Page 11 of Diamond

“Dangling the carrot?”

“I heard a rumor, and I thought it was just that.” I clear my throat. “Lanzetti wants to build a luxury resort.”

My eyes widen and my blood boils at the same time. “He what?”

This day just got so much fucking worse.

CHAPTER 6

DIAMOND

I stare at Nash when he doesn’t offer anything more. “A luxury resort?” I can barely even utter the words.

“I know.” He sighs. “It isn’t public knowledge yet. Let’s keep it that way, or pandemonium will ensue.”

“B-but the town meeting?” I stammer. “We have to vote.”

“Somehow, the developers managed to garner some votes under the table, so even if a town meeting is called, Lanzetti already has the majority vote.”

“By who? Who the hell would want to build a resort in Saddle?”

“I guess that will all come to light, but I’d say people who don’t care about Saddle and took the cash instead. You’d be surprised at the number of people who are swayed by money.”

I frown. Nobody I know would want a resort here. This is Saddle, not fucking Disneyland. Still, Nash is right. People sell out all the time.

“Here I was thinking I was being a complete bitch because of a wind farm.” I throw my arms in the air. “When all along that slimy fuck was sneaking around right under my nose the entire time. He can go fuck himself, by the way. I’m not selling, not for any price.”

His eyes dip to my mouth, then lift again. He backs off, and holy Christ, I don’t want him to.

I want to know how that scruff feels on my mouth, between my legs, all over my body.

“I knew you’d say that.”

“Some things just can’t be bought,” I affirm. “He can’t have what’s mine. This isn’t about money.”

“And yet it seems he needs it, because the resort can’t go ahead because he needs a certain number of acres. He needs your land to properly develop the site.”

“I guess he’s shit outta luck then, isn’t he?”

“These guys can get pretty aggressive,” Nash says, surprising me. Why does he care?

I shake my head, adamant. “I’ll rally around. We’ll protest, call the TV station, the radio. Then I’ll stage an emergency meeting. He won’t get away with this.”

“I admire your spirit, Diamond,” he says, his voice low. It’s then I realize the thud I can hear is the beating of my own heart. “Truly. It’s admirable.”

“I mean every word.” I stand straighter, but he’s everywhere.

He nods, and there’s a look in his eyes that tells me he understands. “I know you do.”

I want to pull him by the lapels of his uniform and feel his lips on mine.

I want him to cage me in again. No, scratch that, I need him to cage me in. But that’s irrational, and I don’t do irrational.

This intense heat between us can’t be tamed. I know I’ve only met him twice, but my heart has never pounded like this. Nash does things that make my stomach turn upside down and clouds my vision. I’m levelheaded, but even I can admit when I’ve been blindsided by my own rage. Whether he’s going to be an ally remains to be seen, so I shouldn’t be dropping my guard this easily.

I push him away with my palm. “I have to go.”

“So soon?”