Dakota Sunrise

by Leah Brooke

  Pleasantly warm and sated, Deanna let her eyes flutter closed, breathing in Sam’s clean masculine scent.

  “You don’t smell like smoke anymore.”

  “Took a shower. Go to sleep.” He reached for the remote and turned on the television, turning the volume down. “You can have some soup when you get up.”

  “That sounds good. I’d like to thank Mary.”

  “Later. She wants to meet you and Casey.”

  “Sam?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I want my truck.”

  “Okay, baby. We’ll bring it over tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  * * * *

  Carson peeked into the living room to see that Deanna had fallen asleep cradled against Sam’s chest.

  His friend also slept, his head dropped back against the sofa cushion, both arms wrapped protectively around her.

  “Carson?”

  Turning away from them, Carson smiled at Casey and went back to the table to join her. Seeing that she’d set her crayons aside and picked up her doll again, he went to her, putting her crayons back into the box. “What is it, Lil’ bit?”

  Yawning, she rubbed her eye, fighting the need to sleep. “I still have my secwet whistle.”

  Crouching beside her, he braced an arm on the table and one on the back of her chair, ready to catch her if she fell. “That’s good, Lil’ bit. Is it still in your doll’s pocket?”

  “Yes.” She held up an arm when he lifted her, dropping her head onto his shoulder when he straightened. “I didn’t bow it. It’s for ’mergencies.”

  Carson smiled, touched at how trustingly she lay against him. “I’m glad you didn’t blow it, and it is for emergencies. Remember the story about the little boy who cried wolf?”

  “I ’member. I don’t wanna make peopows not come when I bow my whistle.”

  “Good girl.” Rubbing her back, he walked slowly into the other room, knowing by the sleepiness in her voice that Casey wouldn’t be able to stay awake much longer.

  They’d all obviously had a rough night.

  Grabbing the light blanket folded over the back of the recliner, he draped it over Casey and slowly lowered himself to Don’s favorite chair, leaning back and raising the foot rest.

  “Do you think my daddy’s gonna find us?”

  Rubbing her back, Carson grimaced and glanced at the baseball bat leaning up against the back of the end table. “I don’t know, Lil’ bit, but if he does, we won’t let anything happen.”

  “He’s gonna be mad at Mommy. He hits her.”

  Fighting to keep the anger from his tone, Carson kissed her hair and continued to rub her back. “I won’t let him.”

  “You pwomise?”

  “I promise.”

  With Casey clutching her doll and already sleeping, he adjusted the blanket and wrapped his arms around her before dropping his head back and closing his eyes, filled with an enormous sense of satisfaction that both Deanna and Casey trusted them enough to sleep in their arms.

  He’d die to keep them safe, and if Jimmy showed up, Carson would get a great deal of pleasure in giving the other man a taste of his own medicine.

  Chapter Twelve

  Looking out the window, Deanna finished washing the breakfast dishes, smiling as she watched Sam and Carson emerge from the stable, riding out on their horses to begin their day.

  They’d made a habit of coming by each morning before starting out for the day as well as coming back each evening, spending several hours with them before—with apparent reluctance—going back home.

  They’d invited her and Casey to come to their house for dinner every night.

  Deanna had used Casey’s illness and fever as an excuse to decline, but she knew that, day by day, Sam and Carson became more frustrated.

  She’s already begun to depend on them far too much and needed to maintain her independence.

  She’d just dried her hands when the phone rang, and after checking to make sure Casey still watched one of the children’s shows she liked, Deanna went to answer it. “Hello.”

  “Deanna, this is Len.”

  Smiling, Deanna switched the phone to her right hand to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Hello, Len. How are you?”

  “Fine. How’s Casey?”

  “Her fever broke last night.”

  “That’s wonderful. I understand the doctor’s been out several times to check on both of you.”

  After sipping her coffee, Deanna laughed softly. “Not me. Just Casey.”

  “If you believe that, you’re not as smart as I think you are. Dr. Scott has been watching to see how well you can move, and I’m sure he’s already made an appointment to take your cast off.”

  With a shrug, Deanna picked up her cup again. “He did. He’s a sweet man.”

  Len chuckled at that. “That’s news to me. I’ve seen him handle ranch hands who get hurt but don’t think they need a doctor. Understand even Sam and Carson listen to him and they’re both bears when they’re hurt.”

  Deanna laughed at that and got up to check on Casey again. “He seems to handle Casey well, and something tells me they’d be as stubborn as she is.”

  Leaning against the doorway, she turned to glance out the window again, searching for any sign of Carson and Sam but seeing only several ranch hands that always seemed to stay close. “I know you’ve been checking on Casey, but that’s not why you called today, is it?”

  “No, Deanna. It’s not. I called to tell you that you now have sole custody of Casey.”

  Deanna sucked in a breath, her eyes burning. “For real? Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” Len chuckled. “Karns called me from the courthouse. He’s faxing the paperwork to me today. You don’t think I would call and say something like that as a joke, do you?”

  “No.” Scraping a hand through her hair, she went back to the table, dropping into her chair when her knees buckled. “I’ve waited so long.” Her voice broke. “I was scared to death that the j-judge was g-going to g-give Jimmy joint custody and I’d have to m-move back.”

  She sucked in a breath, covering her mouth when a sob broke free. “I’m free of him? He won’t have access to her? To me?”

  Tears streamed down her face faster than she could wipe them away. “It’s over?”

  “It’s over. Are Carson or Sam there?”

  “No. They left a little while ago.”

  “You can trust them, you know.”

  “I do.”

  “No. You don’t. Not completely. Have they done something to make you distrust them?”

  “Of course not.” She got up to look out the window again, noting how young the two men closest to the houses appeared. “How long have you been friends with them?”

  “About ten years. Why?”

  “Have they always kept men close to the house?”

  “Of course. They have men all over the place, but there are usually men by the stables and the main house. Why?”

  “Just wondering.” Deanna appreciated having people nearby, but she couldn’t stand the thought of one of them getting hurt because of her.

  “Deanna. Talk to me.”

  “Jimmy’s not going to take it well. He was mad enough about the divorce. When he finds out that he can’t have Casey, he’ll come looking for me.”

  Deanna couldn’t forget the rage on Jimmy’s face during her last beating. “I don’t want anyone else involved.”

  “Casey’s yours. He can’t do anything.”

  Deanna smiled humorlessly and went to check on her daughter again. “You don’t know Jimmy. A piece of paper signed by a judge isn’t going to matter to him.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, Sam and Carson are determined to protect you.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. Thanks for calling, Len.”

  * * * *

  Despite Len’s good news, Deanna knew, deep down, that she would have to deal with Jimmy again.

  Her ex-husband wouldn’t give either h
er or Casey up under any circumstances.

  She’d be a fool to believe otherwise.

  She had to be ready.

  She’d already stored emergency bags in the storage compartment behind the seat in the beautiful red truck she’d inherited from her uncle, which now sat in the driveway.

  Pressing a hand to her stomach, she went to the hall closet, checking to make sure the money her uncle had kept stashed in soup cans was still in the zippered pocket of her new coat where she’d hidden it.

  After checking to make sure the baseball bat still stood where she’d propped it against the end table, she bent to kiss Casey’s forehead, relieved to find it cool. “Come on, sweet pea. Let’s get dressed.”

  “I wanna go out to pay in the snow.”

  Understanding Casey’s boredom, Deanna smiled. “How about if we go next door to meet Miss Mary? We can thank her for the soup and the cookies.”

  Casey practically skipped down the hallway to the bedroom they shared. “Otay.”

  Jimmy hadn’t wanted Deanna to make friends, but with his personality, she hadn’t wanted to.

  Instead of walking up the freshly plowed road, Casey wanted to walk through the foot and a half of snow that had fallen so far.

  Blinking against the blinding sunlight reflecting off the snow, Deanna let her daughter run through the snow, laughing when Casey dropped to her knees to gather armfuls of it.

  “Casey! Don’t lose your doll in the snow.”

  “I won’t, Mommy!” Getting to her feet again, Casey stumbled and then began running through the snow again, her giggle bringing tears to Deanna’s eyes.

  Looking out, Deanna took a steadying breath, seeing the ranch clearly since the first time she’d arrived.

  Outbuildings, horses, and ranch hands could be seen in the distance, the snow-covered ground bringing everything into sharp focus.

  She turned in a circle, taking in the sight of the main house, smiling when she turned toward the road at the sight of the small snow plow that seemed to always be out keeping the ranch roads clear.

  As it approached, she returned the driver’s wave.

  The older man waved back, his smile wide as if he enjoyed himself immensely.

  “Mommy! Horsey!”

  Deanna turned back to see her daughter jumping up and down with excitement, not seeming at all concerned that the approaching horse and rider towered over her. “Yes, sweetie. Be careful. Don’t startle him.”

  She rushed forward, gripping Casey’s arm to keep her daughter close.

  “She’s fine, ma’am.” The rider she’d glimpsed on several occasions grinned when he saw Casey, slowing as he moved closer and touched his gloved fingers to the brim of his hat. “Ma’am. Is everything all right?”

  Deanna returned his smile. “Everything’s fine. Thank you. We were just on our way to meet Mary.”

  “I’m sure she’d appreciate the company. I’m Steve, by the way. Casey sure likes playing in the snow, doesn’t she?”

  “She does. Not much snow in Mississippi.”

  “No, ma’am. Plenty here, though.”

  Casey moved closer to Deanna, her eyes wide. “That horsey’s big.”

  “He sure is.” Deanna closed her hand over Casey’s shoulder. “You don’t have to be scared.”

  Casey lifted her chin. “I not scared.”

  Steve grinned. “Of course not. Neither one of you has any reason to be scared here.”

  Deanna stiffened, her smile falling when she noticed that he wore a gun on a gun belt. “I suppose you’ve been told about me.”

  His smile fell, and with a smile of apology, he pulled the hem of his coat over it, not quite covering it. “We’ve been told that you’re Don’s niece. I’m sorry about his passing. He was a good man.”

  “Yes. He was.”

  Deanna smiled, thinking of her uncle, trying to remember if the ranch hands had worn gun belts. “He loved this ranch.”

  Steve smiled again and inclined his head. “He did. We all do.” Pausing, he pushed his hat back. “And you? Do you and Casey like living here?”

  Taking a breath of the crisp air, Deanna watched Casey run around in the snow, her giggles clear in the quiet. “We love it.”

  Catching a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head, her breath catching.

  The unmistakable sight of Carson, wearing a black shearling coat and a black cowboy hat, covering overlong hair of ebony that shone like his horse’s, made her heart beat faster.

  Beside him, Sam rode as tall in the saddle, his beige shearling coat and chocolate-brown cowboy hat shading green eyes that sparkled with gold flecks when he laughed and darkened to jade when he held her close.

  She sucked in another breath and stilled, the earth righting itself beneath her feet for the first time in as long as she could remember.

  She was safe.

  Free.

  And she had a strong suspicion that she was falling in love—with two men.

  She was a fool to believe that it could work, but as they got closer, she met their gazes—shaded by the brims of their cowboy hats—and felt a jolt of heat all the way to her core.

  Steve touched his fingers to the brim of his hat again. “Ma’am.” He nodded toward Sam and Carson before riding away, leaving the four of them alone.

  “Horsies!”

  Sam smiled and leaned down. “Wanna go for a ride, Lil’ bit?”

  Casey once again surprised Deanna by rushing toward Sam with a squeal, oblivious to the danger of running up to a horse that could easily crush her. “Yay!”

  With a gasp, Deanna started forward, stopping abruptly when Carson urged his horse forward and, with a playful grin, bent, wrapped an arm around her and lifted her to his lap, chuckling softly at her yelp of surprise.

  Settling onto his powerful thighs, he touched his surprisingly warm lips to her neck. “I’ve got you.”

  She turned to call to Casey, stilling when she saw that Sam spoke calmly to her daughter as he lifted her by the back of her jacket and snow pants, settling her gently on his lap.

  Holding on to her doll, Casey giggled and bounced on his lap. “Mommy! Yook at me!”

  “I see you, darling.”

  Carson urged his horse forward, sliding a hand over Deanna’s thigh. “Should the two of you be out here?”

  Unable to resist, Deanna leaned back against him. “You saw her this morning. Her fever’s gone, and she’s full of energy and bored. I thought we’d walk over to meet Mary so we could thank her for the cookies and soup. Casey wanted to walk in the snow.”

  Watching her daughter listen attentively to Sam before reaching out to pet the horse, Deanna laughed softly. “To be honest, I’m hoping to wear her out a little.”

  A moan escaped when Carson nuzzled her ear. “She’s so happy. She loves it here. And you?” Holding the reins in one gloved hand, he slid his free hand under her warm coat and closed it on her waist. “Are you happy here?”

  Aware that Sam had heard the question, Deanna straightened and looked over at him, unsurprised to find him watching her.

  It would be so easy to give in and accept the passion and safety they offered, but she’d failed in her marriage to one man and didn’t hold out much hope that a relationship—a meaningful relationship—with two men could ever last.

  She knew that a future on the ranch would be impossible and that staying too long would just lead to heartbreak.

  Worry for Casey and her own need to feel safe and to just breathe made it easy to stay, but her need for independence and the inevitable ending to whatever relationship she, Carson, and Sam created meant that forever was not an option.

  Smiling at Sam, she leaned back against Carson again with a sigh. “It’s peaceful here. It allows me to think.”

  Sam’s gaze flicked to Carson before holding hers again. “I’m going to take Casey up to the house. Mary’s making more cookies.”

  Casey looked up at him, touching his cheek with her mittened ha
nd. “Cookies?”

  Sam smiled. “She also makes the best hot chocolate.”

  “I yike hot chocyate.”

  Carson slid his hand higher under Deanna’s coat. “She’ll be fine. You and I need some time alone.”

  Deanna’s breath caught, a warm awareness flowing over her like warm honey. “We do?”

  “We do. Tell Casey you’ll be there in a little while.”

  Amused that Casey didn’t even balk at being away from her, Deanna met Sam’s gaze again, the heat in it beading her nipples.

  Inclining his head, Sam smiled faintly. “I’ll get her settled. Leave the back door unlocked.”

  With his arm still around her and his lips pressed against her ear, Carson headed back toward her uncle’s house. “I want to use my mouth on you. I want to learn every single inch of you.”

  Deanna gasped at the surge of heat. “Carson!”

  He yanked off his glove and slid his hand between her thighs. “What’s the matter, darlin’? Don’t you like hearing what I plan to do to you?”

  Throwing her head back against his shoulder, she gripped his forearm, closing her eyes against the sharp sensations when he focused unerringly on her clit. “Oh God!”

  Chuckling, Carson nipped her earlobe. “If you like this, you’re going to love how it feels when I strip you naked and use my mouth on you.”

  He ran his tongue over the sensitive skin below her ear. “I’ve been dying for a taste of you.”

  Deanna rocked against his hand, another moan escaping at the unmistakable feel of his hard cock pressing against her bottom. “I don’t know how to do this.”

  He slid from the saddle and tethered his horse before reaching up for her. “Don’t know how to do what, darlin’?”

  He helped her down, holding her against him, and slid his hands to her bottom, urging her to wrap her legs around him. “Tell me.”

  Gripping his shoulders, she shivered at the scrape of his teeth over her neck. “The things you say—like using your mouth. I’ve never done that.”

  Carson groaned. “Christ, don’t say things like that. My cock’s already throbbing.”

  He shoved the door open with a force that slammed it back against the wall, his impatience evident, closing it again with equal force.