Ross

by Jennifer Ashley

  Backup was already there. Two more pickups came down the dirt road, moving carefully but swiftly.

  The first truck disgorged Adam Campbell, the second, Grant and Tyler. Adam carried a shotgun. He strode to Sanchez’s side, cocked the shotgun, and aimed it at the man in the cab.

  The man inside at last raised his hands. Sanchez stepped to the cab, opened the door, and told the man to get out. He did so, his face dark with blood.

  Sanchez cuffed him. “Dell Leith, I’m arresting you for kidnapping, carjacking, and extortion. Probably more things later.”

  “Good luck making the charges stick.” The man’s voice was smooth and unworried, though he looked banged up.

  “They’ll stick!” Manny yelled at him. “You’re a total dirtbag, Leith. I know all kinds of things about you and your gang, and I’m not afraid to tell everyone I know!”

  The cold in Dell’s eyes was the same as what Callie had seen in Sheriff Hennessy’s. Chilling.

  More shots sounded in the woods, and then shouting. Cursing, yelling, and then the shots, and everything else, went silent.

  Callie forgot about her warning to Manny, her promise to herself to be careful. She ran blindly forward, fear making her ill. If Ross was hurt, dying, she needed to be there. To hold him, comfort him, tell him how much she loved him.

  She saw movement between the trees. This wasn’t a thick woods, only a thin copse that surrounded the river, green and cool on a summer’s day.

  Motorcycle guys appeared, dragging between them two men who were bloody and bruised. No sign of weapons on them, and they looked a bit pathetic.

  Behind them came Carter Sullivan, his hand firmly under the elbow of a limping Ross Campbell. Blood dripped from Ross’s head, but his eyes blazed with triumph, and his grin was wide.

  “Tell me you got all that, Carter,” Ross was saying.

  Callie had no idea what he meant, but Carter gave him a brief nod and said, “Yep.”

  Callie dashed past the hard-looking bikers, ignored the equally mean-looking Carter, and flung her arms around Ross.

  Ross lifted her against him. “Hey, there, sugar,” he said in surprise. “What are you doing down here? You should be safe and snug in your big old house.”

  “Shut up.” Callie clung to him, shaking in gladness. “You’re all right. I needed to know that you were all right.”

  “Aw,” Ross said, his voice light. “You were worried about me?”

  Callie let go of him. “Damn you, don’t joke. Yes, I was worried—worried sick. Why wouldn’t I be? I love you.”

  Ross’s smile died, and his eyes went dark, anything teasing gone. His face was nicked and bruised, but otherwise, he looked whole and unhurt.

  “Love …”

  “You heard me.” Callie dashed tears from her eyes. “I’m not afraid to say it. I don’t know if it’s what you want, but it doesn’t matter. I still feel it.”

  “Of course I want it.” Ross’s eyes were clear, blue, intense. “Don’t ever think I don’t want it. I’ve wanted you to love me since I found you in the rain in a wedding dress ready to tie the knot with another man. You know how hard it was not to run off with you? To say to hell with him? Manny was right, I should have married you that day.”

  Callie’s breath caught, a bubble of happiness pushing aside months of heartbreak and doubt. “I’d have done it. You were the only one I wanted to turn to. The only one I could.”

  Ross cupped her face, his thumbs on her lips. “I fell hard in love with you, Callie. And I haven’t fallen out of it.”

  Callie couldn’t speak. She kissed him, never minding the men swarming the woods, including Manny, Ross’s brothers, Sanchez, and the thugs.

  Ross frowned, worry clouding his eyes. “But shit, don’t you ever do this again. These guys had guns and weren’t afraid to use them.”

  Manny had halted a few feet away. “Cut her some slack, Ross. She’s why Sanchez is here. She went right into the sheriff’s department and bullied Hennessy to let Sanchez go after you.”

  “Don’t you dare say you were fine,” Callie said swiftly as Ross gaped at her. “You weren’t fine. You needed help.” Tears burned her eyes and clogged her throat.

  “Callie …”

  “Don’t argue with her,” Carter growled. “Just kiss her.”

  “Yeah,” Manny agreed.

  Ross’s anger didn’t evaporate, and she knew they’d fight about this later, but it didn’t matter. He’d be alive to fight with, and Callie wasn’t letting this man go ever again.

  Ross gazed down at her a moment, then his smile returned, the charming one that had melted her all those years ago. He crushed her against him, and his mouth came down on hers, erasing fear, erasing pain.

  Callie pulled him close and surrendered to the joy of kissing him.

  Dimly she heard Carter, who’d moved to give them space. “Aw, shit,” he said, fury in his voice. “Ross, what the hell did you do to my truck?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was good to be home. Ross leaned back on the sofa in the big house at Circle C Ranch. He’d washed his face and tended his cuts and now relaxed while his brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and his mom, doted on him—and on Manny, who was basking in the attention.

  Best of all was Callie, curled up on the couch next to Ross, her head on his shoulder. Ross stroked her sleek hair in tenderness, bending to press a kiss to it now and again.

  “It’s all good?” Carter rumbled to Bailey, Adam’s wife.

  Bailey, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail, tapped on a tablet, frowning over it. As Ross had suspected, she was pregnant with her and Adam’s second child, and Adam hovered protectively nearby.

  “Seems like it.” Bailey raised her head with triumph as she tapped a button.

  The rattle of Carter’s truck and roar of the engine came to them, and then the words:

  “You have balls, Campbell. Okay, fifty a month, in perpetuity, and I ensure you push out Hennessy at the ballot box.”

  “You have that kind of money? And that kind of pull? I was messing with you.”

  “You have no idea. Hennessy was happy with thirty grand, but I guess you like your comforts.”

  The entire family, and Callie, stared at Bailey in shock. But, Ross noted, not in surprise. They’d all suspected Hennessy was dirty.

  Grant let out a whistle. “You got, on tape, a drug lord admitting he’s paid off the sheriff of River County? Wow.”

  “I don’t know if it will convict anyone,” Ross said, shrugging. “Though I was a civilian when he told me this. I can turn the information over to a justice or another sheriff as a citizen doing his duty.”

  Adam gave Ross a slow nod. “No matter what, it will make Hennessy retire. The letter of the law is one thing. Public opinion is another.”

  Callie sank into Ross—fine with him. “How did you record that?” she asked. “I thought they took your phone and checked for trackers.”

  “Because they didn’t realize what Carter had done to his truck.” Ross laced his fingers through Callie’s, liking how well they fit together. “Carter isn’t a fan of earpieces or holding a cell phone while driving, so he asked Bailey to rig him up something that would let him talk to Grace or Faith while he’s tooling around. Bailey used to be a techno-geek. She built a phone into the dashboard, which is activated by a little switch under the steering wheel. All I had to do was click it on, and it called Grace.”

  “Which scared the shit out of me,” Grace said. She sat on a chair, her feet drawn up, while Carter lounged on the arm next to her. “I thought someone was threatening Carter—then I realized they were threatening Ross.”

  “Which was okay with you,” Ross said, grinning at her.

  Grace stuck her tongue out at him. “You know what I mean. I ran and got Carter from the stables, and he said Ray had already alerted him.” Grace shuddered. “We were scared to death for you, Ross.”

  Callie snuggled into Ross, resting her hand on his chest
. “I agree.”

  Ross kissed the top of her head. “I could be a smartass and say I wasn’t worried, but I was. Scared I’d never come back and talk to Callie. Cause I really need to talk to her.”

  Adam took the hint—all the brothers did, because they rose abruptly. “Come on,” Adam said. “Let’s give baby brother some privacy.”

  “Not necessary.” Ross stood up and held Callie’s hands as he helped her to her feet.

  Then he swallowed his pride, his nerves, and his uncertainty, and went down on one knee.

  “Callie Jones,” he said, looking up into her beautiful face. “Will you marry me?”

  And please don’t say No in front of my entire family. Or at least let me down easy, okay?

  Callie’s smile blossomed, warming his whole body. “I already asked you that.”

  “I know. And I stomped away like an idiot. I’m going to change my answer and say yes. What about you?”

  Her chest rose with agitation. “Yes,” she whispered. Then she laughed. “Yes!”

  The room exploded in cheers. Campbell brothers hollered. Manny yelled “Awesome!” and fist-bumped Jess then Tyler. Manny whirled around the room, windmilling his arms, and Dominic tried to imitate him.

  The next thing Ross knew, Callie was on her knees with him. Ross pulled her close, her softness and sweetness unwinding something tight inside him.

  She kissed his mouth, and the resulting spark made Ross wish his brothers would suddenly remember something they had to do. But they didn’t move. They were happy for him, wanting to stay and celebrate.

  Ross stood up and pulled Callie to her feet, keeping her within the curve of his arm.

  His apartment in town was too far away. He’d never be able to drive all the way home in his distracted state, and after what he’d done to Carter’s truck, he was pretty sure his brothers wouldn’t be lending him any vehicles anytime soon. Callie’s car had been well stuck in the mud at the river, and was once again under the care of K.D. and his auto shop.

  There was one place, however, and it was conveniently close.

  “Excuse us,” Ross said. “I’d like to speak to Callie in private.”

  Without waiting for a response from his family, Ross took Callie by the hand and led her out the front door.

  “Speak to her,” Grant said. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

  Ross ignored him. Callie’s cheeks grew pink, but she laughed with Ross as they hastened down the porch steps and along the drive to the garage. A steep staircase led to the apartment above it, and Ross ascended without hesitation, towing Callie behind him.

  The door was unlocked—no fumbling for keys—and Ross pulled Callie inside.

  The two-roomed living space had been cleaned and aired, fresh sheets put on the bed. Olivia had told Ross he could occupy it whenever he was ready.

  “What did you want to talk to me about?” Callie asked as Ross shut and locked the door. “I said yes already. Not taking it back. You don’t have to persuade me.” She gave him a severe look. “Not letting you take it back either.”

  “Grant is obnoxious, but he’s right about one thing.” Ross lifted her from her feet, cradling her against his chest. “I really didn’t want to talk.”

  “Yeah? What did you want to do then?” Callie’s beautifully crooked nose wrinkled with her smile as she relaxed against him. “Cook me dinner?”

  “Maybe later,” Ross said as he ran with her into the bedroom. “Remember, I’m a terrific cook. But right now …”

  He stilled her words with a kiss as he set her down. The kiss she answered him with, the one that said she truly loved him, made everything hard in him dissolve.

  Except one part, which stayed pretty hard.

  The bed waited. Ross didn’t. There was a flurry of limbs and laughter as clothes came off, and then the flurry calmed. Ross and Callie eased down onto the sheets, their eyes on each other, then lips.

  Ross heard the laughter of his family in the distance, but here was quietude, love, and Callie.

  He kissed the woman of his dreams, surrounded himself in her as he slid inside, and at last found the happiness that had eluded him for far too long.

  Callie woke to moonlight. Ross slept next to her in the tumbled bed, sheets and pillows everywhere, his breathing even and deep.

  For the first time in months, Callie knew peace.

  She’d agreed to marry the hottest man in Riverbend, a man who truly looked at her, and with whom she could share laughter, love, and dreams.

  She was on her way to funding her rehab ranch and helping her friend Nicole and also giving Manny the chance to have the life he deserved.

  Ross would be sheriff and rid the county of the corrupt Hennessy. He’d win—she knew it. Callie saw many hostess duties in her future, but that didn’t daunt her. She’d been trained to throw parties. She’d recruit her sisters and mom to help her, and Ross’s family would be right behind her.

  The road of her life straightened, no longer empty and bleak as it had been that rainy day in May when her car had plunged into a ditch and sealed her fate. Now the road was full of life, of hope, of love and Ross.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Hmm?” came the sleepy question. “For what? The great sex? I should be thanking you.”

  Callie kissed his mouth. “For everything. I’m happy, is all.”

  “Me too.” Ross ran his fingertip along her lips. “I can’t tell you how amazing you are. I love you, Callie.”

  “I love you too.” She sent him a smile. “I don’t mind if you try to tell me how amazing. You’re pretty amazing yourself.”

  Ross laughed. He rolled her down to the mattress, and they basked in languid afterglow kisses a few moments, but soon, the fever returned. Ross slid inside her once more, and Callie lost herself to feeling, happiness, excitement.

  The night was quiet, but its loneliness was gone. Ross was with her, family was comfortingly near, and she knew she’d always be surrounded by love.

  She gave the love back to him, this man of dark blue eyes and sinful smiles. Callie caught his kisses with hers as he began to move inside her, and surrendered herself to the man of her heart.

  Epilogue

  Well, that’s one more Campbell married off.”

  Kyle Malory heard his brother’s drawl as Ray stepped beside him, a longneck held in relaxed fingers.

  Ray and Kyle looked to where Callie and Ross danced their first dance as man and wife. Ross had his hand on Callie’s bared back, the pair two-stepping in perfect balance to the band’s rollicking tune. Ross wore cowboy boots under his tux pants; Callie, satin slippers that went with her body-hugging white silk gown. No tulle in sight.

  They looked like the perfect fairy-tale couple, Western style. Good for Ross, nabbing the best girl in town.

  “The Malorys are gonna have to catch up,” Ray said after a sip of beer.

  “Grace is taking care of that for us,” Kyle reminded him. “We’re not all lonely losers.”

  “Speak for yourself. Grace married a Campbell, officially helping the rivals.”

  “A Sullivan.” Kyle glanced to where Carter sat with Grace, their son on his lap, starry-eyed daughter at his side. “But you’re right—Carter’s a Campbell now. He got sucked in. So did Grace.”

  Grace wiped drool from baby Zach’s mouth with a tissue and said something to Carter, laughing when Carter responded.

  Kyle had never seen his sister look so happy. It made him warm and fuzzy inside, but that might just be the large number of beers he’d already consumed.

  “Lucy is off being a businesswoman,” Ray said. “So it’s up to us to fill the house with kids.”

  Kyle turned his head to stare at his brother. “What’s got you so sentimental? I thought only the ladies were teary-eyed at weddings.”

  Ray gazed at the couples joining the dance. “Getting older, I guess.”

  Adam and Bailey swung in. Then Grant and Christina. Carter and Grace, Carte
r still holding his son. Tyler and Jess. Olivia Campbell with the banker, Mr. Carew. Hmm, Kyle thought, narrowing his eyes.

  Faith and Dominic danced too, twirling each other in playful imitation of the adults.

  Kyle saw Manny Judd, cleaned up in a suit, shyly asking Deputy Harrison’s younger sister, who was still in high school, to dance. Ross had really helped Manny, taking him under his wing.

  The young woman returned Manny’s smile, equally as shy, and let him lead her out. Harrison watched carefully, but didn’t interfere or look like he disapproved.

  Kyle felt eyes on him—not Ray, who was watching the dancing with a wistful look that bordered on maudlin.

  Kyle turned his head and saw Anna Lawler’s blue gaze fixed upon him.

  She’d wound her braided blond hair around the crown of her head, which made her look a like an old-fashioned milkmaid. Instead of her usual jeans and work boots, she wore a satiny dress of dark blue that clung to her curves and bared a nice amount of leg.

  Anna caught Kyle’s stare and flushed a deep red, but she didn’t look away, defiance in her eyes.

  Kyle gave her a little nod, acknowledging that yes, he was staring at her. Anna held his gaze a while longer then coolly turned away. Whatever, her body language said.

  “Huh.”

  Ray’s grunt made Kyle jerk his attention from Anna. His brother’s green eyes held mirth and a knowing look.

  “What?” Kyle asked in irritation.

  Ray pretended innocence, comical in a man as bulky and mean-looking as he was. “Nothing. I only said huh.”

  “Keep your huhs to yourself. I am not interested in Anna Lawler.”

  “If you say so.”

  Kyle snapped his mouth shut, knowing more words would only add fuel to Ray’s fire.

  The Campbell brothers smiled down at their wives, and their ladies wrapped arms around them, contented and obviously in love. How the hell did the dirtbag Campbells get so lucky?

  Karen Marvin two-stepped very close to her cowboy of choice tonight, a young bull rider who couldn’t be much above drinking age. Anna watched the dancing, tapping her foot in a petite, high-heeled shoe.