Buckhorn Beginnings

by Lori Foster

  “You know, Morgan, it suddenly occurs to me.” Her frown was back, her mouth set in mulish lines. “You’re running around insisting every male in the area believes we’re involved, even to the point of putting on this caveman routine. But there seems to be an awful lot of females who don’t know a thing about it.”

  “I’ve been too busy mooning over you to give other women a thought. And that includes thinking about them long enough to update my status from available to unavailable.”

  He loved how quickly her moods shifted, from mad to playful, from brazen to shy. Right now she looked uncertain. She stared at his chocolate-covered chest. “Are you considered unavailable now?”

  Morgan tipped her chin up. “For as long as you’re willing to put up with me.”

  She stared at him a moment, then pulled him down for a hungry kiss. Her hands were tight on his shoulders, her mouth moving under his. Morgan felt singed. It was the very first time she’d ever initiated anything, and he wanted so badly to strip her naked and sate himself on her, he was shaking with need.

  A sudden hum and the kick of cool air let him know the repairs on the system were complete. And just in the nick of time. A few more seconds and he’d have burned up.

  “Tonight, will you let me make love to you, Malone?”

  She touched his mouth, gave him a small smile, then nodded. “I do believe I’d like that.”

  His heart almost stopped. He reached for her, but the repairman gave a brief knock and stepped in.

  “All done.” He drew himself up short as Morgan stepped away from Misty and he got a good look at the ice cream mess on their clothes.

  Morgan grinned. “Just leave me a bill.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  IT SEEMED TO BE Morgan’s day for chaos.

  The rain was endless, coming down in sheets, and he was relieved and thankful when he saw that Misty’s car was already parked around back by the kitchen door, as was her habit. He’d worried endlessly about her driving home in the pouring rain. She’d worked all day and had to be exhausted. He’d hoped to follow her home, then immediately sweep her off to his house. But then he’d gotten held up and the storm had started. He put the truck in Park, close to where she’d left her car. Normally he would have driven the Bronco into the garage, but he wanted to be as close to the back door as he could, so Misty wouldn’t have as far to run in the rain.

  He sighed as he picked up his small bundle in the front seat beside him, wrapping his rain slicker around it to keep it dry, then dashed the few feet through the downpour.

  The kitchen door opened before he reached it, so he figured someone had been watching for him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Misty. No, she was engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument with Sawyer. It was Honey who had opened the door.

  He kissed her cheek to thank her, then turned to see what the hell was going on.

  Misty went on tiptoe and said to Sawyer’s chin, “If you don’t take the money, I can’t stay!”

  Sawyer threw his arms into the air, spotted Morgan and let out a huge sigh of relief. “She’s worse than Honey, I swear.”

  Rain dripped down the end of Morgan’s nose. His shirt stuck to his back. He glanced around the kitchen and asked, “Where’s Jordan?”

  Sawyer looked surprised by his question, then said, “In his rooms, why?”

  Slowly, so as not to startle the creature, he unwrapped his burden. A fat, furry, whimpering pup stared at them all, then squirmed to get closer to Morgan. He said to Honey, “Can you get me a towel? I found the damn thing under the front steps of the gym. He’s been abandoned awhile, judging by how tight his rope collar was.”

  Morgan was still so angry he could barely breathe. Cruelty to an animal sickened him, and it was all he could do to hold in his temper, but he didn’t want to scare the poor pup more than it already was.

  Sawyer picked up the phone and called Jordan while Misty inched closer. Her eyes were large, and she was looking at him in that soft, womanly way she had. He’d get her alone tonight if he had to carry her through the damn storm.

  Honey skittered into the kitchen with a towel.

  The back door opened, and both Gabe and Jordan came in. They wore rain slickers that did little enough to keep them dry. Jordan was all business, taking the pup without asking questions, ignoring his own damp hair and shirt collar. Gabe shook his head. “It looks pretty young. What kind of dog do you think it is?”

  Jordan murmured to the frightened animal as he gently toweled it dry. “A mixed breed. Part shepherd by the looks of him, maybe with some Saint Bernard. He’ll be big when he’s full grown.” Jordan investigated the pup’s throat and scowled where the too-small rope collar had rubbed off much of the fur. “I’ll need my bag.”

  Gabe turned to the door. “I’ll get it.” He pulled the hood of his slicker over his head and stepped into the rain without hesitation.

  Misty started unbuttoning Morgan’s shirt as if she did so every day. “You’ll catch a cold if you don’t get some dry things on.”

  Sawyer nodded. “Go change, Morgan. And take Misty with you. Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”

  Morgan stood still while Misty peeled off his wet shirt. “What have you been up to now, Malone?”

  Sawyer didn’t give her a chance to answer. He waved a few bills under Morgan’s nose. “She wants to pay for staying here.”

  Morgan scowled. “I thought we had all that resolved.”

  Taking his hand, Misty tugged him from the room. “I won’t be a freeloader. If I stay I have to contribute. I’ve been eating here almost every day….”

  Morgan allowed her to lead him away from the others, but the second they were out of sight he pulled her around and pinned her to the wall, then gave her a deep, hungry kiss. Against her lips, he whispered, “Damn, I missed you.”

  She looped her arms around his neck and smiled. “I was starting to wonder. I thought you’d be home hours ago.”

  “I had to do a class, and one of the women got hurt, and then I found the pup.” He groaned. “God, it’s been a hectic day.”

  He knew his wet slacks were making her damp, too, but he couldn’t seem to let her go. He’d thought about her all day long.

  “What kind of class?”

  Oh, hell. He hadn’t meant to say that. He took her hand and now it was he leading—straight into his bedroom. He closed the door and turned the lock. “Let me change real quick and we’ll run up to the house. I’ll drive you straight into the garage so you won’t get wet.”

  “Morgan.” She crossed her arms and leaned against his door while he hunted for a towel to dry himself. “What class?”

  Trying to make light of it, he said, “I teach some of the women self-defense two Fridays of the month. Especially the women who work as park guides for the mountain trails. Sometimes they end up alone with a guy, so they need to know how to defend themselves.”

  Eyes soft and wide again, Misty asked, “You said one of them got hurt?”

  “Yeah, but not in the class. I’m careful with them, and the high school gym lets us use the mats. But she slipped on the front steps when she was leaving and twisted her ankle. She couldn’t drive, so I took her to the hospital and then had to go fetch her husband because they only have the one car and it was still at the high school. The only good part is that I found the pup when she fell. If I hadn’t bent down to lift her, I’d never have heard it whimpering.”

  “So you bundled them both up and did what you could?”

  “Don’t get dramatic, Malone. Anyone would have done the same.”

  “Obviously not, or that poor little puppy wouldn’t have been there in the first place.” She sauntered over to him and touched his bare chest, smoothing her hands over his wet skin. “I don’t think you control things so much as you try to take care of everyone.”

  Morgan kicked off his wet shoes even as he bent to kiss her again. Her hands on his flesh were about to make him nuts. “Let me change,” he growled, “so we can get
out of here.”

  She nodded and stepped away, then sat on the edge of his bed. If she had any idea what that did to him, seeing her there, she wouldn’t have dared test his control. Morgan opened a drawer and pulled out dry jeans and socks. He was just about to unzip his slacks when she asked, “Morgan, am I just another person you’re trying to take care of?”

  He halted, unsure of her exact meaning, but angry anyway. “You want to explain that?”

  She shrugged, then quickly looked away when he jerked his pants open. Hands clasped in her lap, she said, “You wanted me gone until you thought I needed to stay. And you not only try to coddle me, you said you’re trying to prove me innocent of stealing. I just wondered if I was…I don’t know. Another project of sorts. Like the scholarship at the school, the puppy you just brought home, that other woman you helped today.”

  “What other woman?”

  “Gabe told me about the woman with the flat. He said you do stuff like that all the time.”

  She looked at him with deep admiration again, when what he wanted was something altogether different. “Gabe has a big mouth.”

  His dry jeans in place, Morgan sat beside her on the bed. He bent to pull on socks and shoes, his thoughts dark. He could feel her looking at him as he hooked his cell phone to his belt and clipped his gun in place.

  “You might as well save it, you know.”

  Startled, Morgan glanced at her. “Save what?”

  “The look. I’m immune to it. You’re not nearly as much of a badass as you let everyone believe. Ceily told me you haven’t even been in a fight in ages, and the last one was over too quick to count.”

  Displeasure gnawed at his insides. “You were talking about me with Ceily?”

  “Oh, quit trying to intimidate me.” She waved a hand at him. “You got a reputation when you were a hotheaded kid, but even then, you were never a bully. I’ve heard plenty, and any fights you got into were because you were defending someone else. The last fight was in a bar in the neighboring town. Ceily said some guy tried to drag his girlfriend out of there and you stopped him. Rather easily, as a matter of fact, which I suppose only added to your reputation, right?”

  Morgan decided that when he got hold of Ceily he’d strangle her. “Did she also tell you how that woman was most…grateful?”

  Misty snorted. “Yeah, she did. But that’s not why you did it, so don’t even bother running that by me. You’re the sheriff now because you hate injustice and abuse and you take a lot of satisfaction in setting things right and taking care of others. Admit it.”

  The hell he would. His reputation had worked to his advantage for most of his life, and he’d damn well earned it. He pulled a loose black T-shirt over his head then twisted to face her. “You still going to the house with me?”

  Her dark, silky hair swung forward and hid her profile as she stared at her hands. She looked a tiny bit nervous. “If you want me to.”

  Morgan caught her chin and turned her face toward him. “What do you want?”

  She bit her lip, took a deep breath, then smiled. “To be with you.”

  His heart punched up against his breastbone and his vision blurred. He stood up before he decided to forget about the tour and took her right now. They needed privacy, not for what he wanted to do, but for all the things he wanted to say. “C’mon.”

  Her hand caught securely in his, he led her out of the room. She looked cuddly in a soft, oversize sweatshirt and worn, faded jeans. Unfortunately, she wore sneakers, but he’d keep her feet dry. He looked forward to holding her close. When they got into the kitchen, everyone leaned over watching Jordan and the pup. Now that it was dry, the dog resembled a round matted fur ball with a snout and paws. A stubby tail managed to work back and forth, and it gave a squeaky bark at Morgan.

  Morgan grinned. The dog was incredibly cute in an ugly, sort of bedraggled way. “Is it going to be okay?”

  “It is a he, about three months old, I’d say, and yeah, he’ll be fine. He just needs to be cleaned up and loved a little.”

  Morgan nodded. It was obvious the poor thing had been abandoned, and if he ever found out who’d done it, a very hefty fine would be presented. “I’ll keep him. I was thinking of getting a dog anyway, for when I move into the house. This one’ll do as well as any.” At his pronouncement, Misty squeezed his hand.

  Honey predictably grumbled about him moving out. She protested any time he mentioned it, saying she wanted him to stay, then went on to tell him how wonderful his house was and offered to help him decorate. He adored her.

  Jordan watched as Morgan pulled two raincoats off the hooks. “I can keep him with me tonight if you want, since you appear to have plans to brave the storm again.”

  “Misty hasn’t seen my house yet.”

  The brothers all grinned and cast knowing looks back and forth.

  Sawyer handed Morgan the money Misty had tried to give him. “Make her take this back.”

  Misty held up her hands, palms out. “I can’t continue to eat here if you won’t let me pay for my share of the food and stuff. That’s just tip money—I can afford it. Honest.”

  Sawyer’s eyebrows shot up. “Tips? You made this much in tips already?”

  “According to Ceily,” Morgan grumbled, “every male that came in wanted to show her his gratitude, even if she hadn’t done a damn thing for him. She said Misty kept the restaurant packed most of the night.”

  Misty blinked at him. “You talked to Ceily? When?”

  He flicked the end of her nose. “Before I came home. She felt the need to page me and let me know how…successful you were. She even suggested she might want to lure you away from the station so you could work more hours for the diner. She claims she wouldn’t even need to show up with you there drawing in customers and raking in the dough.”

  Gabe laughed, Jordan bit his lip and Sawyer rolled his eyes. Morgan didn’t think it was the least bit amusing. “I told her you were going to continue working for me. That’s right, isn’t it, Misty?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “As long as you all let me pay my way.”

  She was the most cursed stubborn woman he’d ever met. He caught her chin on the edge of his fist. “Most of the time, the food is given to us.”

  With a wholly skeptical look, she murmured, “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s true, damn it. Sawyer barters with his less fortunate patients. Hell, he gets paid more often with food than with money. That’s why we’re always overloaded with desserts and casseroles.”

  “You’re serious?” When he nodded, she said, “I had no idea.”

  Sawyer looped one arm around Honey and added, “I have vitamins I can give her, too, so she won’t have to go to the pharmacy, but of course she refused them.”

  And Honey piped in, saying, “I know for a fact she’s embarrassed about getting them in town. Everyone will know she’s pregnant if she does. Make her accept them, Morgan.”

  Morgan took one look at Misty’s inflexible expression and laughed out loud. Were they all under the misguided notion that he had some control over the woman? Hell, she butted heads with him more than anyone else!

  Knowing it would only prompt her stubbornness more, he said, “Yeah, sure, I’ll take care of it.”

  Her brows snapped down, her mouth opened to blast him with invective, and Morgan kissed her—a quick, grinning smooch. She gave him a bemused look, and he dropped the coat over her head, then lifted her in his arms.

  She fussed and wriggled, but he contained her with no effort at all and when she saw all the brothers watching intently, she made a face at them, but at least stopped struggling. “You have the worst habit of hauling me around.”

  “I don’t want your feet to get wet going out.”

  “Oh.”

  Sawyer said, “Finally, he’s listening to me.”

  Honey acted as if it was all par for the course. “Here, Misty, I packed a basket so you could both eat. I doubt if either of you have had dinner yet. Take your time. You’l
l love Morgan’s house and maybe the rain will have stopped by the time you head back.”

  Morgan watched Misty balance the large basket with one arm while looping the other around his neck. “Don’t wait up for us,” he said to the room at large.

  He darted out the door and made his way cautiously to the Bronco. Misty opened the car door, and he slid her inside. The rain wasn’t coming down quite so fiercely now, and Morgan hoped Honey was right, that it would stop soon. Too many wrecks happened in weather like this, and he didn’t look forward to his evening getting interrupted. Already his anticipation was so keen he had to struggle for breath. He was semihard and so hot the windows started to steam the second he got behind the wheel.

  “Will you accept the vitamins?” He drove from the driveway to the main road, hoping the conversation would work as a distraction. “Sawyer offered them because he wants to, you know.”

  With her arms around the basket, she grumbled, “He offered because I’m Honey’s sister.”

  “Bull. If you’d just stumbled into our lives the way Honey did, he’d do the same. Sawyer cares about people and likes doing what he can. It has nothing to do with you being related. Except that he takes it more personal when you refuse.”

  She shook her head. “All right, fine. I’ll take the vitamins, but I insist on paying my own way. I won’t be swayed on that. Regardless of where the food comes from, I’m still staying there and taking up room.”

  Morgan smiled at her. “Stubborn as a mule.” He pulled up in front of his garage and hopped out to open the door, then drove inside. “I’m going to have the driveway poured soon, and then we’ll install a garage door opener, but that’s stuff I can take care of after I move in.”

  Misty didn’t wait for him to open her door after he’d turned off the engine. She hefted the heavy basket in her arms and climbed out. “I want to see the outside of the house, too. From down the hill, it looks gorgeous.”

  Morgan felt like a stuffed turkey, he puffed up so proud. “Let’s go through the inside first and maybe the rain will let up.” He opened the door leading into the house and reached in for a light switch. The first-floor laundry looked tidy and neat, a replica of the one in the house where he’d grown up, with pegs on the wall for wet coats and hats, a boot-storage bench and plenty of shelving. “All the fixtures aren’t up yet, but there’s plenty of light.”