“You never forget, Cat. If a sound doesn’t bring it back to you, a smell will, or…” He scowled.
Cat studied him in the shadowy grayness, seeing anguish come to his face. Talon might be able to hide how he felt, but sometimes, when he was relaxed, she could see his real emotions. “That’s pretty tragic, then,” she said.
Zeke whined and thumped his tail, a pleading look on his face.
Cat looked at Talon.
“Okay, you can give him one,” he muttered, shaking his head. His combat assault dog was becoming too attached to Cat. He didn’t blame Zeke. He wanted to be close to her, too. For a moment, Talon wished he was Zeke. The glint in her eyes, the way her luscious mouth curved upward as she picked out one of the marshmallows from her cup, sent heat streaking down through him. God, he was getting hard and there was no place to hide it. Grimacing, Talon stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he growled.
Zeke mouthed the marshmallow, his eyes shining as he licked his chops afterward.
Cat glanced up toward the kitchen. She wanted Talon to stay. He always made her feel good and protected. “Good night,” she called softly, not wanting to wake up Gus. Talon disappeared like a ghost down the hall. Zeke quickly got up and trotted after his master.
Silence cloaked her once again. She ached to be in Talon’s arms, to share another kiss with him. His mind and heart were on his mother, where they should be. As for her, she could have feelings for Talon and knew that he had touched her wounded soul. Lifting her chin, she felt a sudden chill move through her. Beau Magee had shown up again at the fire department yesterday. He’d been leaning against her truck, arms across his chest, waiting for her to get off her shift. The bastard had the balls to invite her out to dinner. Shaking her head, Cat wondered what made some men so damned stupid. She’d told him in no uncertain terms she was done with him. But he hung around, ambushing her at times when she never expected it. Why the hell didn’t he know the meaning of the word no? He had to want something from her; otherwise, why show up now? She didn’t even want to dwell on it.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
TALON SAT AT the dinner table that evening with the family. Cat seemed quieter than usual. He’d dropped over at lunch to be with his mother and make sure she ate everything on her tray. Cat had gotten off her shift at three o’clock, and he’d seen her truck parked at the sheriff’s office as he drove a load of hay back to the ranch. Why was she at the sheriff’s office? He decided not to bring it up at the dinner table.
The fried chicken Gus had made disappeared quickly. So did the corn slathered with butter, the mashed potatoes and white gravy. Cat got up and helped Val serve a chocolate cake Gus had made earlier in the day.
As they sat around the huge table, Gus, who sat at the end of it, gave Cat a hard look.
“You’re awful quiet tonight, Cat. Did you have an upsetting shift?”
Cat roused herself. “No. It was quiet. Took care of a little girl who had skinned her knee when she fell off her bike, but that was about it,” she said.
“You didn’t eat much.”
Cat wanted to cringe and disappear. She forced a smile and picked up her fork. “I’ll make up for it by eating your cake.”
“Humph.” Her gaze moved to Talon. He had washed up, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to just below his elbows. “How’s Sandy?”
“Good,” Talon told her. “She’s eating a lot.”
“That’s important,” Val murmured. “How many more rounds of chemo does she have, Talon?”
“Four more weeks, twice a week,” he said.
“Is she still weak?” Gus asked.
Talon nodded sadly. “It’s worse right now. Most of the time, she uses the wheelchair.”
“That will pass,” Cat assured him, catching his glance. She could feel the heat radiating off him. It wasn’t physical, but she sensed his interest in her. Even if she was avoiding him for the most part. Her heart didn’t want to avoid him at all, but her life was a convoluted mess right now. Still, when she met his warm gaze, her whole body went hot and needy. He had a beautiful mouth, chiseled, strong. Cat felt shaky inside and it wasn’t from fear. It was from sexual desire for Talon.
After dessert, Cat got up and poured coffee for everyone. She noticed Val seemed animated about something, as if she were bursting with a secret.
“We have an announcement to make,” Val told everyone, smiling.
Gus tilted her head, cup in her hands. “Oh? What’s going on?”
Griff grinned widely. “Val’s pregnant.”
Cat gasped, her smile instantaneous.
Gus clapped her hands and gave a whoop of joy.
Val held her husband’s hand. “You all know we’ve been trying for some time. We’re three months along now.”
Gus cackled and gripped Val’s hand. “I’m gonna be a great-grandmother. How about that?”
Cat grinned. “That’s so wonderful, Val!” She knew they had wanted children. The look of radiant joy on both their faces said everything.
“Congratulations,” Talon murmured, smiling.
“See?” Gus said primly, one eyebrow raised as she looked at all of them. “Good things happen. Dreams do come true.”
The love in Griff’s face for his wife was real. And Val’s cheeks were suffused with a rose color. Cat had never seen her so soft, so vulnerable, as right now.
“Wow,” Cat murmured. “This calls for a celebration.”
“Definitely, we’ll be celebrating. But this news also means that Val’s not going to be riding or wrangling for a while,” Griff said. “She needs to stay here and take good care of herself and our baby.”
Cat smiled, loving Griff’s sudden protectiveness toward independent Val. “Not to worry, Talon and I can handle the spring start-up around here,” she told Val and Griff. Most of it would fall on Talon and Griff, but she was a third hand who would pick up the slack and make a difference. Val was always in the saddle, always out walking the fence line, making sure cattle or moose weren’t tearing down their barbed wire.
Val laughed softly and patted Griff’s hand on the table. “My riding days are over for now,” she agreed.
Gus rubbed her hands, glee in her face. “This is just the best news, Val. I’ll make sure you take care of yourself.”
Cat had no doubts. Even at eighty-five, Gus was almost as active as they were. She no longer rode a horse, but that didn’t stop her from fixing three meals a day, keeping the house clean, doing laundry for all of them, either. Gus wasn’t one to retire.
Talon felt Cat’s happiness over the announcement. He saw the gleam in her eyes and wondered what she would be like as a mother. Probably a damned good one. And then his mind wandered into forbidden territory. What if she was carrying his child? The thought took him by surprise. He hadn’t ever thought about marriage. Or love. Or having a family. Of all things. Uncomfortable, he sipped his coffee, listening to the excited chatter between all of them.
His life was in utter turmoil, having turned from being an operator out on the front lines of combat to becoming a wrangler, looking after his mother. Talon wasn’t sorry to be home to take care of his mother. The rest of it? He missed his team. He missed his friends, who were closer and thicker than blood. And they’d all spilled blood for one another over time. And yet, he’d met Cat. She filled a hole the size of the U.S. in his heart. Damned if he could figure out all the twists and turns his life was taking.
As Talon sipped his coffee, listened to Cat’s enthusiastic and husky voice, he wanted her in the worst damned way. Sure, he was plotting on how to get her back into his arms. Had his kiss done more harm than good? Since the kiss, she had been avoiding him. Talon could feel it even if he didn’t have actual proof. And she seemed distracted. His mind turned to the fact her truck had been at the sheriff’s department. Why? Maybe, if he got lucky, she might wake up and come out to the living room tonight. Talon had trouble sleeping himself and they seemed to meet mo
re often out there than anywhere else. He’d come to look forward to their talks late in the night when the household was asleep. He needed them. Talon didn’t lie to himself. The raw truth was that he needed Cat.
*
CAT WAS NURSING her hot chocolate, sitting with her legs against her in the corner of the couch when she heard a door quietly open and close down the hall. It was three in the morning. Her heart bounded a little as she saw Talon move silently out of the darkness and wander into the kitchen. Zeke came over and sat next to her, his head tilted, eyes on the prize: the cup she held. He wanted his marshmallow.
Cat said nothing, simply enjoying watching Talon putter around in the kitchen. He wore a black T-shirt that fit him to perfection. His feet were bare beneath his light green pajama bottoms. It made her smile softly because Talon didn’t look as powerful in bare feet. She instinctively knew he was aware of her presence in the living room. A warmth flowed through her, sweet and gentle. She looked forward to meeting Talon like this. And he seemed to like it, too, although he had never really said.
Talon wandered into the living room, hot chocolate in hand. He saw Cat’s face was shadowed, her eyes watching him as he approached the couch. Her hair was unruly and she had thrown an afghan over her lower body, hiding her legs beneath. The air was a bit chilly. He sat down at the other end of the couch, stretching out his legs.
Zeke thumped his tail.
“Did you give him one?” Talon asked, his voice drowsy.
“No. I was waiting to see what you thought about it.”
He snorted softly. “Zeke, you’re hopeless,” he told his dog.
Zeke thumped his tail and whined, giving Cat a pleading look.
She laughed softly. “Well?”
“Go ahead,” Talon groaned.
Zeke eagerly took the marshmallow, making big chewing sounds as he wrestled with it in his mouth.
Cat gave Talon a grin. “Has Zeke always liked sweets?”
“No. As a combat assault dog, his diet was severely limited.” But the dog’s life, like his own, had taken a 180 degree turn in a new direction. Talon wondered if Zeke wasn’t rolling with the changes better than he was.
“His work was dangerous? Like yours?”
“Always.” Talon sipped his hot chocolate, not wanting the spotlight on himself. He felt compelled to change the subject. “I was driving back to the ranch yesterday afternoon and saw your truck at the sheriff’s office.”
Cat lowered her lashes, paying attention to her cup in her hands. “Oh.”
“Is everything all right?” Talon saw her push her fingers through her hair in that nervous gesture. Something was up. He sensed it. And he was worried. Cat’s shadowed face became tense. She didn’t want to make eye contact.
“Everything’s fine,” Cat muttered, resting the cup on her drawn-up knees. A niggle of fear went through her because she could see Talon’s eyes narrow upon her. She just felt scared because she wanted no one to know what she’d done. She was ashamed she hadn’t been able to grapple with the situation earlier, before it started oozing like an infection into her workplace.
“Something’s bothering you, Cat.” Talon held her unsure gaze, felt terror around her. Why? “I care enough to ask.” That was the truth.
“It’s nothing,” she muttered, frowning at him, wanting him to stop asking questions.
The silence thickened between them and Talon sensed she was ready to bolt. He drank his hot chocolate, letting the tension slowly ebb. She was in some kind of trouble. He could sense it like he could sense an awaiting Taliban ambush. Zeke was studying her with his own intelligence. No longer was he friendly and wagging his tail. No, Zeke was alert, watching her closely. He sensed something wrong, too.
Talon cast around for another way to approach her. “How’s work going for you?”
“Okay. Busy as usual. Nothing new.”
Her clipped, cool answers raised a red flag.
“Did Matt Sinclaire ask you to go over to the sheriff’s office for something?” He liked the fire captain. Matt was a quiet man with highly intelligent eyes. Talon had accidentally met him at the Horse Emporium last week. He was picking up a new dog collar for his yellow Lab when he had run into him. Matt had offered his hand to him, welcoming him back to Jackson Hole. Gossip in the small town moved fast, Talon had discovered. They’d talked a few minutes and Cat had come up in the conversation. Matt had praised her as a paramedic and firefighter. Talon wasn’t surprised to hear that. Cat was good at anything she set her mind and heart to.
“No.”
Talon nodded and decided to stop pushing her, because Cat was going to get up and leave if he didn’t stop asking her questions. Tomorrow, he’d go to the sheriff’s department and talk to Cade Garner. He liked the deputy sheriff. He was Gwen Garner’s son and Talon had discovered she knew more about the town’s residents than anyone else. Maybe he should go talk to Gwen first. The idea had legs.
*
GWEN GARNER SMILED as Talon walked up to the counter where she was cutting fabric for a customer.
“Talon Holt. This is a pleasure.”
Talon removed his black baseball cap. “It’s good to meet you, Mrs. Garner.”
“Call me Gwen. Hate being called Mrs. Garner.” She smiled, quickly folding up the fabric. She wrote down the price on a ticket and handed it over to the woman customer who then left. Gwen said, “And you’re here why? I don’t think you’re a quilter, are you?”
“No, ma’am, I’m not,” Talon said with a slight smile.
“Come with me,” she said, crooking her finger and then heading off to a quieter part of the busy quilting store.
Talon followed her, cap in hand. He’d heard about Gwen’s reputation as being the go-to gal for legitimate information, not gossip, about someone or a situation. Her son was a deputy sheriff, but Talon doubted he shared information with her. Still, as he gazed around, there must have been fifteen or twenty women in the large quilt store. And where women gathered, women talked. Maybe Gwen might have some intel on Cat.
“So,” Gwen said, moving along a row of fabric and straightening the bolts here and there, “how can I help you, Talon?”
“Well,” he began, keeping his voice low, “I just wanted to come by and thank you for all the help you’ve been giving my mom over the years. I really appreciate everything you’ve done.” And he did.
Gwen nodded. “Sandy is an important part of so many of our lives, Talon. She’s a good person and circling the wagons to help her in her time of need is something Westerners do.”
Talon held her smiling eyes. Gwen exuded energy and vitality, much like Gus. “I owe you. If there’s anything I can do to help you, you just let me know.”
“Thank you, Talon. I appreciate your offer.” She tilted her head and looked up at him. “Something tells me you’re here for a second reason, too.”
He had the good grace to blush as he moved the cap between his fingers. “Yes, ma’am, I was wondering if you could help me with Cat Edwin. I’ve grown to like her a lot and I know there’s something bothering her, but she’s not talking.” He lifted his chin and looked down at Gwen. “Might you know what it is?”
Gwen put her hands on her hips, frowning. “Now, Talon, you know I don’t gossip. If someone approaches me with something, then I can say yes or no. Or, maybe give them some facts, not gossip, about it. Do you have something you want to ask me about her?”
Talon thought for a moment before telling her about seeing Cat’s car at the sheriff’s office. “I’m worried, Gwen. She’s hiding something.”
“Did you approach her about it?”
“Yes. She refused to talk about it.”
Gwen scowled, her hands dropping to her sides. “I don’t ordinarily talk about a person’s private life, Talon.”
“I understand.”
“But you like her? Is that it?”
“I like her a lot.” But she doesn’t trust me….
“You haven’t been here long,” sh
e said.
“Not long,” Talon agreed. “But I’m staying. My mother needs me and I have a job as a wrangler at the Bar H.”
“Yes, I knew that.”
So what else did Gwen Garner know? Talon felt as if he were walking through a minefield with the quilter. She was sizing him up. “Is Cat in some kind of legal trouble?” he pressed.
Gwen rubbed her chin, eyeing him. “No, she isn’t.”
“Look,” Talon said, speaking quietly, “I used to be a SEAL. I’ve lived eight years on my gut hunches and my intuition. It’s saved my butt more times than I can count. My sense—” he stressed the word, holding her stare “—is that Cat is in danger of some kind. I tried to ask her last night about it, but she got nervous and refused to say anything. I care for her, Gwen. And I’m worried. Is there anything you could say that would help me to help her?”
“Well, your intuition is bang on,” Gwen said. “But I’m really torn about saying more, Talon. If you care that much for Cat, you’ll find a way to approach her and get the story out of her firsthand.”
Standing there, Talon gazed around the store and then looked back at her. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.” He settled the baseball cap on his head. “I appreciate your help, Gwen. Thank you.”
Just as he turned, Gwen gripped his lower arm. “Listen, Talon, this place isn’t the same as when you lived here. There are a lot of dangerous elements out there. I’m sure you hear gossip over at the Horse Emporium, but you need to be careful. And if I were you, I’d use that SEAL knowledge and sensing ability, because Cat needs some protection. Okay?”
Alarms went off inside Talon as he stared down at the woman. She released his arm and stepped back, frowning. Gwen was worried about Cat. His gut clenched. Just what the hell was Cat into? Or mixed up in? His mouth thinned. “Okay. Thanks….”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CAT’S HORSE SUDDENLY looked up, its ears pricked forward. Cat frowned and looked across the saddle, toward the slope of a hill they’d crossed earlier.
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