by Sue Lyndon
“You look exhausted, Emily. Let’s get you settled in a room upstairs so you can get some sleep. We can figure out how best to help you tomorrow after my brother arrives.”
Alarm disrupted her calm. “But what if he doesn’t believe me? What if he wants to turn me in?”
He cupped the side of her face, and she resisted the urge to lean into his warm, calloused hand. “Then I’ll kick his ass the same way I did when we were kids.”
She laughed.
“But seriously,” he said, “Trevor has had to deal with corrupt cops a few times before. Plus he’ll take one look into those pretty blue eyes of yours and believe anything you say.” He winked at her and stood up, grasping her hands to help her stand.
Emily’s body felt stiff and Daniel commented that she’d feel worse tomorrow when she woke up. She groaned but didn’t complain too much. She was incredibly grateful she’d survived a bad accident and that a complete stranger had taken pity on her. Emily knew from experience that not everyone was good, and it was becoming rarer and rarer for people to help one another in this busy, impersonal world. She felt like she’d stepped back in time almost, and as Daniel led her toward the stairs, she let her gaze wander around the house.
It was homey and western. An authentic ranch house if ever she’d seen one. Cattle horns were mounted above the entrance to a massive dining room with a rustic wooden table surrounded by about a dozen chairs. They passed a cozy kitchen that had an inviting breakfast nook nestled in the corner. A dim hallway with several closed doors swept past the kitchen. Paintings of longhorn cattle and beautiful Texan landscapes hung on the walls. Colorful Native American print rugs were strewn about the hardwood floor.
Emily noted that the house had plenty of feminine touches too. Intricately patterned afghans and vibrant quilts had been folded over the couch and chairs in the living room. She also noticed doilies on side tables and knickknacks a man would never think to buy.
“Are you or Trevor married?” she asked when they reached the steps. “I mean, is anyone else home right now?”
Daniel’s visage darkened, but he blinked quickly and the sadness she’d glimpsed disappeared. “No, neither of us are married.” He chuckled. “With our busy work schedules, we hardly have time for dates, let alone wives. We have a running joke that maybe if we both marry the same woman, between the two of us we can make one good husband.”
His comment, though spoken with humor, made heat suffuse her cheeks. If Trevor looked anything like Daniel, the idea of two big, handsome men handling one woman—possibly her, she thought fleetingly—caused her to tingle all over. No man had ever taken care of her before, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to belong to a man like Daniel, crazy work schedule and all. And to belong to both Daniel and his brother… she almost gasped for air at the thought.
Once they reached the top of the steps, Emily squeezed Daniel’s hand, drawing his gaze to hers. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me. You don’t even know me.”
He gave her a lopsided smile, and she fell hopelessly in love. Though she knew little about him, she wanted his approval and to remain in his good graces. To be his friend and possibly more. Except that was silly. He was at least fifteen years older than her and a doctor. Men like that didn’t end up with twenty-year-old delinquents who happened to be on the run from the cops. Sadness filled her as her wandering thoughts once again reminded her of why she was alone. She chided herself for her silly daydreaming.
Her last boyfriend had broken up with her after his family pressured him, proclaiming that there was no future with a girl like her.
A girl like her.
She’d wanted to change and make herself better. To move past the stigmas that followed her. Growing up dirt poor, she was teased constantly as a child and had a hard time making friends. Her mother had been oblivious to it all and hadn’t paid her much attention. So Emily had found acceptance in the wrong crowd. The kind of crowd that spray painted the sides of buildings for fun. The kind of crowd that drank heavily and got up to all sorts of other mischief. When her boyfriend had broken up with her, they’d encouraged her to seek revenge by spray painting JOHN HAS A SMALL DICK on the hood of his brand new red convertible. That had been the last time she was arrested, slightly over a year ago.
She swallowed the lump in her throat that always accompanied her bad memories and focused on the man holding her hand.
“In here,” Daniel said, opening a door and flicking on a light. “We always keep a guest room ready just in case.”
“Just in case a weird girl crashes outside your house in the middle of the night?” She surveyed the room, decorated much the same as the rest of the house, and eyed the bed appreciatively. A huge blue and green floral quilt covered the bed, and several matching decorative pillows were arranged just so. It looked like heaven.
“Yes,” Daniel said, “in case a weird girl crashes outside my house.” He faced her and toyed with a strand of her hair. Her belly flip-flopped and her heart picked up. “Just kidding, Emily. You’re not a weird girl. You strike me as a nice little girl who just needs a little help and maybe some guidance in her life.”
Her mouth went dry. “G-guidance?”
“Rules. Boundaries. Consequences. And of course, plenty of love.”
Emily didn’t know how to respond. She felt like a book Daniel had flipped open to read, word for word. She wanted all of those things—but most of all love. She’d given up trying and didn’t think any man would be able to see past her shameful history. Some days it seemed she had nothing but regrets.
No longer able to stand, she sank down on the edge of the bed, but Daniel followed her and stood over her, keeping his hand in her hair. She once again ached to lean into his touch, but she dared not allow herself to experience that kind of hope. Once Trevor helped her deal with the George situation, she’d be on her way. She’d leave Remsfield behind and try to start over. Hell, she should’ve done that long ago. Asshole that he was, George was right about one thing—nobody got a second chance in Remsfield. She’d lingered in her hometown, foolishly hoping her mother would choose to reach out to her, but it hadn’t happened yet and likely never would.
“Do you need to use the bathroom?” he asked, still smoothing her hair back.
Endorphins flooded her head, making her feel faint. It was all she could do to keep breathing steadily, lest he realize the effect he was having on her.
“No, I’m fine.”
“It’s at the end of the hall if you need it. I’ll leave the hallway light on so you don’t get lost. I want you to feel safe and welcome here, Emily, okay?”
She nodded, blinking back moisture. His kindness was overwhelming. “Okay. Th-thank you, Daniel.”
“I’m going to get you something to sleep in. Tomorrow morning I’ll figure out where we should put your car and I’ll bring your things up here. I’ll be right back.”
“Oh, please don’t. I don’t want to be a bother. I can sleep in this.” She glanced down at her t-shirt and jean skirt, then looked up and smiled at Daniel as if to prove she’d be perfectly comfortable sleeping in her clothes.
“Little girl, you might be here with us for a while. There’s no telling how long it’ll take to clear the charges against you.” He bent down and met her nose to nose. “I suggest you learn to accept help and not argue about every little thing, or you might end up with a sore bottom.”
He left the room before she could protest further.
A sore bottom? Her eyes widened as she replayed what he’d just said. Had he actually just threatened to spank her? His earlier words came rushing back. He’d spoken of rules, boundaries, and consequences. Oh, and love. She’d never had any of those things. She’d done as she pleased her whole life. She wanted love, desperately so. But the rules, boundaries, and consequences she suddenly wasn’t sure about.
A nervous ball of tension formed low in her tummy, the heat spreading even lower at the thought of being spanked by Danie
l, and she blushed when he returned holding a shirt.
“Here you go. One of my t-shirts. It’ll be like a nightgown on you, though.”
She lowered her head, afraid to meet his eyes lest he guess the thoughts that had just besieged her. Of course he might be joking, she noted, recalling his sense of humor. Yes, she decided. He wouldn’t really spank her. He was only teasing.
She accepted the shirt and stood awkwardly before him. Tension swelled in the room and his gaze bored into her, penetrating her and stripping her soul naked. She longed to lace her arms around his waist and bury her face in his chest, drawing comfort from his strength.
“Sleep well, Emily,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she said, almost a whisper. Her throat had constricted with another lump. She was so unused to people treating her with kindness that she didn’t know how to receive it.
Once he closed the door behind him, she changed quickly into his huge, soft t-shirt and crawled under the covers. The shirt smelled nice, like a mixture of man and laundry detergent. She smiled and closed her eyes, pushed away the worry about her uncertain future, and drifted to sleep in the warm bed.
Chapter Three
Texas Ranger Sergeant Trevor Anderson sped down the road and smiled when he passed the Twisted River 5 Miles Ahead sign. He’d been away for almost two weeks, investigating threats against a judge a few counties away. Now that the perpetrators had been caught, Trevor was looking forward to a long weekend on the ranch. He wasn’t due back at headquarters until Tuesday morning. He rarely took a day off, but since his last few weekends had been taken up by work, he felt guilty he hadn’t been able to help out on the ranch lately. His cousins ran the place smoothly, but Trevor still felt obliged to pitch in and get his hands dirty. Not only did he enjoy it, but it brought him back to his roots and gave him an appreciation for his hardworking parents, God rest their souls.
Just as the ranch house came into sight, Trevor spotted a smashed up car being towed up the long driveway, toward the garage. He sped up and squinted, trying to get a better look at the tiny blue car. As far as he knew, it didn’t belong to any of his cousins or the ranch hands. The car was being towed by Daniel’s truck.
As Trevor reached the driveway, he waved to his cousins walking behind the car. He parked his black SUV in its usual spot next to the house and hopped out, walking straight for the garage. He surveyed the car with a frown. Whoever had been inside at the time was probably banged up pretty good and likely still in the hospital. The front end was toast, the windshield smashed in, and the airbag deployed. Trevor would bet his silver star the car had wrapped around a big tree.
“Whose car is that?” he asked, directing his question to his two oldest cousins, Mark and Jerry.
Both men shrugged. “Damned if we know,” Mark said. “The car was over the bank right across from the lane. Smashed into that tree there.” He gestured to the tree and shrugged again.
A car door slammed and Trevor turned to see Daniel approaching.
“You look like a man who wants to help me push a car into the garage,” Daniel said, crouching down to unhook the chain from the car’s axil.
“And whose car is this?” Trevor asked.
Worry crept across Daniel’s face as he glanced at the house. “I’ll explain later. Just help me hide this car, okay?” He turned to face Mark and Jerry. “Thanks for your help.”
Mark and Jerry nodded and walked away, leaving Trevor alone with his brother.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“Nope, not exactly. I’ll explain when we get in the house. Now, let’s push the car around and inside right beside my truck.”
Figuring he wouldn’t get his brother to explain until the car was finally hidden, Trevor sighed and moved behind the car, ready to push while Daniel reached through the window to steer the wheels to the right. The wheels only turned a smidge, so both men had to push, angling the car in the spot beside Daniel’s truck. The moment the car was inside, Daniel shut both garage doors.
“Eat breakfast yet?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, I picked something up on the road. Come on, tell me what’s going on. Keep pissing me off and I’ll arrest you,” Trevor grumbled as he followed his brother up the walkway and into the house, hanging his Stetson on the coat rack. The smell of coffee greeted him as both men ventured to the kitchen.
Trevor glanced around but saw no signs of anyone else. The house always felt larger than it really was with just the two of them. A little empty and a little lonely—though it couldn’t be helped because neither of them had time for women. Trevor kept thinking he’d have time in a couple of years when his job settled down, but his job never seemed to settle down. A case might take him out of town for a week or more, and finding a woman willing to put up with a man with such a time consuming job had proven impossible so far. Now that Daniel had a partner at his family practice, he suspected his brother would have time to date and maybe finally settle down.
Trevor grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down in the breakfast nook. “Spill it, bro.”
Daniel shot him an annoyed look and settled in across from him, hovering over a cup of coffee and glancing toward the staircase.
“Oh, shit. Who’s upstairs?”
“A young lady named Emily. She’s from Remsfield.”
“Remsfield. Hmm. That’s a few hours south of here. What’s she doing in these parts?”
Daniel took a sip of coffee and sat back in the booth. “She was assaulted and nearly raped by a cop in her hometown. She fought back and knocked the cop unconscious, then drove until she ended up here, and fell asleep at the wheel. I was outside and saw her car veer off the road. She’s okay now, though a little scraped up and bruised. Not to mention terrified. She’s got a record and doesn’t think the cops will believe her story. I’m hoping you can help, Trevor. I promised her that we’d keep her safe and help her in any way we can,” Daniel said, then filled in the details of his interaction with Emily and their conversation from last night.
Trevor listened with an open mind. He could tell Daniel believed the girl’s story, but he wanted to hear it again in her own words. To see her expression as she retold it. After years of working in law enforcement, it took him less than a minute to discern whether or not someone was telling the truth. If the story Daniel relayed was indeed true, Trevor planned to use his resources to help Emily until enough evidence was gathered against the Remsfield cop.
“She’s been asleep for over six hours. I checked on her right before I pulled the car out of the ditch. Wait until you see her, Trevor. She looks like an angel. Poor thing doesn’t have any family either. Just a mother she said doesn’t have much to do with her.” Daniel ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Sweet thing like her. It’s a shame.”
Trevor smirked and rolled his eyes. “At least wait for her bandages to come off before you jump her, Daniel.”
“I’m not going to jump her. I just want to protect her, and I want her to feel welcome here with us. Be nice to her, or I’ll kick your ass.”
“Then I’ll arrest you for kicking my ass. Haul you off to jail and stick you in a cell with Bubba.”
They bantered for a few more minutes and made a fresh pot of coffee. It was nice to be home again, despite the task that awaited Trevor concerning Emily. Daniel had a good heart. He was the kid who brought wounded animals home and fixed them up. Trevor had always thought he’d become a vet. Hell, it would’ve made more sense since he’d grown up a rancher’s son. Instead, he’d gone to medical school, pissing off their father to high heaven, but the old man had eventually calmed down when he realized he could brag about his son the doctor.
While Daniel went to check on his patient again, Trevor pulled out his smartphone and scanned the new bulletins his department had received. Sure enough, he found one for an Emily Hall, a twenty-year-old blonde with gorgeous blue eyes. The photo displayed was her most recent mug shot.
He scanned her crimin
al history and saw nothing noteworthy. Just typical teenage trouble—though for typical teenage trouble, she’d been arrested quite a few times. Five times to be exact. Poor girl. She probably had a hell of a time making it in the world with that kind of record following her around. She was currently employed as a waitress at a bar in her hometown, and before that she’d worked in a fast food restaurant.
He studied her mug shot and a pang of emotion vibrated through his chest. God, he hoped she was telling the truth. If she really had been resisting arrest as the bulletin claimed, she had a difficult road ahead of her. However, if she was telling the truth, Trevor was confident he’d eventually be able to gather enough evidence against the cop in question, a George Patrick who was several years older than Emily and happened to be the sheriff’s son.
Well, damn. Any evidence that existed had probably already been covered up.
As much as he hoped Emily had been Officer Patrick’s only victim, he realized that if the man had hurt other women and if they would cooperate and testify, that would be a sure way to put Patrick away for a good, long time. Trevor sighed and put his phone away, glancing up as he heard voices drifting down from upstairs. Apparently Emily was awake. He headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.
* * *
“Here, take these. It’ll help with the aches and pains.”
Emily sat up, wincing as pain shot through her stiff limbs, and accepted the pills from Daniel, along with a bottle of cold water. She swallowed the pills and then drank greedily. When she finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and avoided his gaze.
Sunlight filled the room, spreading across the bedcover to warm her under the sheets. The clock on the nightstand read 11:15 a.m. She hadn’t gotten so many uninterrupted hours of sleep in a long time. Refreshed but in pain, she scooted up higher in the bed and handed the bottle back to Daniel. He set it aside and sank down on the bed next to her. His close proximity set her pulse to racing. Freshly shaven and clothed in a snug white shirt and a pair of jeans with a large belt buckle, he looked every inch the cowboy.
