The Fugitive Bride

by Margaret Watson

  But he would, because he had to. Brushing the hair out of her eyes, he murmured, “That wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun in the cab of my truck.”

  “Mmm,” she said. “I’m not sure I’m able to speak yet.”

  “That must be a first.”

  Her sleepy chuckle wormed its way right into his heart. The intimacy, the closeness should have scared him, but instead he found himself storing it up in his memory. This is how it would be if there was no deception between them. This is how it would be if they had an endless number of nights in front of them, nights to spend loving each other, then falling asleep together. Nights knowing that they could do the same thing all over again tomorrow.

  But since they didn’t, he’d make do with what they did have. Tightening his arms around her, he said, “You’re not falling asleep, are you?”

  “I think so.”

  He turned his head and kissed her thoroughly, and he felt desire stir to life in her again. “I have plans for you, and they don’t include sleep.”

  He found no evidence of smuggling the next day, or the day after that. He even managed to get to the cabin near the lake again, and found it just as deserted as it had been the previous time he’d been there.

  He spent the week watching her during the day and holding her at night, but was no closer to resolving his questions. He was ready to call his supervisor, tell him that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing on the Red Rock Ranch, when he came back to the house unexpectedly one day at the end of the week.

  When he walked in the front door, he heard the murmur of voices from the back of the house. They were hushed and hummed with urgency, and his stomach clenched into a knot.

  Making his footsteps as quiet as possible, he crept toward the kitchen. The door between the kitchen and the dining room stood open, and he stopped in the doorway. Shea and Maria were huddled together at the far counter, looking at a list.

  He didn’t say a thing, but Shea must have heard something. She whirled around. When she saw him standing in front of her, a look of shock filled her eyes. Followed by guilt.

  Chapter 12

  “Jesse!” Surprised shock swept over Shea, and she grabbed onto the edge of the counter to steady herself. “I didn’t expect you back at the house this morning.”

  His eyes were impossible to read as he studied her, then Maria. Finally he said, “I finished moving those pregnant cows more quickly than I’d expected. I was looking for a cup of coffee.”

  “Help yourself.” She tried to slip the list she’d been working on underneath another sheet of paper, but her hands fumbled and the list floated to the floor. She bent to pick it up, damning her shaking hands. “There’s still some in the pot in the dining room, think.”

  But instead of turning around and going back into the dining room, he walked over to the counter where she stood with Mana. “What are you working on?”

  Her hand tightened on the paper she still held. “A shopping list,” she said, trying to sound casual. “Maria and I were just trying to figure out what we need for the next week.”

  This time the expression in his eyes was impossible to miss. It was suspicion. “I didn’t know you had to do that, too. I thought Maria did all the shopping for the ranch.”

  “I have to go into Cameron later today,” she improvised. “I thought I’d save Maria a trip.”

  He studied her for what seemed like a long time. “You’re a real hands-on manager, aren’t you?” he finally said.

  “I do what needs to be done.” She watched him, uneasy about the expression in his eyes. “What’s wrong, Jesse? Did you need my help with something this afternoon?”

  Slowly he shook his head. “I’m fine for the afternoon. In fact, why don’t I come into Cameron with you and give you a hand? What else did you need, anyway?”

  She scrambled frantically in her mind to find some chore in town. “I was going to talk to Becca about Demon,” she finally said. That was vague enough. “I want to make sure we’re doing everything we can for his foot.” She tried to smile brightly. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need help to talk to Becca.”

  “Isn’t she due out here soon, anyway?”

  “I’m trying to save her a trip.” Shea swallowed past a swelling lump of fear in her throat. “Her baby is due in a few months, and it’s getting harder for her to get around.”

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. They were filled with a hard edge of suspicion. “Then I guess I’ll see you later this afternoon. I know Levi has all sorts of things to keep me busy here on the ranch.”

  Shea watched him turn and walk into the dining room, listened as he poured himself a cup of coffee. She didn’t say a word to Maria until she’d heard the front door shut behind Jesse.

  “He knows,” she whispered.

  Maria took her hand. “He knows only that you acted strange. There is no way he could know anything about the children in the cabin. The last group was gone before he’d been here a week. And how could he know of the children that just arrived last night?”

  Shea shook her head, her instincts telling her that Jesse was a threat to her children. “I don’t know. But he looked suspicious. He looked like he knew I was trying to hide something.”

  “Why would he think that?” Maria’s voice was patient.

  Shea knew Maria was trying to be logical, but she shook her head. “I don’t know. But I know Jesse well enough to realize when something is wrong.”

  “I thought you were going to tell him about the children, anyway.”

  Shea ran her hand through her hair. “I was, but I wanted to pick the time. I wasn’t expecting another group so soon.”

  “Miguel said there are some in this group who were in danger in San Rafael. That’s why he moved so quickly.”

  “I know.” Shea pushed aside her fears. “That’s why I’m going to try and get them all settled as soon as possible. Those children need to be in a place where they don’t have to be afraid.” She smoothed the list she still held onto the counter. It was names and phone numbers of the children’s relatives in this country. “I’ll start calling these people today.”

  “Are you still going into Cameron?” Maria asked.

  “I have to, now. If I don’t go, Jesse will be even more suspicious.”

  “Well, you can stop at the grocery, like you told him you would. I don’t have enough groceries to feed the children.”

  Shea forced herself to smile. “That’s good. When he sees me pulling up with a truck full of groceries, he’ll realize I was telling him the truth.”

  Maria’s eyes were cautious. “He is going to find out, you know.”

  “I’ll be careful. After this group is gone, I’ll tell him what I’m doing. That way, he’ll have time to get used to the idea before the next group comes.”

  “Is there going to be a next group? Your brother will be home soon.”

  “I know.” Shea felt the stress and worry expand in her chest. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do, Maria. But now that I know I’m needed, I can’t just abandon children in danger down in San Rafael. I couldn’t live with myself if I did.”

  Maria looked somber. “Then I pray your brother sees it the same way you do, cara.”

  “He will.” But she was far from certain. As she slipped into her office to start calling the relatives of the children waiting up at the cabin, she prayed she could get all these children settled before she had to face Devlin with what she was doing. And Jesse.

  Jesse was leaning against the fence when she drove back into the yard late that afternoon, almost as if he was waiting for her. As she slowed the truck, he strolled over to her.

  “What did Becca have to say about Demon’s foot?” he asked as she swung out of the truck.

  She’d had plenty of time to think about what she would say to Jesse. And since she didn’t want to tell him about the children yet, she’d already formulated an answer. “She gave me something else to use to soak his foot, and she’s
going to check on him again later in the week.”

  “Too bad you had to go all the way into town to find that out,” he said, his voice light. But the hardness in his eyes bored into her chest.

  She gestured to the back of the truck. “Besides the new medicine, I got some things for Maria, too. So it wasn’t a wasted trip.”

  Jesse walked around and opened the door of the truck cap. “Maria needed a lot of food.” His voice was flat.

  “We go through a lot of food.” She pulled out two bags and nestled them in her arms. “We’ve been working hard.”

  “Hmm.” Jesse’s answer was noncommittal, and neither of them said anything else as they carried the groceries into the house. After their final trip, Shea walked back outside, then turned to Jesse. She’d never believed in hiding from a problem.

  “I could take a knife and cut the tension in the air into several pieces. What’s wrong?”

  Instead of backing down, of telling her that nothing was wrong, Jesse fixed his gaze on her. “You tell me, Shea. You’ve been acting odd all day. You’re evasive and nervous. In all the time I’ve been here on the ranch, you’ve never been nervous about anything.”

  He was right. And she’d better have a darned good answer for him. Lifting her chin, she said, “I’m sorry, Jesse. I’ve been a little nervous about my brother.” That was the truth, she thought grimly. She just wouldn’t tell Jesse exactly why she was worried about Devlin.

  “Your brother?” She saw the disbelief in Jesse’s eyes. “What does he have to do with anything?”

  “For starters, he owns half this ranch,” she said, and she heard the grimness in her voice. Trying to lighten it, she added, “When he gets back to Cameron, he’s going to need an accounting of what I’ve done while he’s been gone.”

  “And you’re worried about that?” The honest amazement in his voice warmed her temporarily, took away some of the fear that had lodged beneath her breastbone.

  “Of course I’m worried about that. I make most of the decisions for the Red Rock, but Dev’s always been here to talk them over with me. He’s been gone, off and on, for most of the winter, and I’ve been on my own. Now he’s going to come home soon, and I’m a little nervous.”

  That was the truth, although it wasn’t her management of the Red Rock that made her nervous. Jesse studied her for a moment, and she wasn’t sure if he believed her or not. Finally he shook his head.

  “I never thought I’d see the day.” Some of the coldness in his eyes thawed. “Shea McAllister unsure about something. Mark this one down in the history books.”

  “Everyone’s allowed one weakness,” she said lightly.

  He gave her a sharp look, then his face softened in a smile. It was a controlled smile, but she pushed her misgivings away. Draping one arm over her shoulders, Jesse said, “I didn’t think that applied to you. And I never would have guessed that I’d discover your weakness so soon.”

  “That’s not my only weakness,” she murmured, stepping closer to him.

  She felt him tense, felt the heat from his body rising. “Is that so?”

  They moved toward the barn together, and she slanted a look in his direction. “Do you want me to tell you about my other weakness?”

  They walked into the cool dimness of the barn, and he turned and backed her into the wall. “I’d rather you show me your other weakness.”

  Twining her arms around his neck, she fitted herself against him, feeling the now-familiar tide of desire sweep over her. Jesse was the only one who could make her forget her responsibilities, who could make her throw caution to the wind. When she was with him, she didn’t care about anything but Jesse. And although she knew that was dangerous, she reached up and kissed him, anyway.

  His response was instantaneous. She felt the need that surged through him, matching her own. His hands shifted on her, holding her more tightly, pressing her closer with what felt like desperation. But she also felt a reserve, a watchfulness, that she’d never felt before.

  Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up at him. His eyes were dark with passion, but something else lingered in their depths. Something she didn’t want to examine too closely. “Is something wrong?”

  He bent and kissed her again, then set her away from him. “Only the timing. Joe is just around the corner.”

  “Are you still worried that Joe, Dusty and Levi are going to find out about us?”

  “I suspect they already know,” he said, and his voice was dry. “They all have eyes in their heads. But I don’t particularly care to provide a sideshow for them. And we both have work to do.”

  She grinned at him, forgetting the earlier wariness in his eyes, forgetting that she had a secret she wanted to hide from him, forgetting everything but Jesse. “You’re night. This isn’t the time or the place. But hold that thought for,” she glanced at her watch, “about six more hours.”

  His eyes heated, and she felt his gaze on her back as she headed into the tack room to grab the medication for Demon’s foot. Everything would work out, she told herself. These children had arrived before she’d had a chance to prepare Jesse for her secret. Now she had to concentrate on the children, but after they were all placed in their new homes, she’d tell Jesse what she was doing.

  He’d help her, she told herself. He’d believe she was right, he’d see the need for it. And then she wouldn’t have to see that hard edge of suspicion in his eyes again.

  She was good, Jesse conceded as he watched her stroll into the tack room. So good that he was almost willing to believe her. Almost, but not quite. Because he’d seen the fear in her eyes in the kitchen, when he’d walked in on her. And he’d seen the defensiveness there when she’d arrived back home from Cameron. Shea had a secret, and he was afraid he knew what that secret was.

  He’d have to get back to the cabin sometime in the next day to see if it was occupied. But his money said that it would be. He watched Shea grimly as she filled a bucket with water and poured in the “new” medication from Becca Farrell. His money also said that her trip into Cameron today was a sham, connected in some way with the criminals she was smuggling into the country.

  What a fool he’d been. Disgust at his willing embrace of Shea’s deception filled his mouth with a bitter taste. He’d allowed a pretty face and an alluring body to make him forget why he was at the Red Rock Ranch. Dreams he should never have been dreaming in the first place had derailed his investigation. But not anymore.

  A part of him protested, telling him that Shea was much more than a pretty face and a nicely packaged body. But he ignored that traitorous voice. Shea was cunning, clever and charismatic. All the qualities that a good criminal needed. The fact that she’d managed to deceive him, as well as a lot of other people, only illustrated her strength.

  He wouldn’t underestimate her again.

  “When I’m finished here, I’m going to check on the herd we put in that back pasture yesterday,” she called from Demon’s stall. “I could use a hand.”

  “No problem. Should I get the horses saddled?” he answered.

  “That would be great. I’ll take Bluebell.”

  As he gathered the tack they would need and began to saddle the first horse, he heard her humming in Demon’s stall. She could afford to be cheery, he thought savagely. The pasture she wanted to check was the farthest point on the ranch from the cabin by the lake. She figured she could control turn, keep him away from the cabin again, but this time she was mistaken.

  This time he’d find a way to get there, and he’d see what was going on for himself. This time, he’d catch her in the act. And he would expose her for the criminal she was.

  His heart contracted in his chest at the thought, but he pushed away the pain. It was no more than he deserved, after allowing her to outfox him. The pain would be a reminder of what happened if he allowed his hormones to rule his mind.

  Because that was all it was, hormones. How could he ever care about someone who didn’t believe in law and justice? What
kind of life could he make with a woman who didn’t have any honor?

  None at all.

  When Shea swung into Bluebell’s saddle and trotted out of the barn, he followed her, his chest aching and his heart heavy. But he welcomed the pain. It would teach him never to make this kind of mistake again.

  She had blinded him with her smile, charmed him into forgetting why he was at the Red Rock. His own need for her had made it easy to ignore the telltale signs. He’d been ready to call his supervisor and tell him there was no evidence of illegal activity here.

  Not anymore.

  Determination burned inside him like a cauterizing acid, eating away at all he’d felt for her. She’d played him for a fool, and she had almost won.

  He was going to win the next round.

  Shea was at her laughing, teasing best at dinner, and Joe, Dusty and Levi all responded to her. If Jesse hadn’t seen it himself, he wouldn’t have believed the fear that had filled her eyes earlier, or the deception. But it had been there. Just as there were secrets that now stood between him and Shea, as solid and impenetrable as the steel door of a vault.

  “What do you say, Jesse? You up for a round of poker after dinner?” Joe asked.

  He’d known the men played cards after dinner, but it was the first time they’d asked him to join them. Forcing himself to smile, he said, “I’d love to.” He was pretty sure they knew what Shea was doing. Maybe one of them would let something slip during the course of the poker game.

  He glanced over at Shea and saw a shadow of disappointment in her eyes. And in spite of his earlier vows, his body responded, remembering how she felt and how she tasted. Then she glanced at him and smiled.

  “You should be honored,” she said, and her voice was light. “The poker game is sacred. Very few get asked to join.”