He laughed and shrugged a broad shoulder. “Wow. You look a little green around the edges, buddy. Maybe you’ve finally gotten over Sam. She’s moved on. You should too.”
“Did you forget Mindy?”
“Mindy was simply occupying your time.”
“How do you get that?”
“Because I never met her. A man who’s really into a woman takes her everywhere. I couldn’t wait to show off Lanie to my friends and family. You’ll see what I mean when you meet the one.”
“Nixon met her,” he blurted.
“Wasn’t that by accident?”
“You’re going to see red here in a few if you don’t quit pestering me. This isn’t a history lesson.”
He didn’t need to look to see Rudy was grinning ear to ear. Leaning back into the seat, Zander mulled over the racing sensations gurgling through his body at the thought of his neighbor.
When she’d pulled off the hat and he’d seen that the “burglar” was the hottie from the gas station, he’d been overcome with a sudden need to greet her in Cade fashion. Pulling her close and kissing her until her breath came in spurts. Once he came to his senses, of course, anger took the place of desire. He’d had every intention of giving her the cold-shoulder, just as she’d done when he’d been friendly with her in the cookie aisle and she’d treated him like he was gum on the bottom of her shoe. Unfortunately, her big brown eyes had kabobbed him like chicken on a stick. Why couldn’t he be immune?
CHAPTER 6
WYNN WOKE UP feeling stressed. The mattress had more popping springs than a bed in a whorehouse, and just like everything else in the old place, it either needed replaced, remodeled, or trashed. She’d have to replace the bed because sleep wasn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Back in her youth she could stay up for hours, get a few winks and get up refreshed and ready to hit the day. These days, eight hours were mandatory. Back then though, she could also eat all the chocolate, ice cream, and pasta she wanted, but those days were over too. She didn’t mind being on the voluptuous side but being healthy mattered.
This morning required more than fifteen minutes of stretches before she ate oatmeal and fresh berries. Thankfully, the local corner market did have a decent selection of organic, healthy foods. She had a vision of a large garden out back, that was if she lasted the winter here in Crooked Creek, Wyoming.
Surprisingly, she hadn’t seen her neighbor since he’d dropped off the heaters and pile of wood. Mysteriously, a furnace man showed up the next day and then a truckload of cut wood. Although she couldn’t prove Zander had anything to do with either, she would go out on a limb and say he had considering the furnace man gave her a deal she couldn’t refuse. She hoped Mr. Sexypants didn’t get the wrong idea. She remembered how Rory would do sweet gestures for her and she’d fallen like a love lost penguin. Well, she wouldn’t go down like that ever again. A man, if she ever met a trusting one, would have to see her as a woman who could stand on her own two feet.
Not bothering to dress, she went in search of the best “zen” place in the house. The last bedroom down the hall was her grandma’s old craft room. There, she cleared out a spot by the large window and spread the blanket on the floor. Clicking on the dusty radio, she found the classical music station and dropped to the blanket in a cross-legged position. Extending her arms to the sky, relieving some tension in her back, she slowly dipped to one side for a count of ten. Then repeated the action on the other. Dropping her palms to the floor, she eased her upper body over her legs and stretched. She stayed in this position, focusing on even breathing as she released more tension from her sore body.
She got a cramp in her side, but she ignored the ache.
What was wrong with her?
Eventually, she was able to zone out, connecting with tranquility…
And then she heard faint barking from Susie-Q.
Wynn grimaced but didn’t remove herself from the position. Focusing on the soft melodic tune playing from the radio, she imagined herself on an island, surrounded by clear, blue water. The warm breeze wafting over her skin. The sun’s heated fingers caressing her skin. A scent of leather and man. An image of Zander took shape. Three years ago, she would have been caught up in his beautiful, come-hither blue eyes, a smile bracketed with the deepest dimples and charm that could probably make her laugh even when she was sad. Now she was a woman who’d been scorned.
Feeling her inner thighs tremble, she shifted on the blanket and inhaled for five and released for five, yet the relief didn’t make it to her center.
Groaning, she pushed her neighbor out of her mind.
Bark. Bark.
Holly Hell.
She wondered why Susie-Q was barking. Did Zander let her out?
Was he even home? It seemed he came and went like the wind.
Who took care of the dog while he worked?
Why did her back ache? Why did her foot itch?
She sneezed.
Wonder how much a mattress would cost? She really missed the luxurious bed at home. Scratch that. New York was no longer her home. Maybe one day she could have a nice mattress again. It didn’t matter. She didn’t have the money now.
Grrr.
Her inner peace was playing hide-and-seek this morning.
Sitting up, she twisted at the waist…1-2-3-4…
Bark. Bark.
Her patience dwindled.
5-6-7-8…
Shit!
Yoga was supposed to be calming. Standing, she stabbed the power button on the radio and stepped over to the window that faced Zander’s house. His place was the only nearby neighbor. Did he work on Saturday? What did he do for a living? She’d noticed that he had a man working with the horses yesterday.
Pulling back the thin curtain, she peered out, scanning the house, porch, then the front and back yard, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She could see the horses gathering close to the red barn. About to drop the drape back into place, movement caught her attention. Susie-Q bounced into the yard, taking off across the snow after a ball. Wynn smiled and then it struck her…who threw the ball? And then she saw him. The muse of her recent fantasies. Zander Cade. She was busily taking in how nice his jeans fit, crawling her gaze upward over the glint of the belt buckle to broad chest that the checked button down barely covered to clean-shaven jaw and eyes that were looking right at her. Shit! Stepping back so fast, she almost tripped in her haste.
She brought her hands to her mouth, her heart thudding hard against her ribs as she speculated if he saw her. Naked. Staring. Shit! Shit!
Very carefully, she peered through the window, through the curtain. The space he occupied was now empty.
What had she been thinking?
The yoga session forgotten, she was fully aware of her nudity, so she slipped into a T-shirt and yoga pants, a little too late, and pulled her wild hair into a top-knot, brushed her teeth and called it done. She wouldn’t be leaving the house today. She had a list of projects that needed fixing and she planned to do as much as she could do herself. Purchasing the paints and plumbing supplies, she should be able to manage. Although she had money in a tin can in the cabinet, she planned to only dip into the cash if necessary. She wasn’t to that point yet. Her savings had enough that she could live modestly for a few more months, if she watched her budget, since she sold some of her jewelry to a pawn shop. Once the house was livable, she would buy herself some new business cards and spread the word that she had spots available for clients. Not sure how many people out here in the mountains of Wyoming wanted a home designer, she would take any job, no matter how big or small. She wasn’t afraid of getting her name out there. She just had to find someone willing to give her a chance. Maybe she’d have to apply to a few of the shops downtown.
Downstairs, she poured water and coffee granules into her one-cup machine and set it to start. She limited herself to only one cup a day, otherwise the caffeine sparked her into overdrive mode, and when she dropped, she dropped like a lifeless fish.
With cup in hand, she ambled her way down the hall and into the living room, then stopped. She felt a cold draft on her face. The low humming told her the heater still worked. As she took another step in the shadowed room she saw that the door was open a few inches.
Placing her cup on the bookshelf, she went to the door and turned the knob. She was certain she’d locked it last night before she had gone to bed.
Peering out onto the porch, she saw a new set of footprints that disappeared into the area of the walkway that she’d shoveled yesterday.
~~~**~~~
The pounding brought Zander to the window to look out. Standing on the porch with her hands planted on her hips and a frown on her face was his neighbor. He was glad she’d decided to put some clothes on before she went out into the chilly outdoors. Although he thought it might teach her a lesson of the importance of dressing warmer, which she seemed incapable of, he couldn’t bear the thought of her freezing. So, he opened the door. “Can I help you?”
She met his gaze and his heart gave an odd stutter. Not quite painful, and not exactly pleasure. He’d experienced the sensation before, but not for years.
She didn’t wait for an invitation and stomped in, stood about two feet in front of him, her pale blue eyes glistening. He closed the door with his foot but didn’t make any effort to take a step back. He inhaled sharply, taking in her scent which reminded him of cinnamon spice tea. He opted for a smile instead of entertaining her obvious upset.
“Were you at my house this morning?”
He blinked. “No. Why?”
She hesitated. “I-I was checking because my door was open this morning.”
“Maybe you didn’t close it all the way. Old doors tend to stick.”
“Well, sure, but they have to be closed to stick and that wouldn’t explain the set of footprints in the snow, now would it?”
His chuckle made the corner of her lips dip further into a scowl. “It wasn’t me. Maybe it was someone else because if you haven’t heard,” he leaned in to whisper, “we aren’t the only two living in Crooked Creek.”
Her cheeks turned rosy. “So, let me ask, did you send the man who had the load of wood and the guy who gave me a new furnace for almost nothing?”
“How about we discuss this over a cup of coffee?”
“Are you positive it wasn’t you who opened my door?”
He caught a glimpse of fear in her eye. “Listen, I have better things to do than sneak around bitter women’s houses.”
Moisture filled her eyes and suddenly he felt like a big jerk. She crossed her arms over her breasts and that’s when he noticed the bruised cut on her hand. “Hey, let me see that.”
“What?” Her voice trembled.
“Your hand.”
She dropped her arms to her sides. “It’s fine. Just a scratch.”
“I’m sure it is but humor me.”
She seemed reluctant to oblige, but finally she held it out. When they touched his blood warmed.
He was being foolish. Sure, he was attracted to her, but at thirty-five he knew better than to allow himself to get all hot and bothered over just any beauty. It wasn’t easy to ignore how cute she was when angry. At least he didn’t see anything suspicious in her background check besides she had a lead foot. A couple of speeding tickets didn’t make her a criminal which made his first theory about the fake money right.
“Where did you get this?” he asked as he examined the swollen, delicate skin around her knuckles that were a nasty blue in color and the red cut.
“I learned a valuable lesson. Hammers are only meant to pound nails, not hands.”
He squinted. “Ouch.”
“Yeah, but that particular word wasn’t what came out of my mouth.”
“At least it’s not broken.”
She jerked her hand away. “Back on track. Maybe someone just came to the house and knocked, and I didn’t hear them. The door could have popped open.”
So, she was in a hurry to change the subject? “You wouldn’t hear it?”
“I tend to have a hard time sleeping so I had the fan on all night.”
“And you really thought I would open your door?’ Why did he feel a deep sadness? The idea curled like claws through him.
Her features softened some. “I-I guess I did jump the gun a bit. It’s just that, well, I was in shock and you’re the only one I know who I could think…”
“That would come over uninvited?”
“That’s not nec—”
“Give me a minute to get my coat and boots on and we’ll walk back over together.”
“It’s really not necessary. I can call the Sheriff if I feel the need.”
“Wynn, fact is, you didn’t call the Sheriff. You came here. So now that I’m involved, why don’t you allow me to help? Trust me.”
CHAPTER 7
WYNN STARED AT the floor, sipping her coffee as Zander checked the outside for footprints. She wasn’t sure if she was more angry or fearful. Her peace of mind was off kilter. She didn’t know anyone in town, and the thought made the loneliness burrow deeper into her bones.
Zander came back in, swiped his feet on the mat and looked at her with apprehension.
“Did you find any clue as to who could have been here?” she asked.
He gave his head a shake, took off his hat and held it against his chest. “Sorry.”
Wynn dropped her arms to her sides and fought back the need to allow emotions to take over. She hadn’t felt the need to cry until she saw Zander and the platform of his chest that looked good enough to fall against.
“You’re sure you didn’t hear anything?”
“No, nothing. Did you?”
“I didn’t get home until after one. What time did you go to bed?” he asked.
“Eleven.”
“So that gives us a time frame between elevenish and twelve-forty-five.”
“How do you know? How can you be so precise?”
He placed his hat back on his head. “Susie-Q would have alerted me to any unwanted activity at my house and yours.”
“By the way, because you’re always gone, who watches your dog? You don’t leave her alone, do you?”
“On occasion.”
“Look, this might be a little presumptuous, but I thought maybe I could help out, take Susie-Q for walks, dog-sit. It’s the least I can do to say thank you.”
“For what?”
“Considering your furnace guy friend gave me a deep discount and I now have heat and wood to last all winter, I think I owe you something.”
“I didn’t say I had anything to do with either.”
“Yes, you did. It was in your expression.”
“I think you’re reading something that’s not there.”
“But did you?” She met his gaze, holding it, finding herself wanting to swim in the ocean of those blue pools.
“Yeah. I did. Remember, I told you, hospitality is alive and well here in Crooked Creek.”
“So then, I’m offering to help you in return. I love animals and although I haven’t had one in years, I think Susie-Q took a liking to me.”
“Of course she did.”
He smiled and somehow, some way, it triggered emotion in her, and then something unexpected happened. Tears filled her eyes. Her life had suddenly swung into a whirlwind. “I’m sorry that I bothered you with this. I-I’m just getting used to everything. You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“Hey, slow down. I know this has caught you off guard, but you’re safe.” His gentle voice soothed her some, but her control gave way. The tears she’d been containing behind a dam broke free. She turned, hopefully before he saw the waterworks. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her weakness or an ugly cry.
Looking through the window, she swiped the arm of her sweatshirt across her cheeks. She finally thought she had her emotions under control until he came up behind her and placed a large, comforting hand on her shoulder. “This probably adds up to me losing my mi
nd.” She laughed but it came out as a sobbing squeak. Swiveling to face him, his hand dropped, and she stared into his gorgeous eyes. Instantly, it was as if her nerves were grated and she didn’t have the strength in her to pretend that she was brave, or that this was just a small setback. “I know this isn’t a biggie. This isn’t the end of the world, but it just seems…well…”
“Like another run of bad luck?”
“Right. I’ve invested a lot in coming here, and lost a lot too. I didn’t expect to find a home badly in need of repair. I-I don’t know if I can do this. I laid down tile for the first time in my life. I hadn’t ever repaired a leaky faucet. But…there’s so much…And it doesn’t help that I’m acting like a blubbering idiot.”
“You’re carrying a lot on your shoulders, but although this isn’t what you were expecting when you came here, that doesn’t mean it can’t be turned around.”
She nodded jerkily. “With all the repairs. Looking for a job. Low funds. Maybe I made a mistake. Not one, but a hundred. It wouldn’t be the first time I made a bad choice.”
“We’ve all made bad choices. If it makes you feel any better, I’m inspired by your tenacity. I don’t know many people who’d have stuck this out as long as you have. Things could be worse though. They were when you got here and just as you said, you’ve done more than you would have thought possible.”
And she could still be with Rory. That would be worse than being here. “I’m sorry to do this in front of you.”
He reached out and swiped the remaining moisture from her cheeks. Warm, callused fingers that carried such tenderness that it released something within her. “It’s okay. We all deserve to show emotions at times.” His voice soothed her. “I know you’re tough. I can see it in your eyes.”
“I want to make my home here.” She sniffled loudly. “This is my place, and no one can take it from me. Agnus didn’t even know me, not really, and she knew this was what I needed and all I can do is complain. You’ve been kind and I’ve been rude. Most people would stay away from me.”
“Come on, now,” he said in a sandpapery voice that tickled parts of her that he didn’t even have to touch to get a response from. Why did he make her feel so helpless and yet so strong too? She tipped her head back, looking up at him and his jaw tightened.
Wanted by the Lawman Page 6