“Oh, I didn’t know you were interested.”
The smile came whether she wanted it to or not. “I asked.”
“Zander Cade. What are you doing here?”
“Making this place my home. Lucky me, right?” She stood up and crossed her arms over her waist. She sighed as she looked at his strong jaw covered in a thin layer of black whiskers that matched his hair except for the tendrils of grey entwined in the thick mass. He had dimples when he smiled, she’d noticed at the gas station, but she wouldn’t see any sign of them tonight. “I have a feeling that wasn’t the meaning of your question, although that’s how it came out.”
One corner of his mouth dropped. “Perceptive. The mountains can be a harsh place in the winter. Sure you don’t want to leave come morning light?”
“Is this the red-carpet welcome? It isn’t very warm.”
“If you wanted warm you should have moved to Florida.”
“Okay. I read you loud and clear. You’re tired. I’m tired too, so how about we call it a night?”
“I’d like to say it has been a pleasure, but somehow I think you’d see straight through that lie.”
“Wow, we definitely got off on the wrong foot.”
“You think?” One thick brow slammed up and creases appeared on his forehead. “What I’d like to know is what in the hell were you doing in the shed, in the middle of a snow storm, pulling up wood dressed like that? I’m guessing remodeling isn’t the answer.”
“No, that’s not the answer. I needed wood to burn. I could have gone for the hutch and tables, but something tells me they’re antiques. I don’t tend to hold on to material things, but I’m guessing my grandmother did.”
He scratched his temple and leaned against the edge of the counter. “I’ll bite. Why are you needing to tear down the shed in below zero temps?”
“Precisely. It’s freezing in here.”
He hesitated. “Turn the furnace on.”
“I would if it worked, but it’s broken…I think.”
“How about I give it a look?”
The last thing she wanted to do was rely on anyone, especially the handsome cowboy who had deep enough dimples that she could swim in and eyes that warmed her even when it was freezing outside. “That’s not necessary—”
“And is it necessary for you to freeze to death because you have too much pride? I’d never forgive myself.”
Why did he have to make sense? Although it was a bit of pride that made her stupid, but it didn’t help that Zander scared her. Not physically, but there was something she couldn’t quite describe. Truth was, she was a survivor and without heat that could be impossible. She grabbed the flashlight and pointed toward the hall. “Okay. Right this way.”
She watched him move across the threshold and down the hallway. His long capable strides like those of a stealth predator moving through the jungle. The muscles of his jean covered thighs bulged with each step, like they had a heartbeat of their own.
“The basement door is on the left and the light switch is to the right. I’ll warn you, if you have arachnophobia, you won’t want to go down there.”
“Spiders in the winter?”
“These must be hearty spiders and wait until you see the webs.” She shivered.
“I’m not afraid of a few insects but thank you for your concern.”
She followed him down the steps, and once he was settled on his haunches in front of the historic heap of metal, he shot her a glance over his shoulder. “Where are you from?”
She clicked on the flashlight and held the beam of light on the furnace. Did she want to get into any personal topics with him? Not really, but she also didn’t want to be rude, not when he was helping her. “New York.”
“You’re a long way from home. You going to miss it?”
“Sure, I guess. I also miss my belly button ring, but some things are meant to rip out and treat with ointment. New York is like that piercing I got back when I was eighteen. Impulsive decisions don’t always work out.”
“Was moving here impulsive?”
“No, I’ve been stewing on this since I received the letter from grandmother’s attorney telling me about this place. He did make it seem…well, like a silver lining. How did Agnus live here like it is?”
He shrugged. “No clue. I never met her. Things must have been pretty bad to come to Wyoming in the middle of a snowstorm to a house that needs more repairs than this heap of metal here.” She heard the humor in his voice.
“It is broken, isn’t it?” Damn. She calculated in her head how much it would cost to buy a new one.
He stood and swiped his palms together. “I’m not a furnace repairman, but it’s pretty obvious that it’s shot. I’d suggest a room over at the Bed and Breakfast, but I’ll go out on a limb and say the road into town is unpassable now.”
Reminding herself to stay calm, she clicked off the flashlight. “Before we’re eaten by insects, let’s go back upstairs.” She took each rung of the stairs like another dull knife in her chest. How could she afford a repairman? Or worse, a new furnace? What choice did she have? She wasn’t fond of freezing to death.
Upstairs, she stepped back into the kitchen where at least the wood stove was still burning. She needed to count her blessings. “My dad would tell me, “Just burn the place and save the peace’.” She turned to face him. The corners of his lips twitched in what looked to be the beginning of a smile.
“Let’s not overindulge our fantasies. I’m sure there’s another option.”
“Yes, a fifth of whiskey would certainly work. Too bad I’m plum out.” She growled.
“I have a better idea that doesn’t involve you scavenging for wood outdoors or drinking yourself into a stupor and waking up with a blasted headache. I have a couple of electric heaters that should keep a few rooms warm. Does this place have a fireplace?”
“In each room.”
“I’ll bring over some chopped wood which should help until you can replace the furnace. You can start a fire, right?”
“There is one in the stove isn’t there?”
He smiled. “I was only teasing. Not every woman would start to tear down a shed for wood unless they knew how to use it.”
She plopped down into the chair, lacing her fingers in her lap. “Why would you want to do this?”
“Like I said, there’s this thing called hospitality. I’m not sure what y’all call it back east, but it’s in full force here in these parts.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Simple. Just say thank you. Come on, Susie-Q. Let’s head home. I’ll be back in an hour. In the meantime, maybe you should get out of those wet things. The only thing I can imagine making this situation worse is you getting sick.”
Once he was gone, she looked down at her shirt, realizing the material was see-through when wet.
CHAPTER 5
“WE HAVE ANOTHER overdose. I wish I was one step closer to nailing the douchebags who are killing my townspeople.”
Zander looked across the bench seat of his truck at his buddy, Sheriff Rudy Graham. “Here. I brought you a coffee, but it appears you need a beer.” He handed over the steaming cup.
Rudy swiped a hand down his cheek. “Not just one. Three deaths in two months. We’re down to a wire. Instead of working on something serious, I’m spending precious time this morning picking old man Hurley up off the stoop of the diner.”
“Drunk again?”
“Wasted from what I hear. This is getting to be old news. The man’s gotten too drunk and wound up sleeping where he shouldn’t be enough times that I’m surprised he hasn’t been shot. Once before he ended up climbing through a neighbor’s window. Luckily, most people know Hurley, and know he meant no harm. The owner of the house didn’t press charges. Maybe he should to teach Hurley a lesson.”
“Yeah, the man needs an intervention.”
Crooked Creek was quiet this morning. The snow had melted some but only those who needed to brave the weat
her did. The jagged landscape of the mountains were the backdrop of the small town and the rolling countryside lingered just beyond Main Street, but instead of taking the bridge that would lead him home, he drove the truck west toward the diner.
“Bastards probably drunker than ever,” Rudy groaned. “We should throw him in a cell and not offer him his one call. As far as I’m concerned, he can sit in the four by six and sober up. Behind bars is the best place for withdrawal.”
“You know every prisoner, no matter what they’ve done, deserves one phone call.” Zander rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Hell, man, you know Cindy will come looking for him by lunch time.” Rudy took off his Stetson and hooked it on his knee. He shifted in the passenger seat as if his two-hundred-twenty, six-foot-three frame was too big for the leather.
“If she does, then they deserve each other,” Zander snorted. “How’s Lanie? No baby yet I presume?”
Rudy, as big as a brick house and as tough as one, was as hard-ass as they come, but at the mention of his wife and unborn child, one could practically see him melting like sugar. A part of Zander envied that emotion. Once upon a time, he thought he had the special thing, but it didn’t last. After dating Sam for two years, she blamed him for not moving fast enough and lacking in communication, so she moved on. Hell, he agreed with her, so he didn’t chase after her.
The immediate attraction he’d felt for Wynn had pulled the rug out from underneath him. He’d been jolted with an electrical shock that still hadn’t released his body. First time he’d felt something so strong since he met Sam.
“No baby yet. She’s due next month.”
“Life will change for you. You ready?”
“Hell no, but what first time father can say that he is?”
“You have a point.”
“Man, before Lanie got pregnant we had sex two, maybe three times a day. Now, she looks at me like she could chew me up and spit me out if I touched her. What is going on, Cade?”
“Don’t ask me.
“I miss holding her soft curves.”
Zander understood. Here lately he missed holding soft curves too and it had nothing to do with the cold season that seemed to be lasting longer each year. He switched the station on the radio with restless energy.
“This morning, a few of my deputies were discussing Agnes Makelti’s granddaughter. You didn’t mention that you had a new neighbor.”
“And how is that relevant? Did you get the information I asked for?”
Rudy shrugged and reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper, but didn’t hand it over right away. “I need to ask. Is this personal or professional?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yeah, I think it does. If our new member of the community is a criminal, I think I should be aware of it.”
“I didn’t say I suspected her of criminal behavior.”
Rudy chuckled. “Isn’t that why you’d need a complete background check? If this is personal than I’d highly recommend you rethink this—the background check that is.”
“Did you find something incriminating in her record?”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Rudy enforced.
“If I knew the answer, I’d tell you.” That was the God’s honest truth and he couldn’t tell his buddy about the counterfeit bill. Zander didn’t want to put Rudy between a rock and a hard place. Zander had thought about little else besides his beautiful neighbor since she’d moved in last week. He’d been busy working with the horses and hiring hands most of that time, and probably a good thing so he wasn’t tempted to drop by and ask if she needed anything. Maybe he’d been too presumptuous to call his buddy, Travis, to slide over and give her a good deal on a new furnace, but at least he knew she had heat now and wouldn’t freeze to death. He’d also called Hughes to bring her a load of wood. Zander saw it stacked up beside the house when he got home yesterday. He was just being neighborly, but there was something more that he couldn’t quite pinpoint.
Looking at the piece of paper his buddy held, Zander wanted to chalk up the need to see her record because investigating was in his blood. Yet, would the pretty brunette consider this an invasion of privacy? Hell, he had a reputable excuse. After all, he could have arrested her for using a counterfeit twenty. And why did Zander care what she thought? Were his instincts correct that she was involved in something and she didn’t even realize the severity.
Piercing his friend with his narrowed gaze, Zander swiped a hand down his cheek. “I’ll take it.”
“Somehow I had a feeling you would.” He handed over the paper.
Zander slid it into the pocket of his jacket for later. “So, everyone knows she’s in town, huh?”
“About two seconds after she crossed the county line, gums started smacking. Lanie was joking that it was about time you weren’t living all the way out there with just a dog and a handful of horses.”
“She did, did she? Why is my living situation such a conversation starter? I like living out there all alone. That’s the point.”
“I bet Miss Makelti feels pretty safe having a Special Agent of your caliber living next door.” When Zander gave a short shrug, Rudy sighed. “Wait. You didn’t tell her?”
“Why would I? I don’t wear a star on my shirt for a reason. And I certainly don’t introduce myself as Special Agent Cade to every person I come across.”
“Oh hell, man. It’s only a matter of time that she’ll hear. This town is only so big. Maybe you have your own reason for not telling her.”
Zander snorted. “And what reason would that be, pray tell?”
“The badge was what brought you and Sam together and what tore you two apart, wasn’t it?”
“It was a lot more than the star, Rudy. For a long time she needed me, but once that ended she had no use for me.”
“Humph. Anyway, I heard Harrison say she stopped into his hardware store and bought a shitload of supplies. What do you think she’s doing over there at that dump house? I can’t believe she’s living there. It’s been empty for a while and hasn’t been in good condition for at least ten years.”
“Hell, I don’t have a clue what she’s doing, and don’t care either. Is there a reason why you’re telling me?” he grumbled.
“Just thought you might be interested since you did ask for a background check on her.”
His buddy had a point “I don’t pay attention to what she’s doing.”
“Really? She’s your neighbor. If she’s over there pounding shit, you’ll have to listen to the banging. There goes that peace and quiet.” Rudy whistled.
Another good point. “I’ll be back to work soon, but in the meantime, I have plenty to keep my mind off pounding.”
Zander turned up the radio volume a notch, until…
“Maybe not as much now.”
He brought his chin up fast. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“I hear she’s pretty.”
No way he’d get by denying that fact. His mind conjured up an image of peaches and cream complexion. Dark brown hair that tumbled in large, bouncy waves. Lips that were made for a man’s kisses. She was very pretty. Scratch that. She was gorgeous. “Yeah, been there done that in the past. Ain’t going back.” His chest filled with uneasiness.
Although he hated climbing into a cold, lonely bed, he also didn’t seek to jump into a relationship. They all seemed to start out warm and cozy, and sooner or later turned cold. He especially didn’t want to find himself involved with a beautiful wavy-haired vixen who could hypnotize him into believing once again that fantasies do come true. Hell, she’d acted like he was in the wrong for keeping a watch on her property, as if he’d inconvenienced her. He didn’t trust her any farther than he could throw her, and even seeing her warranted after-effects in his body that he didn’t need or want.
His chest filled with something foreign—something he wasn’t about to own up to now. She’d plucked his every nerve ending, but he wouldn’t allow
that to happen again. Not ever. Getting over the break up with Sam had taken long enough. He’d been accused of burying it by his family. Fine by him. He’d placed those feelings in a coffin and sunk it six feet deep. What he felt now, well, he considered was the weakness of his wild, manly side…the side that enjoyed being with a woman who could turn his Stetson inside out. Yeah, Wynn fit the description to a tee. He could only imagine what she’d feel like under his touch. Keeping his imagination under wraps might be a tad hard, just like parts of his body that were misbehaving.
Looking back, he’d never been right for Sam. He never could quite understand her or what she needed. If he’d said one word out of tone, she’d burst into tears. She once asked him if an outfit made her look fat and he’d responded with, “You don’t need to worry about your weight. You look beautiful in everything.” Wrong answer. He knew that after she turned on heels, rushed into the bedroom and slammed the door. Still today he wasn’t sure what he had said wrong. Just like when she acted in the local civic theater. One year she played Catwoman. She looked sexier than hell in a tight, black bodysuit and he’d suggested she wear it to bed for a little kinky play. Again, he’d stuck his foot in his mouth and had no clue how. She wouldn’t talk to him for days, but after that, he kept things simple and never dared suggest they do something exciting. In the end, they still didn’t work.
Hell, if he’d unleashed his baddest fantasies she would have tried to bleed him dry in divorce court.
“You hear me?” Rudy asked.
He forgot he wasn’t alone with his thoughts. “What’s that?”
“I hear she’s a designer. Lanie said she posted a flyer on the community board looking for work. Wonder if I could hire her to design the baby’s room? The wife has been after me for weeks to slap some paint on the wall in the nursery. She knows I don’t have an eye for that crafty shit.”
“Why don’t you tell her you can’t?”
“And risk being in the doghouse? No way. Do you by chance have her phone number?”
“Whose?”
Wanted by the Lawman (Lawmen of Wyoming Book 2) Page 5