True-Blue Texas Cowboy

by Janalyn Knight

  He let her finish, then spoke quickly, "Honey, you stay in the house. Keep the doors locked. I'm on my way."

  She sipped her wine and looked at her pretties. Who would water her flowers if she were gone? What would have happened to Chowser and to her cattle if that shot had found its mark? She felt her mortality as never before.

  Her phone rang. "Hello?"

  Jesse said, "Honey, it's me. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

  Warmth spread through her cold limbs. "I'm glad you're coming home."

  "I wish I never had to leave you alone. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. You hang in there. I'm almost there."

  "I'm okay. I'm not afraid or anything. I'm sure he's long gone, the chicken-shit son of a bitch."

  "That's my girl." Jesse kept up small talk until he drove over the cattle guard.

  She hung up and walked out to the driveway.

  "I thought I told you to stay locked-up tight?" He slid his arm around her and kissed her temple, rushing her back toward the house.

  "Oh, yeah. I forgot."

  "I don't guess Cody's come back through here yet?"

  "Nope."

  Jesse sat on the couch and pulled her down with him. "Sit here on my lap and let me hold you. I've got you now. You're safe."

  She laid her head on his chest and snuggled into his arms. Her heart slowed.

  Instead of pestering her for a blow-by-blow, he soothed her, letting the memory fade.

  His gift of silence was precious to her. She forwarded her thoughts toward heaven. "Thank you, God, for my Jesse."

  Gravel crackled in the drive. Cody must be pulling in. She went to the door, Jesse right behind her. As the sheriff stepped up on the porch, she said, "Hey. Find anything?"

  He nodded, "Yeah, a bunch of casings. It looks like it was a .30/.06. I'll send these off to the lab and see if we come up with anything. There were some boot prints, and we photographed them. We took pictures of the tire tracks, too."

  "Okay. Thanks." She put her arm around Jesse and pulled him next to her. "Hey, this is Jesse Kincaid."

  Cody appeared surprised to see a man in her house.

  "Jesse's Bob and Beverly Kincaid's youngest son."

  Cody reached out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Jesse. I didn't realize they had a youngest son," he said and laughed.

  Jesse shook his hand and grinned. "Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately. I was mostly out of town on the roping circuit. Now I'm planning on buying my own place here in the area. I'm working with Ashlee Landon, hoping to find what I'm looking for."

  "It's nice to meet you. I thought a lot of your daddy."

  Jesse nodded. "I thank you for that, Cody."

  Cody glanced at Lee. "So, I'll let you know if anything turns up on these casings—finger prints, anything. Please keep your head down and stay safe. You'll tell me if you figure out why this happened, right?" Cody raised his eyebrows.

  She hesitated. She'd been wondering about something. "Well, this is probably nothing, Cody, but I did go out to the compound yesterday. I more or less insisted that Theron let me ask questions about the tattoos on the girl and see if anyone recognized her. He got angry, but I wouldn't take no for an answer. I may have hinted that I had my DPS buddies involved in running down the tattoo."

  "Dammit, Lee!"

  "Well, Cody, I've dug up some interesting stuff on those two bastards the last couple of days. I was going to run it by you, but I've been busy. I'll make a copy of my notes and bring them to you tomorrow. Basically, Hale came from an abusive, unloving family and has a history as a peeping Tom and setting a cat on fire at school. He's also an embezzler. "

  She didn't dare look at Jesse. "Rubek's father was a hard ass ex-Marine who abused him while his mother just sat there. Three of his pets disappeared within a week of each other when he was in junior high school. I talked to a girl who knew him back then. There was other stuff too. These guys are wackos." She looked now and could practically see the steam coming from Jesse's ears.

  The sheriff narrowed his eyes. "Lee, didn't I tell you that I'd handle this? I pulled reports, too. I'm on this. I don't have all of that information yet, so I'd appreciate those notes, but I would have found it out at some point."

  "You have a lot of cases to work, Cody, and I only have this poor girl. I want her back with her parents. I don't want her laying in that morgue, unidentified. I can't let that happen."

  "We won't." Cody pointed his finger. "Now listen up. You stay out of this, and you stay safe. If this was them, for sure you can't be messing around in this anymore. They mean business. I don't want anything happening to you, you hear me?"

  He shook Jesse's hand again and headed out to his car.

  Oh, she was in trouble now.

  Jesse led her over to the couch, sitting her back on his lap.

  She looked down at her hands, feeling like she'd been sent to the principal's office.

  He sat quietly, and she waited for the hammer to fall. Finally, he said, "Lee, I cannot believe that you went out there yesterday and didn't tell me."

  She nodded, still looking down at her hands, knowing when to keep her mouth shut.

  "That's kind of the same thing as a lie, when you figure someone won't approve of something so you just do it and don't say anything. Our relationship needs to be founded on honesty."

  She nodded again. So far, so good.

  "Please, don't do that again. Tell me if you're thinking of doing anything crazy like that. I won't say don't do it because I know you. You're hard headed. But at least bring me in on it, okay?"

  She nodded again. This was all right. Then she looked at him, and it wasn't all right. Jesse was pale with a haunted look in his eyes. She'd not only hurt him—she'd scared him to death. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. "I'm so sorry, Jesse. It didn't seem crazy at the time. I'm sorry I scared you. I promise I'll tell you from now on."

  He held her tight, telling her that he loved her. She eventually sat up and kissed him, then pulled him to his feet. "Come in and have a beer. I'll fix us what my momma always fixed me when I didn't feel good—scrambled egg sandwiches."

  Jesse smiled. "My momma fixed those, too. I love them."

  She filled her wine glass and handed him a beer. Adding plenty of butter in the skillet, she diced some onions, sautéing them before cracking a whole mess of eggs into the skillet and whipping them together. After salting and peppering them liberally, she popped some toast in the toaster.

  Jesse came up behind her and nibbled her ear, making her laugh.

  "Hey, don't distract the cook unless you like burnt eggs, cowboy."

  He tickled her sides, and she slid across the kitchen with a yell.

  He said, "I can't help it. I'll have burnt eggs, I guess," and came after her again.

  She squealed and headed for the other side of the kitchen, giggling and fending him off with her spatula.

  With a kiss, he let her go and sat back down at the table.

  She made the sandwiches with salad dressing and poured two glasses of milk, realizing she was famished.

  Jesse moved his chair over so he could sit next to her while they ate.

  After inhaling the first bite, memories of staying home sick from school and of her sweet momma, ran through her mind. "Oh, this is so good."

  "You're a great cook, Lee."

  Rolling her eyes, she said, "Oh, yeah, gourmet and all that."

  He smiled and slipped his arm around her. "Well, let's put it this way. You cook what I like, how I like it." After helping her wash up, he pulled her into his arms. "I could have lost you, sweetheart. I can't imagine what I would have done. I don't want to think of my life without you, now that I've found you."

  She nodded into his chest. "I had the same thoughts today. When Megan died, and I lost Wess, it left me with nobody."

  He squeezed her, then leaned her back and looked into her eyes. "Never again, butterfly. You have somebody now." Looking mysterious, he said, "I had
a lunch appointment today."

  She gave him a lopsided smile. "With the realtor?"

  "Nope, someone much better. Let's go sit outside, and I'll tell you."

  This time she put on some mosquito repellent. She led him to the bench, and he snuggled her up to him, all cozy and safe.

  "So, I made a phone call early this morning and asked if I could meet some very important people on my lunch hour. Normally, I just eat out in the pasture. But I wanted to meet with these people before I saw you this evening."

  "Jesse Kincaid, would you quit teasing me and tell me?"

  He laughed. "Okay, I called your folks and asked if I could meet them."

  She jerked upright. "What?" Those rats. They didn't tell her a thing about it when she called this morning. They probably knew about him already.

  "Yes, I did. Anyway, so your momma, being the sweet lady she is, invited me to lunch. Now I know why you're such a good cook, by the way. Your momma taught you."

  "Would you hurry up!"

  He grinned. "Okay, okay. We ate lunch and visited and after we were done, I helped your mom clear the table and your daddy was just looking at me. He knew why I was there."

  "Jesse, I'm going to kick your ass if you don't get to the point. Hurry up!"

  He barked a laugh. "All right, already. I sat back down and told your momma and daddy that I loved you with all my heart and wanted to marry you and that I'd try my best to make you happy till the day I die. And, I asked for their blessing."

  Her mouth hung open. She stared at him.

  Jesse continued, unperturbed. "Your daddy, being the smart man he is, said, 'Well, knowing my daughter the way I do, she'll do exactly what she wants to anyway. For what it's worth, you have my blessing. Any son of Bob Kincaid's is a good man.' Then your momma, well, she gave me a kiss on the cheek and thanked me for loving her daughter and gave me her blessing, too."

  Lee hadn't seen this coming. She should've. Jesse was a man who went after what he wanted. That was one of the first things she'd learned about him.

  Jesse brushed the hair back from her face and turned her toward him. Tilting her chin so he could look into her eyes, he took both of her hands in his. "Lee Granger, I love you like I've never loved any woman. In sickness and in health, I'll care for you. I want to laugh with you and cry with you and spend every day of the rest of my life with you. Will you make be happy, Lee? Will you marry me?"

  Hot tears filled her eyes, and she smiled. She didn't know if she was crazy or if this was exactly the right thing to do. What she did know was, she wanted this precious man beside her for the rest of her time on this earth. "Yes, yes, Jesse. I'll marry you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for asking me. I love you."

  He grabbed her and stood, twirling her around several times before landing her on her feet again. He had tears in his eyes when he looked at her.

  Her heart pounded as she wiped his face with her thumbs and kissed him.

  He pulled her to him. "I was so scared, Lee. I'm not sure what I would've done if you'd said no."

  She gazed at his face, and drew him to her lips, "I'd never turn you away. I love you. I'm the luckiest woman to have you, Jesse."

  Sitting back down, he held her on his lap.

  She laid her head on his shoulder and felt—she didn't know what she felt—it was so wonderful she had no words. And, the anticipation ... she looked forward to their life together, whenever it started.

  "So, I've asked you to marry me, but I don’t quite have all the details worked out yet on how it'll work. I just know it will. I have an idea, and I'll work on it some more before I talk to you about it, okay?"

  Details weren't important, too much had happened that day. "Sure, Jesse." He kissed her softly, and she smiled. The sun had set and the evening sounds rose under the soft, purple sky. She relaxed into him and closed her eyes.

  She woke to a kiss and realized she'd fallen asleep. The stars were out.

  "You ready to go in, butterfly?"

  She nodded her head, glad she'd put that lotion on or she'd have been eaten alive in her shorts and t-shirt.

  Inside, she called Chowser to go out and do his business.

  Jesse took off his boots and carried them to the mud room.

  That reminded her. "Jesse..."

  He walked back out and put his arms around her, his brows raised.

  "Um, I was wondering ... it's just that, well, could you sleep over tonight? I don't want to be in the house alone. I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow. It's just tonight—not so much."

  Laughing, he said, "I've been here every night for a while, you silly woman. I didn't want to leave you alone, so I slept on the couch until dawn, then went home and showered."

  She rocked her head back to look at him. "Huh? No kidding? Well, how about that. You're the sweetest thing, Jesse."

  He landed a quick kiss on her nose. "So, to answer your question, yes, I'll stay here tonight. I was going to tell you I'd stay. I don't want you alone in case whoever went after you comes back."

  She hugged him fiercely and let him go. How in the hell did she deserve a man like this? "If you want to shower, Jesse, I not only have a shirt, but I've got a pair of Wess's gym shorts if you want them."

  "I believe I'll take you up on that, Miss Lee. I stink."

  Laughing, she pulled out the clothes for him.

  After his shower, he walked into the living room, where she listened to some lazy old jazz. She noticed his white legs and kicked one of hers in the air. "We ever get stuck someplace dark, our legs will light the way, cowboy."

  He grinned. "Now ain't that the truth."

  His legs were muscular and lean, and covered with old scars and banged up places. Made sense. Calf roping was a rough business. Those calves weighed 250, some up to 300 pounds, and throwing them to the ground wasn't for lightweights. When he pulled her over onto his lap she said, "I'm almost as big as you. If you're not careful, I'll crush you one of these days."

  "Not a chance. I'm a tough guy, can't you tell?"

  She grinned and kissed him loud and long.

  "Lee Granger, I do love the way you kiss."

  He stroked her cheek. When he looked at her face it was like he was seeing her for the first time.

  "What?"

  "I'm just examining my future wife."

  "Oh, great. Next you'll ask to see my teeth."

  He cracked up. "Smart ass."

  His face open and wondering, he asked, "So tell me, if you don't mind. What did you and Wess do in the evenings? In other words, what do you like to do when you're at home with your husband?"

  "Well, there's this." She kissed him. "And this." She slipped her tongue in his ear.

  He yelled.

  "And this ..." She tickled him.

  Laughing, he said, "Okay, okay, you crazy thing, I get the point. Besides that, what did you like to do?"

  "We liked listening to Red Dirt music and my jazz and blues. In the winter we loved sitting in front of the fire. Sometimes we watched TV, and he'd look up his stocks on the laptop. I read some. Once in a while we'd play cards—gin rummy or canasta."

  Jesse stared over her shoulder with a faraway look in his eyes, then he took her hand, "I can't wait to be your husband, Lee, and share times like that with you. We'll find our own things we like to do, too."

  With a quick caress, he said, "I'll bet you're exhausted. Let's put you to bed."

  "I'm bushed. Let's go."

  She did her lock-up routine as Jesse watched her with a bemused expression on his face. Damn, he was cute.

  He kept her snugged up against him as they walked back into the bedroom.

  The room no longer haunted her. She had new memories to draw her there. When she left the bathroom, the dim light from the window showed her Jesse on the bed, waiting for her.

  He slid over and pulled her down to him. The moonlight outlined his beautiful face.

  She leaned down, tasting him gently and savoring his lips. She loved this man and couldn't wait
to spend her life taking care of him.

  Pulling back, she found his hand, resting it over her heart. "I have some news for you, too, Jesse."

  "Well, considering who I'm talking to, is this good news or bad news?"

  "Good news, you idiot. At least I think it is."

  He kissed her on the nose. "So, give. What is it?"

  "You gave me some homework today, and I did it."

  Rolling her swiftly onto her back, he kissed her, hard. "Lee, I'm so happy, honey."

  "Yeah, well, you should have heard me. Two steps forward, one step back. But maybe God and I are going to come to an understanding one day. Like I told Him, I'm considering it. I thanked God for my blessings, and I named them. Most of all I thanked Him for sending me you."

  Jesse kissed her, pulling her back into his embrace.

  She laid on his chest and counted her biggest blessing again—her Jesse.

  He whispered in her ear. "Sweetheart, get under the covers, and I'll put you to sleep. No shenanigans tonight. You need to turn that brain of yours off. I'm here watching over you."

  She turned over, and Jesse snuggled up to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. His breath moved her hair across her ear, sending shivers up her spine. "I love you, Jesse."

  "I love you too, little butterfly."

  With Jesse in her bed, she felt safe. But, tomorrow, would the man who'd attempted to kill her try again?

  Chapter Thirteen

  THE NEXT MORNING, SHE turned toward Jesse and smiled. It was so weird, waking up with a man in her bed again. Weird and wonderful. He snuggled close, and she slid her leg over his hips.

  Jesse kissed her with a smile. "Good morning, butterfly. How'd you sleep?"

  "All right, I guess. I don't remember a thing. You're good for me, cowboy."

  Wiggling his eyebrows, he said, "I'm good for a lot of things, you know." He drew her on top of him.

  She leaned down and kissed him, gazing into his eyes, amazed all over again that this beautiful, sweet man was in her life. "I imagine."

  "Do we need to imagine, butterfly?" He slid his hands under her shirt and surrounded her waist, stroking her back with his fingertips.