Page 5 of Feral

I was playing a part, but even the cowgirl boots and jeans felt right on my body. I wished I had the hat to go with the outfit. I made a mental note to buy myself a cowgirl hat at the seed and feed in town. I walked until I neared the ranch house, barn and stable—all new buildings in pristine condition. It made the Shefield place look like something out of a horror flick.

Two men stood near the stable, one of them speaking in a raised voice like he was giving the younger man a dressing down.

Markle.Even if I hadn’t spent the last six months investigating the hell out of the guy, I’d know him by the designer jeans and five thousand dollar Stetson that just looked stupid on him. He looked like a Hollywood cowboy. Not because he was good looking, which he was, but because he appeared to be in costume or playing dress-up. He might own a ranch, but he sure as hell wasn’t a rancher.

Not like the ones I’d been raised by anyway.

I strode up, and the older man broke off his tirade. Both men gaped at me in surprise.

“Afternoon, gentlemen.” I let my hips swing as I approached, and their gazes tracked the movement. When I reached them, I stuck my hand out to Markle. “I’m Natalie, your new neighbor. I wanted to stop by and introduce myself. We… uh, talked on the phone, but that’s not the same thing as seeing someone in person.” I took the moment to look Markle over, just as he did me. Blatantly, as if I liked what I saw. Dark hair, fake tan, chiseled jaw.

Markle’s dark eyebrow raised. Then he grinned, showing off perfect veneers. He was attractive. I wasn’t blind and could see women giving him a second look, especially with his vast amounts of money. But he hadn’t spoken yet. What was the saying?Light traveled faster than sound because some people seemed bright until you heard them speak.

“Yes, in person is a hell of a lot better.”

He waited a beat before reaching out to shake my hand. A gold Rolex flashed on his wrist. Definitely out of place on a rancher. He closed his fingers around mine and squeezed too hard. It was the kind of grip that made me want to shake my hand out afterward. Or maybe that was just because I didn’t like him.

I didn’t let it show, though. I stepped in a little closer and bent down to swat an imaginary bug off my leg, letting him get a view of my cleavage.

He coughed a little, like the sight disturbed his equilibrium. “Jett Markle.” He didn’t bother to introduce his ranch hand.

I turned my sweetest smile on the other man and stuck out my hand. “Hey, there. I’m Natalie.”

“Jack.” He gave me a handshake as limp as Markle’s was firm and didn’t make eye contact. He couldn’t be older than twenty, barely old enough to shave. Markle probably had his ranch full of guys he could kick around. He definitely was a power trip kind of guy.

Strange that he was most likely in bed with a drug cartel. It almost seemed like something he’d find beneath him, a task he didn’t want to get his callous-free hands involved in. So either the reports of his firing had been wrong, and there was a lot of money in it for him, or he was in bed with them in some way I haven’t figured out. Maybe a family connection or more likely Murrieta had something on him.

It was my job to figure it out, so I turned my smile back on Markle and started up my helpless female charade. “I just got in today. You were right on the phone. There’s a lot of repairs required. It sure looks like I’ll have my hands full.”

He eyed me up and down, as if he wanted to havehishands full of me. “You have a plan for managing the numerous repairs? Contractors? Funding?”

I grinned back at him. The sun was in my eyes, and I really wished I’d had that cowgirl hat, but this look was probably better, anyway. Let him get a gander at my girl-next-door freckles and youthful appearance. Let him underestimate me. I knew he was thirty-five, so he might even play the daddy card if he got off on it.

“No, I’m just going to try to tackle things on my own.”

I saw calculation in his eyes. “Well, I might still be willing to take a piece of your land. You’ll probably be desperate for cash for the repairs. I know the county taxes haven’t been paid yet.”

Yeah, the asshole was probably hoping to buy the lien on them the moment it came up at auction. I’d have to let the real Natalie know she was in danger of losing the property for a few thousand bucks of unpaid taxes.

I tipped my head to the side. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll take it into consideration.” I made my voice soft and husky while I tried not to clench my hands into fists, ready to punch him in the face. What a dick.

The sultry tone worked. The hardest edge of him softened. “You probably don’t have your kitchen stocked yet or even the utilities turned on. How about I take you to dinner in town tonight? Show a little local hospitality.”

Markle considered himself a local. That was hilarious.

I feigned consideration, biting my lip. “Yeah, I guess that would be nice. I don’t have much in the house. But only if you promise not to try to wear me down on selling the place. As I told you before, it has a lot of sentimental value to me.”

“All right.” He scratched the back of his neck as if those words cost him. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

I glanced at Jack, who hadn’t said a word, then nodded. “Deal. I’ll see you then.”

I put a little promise in my voice but not too much. I didn’t want to have to screw the guy or kick him in the nuts on our first date. I was trying for an opening to be on his property and get to know his habits and schedule. Dinner was a warmup and a way in, which meant I could stop back again, especially if he thought he had a chance to get in my pants.

I left the way I came, knowing the men were watching me—most likely my ass—as I sauntered away.

All right, I was in.

First objective achieved.