The Judge And The Heiress (A Salvation Texas Novel)

by Cheryl Gorman

  ***

  Ethan put on some shorts, a clean t-shirt and slumped to the end of his bed. He rubbed his wet hair with the towel and played air guitar. When he’d stepped out of the bathroom and looked down the hall, he’d seen Kinley and the judge dancing together to some sappy love song. He dug around in his backpack for a comic book and his fingers touched a plastic bag. He pulled it out. There was just enough pot for one joint. He’d forgotten he had it. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be doing drugs anymore but the judge and Kinley were occupied at the moment. He could still hear the music in the kitchen. But it was just one joint. But still the judge hadn’t sent him to juvie and if he got caught he’d really be in trouble. One quick smoke wouldn’t hurt. He’d be back in his room before they knew he was gone. He put on his sneakers and headed for the window.

  ***

  The song ended followed by a loud thump. Linc heard the noise somewhere in the back of his mind and just as he was sliding his fingers beneath Kinley’s shirt, he realized what he was doing and pulled back. The radio DJ played a commercial. “Did you hear something?”

  “Not a thing,” she said with a slight breathy quality to her voice. He glanced down at Kinley her lips pink and swollen and her eyes slumberous.

  “I think we’d better go check on Ethan.”

  Linc knocked on Ethan’s door and opened it. His window was raised and the screen removed.

  Linc grabbed a flashlight from his truck and he and Kinley checked the llama enclosure, they looked all around the trailers. Still no sign of Ethan.

  “Maybe he’s in the barn,” Kinley suggested.

  Linc’s shoulder blades tensed and his gut churned. The barn was in shadow with only the sounds of the horses making muffled noises in their stalls. But even above the smell of horse and hay Linc recognized an earthy smell like burnt grass. He looked at Kinley by his side and slowly made his way down the alleyway of the barn. He checked the horse’s stalls and they were alone. But in the back corner where tack was stored, he saw the unmistakable light from a joint.

  Linc lifted the beam of the flashlight and shone it on Ethan lounging in a darkened, back corner of the barn. Surprise covered his face. Quickly, he tossed the joint to the dirt and ran through the barn’s back door. Linc turned to Kinley and said, “Stay here. I’ll handle it. Meet you back at the trailer.”

  The moon eased from behind a bank of clouds and illuminated the landscape long enough for Linc to see Ethan running toward the river. He was out of breath and mad by the time he caught up with him but under the anger was a bitter layer of disappointment. Linc felt like a fool.

  Why did he think he was going to turn a troubled kid around in just a few days? He thought he had begun to make some progress with him but he was wrong. He hadn’t helped him at all. It would take years to help a kid like Ethan. He grabbed the boy’s arm to stop him.

  “Let me go,” he shouted pulling against Linc’s strength.

  Linc could feel the boy’s small muscles and bones beneath his hand and suddenly he felt like a bully. What the hell was he doing? It was like grabbing a small, defenseless animal, having its life in your hands, feeling its heartbeat. Why did he ever bring this kid here? Why did he let Kinley talk him into sticking his boot into her chaotic world of risk and fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants philosophy? Because he felt he could make a difference, a real difference in Ethan’s life but he wouldn’t make a difference like this.

  He let the boy go and Ethan ran forward toward the water. Linc stood his ground and watched him. He was a fool for thinking he was getting through to this kid. His life was going along just fine until Kinley showed up and sucked him into her world. But damn it he still believed he could make a difference in Ethan’s life. And despite everything he was beginning to like being a part of Kinley’s chaos, at least the part where she kissed him whenever she felt like it. He could still taste her cinnamon flavor on his lips. Ethan stopped at the water’s edge and looked back at Linc.

  Linc turned and started walking slowly back toward the farm.

  “Where you going?” Ethan called.

  “Home. I’ve got better things to do than run after a snot-nosed little kid like you.”

  “I’m not a little kid.”

  “You sure do act like one.”

  “I’m not going to juvie,” Ethan yelled after him.

  “Tell that to the next judge,” Linc called back and kept right on walking. If he had to, he’d call the cops to pick Ethan up but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. He could hear Ethan’s footsteps behind him and turned. “I thought you were running away.”

  “What do you mean the next judge?”

  “The next judge who takes your case. Like I said I’ve got better things to do. I’ll call the police and have them pick you up,” Linc continued.

  “You’re sending me to jail?”

  Linc heard the fear in Ethan’s voice and hated putting it there but he had to get through to him. “Marijuana’s illegal in the state of Texas. You broke the law. Again. I’m a judge sworn to upload the law. I don’t have a choice.”

  “It was only one joint. What’s the big deal?”

  “It’s a big deal because smoking pot puts you in harm’s way. After a while you’ll get bored with it and want something stronger. Then you’ll get bored with that and look around for something with a kick like a mule until your whole life will be about getting high. Let that garbage go now and you can have a better life.”

  He smirked. “You gonna give me that better life by ordering me to dig out flower beds and take care of a lot of dumb animals?”

  “No, you have to do that on your own. But I can help if you let me.” They were standing outside the trailer now. Linc leaned down, grabbed a hose and turned on the water. He handed it to Ethan. “While you’re thinking about it, water those bushes we set in today.”

  Linc opened the door and stepped inside. Kinley was sitting on the sofa in the living room watching television and wearing a pair of loose fitting sweats and a tank top that he could see her nipples through.

  “Did you catch up with Ethan?” Kinley asked.

  Linc slumped to the sofa beside her. “Yeah, he’s watering the plants.”

  “What happened?”

  He told her and she smiled. “Well, Judge McCord it seems you are making a difference after all.”

  He glanced at her chest then back to her eyes. “And you might better put something else on before Ethan comes back inside or you’re likely to give that kid an eyeful.”

  She wrapped the throw lying on the back of the sofa around her shoulders and covered her chest. “Ethan wasn’t the one I was planning to give an eyeful,” she said with a purr in her voice.

  His skin grew hot, his senses sparked to high alert. Her feet were propped on the coffee table giving him a nice view of her shapely legs. Her hair was pulled up in a messy pony tail and she wore a pair of ragged, old slippers with pink horses printed on them. Her green eyes were beautiful in the subdued light, her lips slightly parted. The weather man forecast a chance of showers for the following day and all he could think about was Kinley’s bare skin under his, her legs wrapped around his waist.

  The door of the trailer swung open and Linc jumped to his feet. Ethan glanced inside the room as he walked past the door. “Well?” Linc asked stopping Ethan in his tracks. “What did you decide? You want that help or not?”

  The kid paused, scuffed the toe of his sneaker against the floor and nodded.

  A feeling like he had just corralled a runaway calf swept through him. “Good. Better get to bed. Got a lot to do tomorrow.”

  Linc smiled at Kinley, smoothed a strand of hair away from her face enjoying the feel of her silky, warm skin beneath his fingers and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Sleep well.”

  Driving home, Linc felt like he’d been caught in a dust devil in the middle of a field but for some strange reason he was beginning to enjoy it. He’d had a sexy, cinnamon woman in his arms and he’d talked a troubled kid i
nto trusting him. He turned onto the Rockin M property and couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

  Chapter Six

  “Hey, girl.”

  Kinley heard Ethan’s gentle voice and stopped at the barn door. The boy stood in Astrid’s stall grooming her with a dandy brush while she munched on a mouthful of hay. He murmured some more phrases Kinley couldn’t hear and rubbed a hand over her coat. The horse lifted her muzzle and sniffed at Ethan making him laugh. “Silly girl,” he said and continued to brush her.

  Kinley smiled and warmth spread through her. It was good to see Ethan doing so well and Astrid receiving the extra attention. Since she couldn’t bring Aunt Maddie back, whatever the future held, Kinley wanted the horse’s remaining time on earth to be good and Ethan was part of making that happen. She already loved the boy and the horse.

  Footsteps padded behind her, she turned. Linc walked toward her looking sexy in jeans, a black t-shirt, his Stetson and dusty boots. A corner of his mouth tipped up in greeting, his blue gazed landed on her like a caress. She lifted a finger to her lips in a gesture for silence because she didn’t want to spoil the moment between Ethan with the horse. Linc’s body heat curled around her. A cold front came through during the night and cooled things off but where Linc was concerned, she wasn’t the least bit cool.

  Kinley stood at Linc’s side and together they watched Ethan with the old mare. Instinctively, Kinley leaned against Linc, putting her head on his strong shoulder and her arm around his waist. “I’m glad you’re here to witness this with me,” she murmured.

  “He is making progress,” Linc whispered back. “I hope it continues.” She grabbed his hand, lowered her chin and stared into his blue eyes. “Come with me.”

  Quickly, she pulled him away from the barn’s doorway and against the side of the barn.

  “Hey, what are you—”

  She planted her mouth on his. His lips were firm, warm and giving. All she wanted was to sink into the kiss. She’d tossed and turned half the night unable to sleep thinking about Linc, his smell, his taste, his lean, muscular body and now her frustration point had reached its maximum. His strong arms pulled her into him. She let one hand drift up into his hair and the other to his chest. Beneath her fingers, his chest was solid and firm like a barrier against all danger. Her hand drifted until her fingers clutched the hem of his shirt. She yanked it up and settled her palm on his hard, warm abdomen. His mouth cruised over hers, his lips nipping and tasting, the smell and taste of him filling her senses. Her hand grasped the belt threaded through his jeans.

  “Brush your teeth?”

  Startled, Kinley pulled out of Linc’s arms, her mouth open but suppressing a giggle. She glanced at Linc. He was red from the neck up. “Ethan, how’s your day going?”

  He smirked. “Fine. I don’t need to ask about yours.”

  As soon as he was out of hearing range, Kinley burst out laughing. She put her fingers up to her mouth and said, “Oops.”

  Linc frowned. “Oops?” He shoved his t-shirt back inside his jeans. “God, woman, we’re supposed to be setting an example here not contributing to the further delinquency of a minor. We were just before having—” He gestured toward the barn wall while the red color flooded his ears.

  She folded her arms over her chest. “Having what?”

  He leaned in close. “Sex,” he said in a raspy voice.

  “Is that what we were about to do?”

  His eyes narrowed. “You know it was. You practically had your hand wrapped around my—you’ve got to get control of yourself.”

  She laid her palm in the middle of her chest. “Me? What about you? It takes two to tango and you were definitely on board. And I do mean board.” She glanced at his crotch, where a tent had formed in his jeans then back up to his eyes. “Ride em’, cowboy.” She grinned at the flabbergasted expression on his face. Unable to resist, she cupped her hands on either side of his handsome face and gave him a quick, hard kiss.

  “Stop that,” he said in a half-hearted protest.

  She laughed. “I do believe you’re starting to relax.”

  ***

  Later, Linc thought about the time he’d spent in Kinley’s arms pressed against the barn and wished he was still there. Christ, the woman was pulling him into her crazy, go-for-it world and damn if he wasn’t beginning to like it. He pushed back his hat and wiped a hand over his sweaty brow. The heat must be affecting his brain.

  He scraped some more paint off the side of the trailer and watched Ethan do the same only he was paying more attention to Lilly than scraping paint. Lilly was watering some of the new plants they’d set in. She wore faded cut-off jeans and one of those tops that young teenage girls wore that fit kind of tight and rode up to show off their midriff. If she was his daughter, she’d never have left the house dressed like that.

  Her hair was in a ponytail and she had ear buds in. Her hips swung slightly to the beat and Linc glanced at Ethan. Poor kid. His tongue was practically hanging out and his eyes were as hungry as a newborn pup who’d just been separated from its mother. Lilly disappeared around the side of the trailer. Ethan’s shoulders slumped and a pained expression covered his face. He scraped half-heartedly at a patch of peeling paint.

  “Go talk to her,” Linc suggested. “It’s time for a break anyway. I’ll go inside and get us something to drink.”

  Ethan’s cheeks turned bright red. “Why would I do that?”

  “Because you’ve been mooning around like a love sick hound dog since you first laid eyes on her. Anybody can see that. Go talk to her. I’ll be right back.”

  Stepping inside the cool trailer, Kinley’s apple scent filled the air and he couldn’t help but take an inhale. The eau-de-Kinley made him want to wrap her in his arms, lay her down somewhere cozy and have his way with her and he might have if she hadn’t gone into town. He pulled three bottles of water from the fridge then went back outside.

  Lilly and Ethan’s laughter drifted on the hot breeze. Linc followed the sound and handed them each a bottle of water.

  Ethan only had eyes for Lilly. He didn’t even look at him when he took the bottle, just stood there with a silly grin on his face. And Lilly had no idea Ethan had a huge crush on her. The growl of a motorcycle echoed up the road and soon the bike slid to a stop kicking up gravel and dust. The driver, a teenage boy swung a leg over, took off his helmet and waved at Lilly.

  Her face lit up.

  All of Lilly’s attention zeroed in on the blonde Adonis with the black t-shirt, jeans and cocky grin. “Hi, Mitch,” she said. He sauntered over, cupped the back of Lilly’s head and gave her a kiss. Sparing Ethan a glance he said, “Hi, kid.” Then he went back to focusing all of his attention on Lilly who drank it in like parched earth absorbs much needed rain.

  Sorry, Ethan.

  Poor kid. The misery on Ethan’s face said it all. “Hey, Lilly, you still going to teach me how to ride?”

  She beamed him a quick smile. “Sure, you just say the word and we’ll get started.”

  “How about now?”

  Ignoring Ethan, the blonde Adonis said, “Want to go four wheeling over at the lake? Rob and Audrey and a bunch of others are meeting up there. Then we’re going for burgers at the Bluebonnet. What do you say?”

  “Sounds like fun,” Lilly said. “I’ll need to be back by four though to feed and everything.”

  The Adonis grabbed her around the waist and kissed her on the cheek. “No problem. I’ll have you back in time.” He turned and sauntered back to his motorcycle.

  Lilly laid a hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I’ll teach you to ride soon, I promise.” She handed him the hose, joined Adonis on the bike and in a cloud of dust they were gone.

  Ethan shuffled back to the other side of the trailer, picked up the scraper and dug the edge into the wall pushing with all his might.

  Linc ran his scraper over a piece of siding. “I’m sorry.”

  Ethan kept scraping. “Sorry? About what?”

  �
�Sorry the boyfriend showed up and ruined everything.”

  “What would you know about it?” Ethan said gouging the scraper into a board, chips of oxidized paint scattering on the ground like confetti.

  Linc chuckled. “Plenty. When I was in eighth grade there was this total goddess who was a sophomore. She had huge blue eyes, silky blonde hair and a smile like an angel. She was really nice too and always said hello to me. She even came to my rescue one day when the class bully was picking on me. She helped me pick up my books, told the kid to get lost or she’d report him to the principle.

  “Afterward, we went outside and ate our lunch together. She talked to me like I wasn’t a kid and I fell in love on the spot. I couldn’t see straight for days. One day I brought a bouquet of roses from my mother’s garden with a bow tied around them. There I was in my best jeans and western-style shirt, my hand clutching the flowers, my heart racing like a horse at full gallop walking toward her down the hall. She was standing at her locker with the sun streaming over her hair. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I was about half-way there when Jax Thompson, the star quarterback showed up. When he stepped up beside her, she got all shy and started batting her lashes at him. He whispered something in her ear making her laugh.”

  Linc pushed the scraper over the side of the trailer. “I stood there like an idiot unable to move, holding those stupid flowers. Then the goddess saw me and said, ‘Oh, hi, Lincoln.’ She always called me Lincoln never Linc. She wanted to know who the flowers were for and my girlfriend’s name.

  “You know that feeling you get when you’re being yelled at good and proper and it’s like the more they yell the smaller you get? And you start to notice little things like a bug crawling on a blade of grass and you wish to almighty God that you were down there with that bug? I felt just like that.