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One footstep creaked on her floor and Ty’s voice came cautiously low from downstairs. “One car, parked on the road to your place.”
She crouched low and approached the window. Among the natural landscape that spread out beneath her house and orchard, a car gleamed in the starlight. It was on the side of the road, small puffs of exhaust showing it was idling. Then she heard the distant sound of the engine, like an angry insect stuck deep between the house’s walls.
Ty asked in a clipped voice, “Is there a back way to your house?”
She kept her gaze on the landscape while she hurried to her bedroom door and unlocked it. “Fire roads.” She returned to the view of the car. Ty bounded up the stairs. Toro was so intent on the window, the dog didn’t even glance at him.
Ty moved to a window opposite the one she was looking out, with a view of the back hill of the property. “Are they passable?”
“They’re blocked by gates and chains and dry creeks.” The car remained motionless, too far away to see how many people were inside or what they were doing. “Only four-wheelers and horses can get through.”
He came over to the front window and crouched next to her. It was amazing someone with his size and strength could move so quietly. His intense presence brought her even more awake. He kept his voice a whisper. “The car killed its lights a mile before coming to a stop.”
Anger choked her words. “They’re parked on my property. That’s after my fence line.” As if tonight’s attack wasn’t enough, they had to come back.
Ty focused out the window. “Have they ever come this close before?”
She gritted through a clenched jaw, “Yes.” It was then she saw that his pistol was in his hand. “Are you that good a shot?” It was at least half a mile.
He glanced at her, grim. “They might not be the only ones out there.”
She shook off a quick shiver. “Toro would be going crazy.” The dog remained rigid, staring out the window.
Without taking his eyes from the idling car, Ty lowered his pistol. “Good thing it’s so quiet in the country. Never would’ve heard them until they were closer in the city.”
“You heard them coming?” She couldn’t identify exactly what had woken her, but knew it wasn’t the noise of the engine.
Ty shrugged. “I was barely sleeping.”
“Too quiet for a city guy?” Their whispers didn’t reach the glass panes in front of them.
“My grandparents had a spread east of the bay and we used to do summers out there.” A smile emerged in his voice. “Chopping wood. Swinging off a rope into the swimming hole. Chasing chickens.”
“That’s what I was trying to get away from when I went to college.” She put her fingers on the windowsill, wishing she knew more of the history of the hands that had built this house. “I didn’t know how valuable it was until I came back to make a life out of it.”
The steel returned to Ty. “That’s why I’m not going to let them take it away from you.”
“What happened to your grandparents’ place?” Was that why he was so determined to help her?
“The younger generations moved to the cities and the land got to be too much for them to maintain. They sold it off and lived out their lives in a nice little house.” He warmed again. “I still see people wearing belts my grandpa tooled. Didn’t sell them, just gave them away with plenty of free advice. And my grandma tutored any local kid who needed help.”
The lineage started to make sense. “They were Frontier Justice.”
Ty’s gaze dropped to the floor and his brow drew down. After a moment, he shook his head. “As far as I could find, that organization dissolved around World War One. My grandparents were just...”
“Good people.” She moved her hand from the windowsill to brush it against his. “Like you.”
He brought his attention to the idling car again, eyes taking on an edge. “I’m trying.”
His deflection helped her find some perspective. Yes, he was diligent in helping her, but was she reading too much into the silent moments between them? “What does your girlfriend think about you spending the night at my place?”
“No girlfriend.” He kept staring straight ahead. “No wife.”
“Married to the badge?” She could see how his intensity might not leave space for another person.
“I’ll give you my mom’s number.” A wry smile curved his mouth. “She can fill you in on all the things I’m doing wrong in my love life.”
“I don’t know, Ty. I think you’ve got primo moves.” She focused ahead as well, but felt as if she was leaning against his shoulder, even though they were over a foot apart. “You jump into a fight, run into a fire, all just to get into my bedroom.”
He leaned back on his heels, as if startled, and looked about the room. “I was just tracking that car. If you don’t want me in here...” His voice trailed off as he glanced from the bed to her in her T-shirt and sweats.
What had started as a joke turned serious in the new silence. She hadn’t even taken in that he was wearing only a tank top and athletic shorts. The dim light from outside revealed the muscles in his arms that made him move with such sure grace. He was lean, defined, built for purpose, not just for show. “I let you in,” she answered.
Outside, the sound of the car’s engine changed. Condensation from the exhaust billowed and the car moved forward. Ty crouched lower, pistol in hand. Ready. She clutched her rifle and tried to keep her heart from pounding too hard. Her voice shook. “I’ve never shot at another person.”
“You’re lucky,” he whispered, face so dark she couldn’t see into him. “Remember, you didn’t ask for this. These bastards are bringing it to you, and you’re just defending your home and your life.”
Her palms sweated with the thought of it coming down to a life-and-death fight. But that was what they’d done this night, attacking her the way they did.
The car continued up the road. Her breath caught in her throat. Ty remained poised, eerily calm. After a few yards, the car swung across the blacktop in a hard U-turn. Tires screeched into the night. The headlights turned back on and the car sped away, having sent its message.
Relief blanketed her as the tension shuddered its way out of her limbs. She leaned the rifle against the wall and sat on the floor. Ty remained at the window another few moments, then joined her, letting out a long breath. Toro curled up at her feet.
Even though the threat had passed, there was still hard intent in Ty’s voice. “The Hanley Development Group, right?”
“They’re the ones who first approached to get me to sell.” It had all seemed so impersonal and businesslike. Two representatives had come to her shop, laid out the idea of their resort on her land, then left with polite handshakes when she’d declined.
Ty knocked the knuckles of his fist on the wood floor. “We’re going to give them a visit.”
“I’ve got to take care of things locally first. Insurance. Phone calls.” She still didn’t know just how badly her shop was damaged. And she had to update her website and social media to let people know the store was closed. Maybe permanently.
“Soon, then.” He rose. “If they’re hitting you, then we have to hit back.” His outstretched hand waited for her.
Her pulse warmed seeing his skin so close. She could stand on her own. She reached up and took his hand. The touch fired her blood hotter. Like a bolt of electricity passed between them. The way his chest swelled with a breath, she knew he felt it, too. His fingers curled strong around her. She flexed her muscles and got to her feet. Closer, her body demanded. Still clutching his hand, she could press against him, pull him to her. Bring his mouth to hers.
He stared at her from behind heavy lids. This man had burst into her life. In just a few hours he’d reminded her that she’d forgotten how to want something just for herself. But wanting that kiss, that physical contact, and taking it were two completely different things.
She dropped his hand.
He took a respectful step back and the sultry atmosphere lifted from around him. “Good night, Mariana.”
“Thanks for—” how many times could she thank him in one day? “—sleeping light.”
An unexpected quirked smile lit him up. “My pleasure?”
The temptation to ask him to stay in her room hit her. Like the way she’d asked him to spend the night at her place. But this wasn’t motivated by the need for safety. It definitely wasn’t safe to have him in her bedroom. “Good night, Ty.”
He nodded and turned for the doorway. Toro got up, followed him for a step, then stopped as Ty descended the stairs. Mariana closed the door and didn’t lock it. She placed the rifle next to the bed and sat on the mattress. Toro curled near her feet and let out a satisfied sigh, his job done for the night.
Transitioning to sleep wouldn’t be that easy for her. Each tick of the floorboards downstairs was amplified in her ears. Ty returned to the guest room. His presence washed across her skin. But as potent as it was, she knew better than to pursue the attraction. It was only a side effect of all the tension of the night.
She slipped under the covers and stared at the ceiling. Yeah, she tried to convince herself, adrenaline keyed her body up and it was easy to focus that energy on Ty. He’d stepped in when no one else had. Now that her body sank into the mattress, exhaustion dragged her into a warm darkness. But, her mind objected, you were taken by him when he first walked into the shop. Before the trouble. Ty was trouble. She knew that. And as she fell asleep, a long-dormant need inside her was waking up.
* * *
AFTER STARTLING AWAKE what felt like every ten minutes, Mariana finally gave up trying to sleep near dawn and left her bed. There had been no more threats that night. Toro rose, much sprier than she was feeling. Mariana went through her morning movements, pausing every few moments to listen for Ty on the ground floor. All seemed silent there.
She dressed and walked downstairs. The sun crested the far hills. Yellow light sliced in through the side windows. At least it would be a clear day, even if she couldn’t predict what the next few hours would bring.
As soon as she reached the ground floor, Ty stepped from the guest room. He wore jeans and a hoodie, and looked as fresh as if he’d slept twelve hours after a spa day. Her tired body immediately responded with a surge of energy. Their connection had gone untested last night, and parts of her wanted to find out just where it led. Instead she maintained her distance and her equilibrium.
Ty eyed the rifle in her hand. “You going to hunt up some breakfast?”
“Yeah.” She nodded and moved toward the kitchen. “California moose chorizo.”
“Just like Momma used to make.” He followed her, and both of them came to a stop at the large island.
She rested the rifle against the side. “I just feel safer having it in the room.” The same feeling she discovered with Ty.
“I get it.” He turned to reveal his pistol in its holster on his belt. “Get any sleep?”
“Who needs sleep when there’s coffee?” She collected the necessary elements to brew a pot. “How long have you been up? I didn’t hear you.”
He checked his watch. “An hour?” She felt him collecting her details as his gaze tracked her movement. “I figured out most of the creaky floorboards and walked around them.”
“Stealthy.” She cut up a crusty loaf of bread from a local baker into slabs for toast. “You would’ve made a good burglar.”
“What do you think I did before I was a cop?”
“Really?” She started to assess him completely differently.
He smiled easily and shook his head, more relaxed than she’d seen him before. “Nah. I worked in a couple restaurants through college.” He took a couple of slices of bread and put them in the toaster.
For months, her morning routine had been the same. Toast. Coffee. Work on the orchard and work in the shop. Nothing was normal this day. Ty’s presence shifted everything. The sunlight came through the windows differently, making her see aspects of her house that had gone unnoticed in...forever. “Was the guest room okay?”
Ty found the plates for the toast in a cabinet and stacked them at the ready. “Upper sash on one of the windows is loose and wouldn’t close. A little drafty, but no problem.”
“Really?” It felt like everything was falling apart around her as she broke her back trying to keep all the pieces together. “I’m sorry. There just hasn’t been time to work on the house. Or enough money.”
“It’s not your fault those bastards have been after you.” He pulled out his phone and set it on the island. “I was reading comments and reviews for your shop this morning.”
“Oh, God.” She rolled her eyes and shuddered. “So many fake accounts trashing me.” The coffee was ready and she brought two mugs to the pot. “And they’ve been leaning on the harvesters. No one’s willing to come out here to work the trees.”
“And still your local PD didn’t do anything.” Anger heated his voice.
She poured coffee into the mugs, the aroma helping to bring her more into the present. “They just kept saying there was nothing concrete to move on.”
Ty finished with the toast and brought the plates to the island. “Last night will put everything on the books, but I don’t think they collected a lot of actionable evidence.”
Her frustration with the police department didn’t have the same bite it used to. Ty was there, bringing Frontier Justice from outside the system. “Cream and—” Her phone rang. The screen indicated it was her insurance agent and she answered immediately. “Thanks for calling back so early, Brenda.” The woman’s concerned voice was just waking up, but she was diligent in explaining the next couple of steps and agreed to meet Mariana at the store within an hour. Mariana related all this to Ty after she hung up.
He nodded with understanding, drinking his coffee black and making mental calculations. “I won’t be there for that. The fewer official reports I’m on, the better.”
She threw back some of her coffee, hoping it would ready her for whatever was coming this day. “You’re only here for the action.”
“Until you tell me to leave...” He found a pad and pencil on a counter and scrawled a number. “I’m never farther away than a phone call.” Bringing her the piece of paper closed the distance between them. Her body drank in the heat of his intensity. “Usually, I’m much closer than that.”
She took the paper and stepped away to enter the number in her phone. Now that she knew she had to meet Brenda, the clock ticked on the day. She and Ty gathered their things and headed out. Hearing and believing what he’d said had taken the cold edge away from being alone in this fight. But as she drove to town followed by Ty, an unsettled question burned into her. How much closer did she want him?
Chapter Five (#u260d2ae5-b5c4-5ae8-a955-c0d6c009d043)
He still felt her near his skin. It had been an hour since they’d left the kitchen. The drive to town hadn’t helped cool him down. Pretending to be interested in a revolving rack of comic books at the front of the small local bookstore still couldn’t shake the resonance of her in him. She was standing down the block on the far side of the street, outside her boarded-up shop. She and the insurance broker had gone inside, come back out and now discussed several pages of paperwork on the Asian woman’s clipboard.
Even from this distance, the warmth on his chest that had started in her bedroom persisted. It had come as a quick shock. He’d been so focused on the danger outside there’d been no time to assess where in her house he was or what that might mean. Once the car had left, though, the intimacy of standing so close to Mariana in her bedroom bolted, hot, through him. He was in her house to protect her. He was there for Frontier Justice, and following through with the attraction he felt was beyond a bad idea. There was no certainty she was feeling it, too. The way her hand had lingered in his when he’d helped her up had definitely encouraged the idea, though.
Sleeping lightly in the drafty guest room had calmed his body down, but not his mind. The boldness of the Hanley Group’s attacks and follow-up intimidation only showed just how hard it would be to dislodge them from getting what they wanted. Mariana had to be safe. Ty had to stay sharp. Could he maintain that edge while giving in to a sudden desire for the woman he was there to protect?
The questions continued to stab at him while he watched her from the window of the bookstore. The insurance broker was wrapping up her business with a handshake and a hug with Mariana. Ty pulled a comic from the rack and took it to the front counter, cash already in hand.
The white woman behind the counter smiled genuinely. “I like that one. It’s dark.” She rang him up and handed over the change.
“Sweet.” He pocketed the change and gave her a wave with the comic as he headed out of the shop. So far, from what he’d seen of the small town of Rodrigo, there was nothing to support the sinister business that had come down on Mariana. People were generally open and nice. A couple of locals had given him hard looks, but that was expected everywhere.
He hurried across the street and down the block. Mariana turned from the direction the insurance agent walked away to face him. She was tired—he could see the exhaustion—but still strong as hell. He wanted to put his arm around her shoulders, give her something to lean on, but couldn’t risk invading her space. Instead he would support her how he could. He moved close enough to tell her, “You’re doing amazing.”
Her thin smile barely registered. “It doesn’t look good in there.”
“Can I check it out?”
She nodded and swung the door open with a bracing breath. “No power, so we have to use flashlights.”
The floor was still wet and the room was close with the smell of damp wood and paper. He ditched the comic book to the side and used the flashlight on his key chain to sweep across the space. Everything he could see was either burnt or soaked.
Mariana’s voice shook. “The refrigerator went off with the power. All the apple butter and pies have to be scrapped.” She coughed, but he heard it as a cover for a sob.
Immediately he was at her side, shoulder to shoulder, giving her as much of himself as she would take. “I saw how many apples are on your trees. This can all be built back.”
Her eyes squeezed shut and she leaned into him. “There’s no one to harvest.”
“There will be.” Determination rose in him. “We’ll push the Hanley Group back.” He hated seeing her bullied, and feeling her pushed this close to defeat drove him to rage. “They’ll be so scared of you they’ll never set foot in this county again.”
She opened her eyes and searched his face. “You’d better be telling the truth.”
He promised through a clenched jaw, “This is no lie.”
Her hand coiled around his. He held her tight, hoping to tell her everything with the touch. She whispered, “Tell me again.”
“I’m with you to the end.” No matter if the electricity that passed between them was real or just his imagination, if she bridged the gap to come closer to him or never approached, his resolve was set. And he couldn’t wait to punch a hole through the Hanley Group and send them running.
