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with a woman tonight.
    Besides, another woman’s face haunted him.
    Scarlet Lovett’s. He couldn’t shake their conversation. Worse, he couldn’t erase the image of her porcelain face with those damn blue eyes that reminded him of his mother’s dolls.
    Had his father seen that similarity? Was that the reason he’d been drawn to help Scarlet?
    A brawny man with a beard and cowboy hat straddled the stool beside him, then angled himself toward Ray.
    â€œYou’re one of Joe’s sons, aren’t you?”
    Ray swallowed hard. He’d forgotten what it was like to live in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. And Joe McCullen had been well-known around the ranching community.
    â€œYeah, I’m Ray.”
    â€œArlis Bennett,” the man said. “I’m out at the Circle T.”
    Ray rubbed his chin. The owner of that ranch, Boyle Gates, had been arrested for his involvement in a cattle-rustling ring.
    â€œI’m planning to expand,” Bennett said. “If you and your brothers decide to sell, give me a call.” He removed a business card from his pocket and laid it on the bar.
    Ray slid it back toward him. “We’re not interested in selling. My brother Maddox plans to keep it a working ranch. And my brother Brett is staying to help.”
    Bennett tossed back his shot of whiskey with a nod. “Well, I just thought you guys might want to move on. That it might be too hard for you to stick around without your father.”
    Ray shifted, uncomfortable. “It is difficult, but the McCullens have put too much blood, sweat and tears into Horseshoe Creek to ever sell.”
    â€œThen I guess we’ll be neighbors.” Bennett stood and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ray. Again, I’m sorry about your daddy.”
    Ray nodded and shook the man’s hand. But something about the dark gleam in Bennett’s eyes reminded Ray of a predator. Not that he should be surprised that someone wanted to buy the ranch.
    There might be more offers down the road.
    A buxom blonde brushed up against his arm, her eyes glittering with invitation. “Hey, cowboy. Are you lonesome tonight?”
    Hell, yeahhe was, but an image of Scarlet taunted him. He saw her beneath him in bed, naked and clutching him, that porcelain skin glowing with passion.
    â€œSorry, honey, I’ve got to go.” He threw some cash on the counter to pay for the beer, then strode toward the door, disgusted with himself for being attracted to the damn woman. She was going to wreck his family.
    A gust of wind blasted him as he walked to his Range Rover, and he jumped inside, started the engine and drove to the ranch.
    Just as he approached, he spotted smoke billowing in a cloud from the pastureland on the east side.
    He cursed. Hopefully it was nothing but a little brush fire, but he accelerated, taking the curve too fast, tires screeching as he neared Horseshoe Creek.
    The miles seemed to take forever, his heart racing with each one. Instead of the smoke dying down, it grew thicker, rolling across the sky, orange-and-red flames shooting upward.
    He grabbed his phone and punched 911, praying the fire department could get there fast.
    The winds picked up and the fire was spreading, eating up valuable pastureland and heading toward the new stables Brett had just had built.

Chapter Five
    Ray jolted to a stop several hundred feet from the flames.
    The fire department should be on the way, but he couldn’t wait. He had to do something. He quickly scanned the blaze. One of the five barns Brett had had built was on fire, but the others were still safe, although if they didn’t do something fast, it would spread.
    The sound of horses whinnying and pounding their hoofs against the buildings echoed above the roar of the blaze.
    He punched Brett’s number, running toward the burning building to make sure it was empty as the phone rang. Three rings and his brother’s