Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders #15)(83)

He snatched it and stepped back. Straightened it out and scanned the text.


His expression didn’t change.


Stupid professional poker player face.


Dalton said, “Where’d you get this?” without looking up.


But before she could answer he crowded her, his eyes flashing fire. “Did my brothers bring this to you first thing this morning? Or my cousins? Which ones? And why the f*ck did they drag you into it? To embarrass me? I knew they were seriously pissed off yesterday, but I didn’t think they’d put some McKay muscle behind it. What am I saying? That’s exactly what they do. They don’t like something, they pull some strings and try to get it changed.”


This was not going at all like she expected.


“How did you get ahold of this application, Rory?”


“It was delivered to my office today.”


“By who?”


“By the State of Wyoming. It was in a box with all the other applications I’m processing.”


“Other applications you’re processing?” He frowned. “What are you saying?”


“You know damn well what I’m saying. The special project I was assigned at the WNRC? This is it. I’m in charge of vetting applicants for this test program. I’m the one who sends the recommendations to the state board on who gets awarded permits.”


No change in his expression.


“So when you were hanging around the WNRC offices waiting for me, who told you it was my project? Someone had to spill the beans because the information sure as hell didn’t come from me. And I find it really…coincidental that the date on the application is the week I officially started working on it. You’d been in Sundance a week before you filed. One week.”


“What does that have to do with anything? The permit process was listed in the paper that week. That’s how I found out about it.”


“Really?”


“Really. Why is that an issue?”


“Because you know exactly how to manipulate me, Dalton McKay, you always have. Alls you had to do was charm me, bed me and convince me you’ve changed. Then act all crazy about me while you followed your own goddamned agenda. Just like usual. Nothing ever changes with you.” She briefly closed her eyes. “I’m such an idiot. You’re using me again.”


Then he said two words that chilled her to the bone. “Get. Out.”


“What?”


“You heard me. I don’t need this shit from you on top of everything else that’s come down on me in the last day.”


Rory’s jaw dropped. “The hell I will. I deserve an explanation.”


“Why? You’ve got it all figured out. You’ll argue with anything I tell you. And you’re so worried that I’m gonna f*ck you over again that you can’t even see the truth when it’s right in front of you.” He threw the paper at her. “Now get out.”


Stung, she snapped, “Oh, I’ll go. But guaranteed I won’t even consider your piece of land for the program given your manipulative behavior.”


Dalton got right in her face. “You will give me a fair shake in all of this or the next place I go is to the state board to file a grievance with them. About you. You don’t get to be judge, jury and executioner on this, Rory. I will fight you and the WNRC to make sure my application is given as much consideration as the other applicants’.”


“You’d do that?”


“You’re leaving me no choice! You storm into my house, accuse me of all kinds of underhanded shit—none of which is true. You know how I feel about you. Goddammit, you know that I’m not f*cking playing you, Aurora.”


She watched his jaw flexing as he ground his teeth together.


“But I’ll never be able to convince you, will I? You’ll never trust me or trust in this. That it’s real. And that goddamn sucks.”


His voice had dropped to that quietly resigned tone that scared her far worse than if he’d yelled at her.


Dalton stepped back and opened the door but he wouldn’t look at her. “You need to leave before one of us says something we’ll regret and ruins everything that we’ve—or maybe I should say that I’ve—been trying to build with you.”



Did Dalton really believe that she didn’t give a damn about him?


This was about fun times and sex games—didn’t you remind yourself of that fact every time things became serious? Self-preservation, remember? This isn’t only about your relationship; this is about your livelihood. And now he’s f*cking with you on both levels. Why are you surprised?


Because there was more to it than that. And she wanted—she deserved—some answers.


Maybe you should’ve thought of that before you barged in here spewing accusations.


Before she cleared the doorjamb completely, Dalton said in a hoarse voice, “I’ll be out of town for the next two days. We can talk about this when I get back.”


Rory spun around. “What? Why are you just telling me this now?”


Those hurt blue eyes hooked hers. “I’d planned to tell you tonight over dinner. But now… Anyway, I didn’t want you to think I was running away again.”