was a smooth leanness in his tall form, reminding her of a spirited athlete combined with a laid-back silent manner.
His jeans molded to his firm thighs and long legs, while his white shirt stretched tautly across his broad chest. When he removed the Stetson from his head, she saw that his naturally wavy black hair was cut short in what she considered a blatantly masculine style. His nut-brown features, bluntly strong and sensuous, seemed carved into his firm jawline, high forehead and straight nose. However, it was his eyes that took Caitlin’s breath away. There was something very cryptic about the charcoal-gray eyes scanning the room before coming to rest on her. After mumbling a few words to the waiter, he moved in her direction.
Caitlin was caught up with the handsome man’s approach to her table. Her grip tightened nervously around the glass of iced tea she held, attempting to control the trembling in her body, beginning with her fingers. It didn’t work. All attempts at control failed when he stood before her.
“Caitlin Parker?”
The sound of his deep voice nearly undid Caitlin, causing her to nod in mute silence.
“I’m Dexter Madaris. My uncle, Jake Madaris, had planned to meet with you but, unfortunately, he had to fly to Wyoming unexpectedly on business. He won’t be back for several days. As a favor, he asked me to come meet with you to discuss the summer job you’ve applied for. May I sit down?”
Caitlin could only stare, hypnotized by the man standing before her. He had to be, without a doubt, the sexiest man she’d ever seen.
“Miss Parker?”
At that moment Caitlin realized she hadn’t answered his request. Heat flushed her face and her lips trembled slightly with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Mr. Madaris. Yes, please have a seat.” She watched as he settled his lithe frame into the chair.
“How old are you, Miss Parker?”
“What?” Caitlin whispered, caught off guard by the question. His voice echoed a Texas drawl that made her breath lodge in her throat. Masculine and distinct, it conveyed a strength and an endurance all its own. Together, his eyes and voice were a deadly combination.
Dex smiled in a way Caitlin thought enhanced the fullness of his sensual mouth. “I asked how old you are?”
Caitlin cleared her throat. “I’m twenty-one. Why?”
“Because you look rather young for the job. By the way, you can call me Dex. Do you mind if I call you Caitlin?”
“Not at all.” She nervously lifted the glass of tea to her lips and asked, “And how old are you, Dex?”
He shot her a surprised glance before answering. “I’m thirty-two.”
The waiter came and took Dex’s order. Caitlin used the interruption to contain her breathing. Dex’s presence had her heart beating at an alarming rate.
“What about you, Caitlin? Can I order something for you?”
“No, thanks, I’m fine.”
Dex nodded then dismissed the waiter. “I understand you graduated from college a few days ago. Now that school’s over, why do you want to spend your summer working when you could be celebrating by heading for the beach, or the border like most of the other graduates?” he asked.
Caitlin looked away then returned her gaze to his. “In the fall I’m going back to college to begin a masters program. I really don’t consider what I’ll be doing this summer as work. I’ll get to do something I enjoy.”
“Working with computers?”
“Yes,” Caitlin replied, tensing under Dex’s direct stare. Somehow she managed a smile. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to spend some time on a real ranch.” She didn’t add that she’d often heard about the handsome cowboys and broncobusters that worked there. If he was a sample of what the place had to offer, then what she’d heard had been true.
“Oh?” Dex laughed softly. “And how does your family feel about that?”
“My mother died a few years ago, so it’s just me and my father. Although he’s not thrilled with the idea, I convinced him it would benefit me in the long run to gain a degree of experience in my field of study. But to pacify him, I’ve agreed to return to San Antonio for a while before going back to school in September.”
“San Antonio? Is that your home?”
“Yes.”
He studied her intently. “Do you always give in so easily?”
Caitlin lifted her brow, unsure whether he was referring to the incident with her father or something else. “No. I’ll stand my ground when I believe what I’m doing is right.”
The waiter interrupted them when he served Dex his drink. Caitlin watched as he took a sip and thought it was the most sensuous gesture she’d ever seen. She tried to submerge the heat flaring in her stomach as she watched the way his mouth touched the rim of the glass of wine, tipping it up to his lips, savoring the taste as it slowly slipped down his throat. She felt a strange ache in her limbs when he ran his tongue over his lips in appreciation of the wine’s fruity taste.
“Tell me a little more about your background, Caitlin.”
Caitlin tore her gaze from his mouth and directed her attention to the scented candle burning in the middle of their table. She cleared her throat. “I graduated from the University of Texas,” she said, “with a degree in computer technology and a minor in accounting. For the past three years, I’ve been part of the work-study program on campus, working in the computer department.”
Dex swirled the liquid around in his glass. A faint sparkle lit his eyes when he spoke. “Uncle Jake’s business is livestock. He raises cattle and horses and then sells them to farms all over the country. His reputation as an excellent stock breeder has spread, and over the years his business has grown tremendously.”
“I think everyone in Texas has heard of the Whispering Pines ranch and Jacob Madaris,” Caitlin said.
Dex took another sip of wine. “Fortunately he wants to upgrade his billing system. The system he’s using now is really outdated. What he wants you to do is to analyze his present setup and come up with some suggestions on computerizing his business accounts.”
Caitlin nodded. “Smart idea.”
“I agree, however, I may as well warn you that the person who does the bookkeeping, Delane Ormand, has been there for ages and detests change. According to Uncle Jake, she doesn’t feel comfortable working on a computer, since she doesn’t know anything about them. Think you can handle setting up the program and selling the idea of computerized accounting to Delane?”
There was a determined gleam in Caitlin’s eyes. “Yes,” she said with easy confidence. “Once Ms. Ormand realizes how much easier her work will become with a computer, she’ll love it.” Caitlin paused for a moment before asking, “Do you work at the ranch, too, Dex?”
He smiled. “No, I don’t work there, although I used to during summers and vacations while in high school and college. Right now, I’m just visiting my uncle. I’m a geologist in oil exploration. My company has transferred me to Australia for two years.
