lifted the package of paperwork into his hands, scanning the documents briefly. He nodded slowly, then lifted his gaze toward brother number two. “Mark, it would seem that Ms. Briscoe is refusing our offer to purchase the Briscoe Ranch.”
The brother named Mark extended his hand in the direction of the paperwork. He shook his head as he scanned them as quickly as his brother had done.
John turned back to Marah. “I think we might have a problem, then. Mr. Briscoe has already verbally voiced his intent to accept our initial offer. And that is prime real estate that Stallion Enterprises isn’t willing to let pass.”
Marah’s hand moved to her lean hips, her head gyrating against her neck like a bobble-head doll. The index finger of her right hand waved from side to side in midair as she spoke. “Excuse me? Listen, I really don’t care what Stallion Enterprises is willing or not willing to do. All I know is that you have taken advantage of an old man, preying on him at a vulnerable time in his life and I’m putting a stop to it right now. The ranch isn’t for sale,” she pronounced, snapping her fingers in the air.
The four of them were still smiling at her, annoying Marah even more. Mark nodded, his eyes meeting John’s briefly before John spoke again.
“We’re sorry you feel that way, Ms. Briscoe. But again, we have a binding verbal agreement from Mr. Briscoe. We’re more than willing to consider renegotiating the deal if your father requires more time, but we will do whatever it takes to hold him to an agreement.” It was stated with an air of finality that made Marah cringe.
She bristled, hostility raging from her eyes. Both hands fell against the line of her hips as her head waved from side to side. “Well, give it your best shot. But I can promise you my sisters and I will do whatever it takes to fight you on this.”
John Stallion came to his feet, moving to stand directly in front of her. He stood close, his tall frame hovering easily over hers, the woodsy aroma of his cologne teasing her nostrils. Thoughts of their time in the elevator together flashed like cinematic photographs through her mind. A rise of perspiration suddenly puddled between her breasts, her temperature rising rapidly. She took a step back, dismayed at the way her body was betraying her.
The man stared her in the eye and Marah fought to hold his gaze, his piercing look seeming to undress her where she stood. When he spoke, his voice was low and even, so controlled that Marah imagined him to be the kind of man who was never unnerved by anything.
“I look forward to the challenge, Ms. Briscoe,” he said, that smug smile resurfacing to his face.
Inhaling swiftly, Marah spun around on her heels and rushed out the door as quickly as she’d rushed in. Behind her she could hear a rise of laughter; the Stallion men were no longer able to contain their amusement.
Chapter 2
John stood facing the slammed door, the walls still seeming to vibrate from the violation. His hands were pushed deep into the pockets of his slacks; his thoughts had followed after the woman when she’d stormed out of the room. The roar of laughter from the table behind him pulled at his attention.
“Yo, John, what just happened? Looks like you might have met your match. I thought you were more persuasive than that?” Mark Stallion said with a deep chuckle.
“You surely don’t see that every day,” Luke mused. “Edward was right about his daughter.”
John shook his head from side to side. “It would seem that we have a problem with that project of yours, Mark,” he said, changing the subject.
Mark nodded. “It would seem so. How do you think we should handle it?”
John paused, reflecting on the brief moments he’d just shared with the stunning Ms. Briscoe. The three men at his side sat watching him intently, curious as to what was on his mind.
The woman had spirit and John was rarely afforded an opportunity to be in the presence of a woman who wasn’t fawning for his attention like a lovesick puppy dog. Clearly, this woman was a force to be reckoned with. Not only had Ms. Briscoe not overreacted to their time in the elevator, but she’d barely given him a raised eyebrow as she’d thrown down her challenge. He was intrigued as he found himself imagining what it might be like to get to know her better.
His mouth lifted into a full grin. “I think I’ll handle this one personally,” he said finally. “Leave Ms. Briscoe to me.”
In the parking garage below, Marah was still shaking with anger as she pushed the speed dial on her cell phone. Three rings later her twin sister Marla picked up the line.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Marah, where are you? Daddy is having a fit.”
“Downtown. I’m just leaving Stallion Enterprises.”
“What did you do?”
“I told them Daddy’s not selling the ranch.”
“Marah, honey, you can’t…”
“Don’t start, Marla. You know as well as I do that Daddy shouldn’t sell that land. He and Mommy spent their entire lives building that business. I’m not going to sit back and do nothing while John Stallion tries to steal it.”
As she mentioned his name, Marah found herself breaking into a cold sweat. Admittedly, whether it had shown on her face or not, the good-looking man had unnerved her. But she was on a mission and not even a man as fine as that one was going to get in her way. And admittedly, John Stallion was one fine specimen of maleness.
Marla called into the receiver. “Marah? You still there?”
“Sorry. What did you say?”
“I said you better come on home so we can all talk about it. Eden is already here.”
Marah nodded into the receiver. “I just have one more stop to make then I’m on my way.”
“See you soon,” Marla responded, disconnecting the call.
Pulling out of the garage, Marah stared up at the Stallion Enterprises logo that marked the front of the building. She heaved a deep sigh. John Stallion might be laughing now, she thought, but she promised herself he wouldn’t be laughing for long.
An hour later, Marah pulled into the circular driveway of the Briscoe Ranch. As she stepped out of her Lexus sedan she allowed her eyes to roam the landscape, taking in the familiar sites that always reminded her that this was her true home. Even the sleek, three-story, penthouse apartment she owned on McKinney Avenue with its spectacular downtown views didn’t give her the sense of homecoming she felt when she stepped back on the wealth of property that had been her parents’ dreams come true.
Briscoe Ranch was well over eight hundred acres of working cattle ranch and an equestrian center. Back in the day, her father, Edward Briscoe, had been one of the original black cowboys. Not long after the birth of their three daughters, Edward and his wife, Hazel Briscoe, had expanded his Texas longhorn operation, adding an entertainment complex that specialized in corporate and private client services. The ranch now housed two twenty-thousand square feet event barns and a country bed and breakfast. With the property being central
