12-Alarm Cowboys (168 page)

There he was, halfway to her little trailer, his hat in his hand. Standing next to…her uncle?

Oh, hell. She slowed and got her heart back into a normal rhythm, strolling up to them. “What’s the story here?”

Treven stared at her as if he couldn’t get enough, a frown on his lips telling her he had some serious talking to do once they were alone.

Her uncle, though, he looked like he’d been invited to his own funeral. In his expensive gray suit, his usually-perfect brown hair blowing in the breeze, he almost looked as if he’d been crying. “Delta, hon, I need to apologize, sincerely, and assure you I knew nothing about this.”

Her gaze flicked between the men’s solemn faces. “Give it to me fast and straight.”

Steven let out a breath. “Your aunt and I are separated. Divorcing.”

Delta frowned. She’d known for a while that they weren’t very happy, but hadn’t realized it had gone this far.

Her uncle rubbed a finger along the bottom of his nose. “She’s been on medication. Strong medication. For a while.”

“Okay.” Delta nodded, not sure why this had to be done in person, and in front of Treven.

Treven turned to her uncle. “You want me to tell her?”

Steven nodded, his face growing red. “Would you?”

What was this? Delta narrowed her eyes.

“Your aunt.” Treven’s fingers worked his hat in a circle in front of his thighs. “She bribed a man on your pit crew.”

Tipping her head, she tried to make sense of the words. Then it hit her. “Hired him to fix the car to…kill me?” Her voice grew shrill. “Steve?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, hon.” Her uncle looked small, defeated, shrunken inside his suit.

Delta had practically grown up with her cousins, in her aunt and uncle’s house. This couldn’t be right. “Why?”

Steve let out a shaky breath. “Like I said, the medications were too strong, they made her a little unstable.”

“A little?” A sudden burst of anger rolled through her, and her stare made her uncle drop his head.

“She thought that by killing you…” Steve met her gaze. “It’d put your half of the company in my hands, and she’d stand to receive more in the divorce.”

Delta’s knees started to shake and her world tilted a little.

Treven stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her back, taking her weight against his warm, hard, amazingly comforting body.

“How did you find out?” The words came out of her like firecrackers going off.

Steve gestured toward Treven. “This guy here had the smarts to get his friend involved. Rex, is it?”

Treven nodded. “Rex Tarrow. He’s an ex-marine, working toward his detective’s badge.”

Delta had overheard part of the guys’ conversation when Rex had been at the Rusty Horseshoe for dinner.

“Together they poked and dug until they got the truth out of everyone.” Steve shrugged. “The private detectives I hired couldn’t find anything. Thank God for these two.”

“But, that must have taken weeks.” She glanced at Treven.

His eyes softened. “I didn’t want to come to you until I had something that would help.”

Steven gave a cough. “You mean, something that would save her life? Again?”

Delta let the warmth seep from Treven deep into her heart. The heart that had been in a state of suspended animation for the last four weeks.

Her uncle turned away. “We’ll talk later, but hon, know that I’m desperately sorry.” He walked away, and she let him go. She needed to hear the whole story, but right now, in Treven’s arms, she wanted to sort things out with him. Desperately.

She’d already convinced their board of directors to put the theme park idea on hold, and was taking a more active role in the company to try to steer its direction away from projects that would displace dozens of hard working people. Like her cowboy.

Glancing up at Treven’s face, she noted his eyebrow and lashes had grown back over the last four weeks. Taking a chance that the time apart had also softened him toward her, she took a chance. “Do you want to come in?” Her words sounded stiff, but if he said no, she’d be crushed. Was he holding her because he cared and wanted to be with her, or was his presence only because he had news about her near-death?

Then she remembered the pit stop signs. “Since you gave me such a unique apology.”

He smiled. “Lead the way.”

They stepped up into her little trailer and she shut the door, sealing them in together, alone.

“Delta.”

She needed to be in his arms, but they had to talk first. “You’re forgiven.” She completely understood his reaction all those weeks ago. “I’d given up hope of seeing you again. And I still can’t believe you’re here.” That night nine days ago, when she’d made herself face the fact that Treven would never contact her? It had been the darkest of her life.

“I realized my mistake as soon as you’d left the ranch. But I didn’t want to come to you unless I had something to offer you.”

Nearly leaping into his arms, Delta flung her arms around his neck. “Just your handsome, brave face is enough for me. Not to mention your perfect gentleman’s personality and your kindness to every living creature.”

Smiling, then frowning, he snorted. “I’m gonna have to work on my image, I guess.”

“Uh uh. Not one bit.” She kissed his perfect lips. “And before you say any more about the investigation, let’s clear one thing up first. We have four weeks apart to make up for.” Wiggling her hips against his fly, she smiled as she felt a solid chubby forming there.

The corner of his mouth jumped. “You sure you don’t want to talk a while?” His hand ran down her back, pressing her tight against him. His eyes darkened, signaling his preference.

“Talking seems like the smart thing to do.”

He nodded, looking less than happy.

Taking his hat from his hand, she set it on the table. Delta needed the healing of being possessed by him completely, and giving him all of her, proving in a sensual way that she’d forgiven him, and he’d forgiven her. “I don’t feel like being smart right now.”

He threw his head back with a laugh and grasped her butt with both hands, lifting her until her feet left the floor. “Delta, darlin’, that should be the tagline for our relationship.”

Hanging onto his shoulders, she kissed him, their tongues teasing, their breaths merging as it panted from their lungs. Treven broke the kiss and peeled off her fire suit, then her long-sleeved fireproof undershirt, and her sports bra, while she unbuttoned his shirt and ripped it open, revealing his perfect chest. Then she remembered. “Your hands.” Grasping his wrists, she looked at them. Red in some spots, scars that were barely noticeable. “They look so good.” She eased his palms up to her bare breasts. “Feel so good.”

He sucked in a breath and palmed her nipples. “They are healed, thanks to you.”

In a burst of speed, he pulled down her fireproof pants and lace undies, and dealt with her boots, as she tore his jeans down, along with his briefs, and yanked off his boots. They stood naked, breathing hard and looking at each other.

“I didn’t dare hope, Delta.” His brow furrowed.

“I still think I’m dreaming.” She went to him and he picked her up, stepped forward, and pressed her against the polished wood wall. With one hand on her bottom, he used his other hand to lift her leg and slid his hand up her thigh to her pussy, which she gladly arched upward for him, hot for him.

Heat spread along her core and her belly contracted. When he brushed her clit, she sighed and shuddered. “Together? Like the first time?”

He bent his head and suckled her breast. “Yes ma’am. Anything you want.” The motion of his tongue on her tight peak shot lovely chills down deep into her belly.

Lifting his head, he frowned. “Shi… Crap. I didn’t bring any protection.” He looked like his world had just collapsed.

“I’m protected. And I trust that you’re as perfect, healthwise, as you are in every other aspect of your life.”

He smirked. “Perfect? Hardly. I let you walk out of my life.”

“Talk later.” She wiggled against his fingers. “Now, sex.”

He chuckled. “Cavewoman. I love it.” Lifting her higher, he positioned himself with his cock just at her opening. Their eyes met for a long moment before he pushed his long, hot shaft deep into her, making everything inside her shift and heat.

“Yes, Treven. I’ve missed this.” She gasped for air as her body burned with desperation. “I’ve missed this. Missed you.” Her head lolled to the side as he withdrew and entered her again, pulsing and thrusting, slow then fast, until his teeth clenched.

Her mind raced in circles as the pleasure in her core escalated to a frenzy. “Yes.” Her shout sent her whirling on a wild ride across a silent universe that had her fingers digging into his shoulders, her body shaking, and her nerve endings buzzing. Fast and frenzied, the climax tore through her soul as she fought to feel every thrust, every movement Treven made inside her.

Shouting her name, his muscles stiffened then shook for a second, his eyes opening to look into hers. “You’re back in my arms.” He continued to thrust inside her as warm wetness flooded in pulses deep in her core.

On a sigh, she whispered, “I’m right here, Treven. Don’t ever let me go.” She meant so much more than just her body. Her heart, her soul, needed to be right here, right now.

“Darlin’.” He breathed fast for a few seconds, his eyes growing serious again. “Bed?”

She looked toward the back of the trailer. “Yes.”

Still inside her, he walked the length of the trailer and eased her onto the bed, sliding his still-hard cock out of her and lying next to her. Touching and kissing, they stayed silent for a few minutes.

“I want to hear all about your investigation.” Delta’s curiosity sobered her out of the lovely afterglow. “But not right now.”

He shook his head. “No, right now, I want to apologize for asking you to go that day.”

“Forgiven.” Staring into his beautiful eyes, she touched his cheek. “And I want to apologize for not telling you, from day one, that my uncle thought I was there to buy land.” She dropped her hand and glanced away. “I’m not one to keep secrets, but I was afraid you’d send me away before I got a chance to help you.”

“Forgiven.” He brushed her hair from her face.

“What now?” How would they make this work?

“Let’s figure that out together, one day at a time.”

She smiled and ran her hand along his big biceps. “Today, we’re here in…” Why couldn’t she remember the name of this place? “Whatever town this is in Florida.”

He laughed. “You don’t even know where you are?”

“Nope.” A burst of sweet emotion raced through her. “But I think I finally know where I belong.”

“I do too, Delta.” He touched one finger to the spot over his heart. “There’s a place for you right here.”

Tears welled in her eyes as her world finally stopped wobbling and spun easily on its axis.

The End

Rex and Mina’s story:

Badge and a Saddle

Chapter One

R
ex Tarrow set
his badge and gun on the night table next to his bed and sank down on the mattress behind him. Dropping his head, he ran his fingers through his dark hair, which had needed a cut for the last two weeks.

This missing persons case, though. It had consumed him, kept him awake nights, drew his attention away from his other duties during the day. Nothing about it made sense. Doctor Mina Cooper, an astronomer at the U of Texas at Austin. Why would a woman like her, single, young, beautiful, go out on a turkey hunt on a ranch just outside of Dallas/Fort Worth and disappear? And the woman was a friggin’ vegetarian.

The neighbor’s dog barked. After midnight, and the darn animal was outside?

A beam of light flashed through the room. It had to be the neighbor. Was that raccoon back after the garbage cans?

Rex stood, even though every muscle, tendon, and bone in his body told him to lie down and get some sleep. Hell, what would one more night without rest matter? He trudged through the house to the back door as footsteps clomped up the porch steps and the flashlight beam caught Rex in the eyes.

“It’s Jeb from next door.” The man’s gruff voice nearly rattled the pane of glass out of the door.

Shielding his eyes, Rex opened the back door. “What’s going on?” Jeb’s flashlight redirected to a woman’s face, partially shielded by blonde hair and…sunglasses? She held her hands up at her shoulders as if in surrender.

“The lady, here, says you know her.” Jeb shifted his shotgun away from its deadly aim at her back.

Tipping her head up, she stretched to her full height of nearly six feet, just a few inches shorter than Rex.

He snapped on the porch light as she removed her glasses.

“Holy fu…” Rex had to swallow. Twice.

Dr. Mina Cooper stood right in front of him, living, breathing, and lifting an eyebrow at him. “Are you gonna keep a girl standing on the back porch all night?”

Two of my uncles were firefighters, and one became a paramedic after he broke his hip during a rescue. The hours they spent protecting their communities, the days when their families didn’t have them with them at home, the knowledge that every time that alarm rang, there was a chance they wouldn’t make it back to the station. We owe these men and women a resounding shout of thanks for risking their lives for us.

I’d love to hear from you. I’ve listed all the places I hang out, and I hope you’ll connect with me at one or more of them.

All my best,

Randi

“Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied”

RandiAlexander.com

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