Deadly Desperados (9 page)

“Do you think they’ll be okay out there?” Mary stood next to the bedroom window, the sky sparking as if it was the Fourth of July, and watched the rain fall in a torrent on the other side of the glass. “None of them ate a thing.”

“They’ll be fine,” Ben said, watching his wife pace in front of the window. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Mary said, straightening. “I wasn’t worried for a second. I knew you would come back to me.”

“And how did you know that?”

“Because you always do,” Mary said, offering her husband a warm smile. They’d never been blessed with children – even though both of them desperately wanted a bushel of them – but they had enough love between the two of them to fill their house for another fifty years.

“It was nice to see you hold firm for those girls,” Ben said, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

“They were a little dramatic,” Mary conceded. “They didn’t know about the second door. I figured that was the way you got out when the barn exploded.”

“Yeah, well, the boys weren’t any more dignified than the girls,” Ben supplied. “They bickered like pecking chickens in the barn because they were both afraid of the fire and that something would happen to Mandy and Ally when they weren’t there to watch.

“Even after the fire they fought like cats and dogs until … well … they both realized they’d forgotten that you all might have been hurt in the blast, too,” he said.

“They’re funny,” Mary said, settling on the bed next to their husband. “They have an interesting dynamic. I think Jake found the perfect place to hang his hat.”

“I do, too,” Ben agreed. “That Ally is a handful.”

“She’s good for him,” Mary countered. “Jake has a tendency to close himself off and spend too much time locked in his own head. With Ally around, she’ll never allow it to get too far out of hand.”

“And what do you think about Mandy?”

“I think that poor girl could be the worst cook this world has ever seen,” Mary replied, smiling despite the serious events of the evening. “I also think she has a good heart and she’s smart as a whip. She and Ally are a good fit, too.”

“I like James,” Ben said. “He’s young, but he seems to know what he’s doing. You should’ve seen him and Jake out there with all that equipment this afternoon. I think they’re going to take that business far.”

“And what do you think about Mandy?”

“I think one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen is that girl perched on the counter next to her husband,” Ben said, chuckling at the memory. “That man would die for her … but that armadillo gave him pause.”

“It sounds like that girl has been through the wringer.”

“But look how strong they are as a couple,” Ben said. “You can tell those two are built to last. Nothing will ever tear them apart. They’re a good couple for Ally and Jake to have around when they finally decide to get hitched.”

“I talked to him about that,” Mary admitted. “He doesn’t seem quite ready yet.”

“He will be soon.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he looks at Ally the same way I look at you,” Ben said, grinning. “Now, instead of dwelling on what they’re doing, how about we sneak down to the kitchen and test out Ally’s dessert offerings? I’ve been hankering for a slice of apple pie all day.”

“I guess you’ve earned it,” Mary teased, wrinkling her nose. “Then, when you’re done down there, maybe I’ll reward you with a little something special up here.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”

“ARE YOU
sure you don’t want to take a shower, Angel?”

Jake stoked the fire to make sure it burned hot enough to keep Ally warm. She sat on his lap in front of it, a blanket wrapped around both of them, and she couldn’t stop shivering.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Jake said, nuzzling her neck. “You’re cold and upset. A shower would warm you up.”

“I don’t want to move,” Ally replied. “I want to sit here with your arms around me and just … sit.”

“Okay,” Jake said, giving in and tightening his arms around Ally’s waist. “I love you, Ally.”

“I love you, too,” Ally said, snuggling closer. “I … .”

“What is it?” Jake prodded. He knew she had something on her mind and he wanted her to get it out now rather than dwell on it.

“I thought you might’ve died on me tonight there for a few seconds … and I think my heart almost broke,” Ally said, her chest heaving. “I was so afraid. I don’t think I’ve ever been that afraid before.”

Jake knew all about fear. He’d felt it many times in his life – including while he was serving overseas. The three worst times, though, were when Ally’s life was the one hanging in the balance. He knew exactly how she felt.

“Ally, I will never leave you,” Jake promised. “I love you more than anything. I’m so sorry you felt that way tonight. I … we had to go out through the back. There was no way of letting you know which direction we were heading.”

“I know,” Ally said, taking him by surprise as she shifted, turning in his arms so she could straddle him. “I … need you right now. I know it might seem like a weird time, but … I really need to feel you.”

Jake smiled as he brushed Ally’s unruly hair away from her face. The rain hadn’t done her any favors, and after sleeping on it wet it was going to be an unholy mess in the morning. Even with the remnants of the day’s makeup streaking her face, she was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on.

Jake didn’t respond – at least not with words. Instead, he gently cupped Ally’s chin and tilted her head so he could access her mouth. His kiss was soft, giving Ally time to sink into it as their bodies melded together.

Jake caressed Ally’s back, his hands roaming until they found the hem of her T-shirt. He pulled back long enough to tug it over her head, internally sighing as her breasts were revealed. He reverently cupped them, flicking his thumbs over her hardening nipples and causing her to whimper in the back of her throat.

Jake lowered his mouth, sucking in a nipple and rolling his tongue over it as he anchored Ally’s back. He knew exactly what she liked, and while he was usually keen to play the long, sensuous games she adored, he knew she needed rest so he had every intention of staying on task tonight.

After shifting his mouth to her other breast, he lifted her off his lap and rested her against the rug on the floor. He pulled his own shirt off and removed his boxers before reaching for her tiny cotton shorts.

After returning to the cabin soaked, they both grabbed the first things they found in the dresser so Jake could start a fire. Now those clothes joined the wet heap on the floor as Jake moved on top of Ally.

He brushed her hair away from her face and pressed his lips to hers, being careful to be as gentle as possible. For some reason, he thought that’s what she needed to quiet her tumultuous soul tonight. Her thighs spread easily for him, and he was inside of her with a quick thrust, both of them gasping into each other’s mouths as they joined.

Ally lifted her legs and wrapped them around Jake’s narrow waist, slipping her tongue into his mouth as he began to move inside of her. He picked a lazy rhythm, refusing to go too fast, and lowered his thumb so he could rub her tingling pleasure center.

“I love you, Angel,” he murmured, enjoying the way she moaned beneath him.

“Jake,” she groaned, her fingernails digging into his bruised back flesh. He would be in pain tomorrow. For tonight, though, he would gladly put up with the mild discomfort to give them both what they needed.

Ally’s breath came out in rapid gasps as her orgasm approached, and Jake reacted accordingly, pressing harder and increasing his speed. Ally cried out, her body stiffening. Jake kept rubbing her until he was sure she was done and then followed her over the edge, exploding inside of her before collapsing on top of her.

He kissed her collarbone, resting his face against hers as their hearts beat in tandem.

“I love you so much, Jake,” Ally said, tightening her arms around his back. “So much.”

“I love you, my Angel.”

“COME
on, baby,” James prodded, climbing into the steaming water the antique, clawfoot bathtub offered and opening his arms. “There’s plenty of room. You need to warm up.”

Mandy had been largely silent since returning to the cabin, watching as James built a fire in the main room and then drew a bath for them to share. He’d searched the cabin rigorously after finding the candles, blowing out a relieved sigh when Floyd was nowhere to be found, and then stripped Mandy naked before dragging her into the bathroom.

Mandy wordlessly climbed into the tub, carefully settling herself between James’ legs and sinking down into the hot water. She groaned as it covered her, the heat pushing the cold plaguing her bones to the side almost instantaneously.

“Better?” James asked, wrapping his arms around Mandy.

She nodded, relaxing for another second before rolling over so her chest was pressed to his. She rested her head above his heart – like she did almost every night – and closed her eyes.

James traced lazy circles on her back, comfortable with the silence as Mandy collected herself. She didn’t stop crying until the got back to the cabin, and even then he could hear the occasional sniffle as he set about his tasks.

“It’s okay, baby,” James whispered, soothing her with his heart, words, and hands. “I’m right here. We’re both okay. No one got burned and no one got eaten by a crazy bug.”

Mandy laughed, the sound warming James as she slowly started returning to her normal self. “I’m sorry I … I’m sorry for everything.”

James pursed his lips as he considered how to progress. “Does that mean you’re sorry for insisting on going outside when I told you to stay inside?”

“Oh, I see what game we’re playing.”

James waited.

“I’m sorry for all of it,” Mandy said. “I’m mostly sorry for not telling you I loved you before you went into the fire. I was … mad. I thought you were bossing me around again. Essentially, I was being a big baby and I don’t know why you ever married me.”

“Oh, well, good,” James deadpanned. “It wouldn’t be a completely terrible night if you didn’t delve into the melodrama.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, even though frustration was bubbling at the surface. “I married you because I knew I could never love anything in this world but you. I knew you were my life and there would never be anyone else for me.

“I know you love me, baby,” he continued. “Trust me. I don’t understand a lot of the things you say and do, but I’ve never doubted that. It’s okay to be afraid. You seem to forget, I lost it a little bit when I thought you died in a fire. Do you remember that?”

Mandy’s mind traveled back to the fire at Emma’s apartment, the sound of James’ screams haunting her as the police and fire personnel tried to wrestle him down and stop him from racing into a burning building to save her. He crawled to her that night, not ashamed in the least to show how much he loved her.

“I felt helpless tonight. Is that what you felt then?”

James nodded. “I just needed to hold you. It’s okay, baby. I’m holding you now. You’re safe … and I’m safe … and there’s no armadillo in the cabin. I checked twice.”

Mandy snickered. She couldn’t help herself. She knew he was purposely trying to alleviate the pall in the room. “I fell in love with you when I was fourteen years old, and every time I look at you I think I’m falling in love you with you all over again.”

“I feel the same way, baby,” he said. “I didn’t fall in love with you when I was fourteen. You would’ve been ten then, and that would’ve been all types of wrong and illegal, but I did fall in love with you the moment I saw you as an adult.

“I didn’t know what I was feeling then,” he continued. “I do now.”

“What?”

“Our hearts joined that day, baby,” James answered, his fingers softly massaging the back of her neck. “They can never be separated now. They may beat individually in our chests, but they’re linked together forever. I feel that.”

“I feel that, too,” Mandy said, lifting her head and shifting her body so she could climb higher on James’ chest.

“What are you doing?” James asked, his brown eyes searching her glistening face.

“I’m going to join with you,” Mandy replied. “I … need you right now.”

“Oh, baby, I always need you.”

James accepted her kiss as she straddled him. He believed every word he said, and he was more than willing to give them both the comfort and closeness they apparently needed. “Aren’t you going to yell ‘giddy-up’ again?”

“Maybe for round two.”

“Breathe, baby,” James instructed the next morning, rubbing Mandy’s back at the Harrison’s breakfast table. “That food isn’t going anywhere. You’re not going to starve to death. I promise.”

After a long night of cuddling and sex – Mandy waking him up twice for extended rounds – James was happy to see the color back in her cheeks. Despite her meltdown, she appeared none the worse for wear.

“Leave her alone,” Mary instructed. “I was worried about none of you eating last night.”

“I can attest to that,” Ben offered. “She wanted to go out and check on all of you, but since everyone is glowing, I’m guessing that would’ve been an uncomfortable visit.”

Ally furiously blushed and stared at her plate. “I … we went straight to bed.”

“I know,” Ben said, winking at her. “I think that’s why everyone is so ravenous.”

James smirked. “We didn’t go straight to bed,” he said.

“No,” Mandy agreed. “James had to do two rounds around the cabin to make sure Floyd didn’t come back before we could rest.”

James tickled her ribs. “You were the one standing on the bed watching me do it,” he reminded her. “You couldn’t go to sleep without knowing either.”

“I’ve never seen two people make such a fuss about an armadillo,” Mary said.

“I still maintain it’s a giant bug in a fancy disguise,” Mandy said, snagging a slice of bacon from James’ plate.

“That’s my bacon, baby.”

“You told me we would share everything once we got married,” Mandy argued.

“Everything except for bacon,” James said, grabbing the slice back. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her push her bottom lip out. He could never resist when she did that. He ripped the slice of bacon in half and handed her one end. “I guess this counts as sharing, right?”

Mandy smiled, the expression lighting up her entire face. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” James said, turning his attention back to the other people at the table and finding four faces smiling at him. “What?”

“You’re such a pushover where she’s concerned,” Ally said. “Jake never shares his bacon with me.”

“That’s because … well … bacon is one of those things that’s not meant to be shared,” Jake explained. “If it was meant to be shared, God wouldn’t have made it taste so good.”

Ally wrinkled her nose, causing Jake to lean over and rub his nose against hers. “I love you, Angel. I’m not sharing my bacon, though.”

“Wow,” Mary said, her eyes widening. “Everyone is extremely lovey-dovey this morning. It’s … adorable.”

“Yes, that’s my middle name,” James agreed, reaching for his glass of orange juice and draining it. “Okay, now that I don’t feel as if I’m going to pass out from hunger, we need to talk about what’s going to happen today.”

“I called the fire chief first thing this morning and told him what happened,” Ben said. “He said to stay away from the barn until he gets a team out here. They should be here in about an hour. Before then, we need to see if we can find the horses that took off last night.”

“Oh, please tell me that a baby horse wasn’t wandering around all night looking for his mother,” Ally said.

“I saw the baby and mother take off together,” Ben said, patting Ally’s hand. “I’m sure they didn’t go far. We’ll find them.”

“We also need to get Grady on the phone,” James interjected. “I was going to do it yesterday before I got distracted by … .”

“The feral bug?” Ally asked, sticking her tongue out.

“I’m still your big brother,” James reminded her. “It’s my job to wrestle you down and rub your face in my armpit whenever the mood strikes.”

“Jake would never let that happen.”

“Jake is not getting between the two of you when you’re acting like this,” Jake argued. “I … you keep pushing him, Angel. You can’t expect him to just sit there and take it. I grew up with sisters, too. The armpit is a viable threat.”

Ally snorted. “You cannot be serious.”

“I’m totally serious.”

“Where did the love go?” Ally asked, turning to Mandy.

Mandy shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I’m an only child. I never got the pleasure of anyone rubbing my face in their armpit.”

“I’ll do it tonight if you’re feeling left out,” James offered, winking.

“I think I’ll pass.”

“What should we do after the fire inspector shows up?” Jake asked.

“I want the inspector’s team to confirm that the fire was intentionally set before we officially decide on a course of action, but if they tell us it was arson, I think we need to go on the offensive,” James replied.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’m going to want to meet this developer,” James said. “I don’t suppose he left a business card on one of his visits, did he?”

Mary nodded. “I have one in the desk in the office,” she said. “I kept one just in case.”

“Good,” James said. “If the inspector verifies arson this morning, I want to see if we can get this Mark Nixon out here for dinner.”

“What?” Ben was flabbergasted. “I don’t want that man in my house.”

“Yes, you do,” James countered. “We want him on your turf. When you invite him, I want you to remain as calm as possible and not accuse him of anything. We don’t want him to think we’re suspicious.

“Once he’s out here, I want to feel him out before we say anything,” he continued. “If he asks who we are, just say Jake is your nephew and we’re out here for a visit. Don’t tell him what we do for a living.”

“And what’s the purpose of that?”

“If he knows that Jake and James do security work he’ll immediately be on the defensive,” Ally supplied. “They’re trying to lull him and let him think you’re actually considering selling while watching him from afar so they could monitor his attitude and mannerisms.”

“Very good, Angel,” Jake said, scooping up a slice of bacon from his plate and handing it to her. “I see you’ve been listening when we talk for a change.”

“You know you just rewarded her like a dog, right?” Mandy asked, arching an eyebrow.

Jake faltered, but Ally took the proffered bacon and popped it into her mouth without complaint, offering Jake a randy bark as she smiled at him.

“Wow, the hormones are off the charts this morning,” Mary mused.

“And what happens if he wants to make a deal?” Ben asked, clearly unhappy.

“Don’t do anything of the sort,” Jake instructed. “Invite him out and say you want to get to know him. Hear out his financial offer. We’ll handle the rest when it’s time.”

Ben didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure that we have to stop sitting around waiting for things to happen,” James answered. “We need to force answers for a change. Last night was too close of a call for everyone to ignore. From now on, we’re the ones in charge. I’m not taking one more second of this crap.”

“I’m starting to like you more and more each passing day, son,” Ben said. “If you weren’t so terrified of armadillos, you’d be downright perfect.”

James scowled.

“Oh, he’s already perfect,” Mandy cooed, kissing his cheek. “I don’t even care that he’s scared of armadillos. It makes me feel closer to him. He’s like a big, warm teddy bear who needs to be loved and protected from giant bugs.”

“Thank you, baby.” James rolled his eyes.

“I’ll protect you again tonight,” Mandy promised. “I’ll even wear the boots to make sure you’re feeling extremely protected.”

“You know what? I am terrified of armadillos,” James said. “I’m going to need to be comforted.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Yeah, I think I’m going to need to get the hose out before this day is over with,” Mary said.

“WELL,
it’s definitely arson.”

Dennis Benedict was the county’s lone fire inspector. After the storm the previous evening, he had three barn fires to check out. The Harrison property was his final stop after the other two were confirmed to have been started by lightning strikes.

“Was it simple gasoline?” James asked, lifting his arm so Mandy could slide under it and snuggle against his side. Even though she was feeling much better today, she still wanted to keep him close.

James and Jake initially balked at Mandy and Ally going down to the barn to help with cleanup efforts. Finally, Ben pulled them aside and explained why the women were so desperate to be close to the men, and they relented.

Still, with so much debris on the ground, Jake and James spent much of the afternoon making sure Ally and Mandy didn’t hurt themselves rather than helping the workers with the cleanup efforts. Thankfully, the mare and her foal decided to stroll home an hour before and the women couldn’t stop themselves from gushing over the baby for an hour. It kept them out of trouble, so James and Jake were happy to take on the work duties while the women sat and played with the foal.

“It looks to be simple gasoline,” Dennis replied. “We’re going to send a sample off to our lab so it can be checked, but I’m not expecting to find anything out of the ordinary.”

“We’ll never be able to track a gasoline sale,” Jake said, rubbing his neck as he watched Ally play a dancing game with the foal a few hundred feet away. They were having a good time, and he couldn’t help but be relieved that Ally seemed back to her gregarious self after clinging to him for hours the previous night. “What we need to do is see if Maverick caught anyone on those cameras.”

“I’m already on it,” James said. “I called and left him three messages. When he finally rolls out of bed at noon, he’ll know how serious I am for him to check the footage. That means we might hear from him by midnight or so.”

Ben furrowed his brow. “He doesn’t sound like much of an employee.”

“He’s technically an independent contractor,” James explained. “We hire him for individual jobs. He’s too expensive to keep on retainer. He’s a real pain the ass, and he’s not even old enough to drink yet. The problem is … .”

“He’s the best at what he does,” Jake finished. “The guy is amazing on a computer. If he wasn’t such a randy pervert when any of our women are around, I might actually like him.”

“I’m going to have to file a report,” Dennis said. “I know you guys mentioned something about wanting to keep this on the down low, but I’m going to have to file something within twenty-four hours.”

“That’s fine,” James said. “We only need the rest of today to see how things are going to shake out.”

“And you really think Mark Nixon is behind this?” Dennis asked, shifting his helmet from one hip to the other.

“Do you know him?”

“I’ve met him at a few political events,” Dennis replied. “My wife is the mayor’s sister, so I have to get gussied up at least once a month for one of their fancy hobnobbing parties. I’ve seen Nixon at two of them.”

“And?” Jake prodded.

“And he’s one of those smarmy business guys from back east who thinks he’s better than all of us hicks out here in God’s country,” Dennis said. “He’s got a real eye for the ladies, too, even though he’s married and his wife is a looker. I would guess he’s in his early sixties and his wife is only in her thirties. She always seems bored and looks the other way while he’s checking women out right in front of her.”

“Has he mentioned why he’s trying to buy land here?”

“No, and I asked him point blank why he wanted it so bad,” Dennis answered. “He said he always wanted to own a farm. Since his suits cost more than my truck, I’m having trouble believing him.”

“I can see that,” James said, his mind busy.

“What are you thinking?” Jake asked.

“I’m thinking that I’m going to want a certain blonde and brunette to get dressed back up in their skirts and boots today,” James said. “If this guy likes hitting on other women, he might let his guard down around our women.”

“You want some random guy to hit on Mandy?” Jake was dubious. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”

“Hey, if he touches my wife I’ll break his hands,” James said. “I still think letting Mandy and Ally work their magic can’t hurt. If he gets out of hand … we’ll let Floyd eat him.”

Jake smirked. “Okay.”

“I think you just want me to wear those boots for you,” Mandy pointed out. “I’m happy to do it, though. I’m ready to take one for the team.”

“The only one you’ll be taking anything from is me,” James responded, tweaking her nose. “I still want you to twirl in that skirt a lot. Just … make sure you’re wearing underwear.”

Mandy’s cheeks flushed with color. “James!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll demand that you take the underwear off when it’s just the two of us.”

“Oh, good grief,” Ben groaned. “Where is the hose?”