"So whatcha doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere? You lost? Poor thing, you look hungry." He held up his hand for her to sniff.

"What do you think she's all up in arms about?" Callie tried to step beyond the dog to see past the open basement door, but the dog growled again.

Jake put his left hand out in front of Callie to hold her back from getting bitten, and ignored her irritated huff of breath. "You sure look like you've had a rough time of it." At the sound of his voice, the dog stopped growling again. "Maybe if we fed you, you'd be happier. What do you think?"

The dog let out a long whine.

The sound was oddly heartbreaking. Jake tried to decide what could be disturbing her, but couldn't see into the dark basement. "So what are you guarding?"

"We don't use that space for much," Callie said. "She could have cornered anything in there."

Jake continued to hold out his hand to the dog, and took it as a good sign when she didn't resume her growling. He let her sniff him again, then stroked her down her thin, scruffy back.

Her tail let out one weak wag. Permission granted, Jake moved around her and to the door, but when Callie tried to follow him, the dog once again bared her teeth.

"Wait here," Jake said.

"But-"

Ignoring her, he pulled the door the rest of the way open, and poked his head inside. There was a landing there, and then a set of stairs that went down about five feet, then turned ninety degrees and went down another five feet. It wasn't the stairs that drew his attention, but the second landing.

In the far dusty corner he found what the poor dog was trying so desperately to protect, and even as he looked, she pressed her cold nose under his arm to see as well, making him see double when she jarred his shoulder.

"Jake?"

Hearing Callie's voice behind them, the dog growled low in her throat.

"Hang on," he called back. "She's got-"

"Puppies," Callie guessed, sounding resigned.

As his eyes adjusted to the dark and he started counting the softly mewling puppies, the momma again nudged his arm with her wet nose, sending shots of fire down his bicep all the way to his fingers. "Yeah, I see your babies." With his left hand, he patted her as they looked them over. "Five?"

The dog walked down the steps to the landing and whined softly, plaintively. Jake moved in, then peered down the crack between the landing and the wall. He heard the rustling in the dark. Reaching down there was a whole new kind of pain, and he gritted his teeth as he paused to take a deep breath. "One's slipped down between the landing and the wall. I'll get it." It cost him. By the time he set the puppy in the midst of its siblings and next to the mother who finally allowed herself to relax now that her last baby was back, Jake was a sweaty, shaky mess. His shoulder was leaping with each heartbeat, pulsing with pain, and he felt light-headed. The weakness was humiliating.

"Jake?"

"I think you can come in now. She's calmer." He stayed where he was, on his knees in front of the dog and her puppies, waiting for his world to stop spinning.

Callie had run somewhere for a flashlight. When she scooted in behind him, with Shep pushing in as well, she also dropped to her knees to take a look. "Oh, Shep." She sighed and put an arm around him. "They're adorable though, aren't they?"

Jake would have laughed if he could. Adorable isn't what he'd call the mangy-looking things, but then any amusement backed up in his throat because Callie, so close he could feel her soft breath on his ear, put her hand on his shoulder. "You're shaking." Her fingers lightly danced over the incision beneath his shirt, much like the motion he'd dreamed her doing, only this wasn't a dream. "Torn rotator cuff?"

"Among other things."

"Such as?"

He wanted to be big and strong. He wanted to not feel any weaknesses, but a man could only be so tough with a woman looking at him like she was. "Actually, it was a complete shoulder reconstruction."

"Oh, Jake."

Her expression made him want to touch her, cup her face, stroke his fingers over her jaw and sink into her hair. A shock, because it wasn't just the usual surge of lust. Here was an opportunity he hadn't even known he wanted-to talk to her, to have her know him, to convince her he wasn't a jerk, because suddenly it mattered what she thought of him. Suddenly he wanted her to be as warm and sweet to him as she was to everyone else.

Too bad he couldn't move without whimpering.

"Probably climbing around after dogs and puppies is a bad idea," she said, her hand still on him.

"Probably, but you shouldn't be doing this, either."

"I'm fine."

"Headache?"

"Only a little." She glanced at the puppies now being fed by their mother, who still watched her and Jake carefully. "Looks like we got ourselves a new dog."

So accepting. So willing to gather whoever and whatever to the Blue Flame.

Had his father been like that? It surprised him to feel sad that he didn't know. "And six puppies."

She sighed. "And six puppies. You were good with her; she didn't want anything to do with me."

"Animals like me."

"Women do, too."

He slanted her a glance. "Most, but not all, I'm learning."

She mused over that for a long moment. Dropped her hand from him. "Sometimes I don't know what to say to you."

"Then don't say anything." With a great effort, he leaned in so their mouths were a mere fraction of an inch apart. He put his left hand to the curve of her jaw. "Let's try this instead." And even knowing he was crazy for wanting this, he put his mouth on hers.

Her hand slid up between them, until her palm settled against his chest. To push him away? Pull him closer? She did neither but let her lips cling to his for a long moment before pulling back.

"What was that?" she whispered.

"Just one little kiss." He tunneled his fingers up into the wild silk of her hair, glad it was loose, and leaned in again, needing one more taste.

She held him back. "You said one kiss."

Right, but he'd also said little. It'd been neither. He wanted more but he couldn't move his other arm worth a damn. With his good hand, he slid his fingers down the length of her hair to the small of her back, nudging her forward into his body.

Her hand fisted in his shirt, gripping him tight, getting a few chest hairs in the mix. He didn't care if she pulled them all out one by one as long as she stayed with her body up against his for another moment.

"Jake..." She rocked against him, just a tiny little movement of her hips, which was all the encouragement he needed to lower his head and kiss her again.

She moaned softly, then hooked an arm around his neck, and just like that, it was that long ago night all over again; so hot, so sweet and wet, sending an unquenchable hunger skittering down his spine to pool in his groin. He forgot the puppies, his shoulder, his father, everything but the taste and feel of the surprisingly sensual woman in his arms. Her breasts pressed into his chest, and he cupped the sweet curve of her ass in his hand. A sense of dej vu filled him at that. They'd done this before, and as it had then, the pleasure of her blew him away. Like then, he wanted a hell of a lot more than a kiss, a hell of a lot more than he could get from her while kneeling on the dirty ground surrounded by puppies and dust.

And still she didn't pull away. Neither did he. Needing more, his hand slid beneath the hem of her shirt, seeking warm, sleek, soft skin. She was slim but not fragile, never fragile. He'd seen her toss a heavy saddle, lift a pig, and face down a panicky horse. He knew exactly how strong she was. And he knew something else. He wanted her, so damn much.

It made no sense. Nothing about this made sense. He didn't have a place in his heart for the Blue Flame or the woman who ran it, and yet the longer he kissed her, the more he wanted. He kissed her long and deep. He kissed her until he was dizzy with it, until she was making little sounds in the back of her throat that told him she was as far gone as he was. He was fantasizing about how much further he could take them both when she pulled back. Not out of his arms, just away enough that their lips disconnected with a sucking sound that didn't help any. God, her mouth.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Was that just a kiss, too?"

It took him a long moment to get his brain in gear. Slowly he pulled his hand back, lingering for a few seconds to stroke her warm skin one more time.

"I need to get to the barn." She rose to her feet. Wobbled. She put a hand to her head as if that would help her think. "Tucker'll be waiting. I'll figure out what to do with these puppies later."

"Callie." He rose, too, and felt just as wobbly. When she would have moved away, he put a hand on her wrist. "You're not going to be able to blame that on the whiskey."

Her lips were still wet, and he thought of a thousand things he'd like her to do with those wet lips.

"I never blamed it on the whiskey," she said.

"What did you blame it on?"

"Having a misguided sense of what's right for me."

"So you're not denying there's something almost chemically addictive between us."

"Like I said, I have a misguided sense of what's right for me." She stepped away, subject apparently closed. "Tucker might enjoy your company today."

"So apparently we're done talking about us."

"Yes."

He actually managed to laugh. Now he remembered why he didn't want a woman in his life. They were unreliable, unpredictable, and insane. He should thank her for reminding him. "How do you figure Tucker might enjoy my company?"

"I know he puts up a tough front, but I think it's been hard for him having no family."

"He doesn't consider me his family anymore."

"Why not?"

From the day Jake and his mother had parted ways, Tucker had stopped loving Jake. It hadn't helped that his mother had done her best to keep them separated, and with her traveling, she'd succeeded. A habit that had stuck, even when Tucker had gotten older.

Until he'd been in trouble with the law and had needed Jake. "You'd have to ask him."

"But you consider him your family, right?"

"I got him this job, didn't I?"

She let out a sound of annoyance, and he frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means you're as stubborn as he is."

His mind was still addled by the blood loss to his groin. "Look, I'm glad he took this job. I'm glad he's helpful to you, and having a good time while he's at it. It's kept him off the streets and out of more trouble. I don't know what else I can do. That's not stubbornness, that's just the way it is."

"You could take more interest."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"To sell."

The indignation left him. "I know you guys consider this place home. I'm not going to let anyone get kicked out in the street. I told you, if I sell, I'll make sure they'll keep you both on, and I meant it."

"If you sell? Or when?"

There'd better be a when. "I've called a few Realtors to come out this week. After we paint."

"We?"

"We. You've seen the books. You know I can't afford to get a painter out here."

That was definitely disappointment on her face now, but he only got a quick glimpse before she started walking toward the barn.

Well, what the hell else could he say? He was good for his word. He'd do his damnedest to make sure her life didn't change, or his brother's. With one last look at the puppies, he headed back toward the house. His shoulder throbbed, his head was beginning to match. He decided to spend the day doing what he'd gotten good at since he'd fallen through a burning roof and had broken his fall with his shoulder-nothing.

Callie would have dwelled on that kiss-kisses-all day if she could have, but she had plenty of things to do to keep her distracted. Feed her new dog for one. The poor thing inhaled her food as if she hadn't eaten in days.

The serum for the inoculations was indeed missing, a problem made all the more strange because of what had happened to Sierra. Odder still, it didn't appear as if anyone had broken in, and nothing else was missing, even though the tack room hadn't been locked and was filled with expensive gear.

Callie would swear she was losing her mind except she'd seen the shipment of serum arrive herself. They searched everywhere: the barn, their storage shed, even around the yard. She had no choice but to accept the fact it was gone.

Before their guests arrived, the sheriff came out and took a report. And through it all, Callie was aware of a humming in her blood that she knew she had Jake to thank for. She'd let him put his hands on her, and at odd moments throughout the day, her face and body went hot at just the thought.

Idiot. When would she remember that he turned her into a blathering, drooling idiot? The next time he had her naked? And would that be before or after he sold the Blue Flame? A hundred times today she'd nearly told him she wanted to buy the ranch and a hundred times she'd held back. The guy had to sell, sooner than later, so what could telling him possibly get her besides pity? Nothing.

She was standing on the porch when Marge came out, hand extended, aspirin in her palm. "Hey, honey, take these."

Callie didn't question how or why Marge was keeping track of when she needed aspirin. Marge took pride in doing such things. Callie dutifully took the pills for her aching head and ribs. "Thanks."

"You okay?

"Always."

Marge patted her shoulder, then went back inside. Callie took a deep breath and put the morning into perspective. The small-town gossip train would go into effect now. She knew this. In no time, whichever Realtors Jake had called would hear about the missing serum and what had happened to Sierra. Terrible as it sounded, it would put a question mark on the property-a definite disadvantage to selling.

Torn between hope and regret, she was still standing on the front porch when the airport vans arrived with their next guests. Things went fast after that. Checking in the group of Japanese businessmen, seeing them all happy with their accommodations and Amy's big pot of chili that night for dinner, getting everyone into the spirit of the Wild West was fun but hard work.

Their guests didn't speak much English, which was a challenge. So was the four-year-old son one of them had brought on the spur of the moment. Keito had run his short little legs all afternoon. The horses and hens had been an unbearable excitement for him, and the puppies had sent him into ecstasy.

At sunset, Eddie lit a bonfire for the guests to sit around, and Amy brought out the makings for s'mores, which was met with such enthusiasm, Callie actually caught the girl almost smiling before she walked off toward her cabin. Callie had hoped Amy would stay outside, but her duties would begin early every morning now, and they didn't include having to socialize with the guests. But still, Callie wished she'd want to. The others always did; it was a huge part of the Blue Flame's charm.

Stone, obviously feeling better than he had earlier, pulled out his guitar. With the stars out and the chill of the spring night being beaten back by the warm, crackling fire, he and Eddie taught everyone silly campfire songs. The guests all fell for their easy appeal. Marge came out of her cabin and sat next to Tucker, humming along with the songs. Lou came out a few minutes later. Fifty-something, he was a tall, beefy man with a wild shock of gray hair and chocolate eyes that usually twinkled. Tonight, he hunched his broad shoulders and jammed his hands into his pockets as he came close. "Callie." He nodded his Stetson at her.

"Hey, Lou." She knew how worried he and Marge were about money ever since he'd been laid off from Roger's Garage in Three Rocks two weeks ago. That he looked so unhappy tugged at her. "Any luck finding a new job?"

"No, thanks to Roger."