Her Colorado Sheriff
Page 18
“Put me on speaker, and I’ll talk to both of you.”
She touched the button. “Here, Ryan, Cullen wants to talk to you.”
“Hey, buddy,” Cullen said. “How are you?”
“Fine. When are you coming home?”
“Soon. I’m trying for late tonight, or tomorrow.”
The boy nodded. “Did you get the bad man?”
Shelby tensed, waiting for the answer.
“Yes, the police captured the bad man who...hurt your mom. What you told me about the secret closet helped us catch him. I’m so proud of you, Ryan. You did a brave thing.”
The boy blinked back tears. “I’m glad, ’cause I don’t want him to hurt any more mommies.”
She heard the roughness in Cullen’s voice. “He won’t, son. I promise.” There was a long pause, then he said, “Now I need to talk to your aunt Shellie.”
“Okay, goodbye,” the boy said, then he took off down the hall to his bedroom.
Shelby turned off the speaker and put the phone to her ear. “Thank you for talking to him. I think it’s important to know he helped you. And he trusted you enough to share his story.”
“Ryan did help, Shelby. Without him, we wouldn’t have found the evidence for a case. They picked up Whitey Briggs, too, and he couldn’t talk fast enough.” Cullen went on to explain what happened about finding the notebook. “The DA is going through all the evidence now. It’s over, Shelby.”
She sank into the chair. “Thank you, Cullen.”
“No need to thank me. All I want is for you and Ryan to be safe.”
“What about Gil?”
“They sent someone over to his house to find out.”
She released a breath. “When are you coming home?”
“So you missed me?” he asked, and she heard the laughter in his voice.
“Yes, Sheriff, I missed you.”
“I’m trying my damnedest to get a plane out late tonight. If I do, I’m coming straight to you. So don’t be frightened if I show up in the middle of the night. Unless you don’t want me to come by.”
She wanted Cullen Brannigan more than she could imagine wanting anyone. That still frightened her a little. “Yes, Sheriff, please come by when you get home.”
Chapter Eighteen
Cullen was exhausted by the time he pulled into the driveway. He checked the dashboard clock to see it was just after 1:00 a.m. He should go to his house. Yet, the need to see Shelby was overwhelming. He wanted to hold her when he told her everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Even he had trouble comprehending all of it.
The good thing was now she’d be able to move on with her life. A life he wanted to be a part of.
It had been a long time since he believed in happily-ever-after. And he couldn’t imagine that happening without Shelby. He turned off the engine. There were so many things he still needed to deal with. Find a permanent job, for one.
The second, was he the man for Shelby? Could he be the father Ryan needed? He didn’t know the answer to those questions, only that he’d never felt this way about a woman before. And he wanted to see her right this minute.
His heart pounded in his chest as he walked up to the cottage, but before he could knock, the door swung open and Shelby appeared. He dropped his bag as she rushed into his arms. His kiss nearly devoured her, leaving no doubt he wanted her.
The feeling of her sweet body against him drove away every doubt as these new feelings filled his heart. He finally released her, reached down and grabbed his bag.
Once inside, he pulled her back into his arms. “So you were waiting up for me?”
“You could say that.” She stepped back. “I also wanted to find out what happened with Gil.”
He placed a finger against her lips. The last thing he wanted was to spoil this homecoming. “Let’s hold off any business talk until later.” He closed the space between them. “I want to focus on you right now.”
“What do you have in mind, Sheriff?” Her voice was low and sultry.
“Let me show you.”
He took her hand and led her down the hall to her dimly lit bedroom. Inside he closed the door quietly, and he pulled her back into his arms. “Damn, woman. You have no idea how much I missed you.”
She pressed her body against his. “I’ve missed you, too. I’m so glad you’re back.”
Trying to hold himself in check, he softly brushed his mouth across hers, once, twice and a third time. “I’m pretty glad, too.”
Then he heard her whispered plea. “I need you, Cullen. So much.”
That set everything in motion, and his mouth crushed hers, his hunger taking over, and his hands tugged at her robe. Once it was stripped away, he cupped her breasts through her thin gown, drawing a soft whimper from her. Soon, he tugged the tiny straps from her shoulders and down her arms. He took a needed breath as he gazed on her perfect form.
“So beautiful.” He leaned down and captured her nipple in his mouth and gently sucked until the pebble hardened against his tongue.
Shelby gasped as the sensation nearly drove her over the edge. She gripped his arms for support. “Oh, Cullen...”
He released her and began to strip off his shirt. “I want you, Shelby.” Next he worked his boots off, then his trousers. “Now.” His mouth closed over hers, and Shelby couldn’t think any longer, nor did she want to.
Once naked, Cullen came back to her and slipped her gown the rest of the way off, then he laid her down onto the bed. Heart pounding, she stared at the man leaning over her. She placed her palms against his broad chest, then ran them down his muscular arms. Suddenly she needed to feel his power all around her.
“Make love to me, Cullen.”
A smile broke out on his face as he lowered his body over hers. “I plan to,” he whispered.
She wrapped her arms around him as he slipped deep inside her, and together they rode out the crest until they reached heaven.
* * *
IN THE QUIET hours before dawn, Shelby could still feel the euphoria of their joining. She rolled over and laid her arm across Cullen’s waist. “I’m so glad you’re home.” She kissed his bare chest and felt his shiver.
“I kind of got that idea.” His hand caressed her back. “Maybe I should leave more often.”
She raised her head. “No. I mean, if you need to, of course.” She knew it was a real possibility that he might be leaving soon. “I know the sheriff’s job is ending soon, but I hope you find something close by.”
“So you like me hanging around, huh?”
She decided she needed to be honest with him. “Yes, but I think you already know that.” She glanced away, needing to tell him her future plans. “Bess and Bill offered to sell me All Occasions Catering.”
He froze.
“They made me a generous offer making it possible for me to buy it.”
“So you told them yes?”
“More or less, but I haven’t signed any papers.” She propped her chin up on her hands. “I want to make my home here with Ryan permanent. It’s important he have some stability.”
Cullen was quiet for a long time, and it was Shelby who spoke up. “This is your home, too, Cullen. You’re part owner in this ranch.”
“A ranch that doesn’t make any money. I’m not a cattleman like Trent. I’ve been in law enforcement since college, but there isn’t anything here. As soon as Sheriff Carson comes back, I’m out of a job. I need to find work.”
Cullen scooted up and leaned against the headboard, then he pulled her back into his arms. He had hoped that if he couldn’t find anything close by, that she might consider moving with him. “I heard the police department is hiring in Grand Junction.”
He felt her tense against him.
He continued to say, “I know it’s asking a lot, but I was hoping we could work something out. I care about you, Shelby. I want to be with you and Ryan. But so far, I haven’t come up with anything in this town.” He had had a few other ideas about a security system, but he’d have to invest a lot of money into equipment. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I have some ideas that I’m mulling around.”
She reached for his hand, and laced her fingers with his. “Seems that when we get one problem solved, another pops up.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. He thought back to last year when he’d been fighting for his career, his life. He never wanted to go back, but he hadn’t moved forward, either. And he couldn’t until he decided what he wanted out of life before he asked Shelby to share it.
“I don’t see being here with you right now a problem.”
He felt her body against his, and he desired her once again. As much as he wanted to lose himself in her, he had some thinking to do.
“I should be going before Ryan comes rushing in here.” He released her, got out of bed and slipped on his pants. Then he pulled his henley shirt over his head. He made the mistake of looking at Shelby on the bed, and he resisted the urge to go back to her.
“Wait, you never told me what happened with Gil.” She looked worried. “Will we have to go back to Kentucky to testify?”
Cullen sat down on the bed. “No, your testimony isn’t needed. Gil decided he didn’t want to face his crimes, and before the police could get to his house...he took his own life.”
She gasped. “He’s dead?”
Cullen nodded. “You’ll probably hear from Captain Kershaw later this morning, but you’ll never have to go back there, unless you want to.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe it. He can’t hurt us anymore.”
Cullen slipped his arm around her shoulders. “No, he can’t. You and Ryan are safe now.”
She raised her head. “I’m sorry that a person lost his life, but I’m not sorry that this nightmare is finally over.” Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them away. “Now we can truly move on from the past.”
Cullen pulled her back into his arms. He wished he could offer her everything her heart desired. But he wasn’t sure of his own future yet, so how could he promise her anything? He had to figure a way to change that.
* * *
THE NEXT DAY, Cullen went to work, but all he’d managed to do was think about Shelby. How much he wanted to be a part of her and Ryan’s lives. That meant he had to figure out a way to make a living here.
He drove his truck up beside the house and saw his dad in the corral with the horses. And there was his father to consider. It had been nearly a month since Neal Brannigan showed up at his door. Cullen smiled. Strange, he didn’t want to think about Dad not being here.
After changing out of his sheriff’s uniform, Cullen went out to the barn, where he found his father was mucking out a stall.
“Hey, you don’t need to do that.”
Neal looked over his shoulder. “Just earning my keep.”
“Dad, you don’t need to earn anything. I should ask Trent about sending one of his hands over to help out.”
Neal leaned against his rake. “Actually, I enjoy doing this.”
“Okay, I’ll help then.”
It took about an hour, but they managed to finish up the rest of the stalls. They went inside the house for a quick sandwich, and Cullen suggested they go on a ride.
Cullen saddled the chestnut, Danny Boy, and met his father in the corral on the bay gelding, Dakota. They left the other horses in the fenced pasture to graze and run, then took off toward the foothills.
They rode at an easy pace, and Cullen was able to enjoy the Colorado spring flora and fauna. A jackrabbit hopped across the trail. Yellow and blue wildflowers covered the prairie, and reminded him of Shelby. She was different, down-home and creative, and loving and caring...
His father’s voice broke through his reverie. “You’re daydreaming, son. Wouldn’t be about a certain woman, would it?”
He nodded. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Neal leaned an arm on his saddle horn. “If you want me to move out of the house, that’s not a problem.”
“No, Dad. I don’t want you to go. In fact, I hope you’ll stay...for as long as you want.”
He gave his son a sideways glance. “I don’t want to be in the way.”
“You’re not in the way. So get that out of your head. You’ve been a big help with the ranch. All these horses need care, but I don’t want you having to muck out stalls. Like I said, Trent offered to send over one of his men a few times a week.”
“There are only four horses to care for. I can handle them on my own.”
“Okay, but promise me you’ll say something if it gets to be too much.”
“I will.” His father glanced at him. “There is something I wanted to speak to you about. Jeanie Phelps called this morning. The word has gotten around about her sons coming out here. She knows a few other mothers who would like to bring their special-needs kids to ride, too.”
“I guess we could plan another day. How many kids?”
His dad was quiet for a moment. “I had an idea we could do this on a more permanent basis. If we had a few more horses and tack, maybe another special saddle to handle the severally handicapped kids.”
Cullen held up his hand. “Whoa. We only have four horses and there’re only a few of us.”
“The horses might not be a problem. A man stopped by yesterday while you were in Kentucky. He has two...mature horses he wants to donate to the program.”
“Program? Dad, do you realize what we’ll be getting into?”
Neal looked him in the eyes. “Yes. Jeanie’s been doing some research. We need to charge a fee, but if some parents can’t afford it, then of course we can help them out. Jeannie even talked with Haskell’s Feed Store. Ben has offered to donate some of the feed and some bales of straw.” Neal shifted in his saddle. “His grandson has autism, and he thinks the program is a great idea.”
They started moving again, and the slow, easy rocking in the saddle had Cullen thinking of possibilities. “What about volunteers? We can’t do this all alone. Did Jeanie come up with any ideas?”
His dad nodded. “That woman is a force to be reckoned with. Her idea is to get high school kids who need community-service hours to graduate. I’m not going to pressure you, son. I’ll let you think about it. Just so you know, Jeanie and I will handle most of the work. Of course, if you’re not working for the sheriff’s office, it would be nice if you’d participate.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. My contract is up in two weeks, and I need to find something else. I might not have a choice but to leave town.”
His father grew serious. “There’s always a choice, son. Take it from one who knows. I made a lot of wrong ones and I missed out on so much. Make your priorities, and your career shouldn’t always be on the top of that list.” His father looked sad, then brightened again. “And there aren’t many women like Shelby out there.”
“I know that, Dad.” He blew out a breath. “If I didn’t care so much about her and Ryan, this wouldn’t be so hard.”
“Then find a way to stay here,” his father stressed. “Talk with Trent and see what you can come up with.”
They were nearly back to the barn when Shelby’s car pulled in. His heart raced at the chance to see her again. Ryan climbed out of the backseat and ran toward the corral. The boy knew the rules with the horses, and he went to the ramp to meet them.
“Hi, Cullen. Hi, Pops.”
“Hi, Ryan.” His father swung Ryan up in front of him on the horse. Without a question, the boy took the reins and kicked Dakota’s sides, and they walked off.
“I missed you today,” he said, not releasing her.
“I missed you, too,” she said, but her gaze didn’t quite meet his.
“Is something wrong?”
She shook here head. “No, just a long day.”
“Then let me take you out for dinner. I know Dad will stay with Ryan so you and I can talk about...things.”
She shook her head. “Would you mind if we make it another time? I’m really tired. I brought leftovers home from the café. I just want to shower, put on pj’s and watch a movie with Ryan. Sorry. I’m not good company tonight.”
He hid his disappointment. “I understand. Why don’t you go to the cottage, and I’ll drop off Ryan after his ride?”
She finally smiled. “Thanks for understanding.” She turned and walked off.
The problem was he did understand. She wanted what he hadn’t been able to offer her. Permanence. She deserved a man who could give her that.
Chapter Nineteen
Later that evening, Cullen sat at Trent and Brooke’s kitchen table, discussing his idea. “And that’s the plan.”
Trent frowned. “You know how to install and run all this equipment?”
Cullen nodded. “It’s what I did the last five years on the police force.”
Trent tipped his chair back and grinned. “So you’re some sort of computer whiz?”
“Maybe. Mainly, I know how to install security equipment. And from what I’ve seen around town, there are several businesses who need to do a better job protecting their property. Better security will help their insurance rates, too.”
Trent sat up straight. “So where do you want to go with this?”
“I want to start up a business, specializing in security cameras that I design and build. I could do ranches, too. I mean, Laurel has some pretty valuable horses at the Rawlins Ranch.”
Trent arched an eyebrow. “Do you need some money to start up?”