Heart of Steele Read Online Free

eastern side of
Texas ensured that his expertise was in farming, stock, and water
rights, not cars.
    Traffic thinned as they headed out of LA.
    “You’re going to let me drive her sometime,
right?” Tracy gave him an angelic grin.
    “No way in hell.” He laughed. “I spent two
years’ income buying her and having her fixed up.” He patted her
thigh twice. “But I’ll let you sit behind the wheel for a couple
minutes.”
    She crossed her arms, smiling. “You’re a mean
man, Steele McLairn.”
    He’d never been mean, until lately. He’d been
a tough but fair ranch boss, a hard-driving director with his band,
and a strong advocate for talented musicians. Since finding out his
father had sired Ryder while cheating on his mother, his sister
called him an ass, his father berated him for his coldness toward
his half-brother, and even Chase had asked him to give Ryder a
break. He gripped the wheel and checked for the exit sign to the
hotel.
    None of them understood what was at stake for
him. No one could see beyond today, or comprehend how all their
futures would change if he gave in and acknowledged Ryder. The
country music fan base was traditional, family oriented. Steele had
marketed himself as a conservatively raised man, hiding nothing,
and proud of his lineage. Country’s Real Steele McLairn. Shit, he
would look like a liar. And a fool.
    Worse than that, hauling out a bastard
brother and parading him around would spark a firestorm of
investigation. His family would be hauled into the spotlight, and
that just made him want to put his fist through a wall.
    Hell, even Tracy had heard him at his worst
today, cussin’ out his dad. “You don’t think very highly of me, do
you.” Shit, where had that come from? He’d just told her he didn’t
want to spew his feelings out. And then that crap had come flying
from his mouth.
    She turned to face him. “Why do you say
that?”
    He recognized the typical analytical form.
Answer a question with a question. Had she been in therapy? He’d
gone to a few sessions after his mother had died. His dad thought
it’d help his sister and him, but when Steele had moved to
Nashville, his life started racing too fast, and he never took the
time for more therapy.
    “You just assumed, circumstantially, that I
was advising Chase to leave the woman he loves and abandon his
child.” He frowned at her. “We don’t know each other all that well,
you and I. But you thought you knew me well enough to yell at me
and take a swing.”
    Tracy slumped back in her seat. A small sound
came from her mouth and she closed her eyes.
    Steele spotted the exit to the hotel, and
eased into the right lane, then took the exit ramp.
    In minutes, arid land gave way to trees and
grasses as the elevation increased.
    “No, you’re right. We don’t know each other
very well.” She rubbed her palm on her thigh. “And I don’t blame
you if you never want to see me again after this whole running and
hiding thing is over.”
    Would he want to explore more than just a
sexual relationship with someone who exploded the way she had?
She’d said she never hit anyone before. Did he believe that?
    She turned her head to face him. “But if
you’d just give me a chance to...” Looking around, she seemed
confused. “Where are we?”
    He gestured ahead a few hundred yards to the
closed gates of the fancy resort he owned a majority share of.
Cascade Valley. He pulled up and stopped. On his left, the door of
the guard building opened.
    Her lips formed into a little circle and her
eyes opened wide. “Really? I’ve heard of this place.” She looked
down at her shorts. “Oh heck.” She immediately reached back for her
bag.
    Steele couldn’t help smiling at her quick
change of mood.
    “What’s this?” She held up one of the boots
he’d swiped.
    “Thought they might come in handy later.” He
rolled down his window.
    “Mr. McLairn.” The uniformed guard clicked
his remote and the heavy gates slid silently