Guardian Cowboy

by Carla Cassidy

  Her thoughts had been filled with Sawyer since she’d opened her eyes that morning. Oh, how she’d wanted him to stay through the night. How she’d longed to sleep in his arms and awaken this morning to his lazy, sexy grin.

  But the town would be buzzing with enough gossip without adding in Sawyer and Janis spending nights together at the motel.

  She’d never spent the entire night with a man. Maybe she was old-fashioned, but it had always felt wrong without a wedding ring on her finger. Funny that sleeping together seemed even more intimate than making love with a man.

  She stood as Gary’s van pulled up in the parking space right in front of her room. He got out, carrying a bag from the only drive-through burger joint in town.

  She unlocked the door and he came inside, bringing with him the heady scent of hamburger and fries. “Thanks, Gary,” she said as she took the bag from him and gestured for him to have a seat at the small, Formica-topped table.

  “How are you doing?” he asked, dark concern on his blunt features.

  “I’m okay right now,” she replied, pulling the burger and fries out of the bag.

  “I can’t believe this happened in my establishment. I treat my employees well. I give my patrons good food and drinks at a reasonable price, but if it gets out that there are peepholes all over the place, my business could be ruined. And that doesn’t even count the trauma you’ve been put through. God, Janis, I can’t tell you how damned sorry I am.”

  She reached out and touched his beefy arm. “Gary, I’ll be fine and your business will survive.”

  He released a deep sigh. “I would have liked to get Jesse to fill all those holes, but I guess Chief Bowie is right to leave them be and catch the pervert in action. Are you sure you’re good with going back into the room?”

  “Yeah, I’m thinking maybe I’ll talk to Dillon about returning there day after tomorrow.” She unwrapped her cheeseburger and took a bite despite the apprehension that swept through her.

  She could go back there tonight and start the process to catch the creep, but she just felt like she needed a day or two to get up her nerve.

  “And none of the men has ever appeared strange toward you?” he asked.

  Janis shook her head and followed the bite of cheeseburger with a french fry. She knew Gary well enough to know he was on a rant and that when he was like this he mostly liked the sound of his own voice.

  “I’ll be interested to see what Chief Bowie learns today when everyone turns in their whereabouts for the afternoon Sawyer got shot. And if we don’t find the bastard that way, then we’ll see who’s peeking in on you when you go back into the room.” He banged his fist on the table, startling her to the point that she choked on a bite.

  She coughed and reached for the glass of water she’d fixed herself while she’d waited for him. She took several deep gulps.

  “Sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to freak you out. This all just makes me so damned mad.” He got up from the table. “I’ll get out of here and let you finish eating in peace.”

  She got out of her chair and walked with him to the door. “Thanks for bringing me lunch,” she said.

  “It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve gone through.” He reached out and patted her on the back. “Hopefully it won’t be long before we get this demented nutcase behind bars.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears,” she replied.

  Half an hour later she sat on the bed and listened to the silence surrounding her. She wished Sawyer was with her. She wished he was telling her one of his funny stories and making her laugh. She wished for his calm nature to quiet the anxiety that filled her heart.

  She usually didn’t mind the silence, but today it pressed heavy and oppressive against her chest. Even thinking about time spent with her dad didn’t bring her any relief.

  She eyed the television but dismissed the idea of turning it on. She didn’t need noise. What she needed was for Dillon to find the man who had her in his sights. It would be nice if he could find the man who’d shot Sawyer. She’d hoped that would happen before she had to go back to staying in the room. What she wanted was to be able to put this all behind her and get back to living her life to the fullest.

  And she wanted to spend time with Sawyer and be able to go out without fearing that he’d be killed. Just seeing the bandage on his shoulder last night had made her fear for his life.

  Still, as her thoughts lingered on the night before, she couldn’t help but smile. Making love with Sawyer had been magical. It had been intense and fiery and yet tender and perfect.

  She’d loved the feel of his naked body against her, the smell of him that had lingered on her skin long after he’d left. She had no idea what the future might bring for the two of them. Right now she just intended to take things one day at a time.

  There was no way she could think about a future when she felt a threat moving closer and closer every day.

  By the time Sawyer arrived at just after six, she was positively sick of being in her own head and eager for his company.

  The first thing they did was get into his truck for a trip to the grocery store. By the time they reached the store they had shared the events of their days with each other. He’d polished harnesses and saddles all day and she confessed she had finally resorted to watching game shows on television to pass the long afternoon.

  She was ridiculously happy to see him and, at least for now, while in his company, all felt right with the world. “I made a grocery list so this shouldn’t take long,” she said when they entered the store.

  He grabbed a basket as she pulled her list out of her purse. “Take all the time you need. Do you like to cook?” he asked as they began walking down the produce aisle.

  “I don’t mind it,” she replied. “Although with it just being me, I rarely go to the trouble of cooking a big meal. What about you?”

  “I can do bacon and eggs and make a mean steak on the grill, but that’s about it. With Cookie providing meals for all of us, learning how to cook has never been a big priority.”

  She grabbed salad fixings and placed them in the basket. As they wove their way up and down the aisles, they chatted about completely mundane things. It was exactly what she needed to calm the nerves that had flared up inside her since they’d found the peepholes.

  Forty minutes later they were back in her motel room. She shooed him to sit at the table while she unloaded the bags. “I was hoping to hear from Dillon today,” she said, placing sandwich meat in the refrigerator and then putting a bunch of bananas on the countertop.

  “It’s probably taking him all day to sort out the alibis that everyone was supposed to give him.” He touched his shoulder.

  “Have you looked at that since I bandaged it up?” she asked worriedly.

  “Yeah. I changed the bandage this morning and rubbed on some more of the antibiotic cream. It’s already starting to heal up, so get that worried look off your face.”

  “If I find the person who did that to you, I’ll personally punch him in the nose as hard as I can,” she said fervently. She slammed a package of chicken breasts down on the table to punctuate her point.

  “Whoa, woman.” He laughed. “I didn’t know you had that kind of meanness in you.”

  “Ha, you hurt somebody I care about and watch how mean I can get,” she replied.

  “So, you care about me. That’s nice to know.” His eyes radiated that warmth that always shot straight into her heart and made her slightly giddy.

  “Well, of course, I care about you, you big lug. If I didn’t, then last night wouldn’t have happened.” A blush warmed her cheeks as she thought of their lovemaking.

  “At least today I can actually talk about what happened last night instead of waking up in your bed and not remembering a darned thing.”

  She tried not to laugh but a giggle escaped her. “I’
m sorry.” She instantly attempted to sober. “Watching you dance around the conversation that morning was ridiculously amusing.”

  “It was horrifying,” he replied, although his eyes twinkled with humor.

  Sawyer had insisted she fix herself something to eat and she’d just finished a sandwich when a knock fell on the door.

  Instantly, Sawyer was on his feet with his gun pulled. Her heart leaped into her throat. Sawyer’s quick reaction was a stark reminder that nothing was normal in her life at the moment and danger could only be a door knock away.

  * * *

  Sawyer opened the door a mere inch and relaxed at the sight of Dillon standing outside. He holstered his gun and opened the door wider to allow the lawman inside.

  “We were just wondering if we’d hear from you today,” Sawyer said as the three of them sat at the table.

  “Want a cup of coffee?” Janis asked. “I was just about to make a pot.”

  “Sure, I’d take a cup if you’re making it.” He swept a hand through his dark hair. “It’s been a long day. I’ve been chasing down alibis for everyone from the bar for the day you were shot,” he said to Sawyer.

  “So, did everyone bring you a list of their activities for that day?” Janis asked as she poured water into the coffee machine.

  “Everyone except Miguel and James. I’ve got a couple of men out looking for them now,” Dillon replied.

  “Have you checked out everyone else’s alibi?” Sawyer asked, eager to find out if they were narrowing things down.

  Dillon nodded. “Although there are a couple that there is no way to substantiate. Charlie said he was at home alone and Rusty claims that he decided to go for a long drive since the weather was so nice.”

  Sawyer frowned. “Maybe he took a little drive to the ranch and parked in the woods and then shot me.”

  “Maybe,” Dillon replied. “But at this point, I’ve got no evidence to arrest anyone. I’m in the process of digging deeper into those men’s private lives.”

  “What about James and Miguel? Is it possible both of them are peepers and that’s why they didn’t bring you anything today?” The idea sickened Sawyer and he could only imagine how his question affected Janis.

  “Right now anything is possible,” Dillon replied. “But my gut is telling me this is one man who is obsessed with Janis. I think it’s obvious his interest in her goes far beyond peeping, otherwise he wouldn’t have left you that note and then shot you.”

  “Cream or sugar?” Janis’s voice was slightly shaky as she asked Dillon. She set a cup of fresh brew in front of him.

  “No, this is fine,” he replied. He waited until she had served Sawyer and herself and was once again seated at the table.

  “I still believe the only way to get this guy arrested is to catch him in the act,” Dillon continued. “Have you thought about when you might want to return to the room?”

  “Maybe day after tomorrow, if that’s okay with you?” Janis replied. Her fingers trembled as she wrapped them around her coffee cup.

  Sawyer wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her she never had to go back there, but he couldn’t. He agreed with Dillon that the only way this person would be caught was if she went back and Dillon caught him in the act.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” Dillon replied. “I know how difficult it will be for you.”

  She gave a curt nod and took a sip of her coffee.

  “So, what is the exact plan?” Sawyer asked.

  “The only time this man can be peeping at Janis is when the bar is closed and I doubt that he’s sitting there watching her all night while she sleeps. So, the optimal hours would be maybe an hour or so after the bar closes and then all day on Sunday.”

  “And you’re going to be hiding in the bar during those hours?” Janis asked.

  Dillon nodded. “I figure nobody will see me if I hide behind the bar since it’s on the other side of the room from where the holes are located. From there I’ll be able to hear if anyone comes in.”

  “You realize it’s possible it might take several nights,” Sawyer said. He reached out and took one of Janis’s hands in his. Her fingers were icy cold and he hated like hell that she was going through this.

  Even though it didn’t appear to be a life-threatening situation for her, he couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to suddenly discover that somebody had been watching you in your most private moments. It was a violation of unimaginable proportions.

  “I’m willing to do this for however long it takes,” Dillon said, his dark eyes growing even darker. “This is my town and these kinds of things aren’t welcome here.”

  “This shouldn’t be welcomed anywhere,” Sawyer replied, squeezing Janis’s hand reassuringly.

  “I stopped by the bar a little while ago and Gary had everything in the room covered with tarps and had set off a couple of bug bombs, to explain your disappearance. He’d also given everyone their keys back.” Dillon took a drink of his coffee.

  “I wonder how long those holes have been there,” Janis said.

  “There’s no way to know,” Dillon replied.

  “Maybe they were already there when I first moved in. That was over ten years ago.” Janis leaned forward slightly, a fragile hope lighting her eyes. “Maybe the person who made them doesn’t even work at the bar anymore and nobody is peeping in on me.”

  Dillon frowned. “I wish we could go on that assumption, but we can’t. That listening device wasn’t ten years old. From what little I could tell about it, it was a relatively new model and it was active. Somebody was definitely listening to you, and that leads me to believe somebody has been watching you, as well.”

  The hope in her eyes faded away as she pulled her hand from Sawyer’s and instead, once again, wrapped her fingers around her cup.

  He wanted to grab her up and put her in his truck. To drive someplace far away from here where she didn’t have to face this craziness, where the two of them could just be happy and in love.

  “I’d better get out of here,” Dillon said. He drained his coffee cup and stood. “I’ll stay in touch and, Janis, I promise we’re going to get this guy.”

  “Thanks, Dillon,” she replied and stood to walk him to the door.

  Once he was gone and the door was safely locked behind him, Sawyer pulled Janis into an embrace. She clung to him as he caressed his hand up and down her back, wanting to comfort her.

  “I still can’t believe this is all happening,” she said into the crook of his neck.

  “I know, but hopefully in the next couple of days we can put this all to bed and go on with our lives.” He gave her an extra tight squeeze and then released her. “How about we cuddle on the bed and watch some mindless television?” he suggested.

  “That sounds absolutely wonderful,” she replied.

  Minutes later, Sawyer was propped up with pillows on the bed and Janis cuddled against his side. It took some channel-flipping before they decided to watch a sitcom that neither of them had seen before.

  It was hard for him to concentrate on the shenanigans on screen with her so close to him. He didn’t want to hear canned laughter. He wanted to hear hers. But at the moment he was fresh out of humorous stories to tell her.

  Besides, he sensed that laughter wasn’t what she needed at the moment. What she needed was his quiet support and the knowledge that he’d have her back no matter what. She needed the warmth of his body next to hers, hopefully giving her the strength to get through the next few days.

  “The first thing I want to do when this is all over is take you out to the ranch and get you up on horseback,” he said as a commercial played. “We’ll enjoy a nice sunset ride and then have a picnic under the stars.”

  “That sounds perfect,” she replied. “And we’ll stop at the café so you can get a couple of pieces of that crème brûlée cake to take with us
.”

  “Now that really sounds perfect,” he replied.

  He wanted to tell her that he was in love with her. Right now, with her body curled up next to him. The three words that held such power and the emotion behind those words trembled in his heart, on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

  Was he moving too fast? There was no question that things had developed quickly between the two of them. But each minute he spent with her only increased his certainty that she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. He wanted her to give him babies. He wanted to have the kind of family he’d never had...with her.

  But he was reluctant to share all this with her now, with the drama hanging over their heads. He didn’t want anything to taint or to take away from his expression of his deep love for her. Now simply wasn’t the right time.

  The sitcom ended and another one began, and still they remained curled up together on the bed. She was so quiet and so relaxed against him he wondered if she’d fallen asleep.

  But just when he was sure she was asleep, she raised her head to look at him. “I could have potentially put an end to all this tonight if I’d just gone back to the room.”

  He gently moved a strand of her hair away from her face. “Nobody expected you to go back there tonight. Besides, Dillon is still busy chasing down alibis and I imagine he needed some time to figure out his schedule in order to be in the bar during the nights.”

  “I can’t wait until this is all over, but I don’t ever want to live in that room in the bar again.” She pulled herself up and sat cross-legged next to him.

  “So, what are your plans?” he asked.

  “I guess I’ll talk to Mable Treadwell. She’s got that big house and is always looking for somebody to rent a room from her. Or I’ll see what kind of house I can rent for a reasonable price.”

  She released a deep sigh. “If this had happened two or three years from now, I might have had the money to put down on my dream home. But, financially, I’m just not there yet.”