Ultimate Heroes Collection

by Various Authors

  She frowned thoughtfully. “I know Sonny has a key and maybe Mike. He used to come in and do odd jobs for Dad. To be honest with you, I don’t know who all might have keys. There could be any number floating around. You know Dad, he trusted everyone. Any of the men might have one. The locks on the house are the same they’ve been since I was a kid.”

  It was obvious her answer didn’t please Zack. It didn’t particularly please her, either. A scowl cut across his forehead. “Tomorrow the security system will be installed and we’ll have all the locks changed at the same time. Nobody will be getting inside after that without us knowing about it.”

  “And in the meantime somebody has Dad’s gun and somebody wants me dead.” The chill worked up into a shiver and she wrapped her arms around herself, wondering if she’d ever be warm again. “I don’t know why, but this scares me more than anything that’s happened so far.” She wondered if her father’s gun would be the means of her death.

  She gazed at Zack, the fear bubbling up inside her. “I don’t want you to see me as weak or silly, but I’m scared, Zack. I’ve never been so frightened in my entire life.”

  To her utter relief he placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her tight against his side. She lay her head on his shoulder, welcoming his body warmth to ward off the cold that had invaded her soul.

  “I don’t think you’re weak or silly,” he replied softly. “Unfortunately you’d be silly if you weren’t afraid.” With one hand he caressed the strands of her hair.

  Had the gun been stolen so it could be used as a weapon against her? Had it been taken in the hope that she wouldn’t realize it was gone and would therefore be unprotected? But she wasn’t without protection. She had Zack.

  “Talk to me, Zack. Talk to me about something, anything other than murders and accidents. Tell me about the other assignments you’ve worked.”

  As he told her about the places he’d been, the people he’d protected, she listened to his deep voice and began to relax. It didn’t really matter what words he said, just that he talked in that low, soothing voice.

  It was difficult to imagine anything bad happening to her while Zack’s arms enfolded her.

  She closed her eyes and listened as he talked about faraway places and the people who had come into and out of his life.

  As he spoke she caressed his jeans-clad thigh, feeling the warmth, the taut muscles beneath the denim material. Strength. He radiated such a reassuring strength.

  He calmed her, with his words, with his nearness, he chased away the overwhelming fear and transformed it into something manageable.

  He made her feel safe despite the danger she knew existed, despite the fact that his last client had been lost. She knew no matter what, he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.

  Whatever negative things she’d once thought about him had long disappeared, dissipated by his commitment to keeping her safe, his determination to find the person responsible for her father’s death.

  She didn’t know how long they sat there when he said her name, his voice deeper, more strained than it had been. She raised her head and looked at him questioningly and saw the dark flame that lit the depths of his eyes.

  “Maybe you should head on to bed,” he said. “It’s getting late.”

  “Maybe I should,” she agreed, but didn’t move from his arms. It was desire she saw in his gaze and the familiar electricity crackled in the air between them.

  She moved her hand higher on his thigh and with a muttered oath he captured her hand with his and held it still. “Katie, I told you this morning that last night was a mistake,” he said, his voice uneven.

  Had it just been last night that he’d made sweet love to her? It felt like a lifetime ago. The desire that thrummed inside her at this moment felt as if it had been building for weeks, months … years.

  She licked her lips, which were suddenly aching and dry. “Sometimes a mistake needs to be repeated several times before you really learn your lesson,” she said half-breathlessly.

  His eyes flashed. “Damn you, Katie Sampson,” he said just before his mouth crashed down on hers.

  She welcomed his kiss, reveled in it. It didn’t matter to her that just that morning she had sworn she’d never make love with Zack again, it didn’t matter to her if this was just another mistake in her life.

  All that did matter was that it felt right and good to be in his arms, to have his mouth touching hers.

  Even though he’d cursed her, there was no anger in his kiss, only tenderness and rich, raw desire. She returned the kiss with a desire of her own, her tongue dancing wildly with his.

  Still kissing, he lowered her back so that she lay prone on the sofa, then he stretched out on top of her. For the first time Kate was grateful that the sofa was large and overstuffed.

  His hands moved up beneath her T-shirt and she was glad that after her bath she hadn’t bothered with a bra. She caressed his broad back beneath his shirt, his bare skin feeling almost feverish with heat.

  He broke the kiss and stared down at her, his body taut against hers. “Katie, you’re frightened and probably feeling all alone. I don’t want to take advantage of you in your present state of mind.”

  She placed a hand on his jaw, felt the stubble of whiskers against her palm. “Maybe you haven’t realized it yet, but I’m not the type of woman to allow a man to take advantage of me. I know what I want, Zack. I know what I need, and right now it’s you.”

  Her words seemed to shatter any reservations he might entertain. With another muttered oath, he took possession of her mouth once again.

  He cupped her breasts, his thumbs razing across her taut nipples. He pulled his mouth from hers and trailed nipping kisses across her jaw and to the sensitive skin just beneath her ear.

  She gasped with pleasure, feeling as if her entire body was nothing more than a mass of sensation. Wherever he touched, wherever he caressed, her nerves screamed with delight.

  When he’d finished with the searing kisses, he undressed her, lavishing kisses on every inch of skin he bared. By the time he finished, she was moaning with need.

  Once again he remembered protection, undressing and putting on a condom before rejoining her on the sofa. Although she was ready for him, moist and needy, he didn’t take her, but rather used his mouth to lathe her breasts, used his fingers to bring her over and over again to the brink.

  “Zack, please,” she begged, needing him to take her all the way, to give her the release his every touch, his every kiss promised.

  When he did finally enter her she nearly sobbed with the exquisite sensation. It wasn’t just a physical union, but an emotional bond, as well.

  The deep-seated feelings of inadequacy that had always been with her were silenced as Zack made love to her. Her fears were stilled, her heart and head unable to hold anything but him.

  They moved together faster and faster, gasping and moaning with pleasure as they sought release. When it came, the intensity shuddered through her in wave after wave. At the same time she was aware of him crying out her name as he stiffened against her.

  For long, silent moments they remained locked together. As her breathing resumed a more normal rhythm, he finally raised his head and stared down at her.

  “This is madness,” he said.

  “I know, but it’s a wonderful kind of madness, isn’t it?” she replied.

  His eyes darkened with what looked like confusion and he got up and left her. He grabbed his jeans from the floor and disappeared into the bathroom.

  She sat up and reached for her T-shirt, which had been tossed to the floor earlier. She pulled it on over her head and wondered if sex would always be wonderful with Zack.

  If they made love a hundred times, a thousand times, would he still be able to steal her breath away with his kisses? Would the scent of him still stir her and twist her stomach into knots?

  “Katie.” He stood in the doorway, his expression somber. “We have to stop this before somebod
y gets hurt.”

  She wanted to protest, to tell him that making love with him was the only thing good in her life at the moment and she didn’t want to stop. But deep in her heart she knew he was right.

  Something had happened to her this time when they’d made love. She’d felt him not on a physical level, but in her heart, as well. He was right, if they continued, somebody was going to get hurt and she had a feeling that in the end it would be her who came out of this with a broken heart.

  Zack rode Diamond, Gray’s favorite mount, toward the house as the sun began to set. It had been one hell of a long week. The security system had been installed and the locks changed on Tuesday morning and for the past four days Zack had been working with the men while Katie was locked up in the house.

  Unbeknownst to Katie, he’d hired one of the men who worked for the agency. Wild West Protective Services wasn’t employed only by the West family, but also half a dozen additional men to stand guard on the house while he worked the ranch. Even though the security was top-notch, Zack wasn’t taking any chances with her safety.

  The days hadn’t been too bad, but the evenings had been sheer torture. He and Katie were living a quasi-marriage that promoted an uncomfortable intimacy.

  Each evening when he came in from outside she had dinner waiting for him. They ate, small talked, then shared the chore of clearing the table.

  After dinner they played gin rummy at the table, watched movies on the television or indulged in some other benign activity to pass the time until bed.

  The real torture came for Zack each night when she disappeared into the spare room and he settled in on the sofa. Thoughts of her passion made him toss and turn.

  Memories of her hot mouth, her yielding softness and warm caresses kept any real sleep at bay.

  Not making love to her again was the most difficult thing he would ever do. Every moment they spent together his want grew, feeling not like mere desire, but almost painful need.

  At least tonight they had the town meeting to attend, he thought as he reached the stable. Hopefully he’d glean some information there because he’d certainly learned nothing new while working with the men the past several days.

  He unsaddled Diamond and worked out a healthy dose of frustration by brushing down the horse. He’d hoped that by being out among the men he’d hear a bit of gossip, sense an evil boiling inside somebody, but so far he’d heard nothing, seen nothing, that might lead to the guilty party.

  He’d contacted Jim Ramsey about the missing gun and Jim had admitted to him that they had no leads where the fire was concerned. No leads. That was becoming the story of this assignment.

  The stable was quiet. He assumed most of the other men had collected their paychecks and were preparing for a night on the town.

  He’d like to get into the bunkhouse to check out what each man had in his trunk, to see if the personal belongings would yield the missing gun from Katie’s drawer, but so far he hadn’t chanced it. A man could get shot snooping where he didn’t belong. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was to alienate the men.

  “Zack.”

  He whirled around to see Jake standing in the stall entry, a pitchfork in his hand. He tensed. He’d expected a confrontation from the man every day for the last week. It appeared the confrontation was about to occur. “Jake, what’s up?”

  “I think we need to talk.”

  Although the man didn’t hold the pitchfork as a weapon, Zack had a healthy respect for the pronged tool. “I don’t have much interest in talking to a man wielding a pitchfork,” he observed.

  Jake stuck the fork in a pile of straw, then gazed at Zack through narrowed eyes. “I was just wondering if you could tell me what’s going on between you and Kate.”

  Zack set the brush he’d been using aside, wanting both his hands free in case Jake made a move. “I think it would be best if you ask the lady that question.”

  “I’d love to ask the lady, but you’ve got her locked up tight in the house and she isn’t talking to anyone except Sonny.” Jake cracked his knuckles, as if itching for a fight.

  Zack frowned. Although he wouldn’t back down from any fight, he had no desire to go a round or two with Jake. He’d never fought over a woman and he wasn’t about to start now, especially when that woman was Katie, a woman who was his client and nothing more, he told himself.

  “If you want to speak to Katie, you’re more than welcome to come with me to the house,” he said.

  Jake shook his head, the tension in his body visibly relaxing. “Sonny said you were hired on as protection for her.”

  “That’s right,” Zack agreed. “The fire frightened her, so she asked me to move inside and keep an eye on her.”

  Jake’s eyes narrowed a bit. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. It’s more than just an old friendship, isn’t it?”

  Zack didn’t know how to reply. He hadn’t taken the time to examine deeply his feelings where Katie was concerned. Didn’t want to take the time. “Like I said, if you want to talk to Katie, you’re welcome to come with me to the house,” he said, deciding not to attempt to answer Jake’s question.

  Jake sighed audibly. “No point in me talking to her. She’s made it fairly clear that even though I’m interested in her, she isn’t much interested in me.”

  Zack’s mind whirled with supposition. Was Jake Merridan a victim of unrequited love, so sick with twisted emotion that if he couldn’t have Katie he’d make sure nobody else did? Nothing Dalton had dug up in the man’s past indicated that kind of illness, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

  “I just don’t want to see her get hurt,” Jake said, his eyes narrowed once again. “She’s one hell of a woman and she deserves the best.”

  “I have no intention of hurting her,” Zack replied. “My job is to make sure nobody hurts her.”

  “You know I’m not talking about her getting hurt physically. I’m talking about somebody taking advantage of her.”

  “Trust me, it would take a better man than me to take advantage of Katie Sampson,” Zack replied dryly. He moved toward the stall entrance. Jake moved aside to let him by. “Are we done here?”

  Jake stuck his hands into his pockets. “I suppose we are.”

  As Jake headed toward the bunkhouse, Zack walked toward the house, his mind a jumble of thoughts. Although he had no reason not to, he didn’t trust Jake.

  Hell, he didn’t trust anyone working on the ranch. When he reached the porch he greeted Burt Randall, a trusted employee of Wild West Protective Services.

  “Anything I need to know about?” he asked.

  Burt shook his head. “It’s been quiet. Nobody coming and nobody going. I think Kate caught sight of me this afternoon. I was doing a walk-around of the house and spied her staring out the window at me.”

  “No problem,” Zack replied. “Same time tomorrow morning?”

  Burt nodded. “See you then.”

  Zack watched him walk across the lawn toward the barn. Burt’s truck was parked behind the building. Zack hadn’t particularly wanted Katie to know that Burt was on duty. He hadn’t wanted her to know that he didn’t trust the integrity of the security system alone to keep her safe. She had enough to worry about.

  Although he knew he should get inside, he remained on the porch, reluctant to enter and face Katie.

  It bothered him that Jake believed he saw something in the way Zack looked at Katie. How in the hell did he look at her?

  More than just an old friendship? He and Katie had never shared a friendship. She’d been a contentious little brat who had irritated him to no end. She’d been like a young puppy, yapping and nipping at his heels.

  But over the past week they had become friends. To his surprise he’d discovered her to be a woman he enjoyed being around, an intelligent woman who could hold her own in any conversation, a compassionate woman who cared about the town and her neighbors.

  He frowned, leaned against the porch railing and watched the sun dippi
ng lower and lower on the horizon. He should get inside and get showered up for the town meeting, but for some reason he wasn’t ready to go inside to Katie.

  The talk with Jake had disturbed him more than he cared to admit. He didn’t want to care about Katie on a personal basis. There had been far too much loss in his life and he’d sworn after Melissa that he’d never allow anyone to get close to him again.

  It was so much easier to be alone, so less risky. The women in his life never hung around for long. His mother had died, Jaime had left him and Melissa had died. Too much pain in one lifetime. He never intended to put himself in the position to feel that kind of pain again.

  He was aware that it was getting late and Katie would have the evening meal waiting for him. Conscious of the fact that he needed to get showered and changed for the council meeting, he knocked on the front door and waited for Katie to let him in.

  What bothered him more than anything was that despite his desire to remain unconnected, in spite of his desire to stay emotionally absent from Katie Sampson, the last couple of nights when he’d entered the house he’d had the feeling of coming home.

  Chapter 14

  Kate felt as if she had earned parole from prison as she and Zack left the house for the town council meeting. She wasn’t accustomed to being cooped up inside for so many hours and days. The past week had been difficult as she’d tried to run the ranch from her kitchen table.

  She’d dressed for the evening in a blue dress with a flirty ruffle across the hem. Matching sandals adorned her feet and despite the fact that they were attending the meeting and coming right back home, she looked forward to the outing every bit as much as if they were attending a party.

  The only fly in the ointment was that her “date” for the evening appeared to be in one of his foul moods. He’d been silent as a tomb as he’d eaten dinner, then had disappeared into the bathroom to shower and change.

  She cast him a surreptitious glance as they got into his truck. He might be in a foul mood, but he was devilishly handsome in a pair of jeans, a navy dress shirt and a lightweight jacket. She knew beneath the jacket he wore his shoulder holster and the thought that he was attending the council meeting armed reminded her of the danger that still surrounded her.