Something inside her swelled, tightened and grew with electric bliss. A bright bubble of ecstasy expanded with every touch of his body to hers. She wrapped her other leg tight around his waist, tying him to her. Tilting her hips, she met him more completely and his cock found that spot.
The spot that made grown women forget their names and beg for more.
He intensified his rhythm, somehow doing the impossible and making something that was perfect even better. She arched and tangled her hands into the hair at the back of his neck, hanging on for dear life as that bright bubble grew again. His hand slid down her abdomen then lower, finding her clit. A rough, calloused finger rasped over the straining nub and she exploded with a blinding flash of heat and pleasured agony. Her body bowed as her pussy clenched tight around his hard flesh, spasming and gripping him.
He wrapped an arm around her hips, thrust home in a brutal final plunge and groaned into her neck. She clenched his shoulders and felt the muscled strength of him stiffen as he held his hips close to hers.
He shuddered and met her eye to eye. Long moments of heavy, blissed out silence passed.
Then he pulled away on a low groan, walked to the bathroom and returned a moment later. He slid into bed, pulling her close.
“Beauty, I think those legs will work just fine.”
Chapter Ten
A month ago she would have laughed in the face of anyone who told her she would fall into another relationship. She’d been determined to go it alone. As the first dim rays of dawn peeked into Trent’s window and the solid comforting heat of him seeped into her, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She heard her cell ring in the other room, so she carefully eased out of bed. She grabbed Trent’s T-shirt and slipped it on. The soft cotton fell to and brushed across her thighs as she went to answer. Early morning calls never brought good news. A knot of worry tightened in her belly as she answered.
“Katie!” The excited whisper did absolutely nothing to dampen the volume of the small, familiar voice that she adored.
“Kylie, is that you? What are you doing up this early?”
“I ate all my begetables wast night so daddy said I could go wiff him to feed the cattle this morning.” She listened to her niece ramble on as she started a pot of coffee.
“So which vegetables did you have to eat?”
“Fwoccoli and cawwots.” Her niece’s disgust echoed loud and clear through the phone. She could easily picture Kylie’s scrunched up nose and squinted eyes.
“That’s great, honey, but I thought you liked carrots.”
“I do, but I don’t like the fwoccoli.”
“It’s broccoli with a b, sweetheart. So, is your daddy getting ready?”
“That’s what I said, fwoccolli. No, he weft a while ago. Gwampa came over. He’s gonna take me to feed the cows. He’s looking for my lost boot now.” Poor Grandpa Robert. Who knew where she’d left the stray shoe or how long it would take Joe’s dad find it.
“Why’s Grampa there?” Joe kept a strict routine and never veered from it unless he had no other choice. He had to in order to take care of Kylie, his cattle and his job, none of which he was willing to part with. They were his everything.
“Daddy had to go to work early. He told Gwampa on the phone he had bad news to deliver. Daddy had the sad face on. He doesn’t like bad news.” No, he didn’t. And, with no thanks to his job, he had to deliver it often. Added to that, Kate suspected that each time he notified someone of a death, he was reminded of how he lost Kylie’s mother.
“Did you eat breakfast yet?” Time to steer her niece onto a new topic.
“Daddy made me eggs and toast while he waited on Gwampa. He didn’t get to eat any though. He weft as soon as Gwampa pawked his twuck.” Yet again, her cousin put himself last and had a long, likely busy day ahead of him. Her heart hurt for him, but there wasn’t anything she could do. He wouldn’t let anyone help him. Other than occasionally drafting a family member to keep Kylie when he got called away, he insisted on doing everything himself.
Stubborn MacDonald man.
“Uh oh. I gots to go. I think Gwampa found my boot. Bye!”
As fast as she had called, her niece was gone. Kate shook her head and poured herself some coffee. She’d start both breakfast and the day. It might be early yet, but she had a long list of things to do. After all the calories they’d burned last night, Trent would likely wake starving.
She was whisking eggs when heavy arms wrapped around her ribs and pulled her back against a muscled wall. “How long?” A low, barely understandable rumble whispered in her ear.
“Until food’s ready? Fifteen minutes or so.” She turned in his arms and drank in the sight of his sleep ruffled hair standing on end. Stubble the color of a sandy beach peppered his jaw. Bedhead and sleepy eyes shouldn’t be so damn sexy on a man, but she could lick him up. His hands dropped to the hem of the shirt she wore and flirted with her bared skin. They trailed around and lighted on the bottom curves of her ass. Then as if he just didn’t care, he cupped both cheeks and pulled her close against him.
“Hmmmm. Want you.” He leaned in and nuzzled her ear making her knees wobble. “Shower, food, then I’m taking you again.” Then he nipped her ear, patted her ass, turned and left her watching his low slung jeans shift on his hips as he left the kitchen. He must have slipped them on commando, leaving them unzipped. As low as they sat, there was no way he had anything on beneath them.
She fanned her face and turned. Breakfast. She was making breakfast, not making a fool out of herself mooning over Trent Dawson.
She’d just set the butter on the counter for toast when the doorbell rang, startling her. She heard Trent’s voice from the hall, all business. “Don’t answer that.” She turned in time to see him head straight for the door, all traces of laziness gone. Then he cursed and looked to her. “Go put some clothes on. It’s your cousin, and he does not look happy. Hurry.”
Her cousin? Why was Joe here this early?
Then she heard Kylie’s sweet little voice replay in her ear. “Bad news to deliver. Daddy had the sad face on.”
Trent read the fear on her face and came to her. “Go get dressed, baby. We’ll talk to him together, okay?”
She nodded and ran to do as she’d been told. She threw on clean clothes, ran a brush through her messy hair and made herself take a few deep, slow breaths.
She returned to the living room to find Trent holding the door wide open, but Joe continued to stand at the threshold wearing an unreadable expression on his face. Another man she’d never seen before stood beside him.
“Kate, this is detective Bowie. He has some questions to ask you and Trent.” A twisting, nauseating sense of despair took root deep in her stomach.
In reflex she went down a list. Obviously Joe and Kylie were both okay. Trent drew her into his side, sharing his strength, so he was fine. “Is Leigh okay?” Dear God, please don’t let anything be wrong with Leigh.
“Leigh Ann’s fine, honey. You need to speak with the detective.” Something odd laced Joe’s tone. It was cold, unyielding.
“Kate MacDonald?” The detective held up his badge. “I’m Detective Bowie. I’m here to inform you that your ex-husband is dead.”
She dug her fingers into Trent’s arm and sucked in air.
Son of a bitch. He had to call Rick immediately, but he couldn’t leave Kate. She’d just had the rug pulled from beneath her feet. He wouldn’t leave her to face the cops on her own. But, damn, did the situation stink to high Heaven. An ugly sense of foreboding sank its claws into the back of his neck, gripping tight.
Undoubtedly, Preston had been a royal pain in the ass, but this had trouble written all over it. He itched for his phone, but stayed with Kate as she answered the detective’s questions one-by-one.
He knew what was coming next. Sure enough, the questions stopped aiming at Kate and redirected to him. He answered and held Kate, feeling the sting of her fingernails in his flesh. He focused on that
little bite of pain and took solace in the fact that she was safe in his arms.
After what had felt like hours but probably wasn’t much more than a few minutes, they left, leaving him with a visibly shaken Kate. He tucked her into the corner of his couch, pressed a reassuring kiss to her forehead.
She wrapped her arms around her middle and looked to him for answers. “This isn’t a coincidence is it? Preston changed so much in the last year or two. We didn’t get along anymore, but I didn’t want him dead, I swear. All I wanted was to be left alone.”
“No, I wish it were a coincidence, but it can’t be. Somehow it’s all tied to you and Senator Bailey.” He wished like hell he could give her the answers and safety she deserved.
“What does he want from me? I’ve never done anything to him. I don’t understand.” She shook her head as her eyes shone with unshed tears.
“I don’t either. Just promise me you won’t go anywhere without me until this is settled. All right?” His heart sank when her only response was a single quiet nod.
“I’ve got to update Rick, okay?” She nodded again and straightened her spine as if realizing she’d allowed it to soften. Didn’t the woman know she could lean on others?
He stood and paced as he called Rick. It took several rings before he finally picked up. “Lo?” Trent could barely make out the greeting over the crappy connection.
“Where are you, man?” It wasn’t like him to not answer by the third ring. He was always on standby with his phone at his side.
“Sorry, shitty cell service out here. I’m out in BFE, Riley Creek.”
“What are you doing out there again? This is what, the second time this week? You really have a thing for…” He stopped speaking and glanced up. He’d nearly forgotten Kate wasn’t far away.
“No, it’s not her. I’m looking for the kid we saw the night of the fire.”
“She got to you, didn’t she?” Rick had been given the nickname Granite, when they’d been in the desert. Nothing appeared to move him. It had taken Trent some time, but eventually he’d learned otherwise.
“No. You know how I can’t stand loose ends. What’s up?” The cell signal strengthened and his voice came through clearer.
“Joe MacDonald and a Detective Bowie just left here. They came bearing news.”
“Shit.” Rick’s muttered curse echoed Trent’s feelings.
Trent walked down the hallway to his office. Kate didn’t need to hear his speculations, especially the more gruesome ones. “Yep. Someone found Preston dead last night. They wouldn’t give us many details, but I got the impression it was messy. To say they were suspicious would be an understatement.”
“He’s the idiot troublemaker and someone’s tying up their own loose ends would be my guess.” Rick put two and two together.
“Mine too. No question, he was an ass, but I don’t like this.” He stared out his office window at the active farm.
“No shit.”
Trent heard the low growl of his own car as the engine rumbled to life. “Are you ever going to get your own ride or just keep stealing mine?”
“Borrow yours. You never use it. A car this sexy and mean needs to be driven. How’s Kate doing?” Rick’s taunting turned to concern at the mention of Kate’s trouble.
“Pretty well for someone with a soft heart who’s just been notified that her ex-husband was murdered.” He left his office and made his way back down the hall. He’d left Kate alone for longer than he liked.
“Damn.” Rick’s single word said it all.
“Exactly.”
“I’ve done all I can do out here today, so I’ll head your way. I have a friend who owes me a favor. I’ll see if I can shake anything loose. Keep your girl close.” He didn’t dispute Rick’s claim.
“Will do.” He was past denying his feelings. He’d been shown time and time again how, in the blink of an eye, the sweetest dreams could become nightmares. He wasn’t going to let Kate out of his sight. And her safety was only half the reason.
“Katie!” Delight squealed in a little girl’s voice.
Trent placed his hand on Kate’s back as a small whirlwind of dark curls raced toward her legs. Certain of a catastrophic impact, he readied to catch the cake she carried, but the little girl stopped a millimeter shy of ramming into Kate. “You came to my pawty!”
Kate’s smile was warm and full of loving amusement. “Of course I did. It’s not every year you turn six. Your hair looks pretty today.”
“Daddy said I should have it fixed ‘cause Gwamma will want to take pictures and it’s a special day.” Kylie scrunched her nose in disgust and her slightly crooked pigtails shook. Trent assumed having her hair fixed wasn’t high on her list of favorite activities. “Did you make my cake? Can I see? You didn’t make me a fancy pwincess cake, did you? My fwiend at school had a pink pwincess cake, but I don’t like pink or pwincesses.” She jumped up and down in a mismatched pair of boots, one brown leather and the other black with pink hearts. Her little T-shirt was green with a tractor stamped on the front and her shorts were red.
“It’s a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see.” He didn’t have to see Kate’s face to know she was delighted by her small cousin. Her voice rang with happiness and barely controlled laughter.
He softened and rethought his objections about coming to the party. He’d been as worried about her quiet, sad mood over the past week as he had her safety. Hearing laughter and life in her voice made him thankful she talked him into it.
“Who’s that?” Kylie moved away from Kate and stopped with the toes of her tiny boots touching his tennis shoes. She looked up at him and squinted as if she were examining a bug in a tree.
“His name is Trent. He’s a good friend of mine, so don’t play any tricks on him, okay?”
“Okay.” She drew the single word out until it had six syllables. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of tricks the little munchkin played on people. “Is he your boyfwiend, Aunt Katie?” The word boyfriend might as well have been vegetable or chores for all the disgust in her tone.
“Kylie Jane! Where’d you run off to?” Joe’s voice yelled from somewhere in the house.
“I gotta go! Bye!” Then she was gone as fast as she’d come.
“Tricks?”
“You don’t want to know. I’d like to keep you around.”
He didn’t bother telling her that he wasn’t going anywhere. There was more than one way to make his point. He took the cake box from her hands and stole a quick, fierce kiss.
“Ahem. Where do you want to set up the party stuff Kate? You’re better at this than I am.” Joe spoke from the kitchen doorway, clearly not giving a damn if he interrupted them. “Mom and Dad will be here later, but I don’t figure she’ll feel like setting up.”
“No, absolutely not three weeks after heart surgery. She needs to rest and watch Kylie enjoy her day. Leigh can watch over her and I’ll take care of it.” She took the cake back and set it on the counter. Then she patted Joe’s chest. “You man the grill and play nice.”
He gave her a frown with we’ll talk later written all over it.
Trent told Kate on the way over that he didn’t have a problem with Joe’s continued dislike. If anything, he found the worry and protectiveness admirable. She’d only rolled her eyes at him in a way that suggested he had become a member of the stupid caveman club. He didn’t care.
The rapid stomp-stomp-stomp of boots echoed distantly through the house, followed by an aggrieved whine. “Dad. Do I have to? I don’t wanna wear a dwess.”
“She found the clothes I laid out for the party.” Joe released a long sigh and left them alone.
“What can I do to help?” He prayed she’d put him to work, so he wouldn’t have to stand around counting the minutes until he could get her back home.
“I’ll show you where I want the tables outside, and then you can fill the coolers with ice and soda.” It wasn’t much, but he’d do anything to keep busy. Thanks to Kate’s d
irection, the place went from a slightly messy farmhouse to birthday central in no time. She greeted each guest as if they were her favorite relative until the backyard buzzed with conversation. Kylie reappeared in jean shorts and a matching purple shirt, strutting into the backyard as if she’d won some sort of monumental battle.
“Gwammy!” She greeted her grandparents the same way she had Kate, still in her mismatched boots.
An exhausted looking Joe came to stand by Kate. “I tried to get her into something nicer, but short of sitting on her and wrestling her into it myself or outright spanking her, it wasn’t going to happen.”
“Joe, it’s her day. Don’t worry about the little things. She’s clean, she’s happy and she’s surrounded by people who love her. That’s more important than what she’s wearing. You’re doing a good job, you know.” Kate patted his arm.
“I can’t help but think back to when you and Leigh were little. You two were always the perfect little southern belles. Mom and Aunt Jeannie would have died if either of you went to a party in anything less than ruffles and Mary Janes.” He watched his daughter run from family member to family member to greet them with a hug. Then she ran off with a group of kids to the swing set.
Kate snorted. “Joe, I was miserable in those dresses and shoes. I would have given anything to be able to run and play and just be myself. Ask Leigh. She’ll tell you the same. There are so many more important things to worry about than whether or not her shoes match.”
Trent’s heart ached for the little girl Kate had been.
“I know that. I can’t help but worry that I’m going to screw up the most important part of my life.” Another point in Joe MacDonald’s favor—devotion to family proved to be his first priority. Though they might butt heads over Kate, Trent understood his motivation.
Protecting Kate: Dark Horse, Inc: Book 1 Page 17