Cowboy Defender

by Carla Cassidy

  “Good, because I’m hungry.” He went to the sink and washed his hands. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “If you want to grab the salad from the fridge, I’ll get the spaghetti and the garlic bread on the plates.”

  Moments later they were seated at the table. “You spent a lot of time outside today,” she said.

  “The lawn needed a lot of work,” he replied without making eye contact with her. “It’s a good thing I found all the tools I needed in your garage.”

  “Hank didn’t take any of the lawn equipment with him when he left. I think Lori pays somebody to mow the yard where they live now.” She hesitated and looked down at her plate. She then looked back at him and continued, “If I didn’t know better I’d think that you were avoiding me all day.”

  He felt the weight of her gaze on him and he looked up at her and smiled. It was impossible for him not to smile at her. Clad in a yellow T-shirt and white jeans, she looked like a ray of sunshine seated across from him. He couldn’t help the way his heart warmed at the sight of her.

  “I wasn’t avoiding you. The lawn needed to be taken care of,” he replied. It was a half lie. He had been avoiding her, but the grass had really needed to be mowed.

  Just sitting across from her he wanted her again. He not only wanted to make love with her, but he couldn’t imagine not sitting across from her at the breakfast and dinner table every day of his life. He was in love with her.

  She was his Juliet. So why was he so damned confused?

  Dinner was...awkward. Clay was quiet and any conversation they shared seemed a bit forced. It had never been this way between them before and it made her nervous.

  He didn’t know about her feelings but her heart was now forever his. And she believed she’d seen love in his eyes so often in the last couple of days and also thought she’d felt it radiating from him when they’d made love the night before and again that morning.

  She definitely wasn’t feeling the love at the moment. She wanted to ask him what was going on, but before she got a chance Hank arrived with the children in tow.

  “The yard looks good,” Hank said begrudgingly as the kids ran inside the house to greet Clay. “In fact, it looks better than I ever remember it looking.”

  “Clay worked on it all day.”

  Hank looked at her for several long moments. “You’ve got feelings for him, don’t you?”

  She thought about lying, but quickly decided to be honest. After all, she wasn’t ashamed of how she felt for Clay. “I do,” she replied.

  “I hope he isn’t going to break your heart,” Hank replied and then smiled at her sadly. “I gave you enough heartache throughout our marriage. You didn’t deserve it then and you don’t deserve any more heartache for the rest of your life.”

  “Thanks, Hank, for saying that.” It was the first time he’d really acknowledged how he had hurt her.

  “You know all I want is for you to be happy, Miranda, and if he makes you happy then I hope he’s crazy, madly in love with you.”

  She smiled at her ex-husband. “Me, too.”

  “At least he’s good with the kids and they like him. They talk about him a lot when we have them.”

  “And the kids like Lori, too. I’d say in that aspect we’ve been lucky,” she replied.

  “Speaking of...she’s waiting for me in her car. I’ll talk to you later in the week.”

  Lori was parked at the curb in her old dark-blue Ford Fiesta. Miranda waved to her, and she and Hank said their goodbyes.

  She locked the door and then went into the kitchen where Clay had set up a game for them all to play.

  Once again, as she watched the easy and loving way Clay interacted with her children, she knew that he’d won her heart completely.

  Still, even playing the game he appeared a bit distant with her. Was this what he did after he made love with a woman? Did he immediately start to cool off and begin to look for an escape from any emotional entanglement? Or was she simply misreading him and being too sensitive?

  He’d worked hard outside all day. Maybe he was just tired. She got crabby when she was tired. Maybe he got quiet and withdrawn when he was tired. She told herself she shouldn’t read anything into his current mood.

  “I’d like to go to the school around ten tomorrow if that works for you,” she said after tucking the kids into bed for the night. “Then you could pick me up around twelve-thirty?”

  “Sounds good to me,” he said agreeably. “And on that note I think I’m going to call it a day. All that yard work made me more tired than usual.”

  “Hank said the yard looks better than it ever has,” she replied. “Thank you for all your hard work. I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem.” He reached out for her and drew her into his arms. “I definitely need a good-night kiss.”

  She smiled. “And I’m more than happy to give you one.”

  His kiss was soft and gentle and soothed some of the fears she’d entertained all day. When the kiss ended he smiled down at her and gently swiped a strand of hair from her forehead.

  “Sleep well and I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, and then he headed upstairs.

  Ten minutes later she went up the stairs. His room was dark as she went past it. What she’d have liked to do was climb into his bed and sleep with his arms around her.

  But she walked past his doorway and went into her own bedroom. He’d given her mixed messages, first by seemingly avoiding her all day and then by sharing a kiss with her that had tasted of love.

  She changed into her nightclothes and got into bed, her mind whirling with thoughts of Clay. She was shocked to realize the depth of her love for him. She couldn’t remember feeling this way about Hank, and she had given him two children.

  She felt as if Clay had been seducing her since the first night when he’d bought her and her children cupcakes. He’d continued the seduction each and every day he’d been here. Now that she was thoroughly seduced, would he move on from her?

  Was he really a love-them-and-leave-them kind of man? That’s what she’d believed before she had gotten to know him. If that really was who he was, then he had fooled her completely.

  Her heart squeezed tight at the thought of not having him in their lives anymore. If he didn’t have any real feelings for her, then having him remain here for her protection would not only be awkward but would also keep her heartbreak fresh and raw every single day until something broke in the case and an arrest occurred. She didn’t even want to think about how upset the kids would be if he walked out of their lives.

  She finally fell asleep and into a mixture of dreams. One minute she was safe in Clay’s arms and then that vision would melt away and she was running down the street with a dark figure chasing her. The figure carried either a canister of what she knew was acid or a big knife that gleamed wickedly in the moonlight.

  Twice she woke up gasping in fear only to finally fall back asleep again and into the same horrific nightmares. Thankfully her final dream of the night was one of safety in Clay’s big, strong arms.

  She awakened the next morning later than usual. She grabbed her robe, pulled it around her, and hurried down the stairs where Clay was in the process of sending the kids out the door to the bus stop.

  “Oh, wow, I overslept,” she said once the kids were gone.

  He smiled at her. “You must have needed the extra rest.”

  “I guess, but now I’d better scoot upstairs and shower and get dressed for heading over to the school.”

  “Do you want some breakfast? I can cook something for you while you get ready.”

  She smiled at him. “You are as handy as a pocket in a shirt, Mr. Clay. Thanks, but I don’t need any breakfast.”

  “And you, Ms. Silver, are as beautiful as a rainbow in the sky. Now, go do what you need to do so I can get you to th
e school by ten.”

  Her heart was lighter than it had been the night before as she went back up the stairs. His gaze had been filled with a warmth that had covered her like a welcome blanket on a cold night. He might not be in love with her yet, but when he looked at her that way she believed eventually they would have a future together.

  It was nine-thirty when she came back down the stairs wearing a pair of her black dress slacks and a crisp white blouse with oversized black buttons. Her makeup was subtle and her hair was neat and tidy. It was as if this was just another day at school, but today she would say her goodbyes to students and fellow teachers. And today she had a bodyguard dropping her off and picking her up.

  Clay sat at the kitchen table and stood when she entered. “Wow, you look nice.”

  She warmed as his gaze swept her from head to feet. “Thanks. I guess I’m all ready to go.”

  Minutes later they were in his truck and headed to the high school. It was another beautiful day with the sun shining in a bright blue, cloudless sky.

  “It feels good to be out of the house,” she said. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy being out at the ranch.”

  “I have to admit I’m looking forward to giving my horse a good run.”

  “I’m sure your horse probably misses you.”

  “And I’m sure Rowdy has been fine without me.”

  “Clay, I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

  He flashed her a quick, dimpled smile. “I know that and it’s been more than my pleasure.”

  Her love for him buoyed up inside of her, rich and deep. Her heart was filled with it, making it impossible to think of anything else.

  He pulled up in front of the school and parked at the curb. “I’ll be back for you around twelve-thirty. Make sure you wait until you see my truck before you leave the school building. Wait for me and I’ll come inside to walk you out.”

  “I’ll wait for you.” She got out of the truck and closed the door. “Clay?” She leaned into the open passenger window. “I just want you to know that I’m madly in love with you.”

  He gave her a look of stunned horror. She didn’t wait for him to say anything. His expression said it all. She whirled around and hurried toward the school’s front door. When she reached it, he pulled away from the curb.

  She remained in the doorway and watched him go, the vision of his expression haunting her. Damn. Damn. She should have never said it out loud. But her love for him had been too big to hold in.

  She’d been stupid to tell him. His face hadn’t read anything close to joy when she’d told him how she felt. Her heart fell to the ground, but she needed to keep it together in order to get through the next couple of hours.

  Maybe she’d mistaken his physical desire for her for love. Perhaps she’d mistaken his protection of her for more than the actions of a friend.

  God, she couldn’t get his look of horror out of her head. Some of the joy that had filled her heart only moments before seeped away.

  She was just about to turn around and head down the hallway when her eyes were captured by a familiar car pulling up to the curb outside.

  Lori? What was she doing here?

  The dark-haired woman opened her car door and waved wildly to Miranda. Miranda stepped outside. “The school just called Hank. Henry fell and hit his head at school and you need to get to the hospital right away.”

  Henry? Hurt?

  Miranda’s heart clenched tightly and she didn’t hesitate. She ran toward Lori’s car. She jumped into the passenger seat and Lori roared away from the curb.

  “Where’s Hank?” Miranda asked.

  “Unfortunately he’s in no condition to handle this,” Lori replied. “You should know how that goes.”

  “Did they say how badly Henry was hurt?” Miranda’s heart pounded a million beats a minute. All she wanted at the moment was her little boy in her arms.

  “No, just that he had fallen and had been taken to the hospital,” Lori replied.

  It had obviously been more than a scrape or a bruise for him to have been taken to the hospital. Oh, God, how badly had he been hurt?

  “Why didn’t they call me?” Miranda asked as her brain tried to make sense of things.

  “They said they tried. Maybe they called your landline. I rushed over to your house but before I got there I saw Clay’s truck pulling away and I followed him.” She gave Miranda a quick glance. “I wish I could tell you more but that’s all the information they told me.”

  “Oh, God, I hope he isn’t hurt badly.” Tears of worry burned at her eyes.

  “That makes two of us,” Lori replied. She pointed to her purse on the passenger side floor. “Would you mind getting my purse and handing me the syringe inside? I didn’t have time to give myself my shot before I ran out of the house.”

  Miranda looked at her in surprise. “Are you diabetic?”

  Lori nodded. “Have been for the past three years. It runs in my family.”

  “Are you sure you want me rummaging around in your purse?” Miranda asked. Most women were quite proprietary about their purses.

  “Really, I don’t mind. The syringe should be right on top. I threw it in as I left the house.”

  She was right. It was the first thing Miranda saw. She pulled it out and handed it to Lori. “Thanks,” Lori said and placed it in her lap. “I’ll use it as soon as I stop the car at the hospital.”

  Miranda nodded absently. She was consumed by thoughts of her son. Nothing else mattered more than getting to him as soon as possible. He was probably crying and wanted his mommy. Unless he was unconscious. The thought made her heart skip a few beats.

  She nearly cried out in relief as the hospital came into view. Hang on, Henry. Mommy is almost there. She shot up a million prayers, hoping the school had overreacted to the real severity of the injury. Maybe sending him to the hospital had been nothing more than a precautionary measure and Henry was really okay. Oh, she wanted that. She wanted...no, she needed him to be okay.

  As they approached the entrance to the hospital Lori stepped on the gas and flew right by it.

  “Lori! What are you doing?” Miranda asked in alarm. “Why didn’t you turn into the hospital?” She reached out to grab the steering wheel, but Lori slapped her hands away.

  “Stop it,” Lori exclaimed. “You’ll make us wreck.”

  “What are you doing?” Miranda repeated, screaming the question in fear.

  Lori reached over and jammed the needle into Miranda’s arm. “Wha...what is going on?” Miranda grabbed the now-empty syringe from her arm. She turned to find the door handle only to discover there was none on the inside. It had been removed.

  She needed to get out! Lori had obviously lost her mind. She needed to somehow stop Lori’s car, but whatever was in the syringe, Miranda immediately began to feel the effect.

  A deep heaviness took over her body. Lori. Oh, God, she’d never thought about Lori. None of them had thought about Lori. Why was the woman doing this? Miranda had never done anything to her.

  As Miranda’s mind began to fuzz over, the one thought that screamed through the cotton wrapping around her brain was that she was in trouble. She was in terrible trouble.

  Chapter 11

  I just want you to know that I’m in madly in love with you.

  Her words had stunned him. As Clay pulled into the ranch, her shocking admission still played over and over again in his mind.

  He hadn’t seen that coming from her. Oh, he’d known she cared deeply about him, but he’d had no idea that she was already in love with him. She’d made it even more real by telling him how she felt.

  And now he had to figure out what he was going to do about it. He knew she wasn’t a woman who gave away her heart lightly and he knew what a gift she had given to him.

  Was he going to take good care of her heart or
was he going to break it? As he saddled up his horse, he was almost grateful that none of the other men were around.

  He didn’t want to talk. He wasn’t feeling sociable. He needed to think and there was no better time to think than while riding Rowdy alone across the ranch.

  He rode to a pasture they rarely used, hoping to assure himself some solitary time. Rowdy was unusually frisky, as if responding to Clay’s unsettled thoughts.

  He raced hell bent for leather toward a distant stand of trees, the morning breeze cooling his face and nearly blowing off his hat. He reached up and set it more firmly on his head and then continued to ride fast.

  When he reached the trees he pulled back on the reins and Rowdy instantly obeyed the command to slow down. He walked the horse for a few minutes to cool him down and then dismounted. He threw himself into the lush grass beneath one of the trees and then stared up at the canopy of leaves overhead.

  Since that first rather awkward evening when he’d bought her and Jenny and Henry cupcakes she had enchanted him. Each and every moment he spent with her had only made his feelings grow deeper.

  He believed he could talk to her every single day of his life and never grow tired of listening to her. He loved the way her mind worked and the sound of her laughter. She pulled out of him a softness he never knew he possessed. And he loved the fact that she was a wonderful mother.

  Suddenly thoughts of Miranda faded away and instead his head filled with a vision of his own mother the last time he’d seen her. She’d been wearing a pair of jeans and a pink T-shirt. Her white-blond hair had been curly and appeared like a halo in the light that had spilled into his bedroom from the hallway light.

  He’d thought Violet Madison was the most beautiful woman in the universe. Her blue eyes had warmed him with love and she’d smelled like her namesake.

  His heart squeezed tight as memories continued to cascade through his head. He remembered the two of them stretched out in a field of clover, looking for figures in the fluffy white clouds that danced overhead. She’d been his first dance partner as they danced in their barn to the music from an old radio.