

“What do you think about that?” Skylar continued. Since the accident, she used her pet as a sounding board for everything and took comfort in hashing out her problems out loud. Another coping mechanism, she supposed. But it worked, so it was all good as far as she was concerned.

“I find the invitation suspect.” She ruffled the dog’s black-and-white fur. “But then, the fact that he’s letting a reporter from an obscure horse magazine stay in his guest trailer for ten days is kind of weird, too. Come on, how long does it take to come up with an article?”

Talia woofed once, as if in agreement.

“I wonder if he suspects who I am. Especially since I had that embarrassing overreaction to the backfire. I thought it was a gunshot.”

Talia whined, turning around three times before lying down. Skylar grimaced. Hell, even her dog knew this wasn’t a normal reaction. “I guess I’m still not healthy,” Skylar said, sighing. “As long as the ATF doesn’t know that, we’re okay.”

Talia shook her head, almost as though disagreeing with her.

“You know what?” Skylar asked, grinning at her own foolishness. “You’re right. When you’re around a man suspected of smuggling ammo to the Mexican drug cartels, you sort of expect to hear gunshots....”

Turning to hang up her clothes, she sighed. She hadn’t brought much to wear. In fact, she had two dresses, three pairs of jeans and maybe seven shirts, most of them T-shirts. How to dress for dinner was an interesting conundrum. Did she go for sexy siren or casual, artsy photographer girl?

She thought of Matt Landeta with his enigmatic smile and amazing blue eyes, and reached for the expensive sheath. Something in-between, she thought.

As she zipped up the formfitting pale green dress, she peered at herself in the small bathroom mirror and sighed. She supposed she looked okay, but she had trouble pulling off sexy, despite the amazing platform stilettos she’d packed. How could a woman manage to ooze sensuality when she felt all dried up inside?

This was the only part of her assignment that gave her trouble. She’d known what she was getting into before agreeing to take this on. She was supposed to seduce Matt Landeta and hopefully get him to reveal—during pillow talk—secrets about his alleged ammunition sales.

She supposed she looked passable. Ready, she sat down. Hard. Up until now, she’d pushed that part of her assignment away, hoping it wouldn’t be necessary. Maybe she’d get lucky and it wouldn’t be.

Yet she couldn’t deny the way her pulse picked up at the thought of some face time with Matt.