by Krista Lakes
“Grayson!” Mia finally got her horse to stop being afraid of whatever he saw in the grass and she galloped him over to where Grayson was. His poor little face was sheet white and his eyes the size of dinner plates. Carter helped him unclench his hands from the mane and slide down onto the hard ground where his knees promptly gave out.
Mia was off her horse and hugging the boy as fast as she could move. Grayson shook like a leaf in her arms. The mare was frothing at the mouth, so Carter took her and walked her. He spoke low, soothing words as he let Mia take care of Grayson.
“Are you okay?” Mia asked, her hands checking him for any sign of injury. He had managed to stay on the mare the entire time, so it only looked like he was just terrified rather than hurt.
“I don't wanna ride anymore,” he whispered, burying his head into her shoulder. He started to cry, the shock of what happened finally hitting him. Mia just held him and rocked back and forth.
When his breathing finally came back to normal, he sat up and wiped his eyes. His little face was blotchy and his eyes swollen with tears.
“I want to go home,” Grayson whimpered. His hands held onto her shirt like the ground might take off running like the mare did and Mia was the only solid thing in his world.
“Okay,” Mia told him. She wiped the tears from his cheeks and helped him stand up.
Home was a long way away. They'd ridden the horses quite a distance, but if Grayson wanted, she was ready to walk them all the way home, even if it took until dark. She looked out at the long path back and chewed on her lip.
“How about you ride with me for a bit?” Carter asked, coming up beside them guiding the horses with him. He'd tied Grayson's mare to walk behind his horse. The mare looked exhausted and somehow embarrassed as well. “It's a long walk otherwise. Do you think you're safe with me?”
Grayson looked up at him and nodded. “You saved me.”
Carter smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “I'll get up first, and then Mia will help you up. You'll sit in front of me.”
Carter swung up into his saddle in a smooth motion and then made sure there was space for Grayson. With Carter's help, Mia lifted Grayson up and helped settle him in Carter's protective arms. Carter looked at ease, but Mia could see in his eyes that he wasn't going to let anything happen to that boy. She'd never seen someone look so determined and protective at the same time.
“You comfortable?” Carter asked Grayson. Grayson made sure that Carter's arms were tucked firmly around him before he nodded. He looked far less afraid with Carter holding him in place.
Carter nudged his horse into a slow walk. Grayson gripped the saddle pommel with one hand and Carter's arm with the other. The worry crept back into his face.
“You doing okay, Grayson?” Mia asked, walking alongside them with her hand on Grayson's leg. Carter led his horse in the direction of Mia's gelding.
“Carter will keep us safe, right Carter?” Grayson turned to look back at Carter.
“Super safe,” Carter promised. He gave Grayson a small hug. “Nothing will happen. I promise.”
Grayson nodded and gave Mia a weak grin.
“You did great, Grayson,” Carter told him. “I'm really impressed. The first time that happened to me, I fell off in an instant. I landed in a bush.”
“A bush?” Grayson turned to look at him.
Carter nodded. “A prickle bush. I was pulling prickles out of my hair for weeks.” He pretended to pull something out of his hair while making a goofy face. Grayson giggled.
“You should get your horse, Mia.” Carter nodded toward her gelding. “I've got him.”
Mia gave Grayson's leg a gentle squeeze, not wanting to let go of her kid just yet. But, if they were to get home, she needed to be mounted as well. It took two tries to get up in the saddle this time, and her face was blazing as she finally settled herself.
Carter didn't say a word about it as they walked their two horses back to where Laura was keeping Alexander and Lily occupied.
“Are you okay?” Lily asked as soon as they got close. Worry and concern filled her face. “Laura said we needed to stay here.”
“She was right. You did good waiting,” Carter told her. Relief filled Lily's face. She'd been the caretaker for her younger brothers until Mia had come along. Lily was used to taking care of them, so being told to stay away would have been hard for her.
Mia brought her horse alongside Lily and patted her leg. Lily gave her a small smile.
“What happened anyway?” Alexander asked. He still looked worried for his little brother.
Carter shrugged. “She saw something and spooked.”
“What did she see that scared her that bad?” Lily asked, glancing around at the meadow like something might jump out at them.
“Sweetness doesn't like snakes,” Laura replied. “If she thought she saw one, she might have bolted.”
“Snakes?” Mia frowned. “Isn't it a little cold for snakes?”
“It's been warmer lately, but it could have been a stick that looked like a snake,” Laura replied. She frowned at the mare trailing Carter's horse. “She's usually our best-behaved horse. I would never have put him on her if I thought she'd do that.”
Mia nodded. So much for Sweetness being the easy horse.
“But, Grayson did great. He kept his head and held on,” Carter said. “I'm very impressed.”
“I'm basically a cowboy then, huh?” Grayson asked, his grin getting bigger as he thought about it.
Carter mussed the boy's hair with his hand. “Most definitely.”
The ride back was much less uneventful. Alexander tried to convince Laura to let him gallop again, Laura said no, and Alexander continued to ask. To keep him from trying to anyway, Laura had Lily and Alexander work on various riding drills and techniques.
They crested a small hill and the barn was back in sight. Mia's heart rate was almost back to normal and she no longer felt like she was running on pure adrenaline anymore.
She looked back to see Carter and Grayson whispering secrets. Grayson kept giggling at whatever Carter said. Grayson looked completely comfortable and safe with him.
Mia thought of the interview she'd read on Carter where he said he never wanted kids. It was a shame. He was so good with Grayson, Alexander, and Lily. Not just anyone could have Grayson giggling and happy after such a scary afternoon.
They were almost to the barn when Carter pulled his horse to a halt.
“Before we finish, you have to ride Sweetness home by yourself, Grayson,” Carter announced.
Grayson's hands tightened and his face paled. “I do?”
Carter nodded and dismounted, leaving Grayson up on the horse by himself. He looked so small and afraid up there that Mia almost said no.
“Yes, because I don't want you to be afraid of horses.” Carter reached for Grayson and picked him off his horse. He walked him over and placed him up on the gray mare's back. “I'll be right here the whole time. I'll make sure you're safe.”
Grayson swallowed hard. “Okay. I trust you, Carter.”
It went against Mia's instincts not to run over and rescue Grayson from this, but she was so proud of the brave face he was wearing. She also knew how important this was.
When you get thrown off a horse, you have to get back on, she thought. Even though Grayson wasn't thrown off, he was scared. This was necessary to prove to himself that he could do it.
“You ready?” Carter asked, handing Grayson the reins to his horse.
Grayson pressed his lips together as tight as they would go and gave a short, tight nod. Mia loved how brave this kid was.
Carter started them at a walk, then moved to a trot. He jogged alongside the horse, never letting go of the horse, and making sure that Grayson was in control. They made a sharp turn into the far paddock and kept running. Mia held her breath as they came around back into view.
Grayson was smiling. The fear was gone and he was enjoying the ride now. Laura moved into position just in case som
ething happened, and Carter let go of the horse and let Grayson trot on his own.
Grayson did marvelously. He turned the horse toward Mia and his siblings and came up to them. His siblings praised him for his bravery and he beamed with pride. The fear was gone, which was exactly what Carter wanted. Carter looked rather proud of himself as they all turned to bring the horses back to the barn to groom them after the ride.
Once at the barn, the kids all rushed inside after tying up the horses to get the brushes and prove that they knew what they were doing. If they took care of the horses, they knew they would be more likely to be able to go riding again. Laura was teaching them well and Mia was grateful.
Mia brought Jasper to the fence just outside the barn and then frowned. Where the kids knew exactly what to do, it had been a long time since she'd groomed a horse. Jasper looked over at her as if to say, “what the heck lady? Get this stuff off me!”
Mia undid the saddle and fumbled with it before taking it off. It was heavier than she expected, but she got it on a nearby saddle rack with an “oof.” The saddle blanket was much easier. She looked around the stall, searching for the curry comb.
“Looking for this?” Carter asked, holding up a curry comb. He walked over and greeted Jasper while he handed her the comb. “I'll help you.”
“You don't have to,” Mia replied, but secretly she was glad of the offer. She didn't remember exactly what to do next, so having him here would be a huge help. “Don't you have to do your horse?”
Carter worked on Jasper's hooves, picking out the dirt and checking for stones. “The kids are taking care of Max,” he said. “One of the perks of being the boss.”
“Oh,” she replied, picking up her brush and working alongside him.
Everything was quiet. Jasper slurped at some long strands of grass but was otherwise content to stand quietly while they groomed him. The sounds from the kids nearby were muted and soft. Mia felt hot and could tell that her cheeks were flushed as she worked next to Carter.
Having him this close was actually unnerving. She was trying her best not to think of how nicely his arms moved, or how good his jeans looked, or even just how he made her feel warm and tingly. She was becoming twitterpated and she knew it. The worst part was that she could feel her attraction to him growing with every moment they were alone together.
“Here,” he offered, handing her the stiff brush. Their hands touched briefly and Mia gasped. His touch was electric and sent desire and heat straight down her spine and into her toes. She hadn't been expecting her reaction to be so strong for such a simple, accidental caress.
She looked up and straight into Carter's eyes. They were so blue and held a smolder that made her insides go gooey. It didn't help when he gave her a cocky half-grin that told her he knew exactly the effect he was having.
“You're doing great,” he told her. He leaned toward her, tucking his head as though he might kiss her. Her back went against the fence post and every inch of her hoped that he would press her against the post and kiss her senseless. Yet, at the same time was nervous. It had been a while since she'd let someone other than kids into her life. Plus, she wasn't exactly feeling sexy and desirable. She was covered in horse sweat and grass, but then again, so was he.
She was past simply wanting a kiss. She wanted him to press her up against this fence post and take her completely. Even then, that might not be enough to put out the flames of desire growing in her core. If he didn't make a move, she was going to.
Instead of kissing her, he simply reached and put a grooming brush on the fence behind her before stepping back and out of her reach. Her heart was going a million miles an hour with the possibility, and it hadn't happened. Did she imagine the attraction between them? They'd come close to a kiss in the barn, but that was a week ago.
“Looks like you've got this under control,” he said, his voice low and gravely. He smiled that cocky grin again that told her he knew exactly the effect he was having and was enjoying teasing her with it. “I'll see you next week.”
He stepped back, leaving her wanting so, so much more. She was practically panting with wanting more. She watched, open mouthed as he sauntered away, nodded to the kids and went to speak with the security guard coming up the path toward him.
The stiff brush fell out of her hand. She'd forgotten that she'd even been holding it. Jasper nickered at her that she wasn't done grooming him yet.
Mia shook herself, trying to break the spell Carter had just put over her. She still ached to feel his touch, to taste his lips, and to release this energy. She reached down and picked up the brush, watching him walk away. She couldn't have wanted him more if she tried.
Chapter 11
Carter
The piece of fabric hanging from Carter's porch fluttered in the slight breeze. It would have been picturesque, if not for the words “YOUR FAULT”, which were written in what could either be blood or red paint. Carter hoped it was paint.
Carter's hands shook as he came back into the house. He no longer felt safe here. He felt like running to the nearest police station and simply taking up residence. But he was done running. Whoever was doing this was going to chase him across the globe. It was best to stay here, where he could control things and make plans. He held the high ground, even if it didn't feel like it at the moment.
“Are you okay, sir?” Brian asked, coming up behind him.
“I'm fine.” Carter already knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight. The dreams of fire were already in his mind.
“The bomb squad says that it would never have gone off,” Brian informed him. “The threading on the head of the pipe bomb wasn't tight enough.”
“That's comforting.” Carter turned from the open door and took a deep breath. The discovery of a pipe-bomb on his front porch with the note attached had him rattled. The fact that it wouldn't go off didn't bother him nearly as much as the fact that his enemy had gotten yet another bomb within killing range. “What other leads do you have? I want this to stop.”
“We're working on it, sir. The arrest the police made last week obviously wasn't the main perpetrator. Whoever did this was smart,” Brian told him. “They knew how to get past the cameras using reflective material. All that shows up on the film is a giant white spot.”
The two of them stared out at the front porch as the security team buzzed around like angry bees trying to find who had broken into the hive. Carter was going to have to give a large gift to the Denver bomb squad for their assistance in removing the bomb without alerting a news team.
“And they got past the manned patrols,” Carter added. His voice was hard, but inside he was scared which was exactly what the person doing this wanted. He was determined not to show how much this intrusion unsettled him. This wasn't supposed to happen here.
“I'm the head of security, but I have no idea how they got it on the porch without triggering an alert, sir,” Brian said quietly. His voice was low and dangerous. He obviously didn't like not knowing. “I'm looking into it possibly being an inside job.”
Carter looked out at the empty spot on his porch. That was an unsettling idea. Who would keep him safe from his own security team? “Who found it?”
“Johnson. Ben Johnson,” Brian replied. “He's one of the newer guys, but he came with a lot of recommendations. I doubt he had anything to do with this.”
“Was it his patrol?”
“No, sir. This side of the house is mine. I don't trust anyone else with it.” The big man's face grew hard and his shoulders somehow increased in size right in front of Carter's eyes. “This is personal now, sir. They messed with the wrong man. I won't let this stand.”
“You know I trust you, Brian.” Carter put his hand on Brian's shoulder. Brian was the only person Carter trusted with his security. He'd known him almost his entire adult life and the man had literally taken a bullet for him. Carter knew in his gut that Brian was going to get to the bottom of this and destroy whoever was terrorizing the ranch.
&
nbsp; “Johnson found it as he was leaving at the end of his shift,” Brian explained, stepping away from Carter. “There was a three-minute window when it could have been placed, and this is the only blind spot. Whoever did this, knows how to time the shift changes and avoid the security cameras that don't use infrared. And they knew to avoid me.”
“That's concerning.” Carter hated that his stomach tensed. He could almost feel the heat of the flames again.
“I agree, sir.” Brian paused for a moment before continuing. “Sir, it may be time to change locations.”
Carter considered it. However, the thought of leaving didn't give him hope. It made him angry. He wasn't about to be pushed around. It was time to push back.
Carter was done running.
“No. I’m staying,” he said. “We catch him the next time he even thinks about coming on the property.”
“Yes, sir.” Brian pulled out a tablet and punched in a code. He held it out to Carter. “I'd like to add some new hardware to the system. More cameras, more alarms, and some of my own personal touches. Some of it will be common knowledge, but most of it will only be known to you and me. I'd usually consider it overkill, but...”
Carter glanced at the tablet and pushed the approval button for everything Brian wanted. He then looked back over at the bloodied airbag on the porch. His stomach twisted and fear gnawed at his bones.
“Do whatever you need to do, Brian. And then some.”
“I will keep you safe, Mr. Williamson,” Brian promised. His eyes darkened. “Whoever this is, they've just messed with the wrong man. This was my watch. It won't happen again, sir.”
Carter almost felt sorry for the poor SOB who now had a very angry Brian after them. Brian's pride was on the line now.
“I know it won't, Brian.” Carter handed the tablet back to Brian. “You have my full approval to do whatever you need to do.”
“Excellent sir,” Brian replied with a sharp nod. “I'd like to restrict the number of people who have access to the ranch. Cut it down to Laura, the two approved ranch hands, the trainer, and the vet. They've all passed background checks and have worked here long enough I don't suspect them. No one else.”