by Debbie Mason
Gage and Sawyer might believe the guy in the truck had nothing to do with little Jack being missing, but Jill couldn’t let it go. “What if the guy in the pickup…” She shuddered, unable to finish, but then a thought came to her and she twisted at the waist. “Annie, come here.”
The young girl opened the screen door. “Yes?”
“How long was Trent here?”
Annie bit her lip and looked down at her black high-tops. “Just before the pizza guy. But I didn’t let him in. And I kept checking on little Jack. I swear, he was only out of my sight for two minutes.”
“Did Trent mention his dad? Has he seen him around town, like he was following him?”
She nodded. “He didn’t want to tell his mom.”
“Thanks, Annie. You can go back inside.”
She hesitated, then met Jill’s eyes. “Are you going to tell my dad and Trent’s mom?”
“Yeah, I am. If…Yeah, I have to tell your dad. But you can call Trent and give him a heads-up. Gage.” She waved him over.
“So you think it was Dawson in the white pickup?” Sawyer asked as Gage jogged up the walkway.
“I do.”
Once she filled Gage in, the two men left on foot to search for little Jack. Gage went one way and Sawyer the other. Jill called Suze to get her to do a search on Steve’s truck for the make, model, and plate. Within five minutes Suze had the information she needed. Jill went over Gage’s head and ordered an APB on Steve. She didn’t believe he was involved but he may have seen something that would aid in the search.
She looked up to see Skye coming up the walkway. She joined Jill on the steps and gave her a hug. “They’ll find him, you know. Ethan said to tell you he can’t get away from court, but his lead investigator and several of his office staff are on their way to join in the search.”
“Thanks, I…we appreciate it. Where’s Evie?”
“Betty Jean has her. Daddy’s out looking for little Jack. Now tell me what you need me to do.”
“I have to make some calls.”
“Okay, I can do that.” She pulled out her phone.
Ten minutes later they both looked up as a black Mustang roared down the street, double parking in front of the house. Chloe and Madison got out of the car.
“Honestly, someone should take Chloe’s license away from her. Look at poor Maddie. She’s as white as a sheet.”
She did look pale, but Jill had a feeling it wasn’t from the ride. Madison held Jill’s eyes as she came up the walkway. “I’m so, so sorry. I never would have suggested Annie—”
Jill raised her hand. “No, it could have happened to any of us. You know that. But you should probably go talk to her. She’s pretty upset.”
Madison gave Jill a quick hug. “Can I get you anything, something to drink or…You probably can’t think of food right now, can you?”
“No, but thanks.”
As Madison disappeared into the house, Chloe ended a phone call and hurried up the walkway. “That was Cat and Grayson. They’re out looking, too. Grayson called in some of his buddies from the FBI, and Paul rounded up a bunch of the staff from the hospital. Now, what do you need me to do?”
Skye held up her phone. “We’re making calls.”
Chloe chewed her thumbnail. “I don’t really know many people in town. But honestly, I think they’re all out looking for little Jack. Maybe that’s what I should do. I can drive around—”
“No,” Jill and Skye said at almost the same time.
“My goodness, you’d almost think…” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m a good driver, you know.”
Jill patted the step. “Just come and sit with us.”
Chloe joined them on the front porch and slid an arm around Jill’s waist. “He’ll be okay. They’ll find him.”
“He has to be. I don’t know what I’d do if…” She closed her eyes as she thought about breaking the news to Grace and Jack. She scrubbed her hands over her face. “I better make those calls.” Just as she was about to start, her cell phone rang. She checked the screen, praying it wasn’t her brother or Grace. It was Sawyer. “Did you—”
“Auntie J, I got losted. Uncle Sawyer found me at the doggie’s house. No, I wanna talk to Auntie J. Can I have pizza? I’m hungry. Uncle Sawyer said no treats for me. No, it’s my turn. There’s Auntie Nell—” She could hear cheers and laughter in the background.
Half laughing, half crying, Jill sagged against Chloe. “Sawyer found him.”
“They found him,” Chloe and Skye yelled. Madison and Annie came running from the house. Several neighbors appeared on the street, cheering when Chloe once again shared the news.
Sawyer’s voice came over the line. “We’ll be home in a few minutes. No, you can’t have cupcakes, either.”
“He’s okay?”
“Yeah, I found him a couple blocks over. A bunch of kids’ toys in the backyard and a dog. No one was home. He was asleep in the playhouse.”
“How did you know he was there?”
“The dog. No, you’re not getting a dog, either. You made your Auntie J cry. Annie, too.” She heard sniffling, then Sawyer sighed. “All right, you can have a cupcake and pizza, but only if you promise not to leave the house again. Ever.”
“You’re a marshmallow,” Jill said. And her hero. Today he was her hero.
* * *
Sawyer crept up the stairs, wincing when they creaked. He didn’t want to wake up Jill or little Jack. It was late. Once everyone cleared out after celebrating little Jack’s return, Sawyer had gone to the hospital and spent some time with Bill before heading to the bar. He smiled as he reached the landing. Jill wasn’t taking any chances tonight. She’d put a baby gate in little Jack’s doorway and attached a couple of bells. His smile faded as he heard what sounded like someone sniffling. He walked down the hall. Her door was ajar.
He tapped. “Jill, you decent?”
“Yeah, but…” She hurriedly wiped her face as he walked into the room. “I didn’t tell you to come in.”
He ignored her. “Why are you crying?” he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. She lay on top of the floral comforter wearing blue-and-white-striped sleep shorts and a lace-trimmed white tank top with the baby monitor resting on her flat stomach.
“I called Jack,” she said.
He drew his eyes from her bellybutton ring and winced.
“I know we agreed to wait until they came home, but I was afraid he’d find out,” she said. “I told him not to tell Grace.”
“I called her,” Sawyer admitted.
Jill sighed.
“For the same reason you called Jack,” he said, pulling out his phone. She leaned over and grabbed hers off the nightstand. He frowned. “What are you doing?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Texting Jack to tell him Grace knows. What are you doing?”
“Texting Grace to tell her Jack knows.”
Their cell phones pinged with incoming messages. “He’d already told her,” Jill said at the same time Sawyer said, “She’d already told him.” They smiled at each other.
“Jack said he’s taking back your best friend card.”
“Grace said the same about yours.” He leaned over and wiped the moisture from her cheek. “You going to tell me what the tears are about? Jack knows better than anyone how easy it is for little Jack to pull a disappearing act, so no way he would have laid into you.”
“Of course he didn’t, but I…” She ran a finger over the monitor, a tender smile curving her lips. “He looks like a little angel when he sleeps.”
“Yeah, too bad he has a little devil on his shoulder.” He took the monitor from her. He never would have forgiven himself if something had happened to little Jack. He loved him like he was his own. He cleared his throat. “Look at him twitching in his sleep. He’s probably dreaming about his next big adventure. Let’s hope baby number two is more like Grace than Jack.” He set the monitor on the nightstand.
“I don’t know how they do it. Today decided it
for me. I’m not having kids.”
“Is that why you were crying?”
“What is it with you? I wasn’t crying. I got something in my eye.”
“Uh-huh, seems to be happening to you a lot lately.” He didn’t plan on letting her off the hook that easily, but it was a little hard having a conversation with her when he couldn’t keep his eyes off that long, toned body. He blamed it on this morning’s peep show. He stood up and lifted his chin. “Get under the covers. You’re—” He broke off. Telling her she was cold would give him away.
She glanced at her chest and pursed her lips, then rolled over and got on her hands and knees to crawl beneath the sheets. Sawyer held up the covers and looked away.
She stared at him as he tucked the comforter around her, ensuring that not a hint of her tanned skin showed. Satisfied there was nothing left to tempt him, other than her face, he once again sat on the side of the bed.
“You know, it’s getting late. I should probably…” She trailed off as she looked at him more closely, then grimaced and touched his hand. “I’m sorry. You’ve had a shittier day than me. How’s Bill?”
He smiled and took her hand in his. “He’s good. He didn’t have a stroke. He has a bladder infection.”
“Well that’s a relief. It’s late. I thought maybe…”
“No, I stayed at the hospital until he fell asleep, then dropped in to check on things at the bar.”
“Ah…How’s Brandi?”
“Not in a happy place. She’s mad at Trent for dropping by when Annie was babysitting. She apologized, by the way. And she’s angry he didn’t let her know Dawson’s been following him around.”
“I can’t say I blame her. But Trent’s just a kid. None of this can be easy for him. I hope you told her we don’t blame him or Annie for what happened with little Jack.”
“I did. And I…” He hesitated, knowing she wouldn’t be happy with him.
“You what…” She searched his face and groaned. “You confronted Steve, didn’t you?”
“What did you expect me to do? I can’t sit around and do nothing while the guy stalks Trent. They don’t have anyone else to look out for them. I wanted Dawson to know that they did, so I called him and laid it out for him.”
“What I expect you to do is let Ethan and the sheriff’s department do their job. You have no idea how volatile these situations can be, Sawyer. Stay out of it.”
“Their hands are tied, mine aren’t.” They’d pulled Dawson over to question him and let him off with a warning. Sawyer gave him one, too. Only he’d backed his up with a promise. “Now, no more sidetracking me. I want to know what upset you.”
She sighed, tipped her head back, and closed her eyes. “Nothing. It was nothing. Go away and let me sleep.”
“No.”
“Ugh. You’re so annoying.” She rolled over and gave him her back.
He had an idea what was going on with her. When they’d nearly lost little Jack two years earlier, she didn’t let anyone see her pain or fear. She put everyone before her, trying to take care of them, making sure they were all right. She’d done the same thing when her brother was missing. Today she’d let her guard slip. But with everything going on before and after, he hadn’t had a chance to make sure she was really okay. He moved in behind her and put his arms around her, trying to ignore the feel of her lean, supple body tucked against him, the sweet smell of her hair, the feel of its soft, silky strands against the side of his face.
“Nothing’s going to happen to him, Jill. Tomorrow we’ll handcuff him to one of us for the day.” She sniffed and nodded. He leaned over her. Her eyes were closed. “Are you crying again?”
“No,” she muttered.
He was surprised she didn’t elbow him or push him away. If anything, she seemed to snuggle deeper into his arms. And that show of vulnerability bothered him more than the tears. Maybe that’s why he brushed his lips over her cheek and whispered in her ear, “You don’t have to pretend you’re tough with me. I know you are. But it’s okay to be emotional after what happened today.”
“After? Maybe. Not during. I couldn’t even do my job.”
He drew back. “What are you talking about?”
She rolled onto her back. “You saw me. I froze. If I was Gage, I’d fire my ass. I sure as hell wouldn’t recommend me for sheriff.” She bit down on her bottom lip, looking up at the ceiling.
He cupped her face, drawing her eyes to his. “No one, least of all Gage, expected you to react any differently. Jesus, Jill, you were the one who figured out it was Dawson in the white pickup. Do you know what a relief that was? It was bad enough having little Jack missing, but to think he could have been…”
“I didn’t do enough. If I can’t keep it together, I don’t deserve to be sheriff.” She looked away. “Doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t have been elected anyway.”
“You’re too hard on yourself. You always were. You don’t see it, do you? You don’t see how amazing you are.”
“Right, if I’m so amazing, why did you turn me down the…” She shook her head and held up her hand. “Ignore me. I’m being an idiot.”
“Stop it. You know why I turned you down.”
“Yeah, I do. You’re not attracted to me. So if I’m so amazing explain—”
“So what part of me standing here this morning staring at your incredible breasts and your ass in that thong with my tongue hanging out makes you think I’m not attracted to…Well, hell,” he muttered.
She stared at him. “You think I have incredible boobs?”
“I’m lying in bed with you wearing nothing but a skimpy T-shirt and itsy bitsy shorts, so now is not the time to remind me about your incredible boobs.”
She lifted up the covers and looked down at herself. “I guess they’re okay, but incredible…”
“Trust me, they are. But the point I was trying to make was that I turned you down because of Jack.”
She snorted. “You did not.”
“I did too. And you know—”
“You’re a good guy, Sawyer Anderson. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. Thank you.”
“Oh for chrissakes, shut up,” he said and kissed her to prove to her that she was amazing and intriguing and had the most incredible breasts he’d ever seen. Only it didn’t stop with one kiss. It might have, if she hadn’t kissed him back and kicked off the covers and pressed that long toned body against him. Or made those sexy sounds in her throat that had him putting his hands on her ass and drawing her closer. Or that when he did, she rubbed against him and lifted her mouth from his to whisper, “I guess I was wrong. You really are attracted to me. Really attracted.”
And he was, even more attracted than he’d realized.
Chapter Sixteen
Jill’d had sex before: good sex, decent sex, taking-you-to-a-happy-place sex. But never anything close to what she’d experienced with Sawyer last night. She thought that mind-blowing, seeing stars kind of sex happened only between the pages of a romance novel. The descriptions in those books were so over the top that she’d find herself laughing out loud, skipping them, or wondering if maybe she wasn’t doing it right.
After being with Sawyer, she decided it wasn’t so much her but the guys she’d been with. Sawyer—with a face that could launch a thousand women’s fantasies—had used his powerful warrior’s body to make hers come true. He’d rocked her world. He’d known exactly what to do to make her body hum with pleasure and make her beg for more. And Jill wasn’t someone who begged. She also wasn’t the type of woman who gave up control. But with Sawyer, she’d lost it as soon as he’d put those experienced hands on her.
She probably should be thanking the legions of women who came before her. But thinking of those women made her wonder if there would be more coming after her. Her chest tightened at the thought. And that reaction said it all, she supposed. Until Sawyer, she’d never made love with a man she was actually in love with.
His morning-after routine could use some w
ork, she thought, as she glanced at the indent of his head on the pillow beside her. No kisses, no cuddles, no declarations of undying love. She grimaced and threw back the covers. She was getting a little ahead of herself. Just because they’d had sex and it had been seeing-stars amazing didn’t mean Sawyer was ready for a relationship. The man showed all the signs of being a confirmed bachelor, which she found kind of sad. And not only for her.
On that somewhat depressing thought, she stood up and glanced at the baby monitor on the nightstand. The memory of yesterday crowded in on her at the sight of her nephew still asleep in his bed. She pushed back thoughts of the debilitating fear that had overtaken her, her failure to act. No matter what Sawyer said, her inability to respond professionally had put her nephew at risk. The sheriff on her vision board was coming down as soon as she went home.
And when Jack and Grace got back, she was going to suggest they have a GPS tracker surgically implanted on her nephew. Though Nell, Mr. Murray, and several of the other old-timers who’d come back to the house to celebrate after little Jack had been found did a pretty good job of putting the fear of God into her nephew. They’d all agreed that some good old-fashioned discipline—a swat on the behind—would solve the problem. They were outvoted and had settled for giving her nephew a “good talking to.” Jill didn’t have a problem letting them step in. Sawyer was another story. He’d gotten an earful when Nell and Mr. Murray overheard him telling a teary-eyed little Jack that he’d think about getting him a puppy.
Once she’d grabbed a quick shower and blew her hair dry, Jill dumped the clothes she’d brought with her onto the bed and contemplated what to wear. Something she’d never given much thought to before. Maybe it was because, with her nephew still asleep, she was hoping to entice Sawyer back to bed. Or maybe she was just stalling because she wasn’t sure what to say to the man who’d rocked her world last night.
Twenty minutes later she walked into the kitchen wearing the white shirt Sawyer had taken off last night and left on the end of her bed. She thought it looked sexy without trying too hard. And just the thing to lure him back to the bedroom. The shirt also smelled amazing.