by Desiree Holt
Finally he drove the car to an area in the complex that had a do-it-yourself carwash and gave the exterior a good cleaning. Finished, he tucked the car away where Hank had told him, double checked to make sure the apartment was locked, and climbed into his truck to head for the Patterson ranch.
The Patterson ranch. He’d heard about it from relatives who had been there but never visited himself. There had been bad blood for some reason between his father and the rest of the family. It used to bother him, but not anymore.
His mother had passed away a few years ago, and he’d never had an easy relationship with his father, so going home didn’t hold much appeal. He was still unsettled, missing the SEALS and having no idea what to do with himself except try to drink away his bitterness.
The one time he’d met Hank a year ago, the man had been incredibly friendly and not the least resentful that Sean had ignored that branch of the family for so long. He insisted Sean put his phone number in his contacts list and did the same on his own phone.
“Just in case,” he’d insisted.
He’d texted occasionally, and Sean had answered briefly. But he’d been at loose ends after his discharge, unsure of where he belonged. So, for whatever reason, when he finally got tired of his own miserable company, he’d decided to get in touch with Hank. His cousin didn’t ask any questions. Didn’t demand any kind of explanation. Just invited him to come to the ranch and have a look at what Hank was involved with now. Only a look, Hank had said. That was all he committed to.
He’d sure dragged his feet, though, on the drive from New Mexico. When he’d landed in Helena, he’d checked into a low-rent motel attached to a bar so he had the two things he’d been closest to since his discharge, whiskey and a bed. But after a week of being a grumpy customer at the bar and feeling sorry for himself, he’d decided he needed to get his shit together.
Was it the night he spent with Zoe? The realization that while he might think he was numb to feeling anything that it wasn’t necessarily so? He’d never connected like that with a woman before, and it frightened him. She gave everything and asked nothing. Not anything.
He’d been a coward when she got up to leave this morning. No, an asshole was more like it, because he didn’t know what to say. But it made him take a long look at himself. Maybe if he cleaned up his act, he could try to find her.
Then there were the last words his commanding officer had spoken to him, words he’d been trying to wipe from his brain.
“Make me proud, Sean. You always have.”
Well, proud wasn’t what the man would have been feeling up to now, so he yanked himself out of bed after Zoe left, showered, dressed, and called Hank to let him know he was close to Eagle Rock. And here he was, doing the last thing he’d expected.
Assigned to protect the woman who not only fulfilled his erotic fantasies but actually made him feel human again. Well, hell!
What was it about her that made him feel so different? He’d had literally dozens of women, all of whom he’d given a good time to, but none ever touched him the way she did. On the one hand, he wanted to run from it. He still hadn’t figured out how to live with his damaged body. On the other, he had finally figured out that being a hermit type wasn’t such a good deal. The best he might do was to drink himself into an early grave.
Last night, in the most unexpected ways, had made him take a look at himself that he didn’t much like. It also made him realize that his life might not yet be over if he got his shit together.
And now, here he was, stunned that circumstance had thrown him back together with the woman who had rattled his chains and made him take a hard look at himself. He knew by the look on her face she’d been just as stunned as he was in her apartment. But thank god she’d acted as if they’d never met. Maybe she hadn’t felt the same things last night that he had. How would she react when he walked into Hank’s place?
Quit thinking about it. It is what it is. Pay attention to what Hank is offering and decide if you’re through feeling sorry for yourself and making a fucking shit pile out of your life.
His SEAL teammates would take his head off if they could see him now. They knew he hated the medical discharge, but they had faith he’d find a way to redirect his life. What was their motto? Oh, yeah. The only easy day was yesterday.
And then, of course, part of the creed
“I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.”
He sure hadn’t been serving with honor, nor was his character steadfast. If he was to get off the spot he’d glued himself to he had to pull up his big boy panties. He’d spent nearly every minute since his discharge feeling sorry for himself and blaming the world for his problems.
Realizing with a start he’d reached his exit, he turned off the highway onto the road leading through Eagle Rock. The area was beautiful, with giant pine, spruce, and fir trees, and land that stretched away to the towering Crazy Mountains.
“Turn left in one quarter of a mile.” His GPS spit directions out to him.
He slowed at the entrance to White Oak Ranch and stopped at the gates closed across the driveway. A camera was perched on one gatepost, and there was a call box on the right with a button he pressed.
“Hey, Sean.” Hank’s voice boomed out of the box. “Come on up.”
The gates slid open, and he drove up a paved road to a sprawling cedar-and-stone ranch house. It sat on a knoll with the Crazy Mountains as a backdrop, and an abundance of Douglas fir, and lodgepole and ponderosa pines. He parked in a space at the side of the house and climbed out of the truck as the front door opened and Hank strode out onto the porch.
“Glad you made it. Leave your truck where it is for the moment and come on in. We’re getting ready for a late lunch so you’re right on time.”
“I hope you didn’t wait for me. It’s way past lunchtime.”
“No problem. Everything works out. Come on in. Everyone’s in the kitchen.”
Sean walked into the large kitchen and spotted Zoe sitting at the table. At once a sliver of heat shot through his cock. This wasn’t good, especially since their gazes locked and he could swear he saw the same reaction from her. He was struck again by the electricity that zapped him just from looking at her. Was that answering heat he saw in her eyes or just wishful thinking on his part?
There was another woman sitting at the table who rose and held out her hand.
“Hi, Sean, I’m Sadie. I’m so glad to meet you. I’m really glad you’re here with us. Oh hell. Come here.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him.
“Don’t chase the guy off,” Hank laughed. “I don’t think he’s used to such touchy-feely stuff.”
“Oh! Of course! “She dropped her arms and took a step back. “Sorry, Sean, but I love family, and Hank’s really been looking forward to this.”
Maybe because he didn’t know what a wreck I am, Sean thought.
“No problem.”
“You won’t get to meet our little whirlwind, Emma, yet. She’s having a long sleepover at a friend’s. And she is a whirlwind. Not yet five, tiny, but enough energy to wear out an army.”
“I look forward to seeing her.” What else was he supposed to say?
She gestured toward the table. “And Hank tells me you and Zoe met this morning.”
“Yes, we have.” At the sight of her heat flashed through his body, as again, unbidden, the image of her without any clothes, lying in his bed and moaning with passion, flew into his mind.
Damn!
“Lunch is about ready. Um, do you need to wash up or anything first?”
“Yeah, that would be great.”
And maybe he could throw cold water on his very insistent shaft at the same time. He needed to stop that or he’d be walking around with a permanent boner.
“Then let me show you w
here you’ll bunk and you can get settled,” Hank told him.
“I feel like a freeloader,” Sean told him.
“You made a commitment,” Hank reminded him. “Freeloading doesn’t come close to describing your situation.”
Sean wasn’t so sure.
“I thought about where the best place would be for you to bunk,” Hank continued. “I want you where Zoe is at all time. This is a big house, with lots of space. The master suite and nursery are set up so we have plenty of privacy. When Zoe stays with us, we give her the biggest guest suite. I’m putting you in the room at the end of the hall. It’s right by the stairs, so if she tries to sneak by you she can’t.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You think she will?”
“Don’t know, but she’s a real pistol, stubborn, and I’d rather be safe. Although I’ve got cameras all over the house, so not much goes on here that’s not recorded. Sounds the alarm if someone tries to breach.”
“Breach? You think whoever this is might be stupid enough to bust into White Oak?”
“Sean, my man, I have learned both in the SEALs and in my business that there is no telling what people will do if they get desperate enough. And if there’s no one in the office and Sadie and I have to be gone for some reason, you need to be here.”
“I just—” He stopped. “Thank you.” He didn’t know what else to say.
“Did you get everything taken care of at Zoe’s?”
Sean nodded. “I brought the trash with me, though. Didn’t want to toss it where someone could find it and start tracking it down. Asking questions I’m guessing you don’t want to answer yet.”
“You got that right,” Hank agreed. “There may be something on there not too visible to the naked eye. I want to give my friend, Sheriff Alex Rossi, a chance to go over it.” He gave Sean a long, hard look. “I know your road’s been tough, but Sadie and I are damn glad to have you. Keep that in mind.”
Sean looked at Hank. “But you hardly know me.”
“We’ve talked on the phone, and, believe me, I did a thorough rundown on you just like I would anyone I’m about to bring into this circle. The only people I’d trust with Zoe are members of Brotherhood Protectors…and you. Who, by the way, I am hoping will join our group and make your home here.”
Sean felt every muscle in his body tighten. Was he ready for this? At the moment he belonged nowhere, and from the way Hank had described this group it could be what he was looking for. A place to belong after all the shit he’d been through. But what about his injuries? Would they restrict him?
And how did he deal with Zoe? Did she have the same lingering feelings about last night that he did? How on earth was this going to work?”
“I can almost hear your brain being busy,” Hank joked. “Let’s eat, then I’ll take you downstairs to the BP offices and show you how it all works. Introduce you to a couple of the guys who are working on stuff. I know you need a place to stay and, for now, we’ve got plenty of room in this house. That also means Zoe will never be far away.”
Yeah? In that case, his cock had better behave or he’d be in real trouble. Hank would not be too happy if it didn’t, he was pretty sure. What the hell was the matter with him anyway? He had fallen into a comfortable pattern of taking his sex where he could find it and being able to walk away. No emotional entanglements for him. Selfish, he knew, but he couldn’t seem to get past the barriers he’d set up within himself.
But last night had changed all that, shocking the shit out of him. He couldn’t seem to get the images out of his brain. And then, today, there she was again, and he was assigned to protect her by his cousin who was doing his best to give him new purpose in life. Where was his famous SEAL discipline when he needed it?
“Now let’s get you settled and take a good look at the situation. What about the car? Did you finish cleaning it? Find anything?”
“Clean as whistle now and parked where you told me.”
“Excellent. I’m sending someone to bring it back here this afternoon. So. Ready?”
He guessed as much as he was ever going to be. “Okay. Sure.”
“Then let’s get your luggage, get you settled, and take a good look at the situation.”
He guessed he was set for this, at least as much as he was ever going to be. “Okay. Sure.”
He grabbed his gear, which mostly consisted of a large duffel and a rifle case, from his truck.
“You take that everywhere with you?” Hank nodded at the rifle.
“Never leave home without it. And just so you know, I did check, and Montana does not require a permit.”
“Right.”
He left his stuff on the floor by the bed, took the time to wash his hands, and headed back to the kitchen.
“All set?” Sadie asked. “Good. I’m putting lunch on the table.”
This time he sat across from Zoe. Hoping a little distance would cool his misbehaving cock. She just looked so damn appealing sitting there, her beauty unadorned by any makeup and the clean, fresh scent she wore teasing his nostrils. And edgy. Well, who the hell wouldn’t be after what happened? He had to resist the urge to pull her against his chest and assure her things would be taken care of. And hell, that was so not like him.
Get your shit together.
Sadie finished serving and took a seat herself.
Sean looked over at Hank and cleared his throat.
“I did what you suggested while I was cleaning everything up.”
“What did you suggest?” Zoe glared at Hank. “If it has to do with me, I want to know what’s going on.”
Sean looked from Hank to Zoe and back again. Then he pulled the small envelopes from a jeans pocket, placed them on the table, and pushed them toward Hank, who cocked an eyebrow.
“Oh yeah. The prints. So you found some?”
“What kind of prints?” Zoe stared at him. “And from where?”
“I asked Sean to see if he could pull any prints from your car,” Hank reminded her.”
“Oh. Yeah. Right.”
Hank looked at his cousin. “I take it you did?”
“Yes, to my surprise. But whoever did this was pretty sloppy about it. They leaned against the car as they painted the letters.”
“I can take these to the sheriff’s office,” Hank told him. “They can run them through the system for me. We’ll have him take Zoe’s prints for comparison, so we know which ones to eliminate. Zoe knows him, so there won’t be any problem getting it done. Right, Zoe?”
“Yes. I’ve covered some stories out of his office. Even interviewed him a few times. Alex Rossi is a great guy and a terrific lawman.”
“He’s also a good friend of mine and someone we can trust. Sean, like us, he’s a former SEAL. You’ll like him. He’s doing a great job. The previous sheriff was a real piece of dirt. He was mixed up in a nasty business, and the staff needed a house cleaning.”
“That’s what he’s doing,” Sadie added. “He’s slowly replacing the deputies he inherited with former SEALS . Except for one, a woman who he says is better than gold.”
All SEALs? That was interesting.
“How come the focus on SEALs?”
“Because he was one himself and thinks they’re the best. He also wants to help them find a new place in society,” Hank told him. “We’ll head down to his office after lunch, and I’ll let him tell you.
Maybe he’d have a chance to meet them, Sean thought, and assess how they were finding a new place for themselves after discharge.
Hank looked over at Zoe. “You’ll go with us so he can take your prints for elimination purposes.”
“I’ll go with you because you’re not leaving me out of anything,” she reminded him.
His mouth curved in a rueful grin. “You’re gonna make this difficult, aren’t you?”
She shrugged. ”Only as much as it has to be. You can keep me safe but not locked away. Okay?”
“Okay, okay.” He threw up his hands. ”Sean, I’ve given you a hand
ful here. Hope it doesn’t send you running off.”
Sean shrugged. “I’m tough.”
Plus, no way was he running away from this woman, at least not until he got a handle on all the wild emotions she raised in him.
Hank glanced from one to the other.
“Okay, then. Once we get all the preliminaries taken care of, I want you staying here at the ranch with Sean glued to your side. If he and I have to be away at the same time, I’ll make arrangements through Brotherhood Protectors for you to be covered. If you have to leave the ranch for anything, although I cannot imagine what that would be, Sean goes with you.”
“Wait.” She glared at everyone. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Don’t I get a say in this? What if I have to go talk to someone? Or do some more research. I am not nearly done with getting every fact I can. I can’t be locked up here. Hank, I know you have my safety at heart, but now you’ve provided me with my own personal security guard”—she made a face at the word—“I have to be able to go places and do things. And be very careful,” she added.”
“You can do all the research you want on your laptop. Everything is digitized these days, even from ten years ago.”
“But—”
He held up his hand. “But if that happens, we’ll decide how to handle it.”
Sean watched Zoe frown, and just knew she was still working up some kind of argument.
“Zoe.” Sadie finished setting sandwiches on the table and slid into a chair next to her friend. “Whoever this is means business. We all know that. There’s something hinky about Justine’s death, or the police would have gone all out on it and arrested someone long before now. Whoever did it is sure they got away with it. But now, after ten years, you’re kicking at the dirt, and someone is determined to stop you. Work on the book, but don’t be foolish about it. We’re talking about your life here. Okay?”
“You really think someone will try to kill me?”