Colton 911: Caught In The Crossfire (Book 5)

by Linda O. Johnston

  “Maybe we should write down all we see,” Casey suggested.

  “Maybe so—especially if we start seeing any signs of cattle besides their hoofprints.”

  There were more grassy areas than dirt or mud where hoofprints would show up. But there were also areas where that greenery had been tamped down, most likely by cattle walking through it. That, even more than the GPS, told them in which direction to continue.

  And so they kept going, with occasional breaks so they could walk around a little themselves, especially in areas with bushes around, and the horses could get a short breather without people on their backs.

  They also discussed their pasts a bit more, though Melody was glad that neither of them brought up their exes or their respective breakups again.

  Instead, she really had a question. “You mentioned that you have a twin, right?” she asked a short while after they’d seen and pointed out another rabbit. Cal walked right by it without paying attention, but the rabbit certainly noted their presence and leaped away.

  “That’s right—my brother, Everett. He was born only two minutes before me. That makes him my older brother, right? He certainly thinks so and has sometimes rubbed it in if he wants to get me irritated.”

  “That’s silly,” Melody said, unable to help herself as she stared toward the horizon, which was starting to take on some color. Soon it would be sunset. She began looking ahead of them for a place to stop for the night, even as her mind continued to swirl around what they’d been briefly discussing.

  Two minutes? Why would that make a difference?

  But as they continued forward, she enjoyed the amusement Casey imparted to her about how he and his brother had behaved in classes as kids, from elementary through high school. Sometimes they were in the same class and often not, but either way they enjoyed goading each other about it.

  And sometimes they gave teachers or fellow classmates a hard time, pretending that they weren’t twins or even brothers.

  His description made her a bit envious. She’d always been close to her parents, but she had no siblings.

  But she’d wanted to add to her family by having kids someday. Not going to happen now, though. Not while she had no interest in remarrying.

  “We drove our parents nuts at times,” Casey admitted. “Silly, of course, but it was fun. When we tried it in school we sometimes got called into the principals’ offices so we tried to be somewhat cautious about where and when.”

  “I’ll bet,” Melody said, picturing such mischief in her mind. And she also imagined how annoyed she would feel if any twins tried that around her.

  Yet working as a ranch hand, she’d seen plenty of bovine siblings around who looked similar, or even identical, that she needed to tell apart. Angus cattle, in fact, were generally all black in color and closely resembled each other; their personalities, too, were often similar.

  The first cattle she’d dealt with, on the Fort Worth ranch and then in Dallas, were generally Hereford or Holstein, and though there were similarities they didn’t necessarily look alike.

  Good thing, thanks to Clarence and his rules, that the Angus cattle she now worked with had tags that contained their names and ID numbers, as well as GPS microchips.

  Eventually, Melody started leading them off to the east despite their general need to continue mostly south, but she noticed some hillsides with more plant life that way and she hoped for another creek, too.

  Which, after a bit of hunting, they found, along with another good place to tether the horses on a couple of trees before the hillside they chose sloped down to the creek.

  They now had a hint of a routine. They both dismounted, and Melody was pleased to have Casey help remove the saddles and saddlebags once more before they both led their horses down the hill to get water to be filtered to provide them with a drink.

  As they’d done yesterday, both Witchy and Cal had eaten grass and extra feed along their route. And after grooming and checking over the horses, they tied up the animals for the night. Then Melody helped Casey raise and secure the tent and they put their saddlebags inside.

  After they conducted their bathing ritual, they called their respective bosses after Casey turned on the lanterns.

  Melody, sitting on top of her sleeping bag, wasn’t particularly pleased that the reception wasn’t great where they were. She was happy, though, that she reached Clarence on the first ring this time.

  “Sorry about that static,” he grumbled. “I’ll have to get one of my tech advisors to check it out tomorrow. So—have you located my missing cattle yet?”

  “Unfortunately, no. They seem to be continuing to head farther away, according to the GPS. It may still take another day or two.”

  “Great.” She heard the sarcasm dripping from her boss and winced, but what could she do? “Just so you know, I’ve had the hands who were watching the other herds lead them back closer to the ranch rather than fanning out the way they were. It’s easier for them to help each other take care of the other herds that way.”

  “I’d imagine so,” Melody agreed. She looked across the tent at Casey, who seemed to be talking animatedly to someone. Was he having a better time with the sheriff than she was with her employer? For his sake, she hoped so. But she also knew they’d all be a lot happier once they’d found and rescued the stolen animals.

  She couldn’t help noticing, in any case, that Casey looked relaxed in his jeans and the sweatshirt he’d put on over his T-shirt. Very relaxed.

  Very sexy, especially since they were here for the night, alone once more...

  And Melody had to keep her mind on what was important. That included not becoming attracted to this man who also would have no interest, after what had happened to his love life, in getting involved with her, any more than she wanted a relationship with him.

  “And...damn it all.” Clarence was suddenly yelling into her ear, bringing back her focus. “One of the hands who’s supposed to be back here helping out isn’t around. I gather he told a couple of the others that he’d go out and find the missing cattle and report back. Never mind that you’re already spending—and I hope not wasting—your time out there and you’ve got a deputy sheriff with you.”

  “That’s right,” Melody agreed, and wondered who the disobedient hand was. If she had to guess, it would be Pierce; he’d seemed particularly concerned and interested in the case, and like their boss he enjoyed being in charge.

  “Well, if you happen to run into Pierce out there, tell him to get back here where he belongs. Unless, of course, he’s actually located the cattle.” So she’d guessed correctly.

  “Of course, sir,” Melody said, rolling her eyes but glad he couldn’t see that. “And I’ll report back to you again tomorrow, one way or the other, assuming I still have phone service.”

  “Good. You do that.” Clarence ended the call.

  Casey wasn’t talking any more, either. “I just let the sheriff know we’re still out here trying,” he told her. “No news wasn’t good news, though.” He tried to make that sound like a quip, but he clearly wasn’t happy.

  “Same goes for me and our town selectman,” Melody said with a sigh. “I think maybe it’s time for us to grab something to eat.”

  “Yeah, maybe that’ll make us feel better,” Casey agreed, and they both dug into their saddlebags for food.

  When they were done eating, Melody decided to go back outside to check on the horses. “It’s colder outside than it’s been since we started out,” she said to Casey. “I want to be sure they’re okay and not bothered by the increased chilliness.”

  “Good idea,” Casey said, and stood to accompany her. She liked that about him. He was always there for her, willing to help. He even swept the tent’s exit flap out of her way.

  She needed to ignore that—despite the way his eyes caught hers for a moment, too. She made herself keep going.r />
  The horses still stood where their reins were attached to nearby bushes, and they both appeared relaxed, even sleepy. They looked up when Casey and she approached and Witchy even nodded, but neither appeared to need any further attention.

  “You’re the expert,” Casey said, “but they both look okay to me.”

  “Me, too.” She patted both of them nevertheless and got some curious but apparently neutral looks from their mounts, who didn’t attempt to move, at last not at that moment.

  Suddenly, Casey grabbed her cold hand, tugging her along until they were back inside the tent. She was even more amused—maybe—when, after helping her to get down on her opened sleeping bag, he joined her there, sitting closely beside her with his arm around her.

  Which felt good. Much too good. And not just because it helped to warm her a bit.

  She was even more aware of him than usual. Of his body, touching hers. Not in any sexual way, and yet she couldn’t help thinking about how his hip met hers, how his warm side also pressed against her, somehow turning her on. How his hand, which latched on to the outside of her leg to pull her closer as they sat there, increased her awareness of his fingers and where they might go if they moved, rather than simply holding her loosely.

  And yet, she just sat there, as he did. They talked more about their respective pasts and what had brought them to this point in their lives.

  Eventually, Melody felt herself relax as they continued their light conversation.

  This was fine, she told herself. Two professional colleagues keeping each other comfortable.

  That was all it was...right?

  * * *

  Keep talking, Casey told himself. That way, he could just hang out there with Melody snuggled beside him as he sat up.

  Her light, feminine scent, maybe due to whatever she put on after their attempt at washing, intrigued him.

  So did the feel of her. The sweet, humorous tone of her voice...

  Plus, Casey enjoyed, maybe too much, her responses to his questions about what her dad had taught her—and not taught her—about being a ranch hand.

  Her father had taught her to love animals, although that might have happened, anyway. To want to take care of them. To love the outdoors and work there to achieve everything necessary to ensure that the cattle, horses—and sometimes dogs—were well cared for and also worked well with each other.

  Would she be as caring with a husband? Kids? Somehow Casey thought so. But he wouldn’t be the one to find out, if anyone did—although the idea of her possibly being so loving? Well, it intrigued him.

  He cast his thoughts aside.

  “What was your favorite lesson?” Casey finally asked.

  “When my dad showed me how to ride horseback and cull a cow from the herd without scaring either of them, or myself. And then he had me practice it. It was sort of the initial lesson of how to become the best ranch hand I could.”

  She’d moved even closer beside him, if that was possible, as she spoke. Even laid her head against his shoulder, moving it so she talked upward, toward his ear.

  He wanted to pull her even closer, maybe on top of him.

  Better if he was on top, though...

  No. He had to keep his mind under as much control as his body. “Sounds great,” he said. “Everett and I didn’t become interested in law enforcement thanks to our parents, though. Our dad is a doctor, an oncologist, and he loves what he does, but neither Everett nor I ever aspired to become an MD. Our mom’s the local postmistress. She’s a great lady—didn’t want us to follow in her footsteps but did want us to give back to our community. So, in our ways, we have—even though Everett’s not living here now.”

  “Then I assume your mom’s fond of Cactus Creek, too,” Melody said.

  “Yes, she’s lived here all her life as well. But though our folks were nice and encouraging, they didn’t particularly inspire us with how to spend our lives.”

  “So how did you choose law enforcement?” Melody asked. Her voice was starting to slow down and sound sleepy.

  But Casey wanted to answer her question. “Well, somewhere along the line we heard of some distant relatives, more Coltons, who didn’t live around here but were cops. Everett and I both became fascinated, looked into it more, watched long-distance, to the extent we could, what those relatives were doing...and here we are.”

  “Yes, here we are,” Melody repeated, her tone soft.

  “You sound tired,” Casey told her. “Ready for some sleep?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  He started to move away from her, to cross the small expanse of the tent to get to his own sleeping bag, but she grabbed his left hand until he turned back toward her.

  “It’d keep us both warmer if we slept together,” she said, and then her pretty eyes widened beneath the light of the lantern. “And I do mean sleep together,” she clarified.

  “I figured,” he responded with a laugh. “Sounds good to me, as long as we actually get some sleep that way.”

  They were in Arizona, not Antarctica. But it was chilly, and staying warm would help them sleep to prepare for the next day.

  Melody replied to his comment. “What, do you think staying that close will cause us to lose the professionalism we’ve been so good at so far?”

  “I guess we can find out.” He winked at her.

  But in the next few minutes, they did lie down together, both of them on top of Melody’s opened sleeping bag, with Casey’s spread over them.

  They started out lying side by side, and he gathered that Melody actually fell asleep that way.

  Not him. Not at first.

  He was too conscious of her presence.

  Of her sexiness, even as they worked at being professional despite her being so close, pressed up against him just slightly, yet emphasizing how wonderful her nearness was, causing his body to notice...

  Not that he’d do anything about it.

  Even though he found her sweet, clean scent tempting. Very tempting.

  He worried whether he’d keep that promise to himself as Melody shifted in her sleep, turning so she lay with her back against him.

  Oh, yeah, he was warmer that way. Much warmer.

  And sleep? With Melody so near him?

  With her butt touching his most sensitive area, which reacted by doing anything but sleep thanks to that arousing contact?

  With, in turn, his right arm under her head, his left arm over her shoulder...and his hand so very close to her full breasts?

  Okay, he told himself after feeling he’d been awake for hours, but it had probably only been for half an hour. Enough of this. Time to sleep.

  And somehow he managed to nod off.

  Chapter 10

  Was she the first to awaken? Melody believed so, just as she had yesterday morning.

  Only then, they’d been in this same tent together, sure, but across from one another.

  Now she was snuggled up against Casey on top of one of the sleeping bags, with the other one covering them. It felt good and warm and friendly, but nothing else, right?

  And maybe her recollections of snuggling tighter against him, feeling his seeming arousal pressed tautly against her throughout most of the night, especially when she was just falling asleep, had been her imagination.

  A dream.

  A much too exciting dream...

  Casey moved behind her...and she once again noticed what felt like an erection pushing into her back. She sucked in her breath, wondering if she should slide forward. Get up. At least move away...although she realized she liked that sensual pressure.

  “Hey, Melody, are you awake?” Casey’s deep, raspy voice startled her.

  “Yes,” she said, finally sliding forward because it seemed appropriate now. “I was wondering if you were.”

  “Yep. And I think it’s still e
arly enough for us to slip outside and see how the sunrise looks this morning.”

  He stood up first and held out his hand to help her stand. She could have gotten up just fine but appreciated his gentlemanliness, so she grasped his warm hand and was soon standing, though bent over in the tent, facing him.

  They’d just spent the night together. Close. So close. But nothing untoward had happened—at least not on purpose.

  Damn, but she appreciated the guy and his attitude.

  Even as she found herself much too attracted to him and, as much as she disliked the idea under these circumstances, sexually frustrated.

  Not that she’d let him know it. “First one out of this tent gets to choose what they’ll eat for breakfast first.”

  “You’re on.” She was amused as, still in their heavy shirts, they both put on their shoes, then pretended to scramble for the flap. She got to push it open and recognized that Casey had held back so she’d be the winner. She considered doing something to let him out first, but then decided, what the heck? She got to see the sunrise first yesterday, so why not today?

  Which she did. It wasn’t quite as vivid as the prior morning’s bright orange, but it seemed to be peach, striped with the white clouds. “Lovely,” she breathed as she stood there, turning slightly to take it all in.

  “Yes, lovely,” Casey said beside her, but his throaty tone made her glance at him.

  He was staring at her, but only until their eyes met. He looked away then and began studying the sky.

  Was she just imagining that? Did he feel attracted to her the way she felt attracted to him?

  Well, they had spent the night together. Very closely together. And he was a man. Definitely. Which meant his sexual instincts might even be more active than hers. Although hers...

  Okay. Enough, she told herself. Without saying anything else to Casey she headed toward where Cal and Witchy were tethered, both of them now watching the humans. She unhitched Cal from the bush, while Casey did the same with Witchy, and they walked the horses to the nearby stream for a drink.