by Becky McGraw
"Be reasonable, Karlie...even if you have a gun, you'd be a greenhorn with it. The odds are he'll take it away from you and use it on you, instead of the other way around."
"I don't plan on giving him that opportunity," she said firmly. "He's not going to touch me, or my dog again, that I can promise you."
Gabe pulled off the ugly tan Stetson that was part of his uniform, but looked ridiculous on him, then shoved a hand through his hair, "Honey, you stole his dog. He might be coming here to press charges. I won't have any choice, but to arrest you again, if he can prove Sarge belongs to him. If you wind up shooting him and it's not self-defense, you could be in a whole world of trouble. Please don't get a gun...I'll get you a taser and show you how to use it."
"Ugh, there has to be something I can do to stop him from taking Sarge..." she said then started pacing up and down the aisle.
"Do you know the attorneys who administer his grandfather's will?" Gabe asked her and a lightbulb went off in her head.
With a hopeful grin, she nodded then said, "That's a great idea...I don't know why I didn't think of it before." She ran over to Gabe and put her arms around the handsome lawman's neck and gave him a kiss, then told him, "You're pretty damned smart, thank you for that suggestion."
She glanced over at Cassie and saw her friend's eyes were rounded and her eyebrows almost touched her hairline. Karlie guessed she didn't know that she and Gabe had gone out a few times lately, and she hadn't had time to tell her.
"So, no gun?" Gabe asked her with eyes that glittered with concern.
"No gun as long as this works out..." she agreed then qualified it, "and you get me that taser."
He snorted, then told her, "Consider yourself tased, darlin'. I could have used one of those that day you roped me...maybe I'll order me one too." Gabe pulled her to him and gave her a tender kiss, before he released her too soon for her liking.
Putting his hat back on his head, Gabe told her, "I've got to get going...got a loose livestock call a few minutes ago near here, I just stopped by on the way," then added, with a grin, "Maybe it'll be pigs or something this time, instead of cows. As long as it isn't chickens, I'm good."
Karlie snorted, then Gabe chuckled and told her, "Girl, you ought to bottle that sound and sell it...makes me want to laugh every time I hear it!" then he laughed heartily, before he finished, "I thought I was going to lose it when I pulled you over and you did that. I've got this beautiful woman in this hot rod car, and that sound comes out of her!"
Cassie laughed too and added, "I've got to get the whole story on that event. Sounds like she got a record time on that take down."
Gabe's smile faded and he looked at Cassie, "Let's not go there, okay?"
Cassie nodded but she told him, "I thought I was going to have to get Luke oxygen or something...he must've laughed an hour."
"He would...until it happens to him," Gabe said grumpily, then adjusted his hat. "Well, I really do have a call. You ladies have a nice day," he said with a wink, then walked out of the barn.
Karlie shook her head and sighed, then Cassie looked at her and said, "Pretty cute, huh?"
"Damned cute...but Jake ruined me on relationships. I'm not going there, but god, I'd like to lick that one from head to toe."
"I can't believe he's even talking to you after you hog-tied him...he's getting ten kinds of hell at work for that," Cassie hooted then grinned from ear to ear. "Maybe he likes getting tied up." She bent over laughing and slapped the side of her thigh.
Karlie looked at her and smiled, then said, "I don't know why he's talking to me either, truth be told...he's a lot more forgiving than I'd be."
"He's a good guy...his sister Sabrina is awesome. She worked here with me before, she married Cole and you came along."
"I met her at the rodeo when she and Cole came to see Wade ride in Dallas."
"You know Wade Roberts? Gabe knows him too...Wade was Sabrina's brother-in-law from her first marriage, and Gabe's best friend's brother. I met him at the wedding."
Karlie grinned and winked at Cassie, "Yeah, Katie and I know Wade...we told Cole we didn't when he asked, because we didn't want to go into how we know him."
"Lord, you two are something," Cassie told her and then added, "Ya'll pull the ole switcheroo?"
"Um...something like that," Karlie told her vaguely.
There wasn't much switching involved, but there was a lot of necking, then tying up. They'd left him in a Houston hotel room tied to the bed, buck naked, and then took his clothes. It served him right after he suggested they do a threesome, because he'd always wanted to 'do' twins. She was sure he didn't want to 'do' them anymore. Karlie was sure that particular fantasy was thoroughly ruined for him, now.
She had to say though, him being an asshole aside, Wade Roberts was surely one impressive man. Katie had been appalled, but Karlie had even used a magic marker to draw a smiley face on that part of him, as a parting gift to remember them by.
"Well, that smile on your face says it must've been a memorable experience, whatever it was," Cassie told her with a chuckle.
"Oh, he remembers it, I have no doubt," Karlie replied smiling, before she added, "Well, I'm going work Titan out then I'll come up to the house for lunch. You go rest, or Luke will have your hide."
Cassie sighed then said, "Not you too...now that makes everyone at the Double B on my back about resting. Between the rest and the blueberry Pop Tarts, I'm gonna weigh three hundred pounds by the time I deliver this bambino."
"That's what pregnant ladies do, sweetie...rest and eat. Enjoy it...and I'll be enjoying your stud here," she said with a wry grin.
Cassie's bottom lip poked out and then she smiled, and informed her, "At least I have a class this afternoon to get some activity in...it's for little ones and should be fun." Moving her eyes over Titan then the other horses in the barn, she told Karlie, "I really need to get some good lesson ponies. Maybe I'll call Tommy Tucker and see if he has any at the Rockin' D over in Amarillo...that's where I got Titan and the mares."
Karlie loved how Cassie's eyes lit up every time she said Titan's name...just like they did when she mentioned Luke. One day, Karlie hoped she'd feel like that about someone, but she had a feeling it was going to be a long time coming, because she planned to be a helluva lot more selective next time she thought about getting tangled up with a man.
"I'd like to go with you and see his operation, if you go, that would be fun...Katie might want to go too, if she's not riding." Karlie said with a fading smile, as her sister's name passed her lips.
As mad as Katie was at her right now, Karlie doubted she'd want to go anywhere with her, or be around her at all. Karlie couldn't blame her either, because of how she'd left her. Evidently, Katie had given up on convincing her to come back too, because she'd brought JoJo to her. Even her horse seemed depressed to not be roping and racing, hell with exercising all the other stock here, she hadn't even had time to ride him. Maybe she'd set up some barrels for him in the outdoor arena and give him some practice.
"I'd love for ya'll to go with me, it's an amazing place, and Tommy Tucker is a fantastic horseman," Cassie told her with a dreamy look on her face.
"This place isn't chopped liver either, girlfriend, it's amazing what ya'll have done to set things up. I love it here...thank you so much for hiring me."
"Well, I love having you, because you know what to do, and I don't have to worry or babysit you. I know you're gonna treat my babies right. You're doing great, and I appreciate having you here."
Pride filled Karlie, and she felt a blush start at her throat and work its way up to her face. It had been a long time, since she'd heard positive words like that, and her soul soaked them up like a flower did rain, and she basked in the feeling, then said, "Thanks, so much, Cassie...now you go rest!"
"Yes ma'am," her tall, blond, and very pregnant friend agreed with a chuckle, then turned and headed back to the house.
Two hours later, Karlie walked Titan back into the barn and h
opped down from the saddle. Being cooped up for half the day had given Titan a ton of energy he needed to get rid of. Unless she took him out, his exercise only consisted of being in his turnout paddock in the morning and at night, so Karlie had taken him out to the pasture for a run instead of just working him in the outdoor arena. The fresh air and freedom had done them both some good. She was hot and sweaty but exhilarated, as was he.
Titan was so damned much fun to ride. It had been entirely too long since she'd ridden for pleasure instead of because she had to. Karlie thought her sister Katie had probably forgotten how much fun it was too, and even she would second guess her decision to stay with the rodeo, if she tried it now.
Karlie slid her saddle off of his back, then removed the sweaty blanket, before she took a towel and wiped Titan down. She bent down to wipe Titan's legs down, and her stomach growled making her realize it must be getting around lunchtime. Imelda had fixed them breakfast really early this morning, then left to go take care of her own family. Karlie knew she'd be back soon to fix lunch, and her food was always fantastic, so she couldn't wait.
"Nice view," a rich deep voice said behind her, one she recognized all too well now.
Karlie stood up, then turned toward Gabe with a big smile, and asked him, "Pigs or Chickens?"
"Emu," he frowned and told her. "Never again--next time it's all on Elmer."
Karlie snorted then laughed, "Emu? I didn't know there was a farm for them around here. I hear those things make people a lot of money, but I couldn't see raising them." The exotic long-legged birds looked like ostrich to her. She couldn't tell the difference, and didn't see how they fit into cattle country.
"Me either, I thought I was gonna have to either shoot him or call you to come rope him to get the damned thing back in the fence."
Her eyes traveled over his broad chest to his narrow waist then rushed past the good stuff to his grass stained knees and mud covered shoes. "That is mud right?" she asked her lips twitching.
Gabe looked down at his feet and said, "Yes, thank god, otherwise these shoes would be in the garbage. That farm stunk something awful."
"Worse than pigs?" Karlie didn't think there was anything worse smelling than a pig farm.
"Well, a close second to that...too close for me," he told her then smiled and asked, "Want to go to the Blue Bird with me for lunch...sort of appropriate after my emu wrestling success. I'd like for you to meet my sister, Sabrina, too."
"When she and Cole came to the rodeo in Dallas to watch Wade ride, I got to meet her, but I wouldn't mind seeing her again, if you want to take me to lunch...."
"So you know Wade?" Gabe asked her with curiosity in his eyes.
Karlie felt a flush creep up her neck and she swallowed. Now that she knew Wade was his best friend's brother, there was no way in hell she was going to tell him what she and Katie had done. If he found out, it would be all on his own. She was sure Wade wasn't going to tell him. "Uh, yeah, he's a pro bronc rider...I know him from the circuit. He was your best friend's brother, right? Cassie told me earlier."
Sadness and something else, guilt maybe, flashed through Gabe's eyes, before he dropped his gaze to the toes of his boots and told her, "Yeah...and Sabrina's brother-in-law...before I got my best friend, Kenny, killed in a botched sting operation."
Karlie walked up and put her hand on his shoulder and said softly, "I'm so sorry about your friend, Gabe..."
He looked back up her and his eyes were now dark pools of misery, and he choked out, "Kenny was a good man...and he died unnecessarily, because I fucked up."
Sliding her hand down his arm, Karlie laced her fingers with his, and gave his hand a squeeze. Making him remember what must have been a horrible experience wasn't her intention, but it was just as obvious to her that he needed to get it out of his system. All that crap inside of you could make you go nuts, Karlie knew firsthand, so she prompted, "You were there when he got killed?"
He nodded then told her, "We were undercover in Phoenix and I said something stupid that blew our cover, Kenny tried to play it off and they killed him. They would have killed me too, if he hadn't distracted them, so I could get out. I was supposed to watch his six...um back...I broke the promise we made to each other when we joined the military, and just left him there."
Karlie sucked in a breath and put her other hand over her mouth, "Oh, my god Gabe..."
He looked up at her and his eyes were tortured, his face pinched. "Yeah...my fuck up cost my best friend his life, and my sister her husband...and Wade his brother. I can't fucking figure out why none of them blame me, cause I sure as hell blame myself enough for all of them."
Wow, she thought, that was some heavy duty baggage to carry around. She had no idea how he'd managed to do it. "When did this happen?
Sucking in a short breath, he answered, "Almost two years ago now..."
Karlie didn't know what to say to him to make it better, how anyone could make something that tragic better, so she didn't say anything. She just stepped forward and put her arms around his waist and hugged him trying to hide the tears that automatically rushed to her eyes.
Gabe forced out what sounded like a mix between a sob and a laugh, then kissed the top of her head and said, "I came here to ask you out to lunch, sugar, not send you into deep dark depression. Let's go to lunch and think happy thoughts."
With a nod, she hugged him once more then pulled back from him, but he didn't let her go. Instead, he pulled her closer and slid his mouth over hers and teased it open, then his tongue danced with hers and tendrils of desire snaked through her body.
Her nipples peaked against his chest and she moaned then slid her palms up his chest to loop her arms around his neck leaning even closer into him. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her and she ground her hips against him. God, what she wouldn't give to feel him inside of her, to absorb some of the heady feelings he was transmitting to her through his kiss.
With a deep, pained groan, Gabe forced himself to pull back from her, breathing heavily, harder than he could remember being in a long time...wanting her with a force that he was having a hard time denying. It had been a while since he'd had sex, but that still didn't explain his automatic response to the spitfire in his arms. Just kissing her sent him from zero to sixty in three point two seconds, their chemistry was nuclear.
With a shuddering sigh, he tried to get himself under control, then told her, "Damn, sugar, you about set my hair on fire."
"I thought I smelled something burning...but I thought it was my panties," she purred then gave him a saucy grin, before she licked his lower lip.
Gabe growled then captured her lips for one more heated kiss, because he couldn't resist. After a minute, he dragged his mouth from hers and kissed her neck, then whispered by her ear, "They've already had one barn fire in here...I'm afraid we're gonna cause another one, if we don't get out of here...and besides we have a lunch date." He nipped her earlobe, then grabbed her hand and led her out of the barn to his patrol car.
When they stopped by the door Karlie held up her hands and said with a laugh, "Whoa, I've seen the inside of enough of these lately...let's take Freddie...or drive separately."
Gabe ignored her and opened the door for her and grinned, then said, "You get to ride up front this time. C'mon, sugar...you need to experience your handiwork."
She raised an eyebrow and asked with a smug smile, "You think I didn't test it out after I finished?"
"Oh, Lord, don't tell me that..." Gabe said with a groan, then closed the door after she sat inside. He was lucky to still have a patrol car, if she'd done that. This woman was a magnet for misadventure, especially when she put the pedal to the metal.
When they got to the Bird, the place was packed with the regulars he usually saw there, but there quite a few new faces too. It looked like his sister's new business was thriving, and he was very happy for her.
Her career change from being a police detective in Phoenix, to the owner of a restaurant, sure put his
mind at ease. Although Sabrina had been a damned good detective, she was a better cook, and this was helluva lot less dangerous for sure. Her meeting and marrying Cole Jackson kind of helped ease his tremendous guilt too, because she'd fallen in love and had another chance at a happy life, the life he'd taken away from her two years ago.
Gabe held Karlie's hand and led her to a booth on the right side of the cafe. Once she slid into a booth, he slid in beside her, and put his arm across her shoulders. He couldn't help but touch her when she was near. As wild as he thought she was, touching her soothed something inside of him, made him feel happy for a change.
Karlie picked up a menu from behind the sugar dispenser and flicked it open. "So, what's good?" she asked running her finger down the plastic covered paper.
