by Jo Barrett
Jackson sighed and finished his coffee. “Okay, then we stay here. But we’re going to need some help.”
“What kind of help?”
“I’ll get a few of our hands to help guard you and the ranch.”
“No, Jackson, that’s too much to ask. I won’t let you do that.”
He got up from the chair at the kitchen table, walked over to where she stood by the sink, and slipped his arms around her. “You don’t have a choice, sweetheart.”
“But Jackson—”
His finger was warm where it rested against her lips. “We haven’t had our talk yet, but you already know how I feel about you. I refuse to let anything happen to you now that I’ve found you.” His finger slipped away as his head lowered.
She sucked in a breath the moment his lips met hers, and the whole world tilted sideways. His tongue sent shivers of desire racing through every part of her body. She felt alive, electrified, and amazed at how wonderful a kiss could be. Last night’s kiss was soft and sweet, warm and tender. This one was like nothing she’d ever experienced before.
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes, her lips still tasting of him.
“Are we still okay?” he asked. “I know it’s happening fast—”
She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his, putting all her heart and soul into the kiss. To hell with going slow. The way he made her feel, inside and out, had to be worth something, and she didn’t want to lose whatever it was between them either. It was explosive and not likely to happen to her twice in a life time.
They both came up for air, their breaths heavy, and their arms tight around each other.
“I take it this means you have feelings for me too?” he asked, his smile wide.
“It’s crazy, I know, but I do. And I’m afraid if I don’t take my chance now, I’ll lose you and regret it for the rest of my life.”
He pulled her into tighter against him, and Clare made sure not to squeeze too hard, remembering his sore ribs.
“I know exactly what you mean. But we’ll have time to figure it all out after we get past this trouble with the ranch,” he said.
Jackson savored one more kiss before setting her away. It was that, or he’d be carrying her to the nearest bed. “Kyle will be here any minute.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “Billie Jo as well, I take it?”
He chuckled. “Whether Kyle wants her along or not.”
A frown fell over her lips, still wet from his kiss.
“Hey,” he said, brushing his fingers across her cheek. “It’s just family. No big deal.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze dropping to the floor. “Sure. No problem.”
He clasped her shoulders and crouched down until he could see her eyes. “They know all about you, sweetheart. They also know that you mean a lot to me.”
“But—”
“Did I ever tell you how my brother and Billie Jo met?”
Her brow furrowed, and she shook her head.
“It was a blind date setup by our sister. It wasn’t supposed to be anything other than just an escort deal to our cousin’s engagement party. But the minute they met, sparks flew. But after the party, Billie Jo went on to some conference.”
“So, they ended up together.”
Jackson laughed. “Oh yeah, they ended up together, but after dating long distance for only a few months. Never actually seeing one another again other than that first time.
“Then when Kyle got put in the hospital by a bull and Billie Jo came to see him, they announced their engagement the day after he got out. Which means technically, they had one date, and wham, they were engaged.
“So you see, sweetheart. The men in my family fall in love fast and don’t waste a bunch of time testing the waters. We jump right in and never look back.”
She blinked up at him a moment, the stunned look on her face was a sure sign that she now understood his intentions.
Someone pulled up outside, and he knew it was probably his brother. “We’ll talk about it all later, but we’ve got company.”
He pecked a kiss to her forehead, then went to the door just as he heard footsteps on the porch.
“Are you alright?” Billie Jo asked, the second the door was opened.
“I told you, I’m fine.”
She gave him a tight hug and kissed his cheek. “Good, now where’s Clare?”
Jackson shook his head at his brother’s chagrined look, then pointed to the kitchen at Clare still wearing that dazed expression.
Billie Jo hustled across the room and pulled Clare into her arms like she was some sort of lost baby sister.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you. Now, don’t worry about a thing. We’ll make sure nothing happens to your ranch.” She took hold of Clare’s hand and pulled her to a chair at the kitchen table. “Here, you sit down, and I’ll get you something to eat.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t let you—”
Billie cut Clare off with a wave of her hand as she made herself at home in the kitchen. “Of course you can.”
“I find it’s best to let her have her way, or else you’ll never hear the end of it,” Kyle said with a smile.
Billie Jo spun around one hand on her hip the other still holding a bag, likely filled with donuts. “Well thanks a lot.”
He walked over and kissed her cheek. “Just tellin’ it like it is, darlin’.” Turning, he stuck out his hand to Clare. “It’s nice to me you, Clare.”
She nodded faintly and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
“Don’t worry about all this mess with Morgan. We’ll get it straightened out.”
“Of course we will,” Billie Jo said, pulling a plate from the shelf. “That’s what family is for.” She paused and waved her hand at Kyle and Jackson. “You two go do whatever it is you need to do. Clare and I will be fine.”
She proceeded to fill the plate with donuts, poured a tall glass of milk, then plunked it all down in front of Clare. “Now eat. It’ll make you feel better.”
Clare looked at Jackson as a quivering smile touched her lips, and her eyes filled with unshed tears. He knew they’d overwhelmed her, him and his family, but he also realized what this show of caring meant to her.
“Yes,” Clare said, her voice a little strained, but her smile growing wider with each passing second. “We’ll be fine.”
Jackson’s eyes grew a bit misty. He cast her a wink then followed his brother out the door.
Jackson and Kyle walked the area around the house and barn, discussing what all needed to be done to get the place back in shape. Not once did his brother say a word about his relationship with Clare. And he was glad of that. He didn’t think he could handle one of those big brother chats.
“She doesn’t want to sell, either,” Jackson said, just to be clear on the matter.
“I figured as much. But after you convince her to marry you, are you willing to combine the two ranches?”
“Jesus, Kyle, don’t say stuff like that! Not even as a joke.”
“Who said I was joking? You’d have to be deaf and blind not to see what was going on back there. You’re in love with her, but she’s not quite sure about you yet.”
Jackson rubbed his hand down his face. “After Morgan was here, spouting off his mouth and making up a bunch of lies, she was afraid I was trying to sweet talk her into selling to us.”
“Ah, I see. I won’t say another word about it. Except to say, keep the idea of combining the two properties in mind. After you’re married, of course,” he added with a chuckle.
Jackson laughed and shook his head. “Pretty crazy huh? I’ve known her for what, less than a week?”
“Not crazy at all. You’re just showing your true Chase colors.”
Kyle slapped him on the back, and they both laughed as they walked back toward the house.
Clare appeared on the porch. “Jackson, it’s the sheriff, he’s on the phone. He wants us to come down to the s
tation.”
****
“You don’t have to do this, sweetheart,” Jackson said, holding her hand.
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I have to.”
“It’s an unpleasant task, but nothing like the movies or television,” the sheriff said. “We show you pictures. You don’t go into the morgue or have to see the body in person.”
With a nod, she followed the sheriff, with Jackson holding tight to her hand, into a small office. The coroner came in, introduced himself, then handed her a folder.
“These are not overly graphic, but do prepare yourself. It’s always a shock to see photos like these of someone you know,” he said.
She nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the folder. There in front of her, looking as though he were sleeping, was her ex-boyfriend Mark Cutter. It took a moment to let it sink in that he was dead, murdered no less. She felt a small sense of relief that he wasn’t out there somewhere looking for her, and a twinge of sadness for his wasted life, but she had no tears for him.
“Yes, that’s him. That’s Mark Cutter,” she said.
“Thank you, Clare,” the sheriff said, taking the folder and handing it back to the coroner. “I know that wasn’t easy.”
She nodded as the sheriff led her and Jackson back to his office. Once settled into a chair and a cup of coffee pressed into her trembling hands, she forced herself to calm her racing nerves. Mark was gone. She didn’t have to be afraid anymore. That part of her life was truly over.
But as she sipped the strong brew a thought occurred to her. “Did he have a gunshot wound to the hand?”
The sheriff cast a glance at Jackson then shook his head.
“So we still don’t know for sure that he’s the one who broke in or had Jackson beat up,” she said.
“No we don’t know for sure, but the signs all point to him,” the sheriff said.
“Then who killed him and why?” she asked.
Sheriff Boyd shifted in his seat. “Honestly, Clare, I have to say that you’re the only one with a motive.”
Jackson jumped to his feet. “Are you crazy?”
The sheriff held up his hand. “Hear me out. I don’t think Clare is guilty of murder, but she’s the only one who knew him and had motive.”
Jackson slammed his hand on the desk. “If you mean her motive was fearing for her life. In my book that’s not murder. That’s self-defense!”
Clare set aside her coffee and took his hand from the sheriff’s desk. “It’s okay. I understand what he’s saying.”
“The hell it’s okay! You did not kill that bastard!”
“I stand corrected,” the sheriff said with a gruff chuckle. “You had just as much reason for wanting him dead as Clare did.”
“Oh, Jackson.” She rose to her feet and kissed his cheek. “I love you too,” she whispered. “Now sit down and calm down before you get us both arrested.”
Jackson’s mouth fell open as he sank to the chair. “You do?”
“Of course I do.” She squeezed his hand then looked back to the sheriff, waiting for whatever it was he wanted to say. She didn’t think he really believed either of them were guilty, but there was something he was trying to get at.
The sheriff shook his head with a grin. “I don’t think either of you did it. But we have a problem on our hands. We now have a dead man to add to the list of things regarding you and your ranch, Clare.”
“Has there been any luck finding the man I did shoot?”
He shook his head. “No, but I have an informant who says he overheard some planning. It’s enough to confront Morgan with, then we’ll see where that leads us.” He rose from his chair. “Why don’t you two go home? I’ll keep digging around and when I know more, we’ll talk more.”
Chapter Ten
Jackson drove them back to his place, his brain was on autopilot. He couldn’t believe she’d said she loved him.
“I thought we were going home,” Clare said.
“I think we need to be around people for a little while.”
“Is something wrong?”
He heard the uneasiness in her voice and reached over and took her hand. “Nothing’s wrong. But after the rollercoaster of emotions we’ve both had today, I think it’s best if we have some normalcy.”
“Dinner with Kyle and Billie Jo?”
“Yep.” After they’d heard about the death of her ex-boyfriend, he knew they’d be waiting to hear the latest news, and he really did think that normalcy was the best medicine for both of them. Not to mention it would be harder to think about what she’d said back there if he wasn’t alone with her.
He pointed out a few things about their ranch as he drove up the long drive, doing whatever he could to make her feel more comfortable. He parked the truck, came around to her side, opened the door for her, although she was half out of the door already, and pulled her into his arms for one long and luscious kiss.
The sudden catch of her breath followed by a soft sweet sigh as he tasted her, warmed him in more places than he dared name at the moment. His family waited inside for them, and he was beginning to think that dinner with them was a lousy idea.
“You two coming up for air soon? ’Cause dinner is ready,” Kyle said with a laugh as he walked passed them into the house.
“I think we should’ve gone home,” Clare said, a wonderful twinkle in her eyes.
“I think I agree with you.”
With a giggle she pulled from his arms and started up the steps. Jackson had to take a slow deep breath before following or else he’d snatch her up and say the hell with dinner.
It didn’t take long to fill his family in on what happened at the sheriff’s office, and once Kyle and Billie Jo calmed down after the suggestion of Clare or Jackson being the murderer, they each had their own version of what they thought might have happened. Who killed Cutter, who used Jackson as a punching bag, and who broke into Clare’s house?
They’d all had dealings with Morgan at one time or another, but Jackson had to admit, he didn’t really believe that Morgan would go so far as to have him beaten up or the house ransacked. And he certainly wouldn’t murder someone.
“Morgan may be a pain in the ass, but he’s not stupid,” Jackson said. “Why would he go so far, use his own men, knowing it would all lead right back to him?”
“But if not Morgan, then who?” Clare asked.
“What about Cutter?” Kyle asked.
“No. Mark may have been a royal piece of work, but this doesn’t seem his style.”
“Beating your new boyfriend to a pulp would’ve been on his list, I’d imagine,” Kyle said.
“No,” she insisted. “It’s too coincidental. Jackson and I haven’t known each other long enough for him to know about it.”
“Unless he’d been watching the place—and you for a few months,” Billie Jo said.
Clare sucked in a breath. “Watching me?”
“You don’t know how long he was here before he was killed.”
“So you think this guy has been using Morgan as a cover to watch Clare?” Jackson asked.
Clare still couldn’t believe it. “No. No this is ridiculous. Morgan is the one who wants my ranch. That’s the only logical explanation. Mark just got into something he shouldn’t have.”
“Maybe he was looking for you, but running from someone else,” Kyle said.
Jackson rose and took his plate to the sink. “You mean, whoever killed him was watching Clare to see if Cutter showed up here.”
His brother nodded. “And when you got involved, they figured Cutter would never show his face with you hanging around.”
“And the break-in?” Clare asked.
Kyle shrugged. “Looking for clues to Cutter’s whereabouts.”
“If any of this is true, what about Morgan?” Billie Jo asked.
“He just had the wires cut, bullied you as much as he dared, but I think that’s all,” Kyle said.
Clare let out a long sigh as she carrie
d her plate to the sink. “I’m tired of questions without real answers.”
Jackson pulled her into his arms, and she rested her cheek against his chest. “Things will look better in the morning.” He pressed his lips to her forehead.
“Are you two sleeping here or heading back to Clare’s place?” Billie Jo asked.
“That’s up to Clare,” Jackson said, hoping she knew that he was okay with whatever she wanted to do. He didn’t have to make love to her tonight, they had thousands of nights together in their future. But he sure did wish she’d ask to go home and invite him to stay—and not as her bodyguard.
“Home,” she said, and glanced up at him, her cheeks a bit pink. Guess she was thinking along the same lines as he was.
“Home it is,” he said, with a wink only she could see, which turned her cheeks even pinker.
****
They arrived back at Clare’s place just before sundown.
“I’m going to go talk to Garcia and Jeff for a few minutes. You go inside, and I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Jackson said at the door with a quick kiss to her forehead.
Clare nodded and disappeared inside.
He crossed the yard to the bunkhouse where Jeff was standing by the bunkhouse door. Kyle had left the two ranch hands behind to guard the place and to help keep Clare safe. And knowing his sister-in-law, they were to help keep him safe as well.
“Anything happen while we were gone?” he asked.
“Not a thing. Was the dead guy her ex?”
Jackson nodded and filled them in on what the sheriff had to say, which wasn’t much in the way of facts, but they needed to know what was going on. Whoever killed Mark Cutter was extremely dangerous.
Clare watched from the window while she wrapped her arms around herself. The image of Mark dead was still prevalent in her mind. It wasn’t an easy picture to erase.
Was Kyle’s guess right? Had he been watching her, or had someone been watching her for him? Why? If he wanted to get her back or hurt her in some way, he’d have several opportunities to approach her. Especially after Gran died. She’d been alone for a couple of months.
