Loving A Hero

by Cheryl Yeko

  Bob tipped back his beer, before asking, "Besides you, anybody hit?"

  "No. At first I thought the guy was going for Shelly.” He stopped, shook his head. “Now I'm thinking I was the target." And he'd put her in danger when he'd run toward her. That thought wasn't sitting very well with him.

  Bob nodded. A mean smile curved his mouth. "Why would that be?"

  Stan thought about the kiss they'd shared before she'd entered the college. "Jealousy."

  Bob tipped his hand in a salute. "Right again, genius. So, how are we going to find this dirtbag?"

  A loud knock at the front door brought them both to their feet. Stan reached into his side-holster, lightly gripping his weapon, ignoring the tug at his injury. Bob tensed, one hand balling into a fist.

  Dave called Shelly's name through the closed door, and they both relaxed. "Open up, it’s me."

  Bob hurried over and let him in, taking time to reassure the younger guy everyone was okay. The gentleness the bruiser had toward his husband was in stark contrast to the hard-ass attitude when dealing with Stan.

  Releasing Bob's hand, Maggie ran into the living room, calling out, "Mama, I'm home."

  Shelly came rushing down the hallway wearing a short fluffy white robe that gently hugged her perfect body, showcasing long slender legs. Dark curls fell in damp strands past her shoulders, her face scrubbed clean. Sexier than hell, and Stan was instantly hard thinking about her nakedness under the thin cotton material.

  He shifted uncomfortably.

  Bob's derisive snort and warning glare indicated the guy knew exactly what he was thinking. Stan furtively flipped him off as she rushed over to her daughter, his gaze caught on the gentle curves of Shelly’s ass.

  "Hey, little Magpie. How's Mama's best girl?" Shelly picked her up for a big hug, twirling her around as she covered her smiling face with kisses. The little girl squealed with laughter.

  Stan couldn't pull his gaze away from the joyous reunion. He'd never seen Shelly's face light up with so much happiness. Pure love shone from her eyes as she tickled her daughter in the ribs, causing more sweet giggles to burst forth.

  "I think she missed you," Bob said, his rough voice filled with warmth.

  "Well, I certainly missed her," Shelly proclaimed, plopping down in one of the overstuffed armchairs to cuddle the girl. "Did you have a good day at school?"

  As mother and daughter chatted about kindergarten and playtime, Dave gestured for them to meet him in the kitchen. The anger he spotted in the normally placid guy's gaze concerned Stan as he strode over to the tiny space.

  "What's up?" Stan positioned himself so he could keep an eye on the girls. Not that he expected any trouble inside her apartment.

  Dave's mouth pressed into a grim line as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo, handing it to Bob. "Sometime during outside playtime, a man approached Maggie and gave her this photo."

  Peering over Bob's shoulder, every muscle in Stan's body became steel. A picture of Shelly standing at a window, holding the curtain back with one hand as she peered outside. Maggie stood next to her, hands on the windowsill as she also stared outside. It was night, and Shelly was clearly silhouetted in the brightly lit apartment, wearing a silky pair of dark-blue pajamas. Her expression was wistful, and a little bit sad. What had she been thinking?

  Stan glanced up at the window overlooking the living room. It'd obviously been taken from the apartment building across the road, using a fairly sophisticated camera to get such a clear shot at that distance. They’d need to check out the tenants.

  "He said to give it to her mommy," Dave said.

  "How did the school let some asshole get near a five-year-old?" Bob asked, as Stan reached for the photo.

  Dave shrugged. "When the teacher spotted him, he ran off, and Maggie couldn’t remember much about the guy. The police said they’d have a patrol car drive by the school for a while, but there wasn’t much else to do. They tried to call Shelly, but she didn't pick up."

  "Her cell phone was damaged during the attack," Stan said.

  Dave nodded. "I told the school I'd let Shelly know what happened. I didn't want to upset her any more than she already was at the time." He gave Stan a curious look. "She was pretty freaked out about you getting shot."

  Knowing she cared, even if she was still upset about his dumbass move that’d caused their breakup, eased some of the pressure in his chest.

  That lasted about two seconds, all the time it took for Dave to flip the photo over. "Asshole left her a message."

  Stan glanced down at the words scrawled across the back in sloppy handwriting.

  Mine.

  Shelly watched with trepidation as the men talked quietly in the kitchen, tension rolling off them. Needing to know what was going on, she pressed a kiss to Maggie’s forehead, then picked up the remote and found a cartoon channel.

  "Mama will be right back." She tugged the lap blanket off the end of the couch and tucked her in. "I'll start dinner. How's mac and cheese sound?"

  Maggie nodded, snuggling down with her head resting on a square decorative pillow. "Lots and lots of cheese."

  "You got it." With another quick peck, Shelly stood, and moved into the kitchen. Stan's gaze zeroed in on her, brows furrowed into a deep V. The anger she read in his eyes, matched those in Bob and Dave's. Which really made her nervous, because Dave seldom got upset.

  Stopping in front of Stan, she stared up at him, tucking a damp curl behind her ear. "Did something else happen?" Her gaze fell to the photo Dave held. Her stomach knotting with a sense of foreboding. "What's that?"

  Stan plucked the photo from Dave's fingers, curling it into his palm, as she met his troubled gaze. "Shelly," he said softly.

  Her anxiety mounted. "What?"

  For a moment, no one said a word. Her gazed flicked over the men again. Bob still appeared angry. Dave seemed worried. And Stan looked downright mad. Like he wanted to hit something.

  Badly.

  Yet, the hand to her face was tender as he gently caressed her cheek. "This freak’s been staking out your place."

  She jerked back, reaching for the photo, afraid of what she'd see. Had he been in her home before last night?

  She stared down at a photo of her and Maggie at the big picture window. She remembered the night, a few days earlier.

  It'd been a clear evening, stars filling the sky in a spectacular display. All she'd been able to think about was Stan, wondering if he'd moved on already. It'd broken her heart a little. Which was ridiculous, she knew, since she'd been the one to break it off.

  Her chest tightened, her stomach churning with nausea. "Where did you get this?"

  The silence was deafening. She glanced up. The men's tense expressions indicated something very bad was coming her way. "Where?" she repeated with more demand.

  "Baby girl—” Dave began.

  Stan broke in, "Some guy gave it to your daughter today, on the playground."

  Absolute terror seized her. Pain, like nothing she'd ever felt before, crushed her chest, stealing vital oxygen from her lungs at the thought of danger anywhere near her child. The photo fell from limp fingers and fluttered to the floor as her legs gave out.

  Bob cursed softly.

  Stan tugged her against his solid chest, murmuring, "Breathe, baby. It's going to be all right. This prick won't get near either of you again. I promise you."

  "We promise." Bob’s voice held a hard edge.

  Shelly clutched Stan's shirt and buried her face into his chest, needing his support to stand as she struggled to tamp down her fear. This man had gotten too close to her little girl. Close enough to touch her, hand her something. He could have seriously hurt her. Kidnapped her. Or worse.

  Her stomach turned over, bile rising in her throat. If she'd had a chance to eat anything substantial, which she hadn't due to Stan being shot and spending all afternoon at the hospital, she would have lost it.

  A moan escaped her lips.

  "Shh, it's okay. Y
ou’re safe. Maggie's safe." Stan made gentle circles against her back as she struggled to pull herself together.

  Knowing she had to stay strong for her daughter, Shelly squared her shoulders and met Stan's determined gaze. Her words came out barely a whisper. "What now?"

  Bob answered. "Now we figure out who this fucker is and stop him.”

  Stan nodded in agreement. "I'll be sticking to you like glue. Either Bob or Dave . . ." He stopped speaking, turning toward Dave with a skeptical look. "Bob," he amended, "will watch over Maggie—”

  "Hey," Dave jumped in, raising one brow. "I think I was just insulted."

  Bob tugged his husband in for a hug, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. "You want me to kick his ass for you, love?"

  Despite the dire situation, the hopeful tone in Bob's voice brought a smile to Shelly's lips.

  Stan snorted.

  Dave laughed, then glanced up at Bob with evident affection. "Not at the moment. You’ll be the first to know if that changes."

  The grin that split Bob's face changed him from tough and somewhat scary looking to the loveable pussycat Shelly had come to adore. Then, just as quickly he sobered, turning his attention back to Stan.

  "So, what's the plan?”

  "My team-member, Duke, is checking for any video footage that might be available. He should be here soon, hopefully with some answers. Dave, Shelly tells me you're a computer nerd.”

  "I didn't say nerd," she objected, giving Dave an apologetic look.

  Ignoring her outburst, Stan continued. "You any good?"

  Dave nodded, looking smug.

  "The best," Bob said with pride.

  "All right, then. After Duke gets here, we'll need to borrow your space. You cool with that?"

  Bob nodded. "Whatever it takes to get this guy."

  "Mommy," Maggie called out. "I'm hungry."

  Shelly managed a smile for her daughter, before heading over to pull out a pan and filling it with water to boil. "I'm fixing some mac and cheese. You're all welcome to stay."

  Stan was the first to answer, taking a seat in one of the tall chairs surrounding her kitchen island. "I'm not leaving, remember. Whatever you're making is fine."

  Bob headed into the living room, plucking Maggie up and setting her on his lap to watch cartoons with her.

  Dave peeked into the freezer and pulled out a package of frozen corn dogs. "Mmm. My favorite. I'll pop some in the microwave."

  Shelly rolled her eyes. Dave hated corn dogs, but they were Maggie's favorite. Taking in the domestic scene in her apartment, warmth filled her. There had been very little love in her life growing up, and she’d forever be grateful for the affection these two men showered on her daughter. Dave and Bob were her family, and wonderful uncles to Maggie.

  Her gaze shifted to Stan, and she caught him studying her body. When his eyes lifted and met hers, they were filled with heat. Her body reacted immediately, breasts tingling, womb clenching. It had been a long time since she'd been intimate with a man, and there was no denying she wanted him. Had always wanted him, even when she'd walked away after finding him with another woman.

  Could she sleep with this oh-so-tempting man, satisfy the deep hunger building inside, without having her heart broken?

  It might be worth the risk.

  Her pulse raced at the images in her mind of Stan sliding deep inside her and stoking the fire between them, his mouth on hers, his hands on her body.

  A sexy smile slid across his face, as though he knew the direction of her dirty thoughts. And maybe he did . . .

  She bit her lip, considering her choices, then returned his smile.

  Chapter Five

  "I still can't believe I let you talk me into this," Shelly muttered, more to herself than Stan. Taking a leave of absence from her job, she’d traveled over a hundred miles away to stay at his place while Duke worked with Bob to track down her stalker. Thankfully, Peter was an understanding boss.

  Although Stan had gotten her a part-time waitressing job at his sister's restaurant so she could keep up with her bills, it still felt wrong. "I feel like I'm imposing. Does your sister really need another waitress?"

  Stan reached over and squeezed her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. "Sandy’s always looking for extra help. She's thrilled to have you and can't wait to meet you and Maggie."

  Shelly glanced at her daughter playing quietly with her iPod in the back seat. It was only the fact this horrible person had gotten so close to her baby that she'd agreed to this crazy deal.

  A shiver slid through her, as it did every time she thought about what could have happened. Turning her attention back to Stan, she said, "Fine. Only a few weeks. I was able to bring some homework with me, but I can't afford to miss too many classes."

  "I'm sure we'll have this guy before long. In the meantime, you and Maggie will be safe at my place. Also, my father was in the military. The Marines. He’s aware of your situation, and if anyone suspicious arrives in town, he'll know."

  "The Marines, huh?" She nibbled thoughtfully on her thumbnail. "That does make me feel a little better."

  Entering the tiny town of Rock Bluff, Wyoming, Stan turned down Butler Avenue. Small, well-maintained homes surrounded by large yards were scattered about on each side of the street. It had a warm, homey feel and for a moment Shelly's chest swelled with sadness for a life that could have been hers, if her parents hadn't died.

  "You okay?" Stan asked, eying her with concern. "I promise, you'll be safe here."

  Attempting to shake off her melancholy, she gave him a smile she wasn't feeling. "It's not that."

  "Mama," Maggie called from the back seat. "Are we there?"

  Pulling into the driveway of a white, medium sized ranch home with a wrap-around porch, he stopped in front of the two-car garage door and pressed the remote over his visor. Easing inside, he shut off the engine. "Then what is it, darlin'?"

  "It's nothing. I'm fine," she assured him, before addressing her daughter. "Yes, we're here.”

  Maggie bounced up and down excitedly in her booster chair, clutching Barry Bear in one arm. "Are the little girls you told me about going to be here, Mr. Cooper?"

  Stan glanced back at Maggie and smiled. "No. They live a few blocks away. It's late, how about tomorrow we stop over so you can meet them."

  Shelly's heart warmed, seeing the bright smile on her daughter’s face. Stan's sister had two little girls Maggie's age, and he'd promised Maggie he'd invite them for a sleepover as soon as they got settled in.

  Shelly was a bit nervous about meeting everyone, not having much experience with the whole family thing. Until she'd moved in next to Bob and Dave, it'd only been her and Maggie. And before that . . . Her stomach clenched with anxiety, before she shut the door on those unpleasant memories.

  What was in the past, needed to stay there.

  Today is all that matters. And Maggie’s future. Getting her degree so she could give her daughter a better life than she’d had. That’s what’s important. The past couldn’t hurt her unless she let it.

  Stan opened his car door and stepped out. She didn't miss the way he favored his wounded arm. Guilt still swirled in her stomach every time she thought about him getting hurt protecting her. By the time he came around to open her door, Maggie had unclicked her seatbelt and crawled over the backseat and onto her lap.

  Taking Shelly's hand, Stan guided her from the car, then tweaked Maggie's nose. "How's pepperoni pizza sound for supper?"

  Maggie beamed. "Yummy. Can I have ice cream for dessert? And cookies?"

  "Maggie," Shelly scolded, juggling her daughter on her hip, "don't be a little piggy."

  Maggie's lower lip stuck out in a pout as she stared up at her with mournful eyes. "I'm sorry, Mama. How 'bout just some ice cream?"

  Stan chuckled and retrieved their bags from the trunk. "I'm all out of cookies.” He ruffled the top of Maggie’s hair. “I'm pretty sure there's some strawberry ice cream in the freezer." He unlocked the garage door, ste
pping back so they could enter.

  Shelly laughed, giving her daughter's hopeful face a kiss. "Ice cream sounds great."

  As they entered the home, she was charmed at its elegant simplicity. The kitchen was compact, and beautiful with a rich hardwood floor, cherry wood cabinets, and black appliances. The adjoining living room was large and airy, with beautiful wood stairs leading to an open loft. Black leather furniture filled both spaces, and a humongous wide-screen TV filled one wall in the lower living room.

  "Your house is nice.” Shelly smirked. “I'm pretty sure you could see that TV from outer space."

  Stan chuckled. "Maybe. But I never miss a play during football season.”

  "You're a football fan?”

  "Yep. Green Bay Packers are my team.”

  "Really? They're from Wisconsin, right?”

  He nodded, and headed down the hall with their bags. "I attended college there for four years, and it stuck." They passed two doors on their left and entered a third door on the right. "This is Maggie's room, and you'll be right down the hall."

  The room was small, with a window displaying a generous fenced-in backyard, cream colored walls and plush maroon carpeting. Shelly lifted a quizzical brow. Besides the dark wood cabinets against one wall and the small dresser in a corner, it was completely empty.

  Maggie peeked in. "Where's the bed, Mr. Cooper?"

  Stan walked over to the cabinets, glancing back at them. "Right here, sweetheart." Tugging a handle Shelly hadn't noticed, he lowered a full-sized bed, already made up with blankets and pillows.

  Laughing, Maggie ran over and threw herself on top of the blue comforter. Dropping her stuffed animal, it landed near the edge of the bed. "It's soft." Sitting on her knees, she bounced a bit. "Mama, did you see that?” Awe sounded in her sweet voice. “The bed hides in the furniture.”

  Stan's warm gaze caught hers, and they both smiled at Maggie's excitement. Shelly’s pulse fluttered, and a longing for something more with this man rose swiftly inside her.

  Scenes with her parents played out in her mind. Snuggling on her father's lap when she was little, while her mother cooked dinner and watched them with love shining from her eyes. Her father tucking her into bed and reading her a story until she fell asleep. Her parents smiling at each other, just like she and Stan were now, over some cute thing she'd done.