Resurrection River: Men of Mercy, Book 2 (18 page)

Now it was her turn to freeze. His words shocked her, freezing the loneliness starting to climb back through her body. What kind of man would say something like that? He couldn't be real. No way. "You mean you're not jealous that I'm thinking about him?"

"No. I want you to understand something right here and right now. I'm here for you. And that means physically and emotionally. If you want to talk about him, who else better to talk to than his best friend? And whatever you say, it doesn't matter. Because I love you. I love you and everything that has made you into the incredibly strong and capable woman you are today.”

T
he phone rang
, drawing her attention from Ranger. He leaned back, giving her space to grab it and she used the opportunity to take a much needed breath. “Hello.”

“Amy? This is Doyle Murdock. Been waiting on your flyby, figured you’d have started by now, but I heard you’ve had some trouble at your place and I wanted to check and make sure you were okay.”

Oh crap. Amy glanced at the clock. Eight a.m. Two hours over due. Which meant she’d be working until the last rays of light disappeared tonight. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Murdock. I have had a few issues that put me a tad behind, but I’m still starting today. I’ll be over in the next couple of hours. Sorry for the delay.”

Amy met Ranger’s gaze, reading the question in his blue eyes. She held up a finger to wait a minute as her brain rapidly worked out what to do. She needed a babysitter, and she needed one lickety-split. The sad thing was, Hayden had been sitting for her up until now. Amy’s stomach knotted. Had Hayden been thinking about Shane the whole time she was babysitting Chloe?

“No apology needed. I can get some clean up done in the meantime. I’ll see you soon.” Mr. Murdock disconnected the call and Amy sat her phone on the counter.

“Stay here with me,” Ranger said.

He had no idea how much she would love to stay in and steal some hours with him, but no work meant no money. “I have to. I’d completely forgotten what day of the week it is.”

“Come on, you’ve had a really long weekend. You should take a day off and rest.”

Amy could have gotten pissed that he wouldn’t let it drop, but she knew he was speaking from concern for her well-being. “I am, but I don’t have a choice. My only problem is I’m without a babysitter. Maybe Evie can come over?” She cringed thinking about asking her, though. Amy was sure the shock of pregnancy hadn’t worn off in a few days, and the last time Evie had called, she’d confirmed she was indeed pregnant and promptly burst into tears.

Amy briefly toyed with the idea of asking Cheri, but just as quickly threw that one out. Her other best friend would be here in a heartbeat, but Amy didn’t want to come home to a destroyed house and no telling what else.

“You have a baby sitter right here.” Ranger puffed up his chest.

“You? Have you ever kept a baby before?”

“I’ve helped you with Chloe.” He seemed offended, but Amy pressed on.

“Helping and being all alone is another matter entirely.” Maybe she could call Mrs. Trudy. She’d be more than glad to help out.

“Woman, I’ve fought in wars. I’ve taken out terrorists way scarier than you could ever imagine.” Yep, he was very offended.

“Terrorists don’t have anything on a pissed off baby.” She was exaggerating a tad, but only a tad. Chloe could scream with the best of them. She could picture Ranger holding her, confused and freaking out when she wouldn’t calm down.

“Listen, if we’re going to have a serious relationship, you’ve got to quit pulling that sexist crap on me.” Ranger’s words mocked her, repeating what she’d said to him last night.

“I’m not joking. Babies are hard work.” Amy felt her will slipping. How bad could it be?

“You don’t have a choice, either stay home or go to work and let me babysit.” Ranger lifted one blond brow and waited.

No work, no food, no stability. That meant no Arturo. Her back was against the wall. Not that she didn’t trust him to keep them safe and fed, but she didn’t think he really understood how hard it was to keep up with a mobile baby and a five-year-old at the same time.

Then again, this might be a good dose of real family life for him. He would get the chance to see what being a father meant. “Okay. Chloe’s oatmeal is in the pantry. She drinks milk or water. I have some vegetables prepared in the green containers in the refrigerator for her lunch. There are corn dogs and chicken nuggets in the freezer for Arturo.”

“Go. To. Work. I’ve watched you all weekend. I know what she eats and drinks. Don’t worry, we’ll have a blast.”

T
he sun had set
by the time Amy walked through her yard to the back door. Cicadas and crickets chirped all around signaling the coming night. At least the temperature dropped a few degrees to a tolerable ninety-five degrees. Not bad considering the summer in Mercy usually meant triple digit days.

Right now, the heat was the last of her worries. Having to refuel the plane and mix the chemicals, on top of flying, added up to three times the work. Which meant it took her three times longer to get the job done and she was using precious time she didn’t have. Time that meant money lost to her already nearly non-existent budget.

If Amy couldn't fill all her orders, she would lose the farm. Literally. A farm that had been in her family for generations. Quarterly taxes were coming due, and she didn’t even want to think about how much she was short on cash.

It seemed like she was short on everything these days. Short on money. Short on work. Short on time.

Her shoulders were on fire, her back felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. Her stomach grumbled and rolled like thunder reminding her she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She didn’t even want to see a mirror. She knew what she must look like-road kill after a rainstorm.

Amy stopped at the door and rested her head against the doorframe, sending up a silent prayer for Pedro. She’d missed him today and not just because of the extra workload. He’d made for her only company, talking to her through the radio in the plane, offering her a bottle of water when she landed. Today she realized how much she relied on him for friendship.

Now she had to rely totally on herself. Liar. She had Ranger, a man ready and willing to provide companionship and a whole lot more if she was willing.

The silence grew, interrupted only by an occasional bullfrog croaking over the insects. Amy lifted her head and stared at the door. No sound came from inside either. Dread sprouted inside her and she grabbed the handle and froze, actually taking in the door before her. A new door. A new kind of warmth spread through her. Ranger fixed her door-and cared for her children.

She turned the knob with a renewed eagerness. The door swung in on silent, well-oiled hinges. A single light over the oven seeped through the dark kitchen, highlighting the clean counters. Amy wandered over to the sink. Empty. No dirty plates to wash and put up. No trash sitting on the counter to clean.

The oven was empty of dirty pots and pans. The only thing out of place was a plate covered in tin foil. Amy peeled the edge of the foil back. The most delicious smell wafted to her. A plate of food sat there like an offering to the gods. To the side of the stove sat a tall glass of tea, a napkin and a fork. Sweat dripped off the glass, and only a few small cubes of ice remained. Ranger had not only cooked dinner, but cleaned up and left her supper.

Exhaustion hit her at high speed and tears misted her eyes. She’d been so relieved that Ranger volunteered to keep the kids, but she’d also been secretly dreading the state of her house. Even when it had been just her and Shane, her house was always a wreck. She would often have to work late into the night at the Wharf, leaving Shane to cook his own supper and when she got home from work the kitchen would be a mess of dirty dishes and trash and scraps of food left sitting out. Ranger, a single man, was here all day, alone with two kids and he’d left her house spotless.

Amy blinked back her tears. She’d cried enough in the past year to last forever. Crying over frozen pizza was ridiculous.

She grabbed the fork, waffling for a moment between her choices. The chicken won. Amy took a bite of the chicken and her eyes drifted shut on the wave of pleasure taking root in her mouth. She wanted to savor each and every bite of food on her plate, but her stomach growled in protest, demanding more. Helpless, she dug in and finished the entire plate, silently vowing to show Ranger just how much she appreciated his help.

Amy rinsed the plate, put it in the washer and went to the living room. She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart did a little flip flop. Ranger lay back in her recliner with Chloe asleep on his chest.

As if sensing her presence, Ranger cracked open his eyes and turned to her. A slow and sweet smile drifted across his lips, leaving her with the feeling of warm sunny days and the taste of sweetness on her tongue.

Her heart did that little flip-flop thing again, only this time it felt more like a full-blown kick to her sternum. Ranger didn’t just give her bubbles and butterflies; he filled her with a sense of contentment she’d never known existed. She wanted to crawl in the chair with him and Chloe, and never get up.

"Go take a shower, we’ll be right here." Ranger whispered.

She nodded, not able to speak past the lump in her throat. A few minutes later she stripped out of her dirty clothes and stepped into a blissful shower. The hot water beat down on her shoulders and back, working some of the tension and soreness out. She popped open a bottle of body wash and the fresh sweet smell filled up the bathroom. Hopefully, it would get rid of her current perfume of grease and sweat. After shampooing and washing her hair, she got out and dried off, slipping on some pajama shorts and a tank. She let her hair hang dry and went back into the living room. True to his word Ranger, hadn't moved.

Carefully, she lifted Chloe, studiously avoiding direct contact with Ranger. Her willpower was pretty much depleted, if she touched him too much she might not be able to leave. Amy carried Chloe to the nursery and laid her down. Chloe stirred a little but settled quickly. Amy pulled a sheet up over her shoulders and took a second to enjoy watching Chloe sleep. Being a working mother was fulfilling, and she loved being able to support herself and her baby, but at the same time, she hated being gone from Chloe all day.

Next, Amy peeked in on Artie, fast asleep in the guest room. He lay curled on his side, too small in that large bed. She’d had Ranger bring some of Artie’s toys and clothes from his house, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. But the room screamed guest, not family. And even though he technically wasn’t family yet, she intended to make sure he felt at home. A fresh pang of sadness hit her and she teared up again. Get it together girl. Pedro would be fine. Bo would find him safe and sound and their lives could pick up like before.

Only Pedro had been missing over a week now. She knew enough from the crime drama TV shows that once a person was missing over forty-eight hours, the likelihood of them being found safe was slim to none.

“Everything okay?” Ranger appeared behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Amy leaned back into his body, needing to borrow some of his strength.

“I’m worried about Pedro.” And Artie. And her job. Without Pedro’s help, they might all be homeless in a few months.

“Come with me.” Ranger’s hand slid down her bare arm and his fingers tangled in hers. She let him pull her from the bedroom and into the living room, where he pulled her down on his lap in the recliner.

She curled up and rested her head in the curve of his shoulder. He felt so right. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him until she forgot about all her worries.

“Talk to me, baby.” His chest rumbled beneath her cheek, sending a delicious vibration through her body.

“It’s been almost a week and still nothing. How much longer will Bo look before he has to call off the search?”

Ranger sighed and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tighter against him. “I don’t know. But I’ve got my team looking, too. I really expected to find him at the Lobello’s place. Something isn’t adding up.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if Santos took him, he would either have dumped the body nearby or kept him alive to sell on the black market. So far, neither of those possibilities have panned out.”

“There’s a lot of woods around here, is it possible he escaped and is out there somewhere hurt?” She was reaching but she couldn’t wrap her head around Pedro being dead.

“Maybe.”

“You don’t believe that?” His voice held too much doubt for her to miss.

“Bo has one of the best blood hounds in the south. That dog can track a tick from a mile. I think that if Pedro, injured and bloody, were out there, Bo’s dog would have found him by now. Or someone on the force would have found him. Injured men leave lots of trails.”

Would they ever catch a break? “I know you’re right, but I’m not ready to give up. Maybe Santos had another location he was keeping people.”

“If he does, we’ll find him. Hoyt handles all of our techy stuff. He’s been keeping an eye on all their known hideouts through the satellites from headquarters. My team, and the ATF, have been questioning all the hostages to see if they remember him. If he’s out there, we’ll find him.”

“Thank you. I know you don’t have to do all this, help so much. I want you to know how much I appreciate it.” That bone weary tiredness started to return and Amy yawned.

Ranger slipped a finger under her chin and tipped her head up. “I do it because I care about you.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips. More of a gentle caress. Not asking for anything. A simple and sweet kiss. “And because my happiness is tied to you.”

Ranger let go and she dropped her head back to his shoulder, lifting her fingers to trace her lips. He didn't ask more than she could give.

“How was work today?”

She shut her eyes and enjoyed the way he felt beneath her. “Awful. I didn't realize how much Pedro did for me. Having to refuel and reload the plane myself is cutting my time in half."

Ranger stroked her hair, the soft tickle as he pulled the strands lulling her eyes to half-mast. "You should've called me. I would've helped."

"No way.” He was already doing way too much. She didn’t feel right, having to ask him to help out so much. She snuggled deeper, burying her face in the crook of his neck. The man smelled divine.

“Hard headed woman. You should let people help out. You know that saying, no woman is an island.” Every time he spoke, her senses purred with pleasure. Ranger started massaging her scalp and Amy didn’t even try to fight the groan. “Artie helped out a lot around here. He’s a good kid.”

“Mmm.”

“Chloe too, but you should have warned me how fast she can crawl.”

“Tried to warn you,” Amy mumbled, unable to keep her eyes open another second.

A
my fell
asleep in his arms. Ranger knew he should get up and put her in bed, but he wanted to hold her. Feel her body against him. The wash of contentment that came over him surprised him. He’d never sat and held a woman before. In the past, with the few women he’d been intimate with, he’d had a goal. Get his pleasure, give her hers and get out. He’d never stayed and slept with a woman. Never played with her hair, thinking about how silky it felt. Never studied a splash of cute freckles across her nose.

He’d never loved a woman before now.

Ranger knew he would never find this complete package with anyone else. Someone who could light his blood on fire in an instant and cool him down in the next second. This woman didn't need him to take care of her, she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to give her the world.

He respected her tough side. She got the job done, no matter how tired she was. And Lord was she hard headed. Determined to earn her place. She was a fighter. And fucking sexy as hell when she was mad.

As much as he loved her strength, he yearned for her softer side. For those moments like tonight, when she was vulnerable and sweet. He wanted to hold her and promise her that he would always be here for her. No matter what.

Amy Carter was an enigma of sugar and spice. She fought with every fiber in her body for her home and her life. And he knew she would love just as fierce.

She let out a soft snore against his neck. Ranger sighed. He recognized that kind of snore. He’d bunked with enough military guys over his life to recognize exhaustion.

She needed a bed and a good night’s sleep. Ranger eyed the crutches leaning against the wall next to him. He’d been able to carry Chloe around all day today without too much pain in his leg. But Chloe was a baby. Amy, although small, was a full-grown woman.

The bum leg was a damn nuisance. There was no way he could pick her up and carry her the few feet to her bedroom. If he was honest, he was happy with her right here, snuggled against him.

Ranger grabbed the recliner pull and leaned the chair back. He didn't have a choice. He wasn’t willing to wake her. And he couldn’t carry her. Looks like the chair was it for the night.

She’d worked too hard today. He had no intention of letting her do it alone again tomorrow. The woman thought she had to do it all by herself. But Ranger knew better. A good soldier knew how to support himself, but an even better soldier knew when to call in reinforcements.

If it wasn't for his bum leg, he'd be out there in a heartbeat, even if he had to strap Chloe on his back in one of those baby carrier thingies. But as it was, crutches and all, he would probably get in the way more than help. So he settled for the next best thing.

Out of their entire team, either Aaron or Riser had to have some experience in this arena. And those two were usually together. So he called Aaron.

"Don't tell me the door screwed up?" Aaron said without a greeting. Thanks to Ranger’s bum leg, he’d had to call in reinforcements to help hang Amy’s new door. Aaron, Riser and Merc had all shown up to do the task.

"Come on, how can you screw up a perfectly good door?" Ranger said.

"Just checkin’. What's up, man?" Aaron’s drawl was definitely longer, more southern, with a distinct Texas twine.

"Riser there?”

“Yep.”

“Either of y'all know your way around a crop-duster?"

"Not me, if it don't have hooves and horns and go moo, I can't help. Hold on, I'll ask the rest of the team." Ranger heard Aaron pull the phone away and repeat his question. A few seconds later, he got back on the phone. "You’re in luck, brother. I happen to have one big son of a bitch right here that can help you out."