Operation Cowboy Daddy (10 page)

“There’s nothing more to be done now,” Tony said, pulling her from her terrible thoughts. “Let’s get home.”

Home...where Tony would now be staying. Some of her fear slowly ebbed away. He would make certain they all stayed safe. He would keep them all from evil.

They left the station with Dillon’s promise that he would let them know what went down in Oklahoma City. It was only as they pulled into the driveway that Mary really processed the fact that for the next couple of weeks Tony would be with her every minute of every day.

This thought created a new kind of tension inside her. The last thing she wanted was for him to get any deeper into her heart.

He pulled his gun when they got out of the car and he hurried them inside. “Wait here,” he said as they stepped just inside the front door.

He disappeared into the kitchen and then headed down the hallway. When he returned, the grim set of his lips had relaxed. “Okay, there’s nobody here. I’m just going to get my things from the truck.”

As he disappeared back outside, Halena moved into the living room and sat on the sofa with Joey’s car seat at her feet. The baby slept peacefully, unaware of the drama that swirled around him.

“He’s a good man, Mary,” Halena said. “He looks at you with both tenderness and desire. You could do far worse.”

“That’s not the tune you were humming about him a week ago,” Mary replied.

“Things are clearer now in my head.”

“It doesn’t matter. This isn’t about me and Tony,” Mary scoffed. “This is about that baby and keeping him safe from that man and that’s all there is to it.”

Halena gave her a sly smile. “I see the way you look at Tony. You care about him.”

A warm flush swept into Mary’s cheeks. “Enough, Grandmother. You know I’m damaged goods.”

Halena’s smile vanished. “You are only damaged in your own mind, Granddaughter, and you can change the way you think about yourself.”

At that moment Tony came into the house with a duffel bag. He dropped it on the floor and gazed at them both, obviously sensing the tension that crackled in the air. “Everything okay?”

“Everything is fine,” Mary replied and shot a warning look at Halena. The conversation they’d shared was a familiar one, a conversation that set Mary’s teeth on edge.

As if there wasn’t enough going on, the last thing she needed at this moment was for her grandmother to lecture her about her body image. Her grandmother hadn’t had her breasts cut off. She couldn’t put herself in Mary’s shoes.

“I’m going to work on a blog about shielded hearts and foolish women,” Halena said and stood. “You don’t have to worry about anyone coming in through my bedroom window. I’ll sleep with my shotgun and I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

“I’ll bunk here.” Tony pointed to the sofa.

“Perfect,” Mary said briskly. “I’ll just go get some bedding for you.” She walked down the hall to the linen closet. Had he thought she would invite him to sleep in her bed? No way, no how.

While the idea of falling asleep in Tony’s strong arms was heavenly, there was no way she would allow any opportunity for intimacy to happen. They were simply two people trying to keep a baby safe and nothing more.

“You’re welcome to put your toiletries in the hall bathroom,” she said when she returned to the living room with two sheets and a blanket for him. “And you can also use the closet in the spare bedroom for any clothes you need to hang. I’m just going to go ahead and get Joey into his bed.”

She bent down and picked up Joey, conscious of Tony’s gaze lingering on her. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Tenderness and desire.

Wasn’t that what any woman would want to see in a man’s eyes? She shook her head to dispel her grandmother’s words.

She didn’t bother putting Joey into pajamas. Instead she changed his diaper and then placed him in the playpen and covered him with a blanket. He didn’t even wake up.

She remained standing over him for several long moments, breathing in his sweet baby scent and smiling as he blew a little spit bubble in his sleep.

Her heart already ached with his absence despite the fact that he was still with her. She had to prepare herself to say goodbye to Joey, but hopefully not until any danger to him had passed.

When she returned to the living room, Tony had made out his bed on the couch and now stood in front of the window and stared outside.

His back was so broad and his hips so lean, and the ponytail that fell down beneath his shoulders looked rich and soft.

He turned to face her and without saying a word he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. She stiffened against him.

“Just let me hold you for a minute, Mary,” he whispered softly into her ear. “I don’t want anything else from you right now, but I’ve wanted... I’ve needed to do this since the moment I saw you with such terror in your eyes.”

As the memory of Ash Moreland and his gun filled her head, she slowly relaxed into Tony’s embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head into the crook of his neck. She savored his familiar scent, a scent that made her feel safe for the first time since she’d looked into Ash Moreland’s eyes.

“I was so afraid,” she admitted. “I’ve never been so terrified in my life. I didn’t know what he was going to do. I was so afraid he was going to shoot me and steal Joey away.”

“I won’t let him get close to you again.” There was a firm conviction in his voice. “I won’t let him get close to you or Joey.”

She felt the kiss he wanted to give her. She knew with a woman’s instinct that when she raised her head he would be ready to take her lips with his.

She couldn’t allow it. She wanted him so badly, but she had to deny herself, she had to deny him. Abruptly she dropped her arms to her sides and stepped back from him so fast there was no time for a kiss.

“It’s been a long day. I need to get some sleep. We all need to be up early in the morning to go back to the craft fair. Good night, Tony.”

She practically ran from the living room and into her bedroom. She told herself that her pounding heart was due to the attempted kidnapping that afternoon and not because of being in Tony’s arms.

She undressed in the dark and grabbed her nightgown from a drawer. Hopefully when she awakened in the morning Tony would have heard from Dillon that Ash was in jail. The danger would be over and everyone could get on with their lives.

A drug lord and a murderer. If the suspicions about Ash Moreland were true, then he probably wouldn’t hesitate to kill to get what he wanted.

She pulled her nightgown on and then walked over to her window and peered outside. Bright moonlight spilled down on the back lawn and painted it with silvery illumination. In the distance the trees were black silhouettes against the starry night sky.

The night was still, as if the wind held its breath in anticipation of something happening. Someplace out there was a man who scared her. Was he out there now? Watching the house and just waiting for another opportunity to get to Joey?

She left the window and got into bed. She closed her eyes and thought about being held in Tony’s arms. He’d said he needed to hold her and she admitted to herself that she’d needed to be held by him. She released a deep sigh.

Outside was a man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill her to get Joey, and inside was a man who was slowly killing her with sweet promises of what could never be.

* * *

Ash cursed when he saw the police presence at his house. He was almost a block away and decided to turn his car around and drive in the opposite direction.

Somehow he’d apparently been identified. They had to be at his house because of the botched attempt to get his kid back at the fair. Dammit.

He’d done his homework and had asked around about Mary. When he’d learned that she would be at the fair, he’d chosen not to make another attempt at her house. He’d decided to be patient, thinking that the fair would be the perfect opportunity to get Joey back.

He should have killed the bitch and grabbed the kid. Instead he’d choked, afraid that if he did what he wanted he’d earn himself a bullet in the back from some do-gooder cowboy.

Okay, so he couldn’t go home. Not a problem. Ash had plenty of places where he could hole up. He had people who feared him, people who would take him in, feed him, give him their vehicle to use and not turn him in to the authorities.

If Mary Redwing and her cowboy lover thought they could keep Joey away from him, then they were fools. And fools deserved to die.

Chapter 8

“I
appreciate your help,” Tony said to Sawyer the next morning.

“No problem,” Sawyer replied. “I’d much rather act as a bodyguard today instead of mucking out horse stalls or shining up saddles.”

The two men stood just outside the tent where Halena and Mary were ready for another day of business. Tony had called Sawyer to come and spend the day with them as additional backup. He wasn’t taking any chances with their safety.

“Clay said he’ll be here after work to hang out with us,” Sawyer added. “And Brody and Mac said all you need to do is call them if you need more men.”

The bond Tony had with his fellow cowboys filled his chest with a burst of warmth. “I just know we’re going to have a big crowd today and I want somebody armed to be with Joey all the time.”

“Not a problem, brother.” Sawyer clapped him on the back. “We’ve got it covered. It’s just too bad the police couldn’t get this bad actor in handcuffs last night.”

“According to Dillon the police sat on Ash’s house all night long and he never showed up. They have no idea where he might be. He must have somehow gotten a heads-up that the police were looking for him.” Tony glanced into the tent, where Mary was straightening a rack of clothing and Halena held Joey.

He’d had a restless night on the sofa. As if his concern for them wasn’t enough, the entire house smelled of Mary’s fragrance, and the knowledge that she was only a few steps away in the bed where they’d made love had kept him tossing and turning all night.

The morning had been a bit frantic as they’d eaten a quick breakfast and headed to the fair, where they’d unloaded the truck and set up the sale items again.

Tony had been on guard. He now knew what the enemy looked like and there was no way Ash Moreland would get anywhere near any of them.

Within minutes the fair would be officially open once again and the exceptionally nice weather on a Saturday assured that plenty of people would be attending.

Would Ash come back today? Would he try to make another attempt? The crowd would be thick with people. Would he try to hide his dark hair beneath a hat? Attempt to sneak into the tent with a group of others? Tony had to be ready for anything.

Mary appeared ready to face the day. She was stunning in a pair of black jeans and a red T-shirt with black beading around the neckline. Once again her hair was in long twin braids that fell forward over her breasts.

She finished straightening the clothing and then moved over to the basket display and made final adjustments there. Her gaze caught his and she offered him a small smile that shot straight to his heart.

He’d sensed her strength in the few hours he’d spent with her when he’d come to her home to visit with Amy. But in the last twenty-four hours, he’d seen an inner core of strength in her that awed him.

She could have easily surrendered Joey to an armed man the day before. Instead she had risked her own life by refusing to comply with his command and had instead taken a risk and had screamed.

She also could have told him to take his son and go. He’d even offered to do that, but she’d insisted that together they would be better at protecting Joey. Together...he liked the way that sounded.

“I’ll hang out here at the tent entrance,” Sawyer said, bringing Tony back to the here and now. He leaned closer to Tony. “Just try to keep Mary’s grandmother away from me. She’s pinched my butt twice since I got here.”

Tony couldn’t help the smile that stretched his lips. Halena and her often outrageous actions and words definitely kept things interesting.

“I’ll do my best to protect you from the big, bad grandma,” he replied. “You just keep an eye out for Ash Moreland.”

“You can count on me,” Sawyer replied.

The Holiday cowboys had always counted on each other, and that was why Tony would never believe that one of them had committed the murders that had taken place so long ago.

Just as he had expected, the morning was busy and sales were brisk. Sawyer remained next to the entrance. He gazed at each man that approached with narrowed eyes and his hand on the butt of his gun.

As Mary and Halena took care of customers, Tony sat in the back of the tent with Joey. The little boy was sleeping less and interacting more with everyone with each day that passed.

At noon, Sawyer went for their lunch of the hot dogs and funnel cake they hadn’t eaten the night before while Tony stayed on guard.

“Funnel cake is a gift from the gods,” Halena said as she ate the last of the sweet treat.

“Personally I’m fond of apple pie,” Tony replied.

“I like my apples in cider with a nice kick of booze,” Halena replied.

“Speaking of cider, Cassie is planning a barn dance sometime around Halloween,” Tony said. “You and Mary will have to come.” He smiled inwardly as he thought about holding Mary in his arms as the Croakin’ Frogs band played a slow song.

“I don’t believe you’re thinking of apples anymore, Tony Nakni, not with that loony smile on your lips,” Halena observed.

Tony laughed. “I’m going to go spell Sawyer at the front. He’s been standing for quite a while and could probably use a little sit-down time.”

“You can send that hunky man right back here to me,” Halena replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

It was just after they’d eaten that Dillon stopped by the tent. He greeted them pleasantly, but with the bad news that Ash still wasn’t under arrest.

“He’s apparently gone underground,” Dillon said. “And his network is big enough that there isn’t enough police manpower to try to hunt him down.”

“And so we just wait for him to make another move,” Tony said grimly. “And you know he will make another move.”

Dillon gazed at Sawyer, and at Clay, who had arrived minutes before Dillon. He then looked back at Tony. “Looks like you’ve called in the troops.”

“Just a little extra security while we’re out here in public,” Tony replied.

“And still no word from Amy?”

Tony shook his head, the fear he hadn’t spoken aloud now rising up inside him. “I think she might be dead, Dillon. It’s been almost two weeks ago that she dropped Joey off with me and nobody has seen or heard from her since that night.”

Dillon sighed. “I’ll check with all the hospitals in the area and the morgue in Oklahoma City, but two weeks isn’t that long for a woman to be gone, especially one who might be doing drugs.”

“I hope I’m wrong,” Tony replied. “I hope she is just holed up someplace and will quickly get her act together and get back here.”

Dillon’s radio crackled and he grabbed it from his belt. He stepped back from Tony and listened to the voice at the other end. “I’ve got to go,” he said to Tony. “Apparently, there’s some sort of a fight going on near one of the booths.”

Tony watched Dillon leave and his head was still filled with thoughts of Amy and what might have happened to her. Had she been running from Ash? Was that the trouble she’d been in? And if so, had the man found her and killed her? Or was it possible she’d holed up in some seedy motel room and OD’d?

No, he didn’t want to think such dark thoughts. She might have run from Ash, but she was probably at a friend’s place or in some motel partying.

“Everything okay?” Mary asked, a line of worry creasing her forehead as she stepped up next to him.

Tony looked into the tent, where Halena was helping a customer and Clay held Joey on his lap. “As okay as it can be,” he replied. “Why do you ask?”

“When you were speaking to Dillon, you got such a troubled look on your face. I know you were thinking bad thoughts.”

He smiled at her. “Have we gotten so close that you can now read my mind?” How he wished he could read hers. She was still more than a bit of a mystery to him.

She returned his smile. “I can’t read your mind, but I can read some of your expressions.” Her smile faded. “So, what were you two talking about?”

“Amy.” He hesitated a moment, unsure if he should share with her what he’d been worried about.
She can handle it
, he thought. She’d probably been worried about the same things he had been. “Dillon is going to check with all the hospitals to see if she’s a patient in one of them. He’s also going to check with the morgue in Oklahoma City.”

Mary’s eyes darkened in sorrow and she slowly nodded. “I always believed Amy’s life here on earth would be short. Still, I hope she’s alive somewhere. Are you still in love with her?”

Tony took a step backward in surprise. “Why would you ask that?”

She averted her gaze from his and stared at some point over his shoulder. “It would be good for Joey if you and Amy would somehow find your way back to each other and build a life together.”

“Mary, that’s never going to happen. I’ll admit I was infatuated with her for a while, but I was never in love with her.” He might have believed he still had a little love in his heart for Amy if he hadn’t gotten so close to Mary.

The feelings he had for the woman standing next to him were far deeper, far more profound than anything he had ever felt for Amy. He was convinced it wasn’t love, but he wasn’t sure exactly what it was. It was something he’d never experienced before with any woman.

As several more people entered the tent, Mary drifted away to attend to them. The rest of the afternoon flew by and at dinnertime Clay got them all barbecue sandwiches and chips from one of the food vendors.

Tony’s nerves had been in knots all day and it was only as the end of the night drew near that he began to relax a bit. Tomorrow the craft fair would be open only until noon.

He’d be glad when they were all spending the days and nights in the safety of Mary’s house and not out in a crowd, where it was difficult to see danger approaching.

His stomach clenched once again. He didn’t want to think about the future, about what he’d do when the two-week vacation he’d taken from work was over and he still had no answers as to Amy’s whereabouts.

Don’t look to the future and never look back, just live in the moment.
That had always been his mantra, but it was difficult to live that way now with a little boy and two women depending on him to keep them safe and a madman who wanted to destroy what little piece of happiness Tony had managed to find.

* * *

“That’s the last of it,” Mary said Sunday afternoon as she took the last piece of pottery out of the rental truck and handed it to Halena to carry into the garage, where shelving awaited the last of what hadn’t sold over the weekend.

“Thank goodness we almost sold out of everything,” Halena said. “This old woman is too tired to carry in another thing. Let’s get inside, where I can put on some comfy clothes and get my feet up.”

“Sounds good to me,” Mary replied. She smiled at Tony, who held Joey in his arms. “Now it’s back to normal life.”

“We don’t have normal in our life,” Halena exclaimed.

Mary took Joey from Tony’s arms as they approached the front door. As usual, Tony ushered them just inside the door and then he checked the rest of the house before allowing them to go any farther.

“It’s clear,” he said when he returned to the front door. He holstered his gun and Mary released a small sigh of relief. It was hard for her to believe that her life now included a man with a gun who searched the house for a bad guy each time they entered the premises.

Still, as Joey snuggled closer to her, she knew it was a small inconvenience to keep him safe. “I love working the craft fairs, but it’s always a relief when it’s over,” she said.

She placed Joey in his bouncy seat and then gazed at Tony. “Are you hungry? Breakfast seems like it was a long time ago.”

“I could eat,” he replied.

“I’ve got some ham and cheese for sandwiches.” She scurried into the kitchen and realized she was a bit nervous with the realization that Tony was going to be in the house day and night.

The last two nights hadn’t been so difficult and with the craft fair there had been so much activity and other people around. But now it was just the four of them and she certainly wasn’t accustomed to having a handsome man who she’d made quick, wild love with underfoot for twenty-four hours a day.

He joined her in the kitchen and as he helped her get the cold cuts out of the refrigerator their shoulders bumped. A current of electricity shot through her at the simple casual contact.

Jeez, what was wrong with her? She admitted that she was attracted to Tony, but she also recognized that he was forbidden fruit.

The last thing she wanted was to part from Tony with the memory of revulsion in his eyes. Right now she held tight to the hunger, the fire that had sparked from his eyes when they’d made love. That was what she wanted to remember forever.

As she sliced a tomato, Tony washed off lettuce leaves, and by the time they had everything on the table Halena reappeared. She’d changed from her beautiful Native American dress to a pair of zebra-print sleep pants and a neon-green T-shirt with a howling coyote on the front.

Joey slept as the three of them sat at the table and ate their sandwiches. Their conversation revolved around the weekend activities and all the people they had seen.

“Tony, when we finish eating, would you help me hang my naked man in my room?” Halena asked.

The naked man on horseback carved into a piece of wood had been a big hit with Halena. Mary was only grateful Halena hadn’t insisted they hang the darned thing in the living room.

“No problem,” Tony replied easily.

Everything was so easy with him. Conversation flowed without strain. He’d handled everything that had happened with aplomb. He made her feel safe without effort and her grandmother had embraced him into their life as if he belonged with them.

And he didn’t belong.

She had to remember that when she awakened in the morning and smelled the scent of shaving cream and his familiar cologne. She needed to remind herself that he didn’t belong here when he filled the room with his laughter, when his dark eyes gazed at her with such an inviting heat. He made her feel beautiful and that made him oh, so dangerous.

She was relieved when after the meal he followed Halena down the hallway to her bedroom. They’d been back at the house for only about an hour and already his presence had her off center.