Of The Cowboy's Own Accord (Double Dutch Ranch; Love At First Sight #3)

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  Holding her face between his hands, he became lost in her gaze as they experienced the burn of relief. At the same time his fury raged on into an intense completion. He arched to meet her, and held her there as his body quivered. His eyes closed in hungry satisfaction.

  Gracelyn threaded her fingers into his hair. “Don’t you see? Being here with you so close—our bodies as one is a high all in itself. The best of everything faces us. I believe that.” She gave a kiss—deliberate, yet slow, while basking in a contented afterglow.

  “Your kisses are sexy.” His hands tight against her back, he pulled her close. “I’m about to lift you.” Dane stood and carried her to the edge of the bed where he sat. She stood and he placed his hands on her waist and lower to caress her hips, her back, thighs—all of her—anything to touch her. “You’re everything I need, woman. Don’t ever forget that.” He scooted to the center of the bed and held his arm out. “Lie beside me.” Dane stretched out on his back with his arm around her. His insides still quivered—not totally back from glory yet.

  ***

  An in-room breakfast came as part of the room package. When the cart had been taken, Gracelyn gathered her new outfit to get ready for a shower. “It’s different waking a married woman this morning.” A smile appeared on her face as she unconsciously flicked a button on the blouse she held in her hands. “I don’t know what makes it different.”

  “It kind of does.” Dane took pleasure in watching her strut around the room dressed in her slip, with a fitted bra giving her breasts a lift, and emphasized a deep cleavage. He had on new jeans with the fold marks still showing, something he didn’t like. “We have to call the cops. Who knows if they’ll be knocking on the door any minute?”

  Before entering the bathroom, she turned. “When I get out we’ll call them. Can you pull the blankets up over the bed?”

  He crossed the room to where she stood. “Sure. I want this bullshit over. I don’t know what the hell they’ll do about it. I mean, his name is on the airline roster, so they know he was on the plane. With as many cameras as there are around this city, one of them had to pick him up going into the hotel.”

  Gracelyn diverted her eyes. “Maybe they’ll know more when they arrive to talk to us.” She pressed her hand to his chest. “Relax. I’ll be right out.”

  Dane lifted her chin. “You know you’re lovely in the morning.” He cleared his head. She had a way of sneaking in and distracting him. “I’ve texted some buddies… Well, they’ll be able to dig up some information if this investigation goes nowhere.”

  “You shouldn’t do anything. I’m not fearful. I don’t think he’d hurt me.” She made eye contact with him. “You think your guys can help?”

  Ignoring her question on purpose, he wished she didn’t take this so lightly. The fact he sliced up her clothes said something different to Dane. Nothing about this scenario was good. “Maybe he wouldn’t hurt you before I came home. The situation has changed for him—for whatever he planned.”

  She removed his hand from her shoulder. “Dammit, Dane. Here we go again. He knew there wasn’t a chance. I never gave him reason to believe there was. The sooner you accept that, the better.”

  Hardheaded woman. “It’s not that, Gracelyn. You must see how his actions speak differently.” Only if she was afraid enough to take this serious.

  She pushed her palm against his arm. “Let me take a shower. I want to get out of here as soon as we can.”

  “So do I, darlin’.” More than you know. Later, he’d tell her about wanting her to remain at her parents until this was taken care of. She’d not like the idea at all, but it wasn’t only her at risk. Their child was a part of this now. Dane was sure her father and brother would agree with him and want to keep her safe as much as he did.

  Dane paced around the suite, opened the refrigerator for no reason other than nothing else to do, because if he let his mind wander too much, it was hard to tell what he’d do. When the shower turned off, he called the police station and talked to Officer Brannon. They would arrive in about forty-five minutes. Check out time was in an hour and a half, so this deal had better not take long.

  When Gracelyn came out dressed in jeans and a pink top, he went to her. He smiled to himself. Pink brought out her rosy cheeks and the soft coral color of her sensual lips. The idea of someone out to harm her, dug at his gut, and he brought her into his arms. “Listen, honey, don’t be angry at me for worrying about you and my child. You don’t see the severity of this, even after what happened yesterday.”

  “This is your kind of life—the danger. You expect it, but everything in life isn’t dangerous.” She sighed. “I’m trying to understand what you’re going through, Dane, but he being on the plane could have nothing to do with this. Maybe everyone is looking in the wrong direction.”

  He released her and his hands fisted at his sides. “How can you be so damn naïve about this?” Why can’t she see what is happening? His jaw clenched and he didn’t know if it’d ever relax again. “Gracelyn, this is pissing me off.”

  “Don’t raise your voice to me.” She tried glancing away but shot a glare back. “Be…because I’ve lived with it for a couple months and he never did anything out of line, besides call, until you came home.”

  He placed his hands on her waist. “Well, for crying out loud. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

  She wriggled away and stared him down. “Maybe he wants you and not me. You’re the one who came home.” She twisted away from him then crossed to the window. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

  Thanks, woman, I needed to hear that. Her words slammed into his heart like a wrecking ball. “Well, sonofabitch, forgive me for getting wounded and having to come home early. It wasn’t my choice. I would’ve signed up for an extended tour of duty if I hadn’t met you that night…if, if I hadn’t been wounded.” Shit, that sounded awful. Dane went up behind and hugged her. “It wasn’t meant to sound as bad as it did. You’ve got to take this more serious. Don’t you see how concerned I am about this?”

  Dane stuck his wallet into his pocket and grabbed his shirt to pull on over his head. “I have to get out of here. Call me when the cops arrive.” He stormed out the door to prevent himself from saying more than he should. At the elevator he paced until the door opened, his left hand rubbing his forehead. If it wasn’t so early he’d have a damn strong drink.

  The fact of her taking this so lightly drove him mad. What will it take for her to take this serious? He sure as hell took it serious since his first night home. Right now he needed to go a couple rounds with a punching bag. Better yet—Jamison’s face.

  On the main floor he shuffled out of the casino, not intending to play the slots but to get distracted on a short walk. He turned into one of the hotel’s sports bar, took a seat overlooking the casino floor, and ordered a Le Bloody Marie. The drink won over. He drank half of it in one gulp before getting up to wait in the doorway. Standing to the side for a moment, the sounds of slot machines and loud voices soaked into his brain. Behind him was the clink of dishes, and sports on multiple TV’s raged on. At times, he still had a hard time realizing he was out of the desert…the other desert, let alone having the bullshit of this trip mess with his head.

  One of the cocktail waitresses came to his side. “You’re drinking our signature breakfast drink—excellent by the way.”

  Dane peered around the casino and nodded to her, yet was uninterested in talking to anyone, especially a hot blonde in a skimpy outfit. The last thing he needed right now. He held his glass up and spoke in a flat tone, “The drink lives up to its name.”

  She moved in a half-step closer. Any closer her breasts would be smashed up against his arm. “Looks like you’re ready for a second one.” She winked and glanced to his left hand. “Need a refill?”

  Or a big tip? “No, I’m leaving. Thanks anyway.” He set his glass down with a tip and got out of there as fast as he came in, lit a cigarette, and took his time going down the street until his
phone vibrated. The text was from her, saying the police had arrived. Great. Let’s put it behind us for a few hours.

  Back to the elevator, he waited impatiently for it to open. Once inside and back to his floor, he swiped his key card to get inside, and glanced at his wife before shaking hands with each cop again. Dane sat on the sofa beside her and directed his question to either officer, “So, what have you ascertained about this guy, or do you have his ass in jail?”

  The police officers made eye contact with each other. Officer Brannon spoke first to Gracelyn. “How is it you first came in contact with Smith Jamison, Mrs. Carlson?”

  Gracelyn fiddled with her wedding rings and took a moment before answering. “A few months after I began working at the restaurant, he started coming in as a customer. A while ago he asked me out for dinner.”

  “Did you go out with him,” asked the female officer, hesitating before going on. “I have to ask as part of our investigation.”

  “No. Never. I had no interest to go out with him. Why can’t you people get this straight?” Curling a lock of hair around her finger, she continued, “Plus, by then I knew I was pregnant. I was in love with Dane. I didn’t go out with anyone.”

  “When did the phone calls start?” asked Officer Brannon.

  “Seven weeks ago, maybe.” She gave a sideways glance to Dane then back to the questioning officer. “I never gave him my phone number. Someone at the restaurant must’ve given it to him.”

  “Well, no one there would give me any information when I called from the hospital,” said Dane with a jerk of his head toward her. “Where’d you leave your phone while working?”

  Her glare hurt more than shrapnel and came close to cutting through his skin. “Locked up with my purse.”

  The officers stared at each other again, and Dane figured their cop brains went into overdrive seeing the two of them bickering. Dane took her hand from her lap and scooted closer. “Look,” he said to them. “My wife wanted nothing to do with him, never encouraged him. Don’t try to turn this around into something it isn’t. It’s bad enough we’re dealing with a lunatic.”

  “Well, sir, it seems this person is using the name of a deceased man who lived in Phoenix. That’s the only person we could come up with who didn’t check out. He’s using an assumed identity whoever he is.”

  Dane stood rather abruptly. “Can this get any damn worse? What can we do about this?” He turned to Gracelyn then back to the detectives. “So you’re saying we don’t know who this idiot is? What about the plane? I know what seat he sat in. Maybe they’ll have his real name.”

  “We’ll check that out, sir,” said Officer Howard.

  Sonofabitch. “I told you last night he was on the fu… The damn plane. Why hasn’t that been checked out yet?”

  Officer Brannon pointed at Dane. “Getting upset isn’t helping any of us, Mr. Carlson. Take a seat.”

  Don’t push me, asshole. Dane paced to the window. Lots of people passed by on the streets below. He had to get his breathing in check. “What about our things from the other room? We have to get out of this room.” He checked his watch while trying to calm down. “In twenty-minutes. Our things are ready, right, Gracelyn?”

  “Yes, Dane, our plastic shopping bags are ready,” she spat out.

  He deserved her being a smartass toward him he supposed. This was a good time to call in calm. Giving her a nod, he said to the cops, “Our clothes—”

  “You can get most of your stuff. The shredded clothes are evidence. We’ll meet you there to make sure nothing is missing, since you need to get checked out now.”

  He grabbed hold of his head. Idiots. “Shouldn’t we have checked our stuff last night before anyone else went through it? We’ll need a few minutes,” Dane said dryly.

  “We’ll meet you there in an hour.” Officer Brannon took out his notepad. “What’s that airline name again?”

  He’d punch this asshole if he knew he wouldn’t go to jail. Dane told him what it was along with the flight number again, then headed to the bathroom to collect his toiletries, his sanity, but he spun around. “Are we finished here for now?”

  Brannon flipped through his notebook. “You’ll be in San Francisco later this evening?”

  “We’ll be there a day before heading back to Phoenix, and on to Ft. Benning toward the end of the week.” Dane set his hands on his waist. “My military career is close to being over. I have to make sure my wife and son are taken care of before I get out.”

  “Wait. No Dane.” Gracelyn stood, her arms folded in front of her in defiance. “I want to go back home.”

  “Your parents. It’s best for you to see them now.” This wasn’t something he wanted to discuss in front of cops. Here it comes. “You need to spend time with them until this is—”

  “A definite no.” She lifted her hand and pointed her thumb toward the window. “My home and job is in Arizona, and that’s where I want to go from here. Home.”

  “But…” Her mind was made up. It showed in her stance, her eyes…she meant it. “I’ll change our flights.” Again. Good thing they weren’t flying standby. Not that he minded heading home himself. “So, now are we finished here?”

  “Yes, sir. We’ll meet as planned at the other hotel.” Officer Howard checked her watch.

  Dane entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Inside he grabbed his head, trying to get his temper in check. The only thing this meant now was it’d be harder to find Jamison. He splashed water on his face then patted it dry. Before leaving, he ran both hands through his hair, accepting the fact this guy was one to be reckoned with—without a doubt. When he arrived home, he’d further look into who the real Smith Jamison was, and maybe find a lead to the coward assuming his identity.

  When he came out Gracelyn stood at the window alone in the room. One step is as far as he got then he hesitated, unsure of how to approach her, but he crossed over to embrace her. Dane closed his eyes, breathing in her scent of hotel body wash and her own chemistry. “Our behaviors need to transform quick. Baby, we can’t go on with this animosity between us. This is what he wants—to drive a wedge—to weaken our relationship.” It had to be said, but he hated to say it. “If…” Breath bottled up in his chest, and he paused before continuing, “If we can’t get through this, we won’t be able to get through anything. So—”

  “We can get through this. I get it now—the reality of it.” Gracelyn turned and laid her palm against his chest. “You’re right and have been all along.” She lifted her other hand and clenched his shirt. “We need to get him. There was something he said a long time ago. Well, the first time I refused to go out with him. When I told him I was having your baby and he had to leave me alone.”

  “What is it?” He placed his hands on her face. “Has he threatened you?”

  “I don’t believe it was a threat. Not toward me, but… He said, you…you’d never come back to me being pregnant with a brat you wouldn’t know was yours.”

  “I already proved him wrong. He said that when he barely knew you?” Bastard. This is when he needed to stay in control. What he wanted to do was go on a rampage and search every seedy corner of Las Vegas until he drove him out of whatever raunchy hole he hid in like a snake. Breathe. Slow. Again.

  “You were injured…is it possible—”

  “No. Don’t give him so much credit.” He took in and released a breath, trying to keep from hyperventilating. “Don’t you turn this around.” Dane wished it had been about him. “Listen, this can’t be helping your pregnancy. Let’s go to the other hotel to get our stuff as planned. We’ll trash…whatever, because I sure don’t want to remember any of this…except the fact that we were married.”

  “I agree. Let me sit down a minute before checkout.” She strolled to the sofa and sank down into the overstuffed cushions. “No matter what, we’ll get through this. We have to believe this is nothing more than an obstacle we can climb over.”

  He came to where she sat and took a seat. “Let�
��s leave the climbing to me right now. It warms my heart to hear your confidence. We need that.”

  Gracelyn leaned against him when he put his arm around her. “Now, will you try to get our flight changed? I’ll call my dad.”

  “How about this instead?” Dane clasped her hand and entwined their fingers. “Get a flight home for tomorrow, keep this room for another night if we can still get it, then we’ll set all this hell aside for tonight. Let’s get some other clothes, take in a show and act like the newlyweds we are. At least try to leave this place on a good note.”

  “All right.” She cuddled into the crook of his arm, and raised her hand to caress his smooth-shaven jaw. “You’re right, I do need to relax. To make sure our baby has another couple weeks to finish getting handsome like you.”

  Her sweet smile hit him where it counted, reminding him of why he fell in love with her—but it wasn’t just that. Every part of her spoke to his heart. Dane squeezed her close and kissed her lips with as much warmth as her smile. No way was he about to let some sonofabitch cause her harm if he could help it.

  Chapter 17

  Last night did them good. A night on the town turned out to be a needed distraction. Gracelyn finished the last touches of makeup with a few strokes of rose blush to her cheeks before putting it all into her carry-on bag. They’d have to get to the airport soon. When she came out of the bathroom, Dane still slept.

  Crawling into bed beside him, she tiptoed two fingers up his chest. “Come on, honey, wake up. We have to get checked out.” Before she knew what happened, he grabbed her into his arms. “You’re faking sleep?” The next thing she knew, she was on her back and atop the warm spot where he had lain.

  “Maybe I wanted you to come back to bed. We got in late, but last night was a great time.”

  “You were right when you said we needed to relax. It helped to clear my mind for a few hours, so thanks.” The light touch of his fingertips ran up her arm to her neck and triggered a breakout of chill bumps over her flesh. Lips replaced his fingers and trailed to her ear, her biggest weakness, especially when he kissed there—his tongue barely touching like now. This morning her husband had frisky on his mind. She caught his hand when it went to her breast. “Do you know what time it is?”