by Cora Seton
“Do you know how sexy you are?” he asked, his voice low and gravely.
Kinsey laughed, feeling surprisingly lighthearted. “Covered in flour?”
“Yeah. Your eyes sparkle, and your mouth makes the prettiest shape when you smile.” He bent closer.
Breath catching in her throat, Kinsey leaned closer, her lips tingling in anticipation of contact with his.
“Are we interrupting something? Or did the pantry explode?” a female voice said.
The moment shattered. And Kinsey sucked in a steadying breath.
Becket straightened, holding onto Kinsey until she was steady on her feet.
Her knees wobbled, but she could stand alone. She pushed away from his arms and turned toward the door.
Lily, Rider, Chance, and Nash stepped into the kitchen.
“So, where’s the fire?” Chance asked.
“Yeah, why the family meeting?” Nash crossed his arms over his chest, his brows dipping.
“And…” Rider waved a hand in her direction. “Who’s the girl?”
Kinsey gulped. Covered in flour, caught in Becket’s arms…
This wasn’t how she pictured her reunion with the Grayson clan.
Chapter Four
‡
Becket ran a hand through his hair, and a puff of white dust flew out in a cloud around him. “No fire, but an issue you should all be aware of.”
“We’re listening,” Nash said.
Turning to Kinsey, Becket took her arm and drew her forward. “You remember Kinsey Philips?”
“Sure, we remember Kinsey.” Nash glanced at Becket, his brows wrinkling. “She was in my high school graduating class.”
“Yeah, she used to ride horses with us.” Rider’s eyes narrowed. “Is that you, Kinsey?”
Kinsey scrubbed the flour from her face, her checks red beneath. “Yeah. It’s me. I was just…um…making chicken and dumplings.”
“Did you have a fight with the chicken?” Chance chuckled. “I think the chicken won.”
Lily stepped past Becket and Kinsey, sniffing. “Is that what smells so good?”
“We were making the dumplings and got a little carried away.” Becket brushed at the front of his shirt.
“I’d say.” Nash glanced around at the flour all over the kitchen. “Mom would have a fit.”
“We’ll clean it up,” Kinsey said.
“The point is…” Becket rested a hand on Kinsey’s shoulder. “Kinsey is staying here for a while.”
“That’s great.” Lily grinned. “It’ll be nice not being the only female in the house.”
“So, why did you call me in?” Rider frowned. “I don’t care if she uses my old room.”
Kinsey nudged Becket. “Tell them.”
Becket nodded. “Kinsey left her ex-boyfriend and expects he might come after her.”
Nash’s brows dipped. “Left your ex-boyfriend?”
“Yeah. The man abused her.” Becket’s lips thinned into a straight line. “She thinks he’ll try to take her back to Dallas.”
Rider braced both hands on his hips. “Like hell he will.”
“Over my dead body,” Lily agreed.
“He’ll have to go through us to get to her,” Chance added.
Becket relaxed a little. “That’s what I thought. I don’t know what the man is capable of, but he’s made a habit of using Kinsey as a punching bag.”
“Have you notified the police?” Nash asked.
Becket filled them in on their trip to the attorney, and the clinic. “Kinsey wanted to disappear, but we’ve convinced her to press charges. A female police officer met with her and the doctor at the clinic. She’ll file the complaint.”
“I want it on Dillon’s record. Maybe by doing so, I’m helping to keep him from hurting another woman.”
Nash shook his head. “Once a wife beater…Damn, Kinsey. I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“Yeah,” Rider agreed. “We all are.”
Lily slipped an arm around Kinsey. “And we’ll do whatever necessary to keep you safe from that bastard.”
“Thanks.” Tears filled Kinsey’s eyes. “I didn’t want to cause you trouble. I just didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“You’re no trouble.” Nash hugged her. “You’re family.”
“That’s right.” Rider walked over to the stove, stirred the pot, and lifted a wooden spoon to his nose. “And I might have to come out to the ranch more often if you’re cooking.”
Relieved by his family’s reaction to Kinsey’s dilemma, Becket waved his hands, herding them toward the door. “Let Kinsey and me clean the mess and finish making the dumplings. We’ll call you for dinner when it’s ready. We can all discuss what to be on the lookout for.”
Lily’s mouth quirked on the corners. “As long as you’re not fighting chickens. We might have to referee.”
Tossing her a glare, Becket pointed to the door. “Get out.”
His siblings chuckled as they left the kitchen.
When Becket turned to Kinsey, he found her chewing on her bottom lip. “What? I told you they’d be on board with looking out for you.”
Kinsey’s eyes filled again. “I don’t want any of them hurt in the process. Dillon’s a big guy, and he’s mean.”
“And we’re not?” Becket puffed out his chest, and then winked. “Come on. Let’s clean and cook. We can discuss our plan later.”
Over a delicious dinner, the Graysons talked about what they could do to keep Kinsey safe. They all agreed to watch for Dillon if he came to town searching, and to let the authorities know. The restraining order would help legally, but from what Kinsey had told them about Dillon, they figured the man would likely ignore the legal document.
After dishes were cleared, Rider left for his apartment in town, Lily and Chance offered to do the dishes, and Nash made one last pass to check on the livestock. Kinsey excused herself to shower off the flour still clinging to her hair and skin.
Becket wandered outside and stood on the porch, staring at the moon without really seeing it. What had he gotten himself into? No matter what, he’d have taken Kinsey in. No one should have to endure what she’d been through. She deserved a better life.
At the same time, he wished for somewhere else she could go. The flour fight in the kitchen had nearly ended in an action he couldn’t have taken back. Her face all covered in flour, her green eyes sparkling, and her lips…so damned kissable.
Despite what she’d suffered at Dillon’s hand, Kinsey was still recovering from a bad situation. She needed time to recuperate, to get over all the trauma of having a man hitting her.
He dropped into one of the matching rocking chairs he and his siblings had given to his parents for their thirty-fifth anniversary. For a man who made decisions and acted on them immediately, he disliked waiting. And the fact he had no control over the situation was doubly frustrating. The legal system had to run its course. Hopefully by the next day, Dillon would be served the restraining order.
Becket also knew a legal document didn’t stop some men. If Massey would break the law by assaulting Kinsey, he’d have no compunction about violating a restraining order. The Graysons had to keep Kinsey safe.
The door opened, and a petite figure stepped out on the porch, barefoot, wearing an oversized T-shirt and not much else. Kinsey. She sat on the steps and leaned her back against the column, legs stretched out in front of her, the moonlight glancing off them.
Becket’s pulse jumped and his groin tightened. He could imagine those legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust—
Holy hell, where was he going with that thought? Not anywhere he should be. For a long time, Becket sat still, drinking in Kinsey’s silhouette, studying the curve of her ankles, her knees, the way her hair fell down her back in soft waves.
Kinsey drew her legs close, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her chin on her knees. Her shoulders shook.
If Becket wasn’t mistaken, he heard a sniffle. His chest clenched, and
he listened harder.
Her sniffle was followed by another.
Kinsey reached up and wiped her hand across her cheek.
Becket rose from the rocker and crossed to where she sat.
Kinsey gasped and twisted around. “Oh, Becket. I didn’t see you.” She started to rise. “I’ll go back inside.”
“No.” He touched a hand to her shoulder. “Please stay.” He dropped down beside her.
She laughed, the sound catching on a sob. “I’m sorry. I just can’t stop. I haven’t cried this much since my parents died.”
“Maybe it’s time you did.” He slipped an arm around her.
Kinsey leaned into him. “I refused to cry when Dillon hit me. Showing weakness seemed to give him more power over me.”
Becket’s arm tightened around her back. “He’s a bastard and a coward. Any man who hits a woman is lower than snake spit.”
Her body stiffened against him. Then her shoulders trembled and shook.
At first, Becket thought she was sobbing again. Then he heard her chuckle.
“Snake spit?” The laughter bubbled up and caught on a hiccup. “Is there such a thing?” She looked up at him, moonlight glinting off her watery eyes.
He couldn’t get past the eyes and lips to form a functional thought or sentence. “What?”
Kinsey slid her tongue across her bottom lip, her gaze dropping to Becket’s mouth. “What?”
Becket swallowed a groan and fought to keep from closing the few short inches between them to steal a kiss.
Just one kiss.
Kinsey’s fingers curled into his shirt, and then flattened on his chest. With a jerk, she pushed to her feet. “I’m sorry. I’m taking advantage of your kindness. I’ve already been a burden and stolen way too much of your time.”
Becket rose and grabbed her hand. “You’re no burden, and you can’t steal what I give freely.” He pulled her back into his arms. “I wish this wasn’t happening to you, but I’m glad you came here.”
She touched his chest, but didn’t look up into his eyes. “Thank you.”
The sound of a telephone ringing disturbed the quiet of the night.
“I’d better go to bed, if I plan on helping with the morning chores.” She turned and entered the house.
Chance stood in the hallway, the cordless phone pressed to his ear.
Kinsey passed him and climbed the stairs.
Becket started to follow, but Chance snagged his arm. “Wait. There’s a fire at the Double Diamond Ranch.”
Becket’s attention switched to his brother and the conversation on the phone.
When Chance hung up, he sighed. “I just got off duty, but they’re calling for all volunteers to head that way.”
“What kind of fire?”
“Barn fire.”
“Damn. The Double Diamond has at least thirty thoroughbreds. I hope they got them out.”
“It’s a big barn,” Chance said, with a shake of his head. “With conditions as dry as they are, the house and other outbuildings are at risk.”
“Are you going?” Becket asked.
“Yeah. If I’m not needed, I’ll come home. Better to throw too many people at it than not enough. The pump truck and engine have been dispatched and should be there in the next ten minutes.”
“On it.” Becket took the stairs two at a time.
Kinsey stood at the top of the landing, a frown marring her brow. “What’s wrong?”
Becket didn’t slow, calling out as he passed, “Fire at the Double Diamond.”
“Is there anything I can do?” She followed him to the door of his room.
He yanked off his good shirt, and then pulled an old T-shirt over his head. “We can always use someone to staff the relief station and hand out drinking water.” He paused and raised his brows. “Unless you want to see me in my underwear, I suggest you go put on some clothes. You can ride along.”
Kinsey spun and darted out of his doorway.
By the time Becket had changed into old jeans and pulled on his cowboy boots, he spotted Kinsey waiting in the hallway, wearing a pair of jeans from the thrift store.
Though in a hurry, Becket couldn’t help but notice how much better they hugged her curves.
She was hopping on one foot, pulling on a red cowboy boot. When she straightened, she tucked the big T-shirt into the waistband of her jeans. “Ready.”
Becket ran down the stairs, Kinsey behind him.
Nash and Chance were on the back porch, gathering personal protective equipment from hooks on the wall—fire resistant jackets, pants, boots, and helmets. They headed for Nash’s truck, climbed in, and sped away.
Becket grabbed his gear and tossed Kinsey the helmet with a wink. “Make yourself useful.”
She caught the helmet and ran to keep up with him. “Yes, sir.”
“Hey, wait for me.” Lily ran out the back door, wearing old jeans and a faded shirt. She grabbed the last set of gear and hurried to climb in the back seat of Becket’s truck.
“How long have you all been volunteer firefighters?”
“I joined the club after I finished college.” Becket tipped his head to the rear. “Lily joined last year. She’s still a rookie.”
“Hey. I’ve been on several fires now.”
Becket winked. “She’s still a rookie.”
Lily whacked the back of his head with her palm. “And you’re a pain in the ass.”
The rest of the ride to the Double Diamond was completed in relative silence. Until Becket saw the fire, he didn’t know what to expect. It might already be out by the time he got there.
As he pulled through the gates of the Double Diamond, he got his answer. The bright orange flame rising into the indigo night was the first clue the fire wasn’t out, and it might take a little longer to get the blaze under control.
Becket wondered if he’d brought Kinsey into a danger she was ill prepared to handle.
Kinsey sat silent in the seat beside Becket, one hand clutching the door handle. As they neared the ranch house and barn, she tipped her head, following the flames into the night sky where embers spewed like so many fireworks.
Her heart beat faster as the truck pulled to a halt beside others. Dark figures moved close to the fire, stretching a hose from a fire engine to a huge box-like pool being unfolded and filled with the water from a tanker truck.
Becket turned to Kinsey. “Stay back with the other support staff. Don’t get near the firemen, or the fire. You don’t want to get run over or burned.” He reached behind the seat and unearthed a baseball cap. “Cover your hair, you don’t want an ember to set it on fire.”
“Will do.” She stuffed her hair into the cap.
Becket dropped out of the truck, pulled on his protective gear and helmet, and then loped toward the others.
Kinsey eased to the ground and walked toward a group of women standing back from the fire. A table had been set up, and folding chairs were lined up around it. A huge insulated jug sat on the table with disposable cups. Glancing back at the action, Kinsey lost track of which man was Becket. They all looked similar, dressed in the heavy, fire-retardant trousers and jackets.
When the box-shaped pool was full, the tanker drove out of the barnyard and back down the road leading off the ranch. The man who’d unrolled the hose dropped it into the water, waved and shouted to the others manning the fire engine.
Other firefighters held onto a hose leading from the engine to the barn. As soon as the man at the engine turned on the pump, the hose inflated, and water spewed out onto the fire.
“Are you with one of the Graysons?” an older woman asked. She wore a cowboy hat, jeans, and a long-sleeved shirt.
“I am.” Kinsey held out a hand. “Kinsey Phillips.”
The older woman shook the proffered hand. “Brenda Welsh.” Mouth pinched in a tight line, she nodded toward the burning building. “That’s our barn.”
“I’m so sorry.” Kinsey glanced around at everything visible in the light from
the raging fire. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You can help with the drinks. When the men get too hot, they switch out. It’ll be a while before they come our way. In the meantime, if you see an ember burning on the ground, stomp it out, or soak one of these burlap sacks in water from this trough and beat it out.” She handed Kinsey a burlap sack and gave her a twisted smile. “Nothing like disaster to bring a community together, right?”
Kinsey grabbed one of the burlap sacks and soaked it in the water from a horse trough. Then the wind shifted toward them. Burning embers fell from the sky, landing on the dry grass and starting spot fires. Kinsey raced around the yard, batting at the mini-fires with the wet burlap sack or stomping them out with her boots. The wind shifted again, and Kinsey walked back to the table with the water jug, sweating, but satisfied she’d helped for the moment.
“Phillips.” Brenda glanced toward the sky, her brow puckering. “I knew some Phillips.”
Kinsey waited.
“Linda and Randy Phillips. They owned a little place near the Graysons. Good people.” She looked at Kinsey. “They had one child. A daughter. That you?”
Kinsey’s heart warmed. In Dallas, no one knew anyone unless they met at work or in church. The big city was impersonal and cold. In rural areas, the neighbors might be a mile apart, but they knew each other. She nodded. “Linda and Randy were my parents.”
“It was a sad day when they died. I wondered what happened to their daughter.” She smiled at Kinsey. “Look at you, all grown up. I don’t recall seeing you since you were in high school.” The woman hugged her.
The warm gesture was so surprising that tears sprung to Kinsey’s eyes.
Within minutes, Brenda introduced Kinsey to four other women, there as support to the men, or gearing up to pitch in and fight the fire.
So much for keeping her existence a secret in Hellfire. But Kinsey didn’t care. These people were friendly and caring, making her feel part of the community.
A loud crack sounded, and the fire leaped higher. Sparks and burning embers shot out from the top of the barn.
“Stand back!” Someone shouted. “The roof’s going!”
The men closest to the building scrambled backward, dragging the huge hose with them.
