Larry laughed. “Saint Kate with a man? Miss Goody Two Shoes? Yeah, right. Hell hadn’t frozen over last time I checked.”
Gage had planned to keep his mouth shut and let Kate handle her brother-in-law on her own terms, but the hurt look that crossed her face gouged a deep swath through his soul. On sympathy’s heels, protective fury ripped through him.
“Check hell again, pal,” he said loud enough for Larry to hear. “Satan’s pulling out his winter gear. I’m a man. I’m here with Kate, and I have been all night.”
Kate gasped and snapped her gaze to his.
“Who is that? Kate, what’s going on?” Larry yelled through the line.
“Gage Prescott, retired U.S. Army Ranger, currently working security detail for a prominent client.” Gage stepped closer to the phone to be sure Larry heard him. Anger pulsed through him like a poison. “I’m here because Kate asked me. And if I find out you’ve hit Janet again, I don’t care how many friends you have on the police force, you’ll have to answer to me. Got that, pal?”
Kate bit her lip and shook her head vigorously. “Gage, no!” she whispered. “Don’t antagonize him!”
“What the hell business is it of yours what I do or don’t do with Janet?” Larry raged. “I answer to no one but myself. She’s my wife, damn it! You stay out of our business, or I’ll make you wish you had!”
Before Gage could reply to the threat, Kate stepped close to him and pressed her gooey hand over his mouth. She shook her head, and her eyes pleaded with him not to engage Larry. The vulnerability and desperation in her gaze shot through him, leaving a sharp ache in his chest. No matter how her Neanderthal brother-in-law pushed his buttons, Gage could never do anything he thought would hurt Kate. He battled down his ire and frustration and gave her a nod of acquiescence.
“I’ll tell Janet you called when she wakes up in a little while,” Kate said, turning back to the phone. Immediately Gage missed the subtle press of her body against his. “I have to finish the baking for the diner now. Goodbye, Larry.” She lifted the receiver and dropped it back in the cradle to disconnect the call, then faced Gage. “I’m sorry about that.”
“You have no reason to apologize. I’m the one who lost my temper with the maggot.” He clenched his teeth and expelled a deep sigh. “He honestly thinks he has a right to knock Janet around because they’re married? What kind of twisted, prehistoric thinking is that?”
She stepped over to the sink and rubbed her hands together. Bits of dough clumped and peeled off her fingers. “All too common, I’m afraid.” Dejection weighted Kate’s voice. “I’ve researched domestic abuse a good bit since moving here, trying to decide what I should do for Janet. I’ve located several good women’s shelters in the area, but she has to want to go, to be committed to getting him out of her life. If she keeps forgiving him and going back to him, my hands are tied.”
Gage joined her at the sink and copied her hand-rubbing technique to loosen the sticky dough. “I wish I could help.”
She angled a melancholy smile at him. “I wish you could, too. Sometimes I feel really alone in all this. I don’t even have Janet on my side. She fights me about leaving him, denies she has a problem, then drags me into the middle when it serves her purposes.”
Alarm shot through him. “Puts you in the middle how?”
Visions of Kate being in harm’s way from the violent brother-in-law churned his stomach.
Kate finished washing her hands and shook excess water from her fingers before grabbing the closest towel. “Like tonight, when she came here to sleep after their fight. Then he calls looking for her and I…” She shook her head again. “I’m sorry. I’m no better, dragging you into our personal problems. I shouldn’t have asked you to come over, shouldn’t be burdening you with all this.”
He quickly dried his hands on the other end of the towel she used, then cupped her face between his palms. “I’m glad you called. I want to help. I want to be sure you’re safe. Please, Kate, if you ever think you’re in danger from Larry, call me. Any time, day or night. I’ll come.”
Moisture puddled in her eyes, even as her cheek twitched with a sad grin. “Thank you, Gage.”
She rose on her toes, brushed a quick kiss across his lips, then dropped her heels to the floor again and lowered her gaze. All the oxygen in Gage’s lungs stilled, like the quiet before a storm. When she took a step back to move away, he caught her arm.
Her kiss had lit a fire in him, and shockwaves still rippled to his marrow. With a finger under her chin, he lifted her face and saw the tear that had broken free of her thick eyelashes. The sight of that tear sucker-punched him, and he hauled her closer, sank his fingers into her hair. Cradling her nape with a splayed hand, he dipped his head and whisked the tear from her cheek with his kiss. He absorbed the shudder that shook her, tasted the breathy sigh that whispered from her lips. Bowing his head, he covered her mouth with his…and was lost.
Chapter 8
When Gage pulled her against his wide chest, anchoring her head with his hand while he kissed the breath from her, all worries of Larry and Janet vanished. All strength left her legs. All thoughts of the diner’s baking flittered away….
With the searing touch of his lips to hers, Kate became a pliant, single-minded sponge greedily soaking up the heady pleasure of being kissed by a man like Gage. Under the sweet assault of his talented mouth and persuasive tongue, she very nearly forgot every lesson about the value of chastity the Zooks had taught her. After one taste of Gage’s kiss and the incredible sensation of his hands massaging her scalp, her neck, her shoulders, she was ready to abandon her vow of celibacy for even a few minutes of the nirvana Gage offered.
She clung to the rock-like muscles of his shoulders, secure in his embrace as he explored her mouth, her arched throat, the sensitive spot beneath her ear. His lips were tender while the day’s growth of beard on his chin and cheeks scraped her skin. The dichotomy reminded her of Gage himself, so gruff and serious on the outside, but so clearly honorable and kind underneath.
His hand slid down her spine, settling his palm at the small of her back and pulling her closer. With her body flush with his, she could feel the thudding, steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his body heat, and—she gasped softly when realization dawned—the proof of his arousal nudging her belly.
He broke their kiss and gazed at her from under hooded eyes, his lips swollen and damp, much as she was certain hers were. “You okay?”
Breathless as she was, she couldn’t find her voice, but she hummed a positive response and nodded. Heat prickled her cheeks. Would her naïveté and inexperience turn him off?
He traced the line of her chin with his thumb, and tingles raced over her skin from head to toe. She couldn’t stop the tiny moan of pleasure that rattled from her throat.
He lifted one corner of his mouth in a lopsided grin. “My sentiments exactly.”
As dreamily lethargic as she was, wrapped in his arms, his hands tantalizing her with tender caresses, she gazed up at him and reveled in the warmth of his smile. If only she could convince him to allow her past his iron defenses more often. If only she could win his trust enough to learn what sadness haunted him, robbing his life of joy.
The timer on her countertop dinged, reminding her of the pies that were baking, and disappointment pierced her like a deflating balloon. She wasn’t ready to leave his arms, interrupt this moment, quit learning the texture of his kiss…
So instead of pulling away, she stretched up on her toes again and captured his mouth with hers. He greeted her with an equal enthusiasm, and his tongue teased the seam of her lips until she opened to his exploration. She followed his lead, discovering new and wonderful sensations with every touch, every squeeze, every nuzzle.
“Well, well. Isn’t this cozy?”
Kate gasped and shoved away from Gage when Janet’s voice shattered the silence. She jerked a guilty glance toward her sister, who stared at them from the door to the hall.
“I
think I smell something burning.” Janet nodded toward the oven, then gave them a saucy grin. “Or maybe that’s just the smoke from the heat you two are making.”
Gage released Kate and finger-combed his hair as he stepped back. “Janet,” he said by way of greeting. The smile that had lit his eyes moments earlier was gone from his face, replaced with his stiff politeness.
Janet sauntered over to the idle coffeemaker and frowned. “No coffee yet?”
Flustered, Kate hastily straightened her shirt and hurried over to the coffeemaker. “Sorry, I got busy…sidetracked and—”
“Yeah, I saw your sidetrack.” Janet arched one eyebrow, her expression at the same time peevish and teasing. She batted Kate out of her way. “Go on. Get your pies. I’ll make the coffee.”
Kate moved to the oven and pulled out the two slightly overbaked apple pies and slid them onto cooling racks. They weren’t a loss, but when she thought of how easily she’d been distracted from her baking, she felt heat rise in her cheeks. She turned to Gage and pressed her hands to her flushed face. “I, um…need to finish a few things here before Janet leaves for the diner.”
He nodded, his expression resigned. “I’ll get out of your way.”
As he started for the door, a flutter of uneasiness stirred inside her, a reluctance to see him leave, a sadness for the lost bliss of his embrace, an embarrassment for Janet’s abrupt manner. “Gage, wait. I—”
When he paused, she wasn’t sure what to say, but she spied the muffins cooling on her table and quickly wrapped two in a napkin. “Take these. Breakfast.”
He allowed his hand to linger on hers as he accepted her offering, and his eyes held her gaze for an extra second or two before he turned to go. In that brief look, she swore she felt a connection to him, an understanding that something had changed between them, that their kiss was only the beginning of something bigger, deeper…scarier.
Swallowing the quiver of anticipation that seized her, she followed him to the front door. “Thank you for coming. I know I got you out of bed, kept you awake when you probably needed to be sleeping, imposed on your good gr—”
He laid a warm finger on her lips to hush her.
“You’re welcome.” With a quick kiss to her forehead, he breezed out into the brisk October morning and crossed her yard in a few long strides. She watched from her front stoop until the rattletrap truck he’d driven over turned a corner and disappeared from view.
“So you’re rethinking that career as a nun I take it?”
She brushed past Janet, who chuckled and nibbled a muffin as Kate returned to the kitchen. “Bite me.”
Janet barked a laugh. “I thought the bodyguard already did that.”
“Don’t you think you were rather rude to him just now? He came over here as a favor to us.” Kate busied herself cleaning dirty bowls and pans.
“A favor? Looked to me like you were doing him the favor.” Janet pulled the pot out from the coffeemaker before it had finished brewing and coffee dripped onto the burner and sizzled as she poured herself a cup.
“I asked him to come over last night in case Larry came by.”
“And what? We’d have an orgy?”
Kate gritted her teeth. “In case Larry caused trouble. I didn’t know how bad your fight was and if he might come looking for you and be a problem.”
Janet scowled and touched her bruised jaw. “I don’t want you blabbing my business to other people. Larry’s not dangerous, he just has a bad temper.”
Kate gaped at her sister. “Just a bad temper? Do you hear yourself?”
Janet folder her arms over her chest, her expression closed. “I only came here to give him time to calm down. He’s not going to come over and give you trouble.”
“He has before. And he drove by here last night at least a couple times. I know that much, because he called here a little while ago and asked about Gage’s truck being out front.”
Janet stiffened, alarm in her eyes. “What did he say?”
Kate frowned. “His usual suspicious crap. He thought you were seeing another man over here.” Janet’s eyes widened, and Kate quickly added, “Don’t worry. I set him straight.”
“Great.” Janet’s shoulders sagged as she unfolded her arms and picked up her coffee. “You have an all-nighter with your new boyfriend, and I catch the flak.”
Kate bristled at the implication she’d done something unseemly. “I didn’t—”
Janet snorted. “I’m surprised you even know what to do with a man. I thought you’d sworn to be celibate until you married.”
“Gage isn’t— We didn’t—” Kate sputtered, hardly knowing where to start responding to Janet. “What’s wrong with waiting for the man I want to marry?”
“I never said there was anything wrong with it. But unlike Emma, you’re not Amish. You don’t have to wait.” Janet dug a cigarette and lighter out of her bathrobe pocket and lit up.
“I want to wait. I want it to be special. I—” Kate stepped forward and tugged the cigarette from her sister’s mouth. After stubbing it out in the sink, she sent Janet a stern look. “I’ve asked you not to smoke in my house.”
Janet rolled her eyes. “Does the bodyguard know you’re a no-go? He looked pretty eager when I walked in a little while ago.”
Kate tossed a hand towel on the counter with an unsatisfying lack of noise. She was frustrated and needed something to clatter. “None of your business. We’re not talking about me!”
“Why aren’t we talking about you? What makes your life sacred? Why do we always have to talk about me and my marriage?” Janet shouted, slamming down her mug and sloshing the contents on the counter.
“Because you’re the one in an abusive relationship!” Kate shouted back, her temper making her shake.
“Stop using that word!”
“I’m worried sick about you, and I can’t get you to see the truth about Larry! He won’t change. He needs help. And you need to get out while you can!”
“You don’t understand!” Janet stomped her foot like an errant child.
“I understand that one day his temper, as you call it, could get you killed!”
Tears filled Janet’s eyes. “I know he’s not perfect, but I love him!”
The strangled quality of her sister’s voice speared Kate. “And I love you too much to let him keep hurting you.”
The dam burst, and Janet ducked her head to her hands and sobbed. “I’m scared, Katie.”
Her heart wrenching, Kate hurried to her sister and pulled her into a bear hug. “I know. I’m scared for you.”
Janet sniffled. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“You won’t be. You’ll always have me.”
“I don’t want to start over. I’d have to quit my job and leave town, or he’d never leave me be.”
She was right about that much. Janet only stood a chance of truly breaking free of Larry if she started over in another town, even another state.
“I’d help you however I could. You know that.” She stroked her sister’s back, trying not to resent the turmoil and upheaval moving again would mean to her own life. She had begun to put down roots here after leaving her home, her friends in Ohio for Janet. And in the last few hours, during the precious hours she’d spent getting to know Gage, she’d begun thinking in terms of her own future. She wanted to find a man to love and settle down with. Start a family.
Janet is your family. Your only family right now… Guilt and loyalty jabbed her with a one-two punch.
“I know you’d help me. And I love you for that. I do. But…I just don’t think I can do it, Katie. It’s really not so bad most of the time. If I’d just remember not to make him so mad, everything would be fine.”
Kate hugged her sister tighter, fighting back the groan of defeat when Janet went back to her same denials and blind justifications. At least this morning she’d gotten Janet to think in terms of leaving, even if just to shoot down the idea. Maybe Janet was finally beginning to come around.
<
br /> Kate only prayed her sister saw the light and got away from Larry before it was too late.
A few hours later, when he took over guard duty from Bart, Gage found the senator at the large living room window that looked out on the ranch buildings and pens. Gage followed the direction of Hank’s gaze and found him watching Cole at the back of a small trailer, helping unload cows into a holding area.
“So what happens with the cows now that they’ve been rounded up?” Gage asked.
Hank glanced at Gage as if he’d just noticed him standing beside him. “Well, that’s only a fraction of the herd. The hands will be bringing the rest of them back in over the next day or two as they’re located and herded back by cowboys on horseback or driven back here in trailers.”
Ice cubes in the glass the senator held tinkled as he took a sip of whiskey. Gage lifted an eyebrow. The senator was starting his drinking early today. Because Cole was home?
“Once they’re all back here, the cows are separated from the calves, and they’re weighed and sent out to market in eighteen-wheelers.”
“Payday,” Gage said.
“Yep.” Hank sipped again. “The whole year of ranching boils down to market day, what the herd weighs, how many he has to sell, how many calves he has. It’s a tense and busy time on a ranch.”
Full of distractions and chaos for the ranchers. What better time for Hank’s enemies to strike at Cole’s high-profile guest? Gage shifted his weight uneasily as he stared out at the activity in the holding pens. Had the tripped alarms this week been trial runs, tests of the security system?
“Senator Kelley.” Hank and Gage both turned when Hannah entered the living room. “Cole asked me to include you in the breakfast I made for him this morning. I’ve held it in the oven if you want to eat now.”
Hank seemed surprised that the housekeeper had cooked for him. “Thank you, Hannah. I’ll be right in.” He drained his drink then refilled the highball glass before leaving the living room. “Shall we?” he asked Gage as he headed to breakfast.
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