by Donna Grant
Clayton nodded, his lips pressed together in irritation. “I heard. He can’t do anything. It’s up to you to submit the evidence.”
“That, along with the arrest, will be enough to give you the order of protection,” Danny said.
“Then why am I so scared?” she asked.
“Because it’s a step in telling the world what a monster he is,” Danny answered.
Skylar’s blue eyes slid to him. “Will Matt be there?”
“I have no idea. If his lawyer is smart, he’ll keep Matt far away. It won’t be in his best interests to be there, fighting it.”
Clayton nodded. “Danny’s right. I don’t think Matt will be at the courthouse, but you might want to prepare yourself just in case you see him nearby.”
Danny wished he could give her an escort, but that would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He wanted Matt gone and out of Skylar’s life, he didn’t want to cause more trouble.
“You won’t be alone,” Clayton said to Skylar. “We’re all going to be with you.”
Danny nodded when she looked at him. “I’ll be at the courthouse, as well. For you. The judge will have access to the arrest files, but she might want to ask me a question or two. She has in the past. Small towns and all that.”
Skylar frowned then. “I’m from here, but I moved away. And Matt is from Houston. Will any of that make a difference in her decision?”
“Based on what Leslie told me, no,” Clayton answered.
“That’s a relief.” Skylar shot Clayton a smile, but when her gaze moved to Danny, the smile widened.
He wanted to take her hand, to draw her against him. Hell, he wanted her in his arms again so they could fall asleep together.
“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Clayton’s gaze lingered on Danny a beat before he turned on his heel and walked out.
Skylar shook her head and laughed when the door closed behind Clayton. “He knows.”
“Yeah.” No use sugarcoating anything.
She pulled her hand from her pocket and grabbed his. “I don’t regret what we did, nor do I intend to stop seeing you. If you want to see me, that is,” she said hesitantly.
He pulled her against him and held her with one arm. “I most definitely do.”
“Just what I wanted to hear.” She flashed a wide smile before clearing her throat and becoming serious. “But if Matt gets wind of this—”
“I know. It’s why I tried to stay away from you. I thought it would be easier if I wasn’t around, but I want to be with you during all of this.”
Her gaze softened as she looked up at him. “I’d like that.”
“But,” he said, lingering on the word as he pulled away so she could look at him, “if at any time, it appears as if Matt might figure it out, I’ll stop making an appearance with you. It’ll only be for a short time. He needs to get out of your life.”
“You’re right,” she said with a sigh. “I just hate giving in to anything regarding him.”
“We may not have to. Just be prepared.”
She rested her cheek on his chest. “We’ll make sure we only ever touch each other when we’re here. No long looks, no obvious desire, no touching, and nothing but friendly smiles and courteous talk between friends. He’ll never know.”
“Sounds good.”
But Danny knew they didn’t have a chance in hell of Matt not noticing.
Chapter 13
December 5th
Waking up to the smell of gingerbread cookies was almost as good as kissing Danny. It was too bad he wasn’t in bed with Skylar.
She couldn’t stop smiling as she sat up and stretched. Not even knowing that today was the day she had to go in front of the judge and discuss the restraining order could diminish her happiness.
As she rose from the bed and got into the shower to ready herself for the day, she couldn’t help but think about what Danny had said the night before and how it hadn’t been their time for each other when they were in high school.
And she couldn’t help hoping that now was their time. She couldn’t explain her feelings for Danny. It was almost as if they’d always been there, but she hadn’t noticed them. That wasn’t entirely true. She had always felt … unsettled. Not in her everyday life, but in relationships.
Like a voice in her head had kept whispering words that the outside world had drowned out. Now, the world was quiet, and she could hear the voice—and it kept telling her that she was where she was supposed to be.
How ironic, since she hadn’t been able to get out of this town fast enough. Yet it was her hometown—and Danny—that reminded her of who she’d once been. Both also helped her to find the strength that she’d thought she lost.
It saddened her to think that she had spent so many years not realizing how unhappy she was. She had a good job, but it didn’t satisfy her as it once had. She had friends, but none she trusted enough to help her with the situation with Matt.
She’d thought the tightness she felt in her chest had been the knowledge that she’d chosen poorly by moving in with Matt. The real truth was that she had been unsure of them going forward.
Except when she tried to talk to him about it, he’d always had good arguments for them living together. It was only the second time in her life that she had moved in with a boyfriend. The first had lasted nearly two years before they decided to part ways.
That had been during college, and Skylar spent the rest of her time living alone. It’s how she liked things. She’d had a few boyfriends through the years, and they would often stay a night or two with her, but each time they spoke about living together, she quickly shut them down.
She hadn’t done that with Matt because he had treated her well, they had a lot in common, and they’d a great time together. She’d believed that none of her past relationships had worked because she hadn’t put enough effort into them, and since she was getting older, it made her take a hard look at what she had with Matt.
What angered her the most was that she’d let age factor into it. That was likely because she had listened to her friends talk about not wanting to be in their forties and single. One of the few times in her life that she’d let peer pressure help make a decision for her—and the outcome had been disastrous.
Though she couldn’t blame her friends. None of them could’ve known what type of man Matt was. But Skylar had. At least, her intuition had warned her not to stay with him.
But she hadn’t listened to her gut. In fact, she had flat-out ignored it, thinking it was just her indecision regarding what to do with her life.
By the time she’d finished with her shower and dressed, she knew for certain that no matter what happened with the restraining order and Matt, she wanted to see where things went with Danny. Skylar hoped that it wasn’t just some fling.
For the first time in her life, she didn’t have that gnawing uncertainty when she was with a guy. Because with Danny, everything felt … right. As if it were supposed to be.
As if it had always been meant to be.
On her way down the stairs, she thought back to the girl she’d been in high school. She’d been naïve and too cocky for her own good. Her first year of college had taught her a lot, and she’d continued to expand her mind and her thinking afterward. She’d known, even as a little girl, that it was her destiny to leave her hometown and experience the big city.
The past years had changed her, though, shaping her into a woman who was open to possibilities, one who accepted who she was and loved herself for it, someone who wasn’t afraid to make changes.
She had been none of those things when she graduated high school and left home. Maybe Danny was right. Perhaps they hadn’t been ready for whatever was between them.
Because while she might not be sure of exactly what she and Danny were to each other, she knew for certain that he wasn’t faking his passion or the desire. It had been clear in his kisses, in the way he held her. And most definitely in the way he looked at her.
�
��Good morning,” Abby called when she spotted Skylar coming into the kitchen.
She glanced at Abby and returned the greeting but then headed to Hope, who was waving at her. “And how are you this morning?” she asked the toddler.
Hope just laughed and looked at her mother.
“I’m about to fix eggs. Would you like some?” Abby offered.
Skylar shook her head. “I don’t think I could get food down this morning.”
“I don’t blame you. The water is hot if you want tea.”
Skylar headed straight for the cabinet with the mugs and began steeping the teabag in the hot water. She then turned to watch Abby. “I really appreciate all you and your family have done.”
“We’re happy to do it,” Abby said as she cooked her eggs. “Danny has done so much for all of us. He rarely asks for help with anything.”
“He never did in school either.” Skylar shrugged. “I just hope that nothing that happens with Matt puts your family in danger.”
Abby snorted as she put the eggs on her plate. “This place is like Fort Knox, so I’m not worried about anyone coming here. We are aware that Matt could try something when we go out, which is why we’ve taken precautions.”
“You shouldn’t have to do that.”
“And you shouldn’t have to hide in fear for your life,” Abby argued. “We wouldn’t be doing any of this if we didn’t want to. Danny is like family, and you obviously mean a lot to him.”
Skylar looked away, unable to hold Abby’s blue eyes. “He would’ve helped out anyone.”
“That’s true. But he wouldn’t have brought just anyone to us.”
That made Skylar’s stomach quiver with excitement. “Have you ever been in a situation where everything suddenly makes sense? That you just know you’re where you’re supposed to be?”
“Actually, I have.” Abby smiled, her expression becoming dreamy. “It was with Clayton. I wanted to hate him at first because I blamed him for Brice being arrested for cattle theft, but I soon realized that it wasn’t Clayton’s fault. It was mine.”
“Yours?” Skylar asked in confusion.
Abby shrugged as she took a bite and chewed. Then she answered. “Our father died when we were young, and our mother skipped town the night I graduated. She left me to care for Brice and Caleb. I did the best I could, but we were barely making it. I was working all the time just to pay the bills and put food on the table, not to mention, keep my brothers in clothes. Brice had fallen in with a bad crowd, but he also knew how difficult things were. He thought if he could get some money, he could ease my burden.”
“That didn’t go as planned, I take it?”
Abby shook her head. “They got caught. The men scattered, leaving Brice to take the fall. Danny was the one who arrested him and called me. Thankfully, Clayton didn’t press charges. He made a deal with Brice that my brother would work on the ranch to pay off the money owed for the stolen cattle and the prized bull. I knew Brice would be working for years to pay off such a debt, but that being at the ranch meant he wouldn’t be hanging with that bad crowd he’d fallen in with either.”
“I can’t believe Clayton didn’t press charges,” Skylar said.
“He hoped to earn Brice’s trust so my brother would give him the names of the thieves. It worked. With Brice being here, Caleb also wanted to work at the ranch. Clayton agreed, and soon, I was here all the time, picking them up and dropping them off. During all of that, things between Clayton and me fell into place somehow. But I know what you mean. Each time I was with him, I didn’t want to be anywhere else. With him, the world made sense.”
Skylar nodded, and her eyes widened. “Yes. Exactly that.”
Abby grinned as she finished her eggs. “I take it you’re talking about Danny?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” Abby said with a nod. “I figured there was something there by the way he looks at you.”
Skylar wished she could see the look Abby was talking about.
Abby’s face grew serious. “It complicates things, though.”
“I know. Danny and I talked about that last night.”
“Don’t let that stop either of you,” Abby stated firmly.
Skylar shrugged. “I wish I knew what to do and say to get Matt to leave me alone and go home.”
“That’s what Leslie is for. That woman is a shark, in the best possible way,” Abby said with a chuckle. “Trust her like you trust Danny, and things will be all right.”
Skylar sure hoped so. The closer it came to the time she needed to leave for the courthouse, the more nervous she became. She drank her tea while Abby wiped Hope’s face after her breakfast and then cleaned up the kitchen.
Skylar found her gaze moving to the stables as she recalled the time she and Danny had stolen the previous night. It had been amazing, but she wished they could have had all night. Better yet, she wished they could be completely alone without anyone around.
Not that she wasn’t thankful for having a place to hide from Matt, but she was ready for him to relinquish his hold on her and go back to Houston. Surely, once he realized that she didn’t want anything to do with him, Matt would do just that.
Surely.
Because she wanted to put her past—especially the last few months—behind her for good. There was a future for her here, one she hadn’t realized was there, and she planned to grab it with both hands and hold on for dear life. She was no longer afraid of Matt or what he might do to her. She had friends that she could count on. More importantly, she had found her inner strength again.
And she was going to fight with all she had.
The knock on the door startled her. She took a deep breath as Abby answered it, opening it wide to show Leslie. Skylar’s attorney wore a black Armani sheath dress with white pinstripes and black heels. She’d draped a long, white coat over the dress to shield her from the cold.
“Perfect,” Leslie said to Skylar when she walked in.
Skylar glanced down at her black turtleneck shirt, dress pants, and stilettos. She’d opted for gold studs to match her camel-colored coat that stopped at the top of her thighs. Her hair was gathered at the back of her head with a hairband.
She smiled at Leslie. “Is everything set?”
“Yes. All you need to do is stand with me before the judge. She’ll ask a few questions and then make a decision on the order of protection. I don’t see any reason she would refuse it, but be prepared either way.”
“I always think of the worst, so I’ll be prepared,” Skylar said as she rinsed out her mug and set it in the sink.
Then she slipped on her coat and gathered the small black purse that held her cell phone, wallet, and nude lipstick. She faced the women. Hope smiled and waved, while Abby gave her a thumbs-up. Leslie lifted her chin and nodded her head once.
As Skylar walked from the house, she kept wishing Danny was there beside her. He said he’d be in the courtroom, and she could hardly wait to see him. She would have to be sure not to let anything show if he did show up, no matter how excited she might be. Not that Matt would be there, but others would.
Skylar got into Leslie’s silver BMW 8 Series and settled back in the heated seat as she pictured the future that she wanted.
Chapter 14
“You were right, Danny. Leslie and Skylar were followed.”
Danny held his anger in check as he listened to Jace through the cell phone. He sat in his patrol SUV, staring at the courthouse. “How many?”
“Just one car with a single man inside.”
Danny’s gaze roamed over the vehicles in the parking lot before a figure walking toward the building caught his attention. “Matt’s lawyer, Rodney, is here. I had a feeling he’d attend.”
“At least Matt isn’t there.”
“Whatever is said in that courtroom will get back to Matt,” Danny stated.
Jace blew out a breath. “Leslie and Skylar are less than five minutes away.”
“Stay on the vehicle followin
g them. Just don’t let him see you.”
“Oh, I’m better than that,” Jace said before he disconnected.
Any other time, Danny would’ve grinned at the comment, but not this time. Danny had only gotten a few hours of sleep. He’d fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, but around five that morning, he’d had a dream about Matt attacking Skylar. Danny had woken up in a cold sweat and hadn’t been able to go back to sleep.
He couldn’t remember much of the dream except for Skylar’s face, bloody from the beating. Danny rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He never should have crossed the line by sleeping with Skylar. He’d known it was wrong before he ever kissed her, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself.
His gaze dropped to his hand. He could still recall the feel of her velvety skin, the way her warm body felt against his. Even after satisfying himself, he’d been hard and needy that morning—for Skylar.
He sat up straighter the moment he spotted Leslie’s car pull into the parking lot. Danny spotted a black Suburban drive past them, and he’d bet his pension that was who had been following them. Danny’s gaze scanned the cars once more. The Suburban didn’t pull in because someone else was here watching, someone besides Rodney. The question was: who?
Danny didn’t see movement from anyone even after Leslie and Skylar had parked and exited the car. The women walked side by side to the courthouse, Leslie talking while Skylar nodded, listening.
He knew the moment Skylar spotted him. She didn’t smile or show anything on her face, but her gaze lingered on him for two heartbeats before she looked away. He wanted to jump out and rush to her, but he stopped himself just as he was about to open his door. He had to remember that they were hiding this … well, whatever they had.
The goal was to get Matt to go away. He wouldn’t do that if he believed Danny was interested in Skylar. Or worse, he thought that Skylar might want to be with Danny.
“Fuck me,” Danny murmured. He’d really managed to put himself between a rock and a hard place.