Stockyard Snatching

by Barb Han

  He lifted her chin until her gaze met his, ignoring the rush of electricity coursing through his body. It took heroic effort to turn away from the pulse throbbing at the base of her throat.

  “You’re an amazing mother,” he stated, and she immediately made a move to protest. “Don’t do that to yourself. You are. Jackson is lucky to have you and you’re doing a great job. Don’t doubt that for a second.”

  “I’m scared,” she admitted, and it looked like it took a lot to say those words. Someone as strong as she was wouldn’t want to concede to a weakness. Dallas knew all about that, too.

  “It’s okay,” he said reassuringly.

  “What if I lose him? What if my adoption turns out to be illegal and someone has a claim on my son? I’ve read stories like that.” She stopped to let out another sob.

  “It won’t happen.”

  “That’s impossible to say right now,” she said. “I could lose him and that would destroy me. He’s all I have.”

  “You might not have had friends when you came to town and you might’ve been too busy to make any since. But you have me now. And any one of my brothers would stand behind you, as well. Plus you’ve found a friend in Stacy.”

  “You’re kind to say that, but we’ve only just met,” she said, her gaze searching his to find out if there was any truth to what he was saying.

  “We may have known each other for just a few days, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know you,” Dallas said calmly. He considered himself a good judge of character and any woman this devoted to her child couldn’t be a bad person. She put Jackson first every time. Period.

  In some deep and unexplainable part of his heart, he knew Kate.

  * * *

  THERE WAS SOMETHING about Dallas O’Brien’s quiet masculinity and deep voice that soothed Kate’s frazzled nerves. It shouldn’t. She shouldn’t allow it. But shouldn’t walked right out the door with self-control as she leaned forward and kissed him.

  The instant her lips touched his, Kate knew she was in serious trouble, and not just because she might be sitting across a courtroom from this man someday fighting for custody of her son. Everything in her body wanted to be with Dallas, and that should stop her.

  He deepened the kiss and his hands came up to cup her face.

  And there wasn’t anything she could do to resist what her body craved. With him so close, his scent filled her senses and her heat pooled between her thighs. It had been a very long time since she’d had good sex and her body craved release that only Dallas could give. Normally, it took time to get to know a man before she’d let her guard down and allow him to get this close. But she’d never been this attracted to anyone. With Dallas, it felt right, and her brain argued that there was no reason to stop. From a physical sense, her brain was right: she was an adult; he was an adult. They could do whatever they wanted. Her heart was the holdout.

  Except that the logical voice that generally stopped her from making life-changing mistakes was annoyingly quiet.

  And she wanted Dallas O’Brien with her entire being.

  Her hands tugged at the hem of his gray V-neck shirt. The cotton was smooth in her hands as she pulled it over his head and dropped it onto the floor.

  This time, there was no hesitation on either of their parts. No stopping to make sure this was right.

  Her shirt joined his a moment later and the growl that ripped from his throat sent heat swirling.

  “You’re incredible,” he said, his hands roaming across her bare stomach.

  And then he cupped her breast and it was her turn to moan. His lips closed on hers as though he was swallowing the sound.

  His hands on her caused her breasts to swell and her nipples to bead into tiny buds. Her back arched involuntarily and she wanted more…more of his hands on her…more of his touch…more of his clothes off.

  Kate stood, unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied out of them, kicking off her shoes in the process. Her bra and panties joined them on the floor.

  And then she stood in front of Dallas naked.

  His hands came up to rest on her hips and he pressed his forehead against her stomach.

  One second was all it took for him to decide. No words were needed.

  And then in a flash he was standing and she was helping him out of his jeans and boxers.

  He lifted her onto the desk and rolled his thumb skillfully across her slick heat.

  “I’m ready.” It was all she needed to say before the tip of his erection was there, teasing her.

  She clasped her legs around his midsection as he drove himself inside her. She threw her head back and rocked against his erection until he filled her. She stretched around his thick length.

  “You’re insanely gorgeous,” Dallas groaned, pulling halfway out and then driving deep inside her again. She met him stroke for stroke as he stroked her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rocketing her to the edge.

  She grabbed on to his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles to gain purchase.

  Stride for stride, she matched his pace, until it became dizzying and she was on the brink of ecstasy with no chance of returning.

  The explosion shattered her, inside and out, and she could feel his erection pulsing as he gave in to his own release. He stayed inside her as she collapsed on the desk, bringing him with her, over her.

  He brushed kisses up her neck, across her jawline, her chin.

  And then he pulled back and locked eyes with her.

  “You know one time isn’t going to be enough, right?” And the sexy little smile curving his lips released a thousand butterflies in her stomach.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Dallas woke at five o’clock the next morning, an hour before his alarm was set to go off. Kate’s warm, naked body against his in his bed made it next to impossible to force to get up.

  The moment he eased from beneath the covers, he regretted it. He walked lightly to his office so he wouldn’t disturb her sleep. He needed to make a call to Tommy and fill him in on what they’d found out last night. And there was so much information making the rounds in his head after learning the news about his parents. He was doing his level best not to jump the gun straight to murder when it came to them, knowing he might be grasping at straws to shift the blame away from himself.

  He threw on a fresh pair of boxers and jeans and then moved into the kitchen to make coffee.

  “Seaver’s involved up to his eyeballs,” Dallas said to Tommy over the phone, taking his first sip of fresh brew. His friend had always been an early riser, awake and on the job by five.

  “Do I want to know how you know this?” his friend asked, and there was more than a hint of frustration in his voice.

  “Morton visited him the day before his death,” Dallas insisted, not really wanting to go there with the lawman.

  “That’s not exactly an answer.”

  “Just talk to him again. Believe me when I say it’ll pay off,” Dallas said.

  “I’d love to. The problem is I have to walk a fine line with him,” Tommy stated. “And it takes time to pull together evidence.”

  “He killed Morton to silence him. I’m sure he did.” Dallas knew full well his words weren’t enough to go on. They required proof.

  “That may be true, but I need more than your hunch to get a search warrant for his house or his bank accounts,” Tommy said. He blew out a frustrated breath.

  Dallas knew his friend was upset at the situation and not at him. He shared the sentiment 100 percent.

  “I hear what you’re saying and I know you have to do this the right way to make it stick, but trust me when I say he knows more than he’s telling.” Could he share what he’d found on the data drive? He hadn’t obtained it illegally, and yet he felt Stacy should be the one to make the call.

  “I can put a tail on him. That’s about the best I can do under the circumstances.” Tommy blew out another frustrated breath.

  Speaking of Stacy, did Seaver know about her and Wayne?
Dallas wondered.

  “I’m probably going to regret this, but what makes you think he shot Wayne Morton?” Tommy asked.

  “Believe me when I say it’s more than a hunch. Can you check his tire treads to see if they match the ones at the scene?” Dallas asked.

  “Already getting someone on it,” Tommy said, sounding like his coffee hadn’t quite kicked in yet. “Did you get any word on Susan?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did.” He could share that, since, technically, he’d paid for that information and part of the data belonged to him. “Here’s the thing with her. When she disappeared from New Mexico, it’s like she vanished. No more paper. One day she was there and then it was like she never existed.”

  “She get involved with a criminal who made her go away?” Tommy asked, his interest piqued.

  “Wouldn’t there be a paper trail? Apartment lease? Something?” Dallas asked. “I mean even in the worst-case scenario there’d be a death certificate.”

  “True.” Tommy got quiet. “Not to mention the fact that she was living in New Mexico. Why use a Texas adoption agency?”

  “I’m figuring that she was hoping her child would grow up close to home,” Dallas said. “I’d have to think there’d be a missing person’s report on her somewhere, right? But you checked and there isn’t.”

  “Where’d you get your information?” His friend clicked keys on his computer. “Never mind. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

  “Is there anything you can use to link Seaver to Morton’s murder?” Dallas asked. “Any evidence that might’ve been overlooked?”

  “Tire tracks are iffy, at best. I doubt I could convince a judge to give me what I want based on just that little bit of evidence, so even if they match he’ll say so do the tracks of a hundred other vehicles,” Tommy muttered. “I’ll check to see if Seaver owns a gun. Might get lucky there and get a caliber match from ballistics.”

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about Allen Lentz,” Dallas said. “About him being set up. Seaver met him, and my instincts say he decided to take advantage of that crush Lentz has on Kate.”

  “Given his computer skills, Lentz should’ve been able to cover his tracks better,” Tommy agreed. “Maybe I can find a link there.”

  “We know the kidnapper didn’t act alone. If this was a crime of passion, then Allen would’ve acted on his own, wouldn’t he?” Dallas asked, ignoring the knot in his gut as he thought of another man making a pass at Kate.

  “That’s a safe bet. Allen seemed to think there was still a chance with Kate. If all hope had been lost then he might be motivated to do something more extreme. She seemed to be dodging his advances without outright rejecting him,” Tommy said.

  “The guy attempting the kidnapping was fairly young. I’m just trying to cover all the bases, but is there any chance Allen could’ve hired someone?” Dallas asked.

  “Nothing from his bank account gives me that impression. No large withdrawals in the past few months.”

  “What about neighbors?”

  “Everyone alibied,” Tommy stated.

  “Seems like Lentz can be safely ruled out as a suspect,” Dallas said.

  “That’s where I’m at with him,” Tommy confirmed. “Good to look at this from all angles, though.”

  That gave Dallas another thought. “Could someone else be pulling the strings with Seaver?”

  “That’s a good question,” his friend said. “One I hope to answer very soon. So, yes, it’s a definite possibility.”

  Dallas hoped to have an answer, too. Because Kate’s future was hanging in the balance.

  “I’ll do my best to track down Susan using my means,” the lawman told him.

  “I’d like that very much,” Dallas said. “And thank you for looking into my parents’ situation. I’ll tell the family this morning.”

  “I’m not making any promises, but if there’s something foul, I’ll figure it out,” Tommy said.

  Dallas thanked his friend again, ended the call and then checked the clock. It was almost five thirty. He’d received a text from Janis. She and Jackson were up and she was about to give him his bottle. She said they’d be there around six.

  He could wake Kate up for another round of the best sex of his life before the baby showed up. Or he could fix another cup of coffee.

  He stood up and turned toward his bedroom.

  * * *

  KATE ON HIS BED, in his bed, had Dallas wanting more than just a night or two with her. But what else? When this was all over, he needed to sort out his emotions and figure out exactly where he saw this relationship fitting into his already overcrowded life.

  Relationship? Was that what was happening between them? Something was different, because for the first time in his life, Dallas had no clue what his next move was going to be.

  She stirred and they made love slowly this time.

  “I’ll grab you a cup of coffee,” he said, kissing her one last time before leaving the bed.

  “Really?” She stretched and the move caused her breasts to thrust forward. The sheet fell to her waist as she sat up, and all he could see was her silky skin. “’Cause I could get used to this.”

  “Good,” he said, thinking the same thing as he forced his gaze away from that hot body and walked toward the hallway.

  By the time he fixed her coffee, Kate was dressed and Jackson was coming through the front door in Janis’s arms. Dallas couldn’t help but notice that the older woman was beaming.

  “Thank you for taking care of him,” Kate said, reaching for the baby.

  He smiled and that was all it took for her to beam, too.

  “It was truly my pleasure. I married young, but we never were able to have children,” the older woman said wistfully. “Lost my Alvin to the war and never found anyone I could love as much.”

  She waved her hand in the air and sniffed back a tear. “No need to get sentimental before coffee. I enjoyed every minute spent with this little man and I hope you’ll let me watch him again real soon.”

  Janis cooed at Jackson, who smiled as Dallas grasped two mugs of coffee.

  “You staying?” he asked Janis, gesturing with a cup.

  She was already waving him off. “No. I better get back to the main house. There’s been a lot of excitement lately and it’s best if everyone feels like it’s still business as usual.”

  “You sure? I make the best coffee on the ranch,” he said persuasively.

  She held out a hand and pretended to let it shake. “Already had half a pot. If I drink any more we’ll have an earthquake going.”

  “Keep me posted if anything happens at the main house,” Dallas said.

  “I have a few appointments scheduled, planning for the Halloween Bash. Should I have them rescheduled, or plan to meet those individuals for lunch in town?” she asked.

  “Off property might be best for now,” he agreed. “Until we can sort out everything that’s happening and be sure everyone’s safe.”

  “I thought you’d say that,” she added, as she excused herself and moved to the front door and then looked at Kate again. “He’s an awfully gorgeous baby. Don’t you think so, Dallas?”

  “As far as babies go, this one’s all right,” he said with a wink to Kate. He set her coffee mug next to her and looked at mother and child.

  Could the three of them, and possibly four, if he was a father, ever be a family?

  He’d known Kate Williams for just a few days and was already thinking about a future with her?

  That made about as much sense as salting a glass of tea.

  Dallas mentally shook off the thought. He’d gone without sleep for two nights and it had him off balance. Plus there were the holidays and the recent news about his parents. He was grateful his ringtone sounded, providing a much-needed distraction.

  It was Tommy.

  Dallas answered. “I’m putting the call on speaker so Kate can hear.”

  She looked up from where she sat on the floor playing w
ith Jackson.

  “I have news about Susan,” his friend said.

  “What did you find out?” Dallas moved closer to Kate.

  “Your guy was right. She disappeared. As in cleaned out from the system,” Tommy revealed.

  “What does that mean? A person can’t just vanish, can they?” Kate asked, astonished.

  “There’s only one way I can think of,” Dallas said. “Could she have been placed in a witness protection program?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Tommy agreed. “I should be able to pull up some record on her, but they just stopped right around the time her baby would have been born. And there’s no report of her hospitalization.”

  “So she knew she’d be going into the program during the pregnancy,” Dallas said, realizing that was most likely why she’d wanted to get married. She wanted the baby to have a normal life, and Dallas was the only person capable of protecting her son. Which brought him back to his initial question… Was he the father?

  “Seaver’s missing. We’ll bring him in for more questions as soon as we locate him,” Tommy added.

  “Wait a minute. I thought you put a tail on him.” Dallas took a sip of coffee, needing the jolt of caffeine. If he understood things correctly, finding Susan was a complete dead end. People in the witness protection program didn’t randomly show up again. The only way to figure out if he was the father of her child would be a DNA test of the baby, but he had no idea where the little tyke was or whom he was with.

  Speaking of Susan, she’d said a few things to him that made Dallas think she must’ve wanted a normal life for her child, and that was why she’d given him up for adoption. Dallas would bet money that she’d used Harold Matthews at Safe Haven to handle the paperwork for her or handle the adoption without paperwork. Even if Tommy could get a subpoena for Safe Haven’s records, which was highly doubtful, that paperwork most likely wouldn’t exist. The agency administrators would be smart enough not to keep records for an under-the-table adoption, especially if the Feds were somehow involved.