“Listen, cowboy. You’d better behave.” But he saw the warmth and humor that
warred with her desire to keep him at a distance.
“Come on outside, and I’ll show you Mom’s goldfish pond.” He jerked his head toward
the front door. “We can sit in the swing, and you can ask whatever you’d like.”
She hesitated, then nodded. In comfortable silence, they walked through the house
and out the front doors, and then the short distance to the pond.
The sky was overcast and the air was muggy and warm, the sun just settling above the
Mule Mountains. Cattails and flowers sprouted from Sadie’s pond, and lily pads floated
on the surface. Kade and Kelsey stopped before the small waterfall that tumbled into
the pond, and water splashed over their shoes.
Kelsey knelt beside the pond. “I didn’t know goldfish grew to be that large.”
Kade squatted next to her and pointed to an almost translucent fish speckled with
bluish black. “That one and the black ones with gold stripes are Japanese koi.”
“This is all gorgeous.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “I love it here on the
ranch. So relaxing and peaceful. What a difference from living in the city.”
With his head cocked to one side, Kade studied her. All he could think of was how
much he’d wanted her from the time he caught her watching him in the airport. This
wasn’t a woman to simply enjoy sex with. This was a woman to spend a lifetime with.
“Think a city girl like you could get used to living in the country?” he asked.
“Who knows.” Kelsey seemed oblivious to the desire that burned beneath his words,
beneath his skin. She shrugged and stood. “I’ve only been here a few days, but I think
I could easily fall in love with this part of the world. Although I’d probably miss
shopping in the Embarcadero and going to my favorite little place near the wharf for
clam chowder and sourdough bread.” She ran her tongue along her lower lip, and he
had to restrain himself to keep from leaning over and kissing her.
Kade more than liked the thought of Kelsey staying in Arizona. “Thinking about moving
away from Frisco?”
Kelsey didn’t answer for a moment, as if deciding how much she should say. “Before
I left, I considered moving to Tucson, but I wasn’t sure if I would like Arizona.
Now that I’m here, I know I would, and I’m ready for a change. When I finish this
feature, I plan to interview with Tucson Today magazine.”
With a sigh, she turned to Kade. “Now about my questions for you...”
“Why don’t we sit in the swing and you can fire away?” He hooked his thumbs in his
belt loops, which helped him keep his hands off Kelsey. He’d probably only scare her
off, and that was the last thing he wanted.
She glanced to the swing and back to Kade.
He smiled. “I promise I don’t bite.”
Chapter 9
“I know for a fact you do bite,” Kelsey said, then heat crept up her face as she remembered
his kisses and how he’d nipped at her lower lip.
“Got me there.” Kade eased his big frame into the swing that was wide enough for three
grown adults. “How about I promise I won’t bite... for now?”
She tried to glare at him, but the mischievous glint in his eyes made it hard to be
irritated or even mad at him.
His face grew serious as she settled into the cushioned swing. “I can tell you about
the Border Patrol, and some of what we do, but due to the nature of my job you can’t
use my name.”
Kelsey tipped her head to the side. “Do you mind if I ask why?”
“I work intelligence.” He watched the intent expression on her face as he spoke. “A
lot of what I do is classified.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
Kade stretched out his long legs. “I can put you in touch with Miguel Martinez, Special
Operations Supervisor. You can talk to him on the record.”
“Thanks.” Kelsey turned her cell to record mode. “What’s a day like for a Border Patrol
warred with her desire to keep him at a distance.
“Come on outside, and I’ll show you Mom’s goldfish pond.” He jerked his head toward
the front door. “We can sit in the swing, and you can ask whatever you’d like.”
She hesitated, then nodded. In comfortable silence, they walked through the house
and out the front doors, and then the short distance to the pond.
The sky was overcast and the air was muggy and warm, the sun just settling above the
Mule Mountains. Cattails and flowers sprouted from Sadie’s pond, and lily pads floated
on the surface. Kade and Kelsey stopped before the small waterfall that tumbled into
the pond, and water splashed over their shoes.
Kelsey knelt beside the pond. “I didn’t know goldfish grew to be that large.”
Kade squatted next to her and pointed to an almost translucent fish speckled with
bluish black. “That one and the black ones with gold stripes are Japanese koi.”
“This is all gorgeous.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “I love it here on the
ranch. So relaxing and peaceful. What a difference from living in the city.”
With his head cocked to one side, Kade studied her. All he could think of was how
much he’d wanted her from the time he caught her watching him in the airport. This
wasn’t a woman to simply enjoy sex with. This was a woman to spend a lifetime with.
“Think a city girl like you could get used to living in the country?” he asked.
“Who knows.” Kelsey seemed oblivious to the desire that burned beneath his words,
beneath his skin. She shrugged and stood. “I’ve only been here a few days, but I think
I could easily fall in love with this part of the world. Although I’d probably miss
shopping in the Embarcadero and going to my favorite little place near the wharf for
clam chowder and sourdough bread.” She ran her tongue along her lower lip, and he
had to restrain himself to keep from leaning over and kissing her.
Kade more than liked the thought of Kelsey staying in Arizona. “Thinking about moving
away from Frisco?”
Kelsey didn’t answer for a moment, as if deciding how much she should say. “Before
I left, I considered moving to Tucson, but I wasn’t sure if I would like Arizona.
Now that I’m here, I know I would, and I’m ready for a change. When I finish this
feature, I plan to interview with Tucson Today magazine.”
With a sigh, she turned to Kade. “Now about my questions for you...”
“Why don’t we sit in the swing and you can fire away?” He hooked his thumbs in his
belt loops, which helped him keep his hands off Kelsey. He’d probably only scare her
off, and that was the last thing he wanted.
She glanced to the swing and back to Kade.
He smiled. “I promise I don’t bite.”
Chapter 9
“I know for a fact you do bite,” Kelsey said, then heat crept up her face as she remembered
his kisses and how he’d nipped at her lower lip.
“Got me there.” Kade eased his big frame into the swing that was wide enough for three
grown adults. “How about I promise I won’t bite... for now?”
She tried to glare at him, but the mischievous glint in his eyes made it hard to be
irritated or even mad at him.
His face grew serious as she settled into the cushioned swing. “I can tell you about
the Border Patrol, and some of what we do, but due to the nature of my job you can’t
use my name.”
Kelsey tipped her head to the side. “Do you mind if I ask why?”
“I work intelligence.” He watched the intent expression on her face as he spoke. “A
lot of what I do is classified.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
Kade stretched out his long legs. “I can put you in touch with Miguel Martinez, Special
Operations Supervisor. You can talk to him on the record.”
“Thanks.” Kelsey turned her cell to record mode. “What’s a day like for a Border Patrol
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