Matt (Big Sky Lawmen Book 1)

by Vanessa Devereaux

  Matt stabbed at the numbers; hoping agent man would pick up the phone quickly so he could get this over and done with.

  “Hi Matt, I was about to call you to see how things turned out last night.”

  Matt cleared his throat. Why did he feel he was ten years old again and about to tell his dad he’d thrown the baseball around in the house and he’d broken a lamp.

  “I guess undercover work’s harder than it seems,” Matt began. He cleared his throat. “I didn’t get as much information as I hoped. I did find out that she’s going to law school.”

  And cute and curvy.

  “That doesn’t help us very much. Did she sense that maybe you were asking about her boss?”

  “No, I played it cool and I’m going to see her again.”

  Why had his heart skipped a beat when he’d said that?

  “You’ve booked another meeting with her?”

  “She even suggested it. In fact, it’s at another location. She has a place on Flathead Lake. I thought I could do some fishing…I mean fishing for more information.”

  “Have you got someone that can go along as backup? You know a guy who can keep an eye on you because maybe she’s on to you. Matt this could be a set up.”

  Now his heart sank. He knew this was sheriff and FBI business but the thought that she had an ulterior motive for asking him and that she might be planning something sinister, made his suddenly depressed. Yeah, that had been his initial reaction but he’d put it out of his mind until now.

  “Yeah, I have that all worked out,” Matt said. He hated the fact that someone else had thought she had other plans for him too. There was him thinking that maybe she’d found him cute.

  “Just get her to relax and trust you. Maybe take a meal along with you, some good wine. You’d be surprised how I’ve gotten information out of a woman over a good meal,” said Agent Lewis.

  Knowing how uptight he’d been in the office, Matt was guessing they were the only meals he had with females.

  “We’ll cover all of your out of pocket expenses.”

  “Okay, I’ll try that,” Matt said.

  “And this meeting is taking place when?”

  “Saturday.”

  “I’ll wait to hear from you first thing on Monday morning and if you still haven’t gotten anything from her then we’ll have to take another approach.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Emily drove up to the cabin and it was just as she remembered it. Lucky thing her uncle had opted to keep it. Maybe she should ask him if she could live here while she went to law school. The commute wouldn’t be fun in the winter but at least the rent would be low, or who knows, even free.

  She grabbed the key he’d given her, exited the car and headed up the path. They’d had so many fun days, playing table tennis in the basement, volleyball on the back lawn, and then the homemade boat races at sunset. And let’s not forget the freshly caught fish they grilled and ate with corn and baked potatoes. The toasted marshmallows for dessert.

  Emily opened the door and coughed. The place hadn’t been opened since last fall and the air was stale. Emma quickly cranked open a few windows and let the breeze enter the house.

  She walked to the kitchen and looked out through the patio door. Flathead Lake was the most beautiful place on earth. When she was a successful attorney, a partner hopefully, she was going to buy some land here and build her dream house. Somewhere she could retire and look out at the lake every morning when she got up.

  She had dustcovers to take off the furniture and maybe she’d burn a candle or two to make the place smell good ready for Matt’s arrival.

  Matt, she was looking forward to seeing him again. She knew it might be the last time. She understood that but at least she’d have something to remember when she grew old. Maybe one day she’d tell her grandkids about the time she’d almost become an escort and met this sweet cowboy.

  *****

  Matt thought about asking his mom to cook something nice for him to take along but he didn’t want her prying into what he was up to. He didn’t want her to think he’d fallen for a girl who was an escort because he knew he’d be lectured big time.

  Instead, he’d gone to the upscale grocery store in one of the ski towns in Glacier Valley. They now catered to the rich and famous that used it to grab food before they headed to their million dollar homes and took to the slopes.

  He’d whistled when he’d seen some of the prices but as he wasn’t paying so it didn’t really matter. The lime rubbed salmon, roasted potatoes and almond green beans sounded just the thing. Huckleberry cheesecake for dessert and a bottle of white wine would round things off. He’d even picked up a bunch of flowers on his way to the check out. He’d told his deputy that if he hadn’t heard from him by 8 p.m. then to come to the address and check things out.

  Matt pulled up to the driveway and immediately fell in love with the cabin. It wasn’t the best looking of the bunch. In fact, it was one of the few remaining original smaller cabin style places left on this side of the lake. Most people bought them, tore them down and built McMansions so this was great to see one of the few true Montana originals. He got out of the truck and grabbed the bag with the food and took the flowers from the passenger seat. He went up to the door and knocked on the wood paneling running down its center.

  When Mia opened it to him, he actually felt the thud of his heart beat against the wall of his chest. She looked so pretty with her hair tied up in a ponytail with a few tendrils hanging around her face. A sweater and jeans adorned her body and she looked just an innocent girl who was going to law school. He only wished she was.

  “I hope you didn’t mind but I bought us something to eat,” he said, when she invited him inside.

  “Perfect, because I was going to ask if you wanted to grill out back, but I don’t think there’s any propane.”

  “And these are for you?”

  He handed her the flowers.

  “You shouldn’t have, but you must have known I love flowers of any kind. They always make me a very happy girl.”

  “Show me where the kitchen is and I’ll get the food set up. Well that is if you’re ready to eat.”

  “I’m always ready to eat. You can probably tell that by the curves.”

  He followed behind her and hoped what he was about say wouldn’t upset her but he knew it might be a great way to get onto the topic of Mark Vincent.

  “Does your boss ever get picky about your weight?”

  She turned around and looked at him. “Nope because some men like us full figured girls.” She winked at him

  Matt put the bag on the countertop. “He’s easy to work for then?”

  “He’s a pussycat.”

  “That’s good to hear. I mean I’ve heard some bosses in this business can be downright mean.”

  He took out the containers and set them on the stove.

  “Very easy going… oh, salmon, I love salmon. How about I warm all this up in the microwave?”

  “Sounds good to me. I hope you like wine.”

  “I love wine. You are so sweet, Matt.”

  “Yeah, it’s my middle name.”

  “You want to put these plates and glasses on the table and I’ll get this into some glass dishes.”

  “So what type of law do you want to practice?” he asked. He thought it best not to focus too much on Mark Vincent or she might grow overly suspicious.

  “I haven’t decided yet. My father’s a defense attorney, but I don’t really want to do that.”

  “You thought about working for a DA’s office?”

  Mia shook her head.

  “If you do I can probably give you the names of a couple of people who might help you out when it’s time to go job hunting.”

  Damn, would a rancher know people in the DA’s office?

  “That would be great. And did all the cows get milked the other night?”

  “They did,” said Matt.

  “Glad to hear that.”

 
; She placed a dish in the microwave and set the timer.

  Matt looked out of the window. “Beautiful view from here.”

  “Isn’t it the best you’ve ever seen?”

  “It really is. I love the way the sun sparkles on the water. So you and your family are from this area?”

  “We go back five generations.”

  “Yeah, my family does too.”

  Matt took the bottle of wine and Mia handed him a corkscrew. “So how did you get into this line of work?”

  “Through my friend M…Mary,” said Mia.

  “She works for Mark Vincent too?”

  Damn, that had slipped off his tongue. Mia gave him more of a look of confusion then how do you know his name, look.

  “That’s right.”

  “I hear he runs lots of other businesses.”

  “I think he has a few stores,” said Mia.

  She was being evasive and he guessed she wasn’t going to give up too much. Maybe he’d have to sweet talk her. Wine and dine her. When her defenses were down, he’d pounce.

  He topped up her wine.

  “Are you trying to get me drunk or what?” Mia asked him.

  “No, I just hate good wine to go to waste.”

  He topped up his too to show her his intentions were good.

  “And it is good,” she said, after she’d taken a sip.

  “Shall we eat before it the food gets cold?” Matt asked her.

  “Let’s.”

  Matt pulled out her chair and she sat.

  “Dive in,” said Matt.

  “Wow, this salmon is to die for,” Mia said. “You said you like fishing?”

  “Yeah my dad and I always go a couple of times every season.”

  “Sounds like you’re close to your parents.”

  “I am, my sister too.”

  “You have just the one sister?”

  He nodded. “How about you?”

  “Only child.”

  “Your parents know what you do for a living?” Matt asked her.

  “They’d be mortified,” Mia said.

  “So why do you?”

  “The money,” Mia said. “Tough to put yourself through law school on minimum wage.”

  “There are loans and grants. You don’t have to sell that beautiful body of yours.”

  “You are the sweetest guy I’ve ever met,” Mia said. She ran her feet over the top of his and a tingle went up his legs and into his groin.

  “Are you referring to sweetest guy you’ve ever met in his line of work or life in general?”

  “Life in general,” she said.

  “Any guy ever been rough with you?”

  She looked up at him.

  He quickly added. “Don’t worry I’m not asking you because I want to get that way with you.”

  “No, no man has ever been rough with me.”

  “Your boss probably would go after any guy that was, right.”

  “He’d kill them.”

  Matt nodded.

  “You ever thought of working in another one of your boss’ businesses. Doesn’t he have some restaurants he’s just opened up around here?”

  “You strangely know a lot about him. I’m getting a little suspicious of your motives.”

  Chapter Twelve

  She’d only been messing with him when she’d made that last comment, but the color had quickly drained from his face and he’d gone suddenly silent.

  “I’…”

  He’d also developed a stutter. The poor guy. Now she felt bad.

  She knew just how to put it right and she’d wanted to do the minute she’d seen him on the door step. In those tight jeans and shirt, and oh yeah, the cowboy hat and boots again. She got up, walked to the other side of the table, and then sat on his lap, putting her arms around his neck. She smelled the wine on his breath and couldn’t help but lick the bottom one.

  Before she knew it his arms were around her and he was returning the kiss. His tongue slipped over her lips and he ran his fingers through her hair. Her panties were growing wet and her pussy ached. Emily wanted him to make love to her. Lift her up and carry she her to the bed and kiss her, touch her, lavish her with his tongue, and make sweet love to her for the rest of the day and night.

  But that would be wrong. Technically he thought she was an escort and although money wasn’t changing hands, this could be considered soliciting.

  He put his hand up under her t-shirt and rubbed her back as the kiss grew more urgent. Were they both on the point of no return?

  Suddenly Matt seemed to answer that question. He pulled his hand back out and stopped kissing her. They both sat looking at one another and didn’t say a word. He pushed a tendril of hair out of her eyes.

  “This is so damn complicated,” he said. “I want to make love to you but I can’t.”

  Did that mean he was impotent? Dare she ask? She’d read that lots of guys who couldn’t get it up sought out professional women to help them. She obviously wasn’t the right one for him, although she’d felt and seen his erection. If only she had Mia’s knowledge she’d know what to do.

  Emily stood.

  “Hey, it’s not your fault,” Matt said, reaching out for her hand.

  He stood and she didn’t know why but a tear slipped down her face. She’d found someone that she was comfortable around. Someone she’d like to date. A man she’d die to have sex with but there were a couple of big problems.

  “Hey, you crying?” he asked.

  “No, I just have something in my eye.”

  “Here, take this,” he went to pull something out of his pocket and a set of handcuffs fell to the floor with a clunk.

  They both looked down at them and then up at one another.

  “Were you thinking about using those?” Emily asked. “Is that what you like?”

  “What, no, no, absolutely not. Look I can explain this. I can explain everything and I need to come clean with you okay.”

  Just as he said that his cellphone rang. Looked like he was about to let it ring on but then he glanced at it and shook his head.

  “I have to take this okay, but as soon as I’m done we’re going to have a long talk.”

  He turned away and said hello into the phone.

  “Right now.” Emily heard him say.

  Emily could hear a woman’s voice on the other end of the phone.

  “Okay, I’ll head out now. You doing okay?”

  Again the woman’s voice responded but Emily couldn’t hear what she was saying.

  “Hang tight and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  He ended the call and turned to look at Emily.

  “It’s my sister. She’s in labor. Her husband’s in the Air Force and currently deployed so I’ve been her Lamaze coach and I have to go but I still want to sit down and talk to your Mia.”

  “Is it really your wife, Matt?”

  “What, no, I can assure you I’m single. Do you have a private number I can call you at? I mean besides the escort one?”

  At first, she hesitated about giving it to him, thinking that maybe that’s why he’d chosen to have sex with an escort because his wife was pregnant. Maybe he liked to the whole handcuffs thing but then he’d had seconds thoughts and backed out.

  “I’m telling you the truth, Mia, it’s my sister who’s in labor.”

  He must have read the I’m reluctant to trust you written all over her face. She’d probably regret this but she grabbed a napkin and wrote down her cell phone number and handed it to him.

  “Great, I’ll take good care of this and I will call you as soon as I’m done with my Lamaze coach duties.”

  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and winked at her and then was gone. Emily walked to the door and watched him back out of the driveway and then slowly disappear out of sight.

  She walked back inside and saw the handcuffs still sitting on the floor. She leaned over and picked them up. They were heavy and looked like the real deal, not a flimsy pair you’
d buy at a sex shop.

  She leaned against the countertop.

  Wait a minute, handcuffs, him asking all those questions.

  She went hot and cold at the same time. She was guessing he was an undercover cop who was going to bust her with solicitation. She slid down onto the floor. Why did this sort of thing always happen when she met what she thought was a nice guy? And if she was arrested, she’d never be a lawyer. She burst into tears, regretting that she’d met both Mia and Matt.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Matt paced up and down outside his sister’s room. The doctor was in there checking her over. He’d told Matt it was okay for him to stay in there while he did so, but he felt out of place and embarrassed, too. When she’d asked him to be her coach in the delivery room he’d been reluctant at first. He didn’t mind being with her, but the thought of seeing his sister hoo-ha, reminded him this wasn’t the job for him.

  However, as she had always done since they’d been kids, she’d twisted him around her little finger until his defenses had gradually been weakened. How could he turn her down? She and Phil had been trying to get pregnant for three years and had even been through two interviews with an adoption agency, thinking that was their main and possibly only chance of ever being parents. However, Jennifer had finally gotten pregnant, and four months later they’d discovered Phil was being deployed overseas. Matt had agreed to be her labor coach on the one condition that he didn’t look when she actually gave birth.

  He smiled, recalling her bursting out laughing because he’d turned red and refused to say the word vagina. She’d told him it wasn’t too surprising he was still a bachelor. Then she’d gone one step further and commented that she was surprised he wasn’t still a virgin, too. He’d sure been acting like one since he’d met Mia.