by Em Petrova
“Yeah, she’s done real well.” Asher stroked the horse’s side.
“I’d like to see someone in that saddle by week’s end. Think you can handle it?” Zayden asked.
Asher gave a nod. “Sure thing. I’ll work with this one in the mornings and then go out with Kinsey in the afternoons. We found a den but we’re not having any luck with the traps in that area. Time for a new plan. You have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.”
Dane jumped off the fence. “Ash, you’re the best hunter of the three of us. I’m surprised you haven’t already figured out their patterns.”
He looked down and scuffed a boot in the dirt.
“Ahhh. You have.”
Asher glanced at Dane. “I think I know where they’re holing up in the daytime.”
“Why haven’t you taken care of them?”
He shrugged. “I’ve just been too distracted to give a damn, to be honest. Typical Moon, huh?” The grating sound of his laugh didn’t even sound genuine to his ears.
“Whatever your reason, I’m sure you’ll figure out how to put a stop to the coyote problem. We can’t have them attacking our cattle and pets.”
“I know. I’ll get more serious about it all. Starting today. Here—one of you want to unsaddle the horse so I can call Kinsey?”
“I’ll do it.” Dane took the rope from him.
Zayden and Asher watched him lead the horse away. Then Zayden cleared his throat in that way of his, alerting Asher he’d be facing a talking-to.
“You know, if you wanna give up bounty hunting, including looking for coyotes, nobody will think bad of ya.”
He swallowed.
“And if you’d like to stay on here, we could use your help.”
He met his brother’s gaze, much like his own. What he saw there wasn’t his father gazing back at him or any disapproval at all.
“I’d like that, Z. Thanks.”
“So you’ll stay?”
With a nod, he held out his hand, and Zayden clasped it hard. Then he pulled Asher in for a rough hug. “Glad to hear it. Mimi will be happiest, I think.”
Asher started to move away. “I’ll tell her now. Maybe she’ll make me a roast chicken dinner in celebration.”
Zayden chuckled. “You always did think with your stomach. But chicken sounds mighty good. Tell her to make enough for all of us. If she needs a ride into town for supplies, I’ll drive her myself.”
Throwing a grin at his brother, Asher said, “I’ll let her know.”
As he strode back to the house, his mind worked over the possibility of ever bringing Kinsey back here for a family dinner. She’d called him family, and he felt the same. But he hadn’t left things right with her.
Time to fix that.
Chapter Nine
Kinsey tapped her foot on the floor, and she chewed on the end of a pen. Waiting for the jail to connect her to her brother felt like an eternity she didn’t want to live through. But she had to speak to Trent and didn’t have a lot of time. After this, she needed to get on the road with Branson…and later with Asher.
“Kinsey.”
Her heart leaped at the familiar sound of her brother’s voice. Just hearing from him reminded him not only of their sibling bond, but of the train wreck that her family had become.
“Hi, Trent.” She gulped back the lump in her throat. “How are you?”
“Not very damn good, Kinsey. I shouldn’t be here.”
“Yes… Dad has told me some of what you’ve conveyed to him.”
“Yeah, these bastards have me locked up until trial.”
She had to know more. “You were taken in…by a bounty hunter?”
“Yeah, fucking Moon. I hated them back in school and then this fucker came into my girlfriend’s place and dragged me out.”
“But he had his orders.”
“Dammit, Kinsey. Dad said you stopped believing in my innocence. What happened to you?”
She wanted to ask what happened to him but swallowed down her words. Arguing right now wouldn’t lead to the information she needed. She wanted Asher off the hook, so her father didn’t hate the man she was falling in love with.
“I believe in you,” she carefully chose her words, “but it’s hard to stay positive, when you’ve got new charges brought against you, Trent.”
“Goddamn the system. It’s these politicians pushing to get more crime off the streets, and I’m their poster child for doing that. They’re just getting votes because of me.”
“Okay, Trent. I think this topic is too inflammatory right now. Why don’t I tell you about my coyote problem here in Stokes?”
Luckily, her calming strategy worked, and he listened while she discussed her current challenge. He even suggested a couple places where they might have a den besides the one she and Asher had located.
But when she hung up with her brother, her shoulders slumped. She rubbed her forehead, but that didn’t erase the tone in his voice which had her sirens blaring.
How many times had Trent used that belligerent tone and tactic to slide the blame from himself in their adolescent years? When he sneaked out the window and went to a party, he’d raised his voice with their parents and got them riled about one of the other parents providing alcohol, not that Trent had actually gotten drunk on the alcohol—no, it never was his fault.
Maybe she’d been too naïve and trusting with him as well, but not anymore. She didn’t for one minute believe Trent hadn’t committed those crimes he’d been charged with. And he’d shifted the blame to politicians…and Asher.
Thinking of the cowboy left her with another pang. They hadn’t exactly left things in a good place.
Branson rapped on the door of the office she’d been using to make her call. She pocketed her phone and stood.
“Good lunch?” he asked.
“Just a sandwich.” One she hadn’t eaten.
“Me too. Getting sick of ham. You ready to head to the fishing spot?”
Fly fishermen always flocked here at this time of year, and they could spend every day for weeks down there citing people for not having the proper licenses or equipment.
She nodded. “Let’s not waste any more time. I have to get out and check those traps. Also, I received a tip about where there might be a coyote den.”
“Good. You’ve been running in circles on this project.”
She stopped walking and looked up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Just that you’ve only caught one for relocation. But that’s better than Moon, I guess. He only dragged in one that Radosh shot.”
“Are people talking about it? Like the other wardens?”
Branson looked away and climbed into his truck. She slid in next to him. “I’m not letting this go, Branson. What are they saying?”
“That we need some other wardens on the hunt.”
“We haven’t heard of any attacks since the veterinarian’s dog. Maybe the pack is on the move already.”
Branson eyed her and then started the truck.
“Let’s just check on the streams, and then I can get out and work on the coyote problem,” she said.
“Why don’t we take a ride out to that place you said you have a tip about?”
It wouldn’t be the same as working with Asher, but her job came first.
“Yes, let’s do that. Head out past Radosh’s.”
As they drove, she kept her attention on the roadside for signs of wildlife.
“So…I saw the waitress a second time,” Branson said.
She smiled. “That’s great. How was it?”
Branson bumped onto a back road that circled Radosh’s property and ran along the creek where she had found a lot of animal sign before. “I think she likes me too. I’m not sure why.” He chuckled.
“Because you’re a great guy, that’s why.”
“She’s way out of my league, though. She’s beautiful and I’m this big nerdy animal guy.”
“You also deal with a lot of angry trespassers a
nd drunk guys who don’t want to put away their weapons. Have you forgotten?”
He grinned. “That sounds much less geeky. Why didn’t I think of that?”
She laughed. “I have no idea. You’ve got to learn to talk yourself up more, Cody.”
“Is that what you do with Moon?”
She glanced away. “Why would I brag myself up to Moon?”
“I guess I just thought you two… Maybe I’m wrong.”
Silence passed for several heartbeats. Finally, she said, “You’re not wrong.”
His smile hit his boyish face again. “I knew it.”
“But I’m not sure it’s going anywhere. Last time we were together, he put distance between us.”
“How so?”
“He keeps telling me how wrong I am about him, that he’s a bad guy.”
“Ah.”
“What does ‘ah’ mean?”
“I guess I was just thinking if I grew up with everyone in the town hating my family, I’d have a hard time seeing anything besides that too.”
She blinked at her partner.
He raised a brow. “What?”
“I don’t know why I didn’t talk to you about this right away. You answered my question in about three seconds.”
“You were asking yourself why he was pushing you away, weren’t you? And you didn’t see the big picture of why.”
“Yes,” she said slowly. “I guess I see the relationship—or whatever exists between us—and he’s fighting his own character.”
“Heavy stuff, Reynolds. You sure you don’t want to go find some nice waiter? I’m sure the waitress can hook you up with one. It’s much easier than trying to guess what your man’s thinking.”
She sighed. “Right now, that sounds enticing. Believe me, I’m getting whiplash from Asher’s hot/cold responses to me. One minute he wants me and the next he’s telling me to go home.”
Branson nodded. “Sounds difficult. And painful.”
She bit into her lower lip.
“Just don’t let it get the best of you. Know when to walk away, Kinsey. You’re too good to be treated bad.”
“He’s not treating me bad,” she responded quickly. “But maybe we want different things.”
“That’s even harder. Have you asked him what he wants?”
“Not exactly.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not sure what I want.”
He chuckled. “Now you’re talking like a typical woman.”
“A woman who carries a taser. Don’t forget that.” She reached for her belt, and he broke out laughing.
The talk with Branson about Asher actually left her feeling lighter. After they stomped around the woods searching for signs of coyote, and scared up some deer that were bedded down, she came to the conclusion that more research would need to take place before she accepted Trent’s clues to the animals’ whereabouts as fact.
When they headed back to the truck, her phone vibrated. One glance at the number had her heart thumping faster.
She brought the phone to her ear. “Hi, Asher.”
“Can you meet me?”
Taken by surprise by the urgency in his tone, she sucked in a breath. “Yes, of course.”
“Now?”
“Yes. I’m with Branson right now, but I can meet you somewhere within twenty minutes.”
“Come to the house. One of our horses was attacked this morning.”
Her heart stuttered. “Oh my God.”
“Yeah. Our prize stud. The one that keeps this ranch afloat right now. Fuck! I gotta go. Come up as soon as you can and this time, if I see one, Kinsey, we won’t be trapping it.”
She swallowed hard. “No. Of course. I think the time is past and we need to take more action.”
“See ya in a bit.” He hung up, and she stared at Branson, who’d stopped walking to listen to her conversation.
“What happened?” Branson demanded.
“I was wrong that there weren’t any attacks overnight. They just didn’t report it till now. Hurry—I have to get back to my vehicle. The Moons’ horse was attacked.”
* * * * *
“Fuck. Now what?” Asher stared at Zayden, who shook his head.
“Dunno. We need to see if Brennah did enough for the horse to keep it on its feet. All we can hope for is the swelling goes down and the stitches in the ligament hold.”
“When the fuck did they even attack? The horse was fine this morning when I gave him feed.”
“He wasn’t limping at all? Not lying down?” Zayden must have asked these questions half a dozen times already, and each time, Asher gave the same reply.
“No, he was fine. Trotted over to the hay I gave him.”
“Damn.” Zayden ran a hand over his lined face. “It’s so not like a coyote to attack in broad daylight. And the fact that we didn’t hear several is even stranger.”
“They’re opportunistic predators. If they’re hungry, they’ll be out hunting. I’ve seen them out in the day before.” Asher tugged at brim of his hat. “Only thing I can think is they slipped in while Dane and I were out checking the herd.”
“Yeah, and I wasn’t home because I stayed with Esme too late this morning.”
“Don’t kick yourself for it. Any other time, it’s fine that you stay in town with her.” At the sound of tires on gravel, he cocked his head. “That’s Kinsey. I’ll be on the hunt.” He took off walking.
“Ash.”
He looked back.
“You seem pretty determined now to find these coyotes and end the problem.”
“Yeah, I guess I just needed a bigger fire lit under me.”
He set out across the expansive yard and reached the driveway. Kinsey stood there, looking toward the house. Golden highlights shone in her sandy hair. When she looked around and met his stare, his stomach bottomed out.
He took a step and then stopped again.
Fuck, he’d been a jerk to her—again. And all because he was a damn coward. How to stop running from the hell hounds that licked at his heels, though? Too many demons lived in his past, and shaking them didn’t look good for his future. Just looking at Kinsey filled him with all the peace he’d never found in a lifetime of searching.
“Hey.” She chewed her lip.
He removed his hat and scraped his fingers through his hair. “Hey.”
“Is the horse going to be all right?”
“It’s still up in the air. Brennah did her best. Now it’s a waiting game. She and Dane are on watch.”
“When did it happen? Overnight?”
“No—that’s the worst part. We were around.”
“In daylight?”
“Yeah.” His response came out gritty, and it had more to do with the sight of her than the situation.
Her soft sigh stirred his insides. When he leveled his stare on her, she shifted from foot to foot.
He had to make things right with her before they went another step. “Kinsey. I’m sorry for yesterday.”
“I understand,” she said. Then she sliced a hand through the air. “Actually, no, I don’t. I don’t understand how we can be so connected—I know I’m not only imagining this—and then you back off. Why?”
Fuck, he couldn’t even put his reasons into words.
As she stepped up to him, the sweet scent of peaches rushed toward him on the breeze. “You think you’re the only one who’s scared here? Typical man. It’s all about you and your feelings.”
“Wait a minute. That’s women you’re describing.”
“Is it now? At least I was brave enough to admit I’d choose you when you asked. You just spout off how horrible you are and how you’re no good for me. Isn’t that for me to determine?”
“Kinsey.” He reached around her nape and dragged her the few inches toward him until her body molded to his.
Staring up at him, she took a hitching breath. “Yes?”
“You kiss better than you argue.” He crushed his mouth over hers, cutting
off her retort. The soft push of her lips against his surrounded his heart with a heat he didn’t know how to make sense of. He slipped his fingers upward to cradle her skull, and she issued an even softer sigh.
Before things got started to the point he wanted to finish them, he drew back. Dropping his forehead against hers, he listened to her uneven breathing. “We have work to do. If you’re game.”
She nodded, nose brushing his. “I figured. And since we’re not having luck with trapping and relocation, it’s probably time to take other steps. What are you thinking?”
“That they’re sticking around here. With Brennah’s dog and then our calf and horse, I think they’re staying near the creek.”
She tipped her face up to look in his eyes. “Have you seen any tracks?”
“Just a few along the water’s edge, same as we saw at Drover’s and Radosh’s. Are you up for a long walk today?”
“Of course.” She looked down at her sturdy hiking boots.
“Okay. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go inside—grab a bite to eat. I haven’t had anything and I’m starved. How about you?”
“I…”
He grabbed her arm and tugged. “Come meet Mimi properly this time.”
She blinked in surprise. Hell, he surprised himself, but he couldn’t back out now. Reaching back, he closed his fingers around hers. She squeezed his hand, which did things to his damn heart.
When he led Kinsey into his kitchen, the scents of chicken and dumplings wrapped around him. Mimi stood at the stove, stirring a big pot.
“You makin’ enough, Mimi?” he drawled.
“If you men didn’t eat like you’re fifteen…” She threw a look over her shoulder and then did a double take, the rest of her sentence lost. She turned with a smile for Kinsey.
“Mimi, this is Kinsey Reynolds.”
She bustled forward, hands outstretched to take Kinsey’s. The smile Kinsey wore had his heart doing a triple beat. The feelings bouncing around his chest right now confused him and at the same time suffused him with energy.
“You’re the game warden. I read about you coming on the team in the newspaper,” Mimi said.
“Yes. The food smells delicious.”