Pregnant by the Colton Cowboy

by Lara Lacombe

  “I can’t,” he’d said. His voice was so hoarse her throat ached in sympathy with every word he spoke. “Everyone and everything I care about is here. If they take me to the hospital, I’ll be too far away.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  He’d smiled, his lip cracking with it. “And Mac? And Rose? I can’t leave her behind—she’s still scared. I want to be close if she goes into labor.”

  “You’re going to catch the foal?” Maggie had said, placing her hand on his cheek. “You can barely stand up.”

  “I’ll use your stool,” he’d said, undeterred.

  Now he sat at his father’s kitchen table, elbows propped on the surface as he dismissed his brother’s concern. “Don’t worry about it. The only thing that matters is that no one was hurt.” He reached over for Maggie’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

  Knox straightened and took the chair across from Thorne. “True. I’m sorry about your apartment, though.”

  Thorne shrugged. “It’s just stuff. And not that much of it at that.”

  Mac snorted softly. “I guess that’s one way to find the silver lining.”

  “Do we know what caused the fire?” Thorne glanced at Mac. “The barn isn’t that old, so the wiring shouldn’t be a problem. And I haven’t noticed any damage that might cause a spark to escape.”

  Mac frowned. “I haven’t seen anything like that, either. But it’s possible I missed it. Maybe rodents got into the walls and chewed through the wires?”

  “Or maybe,” Knox said darkly, “this wasn’t an accident after all.”

  Thorne and Mac fell silent and Maggie realized Knox had stated what everyone was thinking. She wasn’t surprised, a fact that should have bothered her. But she’d grown used to living in the shadow of an unknown threat over the past few days. Part of her had been expecting another strike, and it was almost a relief to have it behind her.

  One thing was certain: the person behind these attacks was growing bolder. And while the first two episodes had specifically targeted Maggie, the fire made no such discrimination.

  Her stomach twisted at the knowledge that Mac had lost his barn and Thorne his home because someone was trying to hurt her. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but she still felt guilty about it. None of this would have happened if she hadn’t been staying at the ranch.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

  All three men turned to look at her, their expressions ranging from incredulity to dismay. “I hope you only mean that in the general sense,” Mac said gently. “Because this is most definitely not your fault.”

  “I know,” she said. “But I can’t help thinking that if I wasn’t here—”

  “Stop it.” Thorne’s broken voice sliced right through her words. “I will not have you blaming yourself for the deranged actions of another. Besides, I need you by my side. I don’t care if the world crumbles around us, as long as you’re with me.”

  His declaration made her heart sing and Maggie swallowed hard, touched by his words. It wasn’t just the display of emotion that meant a lot to her—it was the fact Thorne had made such a public statement of his feelings for her. He was normally a quiet, private man, so this simple act was tantamount to shouting from the rooftops.

  Mac and Knox exchanged a knowing look. Then Knox turned back and cleared his throat. “Thorne is right,” he said. “You’re not to blame. In fact, I’m starting to think you might not be the target at all.”

  “What makes you say that?” Mac slid a cup of coffee in front of Thorne and sat in the last empty chair. “It was her car that exploded, and she was the one to find the snakes in my office.”

  “True,” said Knox. “But who else was nearby when those things happened?”

  “Thorne,” Maggie said, grasping the implications at once.

  Thorne shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense. My presence was just a coincidence. Surely if someone were really after me, they’d target me directly.”

  “Maybe not,” said Mac. “Perhaps whoever is doing this is trying to be cagey about it. They want us to think Maggie is in danger so you don’t think about your own safety.”

  Thorne opened his mouth to argue, but Maggie jumped in before he had a chance to say anything. “Think about it,” she said. “Whoever set the barn on fire today had to know that you wouldn’t leave until all the horses were out. You risked your life to save Rose, and you could have easily died.”

  “She’s right,” Knox said. “Everyone knows how much you love the horses. The arsonist was probably counting on your heroics, thinking your death would look like an accident.”

  A chill slid down the valley of Maggie’s spine as she realized just how close Thorne had come to death today. She reached for his hand, needing to feel the reassurance of his warm flesh and solid bones.

  “I suppose that’s possible,” Thorne said slowly.

  “It’s exactly the kind of thing Livia would do,” Mac said, shaking his head in evident disgust.

  “Do the authorities still think she’s in Vegas?” Thorne said. “You told me earlier she’d been spotted on hotel security footage.”

  “Ah, no,” Knox said. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing the short brown strands. “They took a closer look at the tapes, and some things about the woman didn’t ring true. The local police got involved, and it turns out the woman in the footage was hired as a decoy.”

  “Do they know who hired her?” Mac asked.

  Knox shook his head. “They’re still tracing that back. Whoever contacted her made sure to leave a lot of false trails and dead ends, so it’s a difficult investigation.”

  “But the important thing is that Livia isn’t in Vegas, and probably never was,” Thorne said. He turned to face Maggie, his expression miserable. “Here I thought I was keeping you safe by having you stay close. But it looks like I put you in even more danger.”

  “Stop it,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. “Don’t think like that.”

  “I should have realized it from the beginning. It never did make sense for someone to target you,” Thorne said, shaking his head. “I figured Livia was trying to hurt you to get to me, but I should have known that approach was too subtle for her.”

  “She always did have a flair for the dramatic,” Mac commented.

  “I think you should go stay with your parents for a while, at least until we get things figured out here.”

  Thorne’s words hit her like a slap. “You can’t be serious.” After all that talk of needing her by his side, he wanted her to leave at the first sign of trouble?

  “Maggie, I don’t want you around me right now.” He squeezed her hand, as if to soften the blow of his words. “Livia isn’t going to stop until she’s caught or I’m dead. We’ve been lucky so far. Your injuries have been relatively minor. But our luck is going to run out eventually, and I can’t take a chance with your safety. Or the baby’s.”

  His worries made sense, but Maggie still didn’t like the idea of leaving him to face the danger alone. “You just said you didn’t care if the world fell apart around us, as long as we’re together.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Don’t you think I feel the same way about you?”

  Thorne’s mouth snapped shut, so she pressed her advantage. “If our roles were reversed, and I was the one in danger, would you leave me for the sake of your own safety?”

  “No. But you’re carrying our child. And as much as I want to be selfish and keep you by my side, I’d never forgive myself if something happened to either one of you.”

  “But what if we’re playing into Livia’s hands? What if she wants us to separate so she can target me without you nearby?”

  Thorne frowned, apparently considering the possibility.

  “Think about it,” she said. “When my car exploded
you were there to pull me away from the wreckage. You got me out of Mac’s office before the snakes had a chance to strike. And you carried me out of the barn. Each time, you’ve been close enough to help me. And even though I might not be her primary target, Livia has got to know by now that you want to keep me safe. If you send me away, who’s to say she won’t take the opportunity to come after me?”

  “She’s right,” Knox said. “I know you don’t want to hear it, little brother, but I don’t think the two of you should split up right now. There’s still too much we don’t know about this situation, and we don’t want to do anything that might make things worse. I know I’d feel better if you both stayed close, at least until we figure out who’s behind all this.”

  “Yeah, well I’m not really sure how we’re going to do that, seeing as how my place is currently a smoldering wreck.”

  “You can stay with me,” Knox offered.

  “No.” Thorne’s refusal was instantaneous. “I appreciate the offer, but your family has been through enough already. I’m not going to put Allison and Cody at further risk—your son has been through enough already. Plus, you and Allison are practically still newlyweds. She's a great woman, but I doubt she wants a pair of roommates while you two are still setting up house.”

  “We’ll stay at my place,” Maggie said. She would miss seeing Rose and Mac every day, but it was the only possible solution.

  Knox frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you two off by yourselves...”

  “And I can’t leave Rose,” Thorne added. “Not when she’s so close to foaling.”

  “You’ll stay here.” Mac’s tone was commanding and final. “There’s plenty of room for you both, and I can keep an eye out while you two lie low for a few days.” He nodded at Thorne. “I'll put Rose in the old barn, and you’ll be at hand when she goes into labor. But I don’t want you doing anything else, is that clear? You are to stay inside and rest. Don’t make yourself a target.”

  Thorne wrinkled his nose. “You really expect me to stay in bed all day? I’ll go out of my mind!”

  “No, you won’t,” Maggie said, unable to contain her smile. It was a little petty, she knew, but part of her was happy that Thorne was going to get a small taste of what her life had been like recently. “If you’re nice to me, I’ll share my crossword puzzles with you.”

  Chapter 17

  Thorne followed his father down the hall, treading a familiar path back to his childhood room. Mac opened the door and stood to the side so Maggie could pass by. Thorne stopped at the doorway, surveying the space that was at once familiar and strange.

  It didn’t look the same, of course. Mac had long ago taken down his movie posters and boxed up his shelves of model cars. His colorful collection of horse show ribbons no longer hung in rows on the wall. But Thorne still remembered the nights he’d spent here. It had always been a special treat to stay with Mac, and his father had made sure Thorne had a space to call his own. Livia hadn’t let Thorne or his siblings display any kind of personalization in their rooms at her house, but Mac had been happy to hang pictures and paint the walls, giving him the kind of fun retreat every little boy deserved.

  “Looks a little different now, doesn’t it?” Mac said.

  Thorne nodded, taking in the soft gray walls, the midnight blue bedspread and the sheer curtains that softened the late afternoon sun streaming in through the large window. The place looked serene and peaceful, a refuge from the noise and dirt of the ranch.

  “I like what you’ve done with the place,” Thorne quipped.

  Mac smiled and clapped his hand on Thorne’s shoulder. “All your stuff is in boxes in the attic, just waiting for you to claim.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” His tone was sarcastic, but Thorne was touched that Mac had saved all the bric-a-brac from his childhood. Livia would have never thought to preserve any of her children’s memories like that. “Think you can store them a little longer until I get a new place?”

  “I imagine that can be arranged.” Mac stepped back into the hall, his hand sliding off Thorne’s shoulder. “You remember where the bathroom is. There are clean towels and new toothbrushes in the cabinet. I’ll let you two get settled for now.” He nodded at Maggie, who smiled sweetly at him.

  “Thank you so much,” she said. “This is so generous of you.”

  Mac snorted. “Nonsense. You’re family. I’m not going to leave y’all on your own at a time like this.” He nodded at Thorne. “Take a few hours to wash up and rest. I’ve got to go back to the barn and start the cleanup. I’ll come back with food later.” He started to leave, but Thorne couldn’t let him walk away just yet.

  “Dad.”

  Mac stopped halfway down the hall. “Yes?”

  Thorne walked back to his father and pulled him in for a hug. “Thanks,” he said quietly, the words catching in his throat. “You saved my life today.”

  He felt a hitch against his chest as Mac caught his breath. “You never have to thank me for that.” His dad gave him a squeeze, then stepped back and rubbed his nose with the side of his hand, blinking rapidly. “I’ll leave you two alone. Try to take it easy.”

  Thorne nodded and Mac turned and headed back down the hall. A few seconds later, he heard the front door shut as Mac left.

  He glanced back at the doorway to his old room. During his teenage years, he would have given anything to have a pretty girl waiting for him in there. The fact that Maggie was here now was almost too good to be true.

  His stomach fluttered with sudden nerves. They were alone, for the first time in hours. And even though it hadn’t been that long since their conversation in the barn, it felt like a lifetime ago.

  His mind whirred with possibilities. The idea of picking things up where they’d left off in the barn was deeply appealing, but Thorne wasn’t sure he had the energy for much more than crawling into bed and pulling the covers over his head. His lungs ached with every breath and his muscles were stiff with fatigue.

  Thorne started down the hall, but another thought made him pause. Perhaps Maggie wasn’t interested in resuming anything physical right now. Maybe she just wanted to talk.

  That was fine, too, he decided. His brain felt sluggish and foggy, likely the aftereffects of all the smoke he’d inhaled. But he would force himself to rally. If she wanted to talk all night, that’s what he’d do. Anything to preserve and strengthen the fragile connection they’d formed before being so dangerously interrupted.

  He took a deep breath, wincing a little at the protest in his chest. Then he crossed the remaining steps to the door, determined to follow Maggie’s lead.

  He needn’t have worried. She lay on her side, her knees bent and her back curved, her body unconsciously cradling their unborn baby. Her blond hair spread out in a golden fan behind her head, smooth and glossy. She was facing the door, turned away from the light of the window, and he could see her features, relaxed and peaceful in sleep.

  A rush of love filled him, and he pressed a fist to his heart, rubbing at the sudden ache behind his breastbone. God, she was so perfect! She was beauty and light and life, everything that was good and pure in his world. He’d been such a fool to let his fears rule his head; now that he’d been graced with a second chance, he wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

  Thorne walked softly into the room, grateful that the carpet muffled the sound of his boots. He didn’t want to wake her—she needed the rest probably even more than he did.

  He sat in the armchair in the corner and tugged off his boots. It took a little effort, as the new leather hadn’t molded to his body yet. He set them aside and stood, silently debating his next move. He was desperate to shed his dirty, soot-covered clothes. But how would Maggie respond if she woke up to find him undressed next to her? She might not appreciate him taking such liberties, especially when this connection between them was still s
o new. And the last thing he wanted was for her to mistake his intentions as to their physical relationship.

  Thorne settled for unbuckling his belt and pulling it free of the loops. Then he pulled the hem of his shirt out and unbuttoned his jeans.

  He lowered himself to the bed, trying to keep his movements gentle so as not to disturb Maggie’s sleep. A groan nearly escaped him as he stretched out fully, his body relaxing into the soft embrace of the mattress. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, the muscles in his arms and legs randomly twitching in testament to their earlier strain. Maggie’s breathing was steady and sure next to him, a comforting, almost hypnotic sound.

  He thought about touching her, just a quick caress to assure himself that she was really there, that this wasn’t some kind of hallucination brought on by oxygen deprivation. But his arms felt so heavy, as if they’d been glued to the bed. He settled for turning his head, her golden hair filling his vision as he surrendered to the restorative depths of sleep.

  * * *

  Maggie came awake slowly, opening her eyes to a world of gray. Her heart jumped into her throat and for a terrifying instant, she thought the smoke in her dreams had followed her back to reality. She sniffed cautiously and relief washed over her as she realized the pearlescent glow of the room was due to the early evening light slanting through the sheer dove-colored curtains.

  She lay there for a moment, taking stock of things. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep, but she didn’t feel particularly rested. Her dreams had been full of chaos and turmoil, the roar of fire and the shrill whinnies of horses. She’d spent most of the dream running, trying to escape from the thick, choking smoke that purled around her limbs, pulling at her clothes and hair. Thorne had been there with her, but she hadn’t been able to see him. He’d remained obscured, and no matter how fast she ran he was always just out of reach.