Zack (Armed and Dangerous Book 1) (3 page)

Zack had been her first lover, and he should have been her only lover.

No, goddamnit.
He’d given up that right the moment he walked away.

His scar ached from the memories that still haunted him and he rubbed what had been a deep knife cut. “Ray retired?”

“Couple of years ago.” Sky nodded as she spoke, crossing her arms over her chest again, as if protecting herself from Zack.

It almost killed him to even think she could be married. “So, you and your, ah, husband run the ranch?”

She lifted one slim brow and one corner of her mouth rose. “I run it myself.”

Even as heat burned in Zack’s gut he had to ask. “What does your husband do?”

“Not a darn thing,” she said, her expression still amused.
Fuck. Goddamn. Shit.
She is married. And apparently to a lazy sonofabitch.

Zack would kill the bastard. Sky deserved better than that. “So where is he?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Nowhere.”

Zack narrowed his gaze. “What—”

Her laughter cut across his words. “I’m not married.”

Relief surged through him, hot and satisfying. “You never married?” His tone dropped.

The fiery glint came back in her eyes, rivaling the devil of a yearling a few stalls down. “Well, I wasn’t pining after you, if that’s what you’re asking.”

His muscles tensed like tightly strung barbed wire as he reminded himself she’d said “we.” Hell, she could have a boyfriend. A fiance.

Whoever he was, he was a dead man.

This time Zack’s voice came out in a growl. “Who’d you mean by ‘we’?”

She shrugged. “Me and my Border Collie, Blue.”

Zack didn’t know whether that meant she was a free woman or not, but he didn’t care. He was back and in these few moments with Sky he’d made up his mind. He intended to make her his.
Again.

When Sky spoke next, her voice was low. “What about you? Did you ever marry?”

“Who’d marry this ugly mug?”

She cut him a sharp glance. “If you’re fishing for a compliment, you’ve come to the wrong woman.”

“Then I’ll give you one.” Zack moved a step closer. “Sweetheart, how’d you grow to be more gorgeous than you were a decade ago?” He barely held himself back from touching her. “You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen that first time I laid eyes on you at the rodeo, when I watched you win the barrel racing competition.” He sucked in his breath at the memory. “And now look at you.”

Sky closed her eyes. “I’d forgotten how you always knew the most charming words.”

Before Zack realized what he was saying, he started to ask, “Sky—” He stopped himself from telling her what it was he really wanted. “You think we can be friends again?”

Christ.
Could he be any more lame?

“Friends?” She opened her eyes and moved her fingers to her throat. After a moment’s hesitation, she gave him a shrug and a little smile. “Why not? We’re almost ten years older and we’ve both grown up. A lot.”

Her eyes roamed over him as she spoke the last words, and he wanted her more than ever before. And that was saying something.

When her gaze met his again, he knew she’d noticed his desire. “Yes,” she said, her voice low and husky. “We’re both all grown-up.”

In the next instant, she dodged around him and headed to the stall with the yearling that looked like he must be the spawn of the Devil. “You little imp,” she said in a low croon as she laid her hand on the upper railing of the stall. “What am I going to do with you?”

The bull glared, his head lowered and looking as if he’d like to take her out, and Sky smiled at him. “If you don’t settle down, you’re going to end up at the slaughterhouse rather than becoming lord of the manor with all the pretty ladies.” She shook her head. “I sunk way too much money into you, buddy, for you to turn into T-bones and hamburger.”

“What’s his name?” Zack said.

“Satan.” Sky glanced over her shoulder at Zack. “I thought about naming him Zack, but that’s what I named the old jackass out back.” She said it with a straight face, but he saw the wicked spark in her eyes.

He grinned. He’d forgotten her teasing sense of humor and her ability to make him laugh. She turned to the bull, and Zack walked up behind her so that just inches separated them. He drank in the scent of her that mingled with the smells of horse, hay, sweet oats, and barn dust.

“Sky.” He noticed the slight shiver that ran through her at the sound of his voice.

“I keep telling you, it’s Skylar.” She spun around and her eyes widened when she saw how close he was. She tried to step away, but her back was against the side of the stall.

“You’ve always been Sky to me,” he said softly.

She raised her chin, and he noticed a streak of dirt across her cheek. “It’s Skylar to you now, just like everyone else.”

Almost without thought, Zack reached up to wipe the smudge away, needing to feel the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. Her lips parted and her eyes widened as he gently smoothed the dirt from her cheek. Slowly he trailed his thumb down her soft skin to her full lips. Needing to touch her. Needing to wipe away the memories of their good-bye.

He felt lost in the sensation of being near Sky again, her presence seeping into his blood like wildfire. “It’s been much too long.”

Sky’s lips trembled beneath his thumb. “Zack—”

He didn’t give her a chance to say anything or to refuse what he wanted. Needed.

He caught her face in his palms, slipping his fingers into her hair, and brought his mouth down on hers.

She gasped and he took advantage of her parted lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth. He growled as he took from her and she made a slight sound of refusal. She braced her palms on his chest and tried to push him away, but he only kissed her harder, putting every bit of ten years of loss into that kiss.

In only moments she made soft little moans and gripped his shirt in her fists as she pressed her body to his. She kissed him back and she and Zack both demanded and took what they wanted, but gave at the same time.

She felt so good in his arms. Soft, sweet, and so perfect that he wanted to keep her against him forever. He wanted to be inside her, feeling her take him deep as they got lost in each other.

Zack released a low, hungry groan as he rubbed his aching erection against her belly.

Sky jerked away. Out of his arms.

Her eyes were wide and a little wild as she brought her fingers to her mouth. She shoved past him and headed out the barn door, almost at a run.

He followed, catching up to her in a few strides. She stopped by the driver’s side door of his black SUV. She had her back to him, her hands now clenched into fists to either side of her.

Zack suddenly felt like the world’s biggest ass. “Sky—”

“Time to hit the road, Zack.” She slowly turned around as the breeze blew a strand of copper hair across her face and she pushed it behind one ear. She had composed her expression, but her lips were red and swollen from his kiss and her eyes gave her away—he’d rattled her. More than rattled her.

“Go,” she said.

He couldn’t make himself leave, but he forced himself to stand where he was and not kiss her again.

Damnit, but he needed to be near her a little longer. There was so much he wanted to ask her now that he’d seen her again. So much he wanted to know about her.

So much time to make up for before he claimed her for good.

Before he could get out another word, the ring of horse hooves against stone caught Zack’s attention. He turned to see a man on a Quarter Horse approaching them.

“Luke.” The sound of relief was obvious in Sky’s voice as the man dismounted.

In seconds, Zack sized up the man Sky called Luke. From years of law enforcement training, Zack instantly cataloged the man’s height, hair and eye color, posture, mannerisms, and the hard, intense look in his gaze.

Zack’s body went rigid. Did this man have some kind of claim on Sky? If he did, Zack planned on clearing the ground with him. Not that the man looked like he’d be easy to take down. But the way Zack was feeling right now, he could use a good fight.

“Everything all right, Skylar?” the man asked, his eyes fixed on Zack.

“Of course.” Sky’s smile seemed forced. “Luke, this is Zack Hunter, an old,” she moved her gaze to Zack, “friend of mine. He’s with Immigration and Customs Enforcement now.” She gestured to the man. “Zack, this is Luke Rider, my foreman.”

As Sky mentioned ICE, Zack could swear he saw something flicker in Rider’s eyes. Maybe Zack imagined it. Maybe not.

Rider held out his hand and Zack shook it. The man had a strong grip. A little too strong, like he was warning Zack. They gave each other one-word greetings. “Rider,” Zack said with a nod, and the man returned it with a nod of his own as he came back with, “Hunter.”

“Well.” Sky glanced toward the house when they’d released hands. “I’ve got to check on Blue,” she said before she returned her gaze to Zack.

Zack glanced in the direction of the house, then back to Sky. “What’s wrong with him?”

With a confused frown, Sky shook her head. “Last night he got sick eating raw meat, but I’m not sure where he got it.”

“Vet thinks it could have been tainted beef that Blue got into,” Rider said as his mare stomped one hoof, “but I’m not so sure about that.”

Narrowing his eyes, Zack said, “You think it was intentional?”

“We think it might have been the rustlers trying to get Skylar’s dog out of the way.” Luke’s gaze was still assessing. “Find it a bit strange, though, that they didn’t give enough to kill him.”

“Bastards.” Sky had a pained expression. “I did lose a lot of cattle last night, but from our eastern range. Why would they need to poison Blue?”

“Hell if I know,” Rider said, “but we’re damned sure going to find out.” He held on to his mare’s halter. “What’s ICE’s involvement?”

“We received intel that beef has been crossing into Mexico,” Zack said. “That makes it an international customs matter.”

Rider frowned for a moment. “Got any theories?”

“Working on it.” Zack turned his attention to Sky and took a step closer to her. So did Rider, as if he was protecting her. Zack barely bit back a snarl. Instead he ignored Rider and said to Sky, “You live alone?”

She nodded. “Have been for the past few years, since Trinity’s been in Europe.”

“I don’t like any of this a damn bit.” Zack focused on Sky. “You need to watch out for yourself.”

Rider gripped his mare’s bridle as the horse nudged his arm with her nose. “Been telling Skylar the same thing.”

“I’ve been doing just fine. Me and Smith.” She looked from Rider to Zack as she reached up to pat the S&W in its holster on one side of her jeans. “I’d better see how Blue’s doing.”

“You be careful.” Zack tipped the brim of his Stetson, then grabbed the door handle of his SUV. “Later, Sky.”

“Skylar.”
She smiled too brightly. “See you around, Special Agent Hunter.” And with that, she strode toward the house without looking back once.

As she jogged up the steps and crossed the porch, Zack watched her fluid movements. He had a side view, and couldn’t help enjoying it. The way her breasts bounced and her tight backside swayed. She opened the front door and then closed it behind her.

When she disappeared behind the closed door, Zack turned his attention back to Sky’s foreman.

Rider took the mare’s reins and swung up into his saddle so that he was looking down at Zack. “The men and I keep a pretty good eye on Skylar,” Rider said in a tone obviously meant to warn Zack.

For a moment he just looked at Rider. “If any man hurts Sky,” Zack said in a low, controlled voice, “in any way, I’ll tear the sonofabitch to pieces.”

Without waiting for a reply from Rider, Zack jerked his door open, tossed his Stetson onto his passenger seat, and climbed into his Ford Explorer.

He didn’t like how Rider stayed on his horse and watched him drive off, as if protecting Sky from Zack.

Once again, Zack found himself clenching his hands around the steering wheel before he forced himself to relax. He tamped down his anger, something he’d learned to control over the last ten years.

Maybe Rider was just watching out for Sky.

That damn sure better be all.

Zack’s thoughts turned back to the kiss in the barn and heat rushed through his body straight to his groin.

No matter what Sky might think, Zack intended to make her his woman again—this time for keeps.

Zack Hunter.
His name rippled through Skylar in silvery waves as she leaned against the closed door, her eyes shut, his image filling her mind, her lips still tingling from his kiss.

She’d wanted to run her fingers through his sinfully black hair, touch the hard planes of his face, kiss the fine lines at the corners of his gray eyes, and run her tongue along the cleft in his chin.

And Lord, how she wanted to explore his muscular physique, smooth her hands over his broad chest, squeeze his large biceps, and meld her body against his lean hips and powerful thighs.

She waited until she heard his SUV start. After the sound of the engine had completely faded, she scrubbed her sweating palms on her jean-clad legs and opened her eyes.

When he’d come barreling into the barn, it was as if her thoughts about him that morning had summoned him to her— like some demon lover come back to torment her.

Zack. Here. Now.

The moment she processed who he was, all she’d been able to do was stare at him. So many thoughts had flashed through her mind. In that instant, she had wanted to yell at him for breaking her heart into a thousand pieces. And then she wanted to throw her arms around him and let him hold her like he used to.

How could she feel like that after the way he’d left her?

Skylar hugged herself and thought about what she’d lost. What they’d lost, no matter what he’d thought at the time.

For six months they’d been virtually inseparable. Even though he’d never told her, she’d been sure he was in love with her. It showed so clearly in the way he talked with her, held her, made love to her. Like she was the most exquisite gem on earth.