by Vonna Harper
“I helped get Bill elected. Campaigned for him. Same as him, I was born in this county.”
“Your point?”
“Just that it’s something you don’t want to forget about. Bill isn’t just a public official. He’s one of us.”
In some respects, the men reminded her of dogs sniffing around each other while deciding whether it was better to bare their teeth or expose their bellies. However, she didn’t need to ponder what was going on between Maco and the newcomers. Hackles were raised all around.
Something else. Having her dogs here evened the score—unless the men went for their rifles and Maco pulled out his gun.
Damn but she hated the things, wished it were different.
“I appreciate the heads-up,” Maco said. “And I have something for you to think about. The sheriff and his deputies have sworn to uphold the law. That’s how they’re able to support their families. Why do you think Sheriff Bill attended the hearings ?”
“Because he had to,” Roe shot back. Just the same, Shari thought she caught an uncertain note in his voice. “That doesn’t mean he’s going to drop what he’s doing and run out here every time you get spooked.”
“What makes you think I’d be spooked?”
The tallest of the three men slipped around Roe so Maco and she had a clear view of him. A pistol was strapped to his belt, like Maco’s. In addition, he had a sheath on the other side that she had no doubt held a knife. “Maybe you should be,” he said.
“Is that a warning?” Maco asked. His fingers poised over his weapon. “Because if it is, you need to consider how the dogs will react. They’re attack trained.”
She and Maco hadn’t had time to fully discuss the dogs’ role, but she’d assumed their primary function would be to patrol the site. Nothing had been said about them personally guarding him. Just the same, she understood why Maco had said what he had.
“Their teeth aren’t anything against a bullet,” the tall man said.
As if the dogs knew they were being talked about, their hackles raised. “What bullet?” she demanded. “They’d be on you before you had a chance to aim.”
The tall man’s expression made her think of a playground bully being called out by a bigger, stronger opponent. He continued to thrust his chest at her while looking at his companions for reinforcement.
“You came all the way out here to make threats?” Maco broke a tense silence. “Must be because the four of you can’t be considering taking on this entire operation.”
“What makes you think there’s just four of us?” Roe challenged. “And you’re wrong if you think all we have are hunting rifles in the rig.”
“Go on.”
“That’s it, for now. Like I said, we’re here to check things out. Four taxpayers curious about how our money’s being used. Soon as we’re done, we’ll be leaving. For today.”
“I’m glad you came.” Maco nodded at Bruce and Tucker. “This way you can see what I’ve done in terms of safeguarding the site. If you want, I’d be happy to give you a demonstration of what they’re capable of. I hope you’re well insured.”
“Fuck you, Maco.” Roe glared at her. “What the hell are you doing messing with him? What you need is a real man.”
“Bruce,” Shari said. “Show.”
A long, deep-chested growl rolled out of Bruce. Pulling back his lips, he exposed his fangs.
6
The pickup had turned around and was heading toward one of the dirt roads snaking over the land before Shari realized she was still clenching her fists. Bruce licked her hand, whining.
“What’s that about?” Maco indicated Bruce.
“Like I said, he’s picking up on my tension.”
“I’m sorry. Damn it, I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t know that was going to happen.”
“No, I didn’t.” Shaking his head, he lightly stroked the top of Bruce’s head. “That was an awesome display. One look at those fangs and those blowhards had had enough.”
“It wasn’t just a display. Both dogs back up their looks with action.”
“I believe it.”
For the second time today she touched his shoulder. Unlike before, she put strength behind her grip, born of the emotions swirling through her. Maco had no idea her past was getting in the way. He must believe the men had so unnerved her she’d felt compelled to call on the dogs to protect her. She couldn’t think how to explain she’d been a lot more afraid in the past without risking giving away too much, so she simply ran her fingertips over his shoulder bone.
After a few seconds, he laid his hand over hers. She wasn’t going to look up at him, she wasn’t! Then why was she staring into his deep eyes while electricity eased through her?
“I mean it.” His voice was low and rough. “I’d do anything to spare you from going through what just happened. This isn’t your concern.”
“Don’t. I can take it.”
He didn’t have to continue to cradle her hand any more than she could justify sliding her fingers over him. But he was and she was and nothing, not even the dogs’ agitated movements, mattered.
Not even the half-formed thought that had surfaced the moment she’d seen the rifles.
This man was getting under her skin and reaching places that had gone untouched for too long. Maco belonged surrounded by wild land, powerful equipment, and an ancient river. The same things spoke to her.
“I don’t know what I’m thinking,” he muttered. His words trailed off, leaving behind the sounds of distant machinery and whining dogs and her beating heart.
“Neither do I.”
Countless thoughts bombarded her, but she couldn’t make sense of them. The only thing she knew for sure was that sexual need had come between her and sanity. It rested between her legs, played with her breasts, reached deep inside her.
“What do you think is happening?” he asked and slid closer.
Her nerves absorbed the male animal in him and turned her into an animal herself. Just like that, no warning and no logic, she wanted to fuck. Maybe she’d jump his bones. While he stood there shocked, she’d throw herself at him, wrap her arms and legs around his body, and force him to his knees. They’d tumble backwards together. Their clothing would disappear. There’d be no need for protection, just his cock powering into her wet, hot hole.
Climaxing as one.
A few days ago she hadn’t known this man existed. Now he dominated her world.
She didn’t want it any other way. At the same time, feeling as if she’d fallen into a whirlpool terrified her.
Tucker barked. An instant later Bruce did the same. Tearing her attention off Maco and her swirling emotions, she saw that the dogs were standing on their toes staring at them. Grabbing her upper arms, Maco pushed her back so they could look at each other without their features blurring.
“What is that about?” Despite the question, his eyes said he wasn’t about to deny what had taken place between them.
“Shh. It’s all right, guys. It’s all right. I don’t know. Sometimes they sense things I don’t.”
“Like what? The truck’s gone.”
“I know.”
“Damn, are you saying their, whatever it is, might have nothing to do with Roe and his friends? Maybe something closer?”
Closer. More danger? “That’s possible.”
“Crap.” Still holding her, he looked around. Perhaps unconsciously, he started rubbing her arms. “Wait. Could they be feeding off you and me?”
The dogs had lowered their haunches to the ground but were still looking up, their attention fixed on Maco’s hands. “Yes, that’s possible.”
“They’re protective of you.”
That was part of it; the pair had been trained to defend. And yet there’d been little of a warning in what they were doing, more like confusion, curiosity, even envy.
Or maybe the intact males had smelled what was creaming her panties.
“They don’t understand where you fit
in,” she explained, hoping she was right.
“We need to remedy that if they’re going to respond to me.”
“Yes, we do. Mostly it’s a matter of them switching alliances from me to you. You’ll become the alpha in the relationship.”
“That’s what you are?” he asked. “The alpha?”
“Yes. Because Bruce and Tucker are male in every sense of the word, they want to be dominant. I’ve been working with them since they were puppies so they accept me as top dog in the relationship. It won’t take long for them to see you in the same light, mostly a matter of you taking charge.”
“But it won’t happen overnight, right?”
“Right. Oh, are you thinking you don’t have time to work with them now after all? You need to keep an eye on those men.”
He dropped his hands from her shoulders, and despite her desire to feel him under her fingers again, she kept her hands to herself. However, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing down. Yes, there it was, an erection.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s all right.” She winced at the lame comment. “I’m just saying maybe right now isn’t a good time for you to start learning how to handle the dogs. Maybe it’s more important to get Roe and the others to leave.”
“I’ll deal with that if they don’t take off in a few minutes.”
Even with her system still trying to right itself, she managed to concentrate on what he was saying. “What will you do? Call the sheriff?”
“Not unless I don’t have a choice. Roe’s right. Sheriff Will’s in a rough spot, as are most of his deputies. Their roots run deep around here, which means they might not be crazy about having to support major changes to the area.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. I haven’t been here that long.” Concerned she might get in deeper than she wanted, she struggled to find a way to change the subject. Unfortunately nothing mattered beyond her reactions to him, and his to her. It was all about sex, she told herself. Too long without a cock in her.
Or was it that simple?
Shading her eyes, she looked for the truck. Roe had found the steep, winding, and narrow dirt road leading down to the river and was already a quarter of the way there. Maybe her imagination was getting ahead of her, but she couldn’t help but think of the four men as outlaws sneaking up on their unaware victims.
“Damn.” Maco reached for a cell phone clipped to his waist. “I’ve got to get them turned around.” He punched numbers. “Jason, get that backhoe loader to block the pickup. No, just have him park so the bastards can’t get around. I’ll be right down.”
He turned toward her, his eyes intense and mouth hard, a man determined to protect what wasn’t capable of protecting itself. He’d had the same expression earlier when Roe had confronted the dogs and her. And yet with that determination was something else.
Primal.
“I’ll let you go,” she said because she had no choice. “Do you want the dogs and me to wait?”
He took a step toward the horses, then stopped. “No. I’m sorry you came all the way out for nothing. I don’t know how long this is going to take, and if there’s trouble, I don’t want you around.”
Knowing better than to argue, she backed away from him. Once he knew her better, she’d show him what she was capable of, if it came to that. “Call me if you can come to my place later, even this evening. At least we can get started.”
“I can’t.”
“Oh?”
“There’s something—someone. It’ll have to be tomorrow, hopefully.”
After nodding again, she told him to call to firm up plans. Once again something slipped over his features, an internal conflict maybe? Maybe it was as simple and complex as him seeing another woman. If so, she understood his reluctance to explain further, but if not, why hadn’t he said more than I can’t?
Distance was good, she assured herself. This sexual undercurrent between them was powerful, at least on her part. Yesterday she’d tried to analyze it, break it down. Today she simply acknowledged that it existed.
At least for her.
Despite her vow to get on with her day, she remained where she was watching Maco stride toward the horse corral. He opened the gate, stepped in, took hold of one horse’s reins, and swung into the saddle. The move was so graceful, so natural, part of his being. Holding the reins with one hand, he leaned forward and stroked a thick neck. The horse broke into a trot followed by an easy canter that lasted until they reached the start of the trail down.
Maco glanced over his shoulder at her, then returned to his task. Her thoughts and more went with him. Her body felt not just what it was like to be on horseback, but masculine thighs spread over a saddle and shoulders straight, ready for his life’s demands.
Be careful, cowboy.
Only once she and the dogs were back on the county road did she shake off the memory of Maco astride a surefooted animal and allow herself to revisit her reaction to seeing the ranchers’ weapons. Could the rifles have had something to do with Ona’s shooting?
But if so, why had they been at her place?
“This isn’t the end of it,” Jason announced as Maco and he watched the dusty pickup drive away. “They’ll be back.”
“I know.” Dismounting, Maco sighed and rubbed the back of his neck where the afternoon sun was stinging him despite his hat. He was thirsty, tired, and on edge. His erection was gone, but it wouldn’t take much to get it going again—like thinking about how Shari had studied him before they’d gone their separate ways.
“Sorry about that,” he’d said about his hard-on. What had she responded? More to the point, what had she thought?
Maybe that she couldn’t trust him any farther than she could drop-kick him. Maybe that the sooner she was shed of him the better.
But if that was the case, why had she rested her hands on his shoulders?
Damn it, what was he, an adolescent fighting to get a handle on this libido thing?
“What is it?” Jason asked. “Something they said chewing on you?”
“What?” Concentrate, damn it! “No, they didn’t say anything we haven’t heard before, but then it was during public meetings.” Feeling a restlessness that had nothing to do with the conversation, he scratched Silver between the gelding’s ears. Touching the horse quieted him a bit. “This time Roe didn’t temper his words. And their weapons—”
“Yeah. Shit. If they’re playing a game, I wish to hell they’d knock it off. It stopped being funny a long time ago. Hell, it never was.”
Maco rolled his head from side to side. “No, it wasn’t.”
“They’ve got to understand we’re not going to back down. And the government’s got too much invested.”
“If they put their hands on our machinery, I’ll tear them apart.”
Jason cursed. “You make me think of a pit bull.”
“Right now I wish I was.”
Patting Silver’s shoulder, Jason stared at him. “This is about more than Mustang Construction. What is it? Shari Afton?”
“They threatened her.”
“What? Why?”
Replaying what had happened, he acknowledged that maybe they hadn’t threatened Shari after all. Maybe his reaction had been out of proportion. “She’s not part of this. Damn it, I don’t want her in danger simply because she’s providing the dogs. She’s been through enough dealing with what happened to her pet yesterday.”
“She’s a grown woman who’s running her own business. She can hold her own.”
Silver’s head dropped. Obviously human concerns didn’t matter to him. “Running a business and having your dog shot’s two different things. She loves that mutt.”
Even with the sun making him squint, Jason could tell his brother was deep in thought. “She’s getting under your skin. Taking you back to Crystal.”
“You already chewed that bone.”
“I’m chewing it again because I know what I’m talking about.” The last thing he wanted
to do this afternoon was think of or talk about his ex-wife. Crystal, who he’d met while at the Cody Rodeo Stampede in Wyoming, lived up to her name, all right. She’d been an exquisite, fragile wisp of a woman who’d been filling in as secretary for the rodeo board. The moment he’d spotted her in her shiny new pink cowgirl outfit and white hat, he’d felt like the big, bad protector. Not only did he earn the lion’s share of the income after their whirlwind courtship and marriage, he handled all household and auto repairs, paid the bills, dealt with the hassles that were part of modern life. Maybe most of all he hadn’t told her about the conflict he felt knowing he’d have to carve out a life beyond Durant Ranch.
In the end the roles they’d fallen into had ruined what had once been good. They’d never been equals. Even in bed he’d treated her as if she’d break. Finally he’d realized he was hindering her growth and had become tired of playing the white knight. He’d also wanted someone capable of helping with the decision making that had led to Mustang Construction.
“Okay, I’ll admit Shari can stand on her own two feet. I never said she couldn’t. From seeing her business, I know she’s no hothouse flower.”
“I hope you remember that. Otherwise, you’re going to make both of you crazy.”
“How? All we have is a business relationship.”
“So far. Maybe.”
Paul Statford of Homeland Security didn’t arrive until nearly seven. If he’d known the man was going to be that late, Maco acknowledged as he stepped out of the travel trailer and headed toward the nondescript sedan, he could have gone to Shari’s kennels, seen her, heard her voice, maybe touched her again. Wrap himself in unwanted knots. Ask her if she wanted to do anything about the erection he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep under wraps.
Then Paul wearily shook his head and leaned against the hood and Maco pushed thoughts of Shari aside.
“What is it?” he asked. “Some change in—”
