She had cleared the barn door, opening her mouth to call his name, when she heard the voices of children and glanced over to the source.
Just in time to see Mackey leap from ground level, grab onto the loft edge like a chin-up—
And flip himself up over the edge like some circus performer.
She went stock-still. What kind of crazy strong did you have to be to do that?
The line of his bulging biceps in that t-shirt, the flex of muscles all along his arms, made her mouth go dry.
He clearly impressed the living daylights out of the kids, too. She hadn’t even known Eric had arrived today. Usually he sought her out and asked what he could do to pitch in. He only dodged being with her when—
When he’d had trouble at home. Once again mingled fury and helplessness rose inside her. She’d tried once to get him removed from his home, but without clear evidence of abuse, the authorities’ hands were tied. Eric’s mother insisted that he was just clumsy, and he never challenged her.
One parent was better than none, was his reasoning.
Didn’t she know exactly how that went? Look at her, still hanging around the Star Bar G when her father hadn’t had a kind word for her in years.
Rissa didn’t like the situation, but she’d warned off Jimbo Chambers. He’d railed at her, but he’d made himself scarce, unless Eric’s presence today meant otherwise. Meanwhile, without more evidence to take to the authorities, the best she could do was to provide the boy with as many meals as possible and a place to seek refuge.
But it wasn’t enough.
She remained in the shadows, watching to see what Mackey would do with two little kids. Their adoration was clear, Eric especially looking up to him with wide, hero-worshipping eyes.
Samantha clung to his side like a tick. Rissa wasn’t sure she could blame her. For completely different reasons, Rissa too would like to be plastered against that tough, muscled frame.
Then Mackey laughed, and she patted her heart. And sighed. Maybe you never got over a girlhood crush. Especially when the boy grew up to be such a hunk of serious man candy.
Abruptly Samantha nodded eagerly and hopped down the loft ladder, racing in Rissa’s direction. Rissa didn’t have time to leave the barn completely before Samantha would discover her presence, so she moved into the light.
Eric was too intent on Mackey’s every word, but Samantha spotted her immediately. “Hi, Rissa! Mackey’s gonna teach us how to be SEALs.”
Mackey’s head whipped around and he spotted her.
“We told her she can’t be a SEAL ’cause she’s a girl,” Eric stated.
“Not yet, maybe,” Samantha said blithely. “Because I’m not big enough. Mackey will teach me, though, and I’ll be the first. Right, Rissa?” Big eyes beckoned.
“Um…it sure won’t hurt to be prepared,” she managed, eyebrows lifted as she looked at Mackey.
He shrugged. “Never hurts to be prepared.”
“I, uh, I just came to see if anyone wanted some water or…” It wasn’t like her to fumble this way, but between the startling evidence of Mackey’s astonishing physical skills and Samantha wanting to be a SEAL, she was a little off her game. She held up two water bottles as evidence. “I didn’t know the kids were here. I’ll just—”
“Eric here can go get more while we’re waiting on Samantha to fetch my rope.”
“Right!” Samantha charged out of the barn.
“He’s gonna teach us how he rescued Aaron,” Eric said.
“Oh, that’s nice.”
“Couldn’t have done it without Rissa,” Mackey said, his gaze intent on her. “Maybe she’d better stay.”
“Oh, I—” She had work to do—she always had work to do. She just couldn’t think of what it was at the moment.
“And in trade,” Mackey said smoothly, “We’ll help with whatever work we’re taking you away from. Deal?”
“Yeah! You could do that, right, Rissa?” Eric’s eyes pleaded.
“Uh, I…”
“Let me talk to her, Eric. You get the water from Celia.”
“Okay!” The boy took off.
Mackey zipped down the ladder with only his hands, an impressive show of strength.
Then he sauntered toward her.
Rissa swallowed.
Mackey peeled off his shirt and shook it out. “Got straw under here.”
She completely lost the power of speech then. It wasn’t her first view of that amazing body, but the sight still rocked her. He was a scarred warrior, a really hot one. He might have been in the hospital not that long ago, but he was still in seriously great shape. No wonder he could do such amazing things with his body.
The feel of it against hers slammed into her brain, and she felt dizzy.
Especially when she realized they were alone.
And Mackey was prowling her way. “Cat got your tongue, Red?”
Yes. And some sort of fever has my brain, clearly. She couldn’t seem to do much about it.
Not that she exactly wanted to.
She closed her eyes and tried to summon one single, logical thought. “Stop that,” she managed.
“Stop what?” His voice was all innocence, but she heard the mischief beneath. Felt his heat only inches away.
“Coward,” he said. Then laid his lips on hers.
The bottom fell out of her stomach. Her hands went loose, and the water bottles nearly fell from them as Mackey kissed her.
His reflexes were quick. He rescued them.
But he didn’t stop kissing her.
“The kids…” she finally managed.
“I’ll see them coming.” He kissed her again.
This time Rissa grabbed on and discovered that he indeed was made of muscle. She wanted to run her hands over his body, wanted to lap him up like a cat went after a saucer of milk. Wanted to rub herself all over him and have his hands all over—
Abruptly he put distance between them. “Glad you found the rope, Samantha.”
He tucked one bottle in the crook of his elbow while he opened the other with a quick, effortless twist of those hands she could still feel… “You look a little overheated yourself,” he said softly, voice laced with amusement as he offered her the water.
She fumbled for her concentration, managed to grasp the bottle, ready to chide him for daring to be amused at her expense—
His eyes weren’t laughing. They scorched her.
“Here, have a drink, Samantha.” He gave the girl the second bottle without drinking himself, accepting the rope instead.
And Rissa realized that yet again, he put someone else first. People around here might think Randall Mackey was the devil incarnate and a thoroughly bad influence, but either they had misjudged the boy—
Or they didn’t know the man he’d grown to be.
Hero material, clearly, she thought as she watched him walk away from her, noting that his back was as dense with muscle as the front of him. She wanted to kiss every last scar. Run her tongue over every layer of muscle.
Rissa took another drink of water.
Not that anything short of a fire hose could cool her off.
Chapter Six
Kids could be such a kick, Mackey thought. He’d only meant to spend a half hour, at most, showing them very rudimentary rope skills, but they’d started asking about ziplines and rock climbing, then Samantha wanted to know about fast-roping from a helicopter, which she’d seen on TV.
He didn’t have a fast-rope with him or the components to braid his own as he’d certainly done more than once, but he did find a couple of pulleys in the storeroom, so he gave the kids a demonstration of how even someone smaller could use the leveraging power of pulleys to save someone bigger.
Though he was not prepared to let Samantha risk herself trying to lower him to the floor. She might be GI Jane in her own mind, but she was still little.
“Gotta give the kid credit,” he said to Rissa as they watched the kids finish the chores Rissa had given them.
“She’s game.”
Rissa grinned. “That she is.”
“Reminds me of you when you were small.”
“You hadn’t moved here yet when I was that age.”
“You weren’t much older. Barely big as a minute.”
“I’m all grown up now.”
He couldn’t resist a sideways glance. “Damn skippy.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and got tickled when her cheeks reddened. Ah, that redhead skin… “Like I said, Red, you grew up real nice.”
He had to stop this. He was turning himself on, and there were two children nearby. He swore under his breath.
She cast him her own insolent glance that scanned down his body. “Ditto.”
“Stop that,” he muttered.
A deep belly laugh rolled from her, and Mackey wished Scarlett could see her now. This was the Rissa she might have been if life had turned out different. If her mother were still alive and her siblings were still in contact.
Her dad had always been hard-nosed and difficult to please, but even so, he’d once had a soft spot for his youngest.
Best Mackey could tell, it had been a long time since Rissa had known any softness in her life.
“What are you laughing about?” Eric asked.
Samantha skipped up behind him. “We’re all done.” She turned that sweet brown gaze on Mackey. “You finished first.” The tone was almost accusing.
“I’m bigger.” On impulse he swept her up and tossed her in the air.
She squealed. “Again!”
Mackey complied. Giggles filled the air.
He set her down. Turned to Eric. “Want to?”
Eric lifted one shoulder, all cool-guy bluff. “Nah.”
Mackey could remember being that age, so desperate to be grown up, to not seem one iota babyish. “Then try this instead.” He picked up the boy and settled him on his shoulders.
“You’re four hundred feet tall!” Samantha crowed. “I bet you’re tall as a tree.”
“No way,” Eric scoffed, but Mackey heard the pleasure in his voice.
“I’m wondering if Slavedriver here intends to feed us any lunch.” He cast a glance over at Rissa and warmed at the approval he saw.
“We might have a stray crumb or two. Do you think your mama might spare us one, Samantha?”
The little girl took Rissa’s hand and began pulling her forward. “She’s making tacos, she told me—come on!” She tugged at Rissa.
“Wanna beat the girls?” Mackey asked Eric.
“Yeah!”
“Then hang on.” Mackey burst into a run. A couple of ribs reminded him that this might not be the best idea he’d ever had, but hell—he’d done this for hours loaded down with a pack that weighed more than this kid and full gear besides.
Pain is weakness leaving the body, was an old Marine saying. The jarheads got a few things right.
And when he heard Eric laughing above him and saw Rissa pick up Samantha and run hard to catch up…
What was a little discomfort?
When they reached the house and trampled inside—after wiping their feet as Celia yelled for them to do or die—he lingered outside while the kids went to wash up.
He caught Rissa’s elbow. “I want you to tell me about Eric. Is some guy—”
“Later. Not when they might hear.”
“But if he—”
Her expression was grim. “I know. I’ve put Eric’s mother Gina on notice.”
His breath stalled. “The kids say you threatened this guy by yourself. Rissa, that’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not a fool, Mackey,” she whispered furiously. “Nor am I a child.”
The sound of children’s footsteps grew closer. “Later,” she said. “After you get back from your courthouse tour.”
He’d already forgotten. “Come with me.”
She reared her head back. “You’re kidding, right? City Girl hates my guts.”
“I think you’re wrong. She’s apparently too much like you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Hardheaded and too proud to back down. But she’s trying harder than you, Ris.” At her frown, he reached for her forearm. “Understandable—she’s got it easier than you. But she’s your blood. How can you turn that down?”
She shook him off. “Easily. Anyway, I have work to do. I’ve blown the morning fooling around with you three.”
“I’ll get you caught up before day’s end. C’mon Rissa, live a little.” He could see temptation in her eyes, so he pushed a little harder. “Please. Then maybe we can take a ride before dark.”
Her gaze lit before she shook her head. “I don’t have time for riding. I still have more training to do.”
“One hour. Plus travel time. That’s all we’ll stay. Then I’ll come back and do your afternoon chores while you train.”
“Why do you care?”
Good question. Fortunately for him, Celia called them to the table before he had to answer.
For the four hundredth time as they rode into town, Rissa wondered why she had gone on this fool’s errand with Mackey. Yes, he was a hard worker, but she always had more than enough to do. If she were twins, she’d still need more time than she had.
But Mackey was fun to be with. He’d kept them all in stitches with various stories from his Hollywood experiences, and she couldn’t recall the last time the kitchen had been filled with laughter.
Her father hadn’t joined them, not that she was surprised. He’d chosen to eat with the hands in the far pasture rather than break bread with Mackey.
He gave her a headache.
“You all right?”
She realized she was rubbing her temple and stopped. “Yeah.”
His look was skeptical, but he didn’t push. “So tell me about Eric’s mother.”
“Mother.” She snorted. “A pathetic excuse for one. She rolls from one loser to the next. Gina should never have had a child. How Eric turned out so great…” She shook her head.
“How did you discover that he was being hurt?”
“I found him hiding out in the barn one day.”
“No child welfare agency you can contact?”
“Do you think I haven’t tried?” she snapped.
“No. Sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too.” She sighed. “It’s making me crazy. The burden of proof is a challenge. Gina’s neglect is sporadic, mostly when she’s wrapped up in a guy, but it never goes far enough to force anyone into action. The last guy hit Eric, but Eric just ran away to me. He won’t turn on his mom, and if you press him, he’ll stay away and wind up with no one to help. I told Gina that if she let Jimbo come back around, I’d show up with a shotgun, but—”
“Eric told me.” His jaw flexed. “Holy hell, Rissa—”
She cast him a quelling glance. “Don’t lecture me.” She smacked the door with her fist. “I want to take him away from her so badly. If nothing else, he’s starving for love.”
“So mostly what you can do is give him a safe place to escape for a while.”
“Yeah.” She was distressingly near tears. “And watch him go back with his little shoulders rounded. But he’s so loyal to her, such a little protector. Maybe she thinks she loves him in her own way, but what kind of mother does that? Has a rolling cast of boyfriends and ignores a wonderful child like that?” She tried to loosen her clenched fists, but some days the frustration, the sense of impotence to make a real difference in Eric’s life just made her want to howl.
Mackey’s big hand covered hers. “You’re not doing nothing. You’re showing him there’s a different way. You’re helping him hang on, not just feeding him. You’re feeding his soul as much as his body.”
She swallowed hard. “It’s not enough.”
“Where I’ve been,” he said quietly, “It’s a feast.” He squeezed her hand, and she blinked back tears. They were nearly into town, and she couldn’t let anyone see her with weepy eyes.
So she withdrew her hand and sat up straight.
“What’s his name? I can have a little chat with him. Give him a taste of what he’s been dishing out.”
She sniffed and swiped at her eyes. “Yeah, right—chat. Please don’t. It wouldn’t help.” She glanced over. “Seriously, Mackey.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Then you have to promise not to go all warrior woman on him, either. I don’t want to see you taking risks like that.”
“You don’t have a say, not when you’re planning to leave the first chance you get.”
His mouth drew tight. He opened his mouth to speak—
But before he could, City Girl popped up beside his door with a big smile on her face.
Until she saw Rissa.
Then she smiled, all smirky and superior.
She’s your blood, he’d said. And okay, yeah, her eyes were smiling more sincerely than her mouth.
She’s trying harder than you.
Rissa sighed and got out of his fancy SUV.
“And over here I want to have an herb garden,” City G—uh, Scarlett was saying.
“Out here? In the middle of town? Seriously?” Rissa couldn’t help asking.
“Absolutely. I want everything as fresh as possible. If I knew more about raising vegetables, I’d have a vegetable garden here, too,” Scarlett said. “But I think it’s more important to support local organic farmers as well as ranchers like Ian.”
“His dad is really going for this?” Rissa asked. Raising organic beef was a leap for most of the ranchers around here.
Scarlett smiled. “He was a hard sell,” she admitted. “But once I threatened to quit cooking for him…” She laughed. “Seriously, I think he resisted at first partly because of tradition and partly because, well, who ever thinks their children know best?”
“Not my dad, that’s for sure.”
“Exactly. So it helped a little, I think, that I was from the big city and could corroborate Ian’s assertions that there would be demand in the surrounding area.” Her eyes twinkled as she looked up at Rissa. “We city folks know a thing or two, right, Mackey?”
“Bet your ass.” He slung a companionable arm around her shoulder, and Rissa wished, just for a minute, that she didn’t envy her cousin so much.
Texas Wild: The Gallaghers of Sweetgrass Springs Book 2 Page 8