"I can't afford to hire anyone right now," she said. "Especially not some down-on-his-luck drifter."

The smile was back. "If I wasn't down on my luck, I wouldn't need the job."

She couldn't hire him, but she was curious enough about him to ask, "Where did you work last?"

His shoulders rolled in a negligent shrug. "I've been…around."

"Doing what?" she persisted.

"A little cowboying, some rodeo bull riding, and…some drifting."

Bull riding. She should have known. Even Cale had never ridden bulls because he had thought it was too dangerous. Drifting. He was a man who couldn't be tied to any one place or, she suspected, any one woman. The last thing she needed at the Flying Diamond was a drifting cowboy who rode bulls for fun. Not that she could afford to hire him, anyway.

Just today she had discovered over fifty head of cattle missing-apparently rustled-from the Flying Diamond. That loss would cut deep into the profits she had hoped to make this year. "I can't hire anyone right now," she said. "I-"

The back door opened, revealing the silhouette of a large man in the stream of light. "Honey? Are you out here?"

She recognized Dallas, who was joined at the door by Angel.

"Are you coming in?" Dallas asked Honey.

"Yes. Yes, I am." She took advantage of Dallas 's interruption to slip from the drifter's grasp. But he followed her. She could feel him right behind her as she stepped onto the porch.

Honey turned to the stranger to excuse herself and gasped. The harsh light from the kitchen doorway revealed the man's features. She was suddenly aware of his bronzed skin, of the high, broad cheekbones, the blade of nose and thin lips that proclaimed his heritage.

"You're Indian!" she exclaimed.

"The best part of me, yes, ma'am."

Honey didn't know what to say. She found him more appealing than she cared to admit, yet the savage look in his eyes frightened her. To her dismay, the drifter put the worst possible face on her silence.

His lips twisted bitterly, his grating voice became cynical as he said, "I suppose I should have mentioned that my great-grandfather married a Comanche bride. If it makes a difference-"

Honey flushed. "Not at all. I was just a little surprised when I saw…I mean, I didn't realize…"

"I'm used to it," he said. From the harsh sound of his voice it was clear he didn't like it.

Honey wished she had handled the situation better. She didn't think any less of him because he was part Indian, even though she knew there were some who would. She turned back to Angel and saw that the young woman had retreated into the safety of Dallas 's arms.

"I came outside for some air," Honey explained to Dallas. "And I met someone who says he's a friend of yours."

Dallas propelled Angel ahead of him onto the back porch and pulled the kitchen door closed behind him. "Hello, Jesse. I wasn't expecting you tonight."

Jesse shrugged again. "I got free sooner than I thought I would. Anyway, I could have saved myself the trip. Mrs. Farrell says she can't afford to hire anyone right now."

Dallas pursed his lips in disapproval. "I don't think you can afford not to hire someone, Honey."

"I'm not saying I don't need the help," Honey argued. "I just don't have the money right now to-"

"Who said anything about money?" Jesse asked. "I'd work for bed and board."

Honey frowned. "I really don't-"

"If you're worried about hiring a stranger, I'll vouch for Jesse," Dallas said. "We went to Texas Tech together."

"How long ago was that?" Honey asked.

"Fifteen years," Dallas admitted. "But I'd trust Jesse with my life."

Only it wouldn't be Dallas 's life that would be at stake. It was Honey's, and those of her sons, Jack and Jonathan. "I'll think about it," she said.

"I'm afraid I need something a little more definite than that," Jesse said. He tipped his hat back and said, "A drifting man needs a reason to light and set, or else he just keeps on drifting."

Honey didn't believe from looking at him that Jesse Whitelaw would ever settle anywhere for very long. But another pair of hands to share the load, even for a little while, would be more than welcome. There was some ranch work too heavy for her to handle, even with her older son's help. Honey brushed aside the notion that she would be alone with a stranger all day while the boys were at school. It was only a matter of weeks before her sons would be home for summer vacation.

She took a deep breath and let it out. "All right. When can you start?"

"I've got some things to do first."

Honey felt a sense of relief that she wouldn't have to face him again in the near future. It evaporated when he said, "How about bright and early tomorrow morning?"

Honey sought a reason to keep him away a little longer, to give herself some time to reconsider what she was doing, but nothing came to mind. Anyway, she needed the help now. There was vaccinating to be done, and she needed to make a tally of which cattle were missing so she could make a more complete report to the police.

Also she needed to add some light to improve security around the barn where she kept General, the champion Hereford bull that was the most important asset of the Flying Diamond.

"Tomorrow morning will be fine," she said.

The words were barely out of her mouth when the kitchen door was thrust open and another silhouette appeared. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing out here?"

Adam Philips joined what was quickly becoming a crowd on the back porch. He strode to Honey's side and slipped a possessive arm around her waist. "I'm Adam Philips," he said by way of introduction to the stranger he found there. "I don't think we've met."

"Jesse Whitelaw," the stranger said.

Honey watched as the two men shook hands. There was nothing cordial about the greeting. She didn't understand the reason for the animosity between them; it existed nonetheless.

"Are you ready to come back inside?" Adam asked.

He had tightened his hold on her waist until it was uncomfortable. Honey tried to step out of his grasp, but he pulled her back against his hip.

"I think the lady wants you to let her go," Jesse said.

"I'll be the judge of what the lady wants," Adam retorted.

The drifter's eyes were hard and cold, and Honey felt sure that at any moment he would enforce his words with action. "Please let go," she said to Adam.

At first Adam's grip tightened, but when he glanced over at her, she gave him a speaking look that said she meant business. Reluctantly he let her go.

"It's about time we headed home, don't you think?" Adam said to Honey.

Honey was irked by Adam's choice of words, which insinuated that they lived together. However, she didn't think now was the moment to take him to task. The drifter was still poised for battle, and Honey didn't want to be the cause of any more of a scene than had already occurred.

"It is getting late," she said, "and I've got a long day tomorrow. It was nice meeting you, Jesse. I'll see you in the morning."

Honey anticipated Adam's questions and hurried him back inside. It took them a while to get through the kitchen, which now held several women collecting leftover potluck dishes to be carried home.

"Aha! I expect you two were out seeing a little of the moonlight," one teased.

"We'll be hearing wedding bells soon," another chorused.

Honey didn't bother denying their assumptions. They might very well prove true. But it was hard to smile and make humorous rejoinders right now, because she was still angry with Adam for his caveman behavior on the back porch.

When they reached the living room, a Randy Travis ballad was playing. "Dance with me?" Adam asked. His lips curved in the charming smile that had endeared him to her when they first met. Right now it wasn't doing a thing to put her in a romantic mood. However, it would be harder to explain her confused feelings to Adam than it would be to dance with him. "Sure," she said, relenting with a hesitant smile.

At almost the same moment Adam took her into his arms, she spied the drifter entering the living room. He stayed in the shadows, but Honey knew he was there. She could feel him watching her. She stiffened when Adam's palm slid down to the lowest curve in her spine. It wasn't something he hadn't done before. In the past, she had permitted it. But now, with the drifter watching, Adam's possessive touch felt uncomfortable.

Honey stepped back and said, "I'm really tired, Adam. Do you think we could go now?"

Adam searched her face, looking for signs of fatigue she knew he would find. "You do look tired," he agreed. "All right. Do youneed to get anything from the kitchen?"

"I'll pick up my cake plate another time," she said. She felt the drifter's eyes on her as Adam ushered her out the front door to his low-slung sports car. He opened the door for her and she slid inside. Protected by the darkness within the car she was able to look back toward the house without being observed. She felt her nape prickle when she caught sight of the drifter standing at the front window.

Honey knew he couldn't see her, yet she felt as though his eyes pinned her to the seat. They were dark and gleamed with some emotion she couldn't identify. She abruptly turned away when Adam opened the opposite door and the dome light came on.

Adam put a country music tape on low, setting a romantic mood which, before Honey had met the drifter, she would have appreciated. Right now the mellow tones only agitated her, reminding her that Adam had proposed and was waiting for her answer. He expected her to give him a decision tonight. To be honest, she had led him to believe her answer would be yes. They hadn't slept together; she hadn't been ready to face that kind of intimacy with another man. But she had kissed him, and it had been more than pleasant.