The Prodigal Daughter

The Prodigal Daughter

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Lorie O’Clare

The Prodigal Daughter By

Lorie O’Clare

Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com

Triskelion Publishing 15508 W. Bell Road #101, PMB 502 Surprise, AZ 85374 Copyright 2005 Lorie O’Clare

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information retrieval and storage system without permission of the publisher except, where permitted by law. ISBN 1-932866-97-3 Publisher’s Note. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to a person or persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is purely coincidental.

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The Prodigal Daughter

Chapter One “God, I wish I had the energy to do that again.” Phillip groaned as he rolled off Kathryn O’Brien’s sweaty body. He ran his hands through her dark auburn hair. Musky perfume and the smell of aftermath saturated the air around them. Kathryn rolled to the side and rested her hand on his chest. Her fingers spread through thick curls that glistened in the dim light. “I wonder if we have time for a shower?” Phillip sat up, pulling her with him. He rubbed her bare back, and she smiled up at him, feeling very sated. The man was so handsome, with his dark hair cut short, but long enough to run her fingernails through. His green eyes made her feel she was all that mattered in his world. It was quite a talent on his part. How many women had he graced with that seductive gaze of his? “You’re the boss.” She giggled when he tickled her, then standing up, she headed naked to the bathroom. “A shower does sound good.” Kathryn’s heart exploded when the front door opened at the other end of the apartment. The hallow boom when the door shut might as well have been a gunshot. “Phillip, are you here?” High heels clicked across the hard wood floor, and the sound of something dropped on the dining room table. “I saw your car outside. Where are you? You wouldn’t believe that trustee’s meeting.” The bedroom door opened and the woman flipped on the light as she unbuttoned her shirt. “Oh, my God!” The shrill squeal of the woman’s voice sent icy chills down Kathryn’s spine. “Mary, just calm down.” Phillip finished pulling up his pants, and tried to block his wife’s view of the bed. Behind him, Kathryn shook so hard she almost couldn’t dress. He was married! Fucking married! Her blouse was inside out and she had no idea where her bra was. There wasn’t enough air in the room for her to catch her breath. Her gasp came out like a choking sound. “Who the hell are you?” Mary’s voice climbed an octave as she stepped around her husband, and stared at Kathryn, sitting on the edge of her bed. “Get off my bed. Get the hell out of my house.” “Mary, come out of the room. She’s leaving, just let her finish dressing.” Phillip reached for his wife, sounding way too calm. Kathryn stood, turning her back to both of them, already buttoning her blouse. It was too much work to determine if she was buttoning them in the right holes or not. “I’m not leaving this room until she does!” Mary screamed and pulled away from Phillip. Angry tears streaked her perfectly made up face as she reached for Kathryn. “Why are you practicing modesty now? Do you make it a habit of sleeping with other women’s husbands? Turn around. I want to know what your name is.”

Lorie O’Clare

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Kathryn turned around, and tucked in her shirt. She slid her feet into her loafers and decided not to worry about where her pantyhose and bra were. She would have told the woman her name, and told her that she’d never slept with a married man before. But she didn’t have the chance. Phillip grabbed her arm, and threw her toward the door. He was still walking, pushing her ahead of him, as he spoke. “It doesn’t matter what her name is. We just met. It was stupid. Now calm down Mary, and we’ll talk this whole thing through.” Kathryn turned to question what he had just said, but he pushed her harder, and thrust her purse into her hands. “Wait a minute. You’re Kathryn O’Brien, aren’t you?” Mary hurried through the room and blocked the path to the front door. “You’re one of those little secretaries in Phillip’s office. The millionaire’s daughter. Don’t tell me you actually are trying for a raise? Did Daddy cut you off?” Kathryn didn’t have a chance to react before Mary slapped her hard across the face. The sting stole her breath and was powerful enough to distort her vision instantly. She reached for her cheek, feeling heat spread over her flesh. “No, I thought…I mean,” she stammered, but then jumped when Phillip grabbed her arm. He pulled the front door open, and she found herself shoved into the chilly night air. Kathryn blinked back tears, stunned. She jumped when Phillip slammed the door in her face. That calm tone of his came through the door as she stood in the darkness, “I’m sorry Mary. What a mess I’ve made of things. I love you. I can’t stand seeing the pain on your face.” Kathryn slapped at the tears on her face angrily, her legs like jelly while she hurried to her car and fumbled through her purse for her keys. It was all she could do to unlock her car and then get the key in the ignition. Dear God! What a nightmare! Phillip’s porch was dark, and lights were barely visible through closed curtains. She stared at his window until weary numbness consumed her. Why did it hurt so much to hear Phillip tell his wife that he loved her? Was it because she longed to hear someone say the words to her? Kathryn choked out a sigh as she merged on to the interstate. She eased in and out of the lanes with the practice of a native Detroit girl. The last thing on her mind though was the traffic. The sensation of Phillip’s course chest hair under her palm lingered. Rubbing her palm hard against her leg, she desperately tried to wipe any feeling of him from her. The prick was married. “God!” she howled, hitting her steering wheel. Her body was raw from sex. And her heart was on fire, burning with such painful intensity that she could hardly breathe. To think she could have fallen for this guy—a married man. “Men!” She beat the steering wheel again. Talk about complete humiliation—embarrassment. His wife had been so stricken, the pain in her heart probably ten times as bad as what Kathryn endured right now. Telling the woman that she didn’t know he was married would fix nothing. Phillip had used her, and abused his wife. Plain and simple. If only she could reverse this nightmare.

The Prodigal Daughter

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Her cheeks burned from where Mary had slapped her. Would it leave a mark? She realized her hands shook on the steering wheel, and let out another choked sigh. How had it come to this? What kind of person was she? She needed to pull herself together. How could she go home to Darren, looking like this? No matter that their relationship as roommates was one of convenience. There was no arguing that she didn’t love him anymore and their relationship had grown strictly platonic. She still shared an address with him. And she’d just committed the worse sin on the planet. No way did she want to hear what he’d have to say about it. She leaned forward to glance into her rear view mirror, but there was no way she could see her reflection well in the dark. Darting across the interstate toward her exit, her phone rang and she almost threw up. Damn, she was jumpier than a whipped pup. “Hello.” Her voice cracked, and she cringed. “Kathryn, Mary just called Darren.” Phillip’s tone was disturbingly calm. Kathryn pulled into the parking lot of her complex and up to the gate. She slid her card into the slot so the gate would open. “How…how did she know about Darren?” “She locked herself in the bathroom as soon as you left. She had her mobile and started making phone calls. Everyone in the office knows you and Darren live together. I doubt if I’ll ever know who gave her your home phone number. I guess Darren answered the phone.” “What did she say to him?” Kathryn couldn’t think. More than anything she wanted to hear Phillip reassure her that everything would be okay, that he’d fix everything. No. She wanted to scream what an asshole he was and hang up on despicable ass. She pulled into her carport and shifted gears too quickly. The car jumped. “I guess she told him that she found you in bed with me. Kathryn, are you going to be okay?” Her heart skipped a beat. He did care. But why the hell should it matter if he did or not? He’d lied to her, given no indication to her that he’d been married. What a fool she’d been. “I’ll be fine,” she said, and hung up the phone while her heart broke in two. Her head jerked up when the sliding glass door on her terrace slammed open. The heavy footsteps belonged to Darren. He appeared in the doorway of the carport in the next instant. Darren Boring—she should have taken the hint from his last name—had been her roommate for almost a year now. They dated for several months before both of their leases expired, and they’d decided to chance living together. There was no doubt in her mind that Darren wasn’t the type of man she wanted to marry, but she saved a lot of money living with him. Maybe that was shallow, like every other aspect of her life right now. God knows her Dad would help pay for a nicer apartment if she asked. “Everything will be okay,” she breathed, in an effort to reassure herself, before getting out of her car. Her fingers shook helplessly and she ran them through her hair, realizing how tangled it was. She looked into Darren’s pale blue eyes. “You’re home early.”

Lorie O’Clare

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She brushed passed him, and hurried inside. Darren was right on her heels. Their apartment had an open layout with a large kitchen overlooking a sunken living/family area. They’d arranged the large loft upstairs with all of their bedroom furniture, a partition splitting it into two rooms. The lights were dimmed, a common practice of theirs in the evening while they hung out in the living room, watching TV and sometimes discussing their days. She could smell candles, although none of them were lit. Darren probably blew them all out…after he got the phone call. She stopped when she noticed her two suitcases sitting on the kitchen floor next to the dishwasher. “Why are these here?” Kathryn turned, and then backed up a step so she could focus on his face. Darren’s blond hair was damp. He wasn’t wearing his glasses, and that made his blue eyes easier to see. “Those are your things. I put your dresses in my hanging suitcase. Consider it my going away present to you.” “You’re kicking me out?” “Yes.” He moved passed her, and picked up a glass of wine he’d obviously poured for himself earlier. He downed it, and then pulled his checkbook out of his back pocket. She watched numbly as he wrote out a check and then handed it to her. “This should cover what’s still owed on the furniture you charged to your credit card.” “Why are you kicking me out?” This was the last thing she needed. Spending the night alone in a hotel with her thoughts would drive her absolutely insane. Darren ignored the question, scooped her two suitcases up, and then grabbed the hanging suitcase. She watched as he walked out the sliding glass door to her car. He disappeared into the carport and reappeared a minute later. “I want your key to the apartment.” He held out his hand. She stood there frozen. Too much was happening at once. Wasn’t it enough that she’d been caught in bed with a man she shouldn’t have been in bed with? Did she have to be rendered homeless as well? “I don’t want to move out,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “And I don’t want to face the humiliation once word hits that my roommate is a home wrecker and a slut. Give me your key, and then get out, Kathryn.” His jaw twitched and she could see he was sheltering fury. She doubted Phillip would be worrying about where he would sleep tonight. Kathryn sat in her dark car without starting it. Her heart raced in her chest and blood rushed in her ears. She glanced down at her passenger seat where Darren had thrown her mail. Two twenties rested on top of several envelopes. Darren had tossed those into her car before shutting her door. They were for the groceries she’d bought the other night. She frowned down at the money—bought and paid for. Kathryn focused on her mail. She spotted her credit card statement and wondered if that was what prompted Darren to write her the check. Tears threatened her eyes. She blinked several times as she glanced over the statement, and then moved to the next letter. She didn’t recognize the return address, and ripped it open as complete depression threatened to consume her.

The Prodigal Daughter

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How stupid was it to sit in her dark car and go over mail? Her life as she knew it had just ended. In less than an hour she had committed adultery and been rendered homeless. For the moment, doing something as simple as reading her mail seemed about as much as she could handle. Kathryn studied the letter in her hands. She read through it once, and then gripped the paper harder as she read it a second time. Brand new tremors raced through her body, as her throat squeezed shut painfully. Blindly she stared out her front windshield into the darkness of her carport. “My mother is dead?” The darkness didn’t answer her.

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Lorie O’Clare

Chapter Two Kari Newton stood poised at the entrance to the church. Pale blonde hair blew around her face. She kept it short, dying it as soon as the nasty red roots made an appearance, vowing it was one less worry in her orderly life. At least, it had been an orderly life until a week ago. Her mother, Angela Newton, lay in the open coffin inside the church. She needed to say goodbye one more time before she left the church for the cemetery. But for now, she was obligated to stand here and say something to the many people who had piled into the small church in Three Hills, Arkansas. There wasn’t a stranger in the crowd. Her community was her family, and they had all been there for her, or her mom, at one time or another, over the years. There was Hazel Upton, who stood to the side, sobbing in her husband’s arms. Hazel and her mom were best friends since high school. Kari grew up thinking friends were forever. But she had thought her mom was forever too. Dan Askerby squeezed her arm as he passed her, and she patted his hand. Of everyone here, Kari didn’t doubt Dan was probably as distraught and numb as she was. At one point she seriously thought Dan would be her stepfather. And even though her mom and the owner of the liquor store down the street from where her mother had waited tables for the past twenty years had never married, Kari didn’t think it was because Dan hadn’t proposed. Angela Newton had always been leery of men, and seldom dated while Kari was growing up. Oh, the men came around. Kari’s mom had always been quite the looker. But her mom kept them at arm’s reach. Kari had overheard her mother tell a curious friend on the phone, more than once, that she wouldn’t raise her daughter in a questionable environment. Kari blamed her mother’s concern about what other people thought of her on the fact that she’d been sixteen when Kari was born. No more than a child raising a child. Twentyfive years ago, a teenage mother was no better than trash. Mary Rivers came out of the church next. She hugged Kari, and then released her so her husband, Gary, could also give her a hug and a pat on the back. Sara Dean followed, holding her two-year-old daughter, June Elizabeth, in her arms. The child was asleep on her mother’s shoulder. Kari smiled at the tranquil child, never ceasing to be amazed how children could so consistently make tons of noise when they were supposed to be quiet, and then sleep when they had the opportunity to make noise. June Elizabeth had been a chatterbox throughout the funeral. Mary and Sara graduated from high school with Kari and they’d stayed close over the years. The two women dove into action the minute Kari called and told them her mother was killed in an automobile accident after visiting a family up in the hills. Mary had called the Polk County Baptist church, and Reverend Davis immediately helped plan the funeral. Sara made arrangements with Mattie Rook, the owner of the Last Stop Café, to hold a reception after the funeral. The café hadn’t closed as long as Kari could remember. But for their favorite waitress, taken in her prime at the age of forty-one—although she would never have admitted her age out loud—the café was closed for the day. The place would be filled with all the town folk, who would talk fondly of Angela Newton, and praise the daughter she’d raised alone. Kari wasn’t looking forward to any of it.

The Prodigal Daughter

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Andy Adams, the local sheriff, ran his rough hand down the back of Kari’s head, and pulled her in for a bear hug. He was a big man, and had always made Kari feel like a school girl. She felt for Andy though. Her mother had served him breakfast every morning for the past two years since he’d moved here. Angela dropped too many hints that Kari should get to know him better; but secretly, Kari had always thought the man had bit of a crush on her mom. Andy had been first on the scene when the accident was called in, and Kari knew seeing her mother like that had to have torn him apart. She returned his brotherly hug. Paul Reece walked down the church steps as she released Andy. He turned when he reached the bottom and smiled up at her sadly. Paul was the lawyer in charge of Angela’s estate. Over the past week, she’d talked to him on the phone a few times, and had been to his office twice. Every time she saw the man, her nerves started unwinding, a strange tingling starting in her tummy. Now seemed no different. She glanced back into the church. Most everyone was outside now, getting ready for the long drive out to the country cemetery where Kari’s grandparents and great-grandparents were buried. This was her last opportunity to look into her Mom’s face. She turned and walked numbly back into the quiet church toward her mom’s coffin. A lump formed in her throat that she couldn’t swallow. “Hi Mom,” Kari whispered, as she brushed her fingers along the collar of her mother’s favorite dress. “You know, this dress does make you look thinner. I hope I look as good as you do when I get buried.” Kari choked and didn’t fight the tears that streamed down her cheeks. After a week of crying, it almost seemed natural. She pulled one of the pale pink roses from off the top of the casket, and placed it on her mother’s hands. “I know these are your favorite. In the spring, I’ll plant them all around your grave. Is that a good idea?” It was all she could do to whisper, her throat swelling shut while she stared at the shell that once housed the most beautiful soul on the planet. It didn’t matter that she choked on her words; her mom could hear her. “You know, I really think it was rotten that you had to be taken from me right now. What am I supposed to do? I don’t have anyone now. I know you want me to live on the land…but I would be so alone. I’m scared, Mom. I’m really scared.” Kari lowered her head on to the open casket and cried. She didn’t stop any of her emotions. She’d never known how to do that. She just cried, like a scared child. Somehow she needed to be strong, brave, hold her head high and handle this catastrophic situation just like her mother would. If only she had the strength. Gentle hands clasped her shoulders, pulling her backwards, and she was guided away from the casket. Sara and Mary walked on either side of her. The men behind her closed the casket and prepared to load it into the limousine. Goodbye Mom. I love you. The café was crowded and a buffet line wrapped around two of the walls. There was constant chatter and Kari was glad she was able to make it over to the table reserved for her without stopping too much to talk to people. Gatherings after a funeral always seemed like a time for people to catch up on each other’s lives.

Lorie O’Clare

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“Everyone will come out for a free meal.” Kari attempted a smile as she sipped at her ice water. “Now you know everyone here was very fond of your mother.” Sara watched her daughter scoop macaroni and cheese into her mouth with her fist. “Your mom was owed at least one favor by every person in this room.” “I know. She went out of her way to help anyone. We were always making a meal for someone. Or we’d have to stop on the way home to pick up someone’s kids. She always heard if folks had to work late when they came in for lunch.” “Those are deeds you can tend to just as well.” Hazel Upton gestured with her fork. She sat down the table from Kari, but it didn’t surprise her that the woman had been listening. “You’ll be living out at the house, so you’ll have plenty of room to watch children.” “I don’t know. I guess the house is mine.” She wouldn’t know who else it would belong to. She and her mom were all the family left, her grandparents and aunt’s and uncle’s all having passed on years ago. Kari didn’t have a clue what she would do with the one hundred acres of hilly pine country that had been in her mom’s family longer than forever. “That’s Newton land, Karin.” Hazel Upton was one of the few people in Kari’s life who used her full name. “You’ve got an obligation to it.” “I know.” This was all too overwhelming right now. “We still have the reading of the will.” Paul Reece sat just two people down. “Your mom had some requests.” “What were they?” Why would her mother make requests after she was dead? “I can’t tell you until I formally read the will. We’ll do that tomorrow afternoon.” Kari picked at her food while she half-heartedly listened to the conversation that continued around the table. What did her mom want her to do? There were the apple trees her mom was going to plant in the spring. They had five apple trees planted alongside the house; and they always provided enough apples for plenty of apple pies and applesauce. Angela wanted to sell her food at the café. It would bring in extra money. Her mom was the enterprising one. It didn’t surprise Kari that her Mom had a will. But she hadn’t known she was going to die. Not like this. Not so young. What kind of requests could she possibly have? Waiting until tomorrow seemed like waiting forever to hear words her mother had written. She wanted to know right now. Did her mom want her to follow in her footsteps? Did she want Kari to start her own business and live off the land? That’s what her Mother had wanted to do. She’d heard plenty of times growing up that this little piece of Earth had provided for Newtons for generations. The land was beautiful with its rolling hills and clear streams. “You’re a thousand miles away.” Kari jumped at Paul’s gentle voice. His head cocked to one side as he watched her. He gave her a crooked smile when she looked up at him. His probing gaze had butterflies dancing in her stomach. She cleared her throat, fighting to get the lump that was there unlodged so she could speak. “Do you think anyone would mind if I went home now?” “I’ll take you, if you like.” Paul wiped his mouth, and dropped his napkin on his plate. She could lose herself in the comfort of his gentle green eyes.

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Reverend Davis had picked her up earlier that day. Everyone had agreed she shouldn’t be driving today, and Kari hadn’t argued. She needed a ride home. But she got tongue tied whenever Paul Reece was close to her. How would she endure a half hour ride with him out to her place? “I have to let some people know I’m going.” She scooted her chair back and Paul jumped up to help her. Kari tucked her dress into her legs so she could duck around him. Everyone mingled, and folks stopped Kari to express their condolences, or tell her something they remembered about her mom. She needed to get out of there. There were too many people. And seeing everyone so dressed up put her ill at ease also. Folks usually in overalls, or t-shirts and jeans now had on their Sunday best. They all had to be as miserable as she was. Even though she only owned several fancy dresses, it took her forever to decide on her dark gray dress that morning. It cut in close to her slim figure and was short sleeved. The high-necked collar made her feel claustrophobic, and the tight cut that fell just below her knees made it impossible to move her legs much when she walked. Damn good thing she didn’t need to break into a run today. It was the compromise she and her mom had settled on during one of their shopping trips to Little Rock. Her mom wanted her to buy something that would show off how pretty she was. Kari couldn’t handle the low cut fronts and short skirts. She didn’t want anyone to think she was…well, loose. She remembered her mom just shaking her head at her. “You’re going to die a virgin.” Kari could still hear her mom’s laughter at the comment. “Sweetheart, how are you doing?” Hazel immediately wrapped her arm around Kari’s shoulders. Kari sagged into her willingly. Hazel was as much a part of her life as her mom had been. “I was just going to ask you the same thing.” Kari tried to sound calm. “It’s been a rough day. Is Mr. Reece asking to take you home?” “Yes. He said he’d take me. I think I’m going to head out. Would that be okay?” “Of course it is, darling. We’ll bring by the food in a couple of hours. I don’t think you’ll have to cook for a while.” That was a good thing. Kari wasn’t sure she would ever be able to cook again. The kitchen wasn’t the same without her mom singing and dancing along to her little radio while she shaped piecrusts or canned vegetables from her garden. Paul met her gaze and then fell in alongside her, placing his hand on the small of her back while escorting her to his truck parked along the street. More cars were parked downtown today than she had seen in all her growing up life. The heat from his hand tickled her lower back. The man was her lawyer. That was it. Harboring thoughts of how good it felt for him to touch her like that was wrong. She just needed someone right now. If her life were normal again, feelings like this wouldn’t be coursing through her. Grief just had her thoughts all muddled up. “Are you going to be all right out here by yourself?” Paul leaned against his steering wheel after parking his truck in front of the house.

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“I’ll be fine. Hazel told me that they’d be bringing food out in a couple of hours.” She opened her door and jumped out, her tight fitting dress almost tripping her. “Thanks for the ride home.” Kari’s black pumps tapped lightly on the hardwood floor as she walked into the kitchen. She smelled nothing. The room was clean. The counter tops dry. The faucet wasn’t dripping because it hadn’t been turned off all the way. There were no pans or pots on the stove. The oven was off. The place mats were where they belonged on the round table. It was as if this room died with her mother. Kari turned around, yanking up her dress, and raced up the stairs. She hurried down the hallway, not needing to turn on the light, and pushed open her bedroom door. How was she going to get through all of this? She threw herself on to her bed and kicked off her shoes. The phone rang and she stifled a scream. Her nerves were frazzled. Nothing would ever be the same again—and she hated change. “Hello?” Her heart pounded too loudly in her ears. “Kari, this is Andy, are you expecting family in town?” “Andy, you know I don’t have any family.” Kari squinted as she listened to the sheriff’s voice through the static. She hated car phones. “Where are you? Why are you calling me?” “I’m out east of town, running patrol. I just pulled this woman over for speeding and she told me she’s Angela Newton’s daughter.” “You’ve got to be kidding! Are you going to arrest her?” “I’ll let you know. Are you hanging in there? I thought I’d check in on you later.” “That would be fine, sheriff.” She placed the small phone back on the cradle, which rested on the small nightstand next to her bed. The last thing she wanted right now was company, but she couldn’t tell the sheriff no. Standing on shaky feet, she slipped out of her dress. Some people could be so cruel. Imagine, someone saying they were related to a dead woman just to get out of a speeding ticket. Staring out her window, she wondered how much pain a heart could endure before it simply quit working.

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The Prodigal Daughter

Chapter Three

Kathryn slipped into her rented red convertible and pulled out of the motel parking lot. Downtown Three Hills, Kentucky consisted of two blocks of shops. There was nothing to this place. She wondered for the hundredth time what the hell she was doing here. A simple call to her Dad’s lawyer would have resolved whatever matter this reading of a will was all about. She told herself curiosity brought her down to the sticks. That and the simple fact that she didn’t have a damned thing to do in Detroit. Like sitting in some five star hotel room relying on room service would have been any more fun. She studied the buildings until she found the address she needed. Paul Reece had a private practice up a long flight of stairs in one of the downtown buildings. The building was old, the large cement block embedded in the side of the building dating it back over a hundred years. The town was obviously proud of its history. The conversation she’d had with her dad before flying out of Detroit came to mind. She’d called him right after she’d read the letter from Paul Reece for the fourth time while waiting on her flight. As if reading the simple text repeatedly would somehow bring light to the confusing letter. “Why didn’t you ever tell me I had a mom?” She’d attacked as soon as he’d said hello. “Kath, what a question. We all have moms.” “Well, I just got a letter from mine.” There was silence on the other end. She’d waited it out. He owed her some kind of explanation. “What does it say?” “Well, it says she’s dead.” More silence. “Oh, dear God,” her father whispered, and Kathryn had been stunned. His usual cool exterior had faded instantly. “How…how did she die?” “I don’t know. The lawyer who wrote this said I’m supposed to appear for a reading of the will.” Kathryn remained confused by her father’s reaction. He’d never mentioned her mother to her. She’d always assumed she’d been her dad’s first wife. The woman’s name escaped her, and her father couldn’t stand her, so Kathryn never thought to ask any questions. They never talked about personal matters—she had her grandmother for that. But he sounded like this hit him rather hard. “I’m going to fly out tonight to Little Rock. I have to drive to this place called Three Hills. Have you ever been there?” “I’ve been there. Kathryn, I don’t know what to say. Do you want me to go with you?” “The letter doesn’t say anything about you.” “Okay. Call me when you get there. Okay, honey?” No, it wasn’t okay. She should have pounded her father with questions. They were streaming from her now. But, he didn’t offer any information but the truth—he didn’t know what to say. “Hi, I’m Kathryn O’Brien. I’m here to see Paul Reece.” Kathryn smiled politely at the receptionist.

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Her palms were damp when she ran them down her pale green silk suit. The short skirt ended just after the suit jacket, the latest of styles as well as giving her a conservative professional look. After two hours with Georgette, her personal stylist, who’d slaved over Kathryn’s nails and hair, they’d decided that nothing too flashy should be worn to a reading of a will. No one would think she was showing up to try and cash in on some woman’s money that she didn’t even know. That was a laugh now that she was here. The office looked like something straight out of Mayberry. The receptionist simply gawked at her. The door opened again and Kathryn stepped to the side to let a blond haired woman in a long, loose fitting dress, walk up to the receptionist. “Hi, Marla, I’m here.” The young woman held out her hands and then sighed, as she dropped them to her side. Kathryn politely took one of the two seats in the waiting area, and glanced at the meager selection of magazines. The receptionist continued to gawk, now at both of them. She shot the blonde a glance, wondering if she thought this behavior odd from the woman. A door to an inner office opened and a tall lean, blonde haired man smiled at the woman who’d just entered. Gentle strawberry streaks highlighted his hair. He wore dark green slacks and a lightly starched shirt with a tie. He was clean shaven and had bright green eyes. Kathryn caught him looking at her when her eyes sauntered back up to his face. She offered him a small smile. He looked away from her quickly with nothing more than barely nodding. Good God, was he blushing? This must be Paul Reece. Why did she expect some podgy old fart? His name fit him, classy and all American. He wasn’t anything like the Sheriff Rambo who tried to arrest her the night before. That ordeal would have been a nightmare if the sheriff hadn’t been so irresistibly sexy. So far, this town was striking a thousand on the point scale for good-looking men. Paul opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again when the door opened from the hallway. Hazel barged in looking wild-eyed. “Paul Reece, tell me what I heard is wrong.” She stopped in her tracks when she saw Kathryn. “Oh dear Lord in heaven, what have you done?” “I’m bound to follow the instructions of the will, Hazel. Now, if you need anything, Marla can help you.” Paul sounded way too calm. Hazel lunged forward and grabbed the girl protectively. She jumped at the woman’s touch. “You can’t ask her to go in there alone. Karin, are you okay?” “Hazel, I’m fine,” the young blonde woman whispered. “I’m just here to hear the reading of mom’s will.” “I’m going in there with you.” Hazel looked at Kathryn. Her eyes grew wide, her gray eyebrows narrowing. “I can’t believe it. I’m trying to remember your name. Was it Kathy?” Kathryn ran damp palms down her dress. “I’m sorry, were you talking to me?” “Hazel, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’m sure you’ll hear all the details before the day is out.” The lawyer placed his hands on the woman’s shoulders. Everyone in this small office seemed like close friends. Kathryn was the outsider, feeling like she invaded on personal conversation. “Paul, I…don’t mind,” the young woman mumbled.

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“I have to follow the instructions of the will,” the lawyer stressed once again. “She can’t handle this right now. And, there’s no way you’re going to make me believe Angela would want her baby to go through this alone.” Hazel crossed her arms over her ample breasts. “Hazel, I need you to leave, or I’ll have to call the sheriff.” They all turned at the sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs—quickly. “I heard you came over here.” Andy Adams walked into the room and stared down at Hazel. “I won’t have you causing trouble.” Kathryn’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of Sheriff Rambo. In the well-lit office, he was a lot easier to take in than on the side of the road in the dark, and then in the back of his patrol car. She clasped her hands in front of her, clamping her teeth together so her jaw wouldn’t hang open, as she enjoyed a good look at the man in uniform. Damn. She had no clue God made men that looked like this. Rambo was all muscle, and every bit of it showed through his tan uniform. He was well over six feet tall, with shiny black hair and milk chocolate eyes. Good grief, was she drooling? She pressed her lips together, taking in the view. His uniform stretched over broad shoulders. The thin material pressed against bulging muscle. Hard and packed. What she wouldn’t do to find out just how hard that body was. Dear Lord. She’d never seen so many muscles on one man. The sheriff glanced at everyone in the room, letting his gaze take her in last. Kathryn had decided on her outfit so that she’d look professional, like a well-paid executive enjoying the corner office—which was a joke considering her recent unemployed status. Next to the other folks in the office she had to stand out noticeably—the city slicker in a room full of hillbillies. Giving him a triumphant smile, she’d almost been arrested the night before when he hadn’t believed she’d come to Three Hills to hear the reading of her mother’s will. When he’d first pulled her over and approached her car, she’d been distracted, wondering how she could manage to open her car door, get closer to the incredibly sexy officer. After briefly interrogating her, he’d grown outraged when she mentioned the reading of the will. “Get out of the car,” he’d barked. She’d jumped to follow through on his command. “How dare you imply you’re related to Angela Newton.” “I didn’t know myself until a few days ago. Did you know her?” “Everyone knew her, and knew she only had one daughter.” Kathryn would have stood on the side of the forgotten highway talking to him all night. Hair darker than the sky, and chocolate colored eyes, with hard features of a man who was an expert at masking all emotions. “I guess I was a well kept secret.” Standing so close to the dark, intimidating looking officer, her heart had pumped all blood out of her head, making it hard to focus on coy responses. “Maybe you could escort me to my hotel?” That’s when he’d pulled her to his patrol car, sitting next to her while he’d ran her driver’s license, an uncomfortable silence building. “Do I know you?” Kari brought her back to the present. Kathryn pulled her gaze from the sheriff to look at the blonde. “I doubt it. I’m here to see Paul Reece.”

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She caught the sheriff studying her. His final words the night before, when he’d handed her driver’s license back to her, came back to her with a rush. “Don’t think I don’t know your kind. You watch yourself in my town. Because I’ll be watching you.” Chocolate covered eyes penetrated through her. He was definitely watching her. And no way could she look away until he did. “Kari, Kathryn, would you two like to join me in my office?” Paul held a hand out, and Kari moved toward the open door that led to the room she had been in a lot lately. Kathryn followed the woman into the office. Glancing over her shoulder, the enticing sheriff stole her breath, standing larger than life in the small outer office. Good, he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Paul closed the door, but the sheriff’s image wouldn’t leave her mind. Taking one of two chairs facing Paul’s desk, at least she had muscle and brawn to think about while she listened to boring lawyer mumbo jumbo. She crossed one long leg over the other, and glanced up at the young woman standing awkwardly in front of the chair next to her. “I assume you’re here for the reading of this will. Don’t tell me you’re some long lost daughter this lady decided to acknowledge from the grave, too?” Kathryn tried to laugh, but her throat seemed tight. It was uncanny how strange she felt whenever this lady looked at her. Was it something about her eyes? It was hard to put her finger on it. The lady was pretty enough, in a plain sort of way. Staring at her, a strange sensation rushed through her that she couldn’t place. “Who are you?” Kari sat down on the edge of her chair, and planted her hands in her lap. She looked frigid. “I’m sorry, my name is Kathryn O’Brien.” Her tennis bracelet caught the light from the windows behind the lawyer’s desk when she extended her hand. “I don’t understand why you just said what you said, Miss O’Brien.” Kari fought to keep her voice level in front of this brass woman, who wore enough make up to stock a drug store. “Why are you here?” “Ladies, if I may.” Paul suddenly wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to be alone in here with these two women. Maybe he should have let Hazel come in with them. “Kathryn, you’ve already introduced yourself. Again, let me tell you how sorry we are for last night. I’d like to introduce Kari Newton to you.” Kari nodded politely, but her temper flared. “Paul, why is she at the reading of mom’s will?” “Mom’s will?” Kathryn blurted out. “The first thing I’m supposed to do.” Paul held out a hand to silence the two women. He picked up two pieces of paper, and handed one of them to Kari, and one to Kathryn. Both women looked at him with trepidation, and then took the papers. “What’s this?” Kari looked down at a copy of a birth certificate. The father was Nate O’Brien. The mother was Angela Newton. It showed the birth of twins, Kathryn and Karin. “Whose Nate O’Brien?” Kari blinked, wide-eyed at the paper. “He’s my dad.” Kathryn looked at her blankly.

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“Angela Newton was my mom.” Kari matched her gaze…identically. Paul stared disbelievingly at them, “The two of you are twins.” Kari hopped out of her chair like it had just ignited in flame. “What’s going on here? I’m not a twin. My mama and I have lived here all my life, you know that. Mom would have told me if I had a sister.” “This birth certificate says otherwise.” Kathryn waved the certificate in the air. “This whole thing is like a crazy dream. What kind of nutcase would send me a letter, drag me down to the sticks, and then have a letter read from her grave, telling me I have a long lost twin sister? Good God, should I have brought my lawyer?” “How dare you!” Kari clenched her fists, aching to knock some sense into this city girl’s head. “My mother was not a nut case. She was one of the most wonderful women in this town. She took care of everyone…everyone. If I was a twin, mom would have had that daughter with us, too.” “Kari, sit down please.” Paul picked up the will. “I’m supposed to read this to the two of you together. Maybe it will help explain. Shall we?” Kari’s chest rose and fell quickly as she nodded. She glanced sideways at Kathryn, and Paul wondered if she felt like she was looking in a mirror. They were identical, yet so different. He made a show of organizing his papers. “Angela wrote this letter ten years ago.” Paul cleared his throat and glanced up at the two women, as they slowly turned their attention to him, and then began to read. “If this letter is read, then I know you’ve been successful in uniting my daughters. Hello, Kathryn, are you still called Kathryn? Nate promised me he would see to it that you were. I admit I always wondered though. Kari threw a fit not to be called Karin. I wondered if you might have done the same thing to your father. I called you Kathryn in my thoughts. The two of you are identical twins. Kathryn you are the oldest. Now the two of you know why I never had any more children. It was a hell of a thing to go through when I was only sixteen. I want you to know. You were born by a mom who loved you. I love you both now, as I write this. I hope and pray that your reunion will happen while I live, but a promise is a promise, and a Newton doesn’t go back on their word.” “As to my will. I’m in sound body and mind right now. My parents are dead, and I don’t want you to go through the headache I went through when they died without telling anyone what to do with their stuff. I wonder if you’ll remember all the grief we went through to get the right to sort through their house, Kari, when you finally read this.” “I remember,” Kari whispered, her heart swelling to her throat. Hearing Paul read the will—it was like Mom stood in front of her. Kathryn glanced at her. The woman had just lost her mom. And she was grieving big time. She seemed shallow for talking about her mother so callously. They were twins? She didn’t see it—this woman looked nothing like her. Paul looked at both of them for a moment, and then continued. “Kari, I want you to go through the house and find something to give to Hazel, and Reverend Davis, if they’re still alive. I guess you should choose who you give things to, since some of the folk I mention right now might be dead when this is read. I don’t want to stir any bad memories by saying names of people I love, if they’re no longer alive. The lawyer who is reading this to you is getting his

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retainer, so you don’t have to give him anything. Of course, if he’s available and cute, you might want to choose a small token for him.” “You’ll have to find something really special to give him,” Kathryn mumbled. Kari gasped. She’d never met a more brazen woman in all her life. No way were they twins. . “The deed to my property will remain where it is for the time being. Take care of the place for me. Everything in the house now belongs to both of you. Remember, it is Newton land, always has been, and must remain that way. I love both of you.” Paul folded the paper and looked up at Kari. She continued to look at her hands. Finally, she stood up. “Is that it?” Her voice was a choked whisper. “Everything I own I must now share with a complete stranger?” “I wouldn’t have been a complete stranger if she’d bothered to contact me before she died.” Which had to be proof that some kind of mistake had occurred. She needed to get a hold of her Dad soon. “She didn’t exactly plan to die.” Kari swatted at a tear that streamed down her cheek. “You don’t have any right to that land. It’s been in the family for over a hundred years.” “I am family.” Kathryn tapped her birth certificate with her fingernail. “Where is this land anyway? Maybe I can build some kind of resort on it or something.” “You’ll do no such thing!” Kari raised her fist, but her chair blocked her path to Kathryn. Paul skipped around his desk quickly, and grabbed her arms. “You’re not going to touch that land, you hear me? I’m glad Mom’s not around to see what kind of person you are. She would be so disgraced.” “Disgraced? What is it that you think I am?” Kari let her eyes fall down Kathryn. When she looked up, she showed her disgust. “Your skirt is too short, and your face is painted like a…like a…” “Like a what?” Kathryn put her fists on her hips. “Did our mom teach you to judge people by their appearance? You don’t know anything about me. And, if you quit hiding behind those tents you wear as dresses, the world might see that you look a lot like me.” “I’m sorry.” Kari didn’t have it in her to fight. A terrible mistake obviously had happened. Her Mom was dead. And she’d know how to fix things. Kari didn’t have a clue what to do or say. Her vision blurred from tears she wouldn’t let fall when she focused on Paul. “Do I have enough money to buy her half of the land?” “Who says I’m selling it?” Kathryn spoke before Paul could respond. “I want to see it before my lawyer calls your lawyer.” Kathryn turned and marched out of the office, closing the door solidly behind her. Kari looked down at the floor and let out a sob. “Please don’t cry.” Paul gently stroked her hair back behind her ear. “If it becomes necessary, I’ll find you the money to buy her out. Women like that don’t say no to cash.” Kari looked up at him and smiled, but the sadness in her eyes about broke his heart.

19

The Prodigal Daughter

Chapter Four Kathryn eased on to a stool in the small café downtown, and let out a muffled groan. She stared down at the laminated menu, not seeing a word on it. “Well, I’m the proud co-owner of part of everything in some old house. Maybe I own a still and can label my own whiskey,” she mumbled to herself. Sheriff Rambo leaned against the counter a few feet away from her. If he heard her talking to herself, he gave no indication, focusing on a salt shaker that he rolled back and forth between two fingers. Roped muscles pressed against his gray slacks that matched his shirt. Never had she seen a man look better in uniform. An older waitress, with incredibly saggy boobs, and pale green eye make up that did nothing for her pale blue eyes, stood on the other side of the counter. She patiently filled salt and pepper shakers. Her gum popped in response to Kathryn’s bemoaning. Kathryn made eye contact with the woman and saw immediate curiosity. The sheriff was much more enjoyable to look at. He leaned on the counter, and stared at her with something close to a scowl. His black hair was thick and straight, and she bet it felt like silk. He was taller than most men, which added to his look of superiority. His tan uniform strained over his broad shoulders, but tucked in nicely to his matching slacks, displaying what had to be a very taut stomach. Was he hairy, or smooth chested? The room grew warmer the longer he studied her. Dark eyes penetrated through her, reaching deep inside as if claiming her soul. There wasn’t approval, lust, anything that she was accustomed to seeing when a man looked at her. He wasn’t readable. But his gaze did more than a number on her. Heat soared through her from the spot deep inside that he seemed to focus on. Unable to look away, her throbbing pulse settled between her legs. Her nipples hardened as her breasts swelled against the constraint of her bra. God. If he looked at her like that much longer, she’d come sitting right here on this damned bar stool. She pulled her gaze from his, feeling suddenly breathless, when the waitress spoke. “You’re Kathryn Newton, aren’t you?” The waitress’ question made her blink. Kathryn dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “No. I’m Kathryn O’Brien.” “O’Brien. Nate O’Brien. How is he?” The woman rested her pad on the counter and studied Kathryn’s face. “He’s fine, thank you. Does he know you?” She remembered her father telling her he’d been to Three Hills, when she told him she was coming here. The older woman laughed. “I couldn’t say if he remembers me or not. That was a long time ago…and I certainly wasn’t the focus of his attention.” The woman shook her head, as if dislodging an unpleasant memory. “I’m Mattie Rook. I own this place—bought it five years ago. I’ve lived here all my life though. Allow me to welcome you to Three Hills. We really do have a nice town.” Kathryn shot the sheriff a hurt look. She’d bet he focused on every word although his attention remained on the saltshaker he absently twirled between his fingers. “I’m sure it’s a very nice town.” She wasn’t convinced of that but wouldn’t be rude.

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“Folks around here are set in there ways.” Mattie didn’t miss the looks exchanged between the sheriff and the young lady. Kathryn O’Brien was quite the looker, as if she stood a chance at being homely with the parents she had. “They’ll warm up to you.” “I hardly plan on staying,” Kathryn said quickly. She flicked at the corner of the menu with her fingernail. “I want to check out this land I own. Mattie, could you give me directions to the Newton place?” The sheriff stood way too close to not overhear the conversation. He didn’t offer to help with directions, or comment on the land being part hers now. Something would catch his interest. A man as hot as he was couldn’t just be ignored and left alone. “Angela left the land to you? Oh goodness, Kari is going to need a fistful of consoling on that one.” Mattie batted her eyelashes, and Kathryn just waited for the mascara to close her lids shut. “She left everything to both of us. Is it far from here?” “Thirty minute drive, I’d say.” Mattie scratched her head with her pencil and looked at the sheriff. “I guess I could draw you a map.” Kathryn grew more and more confused as Mattie drew a map on the back of one of her tickets, and explained the highways and landmarks as she went along. “Is there someone that I could follow out that way?” Kathryn wondered if the sheriff would volunteer. “Well, Kari’s still in town. Her truck is parked right out there.” Mattie used the pencil to point to the large windows that covered the front of the store. “Why not follow her out?” Kathryn snorted. “That woman would just as soon shoot me as show me her land.” “I hear she’s a pretty good shot.” The sheriff spoke for the first time. Kathryn looked at this as an invitation to take in his virile body a second time. If he noticed her interest, it didn’t affect his scowl. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She met his gaze, and he looked down at the salt shaker that he toyed with between his fingers. She jumped off her stool, and took the map Mattie drew for her. “You are the first person who has been nice to me since I’ve arrived here. I won’t forget that. Maybe I’ll sell my half of the land to you for a steal.” “Don’t you dare!” The blast of ice he directed at her made her jump in spite of herself. “Why not? Its just hills and trees, right? What good is that?” Kathryn looked at the map in her hands, and tried not to show her fear that she would get seriously lost. “I’m going to go take a look at it.” Andy watched Kathryn’s adorable ass shake its way out of the diner. He ran his hand through his hair, and sighed before looking over at Mattie. The woman saw through him like a clean pane of glass. But, she misunderstood what she saw. Sure, Kathryn O’Brien was a fine piece to look at, but he had his fill of women like that. They were fast and after one thing. She was a trophy for some man to carry around to satisfy his libido. There was nothing real about her—and his libido didn’t need satisfying. “Maybe you should follow her, Andy.” Mattie went back to filling her salt and pepper shakers. “See, you were just telling me you didn’t know what to do with yourself for the rest of the day. Now you know.” Andy grumbled as he walked out the door. Mattie Rook was still laughing when he let the door jingle shut behind him.

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Kathryn groaned as she turned around slowly on the narrow two-lane highway. There were trees everywhere, and the thick smell of pine was intoxicating. Glancing at the map for the fiftieth time, she took off in the direction she’d come. A large truck passed by and dirt from the road flew up around her. She hit the button on her door but the windows didn’t go up fast enough. Dirt settled on her dash, while the tiny particles swam in the air around her. “Well great, that was my turn!” Kathryn saw the gravel road that disappeared back into the forest, and screeched her car to a stop. The gears growled in protest, when she shoved them into reverse, and then turned on to the road. Glancing again at the map, she smiled. “And people say I can never find anything.” Ten minutes later, she was sure there wasn’t another person for a hundred miles. The trees grew very close to the road. Damn her navigation abilities. She was so lost she was sure she couldn’t go back to town and start again. She reached into her purse and felt her phone. “And what is it exactly that I’m going to say?” She didn’t know where she was, or to tell someone how to come find her. Tall trees draped over her, and it seemed darker than it did ten minutes ago. Hot tears filled her eyes, and the mascara made them burn. Finally, she simply pulled her car to a stop, and let the tears flow. She rested her forehead against the steering wheel, and allowed emotions she didn’t understand to consume her. Andy put his Buick in park behind the little red convertible. How in the hell did she get herself all the way out here? If he hadn’t been tracking her, there was no telling how long she would have been stranded before someone found her. Some of the folks out this way had never seen a woman like Kathryn O’Brien. That thought chilled his blood. He opened his door, and strolled up along side her car. Damn, she was crying. The last twenty-four hours probably had been a bit rough on her. Even bimbos had feelings. She shrieked when she heard his boots pop on the gravel, and almost dove to the passenger seat. He got a damn good view of her ass. She’s made to please. You know her kind. Paying attention to the little voice in his head, his gaze hardened. And that wasn’t all that grew hard. No matter how he ordered himself to keep this professional—that perfectly round ass of hers, those long slender legs—getting her out of those clothes wouldn’t be that hard to do. With little effort he could be exploring that sexy body of hers, tasting her, discovering if she moaned or screamed when he made her come. God! What the hell was he thinking? Kathryn pulled a Kleenex out of her purse, and dabbed furiously at her eyes. She just knew they were puffy and she’d probably successfully cried all make up off her face. Just great, alone in the woods with Sheriff Rambo, and she would have to look like plain Jane. She took a deep breath and opened her door. No way would she look up at him. She would die of humiliation if he made one condescending comment about her blotchy face. Not looking at his face allowed her to focus on other parts of his body, and he’d changed out of his uniform. Blue jeans and cowboy boots had never looked so incredibly enticing. Roped muscle pressed hard against denim. There was enough power in the lower half of his body to squeeze the life out of someone. She’d bet on it.

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His plaid shirt was tucked into his jeans, and wasn’t buttoned all the way up. Oh hell yeah—a hairy chest. What she wouldn’t do to run her fingernails through those dense black curls. He took her breath away. So fierce looking, like a more primitive type of man. A breed she’d never dealt with before. Being this close to him, alone, made it damn hard to get her wits about her. He wouldn’t see her looking like shit, and acting like a fool. She sucked in a breath. “Are you my knight in shining armor?” She used her best purr, but didn’t meet his gaze. “I think you’ve broken the record on getting lost in the hills.” He took a step backwards, ignoring her comment. “You need to turn that thing around.” “What thing of mine did you have in mind?” Her heart raced as she flirted with raw danger. “Do you realize what men think of you when you talk like that?” He balled his hands on his hips. “We’re all alone out here.” “Am I in some kind of danger?” There was interest in his eyes. She was a pro at noticing that look. No matter that he tried playing the righteous role. With a body like that, he sure as hell wasn’t any virgin either. She placed her hand on his chest. Damn, it was harder than a brick wall. Her tennis bracelet slid down her slender wrist and her long fingernails begged to burrow into that thick chest hair. “I can assure you, Miss O’Brien, you are perfectly safe. I don’t kiss a woman that isn’t mine.” “Do you have a woman?” “Would you be acting differently right now if I told you I did?” She backed away from him as if he’d slapped her. He’d hit a nerve. She looked up at him boldly and he noticed she’d cried most of her make up away. It was Kari Newton’s face. Now, that was almost spooky. Another wave of tears threatened to fall. This complete stranger had seen through to the very core of her, and she’d come up lacking. The horrid memories of being caught by Phillip’s wife rushed through her, giving her a nasty chill. Did she look like the kind of woman who would be a married man’s mistress? Her stomach churned at the thought. Sleeping with her married boss had ripped her home and job out from under her. She never would have guessed she had become that kind of woman. And now, in a different city, in front of a stranger, she was already assumed to be loose and carefree to all morals. “Yes. I would act differently if I thought you were married…or, if you had a girlfriend.” He looked shocked by her answer. She stifled a wave of disappointment. “Are you?” “Am I what?” “Do you have a wife or a girlfriend?” “No.”

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How could this be Kari’s twin? They looked a lot alike…but they were nothing alike. This woman wasn’t scared to be alone with him all the way out here. In fact, she was trying to seduce him, wasn’t she? Kathryn turned and walked back to her car. Her skirt was way too short, and her legs were way too long. How come he’d never noticed if Kari had long legs? Kathryn wasn’t his style of woman at all. This kind would break a man’s heart…more than likely with his best friend. She reached for her car door, and turned to catch him watching her. Her smile was triumphant. She’d caught him staring. His cheek muscles ached from scowling, as he led them back down the gravel road. She wasn’t staying here. More than likely, she would be glad to shake Three Hills’s dust from her shoes the second she was out of town. And, he was too old to consider a romp, or a fling, or whatever it was they called it these days. He’d had plenty of nights envisioning a woman by his side. But, that woman would be someone who wanted to be part of his life…forever. He doubted if Miss O’Brien knew the meaning of the word. Andy cursed when he looked in his rear view mirror and realized the red convertible that had been tailgating him was now a fair distance behind him. He slowed down, but continued to put distance between them. He squealed to a stop when he saw her get out of her car and wave at him. “Looks to me like you like being rescued,” he drawled, after he’d turned around and drove back to her. He eyed the flat tire and hopped out of his truck. “I didn’t ask the tire to go flat.” She put her hands on her hips, and he couldn’t help but notice how dusty she was getting. He hid his smile and walked around to her trunk. “Can you open this for me?” “It’s empty. That’s where the top goes.” She maintained her pose. Well damn. He studied the car. To be honest, he wasn’t sure he’d seen anything like it before. “Where’s the spare?” She opened the driver’s side door, and bent down to push the seat forward. What a perfect ass! God. He could grab her hips and bury himself deep inside her. He moved slowly, his cock thickening in spite of his mental orders to ignore how sultry she was. He was glad when she backed out of his way. Squatting down, he freed the cover that said, “spare tire”. He cursed when it was empty. “You take a trip without a spare?” He stood up and scratched his head as he studied her. She would be one high maintenance lady. Not his type, he repeated to himself for the hundredth time. “It’s a rental, okay? Next time I’ll be sure and ask if the car has a spare tire with it.” She stood close enough that he could see freckles sprayed across her nose. Somehow, they didn’t fit his mental picture of her. Was her act simply a façade? No way! She wasn’t a tease. Her kind aimed to satisfy. “How far are we from the Newton house?” “No more than a mile, I’d say.” He looked down the road as if he could judge the distance that way. She looked in the same direction and he focused on her. Looking down, he studied her profile. She squinted down the road, her gaze taking in the land around them. Dark auburn

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hair tumbled over her shoulders, glistening under the sun. It parted over her breasts, which were full and perky, just the way he liked them on a woman. It was obvious she was in shape, her arms toned and her tummy flat and hard. More than likely regular workouts had her body nice and firm, yet soft in all the right places. “Is this part of the land right here?” She turned and surveyed their surroundings and he got a whiff of her perfume. Musky…and dangerous. “Nope. Angela’s land goes out behind her place.” “It’s my land, too.” Kathryn turned around, and bright blue eyes dared to spar with him. “Yes, ma’am. Care for a lift?” She was quiet as he drove into the circular drive and stopped in front of the two-story wooden house. The place was quiet and tranquil. Andy had a feeling this would be the last time he’d see the place look this peaceful for quite a while. Kathryn slipped out of the passenger door before he could get around to open it for her. City girl didn’t know what chivalry was in a man. “Is this it?” She turned, taking him in, and he saw sparkling pools full of wonder. Was this the real Kathryn? She looked intelligent and inquisitive. For a second, he thought he saw her look at him like he wasn’t the prize bull she was trying to lasso. “Kari’s not here.” He strolled toward the side of the house. She walked behind him, cursing the high heels she wore as she managed the gravel drive. He glanced back, and couldn’t hide his surprise, when she slipped off her shoes and ran after him barefoot. “Wait for me.” She caught up with him in a second, and noticed the slight curve of his mouth. “What is it now? You slam me with insults and then find my behavior funny. Don’t tell me girls from the sticks never go barefoot.” “Far from it, we only wear shoes to work and church.” He turned along the side of the house, and pointed to the dense woods that started at the end of a large, mowed backyard. “The Newton acreage starts at the road and heads south that way. I’m not sure how wide it is.” She hurried after him as he kept walking, but stopped short when she spotted an apple on the ground. Kathryn glanced up, and let her jaw drop in awe at the five trees overloaded with the ripe red and yellow fruit. “Can you actually eat those?” Andy threw his head back and actually laughed out loud. She stared at him surprised. He had crow’s feet that appeared when he smiled. His skin was tan, and his teeth were white in contrast. This man could be on the cover of a magazine. If she looked “perfect” up in the dictionary…it would say Sheriff Rambo. She watched him reach up with ease and pull one of the large red apples off the tree. Muscles bulged and twitched against his shirt. God what she wouldn’t do for a mouthful of that, and she wasn’t talking about the apples. He rubbed the fruit against his shirt, and then took a large bite out of it, looking at her with a hooded gaze. “Angela Newton was known for her apple pies.” He handed the apple to her. “Did you know her very well?” Kathryn took the apple and bit into it. She hummed with delight and he didn’t hide his smile.

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“She served me breakfast every morning. She was a wonderful lady.” Kathryn nodded, and turned when they reached the end of the back of the house. She walked easily in her bare feet, which grossly contradicted the image he’d made of her. “Sounds like you’re really going to miss her.” Kathryn stopped in her tracks, when the truck Mattie pointed out to her earlier, pulled into the circular drive. Blue eyes locked with blue eyes, frowns appearing on each of their faces. Andy almost ran into her, she stopped so quickly. He noticed her entire body tense when Kari pulled into her driveway. He was almost relieved to see Paul Reece pull in behind her. “Kari has lived in this house with her mom all her life,” Andy leaned forward and whispered in her ear. A tingling wave washed through her when his breath tickled her neck. If Kari’s face weren’t staring back at her through that windshield across the yard, she would have turned her face to his. “Angela wasn’t sick. She wasn’t planning on dying. She was yanked out from under all of us.” He nodded toward the truck and she stepped to the side. No man had ever seduced her beyond rational thought before. She was the seductress. She blew out a breath, and gave her head a quick shake. “I have manners, sheriff. I get the hint.” He had to give her credit. Barefoot and all, she strutted across the yard and straight up to Kari’s truck. Kari and Paul got out of their cars and shut doors simultaneously. “I’ll start coffee,” Kari said, and hurried up to her house with her head down. Kathryn looked from Paul to the sheriff. She shrugged. “I guess that’s an invitation.” The inside of the house was so clean Kathryn swore the natural wooden baseboards would pass the white glove treatment. Everything was simple, and more than half of the furniture was old. Kari quickly pulled a can of coffee out of her freezer, and had the coffee maker brewing in seconds. “I want you to stay here with me,” Kari said without preamble, as soon as Kathryn was in the kitchen.

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Chapter Five “I know you have your life to get back to,” Kari added quickly, and looked like she was trying to remember where things were in her own kitchen. “After you left, Paul told me there were more letters from Mom.” Kari’s face lit with an excitement that Kathryn hadn’t seen since she’d arrived in town. “I have a motel room.” “There are terms to reading each letter. Paul has to follow them.” Kari turned, and her ankle length dress swooshed around her. She neatly placed four coffee cups in a row in front of the coffee maker. “If you agree to stay the night, Paul can read the next letter.” “How many letters are there?” Kathryn asked, and Kari looked up at Paul. “According to the terms of the will, I can’t tell you that.” Paul leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed against his chest. “You can’t tell us that,” Kathryn repeated. “What harm will there be in spending the night here?” Andy placed his large hands on the back of the kitchen chair closest to him. She glanced at the simple wallpaper, the collection of silver spoons hanging in a simple wooden case. As plain as the place was, there was a good feeling here. People had been happy here, truly happy. “I guess there’s no harm.” “Is that a yes?” Paul lifted his briefcase on to the table. “Yes, I’ll stay the night.” “Thank you,” Kari’s voice sounded off kilter as she turned to pour coffee. Paul opened his briefcase and pulled out a legal sized envelope. As plain and unadorned as it was, Kathryn got a knot in her stomach staring at it. She watched Paul’s clean, well-manicured hands slide a folded letter, swooping faded handwriting covering the yellow legal pad paper out of the envelope. “Kathryn, I realize it must be a sacrifice for you to agree to stay the night in our home.” Paul began reading the letter after the four of them sat down at the table with coffee. “I guess you might be quite the city girl, dressed all fancy. You’re living the life I dreamed of having once. But there’s something to the life Kari and I have here. Even if you just take a peek at it, I hope you see that we have a wonderful life. “Kari, more than likely, your sister isn’t showing the proper respect toward my death that you would like to see. Cut her some slack, dear. I’m sure she is very happy with her life, and she can’t mourn someone she never knew.” Kathryn looked down at her hands when she thought about the life she had right now. Yeah right. She was just so damn happy. It was just as well that the mother she never knew died without knowing what her prodigal daughter was like. She didn’t notice the curious glances everyone at the table gave her. “Darling, you must show her around the house. Tell her the history of our family. It’s her family too, even though most everyone is dead. Kathryn, I’m sure you’ve thought about calling your dad and ringing his neck for not telling you about us. I ask you, please don’t do that yet. Stay in the house for three days with Kari. If you can do that, I’ll explain more after that time.”

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Paul laid the letter in his briefcase and looked up at Kari. “That’s it.” “I have to stay here for three days? I thought you said I had to stay the night.” Kathryn twisted the end of her hair around her finger, staring at it. “Apparently, you had to agree to stay the night for me to read that letter. If you stay for three days, I can read the next letter.” Kathryn threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “I don’t know if I can do that.” “I understand.” Kari nodded quickly. “Do you have to get back to your job?” “Well, um,” Kathryn began, and everyone looked at her. “I guess I could make a few phone calls.” “Her car has a flat about two miles back,” Andy said quietly to Paul. “Yeah, we passed it on the way here.” Paul shut his briefcase. “I need my suitcases.” Kathryn threw in quickly. She punched at numbers on her cell phone, and glanced up as Kari watched her curiously. “You’ve seen a cell phone before, haven’t you?” Kari looked down at her hands quickly. Andy gave her a reprimanding look. Kathryn jumped up and walked into the living room. “Yes, the car you rented to me has a flat. What do I do?” Kathryn paced back and forth. She stopped when the sheriff entered the large oval doorway. She turned her back to him. “Well, what kind of rental agency are you? I need a car.” She hung up the phone and waited for the baritone behind her to speak. She didn’t have to wait long. “Let me guess. The agency you rented from won’t come out this way.” “The contract says I have to fix it if it is out of their area. They’ll reimburse me if they deem the repairs aren’t the result of negligence. I was just driving. I didn’t do anything negligent.” She turned around and graced him with the best pouting face he’d ever seen. “I’ll have it towed into town in the morning.” Andy shrugged. “Oh, would you?” She smiled and walked toward him. She stopped when he straightened, and narrowed his brows. “How am I going to get my suitcases?” Kari and Paul joined them. Kari smiled timidly and didn’t look at Kathryn when she spoke. “I think you would fit into my clothes. I’ve got some extra…um…nightgowns.” Kathryn put her hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle when Kari blushed, and glanced at Paul. God. How virginal could a woman act? Kathryn could only imagine what her choice of long virginal nightgowns would be. “I don’t know if I could picture you in Kari’s clothes.” Andy grinned with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “But, it’s awful nice of her to offer, isn’t it Kathryn?” His mischief turned to a not so delicate warning. Kathryn got the hint. “Yes, thank you. I can get my things tomorrow.” The men left shortly after that and Kathryn was sure they were having a good laugh over her predicament. She stood in the middle of the living room as Kari shut the front door, and then simply stood with her back to Kathryn for a minute. “Why don’t I show you around the house? That’s what Mom said to do, right?” Kari walked quickly past Kathryn, and she had no choice but to fall into stride behind her twin.

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***** It was mid-afternoon the next day when Kathryn’s car pulled into the driveway. The two of them sat at the dining room table, flipping through one of the family photo albums, while Kari explained who was in each picture. There were several stacks of albums around them. The family history her sister threw at her had her head spinning. It was too much to take in, to remember. She’d thought about sneaking off more than once to call her dad and scream at him for keeping all of this from her. Kari had a wonderful life, even if she was more backward than Ellie Mae Clampett. “Hello?” The sheriff bellowed as he opened the front door. “Doesn’t anyone knock around here?” Kathryn growled wondering why the hell the front door wasn’t locked. “No.” Kari waved a hand dismissively, as she jumped up. “We’re in here.” Kathryn made a dash for the kitchen. “He can’t see me like this.” Kari stifled a giggle, as she watched her sister disappear through one door, as the sheriff and Paul Reece walked through the other. Her eyes gleamed with amusement, as she smiled shyly at the two men. No way would either of those men see her without make-up. And, she was wearing a pair of Kari’s baggy blue jeans and a t-shirt, of all things. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn a t-shirt. Kari didn’t own any blouses or halter-tops. Kathryn couldn’t believe it. If she did anything for this sister of hers, she would take her shopping before she left. Now, she needed to get out of here and back to the motel room for her own clothes and make up bag. She smiled at how successfully she’d dodged the sheriff. No way would that man see her, the way she looked right now. She pulled open her car door, and sat down in the driver’s seat with a sigh of triumph. She reached around the steering wheel. The keys weren’t in the ignition. Damn. “You might need these.” Andy walked out the front door, but stopped on the porch stairs, as he dangled her keys on his finger. Kathryn meant to just glance his way. But, a moment’s look wasn’t enough with a body like that. He was pure stud, prime for the taking, and she couldn’t pull her gaze away. He would be so good in bed, but the little altar of virtue he perched on seemed impermeable. She wasn’t used to working this hard. Men always threw themselves at her. They were hers for the picking and choosing. But not Andy Adams. She’d all but thrown herself at him, and he hadn’t made a single pass. Well every man had his Achilles heel. She’d find his. If she accomplished anything during her stay here, it would be fucking the hottest man she’d ever seen in her life. And, it would only be a set back if he saw her without make-up. She scowled when he obviously wasn’t going to bring them to her, and reluctantly got out of the car. She focused on the lower half of his body as she walked up to him, which wasn’t a bad view. “Thank you for taking care of this for me. How much do I owe you?” She accepted her keys, and turned quickly for the car. “The bill’s on the passenger seat. You can settle it when you get into town.”

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He told himself to stay put. Let her go, turn around, and go back into the house. But her scent seemed to imprison him, and leave him no choice. He sauntered down the stairs and walked behind her. “You’re in a mighty big hurry to get out of here. Have you had enough?” “No, I’m just not decent. I want you to see me looking my best.” “Seems to me you look better now than when you first arrived here.” Good grief, why did he say that? He didn’t want her, and she didn’t need any encouragement. But damnit, it was true. She gave him an odd look, trapped by penetrating dark eyes while he studied her naked face. “Sheriff, if it’s the natural look that turns you on, I’ll be whatever you want.” She reached for him but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist. His hold was so tight; she almost buckled from his grip. Such raw carnal strength pulsated between them. He released her, and backed away quickly. His jaw hardened, a brooding expression turning his chocolate eyes almost black. What had she unmasked? “I want nothing to do with your kind,” his voice was harsh. “You said it yourself. You will be whatever I want you to be. And when the next guy comes along, you will be whatever he wants you to be.” “That’s not true,” she whispered. He didn’t seem to hear her. “What game do you play for the man waiting for you in Detroit?” That hit too close to home, he saw the reaction in her eyes. What game had she been playing back home? It was a bad one, and she’d lost miserably. “There is no one waiting for me back home.” “I find that hard to believe.” He turned away from her, and walked over to his patrol car. He didn’t look at her when he slid into the driver’s seat, but instead picked up the walkietalkie and began talking. “Someone sure messed you up once, Sheriff.” She decided to talk her sister into going into town with her. Kari and Kathryn talked non-stop as they drove into town. Kathryn marveled at how quickly they were becoming friends. She didn’t usually take to people this easily, but Kari seemed eager to be friends—and that was an experience Kathryn didn’t witness often. Both of them wondered what reason Angela had for writing the letters to them. And, of course, they were very curious as to how many of them there were. Kathryn’s thoughts kept returning to the Sheriff. The man did something to her insides that no man had ever done before. It was as if she had never truly experienced a clear blue sky before. It was like the warmth of the sun caressed her for the first time when she thought about him. He made the trees seem greener than she remembered trees being. And birds had never sung so beautifully before. Maybe it was just Arkansas, she told herself. Certainly one man couldn’t heighten her senses like this. An idea slowly spawned in her head. She threw it out at Kari and was elated when her sister agreed. “You’re procrastinating. You agreed this was a good idea.” “I know.” Kari got out of the car, and straightened the sundress that she’d insisted on wearing. “I’ve just never asked a guy out before.”

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“You’re not asking him out. You’re asking him over to your house for dinner. Think of it as a business date. He has to read the next letter to us anyway.” “And, you’ll be there. You promised you’d be there. You’re going to invite the sheriff, too, right? He sure watches you a lot. I think he might like you.” “I don’t know if he does or not. He seems pretty intent on keeping me at arm’s reach.” Kathryn looked up and down the quiet, downtown street. “He must be getting it from someone else.” Kari shook her head adamantly. “He’s not that way. He had breakfast at the café every morning, and talked to Mom as much as he could. I used to think he wanted to ask her out, but he never did. All he does is work. When he isn’t working, he hunts. We had venison enough to keep us fed all last winter.” “He had the hots for our Mom?” Kathryn couldn’t believe it. “Does he like older women?” “I think he’s about thirty. Mom was forty-one, and she looked a lot younger. I’d hardly call her an older woman.” Kari pointed a finger at Kathryn. “And, if she were here to hear you say that, she’d box your ears.” Kathryn’s hands went to her ears, but then her expression softened when she saw how talking about her mom brought sadness to Kari’s face. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose my Dad.” Kathryn reached for Kari’s hand, but her sister pulled it away. “I’m sorry, Kari.” “Well, look at this.” Kathryn and Kari turned to see Hazel Upton standing in the middle of the sidewalk, with several bags in her hands. Kari stepped forward and smiled politely. “Hello, Hazel. You remember my sister, Kathryn?” “Sweet child, I was bouncing her on my knees when she was still in diapers.” “You knew me when I was a baby?” Confusion trickled over her slowly like soft raindrops. “Mom never mentioned there being two of us.” Kari spoke at the same time. “Heavens. It was a long time ago. You weren’t together long.” Hazel darted her attention away as if she just said something she shouldn’t have. She made a fuss rearranging the bags in her arms. “I’m glad the two of you are getting to know each other. My bags are heavy. We’ll chat later. Gotta run.” The woman moved down the sidewalk quickly, considering how heavy her bags were. “You get the impression she knows a lot more than she wants to tell us?” Kathryn watched the stout woman disappear around the corner. “I wonder why mom never mentioned you,” Kari mumbled, equally confused. “We may never know.” Kathryn shrugged. “Come on, we need to invite a couple of men over for dinner.”

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Chapter Six Kathryn almost dragged Kari down the street. She turned around to laugh at her sister’s shyness and about plowed them into a tall man…and his briefcase. “I’m so sorry.” Paul stopped short when he realized whom he’d run in to. “We were just coming to find you.” Kathryn straightened and beamed. “Yes.” Kari’s cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink, and Kathryn was sure she’d never blushed like that. “We…we were going to see…I mean, we wanted to ask…” Kari sighed and looked down at her hands. Kathryn’s heart went out to her. If only she could give this girl some of her confidence. Maybe if she had less of it herself, a particular sheriff wouldn’t be so uninterested. “I have a little bit of free time.” Paul glanced at his watch. “I’d like to talk to you, Kari. I could buy you a soda, or we could take a walk.” “That sounds perfect.” Kathryn grabbed Kari’s arm and winked. “Why don’t I run and grab my luggage? I’ll meet you in about forty-five minutes. Sound good?” “And you’ll talk to Andy?” Kari gave her an imploring look. Kathryn rolled her eyes, but her stomach twisted with nervous excitement at the thought. Dear Lord. If she started getting all tongue-tied like Kari when it came to men, she’d shoot herself. Thinking of the sheriff shouldn’t make her nervous. Heat rushed through her when she visualized all that brawn. It settled between her legs and a throbbing started there that matched her heartbeat. She grinned, “If I can find him.” Kari gave her a desperate look as Kathryn waved goodbye to them and hurried back to her car. She pulled into the motel parking lot, and parked in front of the door to her room. She looked over her shoulder at the road just as a patrol car drove by. She couldn’t mistake Andy’s dark features. She made eye contact with him before he turned his direction back to the road, driving on until she couldn’t see him anymore. The throbbing turned into a full-fledged drum roll. His dark gaze penetrated through her. That was definite interest. A man didn’t hold a woman’s gaze that long unless he wanted to know what she was doing. She’d caught his attention without even trying. He’d been the one driving by, and he’d looked right at her. Now to just get him to the point where he’d stop. Kathryn dragged her large suitcase over to her car. She dug through it, until she found her base unit for her phone, and a change of clothes. After plugging her phone into the cigarette lighter in her car, she used the phone in the motel room. She needed to call her dad. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her of the comment in the letter from Angela…from her mom…that she shouldn’t talk to him. The woman was dead. Who would know? Tossing Kari’s t-shirt on the bed, she donned a sleeveless blue sweater that fit snugly, and stopped just above the waist of her jeans. It wasn’t a bad combination. She grabbed her make up bag, and then settled down in front of the phone. Focusing on the motel’s large mirror, she applied make-up after dialing her father’s office. Her father’s smooth professional baritone was like a lifeline, reassurance that the real world did still exist.

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“I was wondering when I would hear from you. Are you still down in Arkansas?” “Yeah Dad. I might be here for a while.” She quickly told him about the letters and the instructions in Angela’s will. “Dad, I flew down here and then paid for a rental car. I don’t know how much longer my money will last.” “What about your job?” She knew that tone, judgmental, a bit irritated. Damn. “You already know, don’t you? Dad, I didn’t plan for any of it to happen.” “Kathryn, you’ve created quite a little scandal for yourself. Phillip Ackley’s wife told half the women at the club how she chased you out of town. It didn’t take long to get back to me. I feel like I’ve failed with you. I guess I never was much of a role model. Does your sister have men problems, too?” “No.” Kathryn jumped up from her seat, and then cursed when she scraped mascara down her cheek. “She’s absolutely perfect and everything I’m not. But Dad, you did a good job. I just made a big mistake. I never bothered to find out if he was married or not. He was a major ass for not telling me. But I’ve learned a valuable lesson. Nothing like that will ever happen again. I swear.” She’d learned more than she could possibly tell her dad. She’d met a man she could probably never have because he saw through her to all of her imperfections. Somehow, he seemed to see the floozy she’d allowed herself to become. And he didn’t seem to notice that she didn’t want that reputation. “Maybe hanging out with Kari will do me some good. I mean, I don’t have a job, or a home to go back to, so I guess I can take the time to get to know her.” “Your mother would be happy to know you two are spending time together. And for that reason, I will send you some money.” “Dad, what happened with you and Angela?” “It sounds like Angela has her own plan on how to tell you about us. Go ahead and hang around to hear the letters.” “Oh Dad, the last letter said I wasn’t supposed to talk to you about this.” Her stomach tightened at the confession. Maybe she was just a bad seed, incapable of being good. “Now I see what she was up to. Well go along with it, and we’ll see what you think when it’s all said and done. In the mean time, stay away from men that you have no business being around.” “The good ones don’t want anything to do with me.” “The right man will come along, sweetheart.” Kathryn blew kisses through the phone and hung up. She reached for a tissue to wipe off her cheek, and about had a heart attack at the large shadowed figure, looming in the open doorway of the motel room. “Dear God, you scared me to death.” She put her heart to her chest to steady her breathing, and let her eyes focus on Andy. “How long have you been standing there?” “A simple request from a dead woman, and you couldn’t honor it,” he growled, not moving from his luminous position in the doorway. The brightness of the day behind him made it harder for her to focus on him. “I needed money,” she whimpered. “I didn’t mean to tell him anything. He just kept asking questions. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal. My father is a good man.” “It’s a big deal because Angela Newton requested it.”

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“Oh, I see. This is what it’s all about right here. The woman you loved got killed, and you need to hate someone for it. Well fine…” She would have berated him further, although she had no idea why she was saying what she was. Maybe it was because she couldn’t stand the despicable way he glared at her. Maybe she was hurt that her father had found out what she had done. Maybe she was simply so humiliated, she didn’t care anymore. Whatever the reason, she’d said too much. Andy lunged into the room, and grabbed her by her arms. He lifted her off the ground, and shook her. Her teeth chattered together, but shock slowed her defenses. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Angela was a good person. If she asked something of someone, they went out of their way to do it. She didn’t deserve to die, but I sure as hell am glad she isn’t around to see that she has a daughter as selfish and rotten to the core as you are.” He dropped her, and stormed out of the room. Kathryn could do nothing else but crumble to the floor and cry. ***** She didn’t see Andy the next day. Kathryn and Kari spent it together at the house. They went through the photo albums again, but saw no picture that indicated they were twins, or that they had once been together. They scrubbed the house from top to bottom, and made soup together. Right before it got dark, they took a walk, and Kari showed Kathryn parts of the land. It was time well spent. Giving them an opportunity to get to know each other and both commented they were glad to have the time. “I can’t imagine growing up on this land, and never leaving it.” Kathryn took a deep breath of fresh air. Even the air smelled better than any air she’d ever smelled before—more than likely because there wasn’t a big city full of car exhaust and factories within a hundred miles. “If I’d grown up here, I probably would have flown the coop at the first chance I could find.” Kari laughed. “You’re probably right. Some of my friends left right after high school. I went to Little Rock for college, but I always came home on weekends and sometimes as soon as class was out for the day. It was easier to study at home.” “And then when you graduated, you moved back here?” Kathryn waved her flashlight back and forth across the gravel road in front of her. “What is your degree?” “Education. I came home and thought I could teach. Teachers here don’t go anywhere though. I work in the library at the grade school during the school year.” “Then you’ll be going back to work soon?” “Yeah, in a couple of weeks.” They reached the house, and Kari walked inside first. “What about you? Did you go to college?” “Oh, definitely. All O’Briens go to college.” She decided not to mention she went to Harvard. It didn’t matter when it was all said and done. “So, what’s your degree in?” “Theology.”

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“Really? You mean religion?” “Yeah. Others have found it amusing too. Go ahead and laugh. I’ve always been fascinated by how religion affects culture. I’ve got a minor in Cultural Anthropology.” “I can just see you sitting, having tea, lost in some deep conversation about faith.” Kari sighed. “It sounds like you’ve led quite the glamorous life.” “Glamorous is about the last word I’d use to describe my life. Far from it.” “I’ve noticed you don’t seem to be in a hurry to go home.” Kari watched Kathryn cautiously, not wanting to offend her. “I mean…you haven’t called anyone or anything. Is there anyone waiting for you?” Kathryn thought about the people she’d worked with. Were they her friends? She went out for drinks after work with them on a regular basis. But all they talked about were work related topics…or men. When she thought about it, she knew nothing personal about any of her co-workers. Why had that never bothered her before? Kathryn let the air seep slowly out of her lungs. “No. I don’t really have any reason to go back to Detroit. But, I did call my dad.” “Oh.” Kari sat down at the kitchen table, and looked at her hands. “I called him at the motel, before I checked out. I asked him to send some money.” Kathryn sat down next to Kari, and touched her hand. “The sheriff walked in on me while I was talking to him. He got rather upset that I was not following our Mom’s request not to talk to Dad. I told him he was just upset because he lost the woman he loved.” “Uh-oh. I shouldn’t have told you that.” “Yeah. He got a little pissed. He told me he was glad she wasn’t around to see how rotten to the core I was.” “She wouldn’t have thought that.” Kari’s voice quavered while her eyes turned a darker shade. “Well, I doubt he will come to dinner. I never asked him, but I know what he would say.” “But, he is coming,” Kari said quickly. “Paul talked to him. He said there’s a note attached to the next letter asking for him to be present, if possible.” “It does? What is your mother doing with these letters?” Kathryn rubbed her temples, an imminent headache coming at the thought of facing Andy. Why was he so cruel? She knew she saw interest in his eyes. That wasn’t something she was usually wrong about. She had to wonder at her real motivation to capture this man. She wasn’t planning on staying here, and she really didn’t need another one night stand added to her record. Something about him created an ache in her stronger than she’d ever experienced. His image was permanently engraved in her thoughts. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get him off her mind. Did he feel the same way about her? Was he so cold towards her because he knew she wasn’t staying? They spent the following morning driving into Little Rock to return Kathryn’s rental car. Then, they took the truck into town to do some shopping for the meal they would make for the men. Kathryn wondered how much money her father would send her. After settling with the car rental agency, and then paying for the groceries, she was almost broke. There was no telling how much longer she would be here, but she would need cash to get an apartment when she got home…and, she would need the money to get home.

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Kathryn did little more than shove her food around her plate with her fork all the way through supper the following night. The nasty knot in her stomach left little room for food. Paul showed up promptly at six thirty, as requested. As nervous as Kari was, Paul was equally as comfortable. He chatted amiably while Kari fidgeted around the kitchen. Kathryn finally had all she could take of her sister trying to finish the preparations for their meal. Kari’s hand shook so much while sprinkling pepper over the salad that Kathryn poured her a glass of wine, and told her to sit. “Let me finish up here.” Kathryn gave the salad a final toss and announced it done. She pulled bread sticks off the warming rack above the stove and placed them on the table. “You’ve been going all day. Sit there and we’ll eat in a minute.” “But Andy isn’t here yet.” Kari glanced up at the clock. “He’s not usually so late.” “He won’t come. I told you, he’s pissed off at me.” Kathryn quickly gave Paul an edited version of Andy overhearing her conversation in the motel room. “If the sheriff says he’s going to be somewhere; he’ll be there. Something must be holding him up with work.” Paul made room for the platter of baked chicken and potatoes. “Why did he come to see you at the motel?” Kathryn blinked. “I have no idea. Probably to tell me once again how much he hates my guts.” “He doesn’t hate you, Kathryn,” Paul reassured her with a pat on her hand. “I think you’ve affected him more than he cares to admit.” Kathryn ached to question him, but the idea of something holding him up at work really distracted her. Was he chasing down some criminal? Did they even have criminals here in this tiny town? Was someone hurt, or lost? She realized all the perils that existed with his job, and suddenly she couldn’t eat. She pushed her food around on her plate, and halflistened to Paul and Kari talk about a fund-raiser Kari was planning, in order to raise money to buy more books for the school library. Kathryn finished up the dishes, while Paul suggested he and Kari move to the front porch. “I can’t read the letter from your mom without Andy here.” Paul stretched his arm out on the back of the porch swing and set an easy pace, rocking with his long legs. “I know. I hope he didn’t stay away because of the fight he had with Kathryn.” “That woman has gotten under his skin. Don’t you dare tell her I told you that.” “I won’t.” Paul stood up and pulled her to her feet. “Why don’t we drive into town and see if the sheriff’s office knows where Andy is?”

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Chapter Seven Kathryn was up in her bedroom an hour later. She’d taken over the spare room that Kari and Angela had used for storage. Kathryn and Kari spent part of the day before hauling boxes of old clothes out of the room and into Angela’s room. It was unspoken that Angela’s room was off limits. Kari would go through her mom’s things when she was ready. She unpacked her clothes, and found an old favorite sweatshirt that long ago she’d cut the sleeves and waist from. She wore it over a workout bra when she did housework. It was comfortable, with its well-worn, soft material. She grabbed a pair of shorts, equally as worn and comfortable, and then headed for the shower. More than likely, the house would be hers for the rest of the evening. Paul really liked Kari, and there was no doubt how Kari felt about him. She blushed at the mere mention of his name. They would stop at the sheriff’s office, then head out for an ice cream, or whatever two over-aged virgins did on a date. Enjoying a hot shower, she took her time towel drying, and then put on her old clothes again. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail, and didn’t bother blow-drying or messing with make up. Her hair naturally dried into little ringlets that she absolutely despised, but they would straighten somewhat while she slept, and she would wash it again in the morning. “Hello?” The booming baritone bounced off the stairwell, and on to the second floor. Kathryn froze in the middle of the hallway, her stomach suddenly churning from excitement and scorn. Now he shows up! She stormed down the stairs, ready to give that man a lesson on manners and calling when he couldn’t make a dinner date. A surprised Andy stopped short in the living room, when she came at him with fists. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you call? Don’t you have my mobile number? I was scared you were shot or some murderer held you hostage.” Andy caught her narrow wrists with ease, and held her at bay. He couldn’t help taking a moment to absorb her casual attire. Her legs were long and thin, and her bare feet were slender. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such adorable toes. With her arms raised, he caught sight of her taut stomach. More than likely, the result of a regular workout. She wore a workout bra, easily seen under her sleeveless shirt. Her nipples still puckered against the material, hardening while he watched. His cock begged to do the same. Fire burned through his veins, lust hitting him harder than he’d ever experienced. Her hair, damp and in ringlets, splashed around her shoulders in its high ponytail. With her hair pulled back, her natural color streaked through her hair—a soft strawberry blonde. He hid his amused smile. He’d caught her off guard, and saw the true colors of the woman in front of him. She was vulnerable, concerned, worried about him…and obviously had her mother’s temper. Unlike her mother, this woman made his cock hard as a rock, no matter his mental orders that she shouldn’t affect him. “This isn’t a big city, Kathryn. I was east of here in the hills, helping dismantle a still. There weren’t any phones.”

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“Oh.” Her freckles stood out when she blushed. She relaxed, but made no attempt to pull out of his grasp. “Kari and Paul drove to the sheriff’s office to find out where you were. They left about an hour ago.” So not even Kari was here. Alone with Kathryn might prove more dangerous than dealing with the three pissed off men he’d spent the past few hours with. None of them had been at all pleased while watching their still be dismantled and their winter’s stash of moonshine confiscated. He hadn’t batted an eye at their anger. Every defense he had kicked into overdrive while standing before Kathryn, holding her slender wrists in his hands. Her pulse beat rapidly against his palms while she ran her tongue over her upper lip. Dear Lord. He wanted her in his arms now. “Where is your phone?” He released her, ordering his cock to be still. She turned without a word, her cute ass swaying when she headed to the kitchen. She pulled her phone out of her purse and he took it from her. “Have you eaten? It won’t take a second to warm a plate for you.” Andy was already dialing, and simply shook his head at her. Was that a no I haven’t eaten, or a no I don’t want a plate heated for me? “Judy, yeah it’s me. Has Paul stopped in looking for me? Yeah? Yes, I know Kari Newton was with him.” He paused, and got the bored look on his face that so often appears on a man when forced to listen to a woman relate some hot piece of gossip. Kathryn looked down at the ground to hide her smile. “Yes, I’ve met her sister.” That grabbed her attention and she searched his face. It offered no explanations. Damn the man for being such a brick wall. He ignored her, intent on his conversation. Standing this close, so many muscles turning her entire body into an over-exposed nerve ending, would have her making a fool out of herself. They were alone. For how long she had no idea. But the risk of being walked in on often made sex even more exciting. Damnit. If she didn’t busy herself doing something she’d have her hands all over him. She turned and started pulling out the remains of the supper. After all, wasn’t the way to a man’s heart through his stomach? Was his heart the part of his anatomy she was after? “Judy.” Andy dragged out on a long exasperated sigh. At least he didn’t save that tone for just her. “When were they there? How long ago did they leave? Okay, thanks. No, I’m on a mobile. No, it’s Kathryn O’Brien’s. Yes, that’s Kari’s sister.” He sighed again loudly, and Kathryn smiled with her back to him. She prepared a large plate of food for him, and then put it in the oven to warm. She would have to buy her sister a microwave. “What’s your mobile number?” Andy actually looked annoyed when Kathryn turned around. Dark eyebrows narrowed over his eyes. His lips were pressed tightly together. Andy had a temper, so easily riled. With all that brute forced packed under his clothes, that simply added to his sex appeal. Remembering how easily he lifted her in the motel room, even though his words had been humiliating, she easily imagined him tossing her around during sex. God. The thought alone would make her come. Clearing her voice, she rattled off her cell phone number and he relayed it to the dispatcher and then hung up.

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“They left the office about fifteen minutes ago. If they’re on their way back here, they should be here soon.” He didn’t meet her gaze, but ran his hand through his black hair and stared at the oven. “I can get something to eat at the diner.” “I’ve already got a plate warming.” She bit her lip and studied him. His black, silky looking hair was ruffled, and there was a dark shadow lining his jawbone. Dangerous looking and too damned sexy. If she didn’t know he was a sheriff, he fit the perfect image of a hardened criminal. The kind that could seduce any information out of you that they wanted. Except Andy refused to play the role of seduction. His hard to get routine was even worse though. He’d unbuttoned the top button on his shirt, and dark curly hair peeked out to tease her. What she wouldn’t do to tangle her fingers through it, feel the heat of his body against her palms. Blood pumped through her so fast her body was on fire. She needed a distraction, something, or the pressure growing inside her would make her nuts. She looked away from him, shooing the temptation away to walk over and run her hands across that muscular chest. Something needed to be said though. If she were gong to make any headway ever with this man, she wouldn’t have him adding shallow to the list of character defects he already had on her. She let out a sigh, and looked down at her hands. “Fixing you a meal is the least I can do. And I owe you an apology.” She glanced up at him, and Andy met her gaze for a brief moment. “I shouldn’t have said what I did about Angela…my mom. I’m sorry. You caught me red handed, and I struck out. I was out of line.” Her eyes moved away from his scrutinizing gaze. There was no way any criminal could ever lie to this man. She added hastily. “It seems to be a problem of mine.” Andy didn’t say anything, but walked into the living room. She was right behind him. He pulled a flowery curtain away from the window on the front door, and glanced out into the darkness. When he turned around, his chocolate eyes had gone black, and she instinctively took a step backwards. “I reported to the scene that day.” She met his gaze, knowing some of the story, but realizing at that moment he may not have talked to anyone about it yet. “She was hit by a man who was so drunk he didn’t even remember the accident. She was hit broadside, and her car flipped several times. She’d just finished taking some clothes out to one of the women in the hills. Angela was one of the few people who could offer some of those folks the things they needed, and were too proud to ask for on their own. If she saw a child in church with holes in their shoes, she’d be out the next day with new shoes. Whatever it was the family grew, or skill they possessed, that would be what she’d show up saying she needed. She never made it look like charity. She’d just finished coming from taking some of Kari’s dresses out to a family with five daughters. There were several broken jars in her back seat with honey spilled everywhere. Her whole body was broken up, and she just kept telling me that it hurt. It took forever for the ambulance to get there. Angela died in my arms.” “Oh Andy,” Kathryn cried out, instinctively reaching for him. He stiffened, and she froze.

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Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back quickly. His gaze was darker than night, penetrating through her, burning her alive. Holding her breath, she dared move closer, brush her fingers over powerful muscles that rippled with raw, untamed power. He was hard, so damned fucking hard. Heat burned her when she grazed her fingers up his powerful chest and rested her hand on his shoulder. He didn’t move, didn’t look away from her. She’d swear he didn’t even breathe. She had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him. Nipping at his bottom lip, she closed her mouth over it and sucked gently. A low growl escaped him, sending chills rushing over her feverish skin. He didn’t move, didn’t send her flying. Incredible heat singed her mouth. Tasting him, running her tongue against his lip in her mouth, she needed more of him. If he stopped her now she’d cry. Need pulsed through her. Her pussy throbbed, soaking her underwear. She dared run her fingers up his shoulders until the pulse in his neck beat through her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned into him. Raw strength, the consistency of granite touched her everywhere. If she closed her eyes the moment would end. There was no way she could look away from him. Everything around them disappeared. It was just the two of them, nothing else in the world mattering. Her nipples hardened painfully against his chest, her breasts swelling, craving attention so badly they hurt. And he watched her. Not moving, not looking away. Dark eyes, hooded with long lashes, bore through her, adding to the fire that already burned out of control inside her. She kissed him again, moving her mouth over his. No man had ever smelled so good, a fading scent of aftershave, combined with the strong aroma that was all man. She sighed into him, relaxing when his lips parted. Without thought, her eyes closed as she offered herself to him. Andy’s thoughts spun out of control. How did she end up here? He could feel every inch of her leaning against him, and she felt better than she had in the many dreams he’d had of her since she’d arrived in Three Hills. His thoughts screamed at him to make her stop, but his body paid no attention. He gripped her waist. It was so narrow, his fingers almost met on either side. One hand went to the small of her back and pressed her even closer to him, while his other hand went up to those beautiful curls of hers, tangling his fingers in her damp hair. He tugged, drawing her head back, taking what she offered—what he needed. Damn her for getting under his skin like this, for invading his thoughts, for being so damned sexy he couldn’t fathom a thought without her being in it. She sighed into his mouth and it was as if she’d breathed ambrosia into his already confused brain. His grip on her tightened, and his mouth claimed hers. Impaling her with his tongue, he dove into her heat. His cock sprung to life demanding to be deep inside her. Her hips pressed against him, and she moved over his cock, teasing him while her grip around his neck tightened. She groaned as she opened to him, and leaned her head back further, inviting him to explore her mouth, her tongue dancing around his. Her hair was like silk, her breasts full and so fucking soft. Almost hesitating, yet aggressive at the same time, her actions were a contradiction.

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He couldn’t remember a woman ever intoxicating him as quickly as Kathryn had. Not even his wife, the unfaithful tramp, had ever brought him to a breaking point as quickly as Kathryn was doing. He wanted to wrap himself around her, dive deep inside her, claim her as his, and make her feel as if she’d never truly had a man before. She groaned softly and tickled his brain when her fingernails combed through his hair. God he needed her. Real fucking bad. His cock would explode if he didn’t do something about it quickly. Wrapping his arms around her, he crushed her to him, almost bending her over as he devoured her mouth, taking all she offered and demanding more. Everything spun out of control. She smelled so damned good, tasted even better, felt absolutely incredible. Just as he knew she would. His hand moved to grab her shirt, rip it from her body. God. What the fuck was he doing? She was a pro, a fucking perfect woman bred and raised to seduce a man until there was nothing left of him. His brain was in a fog, every breath he took filled with her scent. He had to fight the demands his body was making. She was the perfect seductress. She’d probably had years of experience to master the technique she worked on her prey. Her stay here in Three Hills was temporary, and she’d never given any indication otherwise. He pushed her to arm’s length, as he struggled for air that didn’t smell of her. “I told you no,” he growled, and pushed her away from him. Kathryn gasped for air, her fingers trembling as she touched her damp and swollen lips. Her blue eyes smoldered with lust when she looked up at him. She almost panted, every breath stretching her shirt over her large breasts. Hard nipples pointed against the material making him almost drool as he ached to suck them into his mouth, nibble on them until she screamed. Her pussy would be soaked, hot and ready for him to dive into. God damnit. He turned away so she couldn’t spring the trap with the powers she used on him. “That didn’t feel like a no.” She crossed her arms across her waist, and decided to speak her mind. There was something about Andy she hadn’t experienced with any other man. “I’m not looking for a one night stand with you.” He turned around quickly and she saw passion still simmering in his eyes. “Good, because you’re not going to get one.” The two of them stood there, facing each other. The several feet of air separating them wasn’t enough to dissipate the turmoil brewing there. Andy leaned his head to the side, taking the opportunity to study her. As natural as she looked at the moment, she was still more beautiful than any woman he’d ever seen in his life. Her lips were red and wet from his mouth, and her curls bounced around her face from his hands running through them. “Why do you color your hair?” She frowned at his quick change of subject, but then her eyes grew wide as she realized her disheveled appearance. “Shit.” She quickly pulled her hair tie out and long, tangled ringlets fell around her face. Storming into the kitchen, she desperately combed her fingers through the tangled mass of hair.

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“You’re a lot like she was. Do you know that?” He watched her bend over, her adorable ass almost too much to look at. His cock was so hard the pain was almost too much to endure. She took his plate out of the oven, looking at him with almost a hurt expression. He really needed to be careful here. His heart was already too damaged to endure any more pain. “Oh? She was a brazen hussy, too?” She put the plate at the table. “Hardly. No, she was the type of woman who saw what she wanted and went after it. She had a hard time taking no for an answer.” Kathryn placed his plate on the table a little harder than necessary. “You better watch out. You might get burned.” She watched the steam rise from the plate, and then looked up at him. She gulped when she saw raw, primal desire. Good God, he wanted her as badly as she wanted him. What the hell was going on here? Her emotions couldn’t handle much more of his rejections, but his eyes weren’t rejecting her…not at all. “Aren’t you hungry?” Her eyes grew wide when his gaze dropped down her body. “Very.” He locked her gaze with his. She wanted to take a step toward him. She wanted to knock that plate on to the floor, and let him take her right here, right now. But, something in the air was different. She wasn’t in charge here. Men didn’t usually approach her, unless she gave the okay. She was Nate O’Brien’s daughter, high society, and knew everyone considered her quite the catch. She couldn’t be seen on just anyone’s arm. The sheriff wasn’t like the men she knew back home. He was rugged, and had set principals that obviously came from a book she hadn’t read. But now he towered over her, his eyes devouring her. Without a doubt, she knew she couldn’t move toward him until he said she could. He’d taken over this power play. She stood frozen, watching him. “You are so beautiful.” He took one of her disheveled ringlets in his hand. That sounded like permission to her. Kathryn dared to step closer to him. She ran her hands up his chest, feeling the heat from his body scorch her fingers, his muscles quiver against her touch. Parting her lips, she fought not to scream, to beg for him to touch her again. Her body was turning to a liquid state. She’d never known a man who could make her feel so weak. She wanted to please him, make him smile, make him laugh, make him scream her name. She went up on her tiptoes as her hands edged up around his shoulders. Andy grabbed her hands and almost shoved her to arm’s length. He moved so quickly she almost lost her balance. “No.” The word came out so aggressively he might have well cursed her name. “I don’t want you.” He released her, and backed away, letting out a loud sigh and running his hands over his face. Kathryn couldn’t stop the tears. “You’re lying,” she shouted, and ran out of the kitchen. She stormed up the stairs, pounding her feet on each step as she went, and hit the wall with her palm once she reached the top. The hard plaster burned her palm but she didn’t care. She marched to her room and slammed the door shut. “Hi everyone, we’re back.” Kari sang into the house as she threw open the front door.

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She walked into the kitchen all smiles, her blue eyes glowing. Andy stood up from his meal, giving mental thanks that she didn’t notice the turmoil that racked his body. Paul entered the room behind her, his attention on Kari’s back. “Where’s Kathryn?” “She went upstairs.” Kathryn could hear Paul and Kari enter the house. And, although she heard them all talking in the kitchen, she couldn’t tell what they were saying. She checked her appearance in the mirror when she heard footsteps patter up the stairs. Kathryn quickly tucked her feelings of self-loathing and pity into the far corners of her mind. They weren’t worth dwelling on anyway. Kari just lost her mom, and Kathryn didn’t want to do anything to add to her misery. She opened her door as Kari reached it. “What are you doing up here?” Kari took in Kathryn’s appearance. “Don’t tell me you’re up here hiding from Andy. You know, I bet he would like the way you look right now.” Kathryn shrugged. “I took a shower and now I’m trying to fix my hair. Andy showed up about an hour after you left. I, um, made him a plate of food, and then came up here.” “Are you ready to hear the next letter?” Kari shuttered her lashes to keep her emotions at bay. She couldn’t wait to hear what her Mom’s next letter had to say. It was as if her Mom was right there next to her when Paul read those letters. Why did she have to die? She took a staggered breath, and tried to smile at Kathryn. Her brand new sister was falling hard for the sheriff. Kari could see how frazzled Kathryn looked. It seemed the longer she was here, the more frazzled she appeared at times. Would it all get to be too much for her? Would Kathryn run back to Detroit, and leave her alone once again? “I want to hear my Mom’s letter,” she begged, and couldn’t stop a burning tear from racing down her cheek. “Oh baby, it’s going to get easier.” Kathryn pulled Kari into a hug, and realized this was the first time they’d hugged each other. All of a sudden Kari started to cry. Kathryn pulled back, and wiped a tear off her sister’s cheeks. Kari let out a choked sigh. “You felt just like Mom. Will you hold me again…just for a minute? Please?” Kathryn felt herself choke up as she pulled her sister back into her arms. She wasn’t sure anyone had ever asked her to hold them simply for comfort. Talk about emotions being on a roller coaster ride. Would she actually end up loving her sister? The thought had never crossed her mind. “I don’t think anyone’s ever said anything so nice to me before.” Kathryn finally released Kari, and walked over to her mirror. “We’re going to go downstairs looking like a mess.” Kari walked over and looked into the mirror as well. The two women simply stood in silence for a minute, as they studied their identical features. “I wonder who separated us?” Kari whispered. “Was it our mom, or our dad?” “Maybe we’ll find out in one of those letters our mom wrote to us.” Kathryn leaned forward when she noticed they seemed to have the identical freckle pattern across their noses.

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“They’re both downstairs waiting for us. Come on.” Kari pulled her sister out of her room. Kathryn was glad that Kari didn’t think to ask how things had gone while she’d been alone with Andy. “We’re ready to hear that letter now.” Kari managed a smile, as she entered the kitchen arm and arm with Kathryn. Kathryn managed the same peaceful smile on her face as well. Andy noticed the smile didn’t reach her eyes, but he doubted Paul or Kari could tell. “I’ll get us all some coffee.” Kathryn let go of her sister, and worked her way around the kitchen as if she’d lived there all her life. Her phone sat on the counter where Andy left it, and when it rang she picked it up and answered cheerfully. “Kathryn, is that you?” “Hi, yes, it’s me. The connection isn’t too good. Who is this?” “The connection is fine and this is Darren. Where are you?” Kathryn’s heart lodged in her throat, and she held the phone with her shoulder as she froze in the middle of making coffee. “I’m out of state. What can I do for you?” “Out of state?” Darren laughed, and then whispered something to someone that was with him. “So you really did get chased out of town? That’s classic. Met your match, did you babe?” “Did you call me for a reason?” “Well it sure as hell wasn’t to find out if you missed me or not. I’m sure you’re not capable of missing anyone. That would require that you have feelings. When are you getting the rest of your stuff out of my apartment?” “Look, can I call you back later? This really isn’t a good time.” “No. I don’t want you calling me at all. I want your things out of my place. You have forty eight hours.” The line went dead. Kathryn stared at the coffee, dripping into the pot. She realized the room was awfully quiet, and tried to compose herself before turning around. “Was that one of your friends?” Kari asked, and Kathryn realized they had all been listening to her. She didn’t say anything to incriminate herself, did she? “More like an acquaintance.” Kathryn shrugged, and pulled down mugs. “Who wants coffee?” Paul and Kari accepted her comment without question. But, as she offered a cup to Andy, she realized her hand was shaking. She looked up and knew instantly that he knew the phone call had bothered her. For some reason, she had an incredible urge to pull him to the side, explain everything to him, and ask for his help. How was she supposed to get all of her things out of Darren’s apartment in the next forty-eight hours?

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Chapter Eight Kari encouraged everyone into the living room, and showed obvious excitement that they were finally going to hear the next letter. Kathryn thought her sister acted like a young child anxious to hear her favorite bedtime story. She sat in a rocking chair alongside the couch, and watched Kari over her coffee mug. Kari sat next to her on the couch, but she faced Paul, who sat on the other end. Andy leaned against the wall right inside the door. At a glance, Kathryn couldn’t tell if he was watching her or Kari. Kathryn forced her attention on Paul, unwilling to let her emotions toward Andy show through, and burst the excitement displayed all over Kari’s face. Every inch of her still tingled with need though. There was no way she could turn that off, no matter how hard she tried. Andy standing so close, looming over her, his unbridled aura filling the room. No matter how hard she tried, the throbbing between her legs wouldn’t subside. Damn. She’d become a nutcase, sent over the edge from the amount of lust that ripped through her. Focusing on Paul, doing everything in her power to think about Kari, about her dead mother, didn’t seem to help. Andy still stood too close. Tall and powerful, his presence and silence tearing at her rational thought, making her want him more and more with every breath she took. It would be one hell of a long night. There was no doubt in her mind. Paul opened his briefcase, pulled out an envelope, and broke the seal. He cleared his throat. Kari shivered noticeably with excitement. Kathryn reached out and took her sister’s hand. Kari gave her a quick smile, but then turned her attention back to Paul. Waiting for her mother to talk to her from the grave sent a ripple of trepidation through her. “This is interesting. The date on this letter is four years later than the last one I read,” Paul noted, and his eyes glanced down the page before he continued. “Paul, read it.” Kari appeared ready to grab the piece of paper out of his hands. “Okay, calm down.” Paul cleared his throat and began the letter. “My dear daughters, now that you’ve met each other, and spent a couple of days under the same roof, I hope you’re talking and learning about each other. It is my dream that this time will bring you together as you always should have been.” “I have a confession to make at this point. Off and on over the years, I’ve kept up with your life, Kathryn.” Kathryn went wide-eyed, and bit her lower lip. She wouldn’t look at anyone, but focused on the letter in Paul’s hands. “I don’t know if you two have shared this with each other yet, but do you realize that you both graduated from college the same year? The two of you are the first Newton’s to get a college degree, and I am bursting with pride. I can’t imagine what you are going to do with a degree in Theology, Kathryn, but what does a small town girl from the hills know? Speaking of which, Kari, I want you to take Kathryn through our hills, and help her to get to know them. In fact, I have a specific request. I’ve never taken you there…it would have been too painful for me, but there is a specific spot I want the two of you to see. Kari dear, you know the creek that rambles along our western property line. About half way up that hill, right before the second waterfall, there is a small cabin. I want you to hike there. The only way you can get there is on foot, and it will probably take a good day’s travel. I won’t place a time limit on how soon you have to make this little

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journey. I know you’ll have to make some adjustments in your schedules. Find this cabin, and then you may read the next letter. I’m not looking forward to writing it, but you must know all.” “I’ve been to that creek,” Kari interrupted. “I don’t remember seeing a cabin.” Paul held up his hand, and Kari covered her mouth with her hand. “Girls, this is why I asked to have a member of the law present to hear this letter. I would think by now you are full of questions. Kathryn, I know I asked you not to talk to your father about this, but if you hang in there, your questions will be answered.” Kathryn glanced up at Andy, guilt suddenly riding her hard. There was no doubt in her mind this time that he stared directly at her. His condemning dark eyes had her focusing on her toes. What would this mother who she never knew think of her, if she knew she’d disobeyed the request? She chewed on the inside of her mouth, and told herself that this mother would have forgiven her. “The woods aren’t the safest place in the world…especially for two beautiful young women like you, my daughters. I absolutely forbid you to make this trip by yourselves. You’ll need to pack plenty of food. Plan on staying the night there. I don’t want you walking out in the woods alone once it’s dark. No matter what time of year it is, it gets pretty cold up there at night. Pack plenty of warm clothes, and Kari, you better take the shotgun. Remember I love you. Good luck with your hike.” Paul folded the piece of paper and slipped it back into the envelope. “I’ll go with them.” Kathryn and Kari both looked at him, but he focused on Andy, who nodded in agreement. “I’ll go, too. I can probably switch shifts with one of the guys, and we can head out next Friday. I have next weekend off.” “I think I can clear my calendar next Friday.” Paul shifted his attention the women. “How does that sound to you two? Kathryn, can you hang out for the week?” Kathryn shrugged. “I think so. I’ve got to admit, my curiosity is piqued.” “That shotgun Mom’s talking about…she gave it to old Mitch Ryder when he was having problems with bears out at his place a few years back. She must have forgotten to change the letter.” “I have a gun,” Kathryn offered quickly. “You brought a gun with you?” Andy pushed his large body away from the wall, and seemed to tower over her. “I live in a big city. A girl’s got to protect herself.” She crossed her arms, and dared him to pull some macho act on her. “And yes, it’s registered.” Andy dismissed her comment and turned to Paul, who packed up his briefcase. “I’ve got a couple of shotguns. We might be able to make this whole process easier if we take Bart’s plane up and see if we can see this cabin from the air. Then, when we take off hiking into the woods, at least we’ll know what direction to head.” The two men were still discussing plans for the following weekend as they took their coffee mugs to the kitchen, and then prepared to leave. Kathryn pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. She didn’t doubt that Darren would put her things at the curb if she wasn’t there to collect them within forty-eight hours. She had a week and there were no requests this time that she hang around and wait for the next event. She

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closed her eyes, and realized how unappealing the thought of going back to Detroit was. The front screen door opened and shut with a gentle bang. She blew out a sigh and puzzled over the realization that she didn’t want to leave Three Hills, or this house. She didn’t actually want to live here, did she? The couch creaked next to her, and she opened her eyes quickly. Andy sat next to her, and rested his arms on his legs as he studied her. “You’ve got business back home you need to deal with, don’t you?” How the hell could this man be so perceptive? Were her thoughts tattooed across her face? “You’ve been upset ever since you got that phone call. And, not upset like you were earlier.” His voice appeared so casual, nonchalant. “You must be one hell of a mean cop.” She tried to match his easy tone. She couldn’t hide her surprise, when he smiled. “I’m a damn good cop. Do you have things to take care of back in Detroit?” “I don’t want to deal with them.” Andy snorted. “Now that doesn’t surprise me.” “You think you know exactly what kind of person I am.” Kathryn straightened, allowing all of her penned up emotions to turn to anger. “I know exactly what kind of person you’ve allowed yourself to become, Kathryn. That doesn’t mean you need to stay that person. I’d never ask a person to change unless they wanted to. You’ve got this week to go back to Detroit and take care of whatever it is you need to take care of.” He thought she could change? What kind of person did he think she was? She knew she didn’t want to hear his answer to that question. “I need to get my things out of my old apartment,” she whispered, not sure how Andy would react if she told him the whole truth of it. Did she want him to know? Andy nodded, as if he already knew this. “Was that your boyfriend who called you earlier?” Her anger mixed with pain. She wanted to smack him—hard. “You really do have a low opinion of me. No, that wasn’t my boyfriend who called me.” She toyed with the bracelet on her wrist, making a mental note not to ever allow this sheriff to interrogate her. She wouldn’t stand a prayer. She sighed heavily, and dropped her head into her hands. “He’s my ex-boyfriend, and he kicked me out before I left Detroit. He called to tell me I have forty-eight hours to get my things out of his apartment.” If he made one coy comment she’d belt him. He leaned back, and kept his expression lax. “I can only imagine what type of person I would have turned out to be if I’d grown up here.” Andy actually laughed. “You would have married right out of high school, and have five or six children by now.” Kathryn registered his complete surprise when she beamed at him. “I always wanted lots of children.” She laughed sardonically, and stood up. Moving over toward the door, she glanced out into the darkness, before turning around to smile at his stunned gaze. “I’ve rendered the great Sheriff Rambo speechless. You know, that’s not

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usually something I share with a man. But, I figure, what the hell. Since you’ve made it clear that you don’t want me, why not tell you the truth?” Her smile faded when he stood and walked over to her. She didn’t dare move a muscle when he reached out and scooped a long ringlet into his hand. Her eyes glued to his face, as he tilted his head down and studied the twisted curl resting in his hand. “I will always expect you to tell me the truth.” His fingers drifted out of her hair and reached for the door. “Have a good evening, Miss O’Brien.” Kathryn and Kari went to church together the next morning. Paul didn’t sit with them, but after church he joined them out front while Kari had a wonderfully good time introducing Kathryn to the entire congregation. Kathryn wasn’t sure how many times she answered that she wasn’t married, no, she wasn’t divorced, or widowed, she didn’t have any children, and she wasn’t sure yet how long she would be in Three Hills. Services were out for almost an hour when the sisters finally headed for the parking lot. Paul unlocked his office to allow Kathryn to use his computer to check her e-mail, and book reservations to Detroit. Kari pulled a chair up next to Kathryn, and watched her open the airline website, while Paul shuffled around Marla’s desk looking for a file. “I wish I could go with you to Detroit.” Kari blew air out of her lungs on a low moan, and leaned her chin on her hands. Kathryn cringed. She didn’t want her sister to know what kind of person she was in Detroit. It dawned on her suddenly what she loved so much about Three Hills. She could be a different person here. She could be a person with morals and virtues—like her sister. But, which Kathryn was real? “I thought I heard you tell Sara and Mary that you were going to spend time this week getting the school library in order.” Kari shrugged. “That won’t take all week. Besides, if I went up and helped you get your things in order, then you could help me at the library.” Kathryn had told Kari and Paul that she was moving out of her old apartment, and needed to pack her few remaining things. She just didn’t bother to tell them why. Kathryn didn’t want Kari to think that she didn’t want her company. “I’m going to come back, you know.” “I know you will.” Kari smiled shyly. “It’s not like I could afford a ticket, and I’ve never even been on an airplane. It just sounds like such an adventure.” Kathryn leaned back in Paul’s comfortable office chair and studied Kari. If her sister went along, she would learn an awful lot about Kathryn’s old life. And yes, it was her old life. Maybe the promiscuous Kathryn…the Kathryn that was willing to sleep with any man, and say whatever she needed to get what she wanted out of a relationship…Maybe that Kathryn, and this Kathryn that suddenly craved everyone around her to see her as a virtuous woman, were both real. For some reason, arriving in Three Hills was a new chapter in her life, one based on honesty and trust. Those were two attributes she’d never paid heed to in her twentyfive years. She couldn’t say why, only that she recognized it as the truth now. She twisted her bracelet, and then leaned forward and clicked back to the reservations page on the website. “What are you doing?” Kari watched her sister type in her credit card number. Kathryn looked at Kari, and smiled mischievously. “You and I are going to Detroit.” “But I can’t afford it.” Kari’s hands went to her mouth.

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“My treat.” Kathryn shrugged, and then clicked on print. “We will leave tomorrow morning. You, dear sister, are going to fly on a plane.” Kari walked alongside Paul downtown a bit later when she told him the news. “You’re going to do what?” Paul lowered his voice quickly and looked around to make sure no one had heard his sudden outburst. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to fly to Detroit with Kathryn? She lives in a world you’ve never been exposed to.” They headed toward the post office so Kari could pick up her mail. The outer part of the small mail stop remained open on Sunday’s so folks could pick up their mail after church. Kathryn agreed to meet up with them later, telling them she wanted to walk downtown and window shop, since most of the stores were closed on Sundays. Paul held the glass door open for Kari, as she fumbled in her purse for her keys to the post office box her mother had used to collect her mail as long as Kari could remember. Mail service didn’t go out to their home. “Don’t even try to imply that Kathryn is capable of living in my world, but I couldn’t exist in hers.” Kari stopped and glared at him. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She could see Paul didn’t like the idea of her taking off anywhere with Kathryn, let alone Detroit. He probably didn’t think he was in a position to insist that she not go. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning and will come back late tomorrow night. I won’t even be gone twenty-four hours. Can you believe it? I’m going to fly on a plane.” Kari opened the small mailbox and pulled out the thick stack of mail that had accumulated over the week. She held up one of the envelopes. “Here’s the check Mom gets every month for her investments. Maybe I can budget in some more apple trees. Kathryn said she could search for prices on your computer.” “I don’t remember you’re mom’s will saying anything about investments.” Paul frowned, and glanced down at the envelope in her hand. “I don’t know much about them. I think she told me she used money from diamonds dug out of our land and bought some stocks or something. They mail the interest every month.” Paul took her hand so he could see the envelope better. “It’s addressed to Kathryn.” Kari turned the envelope so she could see it better. “I don’t understand. Why would Kathryn get mail from Mom’s investment company?” “I don’t have a clue.” Paul took the envelope and studied the return address. “Kari, I want you to do me a favor.” “Okay,” the word held a bit of hesitation. He sounded very serious all of a sudden. “This one is quite a mystery, and I’m as curious as you are to hear the explanation. I want you to give this to Kathryn, and not ask her any questions.” “Why not?” “This has a Michigan return address on it. That’s where Kathryn’s Dad is, and I bet this is money he’s sending her. She told us she called her dad for money. If you ask her about it, she is going to run to him for an answer. Angela has asked in each letter that you not contact him yet. Do you see?” “I see.” Kari frowned at the letter. If her Mom had been getting money from her Dad all these years, she ached to know why she’d never mentioned it.

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Glancing at her other mail, she groaned. “It’s another letter from that investor company.” “What investor company?” “Some people want to buy all of our land.” Kari shrugged. “Mom always threw the letters away.” And Kari did the same, tossing the unopened letter into the trash can along the wall. Paul followed the action with his eyes, frowning. “Good. Now let’s go find that sister of yours, and give her mail to her.”

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Chapter Nine The urge to honk her horn as Kari drove down Three Hills’s main street Tuesday morning made her fingers itch. They’d arrived back in Little Rock late the night before, and Kathryn talked her into staying at a motel, and driving home the next morning. The trip to Detroit had bonded them together like true sisters. Kathryn needed her, and no one had ever needed her before. She knew Kathryn didn’t want her to know why she no longer had a place to live, but Kari wasn’t stupid. Besides, Darren Boring—what a last name— said enough to Kathryn while they were at the apartment for Kari to get most of the picture. So, now Kathryn was moving in with her. She wasn’t going to be living in the big old house by herself after all. “Isn’t that your friend, Sara?” Kathryn pointed to a lady chasing a two year old down the sidewalk. “Yeah, it is.” Kari honked the loud booming horn, and Kathryn laughed. “You were dying to do that,” she accused, as Kari pulled the big old truck into an empty stall. “Hi there, you two.” Sara sounded tired. Her daughter slipped behind her mother’s leg, and stared out from behind her. “What is all this stuff in the back of your truck?” “Sara Dean, you won’t believe it. My sister is moving in with me.” Kari jumped out, and stood next to her friend, grinning at the furniture piled in the back of her truck. Kathryn swore the smile on her sister’s face was permanent. “Why aren’t you at work?” “Oh, Mrs. Porter is under the weather and can’t watch June Elizabeth today. I swear there isn’t a thing wrong with the old lady. June is just getting to be too much for her.” Sara sighed, and reached around to grab her daughter. “You’re supposed to be a handful, aren’t you sweetheart?” Kathryn wiggled her finger at the two year old, and the child buried her face in her mother’s crotch. “She’s kind of shy around strangers,” Sara explained. “Anyway, we were out for a walk. I heard you went on an airplane.” “It was the most exciting thing.” Kari quickly went into the story of their flight. Kathryn silently thanked her for not offering any details about their day in Detroit. “So, now we’re going home to figure out where to put this stuff. Why don’t you come out with us?” “And, if you need to go to work later, we could watch your daughter.” Kathryn was still trying to convince the child to look at her. “Oh, Kathryn.” Kari’s smile finally faded. “I thought later today I would go to the library. I really need to get organized for next week.” “Well then, I could watch her.” Kathryn beamed at the thought. “Oh, please let me. I love children.” Kathryn wouldn’t confess that she hadn’t been around children much in her life. But watching the adorable little girl cling to her mother, made Kathryn determined to make the child like her. Sara Dean didn’t object for a minute. She agreed to meet them out at the house, and Kathryn and Kari got back in the truck. Kathryn searched for any sign of a particular sheriff who had invaded her dreams throughout the previous night.

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The sex they’d had while she’d dreamt had been so hot that she’d woken up panting, her heart racing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. Andy had been wild, ripping her clothes from her body, throwing her on to the bed, and then impaling her with his huge, feverish cock. She’d screamed, which he’d stifled with his mouth, kissing her savagely while he fucked her. Hard and fast, pounding her senseless. She woke up out of breath, soaked, with her pussy throbbing so hard it brought tears to her eyes. There was no sign of him as they drove out to the house though. If she didn’t see him soon she’d die. If he didn’t fuck her soon she’d go crazy. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about those apples.” Kari mentioned several hours later as the three women enjoyed lemonade on the front porch. Kathryn rocked gently on the porch swing, with June Elizabeth asleep on her lap. She’d quickly proven her love for children when she’d coaxed the little girl into a lasting friendship by offering the child her Raggedy Ann doll. The old doll hung precariously out of the girl’s arms as she slept. “How do you usually harvest the apples?” Kathryn looked over at the five small trees, whose branches hung low from the weight of their ripe fruit. “Mom always took care of it.” Kari wiggled her toes, and frowned at her bare feet. “She wouldn’t want us to just leave the apples on the trees, would she?” Kathryn smiled at her sister. “Did you help with the harvest?” “We all helped,” Sara pointed out. “And we can do it again this year.” Kari sighed, and her voice cracked when she spoke. “I don’t know if I could organize it. I mean…well, I know it’s selfish…” “There is nothing selfish about mourning one of the nicest women I ever knew,” Sara scolded lovingly. Kari looked up, and nodded quickly. Her eyes welled with tears. Sara patted her hand and continued. “And it would be cruel to ask you to organize it.” Sara Dean sat in the rocking chair they’d pulled out of the living room. She looked over at Kathryn. “It’s a great party. You invite a bunch of people over, and everyone brings food. It’s kind of like a potluck. There are tons of baskets out in the garage. Angela had contests for the children. She’d make pastries, and wrap them up in colorful paper. The kids would dunk for apples, and have races balancing apples on their heads. They couldn’t drop any on the ground, and they had to put them in their baskets, and then tag their partner who had to do the same thing. Kari would always win when we were kids. I swear, I think she practiced year round.” “I bet you were good, too.” Kathryn grinned when Sara Dean looked down at her hands to hide her smile and her blush. Kathryn was already excited about helping to organize the event. The parties she’d been to were always catered. She couldn’t believe she was going to be part of a potluck. It all sounded so…well, family oriented. What would it be like to have a family with Andy? She couldn’t believe the thought popped into her head. Trying to push it out of her head, another more torturous thought of making babies with Andy rattled her senses. She carefully adjusted the sleeping child on her lap, her palms suddenly moist from the overheated thoughts invading her senses. All she could think about was having him, feeling him buried inside her. All of those muscles pressed against her. So carnal, so primal. Out of control sex.

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God she needed him. Bad! “Angela would judge them. She always worked it so all the children ended up with prizes.” Sara brought Kathryn out of her daydream about the sheriff. Kari smiled through her tears. “She’d hide some of the wrapped pastries for the younger children to find.” “Well, we can organize that. Now that I have money from Dad, I can pay for anything we need.” Kathryn looked at Sara. “I can’t make pastries, can you?” “Hazel Upton.” Sara and Kari spoke at the same time. “She would be upset if we didn’t ask for her help.” Kari wiped her face with the back of her hand. “And Mattie will make treats down at the café and bring them over.” “When should we do this?” Kathryn ran her fingers over June Elizabeth’s hair. “Sara you’ll have to help me ask folks. I don’t know everyone yet.” They discussed possible weekends and finally decided that three weeks from now gave them enough time to prepare for the event. Shortly after that, Sara asked if she could go to work for a while. Kathryn waved her off assuring her that her daughter was in good hands. Sara fumbled through her purse and found an old receipt and a pen. She scratched something on it. “Here is my number. Call me for any reason.” Kari stood as well. “If you don’t mind, I’ll head down to the library. I shouldn’t be more than a couple hours.” Kathryn was left swinging on the porch swing. She smiled as she looked at the quiet yard. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was happier right now than she’d ever been in her entire life. An hour later, they were out back, investigating the contents of the garage, when Kathryn stopped dead in her tracks. Wrapped around the outer edge of the garage door was a snake. This wasn’t a small snake that she could outrun. No, Kathryn stared wide-eyed at a snake thicker than her arm, and long enough to wrap itself up the side of the open doorway. Kathryn grabbed June and scooped her into her arms. She took in the contents of the garage helplessly, wondering what a person did to avoid a snake. Then, another thought entered her mind…and it only submerged her in pure terror. Was the snake poisonous, or not? Would it attack them if they tried to run past it? “Oh God, June, I think we’re trapped in here.” She pulled the little girl tighter into her arms, and told herself she couldn’t panic for the child’s sake. ***** Kari decided two hours spent in the school library was ample time. She could come back several more times this week. And besides, Kathryn agreed to come into town, and help her out one day. All these seemed reason enough to lock up the school, and see who might be downtown. Kathryn had insisted that since her dad was Kari’s dad too, Kari should have some of the money he sent. Kathryn would help pay bills for the month, and buy groceries. Kari felt like a woman of the world with more cash in her purse than she’d carried in her life. “Kari! Kari! There you are.” Kari turned to see Sara Dean waving at her as she crossed the street.

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“I called out to your house, but Kathryn didn’t answer.” Sara stopped in the middle of the street to allow a car to drive past. She waved a greeting to the driver, and then continued toward them. “She said to take my time and I thought I might go over to the café for supper.” “I bet she’s outside playing with June. She probably didn’t hear her phone ring.” Kari walked toward her friend as she spoke. “Are you sure? Maybe I should go out and check. I just know if I do though, that June Elizabeth will throw a fit if I leave her again.” Sara pointed to the Town and Country Veterinary Clinic where she worked. “Bobby asked if I wanted to have supper with him. He’s going to quit asking if I keep telling him no.” Kari knew Sara had a crush on her boss, the only veterinarian in Three Hills. She knew Bobby Cramer pined on her before he went away to college to become a vet. He’d returned and set up shop, and no one in town was surprised when he offered Sara Dean a job as his office assistant. Kari thought he was quite a man not to make a fuss about the fact that Sara had a daughter while he was gone. Kari knew, as well as the rest of the town that the real father would never come forward to help her out. “Let’s walk over to the café, and use the phone there. I bet she answers this time.” Kari thought she might indulge in a piece of Mattie’s cheesecake. Kari didn’t realize how close it was to suppertime until her stomach growled at the smell of the fish broiling in the kitchen. She made small talk with Mattie Rook, when she noticed Paul Reece talking at the table where Andy Adams and a few other men from the sheriff’s office were sitting. “She still isn’t answering.” Sara Dean hung the phone up and walked around the counter to stare at Kari. “What do you think I should do? Should I tell Bobby that I’ll eat with him?” Kari squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “Yeah, go have supper with the guy. I’ll drive home and see how things are going. The worse that will happen is I’ll drive June Elizabeth back in town to you.” Kari turned to say hello to the men, when Sara grabbed her arm. “You don’t think she would take June Elizabeth out walking in the woods do you?” Sara looked wide-eyed and the three men in uniform looked up at her. “I mean, she is a city girl and all. She’s got enough sense to stay out of the hills, right?” “Sara, you’re getting worked up for nothing. I’ll drive out there and call here as soon as I get there.” “What’s going on?” Andy wiped his mouth with his napkin, taking in Sara’s worried expression. “Kathryn has June Elizabeth and Sara can’t reach her on the phone.” Kari made it sound like no big deal and that seemed to calm Sara down. “I told her I would drive out there. I’m sure she’s outside playing with June.” Kari tried to convince herself there really was nothing to be upset about. “How long have you been calling out there?” Andy pushed his chair away from the table. Sara glanced up at the wall clock. “I first tried while I was still at work. I’d say it was over an hour ago. She wouldn’t go walking out in the woods with my little girl, would she?

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Oh God, maybe it was a bad idea to leave June Elizabeth with her. I just figured that since she was Kari’s sister…” “Sara Dean, don’t go getting yourself all worked up for nothing. Kathryn’s completely capable of taking care of your daughter.” Andy tossed his napkin on his plate and scoot his chair back. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll go out and check on her myself.” “Oh, it would, Sheriff. It really would.” Andy nodded as he stood up, and then dropped a bill on the table. “You want me to come out with you?” Kari thought about the little bit of shopping she might do. “No, I’ll call down here when I get out there. Sara Dean, you just remain calm. Have some of the catfish. It’s excellent.” ***** Darkness fell around the old Newton home when Andy pulled in to the circular drive. His tires crunched over the gravel, but otherwise it was quiet. There were no lights on in the house, but the front door was open. Instinctively patting the gun in his holster, he stepped out of his car. “Kathryn?” His boots tapped on the wooden porch steps as he climbed them. Instincts went on red alert when there was no answer. Andy flipped on lights as he walked through the house. June Elizabeth’s shoes were in the middle of the living room floor, so that ruled out their fear that Kathryn would take her out into the woods. The kitchen was empty and clean. There were no signs that she’d started supper. Her purse sat on the counter. “Kathryn?” he called again, but only the silence of the house answered him. Cold sweat traced a line down his spine. He dug through her purse, a growl tearing through him when he found her mobile phone. Hesitating for only a moment, he yanked her wallet out and flipped it open. There was a rather large amount of cash, and every credit card known to man. Well, at least no one had robbed her. Like the front door, the back door stood wide open. Leaving the contents of her purse on the counter, he hit the back porch light switch, aggravation mounting as he scowled at the empty yard. “Kathryn? June Elizabeth?” “Andy? Oh God, is that you?” Relief hit him like a hard wind. The panic in her voice made him stalk through the yard. “Where are you?” His trained eyes searched the darkness beyond the floodlight. “Be careful, Andy. It’s in here with us now. Please Andy, you’ve got to kill it.” “Where the hell are you, woman?” “We’re in the garage.” Kathryn screamed, followed by a crashing sound. Andy bolted to the garage, and ran his hand along the wall until he found the light switch. Kathryn knelt on the workbench with June Elizabeth wrapped in her arms. The little girl had her arms wrapped in a death grip around Kathryn’s neck. Kathryn held on to the

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child for dear life. Both woman and child gaped at him with wide, dilated eyes. June Elizabeth started crying, and Kathryn rocked her, stroking her hair. “It’s alright now, baby. You were great. You know that? The sheriff will get us out of here.” “What are you doing?” Andy started to walk toward them but stopped when Kathryn pointed her finger. “There…is…a…very…big…snake.” Her teeth chattered and her entire body shook with fear. “A snake.” Andy took a step or two toward her again, amusement quickly replacing his aggravation. He stopped short when several empty coffee cans fell over in front of his feet. “It was on the door. We got trapped in here. Then it came inside…and now I think it found something that it likes for supper.” Kathryn’s voice grew shaky, and her pallor turned a grayish-green. “We heard the…uh…noises.” Andy said nothing but hunched over, and looked under the table where the coffee cans had rolled out. He rested his elbow on his knee and cupped his hand over his mouth. Kathryn couldn’t tell whether he was trying not to laugh, or trying to figure out how to handle the situation. “You may find this incredibly funny, mister. But that’s not the type of snake I have experience with.” She didn’t sound scared any more. She sounded angry. Andy stood up and walked over to them. With incredible ease, he scooped woman and child into his arms, and walked out of the garage. “Why are you wet?” He asked, after he’d carried them into the house, and put Kathryn down in the kitchen. “June Elizabeth went to the bathroom on me.” She wanted to smack that smirk off of his face. “I’m sure I’ll be the laughing stock of the town now.” Andy saw her lower lip quiver. God, those lips…he’d dreamed about those lips. He kept his expression blank as he flipped open Kathryn’s mobile phone, and pushed the numbers for the café. “Mattie? This is Sheriff Adams. Is Sara Dean down there? Good. Let her know that Kathryn and June Elizabeth are just fine. They were out in the garage. Let me talk to Paul Reece.” He looked at Kathryn, who had sat down at the kitchen table, and was rocking Sara Dean’s little girl in her arms. The little girl looked on the verge of falling asleep. “Paul, I need you to run up to Wally’s place. Yeah, I found them. They’ve been trapped out in the garage. Well, I’m not positive, but I think Jethro might have gotten loose.”

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Chapter Ten An hour later, the house and back yard were full of people. Sara Dean had changed her daughter, and was sharing catfish with her from the café. Kari and Paul were in the living room. Several rather heavyset men in dirty overalls, and two other men from the sheriff’s department, were in the backyard with Andy. Kathryn was able to disappear up to her room to clean up and change clothes. She could hear voices coming from downstairs, and wasn’t sure she wanted to go down so that they could all tease her for her lack of knowledge on living in the country. “You won’t get to see Andy if you remain hiding up here,” she chided herself in the mirror. “Chin up, girlfriend. At least you were in his arms for a few minutes.” Kathryn took one final look at her blue jeans, and favorite cut up sweatshirt. She selected a blue, satin headband and slid it through her hair, then ran a brush through her long auburn strands that she’d blow-dried so her hair was straight. Satisfied, she held her head high, and marched out of her room. “There you are,” Kari spoke up, and immediately she and Sara were at Kathryn’s side. “I should have come home when you didn’t answer your phone. Are you okay?” “I’m so sorry you were stuck out there in that garage for so long,” Sara piped up, and smiled sheepishly. “I was told my daughter messed you up. I feel really bad about that.” Kathryn smiled easily at their concerned looks. “Everything is okay now. Actually, I feel rather foolish. I just don’t know a thing about snakes.” “I would have fainted. I just know it. Sounds to me like you were really brave.” Sara glanced over at her daughter, now sleeping on the couch. “June Elizabeth really likes you.” “She’s adorable,” Kathryn sighed. “You’re so lucky.” Sara laughed out loud. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me lucky before.” “I was scared you would be furious with me for endangering your daughter,” Kathryn admitted. “The way I hear it, you saved her life.” “Does this mean you’ll let me spend time with her again?” Kathryn’s hopeful look brought a smile to Sara and Kari’s face. “I wish you could watch her all the time. She didn’t quit talking about you until she fell asleep.” Sara started gathering her daughter’s things, and handed the Raggedy Ann doll to Kathryn. “Let her keep it. She loved it so much.” Kathryn looked toward the kitchen, longing to find Andy. “And I’ll watch her whenever you need me.” “I can’t afford to pay you much.” Sara chewed her lip, and looked down at the doll. “Actually, June Elizabeth told me that you made her dress. Can you really sew?” “I made this one.” Sara ran her hands down at the dress she wore. “Well if I buy the material, would you make me some dresses? In return, I’ll watch your daughter for you.” “Are you serious?” Sara was ready to burst with excitement at Kathryn’s offer. “You’ve got a deal.”

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“Good. Let me know when we can go shopping, and you can help me pick out some patterns. I thought it might be fun for Kari and I to have matching dresses for the harvest party. What do you say, sis? Do you want to play twins?” Kari clapped her hands at the thought of a new dress. “I’m going shopping with you two. I want some say in the type of dress we end up wearing.” Kathryn helped Sara get her daughter out to her car, and then hurried back into the house. She wandered into the kitchen and heard everyone talking out in the back yard. She stepped out into the darkness, and moved over to stand by her sister. “I can’t believe what you said in there.” Kari spoke quietly as she watched three men carry the huge snake to a cage that was in the back of a pick up truck. “What did I do wrong now? I need some new dresses. And I always buy a new dress for a party.” She didn’t really, but she knew Sara couldn’t possibly afford daycare if she was a single mother. “That’s exactly what Mom would have said.” The two met each other’s gaze in the dark. Kathryn saw the moisture in Kari’s eyes. “You knew she couldn’t afford to pay you, so you found something she could do for you in return for you helping her out of a bind.” Kathryn shrugged, a warmth crept through her that she didn’t know how to acknowledge. “She looks like she’s a good seamstress.” The two women focused on the men when they heard the cage door close. Two rather large, somewhat heavyset men rambled their way over to them. Neither one of them looked like they’d shaved in years. The older one had a salt and pepper beard that fell to his barrel chest and unruly hair flew ridiculously around his head. He pulled on his beard, and smiled showing a mouth half-full of teeth. Kathryn swore the teeth he had looked green. The younger one had a beard that seemed to be growing out instead of down. His hair was dark and greasy. It fell in long strands to his shoulders. He didn’t smile at her, but she didn’t like the way his eyes seemed to undress her. She wanted to take several steps backwards, but knew that wouldn’t be polite. “Wally, this is my sister Kathryn.” Kari sounded a little nervous. Kathryn shot her a side-glance before turning her attention back to the two men. “I’m real sorry that snake caused you such a fright, miss. I was telling my boy here that this place needs a man around. You wouldn’t have been all shacked up in the garage with the youngin’ if a man had been around to take care of things.” The younger man nodded, scratching his beard. “I am sorry, miss but I know for sure Jethro was home snuggled in his cage. That wasn’t my snake. See he’d just had a big supper of rabbit and –” “Quiet boy, how many times do I have to tell you not to discuss the feeding habits of Jethro in polite company?” Kathryn wasn’t sure how to comment. A few choice responses came to mind, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to start a conversation with either of them. Paul and Andy sauntered over to join them. Andy’s expression was impossible to read in the darkness. But his powerful silent presence sent heat rushing through her in spit of the chill in the air. “I’m just glad it’s over,” she said to the two strange looking men, hoping she didn’t sound too rude, but not wanting to be overly polite either. She wanted them to leave.

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“I told you them snakes ain’t going to help you get no woman to come around.” The older man—was that one Wally?—slapped the greasy haired man across the side of his head. Kathryn couldn’t hide the disgust on her face, when the younger man’s hair didn’t even move. “I don’t know, Pop. I know how to handle snakes. And obviously we got some big ones creepin’ around here.” Nausea rose in her throat when the greasy haired man caught her wrist before she could get out of his way. “You can’t man handle them that way.” Andy laughed easily, but moved faster than Kathryn thought possible. “Now Sheriff, sometimes a little man handling’s all they need to obey.” The older man pulled on his beard, and showed all his green teeth when he sneered at Kathryn. She ducked behind Andy, and slid her finger through his belt buckle and twisted it, silently telling him he better not move. “But my boys know to pay heed when a woman belongs to another man.” Kathryn knew she could get in a good kidney punch if Andy even remotely implied there was nothing to pay heed to. “Miss Newton, we’re all real sorry ‘bout your Mama. Don’t think there was a finer gal ‘round here.” The gray haired man nodded his head. “You come round and see us sometime—bring that sister of yours so you two can see my boys all cleaned up like.” Kari nodded politely, and watched as the men climbed into their truck and took off into the darkness. Kathryn peeked around Andy when she thought they might be gone. “I never would have guessed you to be one to be scared of a man.” Andy chuckled, as he reached around and unclasped her hand from his belt. “Was that a man?” Kathryn shivered. “I think I was less scared of the snake.” Kari laughed, and hugged her sister. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Kathryn returned the hug, leaving the backside of Andy. Being that close to all those roped muscles brought all new thoughts to mind. She would have liked to stay right where she was, given a private moment or two to run her hands over all the corded brawn. Shit. Just seconds in his presence and her pussy throbbed with penned up need. She caught his attention while hugging her sister. In the darkness she could still see interest lingering in those dark eyes. And he hadn’t denied the statement when the older man claimed she belonged to the sheriff. Now if only he would claim her. “The people that live up in the hills are a very different breed,” Paul offered, as he patted her shoulder. “They live by their own code. You did the right thing by not saying anything to them just now.” “Let’s get you inside.” Kari wrapped her arm around Kathryn and guided her to the house. She looked over her shoulder at the men. “Would one of you lock up the garage for me?” Andy couldn’t remember last seeing a snake that size wondering loose. Heading over to the garage, he reached for the latch, giving the door a shake to make sure it was locked. Something on the ground caught his eye. A piece of paper, barely visible, caught on the twigs of the bush growing alongside the door.

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Picking the paper up, ready to wad it up and head back to check on Kathryn, large bold print caught his eye. Next time it will be worse than just a snake! Outrage burned through him so hard he crumpled the paper without thought. His jaw clenched, muscles hardening throughout his body. Someone had been here, planted that snake, intentionally scared the crap out of Kathryn. A raw possessive vein pumped through him. Motherfucker sauntered right out here, boldly releasing a snake large enough it could have done serious damage if he hadn’t taken care of the matter. Glancing back at the house, everyone had left, either heading out or going inside. He surveyed the quiet yard, the surrounding trees, darkness making it impossible to see the undeveloped land that surrounded the property. Shoving the piece of paper into his pocket, he’d take it down to the station. Not that the equipment here would be able to do much to analyze it. He could have it sent off, but more than likely it would come back with his own prints on it. Son of a bitch! Scowling into the darkness, there wasn’t a damn thing to do about it right now. By morning, whoever had planted the message would be long gone. Obviously he needed to keep a much closer eye on Kathryn. Kathryn recognized a face or two as she entered the busy café the next day and nodded politely. She spotted the sheriff, sitting up at the counter, and took a minute to study his long, tall physique. He turned and met her gaze, and on an impulse she strutted right up to him. She ignored the rest of the people eating their lunch at the surrounding tables. She didn’t care if any of them watched her or not. The sheriff had his eye on her and that was all that mattered. His look grew wary, but they were in a public place and she knew he wouldn’t throw her away from him. At least, she hoped he wouldn’t. She stopped when she stood right next to him and slipped her arm around his shoulder. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “I can’t help but wonder if you really are as good as you were in my dreams last night.” “Kathryn? You’re Kathryn, aren’t you?” Kathryn pulled away from Andy before he could come up with a response. A wicked smile touched her lips at his stunned expression and turned to see who was calling her. A woman about her age waved a friendly hand at her. Two curious children looked up at Kathryn, as she walked over to their table. The woman stood and pulled a chair up to their table. “I’m Mary Rivers. Kari and I grew up with each other. Are you here with the sheriff? Can you join us?” The woman was slightly on the chubby side, and her face glowed when she smiled. She held out a hand and Kathryn shook it as she returned the smile. “No, I just needed to tell Andy something.” Kathryn turned and noticed Andy had resumed eating. She was sure he listened to her though. “Actually, I just came in to grab some lunch for Sara Dean and her daughter. I’m supposed to meet them in a few minutes.” “Well, you tell Kari to bring you by my place so we can get to know you better. I hear you’re living with your sister now.” Mary wiped a brown strand of hair behind her ear.

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Kathryn noticed a thin wedding band that looked so tight; there was no way the woman could possibly take it off. “My Gary would be thrilled to have you over for supper. And, you know, unless you’re seeing the sheriff, I could invite Gary’s brother over sometime for you to meet. He owns his own lumber business.” “That’s very nice of you, Mary. I would love to come over. But, I don’t know about meeting your brother-in-law. I mean, thanks for the offer, but I’m not dating around.” Kathryn nodded when two men tipped their hats at her, as they left the café, chewing on toothpicks. “Oh, we’re planning a harvest party in three weeks. Would you like to help us organize it?” “Oh definitely.” Mary grinned again, and Kathryn felt awe when she realized how many wonderful people Kari had in her life. “Why don’t you come over this weekend, or we can come out to Kari’s…I mean, your place.” Kathryn smiled. “This weekend won’t work. Let’s get together first thing next week. I’ll talk to Kari about it, but this is all kind of hard on her right now.” That sobered Mary’s expression, and she nodded understandingly. Kari insisted it wouldn’t do for the town to know they were planning an overnight in the woods with two single men. She offered her phone number, and then Kathryn turned to the counter. She pouted noticeably at Andy’s empty stool, and searched the street through the large windows, but saw no sign of him. Kathryn carried three carry out bags full of lunch for Sara Dean, June Elizabeth and herself. She had to stop and put them down on the sidewalk when her phone started ringing in her purse. She got more than one curious stare as she pulled the phone out and answered it. “Hello?” “That was an old line you used.” Andy’s baritone sent instant chills clear down to her toes. She turned around on the sidewalk, looking to see if he might be watching her, but he was nowhere in sight. “It wasn’t a line. I did have a dream about you. Did you call to hear about it?” She snuggled the phone up next to her ear with her shoulder, and smiled as she picked up the carry out bags. “No.” He answered a little too quickly. “I thought you could get some shopping done for our weekend, if you have the time.” “Your wish is my command,” she purred into his ear. He groaned, and she laughed. She hurried across the street to the vet’s, and Sara walked out the front door, with June Elizabeth darting out next to her. The little girl immediately climbed into her stroller, while Sara reached to rid Kathryn of the carry out bags. “Okay, what do I need to get?” Kathryn pulled pen and paper out of her purse. Andy quickly rattled off several items, and then they briefly discussed possibilities for supper. Sara watched with obvious curiosity. “Got it. I should be able to get everything this afternoon. Oh, and Sheriff, I promise I won’t tell anyone that you’re actually a chicken.” Kathryn smiled at the silence. “Woman, you are pushing your luck.” “Then why wouldn’t you have this conversation with me face to face?” She giggled with delight, when she knew she had him on that one. “Are you saying that Sara Dean didn’t just hear you call me sheriff?”

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Kathryn spun around, and looked at the empty street. Her expression was stunned. She didn’t see him anywhere. She felt a queer feeling grow in her stomach. He was watching her, and she had no idea where he was. He laughed in her ear, and then the line went dead. “He’s a goner.” Sara patted her shoulder, and then scooped up her daughter so they could go inside and eat their lunch.

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Chapter Eleven Kathryn and Kari were both nervous Friday morning as they organized their backpacks and food supplies. They planned to carry everything on their backs, and it was crucial they pack well. Kari had two plaid shirts that were both dark red. Kathryn pulled out a couple pair of jeans and the two women smiled at their reflections in the mirror. “You’re a lot thinner than I am.” Kari cocked her head, and turned sideways. Kathryn did the same. “You probably haven’t tried every diet that comes out either.” Kathryn leaned in close to the mirror and made a face. “And you’ve probably never given a thought to these awful freckles.” “I despise them.” Kari made a face, and then they both broke out laughing. “I’ve got this great vanishing cream.” Kathryn ran down the hall to her room. Kari met her when she walked back with a tube in her hand. “Nothing hides our spots better than this.” They both looked down the stairs, when the front door opened. “We’re here,” Paul yelled, in form of greeting. “We’re not decent,” Kathryn sang down the stairs. One of the men grumbled something, and then there were low, male chuckles. The two women scowled at each other, and then hurried arm and arm back into the bathroom. The morning was cool, but the clear sky and bright sun showed promise of a warm day. Kathryn had a sleeveless blouse underneath her shirt, and Kari wore a t-shirt under hers. By late morning, they both had their flannel shirts tied around their waists. The men also had layers they stripped off, as the day grew warmer. Kathryn tripped over a twig when Andy stripped out of his sweatshirt in front of her. Underneath he wore a snug fitting t-shirt. She purred her approval. But when he glanced at her, a wave of shyness foreign to her crept through her. Why the hell did she suddenly feel shy around him? The look he shot her was almost warm with understanding. Something told her his battle with her had ended. She’d won. He’d give her what she wanted. And now it was just a matter of when would she get her prize. That reality sent nervous shivers through her in spite of the warmth from the sun. Grimacing, she realized she just wasn’t accustomed to feeling awkward around men. “Mom brought a bunch of us up here to hunt for berries when we were in grade school.” Kari’s musing brought Kathryn back to the three people walking around her. “I remember we filled baskets with wild strawberries, and then hiked back to clean them, and soak them in sugar.” Kari smiled at the memory, and Kathryn fell into stride next to her. She was a captive audience, as Kari continued to share times she’d spent in these woods while growing up. Andy kept an eye on the woods around them as he walked quietly behind the two women; half-listening and half lost in his own thoughts. His gaze drifted from one woman to the other. Kathryn was thinner than Kari, although he couldn’t complain about the way Kari filled her blue jeans. Kathryn’s legs were thinner, which somehow made them look longer. She

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swayed her hips gently as she walked, and her long auburn hair fell in a thick braid down her back. He imagined freeing that hair, and running his fingers through it as it fell around her freckled face. He could have told her he had dreams about her, too. But there was no way he’d give her the satisfaction of knowing she managed to get under his skin. He’d give her credit, she probably already knew. His thoughts drifted back to lunch the day before, when the little seductress strutted into the café as if she owned the place. He still couldn’t get over the way her breath felt against his ear and neck when she whispered her sultry little message. He wasn’t able to eat another bite after that. He had to get out of the diner before he marched her out of the place with him. She’d gotten his cock harder than steel in a matter of seconds. After forcing himself to read over a report he’d prepared earlier in the morning, he’d noticed her walk out of the place with her carry out bags. It wasn’t hard to slip down the alley and wait for her to get over to the vets. He cringed at the truth in Kathryn’s words. He’d never been scared of a damned thing his entire life. But he’d been afraid to talk to her in person. She started to become a distraction just walking in front of him, and he trailed off to the side, so he could concentrate on their direction. God knows if he kept following that woman, they’d be in Timbuktu by nightfall. “Kari, isn’t that creek up this way a bit?” Andy asked, after the four of them had walked in comfortable silence for a while. They’d stopped for some sandwiches a couple hours before, but then had all agreed to keep moving, so they could reach their destination before dark. “You can hear it before you see it.” Kari looked around at the scattered trees. “But yeah, we’re headed in the right direction.” Kathryn looked at their surroundings as well. For all she could tell, they could have been walking around in circles all day. She studied the sun, but its off center location in the sky gave her no indication of the direction they were headed. She had to admit the land was beautiful though. She liked the smell of the trees, and the occasional rocks that tore through the earth gave the surroundings a rugged look. It was good land, full of vegetation and wildlife. It made her feel healthy…healthy and whole. Kari pointed out deer tracks, and Andy was eager to show her what bear tracks looked like when he spotted some. She was glad they didn’t see any of this wildlife though. Kari smiled when she saw trepidation crawl across Kathryn’s face. “Trust me, the wildlife around here are more afraid of you than you are of them. Usually, they come out to hunt at night because they all have enemies who would kill them for food.” Kari wrapped her arm around Kathryn’s, as she reassured her. “What enemy does a bear have?” Kathryn still eyed the surrounding trees warily. “Man,” Andy said from in front of her, and she looked up and noticed the rifle strapped across his back. “Look everyone. I think we’ve found it.” Paul pointed to a leaning shack. They’d walked along the creek for an hour now, and Kathryn was dying to take her boots off, and step into the cold water. Water never appeared more clear, and rocks in the creek bed glistened under the water like precious jewels. If the sun hit a patch just right, it was

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blinding, like raw energy to pure to look at. The sparkling rocks nestled under the water made her wonder what natural diamonds looked like. “Why in the world would Mom want us to come here?” Kari walked up to the dilapidated shack, and then stood to the side as Andy and Paul glanced through windows, blackened from years of neglect. “Can we go inside?” Kathryn reached for the rusted knob on the only door to the place. Andy put his hand over hers and she looked up at him. “We don’t know that someone isn’t living here. Your mother wrote that letter a long time ago.” Heat from his touch singed her skin. Her breath caught in her throat. “Do you want to knock, or shall I?” He made a face at her, and she stepped to the side so he could try the door. It opened easily enough, and the afternoon sun spread over a dirt floor inside. “How could you think someone might be living here?” Kathryn turned around, once she’d joined everyone else inside the shack. “You’d be surprised how some of the people live back in these hills.” Kari studied some material that hung from one of the windows. “These curtains were once a daisy pattern. Mom loved daisies. When can we read the letter?” “Why don’t we set up camp, and get settled in before it gets dark. Then we can read the next letter.” Paul dropped the backpack that had been on his back all day to the ground with a delighted groan. “I for one would love to wade in that creek a bit.” “You read my mind,” Kathryn agreed readily, and shrugged out of her backpack as well. She never thought wading in water where creatures lived would be such a delightful experience. Kathryn enjoyed the cold creek water longer than the others did. Kari went back inside the shed, wanting to explore the remains of what appeared to have once been someone’s home. Andy and Paul set up a tent outside the shack, and then got a good size fire going. “That cold water doing you any good?” Kathryn turned around to see Andy squatting down on the bank, watching her over the rim of his mug. She drowned in those milk chocolate eyes that she knew mirrored the desire that made her own heart pound harder than normal. The t-shirt and shorts she’d donned for her first creek experience clung to her body. Her shirt was a pale pink and clung to her breasts. Her nipples ached as he watched her. She watched his shaft thicken against his jeans and her mouth went dry. She’d felt his cock pressed against her before, but watching while it lengthened, hardened, froze her in that spot. The amount of power, of strength, that could be used with that thing, forcing it deep inside her, impaling her hard enough to make her pass out. Dear God. If she stood in this water much longer her body heat would make the creek start steaming. “The coldness of it might help a bit,” she said sounding breathless. Andy chuckled, a deep baritone that gave her the shivers. He knew exactly what she was talking about, and had no problem watching her suffer in his presence. Damn him. She looked down at the sparkling rocks under the water and ran her fingers through it, causing it to ripple.

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He sat down on the edge of the bank, and she moved over toward him. Like she had a choice. His body was like a magnet against hers. “Is that coffee you’re drinking?” She splashed over to him, and plopped down on the thick grass that lined the embankment. “It is so beautiful out here.” “There probably isn’t a mall for a hundred miles or so.” He studied her peaceful gaze. She seemed more relaxed right now than she’d been since she arrived here. The way her shirt clung, soaked, to her breasts and slim figure made it damn hard for him to move. It seemed so natural to have her next to him. If he fucked her, that’s where she would always be, by his side. Having her once wouldn’t be enough. But would she stay by his side? She lived the fast lane. And he had no desire to even get on that highway. No matter how she claimed to love these hills, or how beautiful she looked wading in a creek, how long would it take before she craved the life in the city? “I thought you said you knew me. I hate malls.” She turned to face him when he looked disbelieving. She winked, and then batted her eyelashes. “I prefer shopping online.” He snorted, and looked the other way. She took advantage of him not looking at her to run her finger along a protruding muscle on his bicep. He turned back with a scowl on his face, but his eyes weren’t scowling. She was weakening him. And, he was the one who came over and started the conversation. She hesitated in believing the sheriff just might be a bit more intrigued with her than he wanted her to believe. “No one can see us right now,” she whispered, trying to sound coy, but once again, an odd sensation of shyness swept through her. What the hell was wrong with her? Andy studied her sapphire blue eyes. Something akin to nervousness swam in those deep pools of blue, and he wondered at it. “Be careful what you wish for, little seductress.” “You want it as badly as I do,” she breathed. Every muscle in his body hardened. The urge to throw her down on the thick grass and force that damp shirt of hers up, expose those breasts, had him digging his fingers into the ground. His cock burned painfully, harder than any woman had ever made him. The reasons for refusing her seemed to escape him. He closed his eyes. “You have no idea what I want,” he managed to growl through his teeth. “Then tell me. Tell me what you want, Andy.” Once again, she stroked his arm with her one finger. If that single index finger could do that much damage to his equilibrium, he could only imagine what the rest of her body could do. Oh, and he was imagining it. Glancing first at her hand, and then at those breasts plastered with damp t-shirt, he took his time studying the oval shape of her nipples, how they puckered through the almost see through shirt. He didn’t realize her fingers had quit stroking him, had frozen in place, until his hand covered her breast. God. He worked on automatic, the needs of his body taking over any rational thinking. But the softness that he cupped, with her puckered nipple pressed against his palm felt too damned good. “Andy,” she begged, “please.” Her gaze pleaded with him, the pain spinning through her body obviously matching his. No matter the consequences, he had to have her. Needed inside her.

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Spreading his fingers over her shirt, brushing over both breasts, her heart pounded, vibrating through his hand, his arm, to his soul. He pushed against the source, feeling the warmth of her body, the dampness of her shirt. The solid beat matched his own. “You want to know what I want?” he asked. She barely nodded, her gaze not leaving his. Her lips parted, but if there were words she didn’t voice them. But she wanted to know, wanted to hear his thoughts, remained quiet so he would speak. Pushing his hand up her shirt, feeling the narrowness of her collarbone, the rapid beat of her pulse in her slender neck, he wrapped his fingers around her, her eyes widening for a moment before fluttering shut. He gripped her neck, holding her life in his hands, and her eyes closed. Her head fell back. She gave herself to him, put her life in his hands. Her trust. “I want a commitment,” he told her. And then stopped. She didn’t move, didn’t open her eyes, didn’t seem surprised by his words. Instead she remained relaxed with his hand wrapped around her neck. Her heart fluttered against his hand. Her breasts rising with each breath she took. Her slender body stretched next to his, her back arched and her long auburn hair fanning behind her shoulders. Why did he tell her that? His gut hardened painfully. She wouldn’t know the meaning of the word. He’d done his research, was the best at what he did. And his investigation proved commitment wasn’t in Kathryn O’Brien’s vocabulary. Getting what she wanted was all she knew. And he’d known that. Damnit to hell and back. He’d known that. Letting go of her, he blew out a breath and pushed himself to his feet. Running his hand through his hair, the same hand that had touched her, cradled her breasts, fondled her, he hated the sensation of feeling like a fool. Anger tore at him, but it didn’t replace his need for her. And that pissed him off more. “Okay,” she whispered. He looked down at her quickly. God damnit, the way the sun sparkled off her hair made her so damned enticing. His cock begged for freedom, for her mouth, her hot cunt. Fisting his hands, he held position using so much strength it cramped his muscles. Of course, she would agree to what he wanted. His brain warred with his heart. She’d say or do whatever it took to get him. There were no terms, no rules, she’d just agreed. That in itself was sign enough that she had no clue what commitment meant. “But you have to open up, let me know you first,” she added. And his reserve shattered. “Where are you two?” Kari walked around the side of the shed. “Come on. Paul is going to read the next letter.” “Coming.” Kathryn smiled at her sister and reached for her shoes. She blinked, surprised, when Andy offered his hand to help her up. Her hand fit perfectly inside his, her skin as smooth as silk. She ran her hand up his chest, pressing against him, the second she was on her feet. No way could he move. “I didn’t think it was my mind that interested you.” It was all he could do to speak. “Now that is supposed to be my line.” Her free hand went up to his shoulder and she leaned into him. “I’m interested in the entire package.”

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All he had to do was straighten his head. She wasn’t tall enough to kiss him unless he leaned down toward her. Just straighten your head. Her lips tasted as good as he remembered them. She started the kiss, but he was too close to the edge. His arm went around her in a vice grip and he slammed her up against him. She gasped when he opened his mouth over hers, and let her taste his need. Cupping her ass, he lifted her against his erection. His cock throbbed eagerly, indifferent to anything other than getting inside her. He broke the kiss, his gaze fogged with lust when he looked down at her moist and partly opened mouth. “Damn you,” he muttered. “You’re going to make this weekend pure hell, aren’t you?” “Misery loves company.” She smiled flirtatiously, and he was glad to see the brazen woman appear once again in front of him. He could resist her as long as he reminded himself that she was capable of destroying everything he’d accomplished. “Let’s go hear what that next letter is about.” He realized they still held hands as they walked toward the shack, and he didn’t want to let go of her. Her past was tainted. But damnit, he could keep her in tow. He’d shifted gears, he knew that. But denying his want for her was too damned painful. His need for her. If only her past didn’t consist of the one thing that made him despise a woman— infidelity. Kari held a mug of coffee in her hands, and looked from Kathryn to the sheriff as they approached. Kathryn poured herself a cup from the black pot that rested on the grate over the fire. She plopped down next to her sister, and Kari threw a blanket over both of them. As twilight settled in the woods, the breeze brought a chill with it. “How long ago did she write this letter?” Kari pulled beef jerky out of a bag and passed it around. Kathryn found apples and pretzels, but passed on the jerky. “It looks like she wrote it a few weeks after the last one I read.” Paul pulled a kerosene lantern close, and started to read. “My dear daughters, I told you this letter would be the hardest to write. This is my fourth attempt to write what I must tell you. I’m not ashamed to admit that after all these years the pain is still strong enough to break me. I cried the ink off of the page of the last letter.” “Ladies that would be my motherly advice to both of you. You will know true love when the thought of any other man doesn’t even enter your mind. And when you are separated from them, the pain in your heart is enough to render you useless. I have no love for any other man. Your father was it for me. Are there days that I wish I never met him? Do I ever wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t ran off that day to Little Rock and met that teenage boy who lived so differently than I did? I would be lying to you if I told you I didn’t wonder how my life would have turned out if Nate O’Brien didn’t cross my path. And my sweet daughters, true love will never allow you to lie. However, the two of you wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t met Nate, and I doubt I ever would have known true love. Life simply isn’t complete without it, and my heart goes out to the many couples I have met who show no signs of knowing what love really can be.” “So, here comes the hard part. I’ve told you I met your father in Little Rock. I was fifteen years old, and I went with my Dad into the city to file some papers on some diamonds he and my uncle found on our land. Dad was really excited about this because he would be

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able to clear the note with the bank, and Newton land would be ours full and clear. I didn’t understand all of it, but at that age, I didn’t care. I was simply excited about going to the city. “I sat in a waiting room, while my Dad did the paperwork. This man came in with his son. The man went to talk with someone in the office and the boy stayed out in the waiting room with me. We got to talking. He was so handsome, and he talked funny. I remember that day so well, but I don’t remember what compelled me to leave the building with him. From the first moment I saw him; I knew I had to know him better, and would do anything to prolong our time together. It was as if we both sensed our time together would be limited, and we couldn’t waste a precious second.” “We took off through the city. Nate was right at home, telling the taxi driver he wanted to take his lady to a fancy lunch. When I think back of what that taxi driver must have thought of us. I had on my daisy cotton dress that I made, and my hair in its usual two braids. Nate was so polished, and he told people what to do like he’d done it all his life. He was so powerful, even as a boy.” “After we dined on foods I’d never heard of, Nate took me to the fanciest motel I’d ever seen. I still remember him laughing at me when I wouldn’t come out of the bathroom. He couldn’t believe people still existed without indoor plumbing.” “Both of us were in for a surprise when an hour later, we were trying to figure out what to do with blood stained sheets. He kept mumbling he couldn’t believe I was a virgin, and I kept asking why I would bleed when I didn’t feel no pain, and it wasn’t my time for bleeding.” “It was after dark when our dad’s found us. I guess Nate thought the last place they would look was at the motel where he and his Dad were staying. That was the day the Newtons and the O’Briens became entangled. My Dad kept yelling that I’d been compromised and that O’Brien rake was of age. I didn’t know what compromised meant, or I would have saved a whole bunch of lawyers a whole lot of paperwork. Your grandfather hauled me home and took a belt to my backside that left welts for almost a month. I could hardly move. It didn’t matter. I had fallen in love and waited patiently for my Nate to come for me.” Kathryn wrapped her arms around Kari when she saw the tears streaming down her face. It was all she could do to hold her own tears at bay. The thought of someone beating a child so mercilessly curdled her blood. Paul flipped to the next page, and kept reading. “Nate showed up in Three Falls two months later. By then I had missed my time, and knew I was going to have his baby. He drove into town in his brand new little sports car. He was preparing to leave for college, and wanted to see me over the summer. When I told him I was pregnant he said he would marry me. I worried I would ruin his life and everything that would be his, if he hooked up with the likes of me, so I told him no. He said he had a right to know his child. Oh, we fought about it for over a week or so, until I convinced him to leave and give me an address so I could send a picture of the baby.” “I think it was about four months later that my Dad sent me packing. I was showing and couldn’t go back to school. Several of the local men offered their boys as husbands, and I knew my father was determined that I marry one of them. When I said no, he sent me out the door. That’s when I moved into this little shack.” At this comment, Kathryn and Kari both turned and looked at the dilapidated building. “She was only sixteen,” Kathryn mumbled. “I could feel Mom here the second we arrived,” Kari added.

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“I was about seven or eight months pregnant when Nate showed up again. One of my girlfriends in town, Hazel Upton, knew I was living out here. She helped me get food and material so I could make a nice home for my baby. She told Nate where I was. I about took a shotgun to him when he first showed up. I couldn’t believe it was him. He couldn’t believe I was living out in the woods by myself. I was pretty big by then, and he begged me to let him stay until the babies were born so he could help me. I agreed.” “I’ll never forget the night I went into labor. I was sixteen and your Dad was nineteen. He held my hand through the whole thing. He cleaned you both off, and wrapped you in the little baby afghans I made for you. He would drive into Mena, so no one would suspect where we were, and buy supplies for us. He brought film and a camera and we took pictures of you. Then he drove into Mena, and had the pictures made up so I could see them. Your Dad was so proud of you, and not one day went by when he didn’t beg me to marry him. I just knew he wouldn’t get the future that was laid out for him if he took me home as his bride. I told him Three Hills was my home and these were my people. I would take my babies into town and get them baptized, and make the town accept me.” “Nate and I lived in this little shack, a happy family of four, for over a year. It was a Tuesday when they arrived. Nate had learned to shoot almost as good as me, and was out hunting. He had a blood feud out with this buck and was determined to bring it home and put its antlers above our door. I was out washing clothes in the creek and you two were chasing tadpoles. Four of them showed up. I can still hear both of you screaming for me as they hauled you off. I fought and kicked until one of them pulled a gun on me, and knocked me out cold. I don’t know what would have happened if Hazel didn’t come out the next day with material so I could make Nate some blue jeans. She found me bloodied and bruised and very much alone.” “My mom and dad knew all along that we were shacked up out there but kept closed mouthed about it. My dad got on line to the sheriff and told him by babies had been stolen and he wanted them back. I was so proud that he was claiming his granddaughters, but too broken hearted that Nate and my babies were gone to pay much attention to what was going on. Dad kept telling me they were searching for the babies and I should get some schooling, or a job, to take my mind off things. I did as I was told, but after about four months I decided to take matters into my own hands. I found out where the O’Briens lived, got a bus ticket, and left Arkansas for the first time in my life.” “The big city was such a nightmare that I have blocked a lot of it out of my memory. The O’Briens informed me I couldn’t prove I was the mother of the twins since I never applied for a birth certificate. They showed me a certificate that said my daughters were Nate’s and some tramp I’d never heard of. They told me that Nate was in Europe going to school and so was the mother. The girls were being raised by nannies and there was no room for me in their world. I was to go home and forget about them.” “I lived on the streets of Detroit for the next few months plotting on how to get my babies out of that huge mansion. I waited and waited until one day, your nanny was taking you to the park. I grabbed one of you and took off running. Of course, she had the police called, but they couldn’t find me. I kept hidden on the streets for another month, waiting for my chance to grab you, Kathryn. That’s when I learned they had taken you to Europe so you

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could be with your dad. I went back to Three Hills and did my best to raise my one daughter.” Paul put the piece of paper down and stared at the women wrapped in the blanket. “Don’t stop,” Kari wailed. “What does she do next?” “That’s it.” Paul shrugged. “I guess she thinks you know the rest.” Kari stood up to look at the shed. She didn’t say a word as she picked up a lantern and walked inside the small structure. Kathryn got up and started to follow her. “Kathryn.” She turned when Paul called her. “She’s included another letter. It’s addressed to you, and it’s sealed.” He handed a large manila envelope to her. She looked at it, still feeling numb from the revelation about their birth, and then followed Kari into the small little shed where she’d been born.

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Chapter Twelve Kathryn and Kari rolled sleeping bags out on the dirt floor of the cabin and slept very close to each other that night. They didn’t speak, but their silence was companionable. In fact, Kathryn knew there was no one else on the planet that she could be with right now other than her sister. Finding out what they had about their birth, and the pain their mother had experienced from the moment she knew she was pregnant with them, was almost a truth too profound to bear. She remembered her mother mentioning in a previous letter that she’d always loved Kathryn. What Kathryn didn’t understand was why her mom quit trying to get her back? Would it have been so bad for her to grow up in this small town, buried in these wooded hills? Maybe if her mother had fought harder to get her back, she wouldn’t have made such a mess of her life. She had to find out why her mother gave up on her. Kathryn woke up with a splitting headache, and sat up slowly. Kari snored quietly, and she had no desire to wake her. Would Kari feel better now that she knew about their birth? Should she mention to her sister the bitterness she felt as a result of the news? Or was she just being selfish, trying to find an out for all the mistakes she’d made in her life. She stood up and wrapped her blanket over her shorts and t-shirt she’d slept in. She glanced down at the envelope Paul gave her the night before. The answers to her questions might be in there. She would make coffee, wash herself off in the creek, and then read what her mother had written to her. It dawned on her, as she stared at the envelope, that it was addressed to her. Not only was her name written on the envelope, her mailing address in Detroit was written under her name. There was no postage on the envelope, but it appeared ready to be put in the mail. The address on it was the address to the apartment she had shared with Darren. Kathryn prepared coffee, and then wandered over to the creek to splash water on her face. Her mother had known where she lived. This bit of information almost baffled Kathryn more than the knowledge that she’d been born in a shack, and then stolen from her mother. That meant her grandmother, who had raised her and been her closest confidante, was more than likely a major player in her abduction. As overwhelming as all of this was, there was something else that affected her even more. Kathryn grew up in the shadow of her father. He walked in and out of her life throughout her childhood with the change of the wind. Every time she saw him he had a different car and a different woman on his arm. She had grown up to be just like him, and had never questioned that she would ever be any different—or, that she wanted to be. But just two weeks ago, she’d met a man who changed all that. The powerful, dangerous looking sheriff of Three Rivers, with his milk chocolate eyes, had gone somewhere no man had ever gone before. He’d entered her heart. Andy Adams saw what kind of woman she had been. For the life of her, Kathryn couldn’t figure out how he knew she had a reputation, but he made it quite clear that he did. And, he made it clear that he didn’t want her because of it.

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Last night she found out that her mother had loved only one man. From the age of fifteen, Angela Newton had known only one man, and she’d remained loyal to him all of her life. That woman had given Kathryn half of her life. Her father may be an unfaithful rogue, but her mother was faithful and committed. She didn’t have to be like her father…she could be like her mother. It was in her, she had the ability to do it. Kathryn smiled as she lowered her face over the creek and cupped water in her hands to splash over her face. She used her towel to dry her face, and when she lowered it, Andy sat down next to her with two cups of coffee in his hands. “How do you feel this morning?” He studied her face and she watched his eyes dance over her messed up hair. “Better than I look, I think.” She made a face at him as she ran her hands over her hair, and then let her eyes fall over his bare chest. She couldn’t believe he sat next to her in nothing but his jeans. He was pure muscle; his stomach taut and indented as he sat. Black downy hair covered his chest and narrowed over his stomach. She looked up to see him watching her, and she smiled timidly. “You, on the other hand, look great.” “Looks are deceiving. I hardly slept a wink last night. All I wanted to do was find out if you were okay.” He took a long drink of his coffee and watched her fingers nervously play with the corner of her blanket. “What are you doing to me, Kathryn?” “You’re doing it to me, too, Andy.” Kathryn turned so she could face him. “You think I act like this with anyone I’m physically attracted to, but you’re wrong. I’ve never tried this hard for someone.” Andy put his mug down in the grass and stared at her, his desire burning her alive. He gripped the blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders with his fist, and pulled her to him. Her arms instantly stretched the blanket out like a cape as they went around his neck, but he stopped her within inches of his face. “I won’t do this.” He seemed to struggle inwardly as he closed his eyes and breathed the words into her face. “Why not?” She planted gentle kisses on his unshaven chin. “Am I so incredibly bad?” He opened his eyes and she flinched at the powerful fire she saw burning there. Turmoil and passion were at war within him, and what she saw was merely the shell holding them at bay. “Incredibly,” he moaned, and captured her lips that were nibbling at his jaw. He released her mouth just as quickly, but hovered so closely, they shared each other’s breath. “Have you read the letter from your mom yet?” It took a moment for his words to sink in. He held the corners of her blanket that remained wrapped around her shoulders. Pinning her to him, but not touching her, she didn’t want to think about anything but fucking him. He watched turmoil appear in her lust-filled eyes. Her expression turned sad and she looked down at his chest. Her hands rested on his upper thighs, her touch branding him with heat too intense to be just lust. She was really falling hard for him. And damnit, he wanted her to. But he had to know if she’d read that letter, if she’d figured out how he knew so much about her.

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“No, I haven’t opened it yet. Last night I was too overwhelmed. No more information would fit, if that makes sense. This morning I wanted coffee and a chance to splash some water on my face.” “Have you looked at it?” She looked up at him, wondering why he would ask. Then, slowly she pulled away from, instigating their separation for the first time since they’d met. He reluctantly released her, but his expression was suddenly guarded. “Why would you ask me if I’ve looked at it?” She sat upright now, pulling her blanket around her tightly. He didn’t answer her, but simply stared at her; his almost black eyes closed off with such tenacity that he looked as if he had no feelings at all. Black hair fell straight around his face, giving him an almost demonic appearance. Kathryn sucked in a breath of air. The address,” she muttered. “I didn’t open it to look and see when she wrote it. I was too consumed with the fact that she knew where I lived and was going to mail something to me. But, now I wonder how she would find out my address. I wasn’t on the lease.” She quit talking, but Andy remained silent. Her expression matched his hardness. “Say something,” she hissed. Her eyes darted around his face, searching for some sign of what he might be thinking. “Angela asked me to find you, once she learned what I did.” His voice was monotone, as if responding to an interrogation. “What did you do?” “I was a private investigator for ten years before I moved here.” “I see. Where did you work?” “In Chicago, for an agency there. Angela asked me to find you about seven months ago. I don’t know when she wrote that letter to you, but I found out where you lived about four months ago.” “I see,” she said again. Fury slowly simmered within her, aching to rage into a full boil. “That would mean you probably know a fair bit about me, am I right? I wouldn’t doubt that you knew where I worked, who I associated with, how I lived. Did you know what credit card charges I made? Did you know where I slept at night?” She suddenly jumped to her feet and yanked her blanket from around her, balling it tightly in her fists. “I bet you knew damn good and well who I was when you pulled me over my first night here. Why did you haul me down, sheriff? Were you so familiar with my tainted reputation that you thought you’d save my sister the humiliation?” She threw the blanket at his face, and balled her fists as her hair flew disobediently around her face. “I certainly didn’t disappoint you, did I? I’ve been throwing myself at you since the first time I saw you. You expected no less, I’m sure. Well Sheriff Andy Adams, I’m surprised you didn’t fuck me just to get me out of your hair.” Andy didn’t say a word, but simply pulled the blanket off of him, and slowly stood up. He towered over her, his expression dangerous. She wouldn’t be daunted though, and made a move to walk past him to the shack. Andy grabbed her arm. “I have done nothing but tell you to stay away from the beginning.” He spoke through clenched teeth, and his fingers almost cut into her wrist.

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“You’re hurting me.” She glanced down at her wrist. He released her, and held his palm up toward her. “And that is exactly what I didn’t want to do.” “Well, you did, Andy. You hurt me. I finally met a man who didn’t want to store me away, like some coveted toy he would take out and play with to impress his friends. I’ve never known anyone like you. Hell, I dreamed about having your children.” She laughed in his face when he looked stunned. “Damn right, you hurt me. I guess you can have the satisfaction of knowing you were the first. No one else ever got that far with me before.” She turned and stormed back to the shed. Kari backed away quickly when Kathryn rounded the side of the structure, and it was obvious she had been listening. Paul looked real busy pouring himself a cup of coffee. Kathryn walked past both of them, and into the shed to roll up her sleeping bag. “I didn’t mean for you to hear that,” Kathryn muttered when Kari followed her into the shed. “I didn’t plan on hearing a thing. I’m ready to head out of here, if you are.” Kari came up behind her and placed her hand on her shoulder. That was all the invitation Kathryn needed to turn and crumble into her sister’s arms. “My life was such a mess, and I guess I was wrong when I thought I could leave the mess behind and start brand new living here.” Kathryn rested her cheek on her sister’s bony shoulder, and stared dried eyed at the paper that hung in torn strips from the walls. She felt no tears. She was too outraged to cry. No wonder he kept telling her he didn’t want her. Andy Adams wasn’t the type to consort with damaged goods. And that was exactly what she was. No matter how hard she ran, how far she traveled, she would take herself with her. And she was her own worse problem. Kari must have felt the tension ripple through Kathryn’s body. She pushed her to arm’s length. “I was worried you would be upset by what our mom said in her letter.” Kari searched her sister’s face for an answer she feared wouldn’t be offered. “I was hurt,” Kathryn admitted. “But, I kept telling myself that couldn’t be the entire story. There has to be more. From everything I’ve learned about Angela Newton, she wouldn’t have just given up on me.” Kari released Kathryn, who bent down and methodically began folding their bedding. Kari stooped down and picked up the envelope addressed to Kathryn. “Your answers might very well be in here.” Kari studied the sealed envelope, as Kathryn turned slowly and stared at it with trepidation. As much as she wanted to know what was inside the envelope, she couldn’t handle any more pain right now. “I’ll read it later.” When she was very much alone. She’d humiliated herself in front of the people she thought were becoming her dearest friends. Kathryn was sore, and in dire need of a hot shower, when they reached the house. She went inside without saying goodbye to the men, and dragged her backpack up the stairs. She soaked for a long time in a hot bath undisturbed, still feeling numb, her eyes dry and burning. She had wrecked her life, and now her sins would haunt her. She’d found the perfect man, but she could never have him. The best thing to do was to forget about him. But living in the town the size of Three Hills, how could she possibly do that? She would always

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see him, always hear about him, always have him in her dreams. It had never crossed her mind that she would want to avoid the sheriff when she decided to live with her sister. Should she leave? What would that do to Kari? Her sister wasn’t stable right now, and for that matter, neither was she. Maybe she could simply become a hermit, and never leave the house or yard. She could focus on adding her own touch to the place here and there…add a garden…plant more trees. Maybe it wouldn’t take that long to grow indifferent to the sheriff’s dark, powerful presence in the town. Good God, and maybe cows would learn to fly. Kathryn was wrapped up snugly in her thick, fluffy bathrobe and sitting cross-legged on her bed, when she pulled the large manila envelope from her mother into her lap. She stared at the flowing handwriting that made her name look dignified, like a woman writing the name of a daughter she loved, yet never held. Kathryn’s throat swelled and she struggled to swallow. Her breath was staggered when she ripped the envelope open. Two newspaper clippings fell onto her lap. Several smaller pieces of pink stationary fluttered free as well. Kathryn grabbed them, and stacked them neatly as she gazed at the flowing handwriting that she recognized as her mother’s. “Dear Kathryn.” The letter was written two months ago. “How do I say hello after all this time? You’re my daughter, and yet I don’t know you. I made a promise to your father, and I have kept it. He kept his end of the bargain as well. I couldn’t find you. You must know that they took you to Europe. You lived there until you were eight. I didn’t know how to find someone on the other side of the ocean. They might as well have taken you to the moon. It broke my heart that you were out in the world without your mommy. It was wrong, and I failed in not jumping on a boat or a plane, or however it is that people go to far away places like that, and finding you. I was scared.” Kathryn bit her lip and stared into space for a minute. She had lived in England until she was eight. She never suspected anything from her grandparents or father. She racked her mind for some faint memory that would confirm her family’s guilty conscience for what they had done to her, but none surfaced. She continued to read. “Nate called me as soon as he got back from overseas. His parents convinced him I died from some sickness and that Kari died, too. He believed that for seven years until he discovered the phony birth certificate. By then, he had most of the control of the business he’s run all these years. He threatened his parents with old age in poverty if they didn’t make amends with me. To say the least, this town went into an uproar when that Rolls Royce rolled into town. Never thought I’d hear the end of it. People saying I thought I was too good for local folk, and had to find me some millionaire. They were wrong of course, but it got me to thinking, and to seeing things as they really were.” Kathryn guessed what would come next and couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face. The sacrifice her mother made for her. And here she was blaming the woman for being cold hearted. She read the next few paragraphs through blurred vision as she sobbed. “Darling Kathryn, when you were eight, you threw a fit because your dad didn’t get you a black pony like your best friend’s pony. He got you a white pony, and you were very mean to it until he got you the black pony that you wanted. Do you remember that?” Kathryn nodded and groaned. She looked up to see Kari standing in her doorway, looking at her curiously.

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“Come in.” Kathryn beckoned with her hand. “I thought Mom didn’t care, but she did. She cared enough to live with a broken heart so I could be happy.” Kari was curled up next to her in an instant, and leaned over her shoulder to read the letter with Kathryn. “I realized when you were eight years old, Kathryn that I couldn’t take you from the only life you knew. Hell, I couldn’t give you a toy black pony. You would have been miserable, and you would have hated me.” Kathryn shook her head stubbornly that she wouldn’t have hated her, and tears sprayed indifferently across the stationary. Both women dabbed gently to dry the drops, so the cherished ink wouldn’t be ruined. “I told Nate that I didn’t want you to know about me and your sister. We decided when you were twenty-five, and came into your own fortune, then we would tell you. But Nate insisted on providing for me and your sister, and for that I was grateful. The town would have labeled me and Kari as the whore and bastard of a millionaire if they’d known he was caring for me, so we created a story about diamonds making me some money. Everyone talks about everyone down here, Kathryn, and they always have.” “I’ve never quit talking to Nate. A month hasn’t passed since you were born that he and I haven’t talked. I told him not to marry those women. He never seemed to believe he could hold out for something better. He kept telling me I was all that mattered, so he didn’t care who he married. But Nate O’Brien was expected to have a wife. Oh, I wish it could have been me, but I would have been an embarrassment in his life.” Kathryn and Kari were both in tears at this point. “How could she ever have thought she would have been an embarrassment to anyone?” Kari shook her head in saddened disbelief. “So, Kathryn, here is the brunt of it. Your daddy has asked me to marry him once again. I’m not a young girl anymore, and I never imagined I’d go my whole life without being married. Of course, I never could have married anyone but my Nate. But my choice of men to fall in love with wasn’t the best. Your Daddy has a real lousy track record. So I told him I would live with him for a year, and if he could stay true to me than I would marry him. I’m going to mail this to you and then wait two days and tell Kari. My detective says you pick your mail up every day, so I figure I’ll be telling you both at the same time. Nate knows you’ll both be learning about what we did. We thought you both might need some yelling time before we tried an actual face-to-face reunion. I’ve enclosed a few other items—things you should know. I love you sweetheart, and I always have. Mom.” “She was getting ready to tell us,” Kathryn said unnecessarily. “My whole life would have changed even if she stayed alive. She was going to move away.” Kari sounded defeated, and Kathryn wrapped her arms around her. “I wonder if I would have come down here if she hadn’t been killed.” Kathryn rested her chin on her sister’s shoulder and stared blindly across the room. “I still would have been rendered homeless.” “I guess things happened the way they were supposed to.” Kari let out a choked sigh, and Kathryn knew she was trying to make herself believe that. “Are you going to leave, Kathryn?”

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Kathryn pulled back and looked her sister in the eyes. They were bloodshot and puffy, and Kathryn imagined hers looked identical. “No, I’m not leaving. Our mother gave up on love and was miserable because of it. She may have hidden it well, but she walked around with a broken heart. Dad never left her alone, and she never was able to get over him. I’m not going to let that happen to me. I’ve fallen in love with a man who won’t have anything to do with me. I’ve got a fight on my hands.” Kari chuckled through her tears, and did her best to wipe her eyes. “What’s the rest of the stuff Mom was going to mail to you?” She pointed to the papers on Kathryn’s lap. Kathryn picked up a couple of newspaper clippings and more stationary fell out from between them. “Oh God, it’s another letter,” Kathryn moaned.

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Chapter Thirteen “Kathryn, I held off mailing this because I couldn’t decide whether to do this or not. Damnit, I’m your mom, and even though we don’t know each other yet, I can’t stay quiet. I’m going to tell you about the detective that has been following you for the past few months. He’s a sheriff in our town. His name is Andy Adams. I’m going to be blunt. The man has fallen in love with you. I suspected after he’d been trailing you for a few months, because he became more upset about the things happening to you. I realized he flew up there every weekend and watched you. He was too involved with you, and I told him as much. We got into a big fight about it and I told him to stay away from you. I’ve included some newspaper clippings. Yes, I can play detective, too. Our sheriff came here two years ago from Chicago. He left because of a huge scandal, although he was never charged with anything. He was married, you see. And I guess his wife wasn’t worth a dime. She cheated on him, and he found out. They had a terrible fight, and she left in her car. That night she was shot and killed while driving on the interstate. Andy was never suspected, but he could have done it. Somehow the lover got killed, too, and there was a lot of talk. Again, Andy was never an official suspect. The papers said he was too good of a detective, and anyone would have covered for him if he lost his head in a moment of passion. After all, he’d married a woman who couldn’t stay faithful. Don’t you see, sweetheart, your track record isn’t any better than your father’s. What if you two got together and you weren’t faithful to him? I don’t blame you, no one ever taught you how to stay loyal to one man. I just wouldn’t rest easy if you got together with him. So, I told him I didn’t want him to have nothing to do with you. You’ll understand when you meet him. I can’t wait to see you. Love, Mom.” “And she wanted him to go out with me.” Kari was stunned. Kathryn simply stared at the letter, then glanced at the articles cut out of a Chicago newspaper. One included a picture of a car window shot out, and bloodstains all over the interior. The other was about Andy Adams, a detective notoriously known for getting any man he set his mark on. Her heart broke at the thought that he had an unfaithful wife. How could any woman want another man if she had him? She let it all sink in. Her mother, Angela Newton, a woman that Andy admired and mourned, had told him to stay away from her. How could she fight a dead woman? Andy had such a high opinion of her. And Kathryn now saw what she’d meant to the community. But damnit, this wasn’t fair. Somehow, a way existed to convince Andy that she wasn’t the woman Angela Newton thought she was. Her mother knew about her at her worse. There was nothing she could do about that. But Andy would now see her at her best. Because where there was a will, there was a way. It didn’t take much time the following morning before Kathryn realized she was not cut out to be a hermit. Her phone rang repeatedly, it seemed, and she and Kari took turns answering it. Sara Dean called. She’d talked to Mary Rivers and they thought it would be a good idea to get together for a brainstorming session for the harvest party. “Why don’t we all meet at the café for lunch?” Kathryn mentioned to Sara on the phone.

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“My mom is going to take June Elizabeth next week so we’ll have more time to prepare.” Sara also mentioned that Kathryn was to expect some strawberry jam to show up at her house. “It’s mom’s way of saying thank you for the stroller.” Reverend Davis called to ask Kari if she would partake in the bible study, which resumed when school started. Kari always attended the meetings and she told the Reverend that she and her sister would both be part of the group. Then Paul called. Kathryn answered, and after asking how she was doing—Kathryn cringed when she realized he’d probably heard her lose her temper with Andy by the creek— he asked to speak with Kari. Kathryn knew the man was interested in her sister, but realized it would take something similar to a baseball bat upside her sister’s head for the woman to act on it. Paul would be in court all morning, but said he’d meet Kari and Kathryn for lunch to give them the final documents he had to distribute in order to fulfill the wishes of Angela’s will. They agreed to go to his office after lunch. Kathryn pulled on her boots when the phone rang again. For some reason, every time it rang, she hoped it would be Andy. She walked away from him, but shouldn’t he at least approach her to apologize? It wasn’t Andy though, but a man she didn’t know. He asked for Kari. Kathryn could only imagine how the entire town knew her mobile number. “Oh Kathryn, this is awful.” Kari dropped her sister’s phone on the coffee table and sunk on to the couch. “What’s wrong?” Kathryn applied a soft brown lipstick and puckered her lips as she stared at her reflection in the compact mirror she held in front of her face. “I told you the creek serves as the border for our property, right?” When Kathryn nodded, Kari continued in a forlorn tone. “Well the other side has been Miller property since before I was born. When Mr. Miller died, his wife moved back east somewhere to be by her children. I guess some investors have shown interest in buying it, and turning the area into some resort getaway place.” “What would they do to the land?” Kathryn wasn’t sure she understood why this was so awful. They had enough land surrounding them that no one could touch. Who cared what happened to any land beyond their borders? “I’m sure they would try to keep the land around the resort as natural as possible. But a resort isn’t successful if it isn’t easily accessible. That would mean more roads going in, and gas stations, and people not from around here settling in, and staring at our way of life. Three Hills would become some tourist place.” Kathryn thought about this for a minute, and agreed changing the town would not be a good thing. “So, how do you go about stopping them?” “I don’t know. If mom were here, she would be on the bullhorn in a second. She wouldn’t let it happen no matter what. I just don’t know what she would do.” Kari hung her head, and then forced herself up to a forlorn posture. “Let’s go into town. I’m sure everyone will be a buzz about it down at the diner.” And, that wasn’t an understatement. The café was more crowded than usual. Kari whispered in Kathryn’s ear that whenever huge gossip broke out everyone made it his or her

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business to show up at the café. At one point, Andy had to jump up from his usual spot at the counter, and stop two older men from breaking into a fist fight over the respectability of the Miller family. Paul showed up to grab carry out and patrons immediately bombarded him with legal questions. Kathryn wasn’t sure the man was ever able to order his lunch, as he responded to how legally the matter could be handled. “What if we found another buyer for the land?” Kathryn found herself asking. “Maybe someone who simply wanted to raise their family on it?” “You ain’t going to find no buyer around here with enough money to out bid some corporation with their eyes set on a gold mine.” Mattie Rook walked around legs and purses as she took an order to a table. “How much money would it take?” Kathryn asked and caught Andy studying her. “It would take millions and millions of dollars. No one’s got that much.” Hazel Upton stuck out her bosom and pouted at Kathryn. “I wouldn’t think it would bother you if this place was citified a bit.” “It would have bothered my mother.” The room grew quiet and Kathryn realized she was talking to a woman several tables away from her. Oh, if her high-class friends could see her now. Here she was, sitting in a small town café, carrying on with the locals in an impromptu town meeting. She realized Andy had completely turned, and given her all of his attention. She gathered her courage, and looked directly at him when she spoke. “What we need is someone who could find out who these investors are, what they are offering for the land, and how interested they actually are. It might not take outbidding them to buy it out from under them.” “Do you know what you’re talking about?” Kari leaned into her and whispered her question. “Do you think you could buy the land?” “Well for goodness sake, the millionaire’s daughter may do us some good after all.” Hazel Upton seemed impressed by Kathryn’s speech, and several other older folks in the place mumbled their agreement. “I tell you what, girl, it sure would make your mom proud if she knew you did this town right.” Kathryn just stared at her, and realized she did want her mother to think highly of her. What information Andy had provided for Angela hadn’t painted the image of a daughter a mother could be proud of. “Maybe we could talk to Paul about it more when we get to his office.” Kathryn played with her salad, but suddenly wasn’t hungry. Was she doing this to please a dead woman, or a virile man who was very much alive? Good God, she couldn’t even stay mad at him. Kari pointed to the time and they realized they weren’t going to get much discussed about the harvest party at the café that day. “Should we try again tomorrow?” Sara asked. “I can come down on my lunch.” “I’ll have to see if Gary needs me to do anything for him. He is so overworked right now at the lumberyard. I thought I would haul some casseroles out to feed his crew.” “I hope I have a marriage like yours someday,” Kari sighed, and smiled at her eternally happy friend.

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“You will, Kari. Mr. Right is out there right now wishing he had the same thing out of life. You just have to find each other.” Her friends at the table could barely hear her over the continuing discussion at surrounding tables. “Can the two of you come out to our house tonight?” Kathryn leaned forward to ask the question. She caught herself looking over Sara’s head to watch Andy, as he walked out of the café. He didn’t look her way. She sighed, and focused on the three women watching her. “There will be less distractions at our place.” There was more understanding in the three women’s faces than Kathryn cared to admit. “I bet he took off to get the information you said you needed.” Kari leaned forward and spoke in low tones, almost conspiratorially. The other women leaned forward as well. “He’ll probably call you in a couple of hours with the answers.” Kathryn leaned back, and then looked out toward the street. She didn’t see Andy. “There’s no way I’m going to live through the next couple of hours wondering if he was going to call me, or not.” With that, Kathryn jumped up from the table and ran out the door. Mary leaned back in her chair and laughed. “I think antique white, with lots of lace,” Sara said, her grin lit with mischief. “And a train that is so long, several young flower girls have to hold it up behind her,” Mary added with a clap of her hands. “I don’t believe you two.” Kari groaned. She hoped her sister wasn’t biting off more than she could chew. Kathryn reached the sidewalk and looked one way, and then the other. Andy was just climbing into his patrol car, across the street, when she spotted him. “Andy,” she yelled, and ran across the street to catch him. He straightened and then leaned against his car door and watched her run toward him. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he watched her breasts bounce as she hurried to him. He wore silver sunglasses that reflected her own image when she was near enough to see. His mouth graced her with a small smirk, but he said nothing. “Will you find out how much it costs to buy the land?” “Do you want to buy the land?” Andy’s expression didn’t change from an air of indifference, but his tone was gentle. “Kari about had a nervous breakdown when she found out the land next to hers could go commercial. She simply collapsed.” “So are you going to take care of her now that Angela is gone?” “Kari said her mother would fight it. Do you want those investors to buy that land?” “No.” His answer was quick and firm. Kathryn put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at him. God. The man was so damned hard to figure out. “I have no intention of honoring every wish my mother had. She led her life, and I plan on living mine. But, I will do this for her…and for me. It’s my home, too.” “What wishes of hers do you plan not to honor?” He lowered his head on his hands, which rested on the top of his car door, so his face was closer to hers.

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Her heart pounded. She rubbed her hands down her pants, her palms suddenly too damp. Looking down, fighting for how she would tell him that it didn’t matter to her that her mother had told him to stay away, she noticed her fingernails were chipped. Once that would have really irked her. Once she’d been a different person. “What did your mother’s letter say?” His fingers clasped her jaw and raised her face to his. His touch sent hot electric jolts down her neck. She stared at his face, which was so close to hers, and the world around her faded. His lips pursed into a thin line. The hardness of his jaw might be interpreted by many as tough, an asshole not to be reckoned with. She saw his concern, his worry. That black as night hair of his hung around his face, so straight, and picking up the reflection from the sun. He was the best looking man she’d ever laid eyes on. And for a moment she thought of telling him that. Then she remembered what he’d asked. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t answer his question. “That’s none of your business,” she managed to whisper. “Okay.” He spoke the word slowly, and focused on her mouth as one finger stroked her chin. “Do you have the money to buy that land?” “I have no idea. I’ve never tried to find out how much I have before. All I need is a computer, though.” There was so much power in just the stroke of his finger. Lowering her head, she stroked the side of his hand with her cheek. The black hair on his hand tickled her flesh. Chills rushed through her. But her body was on fire. He exhaled, and she moved her face, brushing her lips against his skin. She pulled away reluctantly, twisting her bracelet with her fingers. “I could probably come up with some quick cash if we needed it.” “I’ll get your information.” “When will you have it?” “Tonight.” Kathryn looked up at him quickly. “I’ll come over tonight.” “No.” She studied him. Her reflection stared back at her in those damned sunglasses. He didn’t move when she pushed them into his hair. Soft silky black hair tangled around her fingers. Holding her hands there, she froze from the intensity of melting milk chocolate that devoured her. Her heart pounded so loudly she couldn’t here herself think. She stepped forward and licked her lips. Damn good thing. Her thoughts wouldn’t have made any sense. “Why can’t I come over?” she whispered. “I might not be there.” “I’ll wear something sexy,” she hinted. And then leaned forward, needing to taste him. His roguish smile stopped her. The man could turn her to mush with as little as a glance—and he knew it. “You know, I may not be able to lie to you. But I’ll let you in on a little secret, sheriff. You do a real lousy job of lying to me.” Letting her hands slide out of his hair, she honored him with one of her most sultry grins, and had the satisfaction of watching his entire body

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stiffen. “Several of us are getting together tonight to make plans for the harvest party. I’ll come over after that, and we can figure out if we can stop these investors or not.” “You’ll never find the place.” She wanted to smack that amused look off his face. She spun around and started to walk away from him, but then stopped and turned to see he hadn’t moved. “If I’m not over there by midnight; you better come looking for me.” She heard him groan as she walked away. Now he could sit and wait to see whether or not she showed up. Unfortunately, running after Andy to talk to him didn’t ease up on the anxious feeling that surged through her throughout the day. One thought consumed her, no matter what she did. She was going over to Andy’s. Kari drove her out to where Andy lived that afternoon so that she could find her own way there later that evening. “He purchased this old farmhouse and the land around it shortly after he moved here,” Kari explained when they reached the quiet house set off of the road a ways. Kathryn was impressed. What would a single man want with a house that big? Unless maybe, he had dreams of no longer being single. Did he dream of what their children would look like, too? The roads looked a lot different in the dark, as she creaked along in her sister’s old truck. She’d never operated a vehicle with a gearshift on the steering column before—and the old thing only had three gears. She bet it wouldn’t even reach fifty. And, it scared her to death that it had over two hundred thousand miles on it. She sighed with delighted relief when she pulled into his long, narrow gravel driveway and turned the engine off. For a moment, she simply reveled in how quiet it was. The truck engine was so noisy; her ears rang from the silence. The door creaked when she opened it, and then let out a hollow bang, when she shut it. No one could accuse her of sneaking up on the poor man. Andy’s Buick was parked in front of the garage, and by the well-worn path; she guessed he used the back door more than the front. She glanced up at the front porch. The door was shut, and the porch looked dark and forbidding. In fact, she noticed no lights on in the house. He told her not to come over, and now shreds of doubt coursed through her veins. Maybe he really wasn’t home. Would he intentionally not come home if he thought she was coming over? Nervous energy twisted in an unpleasant knot in her stomach. She wasn’t reading him wrong. She wasn’t. That man wanted her at least as badly as she wanted him. If she could only make some kind of sense out of his actions. Or lack of actions. Maybe he’d gone to bed. That thought sent a surge of denied desire through her with the plummeting speed of a freight train. It about knocked her over. Thinking of him lying naked in bed, sheets twisted around roped muscle, made her knees go weak. She blew a breath into the darkness, and plunged toward the well-worn path. There was a wide deck along the back of the house, and several citronella torches burned along the wooden ledge that surrounded it. She walked around to the open gate and stepped up onto the varnished wood. Andy lay sprawled across a hammock, supported by metal poles on either side. His large frame didn’t quite fit, but he looked very relaxed in his reclined state. A beer bottle rested on his stomach, his long fingers wrapped around it. There

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were two empty bottles on the porch floor next to him, and the remaining unopened bottle sat in the cardboard container. Kathryn walked over, and picked the unopened beer bottle out of the four-pack container. She pulled a lawn chair noisily over from the other end of the porch, and sat several feet away from him. Andy didn’t move. She tried to open the bottle with her hand, but the rough edges of the lid burned her cold palm. She grit down on the cap with her teeth, and twisted it off. “Did they teach you that in prep school?” Kathryn looked over at him quickly, but the expression on his face hadn’t changed. His eyes remained closed. “Just because you watch a person, doesn’t mean you get to know them.” “Agreed.” She saw his mouth move when he spoke, only because she was staring at him. Kathryn stared at him a moment longer, watching a muscle twitch here and there, as her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. She finally sighed, and leaned back in the lawn chair, crossing her long legs in front of her. “You don’t see a sky like that in the city.” Kathryn marveled at how close, and bright, the stars were. She reached a hand toward one of them. “There are so many of them.” “Three and a half million.” Kathryn frowned at him, and then took a slow drink of her beer. Andy turned his head and watched her. “Three and a half million what?” Their eyes locked in the dark. Those blue eyes of hers let off a light of their own—or maybe he was finally drunk. She was so damn beautiful. He never knew a seductress could appear so pure of heart. She’d broken hearts of many men and severely damaged a marriage, yet there was something so compelling about her. And she was right; it wasn’t possible to get to know someone by simply watching them. He had no idea this would be the woman behind those blue eyes. “That’s how much the bid on the land is. Highland Investors has made the bid, and I haven’t found out yet if the owners are accepting any more bids.” Kathryn blew out a long breath of air and rested her elbows on her knees. She stared at nothing, and tried to figure out what she should do with that information. “Do you have more than three and a half million?” Andy finished his beer, and put the empty bottle on the ground next to the others. “I figured you knew how much money I had.” She tried to sound accusing. Andy wrapped his hands behind his head and licked his lips. Fire swelled out of control inside her, sinking quickly to her pussy. The pressure was too much. She thought she would surely turn into a puddle at his feet. Was he aware of the fact that he was the sexiest man on the planet? “You have no idea how much money you have, do you?” He smiled at her. She didn’t have a clue. There’d never been reason to check. But she’d be damned if he’d be able to grab on to another reason to fault her. “I have plenty of stocks and accounts in my name. I would know if I sat down at a computer. May I use your computer?” “No.” Lines of determination appeared around the edges of his mouth.

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“Why not? Don’t you want me to try and help out here?” “My computer is in my bedroom.” She was silent for a moment, and then a slow, sultry smile spread across her face, and she leaned into him. “If you don’t try anything, nothing will happen.” “That’s right. And that’s why you’re not going into my house…anywhere.” Kathryn threw her hands up in desperation and stood up. She walked to the other side of the porch and let the black sky, and thousands of white piercing lights swallow her up for a moment. It didn’t calm her down. Maybe she was a spoiled rotten, rich girl but damnit, Andy was the man for her. Why couldn’t she be the woman for him? She turned around on a dime, and marched over to him, until she stood directly over him. Black eyes glared up at her. “Why are you being so difficult, Andy? I mean…you’re not even being nice.” She was on the brink of shouting at him, and breaking down into tears at the same time. He lay there in front of her, having to know how seductive his position was. And he was telling her he didn’t trust himself enough to let her in his bedroom, so he wouldn’t even let her in his house. She could see how tense his entire body looked…as if he would jump to his feet in a moment’s notice. “You’re messing with my head, Kathryn.” “I’m messing with your head? I don’t think so. I’m being perfectly clear. You know I can’t lie to you. I want to fuck you. I want to go out with you. I want to get to know you.” “Shouldn’t that all be the other way around?” His meaning sunk into her as if he’d tied her ankles with bricks and dropped her in the river. She wrinkled her nose at him, and balled her hands into fists. Ready to march off the porch, she turned on an impulse, opened his back door, and marched into his house.

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Chapter Fourteen “Damn you, woman!” She heard Andy’s large body pounce out of the hammock, landing heavily on the porch floor. Kathryn’s heart pounded as she walked into the large kitchen. She had no desire to out run him. This was his house. Andy was a master of evasiveness, but in these rooms, his personality came through. She stood and turned slowly in the room. It was a large kitchen, with a wood-burning stove at one end. It appeared he actually made his coffee there. The wall behind the stove was brick, but the other walls were wood. There was a plate in the sink, and a carry out box from the Last Stop café on the counter. Did the man not know how to cook? Andy opened the screen door and came at her like a dark, eerie shadow. She took that as a sign to walk through the double sized doorway into a room that was probably a dining room. It was empty, but opened into a comfortable looking living room. At least from what she could tell in the dark. The furniture appeared old, but solid, with thick cushions. She saw a wooden flight of stairs at the other side of the room. She turned around, and faced the brooding face that stared down at her. “I just want to use your computer. Show me where your room is. You can wait outside.” Her heart pounded in her chest, and she thought somehow the darkness had stolen the air. He was so close to her that she could reach out and run her fingernails up that iron chest of his. She breathed in deeply and waited for him to say something. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kathryn. You can use Paul’s computer tomorrow. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I can even help you access the information if you like.” His voice was so gentle and soothing. It didn’t seem to match the almost frightening figure in front of her. “That makes no sense. Why should I wait until tomorrow? It’s not even late. I could gather all the information tonight and be ready to act in the morning…if I have enough money.” “Get back out on the porch, before I throw you over my shoulder, and haul you out to Kari’s truck, and throw you in it.” “You wouldn’t dare!” Her hands went to her hips, but then her eyes grew wide, and she squealed, when he grabbed her and about knocked the wind out of her. Her chest slammed against his shoulder, and an arm wrapped around the back of her knees. His other hand rested just above her rear end. “Andy!” She yelled, disturbing the silence in the darkness. He spun them around and marched back toward the kitchen. Kathryn reached out and grabbed the doorway. “Put me down right now.” Her arms stretched out, holding on to the doorway. All he had to do was turn his head and those large breasts would be his for the taking. The raging hard on that slammed to attention with her in his arms, made it impossible for him to move. He struggled to breathe as he lowered her to the ground in front of him.

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At least he trapped her to the kitchen. She couldn’t get past him unless he moved. And there was no way he could move right now. He thanked the Lord that he had enough sense to slip into loose fitting sweats when he came home from work. Kathryn felt her body slide down the front of him, and wasn’t sure she would stop going down when her feet touched the ground. She grabbed his sweatshirt and held onto it with her fists as she inhaled his strong male scent. She couldn’t remember the last time a man could make her have an orgasm without even taking her clothes off. She licked her suddenly dry lips and struggled to breathe. A powerful wave of passion ripped through her leaving her numb and craving more. She ached for his arms to go around her, but they didn’t. After a minute of the two of them standing there, touching, but not touching, she took a step back and continued to take deep breaths. “Okay, you win. I don’t understand, but I’m sure you’ll fill me in when you’re ready.” It took every effort she could pull forth to turn around and walk out of the dark kitchen. Andy followed her as she crossed the porch. She reached for the gate and heard him recline back in his hammock. She could tell the night air was chilly, but it didn’t seem to make her cold. Her body was on fire…ready to explode at first impact. She turned slowly to look at him. He rubbed his hands over his face, and then turned to look up at her. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out two newspaper clippings. “You know, I wouldn’t do this to you.” Kathryn walked over to him and dropped the articles on his chest. She turned and walked off the porch. She didn’t make it to the first step. Andy grabbed her arm and spun her around so quickly she lost her balance, and fell into him. His arm went around her waist and forced her up against him. Her hands spread across his chest to help balance herself, while his free hand grasped the side of her head. His long fingers spread through her hair and she looked up at him. Confusion and wonder mixed through the deep blue pools that stared up at him. “I know you wouldn’t,” he breathed against her jawline. His thumb rubbed the side of her cheek, and she closed her eyes quickly to keep the tears from falling. Her emotions were on a roller coaster, and she wasn’t sure how much more she could handle. “There’s nothing left. Don’t you see that? I don’t have anything to give. Everything’s broken inside…and it’s not fixable.” Kathryn rubbed her hands against his chest, feeling his heat consume her hands and fill her with his need…a need that matched her own. She relaxed into him, enjoying how his body made her insides tighten in anticipation. She clasped her fingers behind his neck and kissed his rough chin. “There’s nothing left? I don’t think so, sheriff,” she whispered and offered her mouth to him. He told himself it was the beer. It didn’t numb him like it was supposed to do. But he was certain it must have altered his senses. She was in his arms, and looking up at him like he was the only man in the world. He captured her mouth with penned up passion begging for release with one kiss. Her mouth greeted his with a hunger that shocked him. A wild lover waited for him, and all he

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had to do was pick her up one more time. This time he would carry her in the opposite direction. Her hands slid down to the bottom of his sweatshirt and slipped under to discover his muscular chest, covered with the softest hair she’d ever felt. He tightened his grip on her waist, shoving her against his throbbing cock. She groaned into his mouth, when he slipped his hand under her shirt and gently squeezed one of her swollen and eager breasts. “Take me inside, Andy,” she whispered into his mouth. “I can’t, Kathryn, why won’t you accept that?” He rested his forehead against hers and tried to remember how to breathe. “This is just physical. You’re incredibly beautiful, and you’re under my skin. But that’s what this is. I won’t use you the way the others have.” He wasn’t ready for her reaction. Kathryn stepped back and brought her hand across his cheek so hard, the crisp snap of skin hitting skin, ripped through the otherwise silent night. His head snapped from the impact, and his eyes watered from the sting. “Quit it! I can’t take this anymore,” she screamed at him. He stood frozen as she jumped down the stairs, and into the yard. Her long auburn hair spun around her and her blue eyes glowed with fury. “Don’t touch me anymore, Andy. You’re messing with my brain much more than I possibly could be messing with yours. At least you know what you’re thinking.” She stormed out on him, tears blurring her vision to the point where it was a wonder she was able to stay on the road to make it home. Anger guided her across the dark country roads, and the old truck managed to move over fifty miles per hour for the first time in over ten years. Her anger didn’t dissipate over the next day when she and Kari borrowed Paul’s computer so Kathryn could access her accounts. Kari pulled her knees up to her chin and rested her feet on the edge of her chair. She wrapped her arms around her legs and sighed heavily. “It’s a wonder we’re cut from the same cloth. I have no idea what you are doing.” “Neither do I,” Kathryn muttered, and clicked the “enter” icon. “Access Denied” appeared in a brown box in the middle of the screen. Kathryn leaned back and stared at the ceiling. The two women had borrowed Paul’s office over an hour ago, and Kathryn was no closer to knowing how much money she had than she was the night before. “I just can’t believe that you think you might have that much money.” Kari shook her head, looking as dumbfounded as she sounded. “How would a person get that kind of money?” “I didn’t work for it, if that’s what you’re asking.” Kathryn reached up and slapped the side of the monitor. “There are stocks I could cash in. I have savings accounts in different countries. I have mutual funds. I’ve seen the quarterly statements on all of these.” She suddenly jumped up and snapped her fingers. “That’s it!” “What’s it?” Kari rubbed her temples, and firmly believed life was easier when you simply didn’t have this kind of money to worry about. “I bet I have statements in with all of my old mail. I just threw it all together when we brought my stuff here. I bet they’re in one of the boxes in your mom’s room…our mom’s room.”

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Kari stood up slowly. “Can’t we take a little break? We could look through the boxes after lunch. Don’t you have someone that takes care of all the money for you anyway? Why can’t we just call him and ask for the money?” “I do have someone…and she is my father’s accountant. If I asked for that type of money, she would clear it through my dad, whether I wanted her to, or not. I could only imagine what his reaction would be. No I’ve got to do this without him knowing. Or at least without him finding out right away.” Kathryn didn’t doubt spending that kind of money might very well break her. She would own four hundred acres of prime land, but have no money. Was land a good dowry down here? “I tell you what.” Kathryn wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulder, and led her out of the office. “Why don’t you go look for some material for the matching dresses Sara is going to make for us for the harvest party. Just nothing with big flowers…or apples.” Kari sniffed. “Don’t tell me you actually trust my tastes?” “Just don’t make me live to regret it.” Kathryn moaned and did her best to smile. Kari didn’t miss the sadness in Kathryn’s eyes. Several people stopped Kathryn on her way to the truck. It was Hazel Upton’s conversation that upset her the most. “I just got word from my girlfriend at the bank who is dealing with the sale of that land south of your mama’s property.” Hazel seized Kathryn’s arm as if she was the reason for the sale transpiring in the first place. “There’s something called earnest money. I’ve never bought no land or nothing, but if you give them some money, then you have a right to buy the land, I think.” “Hazel, I’m sure the investors have already paid the earnest money.” Kathryn sounded tired. “That’s just it. I guess that’s what the meeting was about…among other things. My girlfriend told me the gossip in the office is that the land might be worth a lot more than what they’re asking. But, the earnest money would come to her, and no one gave her no money.” Hazel released Kathryn and crossed her arms across her ample bosom. “Now I know Angela would move mountains to get that land back.” “What do you mean, get it back?” “All that used to be Newton land. I thought you knew that. I think maybe we were twelve when Mr. Newton sold that land so Angela could go to college. All her teachers said she was so smart. Needless to say, Angela never went once she had you babies. I think she always wished she could have gone. I tell you what though. She would do whatever it took to get that land back. She would have called your daddy. Well, now she can’t do it. But you can.” Hazel’s voice softened some. “You can do something, can’t you?” “I’m trying to find out how much money I have access to right now.” Kathryn didn’t want to tell the lady she wouldn’t approach her father about this. She wasn’t sure if the lady would understand, or believe that her father might not be as generous with her as he would have been with her mother. “Do you know how much earnest money we would need?” “One hundred and seventy five thousand dollars! Can you believe it? Giving that kind of money to someone just to say your good for it. It don’t make no sense to me. But, I figure you rich people live by a different code.” “The good one’s don’t,” Kathryn said simply. “I’ll see what I can do.”

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Kathryn continued toward the truck when she saw Kari coming out of the fabric store with a brown bag under her arm. She’d picked out material already? “Hey, wait up,” Kathryn called as she darted after her sister. “I want to see what you bought.” “I think you’re going to like it. I saw it, and I couldn’t believe it. It’s perfect for both of us.” Kari pulled out the folded yards of material so Kathryn could see it. They paused on the sidewalk and Kathryn ran her hand over the silky fabric. It was a dark burnt orange; a perfect fall color. And, it would have been almost bland except that when the material turned it appeared to be different shades. It caught the light and glistened, and Kathryn moaned. “Oh Kari, this is absolutely beautiful.” “I’m glad you like it. I thought I would try to catch Sara Dean at the café before she went back to work. I hope I bought enough of it.” Sara was lost in a detective novel and absently eating a tuna fish sandwich when the twins descended on her. Kathryn couldn’t stop her gaze from locking with Andy’s, when he glanced up from his usual spot at the counter. There were faint shadows under his eyes, and it didn’t look like he’d shaved that morning. Good, she thought, be miserable. Be real damned miserable. He’d brought it on himself by denying them both what they wanted. She gave him a look that told him as much, and turned her attention back to her sister and Sara. Several men in suits, sitting at one of the tables in the corner, caught her attention. They were businessmen, the kind she would see in every restaurant she entered in Detroit over the lunch hour. In Three Hills, they looked out of place. She hadn’t seen them in here before. Kathryn blinked as she realized what she was doing. She was acting like a local. She knew the people in this town after only a few weeks. This town was her home now, and those men weren’t from around here. One of the men, a sandy haired, in his forties, looked over the shoulder of his colleague and noticed Kathryn. He gave her an appraising look, and then his eyes widened. She found she couldn’t look away from his curious gaze, and stared back at him. Slow recognition crossed his face and his lips pursed into a knowing smirk. He leaned forward and said something to the two other men with him. Both of them turned to find the woman he was talking about, while the sandy haired man slowly stood up and began to approach her. Heated embarrassment spread across Kathryn’s cheeks. She looked down quickly, as her palms grew damp. Kari and Sara were saying something about the material but she wasn’t able to focus on their conversation. Desperately, she tried to remember the man’s name that was on his way over to her. He would say something…do something…that would humiliate her in front of her sister and friend. She glanced desperately at Kari, but realized the man was now on the other side of her. Kathryn thanked God for Kari’s decision to wear an extra large button down flannel shirt this morning. It was untucked, and hung down over faded blue jeans. The man didn’t give her a second glance. But, Kathryn couldn’t stand the thought of her sister hearing what this man might say. With her stomach lodged firmly in her throat, she turned and bolted out of the café.

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Chapter Fifteen “Kathryn O’Brien! What in the world are you doing in this god forsaken town?” A dark haired man wearing an expensive suit hurried out after her, and grabbed her arm when they reached the sidewalk. Kathryn began to shake. Anyone looking out the front window in the café would be able to see them. She wasn’t about to put on a show. “I believe you’re mistaken,” she said quickly, and yanked her arm free as she hurried down the street. “Wait a minute, darling. Are you in some kind of trouble?” The man grabbed her again, and spun her around. She looked up and down the sidewalk, but saw no one. Folks were in the café eating, or they’d gone home for lunch. “You remember me, don’t you? Hank Fitchum? Three days and wonderful nights in the Hilton Resort at Lake Michigan? Ringing a bell to you now?” “I remember,” she hissed at him. “But this is my home, and my family doesn’t need to hear morbid details.” “Of course, darling.” Hank’s arm slipped around her shoulder and he started walking down the street with her. “I can’t believe I’ve run into you. What luck!” Kathryn slipped out from under his arm. “Hank, I made a mistake when we…I mean, I’m not going to…” “Kathryn, three days is hardly a mistake. I’m sorry if you regret it. But you were too damn good for me to regret…or forget.” Kathryn found herself backing away from him as he closed in on her. She turned, when she realized she had stepped into the alley and was about to trip over a trashcan. “You’re right. I do regret it. And I don’t want to do things like that anymore.” “What? Did you not make enough?” Kathryn froze in her tracks. “Not make enough? I don’t recall getting paid. I’m no whore.” “Maybe not in the normal sense. But don’t think I didn’t know it was suggested that you show me a good time so I would sign that merger. Don’t worry. I signed. I realize no one is making life easy for you right now. But, I can definitely pay for your time this time. I don’t have to report back to Highland Industries until tomorrow.” It crossed Kathryn’s mind that she could have a part of the money and possibly more information on why Highland Industries wanted the land. One night of perversion, and she could help the whole community. Her stomach lunged when she realized what she was thinking. She was through with that life, and surprisingly, she wasn’t sure she could do what he was suggesting even if she tried. “I’m not interested, Hank. If you’ll excuse me.” Kathryn tried to pass him, but he grabbed her arm.

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Nausea spread through her when she saw the demented gaze appear in Hank’s eyes. She remembered some of the things he’d done to her…even when she’d begged him not to…and she shuddered. “Fifty thousand. Give it to me just like last time, and I’ll pay you fifty thousand.” “Let go of me,” she shrieked, and jumped around him, and in to the safety of Andy’s arms. Andy gripped her shoulder and shoved her behind him then faced the startled man. Hank straightened his tie and gave the sheriff a calm, professional smile. Kathryn hoped Andy heard at least part of what Hank said to her. Good God, what was she thinking? She didn’t want Andy to hear another man proposition her like she was a whore. Is that what she’d been? “There’s no problem here, officer. The lady and I had a misunderstanding.” Hank nodded politely to Kathryn, as she stayed well behind Andy, wanting to turn tail and run. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Kathryn.” “I don’t want to see you talking to Miss O’Brien again while you’re in town.” Andy spoke quietly, but his threat was clear. Hank studied him for a minute and then simply nodded, before turning to walk back to the café. “Thank you.” She could barely get the words out, and she sure couldn’t look up at the powerful man in uniform that now stood facing her. She felt tears swell up over her lids until they spilled down her cheek. She reached up and brushed her cheek. “Tell me you didn’t hear what he said to me.” “I didn’t hear what he said to you.” “You’re lying.” Andy reached out and wiped her face with his knuckle. The roughness of his skin against her, and the gentleness of the act, sent chills spilling down the inside of her. Yet, the chills warmed her. He pulled his hand away and she let out a choked sigh. Somehow, she would put her past behind her. “Kathryn, what happened?” Kari hurried up to them. Sara was right behind her. “It was some guy I used to know. He wasn’t too nice to me the last time I saw him. But everything’s okay now.” Kathryn blinked moist lashes, and smiled at Kari. “Would you mind taking me home?” Humiliation washed through her as she walked away from Andy. He’d overheard everything. And if he hadn’t, more than likely he already knew. He didn’t want a whore. And that’s how he saw her. Several hours later, Kathryn sat in the middle of her bedroom floor with papers piled high all around her. Kari sat facing her, as she stared around helplessly at the mess they’d made. “Well, at least we found your savings account information.” Kari started stacking the papers she’d just gone through back into the box. “And it was kind of fun making this mess.” Kathryn looked around her and laughed. “I can’t believe I would keep all this stuff and yet I can’t find any statements on my stocks. At least we found sixty thousand dollars.”

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“I can’t believe you have that much in your account. Your rich beyond my wildest dreams.” Kathryn looked down at the faded, bleached stained sweatshirt she had pulled on when the house grew chilly with the day. “Yeah, it really shows, doesn’t it?” “You really should ask Andy to help you get a hold of your money. With his experience as a detective, I bet it would be a lot easier for him to do this than it has been for us.” Kari saw the turmoil travel across her sister’s face. “You’ve got feelings for him, and I can tell he’s got feelings for you, too.” “There’s no way I could face him after that humiliation. I know he heard Hank proposition me. I felt so dirty. Like the whore he was accusing me of being.” Kathryn shivered and met her sister’s concerned gaze. “Besides, he’s denying any feelings you may see. I’m sure he’ll deny them twice as hard after today.” “I doubt it. But, I guess we’ll see.” Kari knew she’d never seen Andy Adams watch any woman the way he watched Kathryn…not even her mother. “There’s got to be another way to come up with some more money.” Kathryn rolled her bracelet around her wrist, as she wracked her brain. She glanced down at the sparkling rocks as they tumbled around her wrist. “That might just work!” “What might just work?” Kari jumped up, when Kathryn stood up quickly and walked over to her dresser. “My jewelry. I bet I have a small fortune right here.” Kathryn flipped open an ornate jewelry box and pulled out several gold chains. She lifted a diamond choker, several rings, and held them up to Kari. “Are all these real?” Kari was afraid to touch the flashy jewels in Kathryn’s hands. “Of course they’re real. Where do you think I could sell them?” Kathryn navigated Kari’s old truck through the streets of Three Hills and toward the narrow country road that led out to her home. She smiled when she realized she was looking forward to the gentle creaking of the old house. She’d grown accustomed to the way the branches rubbed against the windows when the wind blew. She knew which floorboards creaked in the upstairs hallway. She even liked the way the pipes banged after she finished taking a shower. The place felt like home. It was an incredible feeling—and she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced such acceptance before. The old walls that were insulated with happy family memories and a sister that would look up and smile when she walked in the door—that was the feeling of home. Now she wished she could figure out how to bring happiness to her heart, which hadn’t quit hurting since the night before. No, she wouldn’t think about him. He’d made his position real damned clear. She’d never met a more stubborn man in all her life. But she had the money. She glanced down at the stack of papers folded underneath her purse on the passenger seat. She’d brought all the proof she could find that showed she was the rightful owner of the expensive jewelry she was selling. She didn’t want anyone delaying her because they feared she was a thief trying to sell stolen goods. Her wrist felt naked. She’d worn the tennis bracelet her father gave her on her sixteenth birthday every day since then. She told herself for years it was her father’s proof that he loved her. He had sent it to her while on vacation in the Bahamas. He wasn’t able to quit lounging

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around the beech with whatever woman he had been with at that time, but he’d been able to spend over eight thousand dollars on the bracelet. At one time, she’d confused such gestures as love. She knew now that it wasn’t. Her love couldn’t be bought. She hit the main road, and slowed down to the twenty mile per hour speed limit. Andy walked out of the sheriff’s department as she turned the corner. He turned toward the parking lot where his Buick was one of the few cars parked. He spotted her and stopped, willing her with a glance to pull over and park. She obeyed without thought, and watched as he strolled up to her car window. His scent wrapped around her, and caused her breathing to grow thick. The ache in her heart turned to something more powerful. She looked into milk chocolate eyes that looked tired, but very pleased to see her. Her heart exploded. “I called you earlier to see how you were doing.” Andy searched her face as he spoke. She looked like she desperately needed to be kissed, and kissed thoroughly. “Kari told me you drove into Little Rock to sell your jewelry.” Andy looked at her arm that rested in the open window. He lifted her wrist where her tennis bracelet had been. “Did this mean a lot to you?” His eyes caught hers as he gently placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Her lips parted as she watched the act. “I told you not to touch me,” she managed to whisper. He smiled against her wrist, which was pure putty in his large, calloused hand. “Do you want this land so badly that you would sell your jewelry for it? Don’t you have any money?” “That jewelry meant nothing to me.” She made a feeble attempt to free her wrist, but he held it easily. “And I couldn’t access my money.” “I told you I would help you.” “I’m mad at you.” She stuck out her lower lip and tried harder to release her wrist. He let go and she clasped her hands firmly in her lap. “I’m sorry.” “No, you’re not.” She looked up into those roguish eyes that gave him away completely. “In fact, you’re doing it again.” “What am I doing, Kathryn? I have nothing to offer you.” “You have plenty to offer. And you show it to me repeatedly. You just dangle it in my face, and then yank it away when I finally surrender and reach for it.” “That’s physical.” “It’s a lot more than physical, Andy. No one’s ever offered me what you’re tempting me with. You just won’t let me have it completely.” Andy stared at her for a long minute and then opened her door. “Get out of the truck.” She looked puzzled at his instruction, but turned the engine off and stepped out of the truck. He rolled the window up on it, and then reached in around her and grabbed her purse and papers. “What are you doing?” She frowned as he handed her belongings to her, and then put a hand on her back to guide her up to the sidewalk. “We’re going to find out how accessible your money is.”

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They sat in a small room in the sheriff’s office, and Kathryn answered his questions as Andy sat in front of the computer. He flipped from screen to screen as if he accessed people’s accounts every day. Within fifteen minutes, he had copies of the current amount payable on several C.D.’s and mutual funds. The combined monies were barely enough to buy the land. Andy leaned back in his chair, and turned it so he trapped her with his long legs. “Why are you doing this, Kathryn?” “Don’t you remember that land?” Her face lit up when she spoke. “It was so beautiful. I’ve never felt a peace like that land offered. I want that, Andy. I want to feel peace and be happy. That land won’t use me.” “That’s your mama in you.” He smiled and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his legs. His face was inches from her and he slid a strand of her hair between his fingers. “It will take almost all the money you have to pull this off.” “I want the land. I don’t care about the money.” She prayed he would kiss her. She grasped the handles of her chair to prevent herself from leaning forward, and taking what she wanted. “All I have to do is go to the bank now, right?” “You want to face those men in suits again?” Kathryn froze, and her eyes opened wide. Panic crept through her, a deadly poison, paralyzing her as it traveled. Fear consumed her when, once again, she remembered the sordid games Hank had made her play in that motel. Then, anger slowly consumed her fear. One man wouldn’t stand in the way of her truly declaring her freedom. He seemed to her the last shred of her old life, and she was determined to shake herself free of him. “No.” She straightened, filling her lungs with air. She placed her damp palms on his forearms. “I can stand up to him. I can call the bank and set up a meeting. I can do this.” He smiled, and reached under her arms to lift her up. He stood up and pulled her to him. She pressed her hands against his chest and looked up warily. “I know you can, but you don’t have to. I’ll go with you. I don’t trust these men who want this land.” One hand cupped her cheek and he gently lowered his lips to hers, with a kiss so gentle and burning with passion that she barely felt it, and it scoured her to her very core at the same time. He offered and she would take. She leaned into him, stretching her lean body against his, and went up on her tiptoes. Her hands crept up his broad chest to his shoulders, and then wrapped around his neck. The swelling in her breasts ached as desperately as the pressure that grew quickly inside her. Her thighs tightened, the heat between her legs enough to burn her alive. She opened her mouth and he seized the opportunity to explore. He wrapped his powerful arms tightly around her, and groaned as he brought her closer to him. Every muscle in his body danced to attention at the promise of the heat that emanated from her body. She groaned, needing more. His cock lengthened against her, hard like unbendable steel—just like the rest of him. They were both breathing heavily when he let her up for air. He rested his forehead against hers, not willing to release her just yet. She whimpered happily, and snuggled within his tight grasp. God, they fit together as if they were made for each other. Why couldn’t he have met her ten years ago?

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“Now what, Andy?” She chanced the question when a minute had passed, and he’d shown no desire to release her. “You’re going to go home.” His voice was barely a husky growl. Her body stiffened, and she pushed violently away from him. Her lower lip quivered as she glared at him. He grabbed her before she could protest and dragged her back to him. She was angry, her temper as hot as the passion that ran through her. He placed gentle kisses on her head, enjoying the silky feeling of her hair. “Kathryn, I’m tired. I spent half the day trudging around in a muddy field. I’m dirty and I want a shower.” She nodded, but said nothing. Her body remained stiff. He pushed her to arm’s length and then lifted her face. Blue pools blinked at him. Welled up desire matched his own. She frowned when he smiled and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You said you wouldn’t kiss a woman that wasn’t yours.” Her chest heaved and he could see she was fighting tears and the desire to belt him. “Did I say that?” He took her arm and led her out of the room. She kept walking to her truck when he stopped to lock the building. He caught up with her when she pulled open the driver’s side door to Kari’s truck. “Kathryn, I…” “No, Andy.” She held up her hand to silence him. “We want each other, but you’re probably right. I want to get my life in order. A lot of things have happened to me lately, and I’m being given a chance to start new. I guess I should do all of that on my own. I know you’re afraid I’m going to blow it. I don’t blame you for not wanting to chain yourself to someone who might not be good enough for you.” Andy put a finger on her lips, and she looked up at him with blue orbs that sparkled in the darkness. He could see pain swarming through her and it scared him. He didn’t understand the strong emotions racing through him. And looking into her eyes, he could see the same foreign emotions spinning there. Could their physical attraction for each other be so strong it was calling forth emotions he’d never witnessed before? “I’ll pick you up in an hour,” he said, and pulled her to him before she could say anything. He kissed her soundly and then guided her behind the steering wheel, before shutting her door. “Do you like steak? All I’ve seen you eat are salads.” “Yeah, I like them.” He fought not to smile when she looked completely confused. “Good, I’ll throw a couple on the grill.” She simply blinked at him, with her mouth half-open, and he thought this might be one of the few times he would see the woman speechless. “Go home, Kathryn.”

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Chapter Sixteen “I swear that was the best steak I ever had.” Andy smiled, leaning back in his chair on his back porch. They’d talked all the way through supper, sharing stories of high school and college, of previous lovers. It amazed him how easily he’d opened up to her. This wasn’t his style. Sharing private memories of his life could only be used against him. “Tell me about your wife.” She didn’t look at him, but stared out into his back yard. “She cheated on me.” The words just slid out of his mouth. Kathryn nodded, not saying anything. Letting out a sigh, he sipped at his beer. “We’d been married six months. I got curious why she wasn’t home when I got off work so followed her one night. They were in bed together at his apartment.” Kathryn shivered noticeably. “What did you do?” “Issued a few idle threats.” The details still stung. Maybe sharing the ugly memories with Kathryn would help her understand why his heart was destroyed. “A few months later I discovered she had another lover. He was a local politician and married.” The man had offered Andy money, anything to keep the situation quiet. “I packed my things after that. Before I’d finished packing several guys from the force showed up and told me my wife was dead.” Kathryn stood, the pain in her expression digging into his heart when she moved to him. Her fingers gently caressed his head. He closed his eyes. Her touch soothed him, made the painful memories easier to endure. “Is that why you came here?” “No one ever accused me of killing her. She’d been shot in the head while driving on the Interstate. God. She had so many lovers it could have been anyone. But I didn’t have the strength to take on the investigation.” When he opened his eyes, the pain in her expression matched that in his heart. There wasn’t room for anymore heartache. He looked at the dark shadows stretching across his yard. “They accepted my resignation and I found an opening here. It was a fresh start. But no matter how far I ran, the ghosts stayed with me.” She went down on her knees, her hands brushing over his legs. Her touch was like fire. Sharing his darkest secrets burned through him even worse. Standing, he took her hand in his. “I’m taking you home.” “Good morning. You startled me.” Kari turned around and smiled when her sister walked into the kitchen, barefoot and wearing nothing but a very long t-shirt. Her hair fell from a zigzagging part and was pushed up on one side. But, there was a wonderful color in her cheeks, and her smile was genuine, matching the sparkle in her eyes. Kari grinned at her. “When Andy picked you up last night, to be honest, I didn’t think you were coming back home.” “Neither did I.” Kathryn walked over and poured a steaming cup of coffee. “I swear that man gets morbid satisfaction in leading me on and then dropping me by the wayside.”

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Kari showed her confusion with a frown. She folded the dough she was kneading in half, and pressed forward. “Maybe you should just tell me what did happen. I don’t know if I want to know what didn’t happen.” Kathryn chuckled. “Now you’re getting it. My brain is in complete confusion. We drove out to his house, and he had the grill going when I got there. I helped make a salad while he grilled the steaks. We talked all the way through supper. It was like he’d been my best friend all my life and we needed to catch up on old times. Kathryn plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table and stared at the chipped polish on her toes. Not so long ago, she wouldn’t have left her room without applying another coat to make the polish smooth. At the moment she didn’t care. “Oh Kari, it was so great. We shared stories about high school, our first dates, different places we’ve been to on vacations. He told me about every bone he’s broken in his body. I told him about when I broke my ankle skiing. He told me about meeting his wife. They found out she was pregnant, and they got married. She lost the baby a few months later. He always wondered if she had an abortion but he never asked. It wasn’t a very happy marriage.” Andy had told her about his wife in confidence. She wouldn’t abuse his trust in her by sharing his private words. She wouldn’t turn his darkest secret into idle gossip. Kari didn’t notice there was more to share about their evening. “I’ve heard bits and pieces of it since he’s lived here. I know he took the position with the sheriff’s office because he wanted to get out of Chicago.” Kari divided her dough into four loaves and placed them in greased pans. “Well, it sounds like a wonderful time. Why do you sound upset?” “Kari, I wanted to make love to him. I know he wants me, but the jerk brought me home. I pouted all the way, and it did no good. I’ve never met anyone like him before.” Kathryn threw her arms out in despair. “I just don’t know what to do with him.” Kari laughed as she washed her hands, and then dried them on a towel. She plopped down across from Kathryn and reached out for her hands. “I don’t think you would like a man you could control. He would bore you. It looks like you’ve found Mr. Right. And it sounds like you’re doing what you should be doing with him…getting to know him.” Kathryn let her head fall onto the table and covered her hair with her hands. “I want to get to know a lot more of him,” she moaned. The pressure inside her would explode, she would die, never be able to function properly again. And it would all be Andy Adams fault. The bastard. God she needed him bad. The following week the town of Three Hills was full of talk of the harvest party, and the apparent interest the sheriff had taken in Angela Newton’s long lost daughter. Andy appeared impervious to the talk, and greeted her warmly whenever he saw her. He didn’t offer public affection though, and Kathryn knew she was destined for the funny farm. She was sure her desire for him would inevitably send her into babbling madness. He called her Monday morning and asked her to meet him for lunch at the café. She agreed eagerly, and he did the same thing Tuesday. Wednesday he didn’t call, but she

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showed up anyway. He greeted her with a winning smile when she strolled up to where he sat at the counter and plopped down next to him. “I train easily, don’t I?” she’d muttered, and he’d broken out in a full laugh that had everyone in the small eating establishment staring at them. She showed up to have lunch with him for the rest of the week. Friday, she showed up before he did, and endured the many questions from the inquisitive town folk. “The sheriff grabbed his lunch early.” Mattie slid the iced tea that Kathryn ordered every day in front of her. “I have some ham left over from last night. You want me to chop some into your salad?” “I don’t know if I’ll eat.” Kathryn wondered where Andy was, and why he changed his schedule just when she started to feel like they might be a couple—a couple with no sex life. She jumped at the sound of his voice. “She’s got enough time to eat, Mattie.” Andy slid into his usual seat and nodded toward the coffee pot. “Just give me some coffee.” Kathryn noticed he was out of uniform and looked up at him questioningly. “I’ve set up an appointment for us to go take a look at that land you want to buy. You shouldn’t buy it sight unseen.” He studied the blue jeans she wore, with a dark green silk blouse tucked in to show off her narrow waist. She wore penny loafers and looked like a typical suburban housewife. The sun caught hold of her long auburn hair, and drew his attention back to her face. She smiled wickedly at him. He drew strength he didn’t know he possessed and ignored her suggestive look. It seemed he’d been walking around with a half-hard cock forever now. Spending time with her made him crazy in the head. But being away from her made it even worse. If he took one more cold shower he’d scream. “We need to stop by your house so you can change clothes. The ground might be a little damp, and I know it’s pretty overgrown in places. You’ll need boots, and maybe an older pair of jeans.” She looked down at the salad when Mattie placed it in front of her. She’d found a man that would rather have her in old jeans and boots, instead of fancy lingerie. Yet, the look of suppressed desire ran rampant through his gaze every time he looked at her. She wondered what he would do if he found her alone in some lacy lingerie. She smiled evilly and took a large bite of her salad. It just might be time to start fighting dirty. A couple hours later she was properly attired in old jeans and clunky boots. She got out of her side of the car and watched while Andy headed toward another man who had parked nearby in the isolated area. “It’s real nice of you to meet us out here, Harry.” Andy shook hands with a very thin, white haired older man. “I’d like you to meet Kathryn O’Brien. Kathryn this is Harry Rogers.” “It’s nice to meet you.” Kathryn couldn’t believe she was meeting with a realtor, dressed to clean out a basement. She wore a lined, flannel shirt Andy offered her when she showed up in her living room in old jeans, her cowboy boots, and a cardigan sweater.

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“We’ll take a look at the house, but the sheriff here said you wanted to take a look at the land.” Harry Rogers led the way up the overgrown path, and climbed solid wooden stairs to a wide front porch. “I didn’t know there was a house on the land.” Kathryn looked up at Andy and whispered, as they followed the realtor. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. “That’s why you’re looking at it. You may decide you don’t want to spend your money on it.” Andy knew after they’d walked through the house that she wanted it more than ever. She smiled like a child on Christmas morning when they walked through the two-story farmhouse. Its style was very similar to the Newton house, and Harry Rogers told them that old Mr. Miller designed it after the Newton’s place. There was only one bathroom, although there were four bedrooms on the second floor. He hid a smile when Kathryn turned to the realtor and asked how much it would cost to put a bathroom on the second floor. “Well, it depends on how the pipes run through the walls.” Old Harry scratched his head. Kathryn looked like he might have spoken to her in Greek. She shrugged and turned to trot down the stairs. “Shall we go out and see the land?” She looked over her shoulder and caught Andy smiling at her. The yard surrounding the house was huge, and looked like it hadn’t been mowed all year. There were a couple of cherry trees that had been grossly neglected bordering the back side of the yard, and Kathryn noticed where once there might have been a vegetable garden. She turned to stare back at the house when they reached the edge of the woods. Was she actually considering living here? What about Kari? She wasn’t sure she wanted to live alone, and she knew her sister didn’t want to live alone. What was she doing? She was preventing big time investors from turning this into some gaudy getaway. And she was returning Newton land to the family. Her mother’s dream. Her grin broadened. The sun suddenly seemed brighter and a warmth spread through her as she stared at the undeveloped land. For a moment the breeze seemed to whisper in her ear. She folded her arms over her chest, swearing for a moment there someone had just told her thank you. She turned and ran to catch up with the men, who were already engrossed in how good the hunting would be on the land. Kathryn remembered Kari telling her that Andy hunted in his free time. Did he think he would have free access to the land if she bought it? She trudged behind them, enjoying the nature around her, and listening to their easy chatter. Andy asked plenty of questions about right of way and water rights. Kathryn was thrilled he was here with her. They were questions she wouldn’t have asked. Andy seemed to know something about everything. A nice man to have around…for the rest of her life. After walking for several hours, until she was sure they had looked at every inch of the land, they arrived back at the house. “You want me to head into town to go with you to the bank?” Harry Rogers walked over to his car. “No. You’ll get your commission though. I’ll see to it. That is, if Miss O’Brien decides she wants to buy.” Andy led her around to the passenger side of his Buick, and opened her door for her. She liked the way he felt confident in her abilities to trudge across the countryside for the afternoon, and then turn around and treat her like a delicate flower.

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“I want to buy it,” she said quietly to him. “Well, looks like you have a sale. We’ll get the paperwork sent over to you.” Andy shut Kathryn’s door and walked around to his side. Kathryn was overwhelmed that they dealt with only a loan officer from the local bank. Andy saw her visibly relax and knew the extra phone calls he made earlier that day had been worth it. He liked the woman that trudged along side him on that land. She’d looked full of life and beauty with her red cheeks glowing, and her freckles dancing when she smiled. And she smiled most of the day. He was starting to worry that the strange feeling that consumed him for the past couple of weeks was more than just pure lust. It just might be possible that he was falling in love with Kathryn O’Brien. Who the hell was he fooling? He knew he was already very much in love with her. And that scared the living crap out of him. Being scared wasn’t familiar territory and he didn’t like it one damned bit. Kathryn was on cloud nine when they walked out of the bank later that afternoon. She didn’t care about Andy’s unspoken rule of no public affection. She wrapped her arms around him the second they were on the sidewalk. She went up on tiptoe and kissed him soundly. “You are the most wonderful man on this planet.” She grinned into his startled face. “And you are a very poor woman with a lot of land.” He poked her nose with his finger, and chuckled seductively when she wrinkled her nose at him. “Sounds like everyone else that lives in Three Hills.” She wrapped her arm through his. “Let’s go over to the café. I’ve got to tell someone.” “I’ll walk you over there, but then I have to go back into work for a while.” He looked down when her gaze dropped to the sidewalk in front of her. More than anything, he wanted to spend the rest of the day with her…and the night. Maybe if he sunk deep into her heat, gave into his need for her, it would help clear his head. She was getting to be too much of a distraction, even when she wasn’t around. Kathryn sat at the counter talking to Mattie Rook and Mrs. Porter, who stopped by with June Elizabeth to wait for Sara Dean to get off work. She once again disregarded Andy’s nonverbal guidelines when she pecked him on the cheek right before he left. Kathryn smiled wickedly at his serious gaze when the older women quieted to a respectful hush at the intimate display. “You know, this town needs a good turning at a wedding.” Mattie leaned her elbows on the counter and sighed. “You two sure make a handsome couple.” “We do, don’t we?” Kathryn matched her sigh. “Looks like you’ve been hit hard by the love bug.” Mrs. Porter rattled her spoon in her coffee cup. “Do you think so?” Kathryn turned a curious look from one woman to the other. “I’m not too sure I know what that emotion feels like.” Mattie Rook shook her head, and clucked her tongue. “What movie once said youth is wasted on the wrong people? The two of you chatter on here everyday like you were life long friends, and look at each other like you can’t wait to jump into bed.” “Mattie Rook!” Mrs. Porter grabbed her bosom and looked around like someone might overhear their conversation. They were alone in the café.

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“I guess I should see if Kari can come get me. This man you say loves me just left me stranded in your café.” The women chuckled and Kathryn couldn’t help smiling as well. She kept thinking she would feel remorse sooner or later for spending everything she had on the land. She didn’t feel it at the moment. All she felt was pure joy. Kari didn’t answer the mobile phone that Kathryn now made a habit of leaving at the house. Saying goodbye to the women in the café, wandering around downtown for a bit sounded like a plan. She would try to reach her sister later. She strolled down the street, stopping in front of a small liquor store. Celebrating the purchase of her new home later—with Andy she hoped—with a bottle of wine, sounded like a damned good idea. She stepped into the liquor store and smiled at the pleasant looking man behind the counter. “I’ll be. You’re Kathryn, aren’t you?” The man came around the counter with his hand extended. “I’m Dan Askerby. Your mother and I were real good friends.” He shook her hand vigorously, and his smile was warm and honest. She liked him immediately. “Its nice to meet you. I haven’t met anyone yet that didn’t claim to be a real good friend of my mother’s. I wish I’d had a chance to get to know her.” Kathryn released his hands, and wandered over to look at the wine selection, which wasn’t much. “She meant to send for you. Had it all planned and everything.” Dan’s tone grew sober and he cleared his throat. “So, what can I do for you today? Looks like we’re going to have a pretty chilly night. Looking for something to keep you warm?” “Not in a bottle,” she said with a wink. “I thought it might be a good night to celebrate a little. I now own a chunk of this beautiful countryside. I bought the Miller’s place south of Kari’s home.” “Well, I’ll be damned.” Dan rubbed his hand over his jaw and let his gaze take Kathryn in. “Your mama would be quite proud of you for stopping those developers.” “I think I’ll take this one.” Kathryn handed him her selection and moved over to the counter. She counted the money in her wallet, and realized she might have to make it last for a while. She pulled out one of her credit cards and paid for the wine. “Oh, Kathryn.” Dan called after her, when she walked out of his store. She turned around and smiled at his easy looks. He had sandy hair that was the perfect shade to make it hard to tell that he was turning gray. His face was naturally tan with gentle lines that looked like they came from being outside a lot, instead of middle age. He was tall and lean, and seemed to have the knack of making people around him feel comfortable. “I wondered if you might like to have coffee with me sometime.” “Oh, that would be nice. I’d have to check with the sheriff though.” “Check with the sheriff? Why would you need his permission?” Kathryn blushed and looked at the bottle in her hands. Why did she need his permission? He’d made no declaration that she was his girlfriend. She was the one doing all the declaring. “I’ve been spending some time with him lately. I just don’t want to do anything to mess it up.” “Well, I’ll be. The lucky son of a gun. He’s a good man, Kathryn.” “Wish me luck.” She lifted the brown bag with the bottle of wine in it. “I hope to share this with him tonight.”

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Dan watched her walk down the street, and shook his head. She was the spitting image of her mother. But, unlike her sister, this one had her mother’s personality. He turned around to go back into his store when the sheriff’s car pulled up in front of his store. “If you’re here to buy a bottle of wine you’ve been beat to the punch.” “What’s that?” Andy strolled up to him with a frown. “Are you dipping into your profits?” “Not at all.” Dan smiled, and opened the door to his store for the sheriff. “You just missed Kathryn O’Brien though. I tried to ask her out for a cup of coffee sometime.” Dan Askerby didn’t miss the sheriff’s body go tense as he walked around him. He had to give the man credit though his face remained pleasant. “She turned me down flat.” Dan continued before Andy could say anything that might imply the woman was his. “She told me she had her eyes set elsewhere. She left here with a bottle of wine, too. I couldn’t have lost out to a better man.” It took Andy a minute before he caught the liquor storeowner’s drift. “She said she couldn’t go out with you because of me?” “She made it quite clear.” Dan gave Andy a toothy smile when the sheriff looked like he would burst with pride. Dan Askerby never would know why the sheriff came to the liquor store. The sheriff probably couldn’t have told him if he’d asked. Andy gave him a dumb grin, and shook his head, as he turned and walked out of the liquor store. “I’ll be damned. She said no because she is with me,” he mumbled as he strolled out to the street.

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Chapter Seventeen Kathryn was as nervous as a cat as she looked around the kitchen. Obviously she’d lost her damned mind. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. Everything was in place in Andy’s large kitchen. The clock on the wall ticked with patience she didn’t possess. No one had this kind of patience. If she’d been sane, she’d have told Andy Adams to take a flying hike, no matter that he had more sex appeal than any man on this whole damned planet. He’d put her through hell, and now she was rewarding him. Yup. Definite candidate for the looney bin. She’d gotten a hold of Kari and told her she wanted to drive out to Andy’s and surprise him by making supper. Kari couldn’t believe Kathryn was bold enough to attempt such a stunt, but she agreed to help her. Bold hell, she was out of her mind. With lust. With need. With a craving that wouldn’t rest. Would one night take care of it? Kathryn walked from kitchen, to dining room, to living room, turning on lights. Andy’s mark weighed heavy in each room. Masculine looking furniture, dark warm colors. His strength, his domination filled her as she took in his home. Browsing his CD collection in the living room, she found an old blues compilation, and popped it in to the complicated looking stereo system. After pushing more than one wrong button, she finally got it to work. She threw together a salad, and prayed he had a decent collection of seasonings as she dumped tomato sauce and paste into his skillet. She set water to boil for spaghetti noodles, and found a knife to slice French bread. Now everything was ready and he still wasn’t home. Well almost everything. There was one more thing she had to do. Her Ace. The one card she hadn’t played yet. And it was time to lay it on the table. Andy had his chance to play things his way. Not one more day would go by until she had him—every inch of him. The ball was now in her corner. And she played to win. Her heart raced like a nervous school girl and she wiped sweaty palms against her thighs. What was wrong with her? She could do this. This was her area of expertise. Andy had accused her of being the seductress ever since he met her. Her legs shook as she climbed his stairs. Upstairs was dark. A long hallway, several rooms, heavy wooden doors, all closed. Slowly she opened each one, peaking in, until she knew she’d found Andy’s room. It smelled like him. It looked like him. She’d walked into his lair. The sensation that she was invading a space she hadn’t been invited in to crept through her. She took a deep breath, and slipped out of her old jeans and sweater. Folding them neatly, she put them on the unmade bed. A single sheet twisted like a rope around a thick comforter. Didn’t look like Andy had been sleeping well lately. Well he’d sleep like a brick once she was done with him.

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The black lingerie tickled her fingers when she pulled it out of her purse. The sleek lace was cool against her skin when she pulled it over her head and then straightened the straps, it stretched over her body like a second skin. Damn man didn’t even have a mirror in his room. She pulled a very see through pair of undies over her long legs, and then went to his closet to find a long shirt. Then flipping off the light, she turned to leave the room. The wooden floor chilled her feet, although the rest of her burned with savage desire. A quick look in the bathroom mirror gave her an uncontrolled fit of giggles. “Andy Adams. You are mine.” She sounded confident. If only the billions of butterflies would get the hell out of her stomach. Before she made it to the bottom of the stairs, the back door opened. “I’ve been looking all over hell and back for you.” He barked the words as he stormed across his kitchen, his baritone echoing over the CD playing. He stopped dead in his tracks when she showed up in the doorway. “So did you give up on me and decide to come home?” She smiled as Andy’s jaw dropped at the sight of her. She had buttoned several of the buttons on his extra large flannel shirt while coming down the stairs, hiding the black outfit underneath, but showing plenty of cleavage and long bare legs. His gaze dropped to her bare feet and then climbed back up her slowly until he met her gaze. That was the look she wanted to see. He was putty in her hands. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.” She walked toward him as he continued to stand frozen in the middle of his kitchen. She slid his coat off of him while he turned his head to watch her warily. “Would you like a glass of wine?” “What do you have on under that?” He finally spoke after dumbly taking the glass of wine she offered. “Do you want to see?” She pulled a chair out from under the table and pushed him into it. Confidence grew in leaps and bounds. Straddling his legs, her inner thighs stretching over all that muscle, she stretched over his lap, facing him. Gently, she kissed his nose. “Or would you like to eat first?” “Woman, you’re making me crazy,” he growled through his teeth, his gaze locked on her pushed-up cleavage she had conveniently placed in front of him. His hands glided from her hips to underneath her arms, burning a path over her flesh. Her pussy throbbed, dripping with need, while she fought desperately to keep control of this situation. The moment she surrendered to him, he’d find another reason not to carry through. And that was not going to happen tonight. She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing in on him, drinking him in until she felt drunk, and closed her mouth over his. The growl that tore through him would have sent less brave souls flying. He pulled her tightly to him and devoured all she offered. Andy’s thoughts spun out of control as he relished in the sensations the taste of her mouth gave him. Her tongue was small and lithe as it danced with his. He could taste wine, and a dab of spaghetti sauce. She breathed and seemed to fill him with life. His aggravation, his outrage from not knowing where she was earlier vanished as his body screamed for the satisfaction she offered.

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Kathryn pulled away and slid off of his legs before he could focus. Her movement before him blurred, her body seeming to glow with lust. Her shirt…actually, his shirt…hung slightly crooked on her now, and he caught a glimpse of something black—with lots of lace. His body was too hard to move. If he didn’t undo his jeans in the next second his cock would break in two. Although the only way the pain throbbing through him would subside was if he buried himself inside her, deep, hard, and now. “What are you doing, Kathryn?” “I want you,” she answered simply, reaching for him as she backed up toward the doorway. “Make me your woman.” Not one valid reason formed in his fogged brain why he should not honor her request. He needed her to be his. That much had been clear to him when he’d gotten off work and couldn’t find her. It pissed him off that she hadn’t told him where she would be. Anger soared through him even further that she wasn’t obligated to make her whereabouts known to him. He’d been one rude and mean son of a bitch to anyone and everyone he’d run into looking for her. Fulfilling her request right now would resolve all of that. They were half way up the stairs before enough pain throbbed through his cock to bring him some sense of awareness. Her ass twitched in front of him, his shirt draping past her round bottom, ending where long slender legs began. The view about killed him. Her legs were thin and muscular, capable of wrapping around him and holding on while he buried his cock deep inside her. Long auburn hair draped down her back, sleek and shiny, swaying gently with her movements. It would fall against his bare chest, tickle his flesh, drive him crazy while she rode him. The room spun from lack of oxygen to his brain when they reached the top of the stairs. She didn’t bother to turn on the lights in his bedroom when she entered like she’d already lay claim on the space, but instead turned around to face him and unbuttoned the large flannel shirt that hid her from him. It fell in a pool at her feet and blue orbs glowed up at him, searching for his approval. Damn good thing he hadn’t drank any wine; he was already drunk—drunk on Kathryn O’Brien. “I thought you might like this.” Her voice was as thick as honey. She nibbled at her lower lip when he simply stared at her, the dim light from the hallway silhouetting his large physique. She looked down at the black silk and lace blouse with matching panties. The lace covered her well-rounded breasts, and as she gazed down at herself her nipples hardened. Andy just stood there, silent, consuming so much space before her. “Maybe this isn’t your style.” She was ready to grab and shake him if he didn’t say something…anything. “No…no.” His throat constricted and he cleared it, barely able to speak. Yet she wanted confirmation that she pleased him. “Fucking sexy as hell.” He couldn’t even complete a damned sentence. And if he didn’t watch it, he’d explode before he could get out of his clothes. Her slow smile brought pure pain as he fought to contain himself. “I’ve never done this before.”

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She narrowed the distance between them. Her fingers sent electrical charges through him as she trailed a path to his shoulders. Her words made no sense but his brain wouldn’t cooperate with him right now to form an argument. “I’ve never made love to a man with the intention of initiating a relationship. I’ve had sex to feel better, or to get my way, but not because the man standing in front of me has managed to seep into my soul. It’s a little scary.” “And that’s what we’re doing here?” His dark eyes penetrated through her, searching for the spot she claimed was his. “Are we committing to each other?” She knew how important it was for him to hear her say the words. “I want to be your woman, your girlfriend. I want everyone to know it. I want other men to see me and know they can’t flirt with me because I belong to you.” His body screamed to have its say at that point. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her to him. Her hands locked around his neck, and just as he imagined, she held on to him while wrapping her legs around his waist. Barely able to move forward, he lowered her to his bed, her long hair fanning around her as she stared up at him. Being gentle wasn’t an option. He crushed his mouth over hers, kissing her savagely as desire unleashed between them. She wanted to be his woman, went to all this effort to show him. And damnit to hell if he didn’t plan to mark every inch of her as his. Feelings they had for each other, feelings suppressed from fear, and history, now flooded forth as their mouths warred with each other, tongues dancing and exploring, breath intertwining. A shiver rushed through her beyond her control as he deftly released the clasp in between her breasts, his knuckles hard and hot between her breasts. She never would have dreamed a man could touch her, look at her, and release unfathomable heat like what poured through her right now. Her hands shot up, grabbing him, trying to pull him on to her again when he pulled away. No way would he tell her no. It wouldn’t end until they’d both exploded, and lay tangled together in sweaty bliss. He would fuck her long and hard, or she’d kick his ass. “God. So fucking beautiful,” he whispered, as he stood over her, reaching for the buttons on his shirt. She was lost in a swirl of passion, her breath coming too quickly. He wouldn’t tell her no. She wanted to giggle, shake her head back and forth and laugh out loud, kick her legs up in the air. She’d done it. Fucking done it. Andy would be hers. All hers. Not anyone else’s, not someone’s husband, not a fling. Her man! When she slid him inside her, he would be the only man from that point forward who would fuck her. Her mind was made up. It had gone beyond simply wanting to land a sexy man. No longer was it a game that she catch the unwilling. Andy Adams was her man. And it started right now. His perfectly sculpted body was slowly revealed to her. Corded muscle stretched under tan skin covered with course black hair. Strong and powerful, standing over her, her mouth went dry as she watched. She sucked in a breath when he stood naked before her. He was muscular, taut, and dark. Downy black hair sprinkled over protruding chest muscles and drew to a narrow line

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over his belly button. She allowed her gaze to rest on his aroused cock. Long and straight, thick and swollen. A bead of moisture glistened at the tip of his swollen cockhead. Her mouth watered. Andy was fucking perfect—like she ever doubted him in that department. His legs were long, thick and powerful. The same downy hair covered them. She could picture him as a knight of old with his strong warrior’s body. She shot her gaze back up to his face and found that he was committing her body to memory as well. His crooked smile made her blush and she clasped her hands to her cheeks in disbelief. “No one has made me feel like you do,” she whispered. “You haven’t felt anything yet, lady.” “Oh yeah?” she cooed, stretching on the bed while running her fingers down her inner thighs. Kathryn’s mind whirled as Andy covered her with his body. Solid muscles, hard as iron and covered with the softest, downy hair, embraced her and pulled her to him. She had worked for this, craved him like she’d craved no other man, and ached for oneness with him in a way she’d never known before. She would argue that point with Andy, and show her proof with this joining—this was so much more than just physical. For the first time in her life, she felt her heart pump with love. She loved him. God. That was it. She fucking loved him! As his hands stroked her body, and his tongue left moist trails of heat, she knew with each explosion of white heat that she was indeed offering him her virginity. The virginity of her heart…a heart never before touched by another man. He slipped the lace underwear down her legs, and lazily ran his fingers down her inner thigh. He moved too slowly, her body screaming for more. If she spoke he might stop, and nothing had ever felt better in her entire life. Her muscles quivered, clamped together. She grabbed the twisted sheet underneath her, balled it in her fists. A cry reached her throat, climbed, built, until it tore from her lips in spite of her silent demand to endure his sweet torture. Andy stared at the soft creamy flesh, so soft, like silk, on her inner thighs. Watching his darker fingers send a path of goose bumps over her flesh, his cock was so inflamed the selftorture he applied was almost unbearable. But he would take his time, claim every inch of her. Mark her as his woman. His touch would be the only touch. Only his fingers would travel through the soft strawberry blond hair between her legs, only his tongue would trace loving paths down her stomach, only his hands would caress her breasts. He lifted her legs, spreading her open for him. Pools of lust made the soft hair between her legs moist, glistening. Her hips rose slightly off the bed while her mouth formed a small circle. Every inch of her was tense with anticipation, waiting, aching as he was, for what both of them had wanted for so long. Lifting her to his mouth, he cupped her ass while running his tongue between her velvety folds. She bucked against him, crying out. And he tightened his grip, holding her firmly, keeping her where he wanted her while feasting on the thick cream that spilled over his tongue.

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“Damnit. Andy!” She tore at the bedding on either side of her, twisting it around her hands, while tossing her head from side to side. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he growled, softly blowing on her cunt. “Give it all to me.” He watched her come, her body convulse, while he kept a tight grip on her, not allowing her pussy to leave his mouth. Every drop would be his. He sucked on the sensitive flesh, stretched her ass apart, ran his tongue from her soaked cunt down to her puckered more sensitive flesh below. Blood rushed through his body, pulsing in his cock. It throbbed hard and heavy between his legs. The pain was unbearable. As beautiful a sight as he had laid out before him, he had to have more—needed more. God he needed to fuck her more than he needed to breathe. He rose above her to search into blue eyes that were dark sapphires, foggy with the passion he was sure mirrored his own gaze. “Please Andy. Don’t make me wait any longer,” she whined, twitching underneath him. She brushed a long auburn strand from her damp face. His cock weighed a ton, swollen with need, with the long wait he’d inflicted on himself. Slowly he moved over her. His muscles shook and cramped in his arms. No woman compared to her beauty. Every curve, every soft inch of skin, Kathryn swayed like a sultry goddess on the bed underneath him. They stared into each other’s souls as he hovered over her, and saw the other half of their own soul waiting for unification—fulfillment both of them lacked until this point. Her legs glided up his outer thighs, wrapping around his waist. “Fuck me,” she whispered, and her tongue darted over her lips, moistening them. “Hard and now, Andy. Please.” And as he drove into her and howled from the heat of her desire for him, she knew, at that moment, that she was his…forever. He filled her, stretched her, burrowing into heat that built with their movements. His skin was damp, his muscles twitching under her fingers as she stroked his arms. Biting her lower lip, she fought to hold on, to enjoy how deep he reached, how damned fucking good he felt. But the pressure built, rushed through her, climbing to a climax too big for her to hold on to. Her muscles cramped around him, clinging to his cock while he moved faster and faster. Heat built between them, making her hair damp, her hands glide easier over his roped muscles. The look on his face was more intent than she’d ever seen it before. A small vein pulsed over his eyebrows while he grit his teeth, never looking away from her. His arm and chest muscles bulged and flexed while he worked them over the edge. Never had she witnessed such raw power, such intense strength, so much man. Her gaze blurred, her body convulsing. No longer could she hold on. Wanting the moment to last forever, but riding through the orgasm that ripped—tore through her, she held on to him with all of her strength, screaming his name while she exploded so hard she almost passed out. “Roll over,” he ordered, and she looked up shocked. “I’m not done with you. Not by a long shot.”

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Over an hour later, Kathryn pulled damp hair from her face, as Andy collapsed on his back breathing heavily. “Are you still hungry?” She ran her fingers through the hair on his chest. Every inch of her tingled. Fire burned through her and she knew she’d have sore muscles the next day. Slowly she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Kathryn, I’m not as young as I used to be. If you want more, you’re going to have to wait a little bit.” He glared at her, when she laughed. “I was talking about the spaghetti dinner downstairs. They say Italian food is always better warmed up the second time. Shall we go down and eat?” Andy smiled and kissed her forehead. “Yeah. Let’s see if you’re any good in the kitchen.” Kathryn groaned and rolled off of him to find her clothes. The spaghetti was good, although Kathryn indulged more on the salad. She was thrilled when Andy had three helpings. They took their wine into the living room and Kathryn sat cross-legged on the floor while Andy made a fire. She felt perfectly sated while she watched him stroll barefoot to his stereo and pick out some gentle jazz, before grabbing his wine and joining her on the floor. He pulled her to him and she cuddled with a contented sigh…when the phone rang. “Hi Kari. No, your timing is perfect.” Andy smiled, and Kathryn could just imagine her sister blushing. She poked him with her elbow and grabbed the phone from him. “He didn’t kick me out.” Kathryn giggled when he began chewing on her ear lobe. “I’ll give you my spaghetti recipe.” “Kathryn, are you coming home tonight?” There was something in Kari’s tone that implied she wasn’t simply lonely. “I don’t know. Is everything okay?” Kathryn stiffened, and Andy quit teasing her and leaned forward to see her face. “Oh, probably. This car keeps driving down the road. It slows in front of the house and then just continues on. I can’t tell what kind of car it is, but I can hear it slow down as it comes to our driveway.” “I’ll come home.” Kathryn looked up, but Andy was already up and grabbing his boots. “Whatever you do, stay inside.” “Tell her to lock her doors and windows.” Andy had turned back into the sheriff. They pulled into the driveway forty minutes later, and Kari flung open the front door. Kathryn jumped out of the car and hurried up to the porch stairs. She stopped when Kari pointed to the porch swing. “A man showed up ten minutes ago.” Kari looked up as Andy joined Kathryn on the porch. “I wouldn’t open the door, but he asked for you.” “He asked for me?” Kathryn looked at the long, narrow black box resting in the center of the porch swing. There was a legal sized envelope underneath it. “What did he look like?” “It wasn’t anyone I’ve seen before. He had brown hair. When he turned to leave, I saw it was pulled into a small ponytail. He wore a suit, but no tie. He said he was trying to find out if you were staying here. He acted like he didn’t believe he had the right address.”

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“Why did he leave these?” Andy walked over and slipped his gloves on before picking up the box and envelope. “I told him you weren’t here right now.” Kari threw her hands up in the air. “I’m sorry. I know I should have said something like I didn’t know who you were. I was just so scared.” “Oh baby.” Kathryn pulled her sister into her arms. She led her inside and they congregated around the kitchen table. “I guess there is only one way to find out who our visitor was.” Kathryn ripped open the envelope and pulled out a hand written letter. She read the letter, and then closed her eyes, and handed it to Andy. She let out a loud sigh and then looked at her sister. “Where is my phone?” Kari jumped up and grabbed the phone off the counter. Kathryn frowned when Andy ran his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry that man scared you. I guess he was a messenger from my old boss. The letter is from him, and I’m sure whatever is in that box is from him too.” “What does he want?” Kari was completely confused. “He wants me to go to London with him.” Kathryn shot Andy a worried glance. He wasn’t looking at her, but she could see the turmoil in his set jaw. “What’s in the box?” Kari sat back down and scoot the box across the table to Kathryn. “I don’t care what’s in there.” Kathryn pushed the box away, and Andy looked at her. “I’m going to call him and tell him to leave me alone.” Overwhelmed by curiosity, Kari couldn’t take it. She flipped open the black box and sucked in her breath when a beautiful ruby bracelet glistened in front of all of them. “I can’t imagine anyone giving me something so beautiful.” Kari was awestruck. Andy got up and walked out of the room, and Kari looked wide-eyed at her sister. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.” “It’s okay. Give me a minute.” Kathryn jumped up and ran out into the living room. Andy stood looking out the front door. “I guess I should probably be getting home,” he mumbled with his back to her. “Andy, don’t do this.” Kathryn grabbed his arm, and turned him to face her. She could see the pain spinning in his eyes. “You have nothing to worry about…and I don’t want you to leave.” “Kathryn, I can’t give you gifts like that.” Andy grabbed her arms and gave her a little shake. “Maybe you should think this over very carefully. You come from a world I will never know. You tossed aside a bracelet that probably cost close to what I make in a year.” “Andy, I never dreamed I would have a shot at a man as real as you. I would rather have a paper airplane from a man who loved me, then a ruby bracelet from a man that will shun me when his wife comes home. The only reason men like Phillip Ackley want women like…um…the way I was, is so they can show their friends they can afford a toy like me. I’m using emotions right now that I never knew I had. Give us a chance, please. I want many more nights like tonight.” Andy studied her for a minute and then pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on the top of her head and simply relished in the fact that he was holding her. She’d just been

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offered a trip to London, and a piece of jewelry that was worth a small fortune. For the moment, she had pushed the gifts aside for him. A part of the iron wall that protected his heart, resecured itself into place. He would enjoy this, but his doubts grew by the moment that it would last.

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Chapter Eighteen School started the following week and Kari was up and out the door each morning by seven. By mid-week, Kathryn managed to get up to sit with her sister over coffee. She didn’t have a way into town unless she took her sister to the school in the morning. There was plenty to do to prepare for the harvest party that weekend. So Kathryn learned to enjoy the early morning hours so she could dropped her sister off each day, and then run the errands necessary to prepare for the gathering they would have that Friday. Kathryn found herself wearing a pair of her mother’s old overalls, and loading cafeteria tables into the back of the truck, driving them out to the house, and then unloading them. She met with a handful of the women from town, and helped individually wrap apple turnovers. When Friday finally arrived, she spent the first half of the day scrubbing the house, sweeping off the front porch, and dragging the tables out into the yard. She wondered half way through the day if she would even have the energy to attend the party. It took all her energy to shower and slip into the dress Sara Dean worked so hard to make for her. “I can’t believe it. Look at the two of you.” Mary Rivers sat on the front porch steps, watching her children run around the tables with other children from town. “Your mother is beaming with pride right now. I’m sure of it.” Hazel Upton sat rocking in the chair next to the porch swing. She turned to gaze at the twins, when they walked out the front door. Kathryn looked at Kari quickly, hoping the older lady didn’t stir up emotions in her sister. Kari simply met her gaze and squeezed her hand. “Oh, yeah!” Sara Dean walked up to the porch with June Elizabeth in her arms. “The dresses look great.” “I’ll definitely have to second that one.” Paul Reece smiled at Kari and she blushed beautifully. “We do look marvelous, don’t we?” Kathryn spun around in the middle of the porch, and then poised for the group. Sara Dean beamed as she looked at her handiwork. She’d successfully taken one pattern and molded it to fit the personalities of each sister. Kathryn wore a dress that fit snugly to her trim figure and ended half way to her knees. The collar was high, and the sleeves short. The style was simple, but the material changed colors as she moved, accenting the sway of her hips. She wore a wide black belt, which hung loosely, and at an angle around her waist. She also wore ribbed, wool stockings that disappeared into flat-heeled black boots. The stockings accentuated her long, slender legs, but also served in keeping her legs warm in the chilly, late afternoon breeze. Kari’s dress was made from the same material, and fit snugly against her equally slim body. However, the length of her dress fell past her knees. Otherwise, Kathryn managed to find a belt in her wardrobe that was similar to the one she wore, and boots that matched her own. Both women wore black headbands pulling back their hair, and Kari reluctantly agreed to allow her sister to apply a small amount of make up. In spite of their different hair color, and length, they looked very much like identical twins.

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The community, especially the men, seemed quite taken with the two women. Kari told her sister so many stories of the harvests they held year after year, that Kathryn was comfortable with the agenda for the evening. There was more than one comment on how similar she was to her mother, when Kathryn yelled at everyone that the picking contests for the children were ready to begin. She had no problem, as twilight set in, with gathering everyone’s attention once again, and introducing the fiddlers who would start the dance. Everyone was enjoying themselves. And although Kathryn allowed herself to be pulled out into the front yard more than once, so one of the young men could spin her around to the twanging music, she couldn’t help but feel her enthusiasm slip further as the evening progressed. Where was Andy? “He said he had to work today.” Kari tried to reassure her, when Kathryn begged off a dance, and plopped next to her sister on the porch steps. “And he comes every year.” “Well then we’ll both know I’m the reason he didn’t come this year.” Kathryn leaned back on her elbows, and crossed her long legs in front of her. “You two make quite the lovely picture.” Dan Askerby sat down on the porch steps next to Kathryn, and offered her one of two drinks he held in his hand. “I thought you might be thirsty.” “Thanks Dan.” She smiled at him, and accepted the apple cider. “Did you want some more to drink?” Paul Reece sat on the other side of Kari. “I think I’ve had about all the cider I can drink for the rest of the year.” Kari watched the couples spin around under the white Christmas lights they’d strung up on poles to add light. “Hey look, there are headlights. Someone is just arriving.” Andy parked his car along with the others on the edge of the yard, and simply sat there looking at the entire community enjoying the annual harvest party. “Angela, are you proud right now?” he whispered quietly to himself as he sat there for a moment, taking it all in. He could see Kathryn and Kari sitting on the porch steps. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed Dan Askerby lean into Kathryn and whisper something to her. She looked up at him and laughed easily. The wall around his heart closed in like a vice grip. “I sure know how to pick them, don’t I? You told me to stay clear of her, Angela, why couldn’t I listen?” He gave serious thought to turning his car back on, and simply heading home. How could he walk among those people without being acutely aware of her every move? He shouldn’t have allowed her to seduce him. He reminded himself that he was only a man, and that she was a professional in seduction. But she’d made it sound like she wanted more than sex from him. Maybe she wasn’t capable of having a monogamous relationship. He knew from first hand experience that women like that existed. He blew out a long breath and got out of the car, fighting the urge to simply walk over and send Dan flying across the yard. Hell more than a handful of men in the community wouldn’t bat an eye at him simply tossing Kathryn over his shoulder and marching right back out of there. The thought had its appeal. Kathryn listened as Dan told the three of them a humorous story about a drunk that was in his store earlier that day. She tried to be polite and laugh where appropriate, but the

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tightening in her stomach grew worse as she tried to come to terms with the fact that Andy wouldn’t be here. She was well aware that he was afraid to let himself get close to her. She’d had lunch with him during the week, and they’d enjoyed each other’s company, she thought. But preparations for tonight had kept her busy, and he’d made no attempt to see her other than at the café. There was nothing else she could do at this point. She had no experience in the area. Having sex with a man was usually all it took for him to want more. But she had made love with Andy. It had been a hell of a lot more than just good sex. She had given her heart to him. And that was new territory for her. If there were rules here, she didn’t know them. Getting him back in bed again wouldn’t be that hard, but that wasn’t what she wanted. Okay, she did want that, but she wanted so much more. The simple truth was she was in unchartered territory, and she didn’t have a clue what to do next. Part of her simply wanted to sneak out, and find a way to drive over to his house. More than several cars blocked in Kari’s truck though. Maybe she could sneak upstairs and try to call him. What would she say? Dan tapped her shoulder when she obviously missed the punch line. She looked up at him quickly and smiled. “I’m sorry, Dan. I guess the day is taking its toll on me.” She glanced through the crowd, and one individual caught her attention. He stood over by the parked cars, still in uniform, and looking sexier than he did in her best dreams of him. Andy simply stood there watching her. “Excuse me, please.” Kathryn climbed down the porch stairs, and knew there was a dumb grin on her face as she moved through the crowd. Andy watched her walk through the crowd of people, enjoying themselves on the front lawn, and couldn’t believe she walked toward him. Several heads turned as she excused herself to get past them, and he made eye contact with each one. He knew his pride was showing. How could this woman do this to him? How could Kathryn O’Brien look his way, and simply turn all his rational thought to mush? She walked up to him, and didn’t stop until her body was inches from his. Her painted fingernails were like trails of molten lava as they traced their way up his uniform to his neck. With the strength of a feather, she was able to pull his head down to hers for a kiss. “I was sick inside when I thought you weren’t coming,” she whispered into his mouth. He couldn’t answer. He kissed her nose gently and smiled what he was sure had to be the goofiest grin the woman had ever seen. Why him? Why was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, gracing him with all her attention? Why couldn’t he quit being so damn suspicious and just accept the fact that she was? “Did the murderers and derelicts of Polk County keep you from me?” She wrapped her arm around his and let him escort her toward the barrels of cider and beer. “I had some paperwork I wanted to get finished.” He looked down at her, and knew she questioned whether he told her the truth. He couldn’t lie to her, and so added under his breath, “I couldn’t decide whether to come or not.”

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He was acutely aware of the inquisitive stares that most of the town folk present were giving them. Maybe a beer would calm his nerves. Kathryn seemed aware of the tension he radiated. Her smiles were timid, and she seemed exceptionally shy with him. He cursed his inability to relax. He liked his fiery redhead a lot more than this submissive creature too eager to see to his happiness. He cringed when Hazel Upton, Harry Rogers, and a few members of the town council cornered them. “Well, there you are, dear.” Hazel made no attempt to hide the knowing look she gave the two of them as she let her shrewd gaze fall on Kathryn’s arm wrapped possessively around his. “We were just talking about you.” Kathryn laughed. “That’s usually my cue to leave a party.” “Not at all, Miss O’Brien.” Billy Warble laughed deep from his belly. The old man was no longer mayor, but still stayed involved in civic matters. “Hazel was telling us how you bought the Miller land. What do you intend to do with the old place?” “Call me Kathryn, please.” Kathryn showed all the finesse of a woman who had wined and dined in the best of circles. Andy had to give her credit. She treated these people the way he knew she probably treated senators and diplomats she’d entertained most of her life…with style and grace. “And I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do with it. It is so beautiful out there. I thought I might let the sheriff take me out and show me how to hunt.” “Oh, ho!” Billy Warble let out a hoop of laughter and the small group around them smiled and chuckled. “Now that one is a scary thought,” Andy drawled with a smoothness he learned long ago. He laughed easily with the others, but when he looked down into Kathryn’s eyes, he wasn’t laughing. Caution had built that damned wall around him again…and it tore at her heart. Maybe this was why she’d never ventured into the game of love. It hurt terribly to be so exposed. The music changed, and the fiddlers began a slow, melodic tune. A handful of couples moved around the open grassy area, and children slowly began dumping themselves on the ground, full of sweets, and dirty from their play. “Dance with me.” Andy tickled her ear with his breath. “Oh, Andy.” Kathryn knew she was blushing like a school girl and felt her stomach tie into knots. She didn’t like how he controlled her emotions with strings, as if she were a puppet. His arms wrapped around her as he guided her around the other couples, and molded her body to his. “Are you glad that you decided to come tonight?” “I think you know I couldn’t stay away.” “But you wanted to. Don’t be afraid of me. I’ve laid myself completely open to you.” I’m falling in love with you, she wanted to say. But the words, and the feelings, were too new to define with three small words. “You’re definitely one to say what’s on your mind.” His grin was wicked, as if he could see into her mind through her eyes, and knew her thoughts better than she. Kathryn’s smile was wistful. “If that were true, I would be speaking gibberish. My mind feels all messed up right now. I don’t know where I stand with you, Andy.”

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“That makes two of us, darling.” Andy’s hand slid up her back and his fingers tangled in her hair. She nestled her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes as he twirled her around. He lowered his face so that he spoke into her hair. “I feel drunk with you, and it makes it hard to focus. If you walk out on this, I swear I’ll stalk you to the corners of the Earth.” She lifted her face to look up at him, and her smile about did him in. “Don’t you dare try to kiss me in front of all these people.” He gave her his best glare, and moaned when it didn’t seem to faze her. “Someone will feel duty bound to Angela’s memory, and will pull out a shot gun and a preacher.” “And that would be a bad thing?” Something passed through those baby blues that he hadn’t seen before. “It’s not the way I care to go about things.” Kathryn looked at him for a moment longer, and then lowered her face back to her spot against his chest. Just what the hell did he mean by that? They danced several more songs and then mingled with some people Kathryn didn’t know. She was very aware that after this evening, the town would consider them a couple. She sought what equanimity she could from the fact that Andy didn’t seem to mind this. He introduced her as they chatted with different folks she didn’t know, but offered no title…such as being his girlfriend. Strolling with him to his car later that evening, she relished in the warmth of his hand wrapped around hers. Most everyone was gone, and Kathryn found the country sky overwhelming as they held hands. “You don’t have to leave, you know,” she whispered, when he turned her to face him. “Why don’t you stay here tonight?” “Kari wouldn’t be comfortable with that.” He cupped her face with his rough hands. “And I’m sure Angela’s ghost would torment me all night long.” Her blue eyes searched his face and he read her like an open book. “I need to get some sleep tonight, darling. Go inside and go to bed. I’ll come by in the morning and help load up the tables.” He kissed her gently on the lips and then he was gone. An unbearable emptiness sunk through her as his car disappeared down the dirt road. Determination attacked her the next morning while she showered. Existing in the unknown sucked. Not having control of the future wouldn’t do. If she wanted something, she worked until she got it…unconditionally. It would be no different with Andy. She still didn’t know how to go about it. But the fact that her mind was settled on the matter that he would be hers was enough to cheer her. Unconditionally. For life. No strings or hesitation attached. She strolled into the kitchen with damp hair, whistling one of the tunes the fiddlers had played the night before. She took a cup of coffee and bottle of nail polish to the porch swing, and enjoyed the sunrise as she did her nails. Kari had swept the front porch and stacked the baskets to return to the garage. She joined Kathryn with her coffee and chatted amiably about the previous evening when the phone rang. Kari jumped to grab it as Kathryn sat with her fingers and toes spread to let the polish dry.

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“Hello.” She smiled at Kathryn’s odd position. “No, this isn’t Kathryn, it’s Kari. Who’s this?” Kari’s smile faded and her eyes grew wide. She sat down awkwardly on porch stairs as her hand went to her stomach. Kathryn worried she would get sick. “Who is it?” She frowned as Kari looked up at her. “It’s wonderful having her here. I think we both like our living arrangement, Sir. She’s, um, right here, if you want to talk to her.” Kari bit her lip. “That would be nice…I’d like that.” Kari handed the phone to Kathryn. The receiver trembled in her hand and Kathryn scowled at the obvious distraught look on her sister’s face. “Hello,” she said, ready to tear apart whoever just upset Kari so much. “Kathryn, I can’t believe I just spoke to Kari.” Nate O’Brien’s smooth voice sounded a lot calmer than Kari’s expression. “I do believe I rendered the poor girl speechless.” “Dad, that is an understatement. She’s sitting here in shock. It’s good to hear from you. How’s life in Detroit?” He should have asked to speak to her before talking to Kari. At least then she could have prepared her sister. Now the poor thing sat before her, white as a sheet. Not to mention the berating he deserved for keeping her in the dark about her birth. But, what was the use? Strong emotions didn’t compute when it came to Nate O’Brien. “I’m in New York…have been for over a week. Joanie called me the other day.” Kathryn cringed. She knew it would only be a matter of time before her father’s accountant found out that she’d liquidated everything she had. “I sure hope you have a good explanation for cashing in your inheritance.” “I bought some land, Dad. It’s beautiful, and it borders Kari’s land. There’s a big old rambling house on it.” “And you plan on living there?” “Well, I don’t know. I’m happy living here with Kari right now.” She hesitated on telling her father about Andy. Would he believe she wanted to give a monogamous relationship a try? “I’ll have to take a look at this land. I thought I would come down for a visit. I can fly out of here in the next day or two. I can’t wait to see the two of you together. Your sister must be having some impact on you if you’re content to live down there. Three Hills certainly doesn’t offer the life you’re accustomed to, my dear.” “I like it here, Dad,” she answered quietly, feeling a need to defend her new home. “When can we expect you?” Kari was a nervous wreck when she realized she would be meeting the father she never knew existed a month ago, within the next day or so. She spilled her coffee and broke a dish while straightening the kitchen, before she sat down helplessly in a chair and stared at her sister. “We need to do something.” Kathryn smiled, and refused to let her sister see that she was more than a little nervous about her father’s visit as well. She couldn’t help thinking that he wasn’t coming down here simply to meet the daughter he always knew was here. She thought about the packet Paul Reece gave her after

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they returned from the shack by the creek. She wondered if her father could shed some light on its contents.

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Chapter Nineteen Kathryn looked around her new home, and sighed contentedly. She was more than amazed with her reaction to the old place. She and Kari spent the entire morning cleaning every nook and cranny. It still looked old, and in dire need of repair, but it smelled clean, and the sun shown beautifully through the windows they had scrubbed. And she liked it here. An inner peace made her almost want to cry with happiness. “Let’s take a look out in the yard.” Kathryn walked toward the open back door. “It’s going to take a small army to landscape the place, but I think it’s got potential.” “You sound like you plan to fix the place up.” Kari walked alongside her sister as they wandered through the overgrown brush beyond the yard. “Do you think you’re going to live here?” “I don’t know, Kari. I really don’t.” They’d reached the edge of a rambling creek, and Kathryn squatted to pick up some rocks. “It’s so beautiful here. I don’t see how a person could be here and not be completely happy. The rocks are even beautiful.” She studied the handful of pea size, almost clear rocks in her hand, as the sun caught them and made them glitter. Kari smiled and looked overhead as several birds squawked in the trees. She looked over Kathryn’s shoulders at the rocks in her hands. “My grandmother used to say that you could tell how true a person’s soul was when rocks from the creek glowed in their hands.” “I could have made your grandmother think I was a saint just by holding a few of the rocks in my jewelry box.” Kathryn laughed. “Rocks that used to be in your jewelry box.” Kari took several steps further into the thickness of trees. “Do you regret it?” “Regret selling all my jewelry so I could have this?” Kathryn stood and turned around to gaze at the pure and natural setting about them. “Not for one New York second.” Kari frowned at her in confusion, and Kathryn laughed as she wrapped her arm around Kari’s waist. “None of that city life brought me half the happiness I’ve experienced since I’ve been here. I’ve got you, this land, and a man that is going to see that he needs me. What more could a girl want?” She turned to see tears well in her sister’s eyes and pulled her into a massive bear hug. “You know what?” Kathryn whispered into her sister’s hair. “Would it be okay if I said I love you?” “Oh, dear Lord in heaven,” Kari wailed, grabbing a hold of her so hard the two of them almost fell over. “I love you, too.” Both of them cried now, as they stood next to the creek bed, under the shining sun, and held each other. Kathryn knew she’d paid a small price for what she’d received in return. The two women walked arm in arm back to the big, old house. As they got inside, the phone rang. “I thought I was coming over to help clean up from the party.” Andy’s baritone brought Kathryn’s heart to a stand still. It swelled until she remembered to breathe, and then it started pumping again. “Where are you?” She managed to speak. “I’m standing in your kitchen. Where are you?”

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“That’s funny. I’m standing in my kitchen, too.” Kathryn giggled, but Andy’s growl sobered her. “Kari and I came over to my house.” She quickly explained her father’s phone call, and how it upset Kari. Kari started putting the cleaning supplies back in the buckets and looked up occasionally to add a comment. “Dan said he would stop by to help clean up also,” she added. “That doesn’t surprise me.” Andy’s obvious jealousy made Kathryn flinch. But at the same time her heart fluttered. Jealousy meant that he wanted her. That he didn’t want any other man near her. That was a good thing. Or at least she hoped it was. “Andy, you have nothing to worry about.” She tried to reassure him. “I know.” Kari put her hand on Kathryn’s arm. “Why don’t I go back to the house and wait for Dan to come over. He and I can load up the tables and haul them into town. I heard last night that Andy was going to take you hunting. Why don’t you have him come over here?” “You’ve got to love the Three Hills grape vine.” Andy’s growl was pure heaven to Kathryn’s ears. “What’s the matter, sheriff?” She cooed with delight as she twisted her hair around her finger. “Are you afraid I might turn out to be a better hunter than you?” “Darling, I’m just not sure I’ll be able to carry you back when you pass out at the first sight of blood.” But, he agreed. Kari left Kathryn there and Andy agreed to be over within the hour, having to go back to his house first to grab his rifle. He absolutely refused to bring two. Andy pulled up in front of the Miller’s old place and surveyed the peeling paint and rickety front porch. Kathryn walked out the front door in snug fitting blue jeans and hiking boots. She had a flannel shirt tucked into her jeans, and her long auburn hair hung free past her shoulders. She wasn’t wearing any make up, and by the bright smile on her face, he could tell she wasn’t giving her appearance any thought. Not that she had a thing to worry about— she was beautiful. But what happened to the high society bimbo who wandered into his town in her bright red car and uptown attitude? “Are you really willing to take me hunting with you?” She looked as eager as a child getting a new toy. “I won’t cause any trouble. I’ll do whatever you say…and I won’t complain. I promise.” “We’ll see about all that once we get out in the woods.” He kept his expression sober, fighting to hide how thrilled he was at her glowing smile. He couldn’t help but do his best to kiss that smile senseless. This had to be heaven. His woman walked by his side and listened to every instruction he offered. She asked intelligent questions, and praised his abilities until he thought he would burst. She loved the land as much as he did. He could see it in her face, in her admiring silence, and beyond a shadow of a doubt, when she actually stopped and hugged a tree. He could get real used to her being by his side. She flinched a little when he finally shot a wild turkey. And he didn’t say anything when she stood back a little as he tended to business with the dead bird. She smiled up at him though, when he held it up and said he

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would fix a dinner that would make them yearn for it to be Thanksgiving. And when she made the comment that she was so glad her land could feed them, he simply wanted to drop the bird and swing her around in his arms. He never met a woman so perfectly made to walk by his side. “Will you show me how you prepare it for supper?” She asked as they drove back to Kari’s house. “What? I thought you would make me supper,” he teased, and then laughed when she looked at him in shock. He pulled her to him and she snuggled willingly as he drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand wrapped around her shoulders. His mind and heart experienced a peace he knew he’d never felt before. Kathryn had been a perfect hunting partner. She couldn’t hunt, but she kept up with him, and never complained. She hadn’t fainted at the sight of blood, or screamed in anguish when he’d shot the bird. He glanced down at her, and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. She glowed when she smiled up at him. He wouldn’t mention in a million years that she smelled like sweat, and there was dirt smeared over her eyebrow. Her hair was messed up, and her shirt was twisted. He liked the last part. He had an excellent view of some magnificent cleavage. How could it be that this perfect seductress had strolled into his life and captured his heart? Was he that anxious to have a woman back in his life? There had been several women in town who had shown an interest in him, but when he showed no interest in return, they’d turned their attention elsewhere. Kathryn wasn’t giving up on him. He was sure Angela wrote her a letter telling her to steer clear of him. She’d threatened to do it, and when Kathryn produced those newspaper clippings, he didn’t doubt they came with a rather opinionated letter. He also didn’t doubt that Kathryn ignored every word of it. Oh Angela, this daughter would have locked horns with you at every turn. Kathryn wasn’t afraid to take the bull by the horns, which is exactly what she’d done with him. He pulled her closer to him and realized he wasn’t complaining in the least. No, Kathryn O’Brien had captured his heart, and he had a feeling that he had a pretty good grip on her heart as well. “It will be dark soon,” he muttered. “There really isn’t enough time to prepare that bird for tonight.” “Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “I might let you take a shower before I drive you into town for supper.” Her soft lips on his cheek was all the answer he needed. “Kari! Kari, where are you?” Kathryn danced into the kitchen and dropped her purse on the table. She turned to put her hand on Andy’s chest, and grinned at his dirt stained face. She imagined she was just as dirty. She grabbed his arm and pulled him along as she walked toward the living room. “You wouldn’t believe it. Come outside and see what we brought home for supper.” “Young lady, look at you.” Nate O’Brien stood up as the two of them walked into the living room. “What in God’s name have you been doing?” Kathryn stopped short and Andy about ran into her. His hands went to her waist, and she grabbed him for support. Kari sat in the rocking chair; her cheeks stained with tears. She rose slowly and Kathryn moved to her side. Kari took her hand in a death grip.

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“Are you okay?” Kathryn asked, ignoring her father’s question. “He’s my dad,” Kari whispered, very unnecessarily. She laughed and wiped her eyes. Nate looked at the two women and simply stared for a minute. So many emotions crossed over his face, Kathryn almost didn’t recognize him. Her father was always in control, laughing only when necessary and then always politely. His smile was controlled, and she couldn’t ever remember him losing his temper. Nate O’Brien kept his emotions and inner thoughts under lock and key. The man who stood in front of them now was a raw, open nerve ending, happiness and sadness spilled across his face, his usual icy green eyes were actually moist. For a brief second, Kathryn felt a wave of jealousy that her sister had the power to surface emotions that she’d never been privileged to see. “I thought you were in New York.” She managed to confront her father, although she still held her sister. “My itinerary changed. I flew down here and rented a small plane to fly to Three Hills.” Kathryn had flown in her father’s private jet many times growing up. For a while, she considered it her home. “Kari and I have been getting to know each other. We were discussing this land purchase of yours.” There it was. The tone reserved for his incorrigible daughter. Kathryn straightened, in spite of herself, and glanced over to Andy. He met her gaze and thrust his hands in his pocket. “How about if I get everyone coffee?” The hostess was bred into Kathryn. “I’m fine.” Nate turned his attention to his new-found daughter and smiled gently. “Kari has agreed to dine with me this evening. Kathryn, you’ll join us as well.” “Dad, I have plans.” Kathryn spoke quietly. “Maybe the two of you should have some time to get to know each other.” “Kathryn, I require some of your time.” There was that no nonsense tone Kathryn knew all too well. “You have some answering to do.” “Do I? What have I done now?” “Let’s start with your cashing in your entire inheritance to buy some land. A purchase you didn’t clear with me first. And a financial decision that wiped out funds that would have supported you nicely for many years.” Kathryn counted to three. She wouldn’t let her father humiliate her—not in front of Kari and Andy. Instinctively, she took a step or two toward Andy; willing him to move closer to her and meet her in the middle. Andy didn’t move. “It’s beautiful land. Andy and I have spent the day wandering through its hills.” Kathryn looked at Kari and smiled. “Andy shot a turkey…and I didn’t get sick or anything.” Kari’s eyes danced with amusement, and she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh. “I’m impressed,” she muttered. “Dad, its beautiful land. I’ll show it to you, if you have the time.” Kathryn turned her attention to her father, but he’d turned his attention to Andy. A tension filled the air, and Kathryn quickly moved to Andy’s side. “I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten my manners. Dad, I would like to introduce…” “Andrew Adams.” Her father interrupted her. He didn’t smile and he didn’t extend his hand. Kathryn looked from one man to the other, and could feel animosity building.

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“Do you two know each other?” Kathryn looked up at Andy. She couldn’t read his expression, but it was definitely guarded. “We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in person.” Andy’s tone was relaxed. He extended his hand. “Welcome to Three Hills.” “Adams has an outstanding reputation as a private investigator. He’s done work for me on more than one occasion. If our team couldn’t resolve a situation, Adams here was always the man to call.” Nate never took his gaze off of Andy. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d worked for Dad?” Kathryn turned and rested her hand on Andy’s chest. It was an intimate act…an act proving more than a casual relationship between the two. “Take your hands off of him, Kathryn.” Nate’s face turned beet red, and his voice shook with such ferocity that Kathryn turned quickly, showing her shock. “Dad, Andy and I are…” “No, you are not!” Nate O’Brien grabbed his daughter’s arm and almost threw her behind him. “You will have nothing to do with him.” “Since when do you care who I go out with?” Kathryn shook with anger and her hands balled into fists at her side. “You’ve just finished singing his praises, yet you want me to have nothing to do with him? That makes no sense.” Kathryn could see her sister shaking visibly, but she was too outraged to console her. Andy’s features appeared carved from stone. His brown eyes turned black with control, but she could see how tense his body was. She would have given anything for him to step in and profess his love for her, but she knew that was too much to ask—their emotions toward each other still too new and raw. He met her gaze though, and didn’t look away until her father turned and looked at him. “Angela told me she used the money I gave her to hire you.” Kari gasped, and Nate turned quickly as his expression softened. “I helped the two of you out as much as she’d let me, sweetheart. She wouldn’t take anything from me without giving something in return. Your mother never took handouts.” His gentle tone with her sister only served to fuel Kathryn’s fire. Her mind was spinning with the knowledge that her father didn’t think her capable of improving the way she was. He may have given up on love but she wasn’t going to make the same mistake. Nate merely glanced at her and then turned to look at Andy. “You know what Kathryn is like. I’m not sure I understand what is going on here. But I know your history, and history tends to repeat itself. I’ll thank you to stay clear of my daughter.” “No. You have no authority to say whom I see and who I don’t.” Kathryn jumped in between Andy and her father. “I have every right. I support you. And, whether you care to believe it or not, I love you. You sleep around, Kathryn, and he’ll kill you if he catches you with someone else.” Kathryn’s hand shot up to strike her father. He just called her a tramp—to her face! He, of all people, the hypocrite! Andy grabbed her wrist before she could do damage. “How dare you! I don’t want your money…and I’ve never had your love. I doubt you even know the meaning of the word. I’ve never been shown how to be with one man. God knows you weren’t the best of examples. But I had a mother who loved one man all her life.

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She wasn’t around to offer me the example.” Kathryn shook herself free of Andy and pounded her chest. “But she is in here. I know I have the ability to love one man all my life too. If I hadn’t been kept from her I might have learned it a lot sooner.” “It was Angela’s idea to keep you away from her. Don’t you dare blame me. I won’t have it. You’re being ridiculous, and I’ve had enough. Make it on your own. I cut you off from everything. No more credit cards. No savings account…nothing.” Kathryn’s heart pounded so violently in her chest she could hardly breathe. She took deep gulps of air, and her face turned red in fury. She clenched her teeth together to keep from screaming at her father. The man stood in front of her as solid and unperturbed as always. “That’s fine with me. I’ve grown to loathe your money. There’s no love in it!” And because more humiliation washed through her than it had when she’d been caught in another woman’s bed, she turned tail, and ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

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Chapter Twenty Kathryn rolled over when her sister plopped down on her bed next to her. “You really should get up.” Kari lifted a strand of hair that was stuck to Kathryn’s cheek. “Are you going to church with me?” “Is it morning?” Kathryn rolled over in her bed, and groaned as a sharp pain shot through her hip. She dug into her pocket, twisting underneath the blanket that wrapped around her, and pulled out the rocks she’d picked up while traipsing through her land with her sister the other morning. “Did you have supper with Dad last night?” “Yes, I was too scared to eat though.” Kari shivered at the memory, and Kathryn sat up and ran her hands over her messed up hair. “I think he feels pretty bad about the scene that occurred between the two of you.” “I’m sure he does. Dad doesn’t like extreme emotions. They aren’t as easily handled, or controlled.” Kathryn undressed in front of her sister, and then pulled on her bathrobe. “And our father is accustomed to controlling everything.” “He never controlled Mom.” Kari spoke quietly. “But he did say something that bothered me.” Kathryn padded down the hall to the bathroom with Kari in tow. They had things they needed to talk about, and Kari had waited while Kathryn slept. She needed to get these things off her chest though…and get some answers. “Mom wouldn’t accept handouts, and Dad confirmed that last night. I wonder what she gave Dad in return for the money he sent her each month?” Kathryn stepped into the shower, lathered her hair up, and then rinsed. She stuck her head out of the shower curtain and found her sister brooding as she sat on the toilet lid. The two of them looked at each other. “Is there coffee?” “Yeah, I made a pot an hour ago or so.” Kari looked troubled, and Kathryn didn’t like that her sister was so upset because of her outburst. But, her father was more to blame. He had been incredibly out of line. “Let me finish up here and get some caffeine in me. Is Dad still in town?” “I don’t know. He dropped me off after we ate. We drove into Little Rock, and then we drove back.” Kari let her sister finish showering and dressing. She sat at the kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee, her look contemplative when Kathryn entered dressed for church. Kari told her sister about her visit with Nate O’Brien, while Kathryn poured coffee and made toast. “I told Dad that we went out to the shack where we were born. He told me that was the happiest year of his life. He thought we were dead when you were brought to him in Europe. When he found out his parents lied to him, he came back down here. I don’t remember seeing you two. I guess we were eight at the time. He said he brought you out here with him, but you stayed in the car.” “I don’t remember that either.” Kathryn shook her head.

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“Mom was having a real hard time making ends meet. Dad says that’s when he started giving her money each month. But, what did she give him in return? I didn’t know how to ask him.” “You know the envelopes that Paul gave us, when we came back from staying the night at that shack?” Kathryn asked and Kari nodded. “Well I told you about the letter our Mom wrote. But there were some items in the envelope I didn’t tell you about. I wanted to wait until we were more like bosom buddies.” “Are we bosom buddies now?” Kari’s eyes widened. Kathryn thought she saw hope. “We love each other, don’t we?” Kathryn focused on her cup of coffee. “Yes, we do.” There was so much determination in Kari’s tone that Kathryn looked up with a teary smile. “Okay. I know what our mom gave our dad in return for the money.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “I couldn’t tell you right away; I was confused by it myself. Kari, our Mom gave our Dad this land, this house, your truck…and every piece of furniture in this house.” “How do you know that?” Kari couldn’t believe her mom would do such a thing. “Because all of it is in my name.” Nate O’Brien sat in his limousine outside the small church. The years disappeared as he looked out his closed window and watched the small community descend the stairs, spilling out in front of the narrow building. Each one of them studied his car, with its black tinted windows, and he didn’t need the window down to know what they were saying. The older ones remembered his uninvited visits to their town so many years before. He sat as he did now, waiting for the one woman who moved his heart to come out in her long flowing, homemade dress. He found himself looking for her now…her slim muscular body, creamy white skin covered with beautiful freckles that he’d enjoyed counting on more than one occasion, and long red hair that made her stand out no matter how she styled it. She was stunningly beautiful, taking his breath away from the time he first saw her as a gangly teenager, and every time he walked into her life thereafter. “We should have done it differently, sweetheart,” he whispered into the window. “I should have pushed you harder.” Nate knew in his heart that it would have done no good. He wasn’t good enough for Angela Newton, and even though she swore it was her who wasn’t good enough for him, he knew otherwise. He was the fallen angel, and she sat on the right hand side. He knew she was there right now. Nate spent the morning visiting Angela’s grave. He had so many amends to make to her. He cried his heart out to her, and knew she heard his words. She had been willing to give him a chance…finally. But fate had intervened. He brought long stem pink roses. They were her favorite, and he told her he’d ordered several bushes that he would have planted around her grave. He wanted to order a magnificent marker for her grave, but when he’d arrived at the age-old Newton graveyard, he knew she wouldn’t want her grave to stand out from the rest of her family. After talking to her for a while, he knew the best thing to do was to order something for the entire graveyard. He thought maybe a black iron fence surrounding the entire graveyard would make her happy. Angela always wanted everyone else to be happy— a trait in her he both admired and never understood.

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Nate hadn’t been too surprised when he walked back to his limousine and saw the sheriff’s car parked behind his. He had to thank Andy Adams for allowing him the privacy to mourn Angela without interrupting him. The sheriff was sitting in his car doing paperwork when Nate approached him. Their conversation had been amiable, focusing on Angela. Nate appreciated the sheriff sharing Angela’s life with him…things she had done for the community, how much everyone loved her. He felt his body tense at the way the sheriff spoke so fondly of her. Andy Adams was an expert at knowing how to read other people. Nate knew the sheriff sensed his jealousy, and it bothered him that he did nothing to appease him. The sheriff had told Nate to enjoy his stay in Three Hills and had moved towards his car. Damn the man for not mentioning a thing about Kathryn. He made Nate bring it up. He knew he hadn’t been the best father to his daughter, but he had to speak up on behalf of her best interests. “What are your intentions with my daughter?” He cringed when he felt like a back hills father, and knew by the look on the sheriff’s face when he turned around that he thought the same thing. “I’m not sure,” he’d answered, and that was it. “Don’t hurt her.” Nate had blurted out the words, and almost shied from the menacing look the sheriff had given him when he’d turned back around. They had stared at each other for a long moment, and Nate O’Brien made a mental note that it might be advantageous to have this man on his payroll. Andy Adams was a man of steel. He could see why he was always able to get answers…and had a reputation as a man not to mess with. He’d been more than surprised when the sheriff sighed and took off those damnable sunglasses. “Sometimes an inaccurate reputation is best left alone. It tends to keep people on their toes, guessing at the truth.” Then he’d left, leaving Nate to dissect his meaning. “Kathryn.” Reverend Davis followed her down the stairs from the church. “I agree with your idea to use that book on the gospel of Luke for our Bible study.” “I’m thrilled that you like it.” Kathryn nodded to one of the men she saw in the café on a regular basis, when he smiled at her. “Would you consider moderating the group?” the Reverend asked her. “I’d be honored. Do you think this community is ready for such a progressive viewpoint?” “I guess we’ll find out.” “Kathryn.” Kari nudged her sister. “Our Dad is sitting over there in his car.” Kathryn looked over at her father’s car and froze. “I don’t want to talk to him.” She saw Andy drive slowly down the street and park across the parking lot and she smiled. “You can say hi to Dad. I’ll catch up with you in a minute.” Kathryn squeezed her sister’s hand and then trotted across the parking lot. “Hi, Gorgeous. I think you owe me a turkey dinner.” Kathryn knew she offered the sheriff a wonderful view of her breasts as she bent over and rested her elbows on his car

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window. She would show him there was no way she would allow her father’s words to affect what had started between them. “As wonderful of a view as you are offering me, woman, I can only imagine the view you’re offering the rest of the town with that adorable rear end of yours.” Andy grinned roguishly, and then laughed aloud, when she straightened quickly and almost banged her head on his car door. She scowled at him, and darted around to the other side of his car and slid in next to him. “I guess you’ll just have to arrest me for indecent public exposure. Will you do a strip search?” She snuggled up to him and let her hand suggestively travel up his leg. He grabbed her fingers before she turned his cock harder than stone. “Didn’t you just come from church?” “Would you like me to show you how many places sex is mentioned in the Bible?” She brushed her breasts against his arm, sending all blood rushing from his brain. “When do you get off work?” “I’ll be over at five. I already dropped the turkey off at your house. Kari will know how to fix it.” He cupped her cheek and she snuggled against his hand. “I have a request though.” “What’s that?” Her baby blues adored him. “I’ll do anything you ask.” “Good. I want you to invite your father to eat with us.” Kathryn’s face fell and he felt her entire body stiffen. “You spent twenty-five years not knowing your mother. I won’t have you spending the next twenty-five years not knowing your father.” He leaned forward and kissed her pouting lips. “I’ll be over at five and I expect to see his car in the drive. Go over there and talk to him. I need to get back to work.” “What if he says no?” Kathryn could only hope that he would. “Darling, I have first hand knowledge on how persuasive you can be.” Then, much to her surprise, he opened his car door, pulled her out on his side, and then gave her a swat on the behind to get her moving toward her father and sister. He ignored the curious looks of the town folk, and the outraged glare Kathryn gave him when she spun around, as he climbed back into the patrol car and drove down the street. Kathryn had marched right up to her father, interrupted him as he spoke to Kari, and told him that Andy wanted him to come over to their house to eat the turkey he’d killed. “That man is going to manipulate and twist your thoughts so you’ll behave. Is that what you want, Kathryn?” “You’re the one doing the manipulating, Dad. We want you to join us for dinner? Will you?” “I’m afraid not. I have to get back to New York. Apparently, a deal fell through with one of my major competitors. I’m needed at the helm.” Nate looked firmly at Kathryn. “The entire town thinks they make a perfect couple.” Kari had to offer her sister some support. “Maybe if you saw them together…” Nate smiled gently at Kari. “They will be together regardless of what I say. Your mother said as much as well. She had quite an insight into people. I’m really sorry she’s not with us now.”

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Kari nodded, unable to say anything. Nate looked from one daughter to the next, wanting desperately to pull them both into a hug. One looked too outraged at him, and the other still looked confused and terrorized. He simply nodded at the two of them and then climbed into the backseat of the limousine. Kathryn and Kari watched as the limousine drove out of the circular drive, and disappeared on to the main road. Both of them ignored the numerous curious stares and whispers as they walked over to Kari’s truck. “Tomorrow, we will go see Paul Reece and arrange for your property to be put back into your name,” Kathryn said, as they turned toward the house. “In fact, why don’t we call him and invite him to eat with us tonight? Andy will be here after he finishes working. We might as well make it a foursome.” Kari nodded quickly, but didn’t say anything. She had met her father and got a real good idea of what the man who sired her was all about. He was so distant, so nerve wracking. She wondered what her mother ever saw in him.

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Chapter Twenty-One Kari squealed with delight when five apple trees were delivered to her house three days later. She and Kathryn spent the morning planting them, extending the row of small trees alongside the entire side of the yard. “Now that I’m completely sore, I’m going to drive over to my house and start scrubbing the walls so I can start wallpapering.” Kathryn stretched and then started walking toward the small truck she’d leased. Nate O’Brien had sent them each a check for ten thousand dollars. The hand written note to Kathryn told her she was still on her own financially, but he wouldn’t send her out into the world penniless. He wrote Kari a note asking her to plant the trees in memory of her mother. If she needed anything else, she was to call him and he would see to it. Kathryn and Kari exchanged notes and read each other’s. “Welcome to the world of our father,” Kathryn had mumbled. Kathryn spent the afternoon scrubbing the walls in the kitchen. She walked through the first floor, imagining how it might be furnished. She imagined a dog asleep in front of the fireplace, and surprised herself when she pictured Andy in a rocking chair…with a baby in his arms. The thought brought a warm sensation to her that was better than sipping a fine wine. She moved over to the window seat at the end of the long room and froze when several men disappeared into the trees at the edge of the yard. Her heart pounded as she glanced over to reassure herself that she’d shut the front door. In spite of the foolishness of the act, she tiptoed across the room and locked the door, before moving silently into the kitchen to her purse. Kathryn pulled out her cell phone and quickly punched in the numbers to the sheriff. “Judy? Is Andy in the office?” “Well, hello Kathryn. No, he’s out on a call right now. Should I tell him you called?” “Can you reach him? I’m out at my place…the Miller’s old house. I just saw some men walk through my yard.” Judy’s tone changed drastically. “Are you out there by yourself?” “Yes. I was doing some cleaning. Judy…I’m a little scared.” “I’ll get a hold of him for you.” Kathryn made sure the woman had her number and then hung up the phone. She paced the house nervously and about jumped out of her skin when her phone rang in her hand. “Kathryn, it’s me. You got some trouble out there?” Andy’s voice was music to her ears. “There’s some men on the property. They don’t look like locals. How soon can you get here?” “I’m on my way. You just stay put.” He didn’t need to tell her that. Ten minutes later, Kathryn about ran to the front door when someone knocked. She froze in her tracks when she saw through the living room window that it wasn’t Andy. Phillip Ackley stood in the middle of her front porch. “What are you doing here?” She yanked open her front door and glared at him.

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“Is that any way to say hello?” Phillip let himself in when she pulled open the front door, and she cursed herself silently for unlocking it. “I assume you got my message about London?” Kathryn simply stared at the man. He wore a suit as always, but had unbuttoned the top button of his shirt; and wore no tie. His hair was slightly windblown, and he hadn’t shaved that day. Kathryn knew for Phillip Ackley, he was dressed casually. The man was incredibly good looking. She was blind not to notice that. But no matter his physical appearance, he did nothing for her. She just wanted him gone. “I couldn’t believe you were the one who bought this land. I admit, my sources weren’t able to find you until you did.” Phillip wasn’t daunted by her silence. “I’ve been going crazy wondering where you were.” Before Kathryn could react, Phillip grabbed the back of her head and pulled her to him. His mouth descended on hers, while his other hand snaked around her waist. “Stop it!” Kathryn slammed the heals of her hands against Phillip’s chest until he released her. “What do you think you’re doing?” “God Kathryn, I dream about you at night. I need you.” He came at her again, grabbing her arm and pulling her fingers to his mouth. “You don’t have any idea the hell I’ve been through with my wife. You were smart to leave the state…and we were foolish to be in my home. I’ve got her calmed down now. Everything will be okay.” His lips moved over her fingers as he talked. He tugged gently, encouraging her back into his arms. “I’m not interested in continuing anything with you, Phillip.” Her stomach turned being this close to him. The longer she stood this close to him the uglier he got. She couldn’t believe what he suggested, or that once the thought might have appealed to her. “You need to leave…and if those are your men out there…get them off my land. I’ve called the sheriff.” “Call him back. I’ll pull them off if you insist, I just wanted them to do a survey.” Phillip graced her with his seductive smile that was once her undoing. “I happen to know your father has cut you off. You spent all your money on this land; and I’m willing to wager you have no idea how to make it work for you.” “I don’t need your help.” Where was Andy? “Now I’ve asked you to leave, Phillip.” “What did I do, precious?” He moved in on her, and slid his hands over her balled up fists on her waist. “I certainly didn’t plan for the wife to come home when she did. And we both know if she hadn’t found out about us, you wouldn’t be here right now.” “Well then, remind me to call and thank her.” Kathryn’s words sliced through the air. “You need me, babe. You’re the kind of lady a man can take care of.” Phillip’s grip was more determined this time. He slid an arm around her and clutched her bottom, while his other hand cupped her fisted hands when they moved up his chest. “I can offer you the world, everything you deserve. You know how good we are together. This isn’t the type of world for you. God knows you couldn’t even handle a snake in the garage.” What did he say? He crushed his mouth over hers, smashed her hands between them, and roughly kneaded her breast. She howled into his mouth, trying to bite him. She squirmed to free herself, stepping on his instep and trying to elbow him.

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Phillip released her quickly when a rough hand yanked backwards on his shoulder. His reactions weren’t fast enough to stop the sheriff from punching him square in the face. Phillip fell backwards, and at the same time Kathryn screamed. Andy lunged at Phillip and pulled him up by the front of his shirt. His arm went up to hit him again, and Phillip ducked and put his hands out in front of him. “Let go of me. This is police brutality!” Andy dropped him with disdain. His blood boiled and everything flew around him a mile a minute. He took a deep breath and worked to focus. He’d hurried to the house, while the backup he brought ran around the house in search of the men Kathryn reported. He bounded up the front porch and barely had his hand on the screen door when he saw a man pawing Kathryn. It was a blur after that. Pure rage took over. He wanted blood. No one would touch her. She was his—they may have issues to work out— but damn if he wouldn’t fight to keep her by his side. Reality kicked in the minute the worm began squirming and crying police brutality. He was in uniform. His fury didn’t wane, but he managed not to kill the man. “You entered a lady’s home and attacked her. In this state, that’s against the law.” Andy nodded with his head, and grabbed Phillip’s arm at the same time. “Let’s go.” “She let me in, and I certainly wasn’t attacking her. We know each other.” Phillip strained his neck to look at Kathryn. “Tell this brute to let me go.” Kathryn shook uncontrollably. She fought to calm herself, but all her senses were on red alert. She’d never seen Andy so overcome with rage. His eyes burned like hot coals, and muscles bulged through his shirt, letting her know how desperately he fought to maintain composure. She crossed her arms over her waist, and gulped air before she spoke. “I told you to stop.” She could barely hear herself speak. “You wouldn’t stop.” Andy almost threw Phillip Ackley out the front door. Kathryn scurried after them, but somehow sensed it wouldn’t be wise to get too close to Andy right now. Outside, two other men in uniform had the three men she’d seen walking through her yard, over by one of two patrol cars. “You mind explaining to me what you were doing out here?” Andy pushed Phillip toward the car, until he stood next to the rest of the men. Andy turned to stare at Kathryn. She looked up at him, searching his face, but his expression was chiseled in stone, and impossible to read. Her mother had hired Andy to watch her before they’d met. He had followed her through most of her relationship with Phillip Ackley. Knowing him now, he would have despised watching her have an affair with a man who’d turned out to be married. Her eyes burned, and she looked down at the ground. Andy never looked at her but remained focused on Phillip. “I was simply appraising the land.” Phillip sounded like a spineless weasel. “Without the owner’s permission?” Andy asked incredulously. “I knew who the owner was. Kathryn and I have…a relationship. I was doing her a favor.” “We do not have a relationship,” Kathryn hissed through her teeth. She couldn’t stop fiery tears from streaming down her face.

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“We’ll continue this conversation downtown.” Andy nodded to the two other lieutenants, and they escorted the men into the back seat of the two patrol cars. Andy spoke to one of the officers, and then walked up to Kathryn. “Where are your keys?” “My purse is inside.” She’d never seen him so under check. He spoke to her like she were a stranger and it tore at her heart. “I’m sorry, Andy.” “Sorry for what?” He placed his hand on the small of her back and walked her into her house. “Did I interrupt something?” “Andy, no!” Kathryn turned on a dime, and wrapped her arms around his chest. He was stiff for only a second, before his arms came up and crushed her to him. “I’m sorry that you had to see that. I’m sorry there is even someone like Phillip Ackley in my life. Don’t turn me away! I never stopped fighting him, or telling him no.” “He didn’t look like he was going to take no for an answer.” Andy breathed into her hair while he spoke. Kathryn shuddered and let out a gasp. “He wouldn’t have looked at it as rape. Oh God, Andy, I hate that you saw that, but I’m glad that you showed up.” “I couldn’t stand seeing another man touch you,” he confessed as he wrapped both arms around her tightly. “I could have killed him.” Kathryn shuddered, feeling his warmth, the controlled strength of his body against hers. “This is where I want to be.” He brought his hand up underneath her jaw and lifted her face to his. “Are you all right?” She nodded, and attempted a smile. Her lower lip quivered and he captured it between his lips. When she groaned and relaxed into him, he devoured her mouth. Too much controlled energy needed an outlet to escape. Kathryn wouldn’t handle what he’d unleash on her if he didn’t stop. Her fingers crept over his skin and around his neck. She submitted her mouth to his as she went up on tiptoe to deepen their kiss. She played with more than fire at the moment. Demons swarmed inside Andy. She wished like hell he’d fuck the shit out of her, allow the raw, untamable need to explode to come out sexually. God the thought of rough sex with him turned her insides into molten lava. “You know, I can handle whatever you dish out,” she said into his mouth, barely parting their lips when she spoke. Andy stiffened, then quickly put her at arm’s reach. It took a minute for Andy to be able to speak. “I seriously doubt that. Now get your things, and let’s lock this place up. I’m taking you home.” His voice was thick with lust, and he reluctantly let her go. “I’m going to find out what Ackley was doing out there. As much as I think he enjoyed finding you, I’m not sure he was looking for you.” “Why was he out here then?” Kathryn walked on unsteady legs, partially because her frazzled nerves made it tough, and partially because she ached to make love to Andy, right here…right now. “I plan to find that out.” Andy couldn’t touch her, or he would take her right there on the floor. What she just said to him had his cock so damned hard it was all he could do to move. Damn. The woman read him like a book. Saw the hostility he sheltered, and offered him an

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outlet that was more than tempting to take her up on. Instead, he took her keys, and locked the place up. He carried her cleaning buckets to the truck, and she climbed into the passenger seat. Gripping the steering wheel, he stared at the peaceful setting surrounding them. “Do you want to press charges?” “I will if you think I should.” Her blue eyes looked up at him, brimming with emotion. “But to be honest, I’d just as soon have him out of our lives.” “Our lives,” he repeated, liking the sound of it. “Yes, Andy, as in you and me, us…together.” She was wearing him down; she knew it, and so did he. He simply smiled at her, and headed out toward Kari’s house. The four of them sat around Kari’s kitchen table later that evening and enjoyed the feast she had prepared. There was green bean casserole, homemade bread, and jello to accompany the stuffed bird. Kathryn, Kari and Paul listened as Andy shared the events of the afternoon. Kathryn shoved her food around with her fork, and let Andy tell them how he found her with Phillip Ackley. “Are there any more men in your past that are going to haunt you?” Kari asked, and Kathryn flinched. “I think you’ve had the pleasure of hearing about all of them now.” Kathryn looked up pathetically at the three of them. “I’m actually surprised the three of you will let me eat at the same table with you.” “We’ve all made mistakes, Kathryn.” Paul spoke up quickly. “Did Phillip tell you why he was on my land?” Kathryn looked at Andy. It was difficult bearing her soul to her new friends. She hardly knew her own soul, and wasn’t sure she could lay it on the table yet. Feelings she only recently had found names for, sifted through her mind. She was happy, yet the smallest wave of these newborn emotions, and there was a terrible pain. She could sense similar emotions swimming in Andy’s gaze when he looked at her. “He didn’t, but we got some answers from the men working for him.” Andy now looked around the table. Paul and Kari both gave him their full attention. “It appears Phillip Ackley is Highland Industries.” “You’re kidding.” Kathryn dropped her fork on her plate. “He said he was surprised that I bought the land.” “Apparently, their public statement to put a resort of some type there was a ruse. They believe there is a pipe on the land.” “A pipe?” Kathryn looked around the table in confusion. “Diamonds,” Andy explained. “A pipe is caused by underground volcanic activity. That’s how diamonds are made. They usually come to the surface around riverbeds.” “Around riverbeds?” Kathryn jumped up from the table. “I found some beautiful rocks when Kari and I were walking the other day. I’ll be right back.” She darted up the stairs and hurried back down with the handful of small rocks she’d put in her jean’s pocket. They had left her hipbone sore when she’d slept in her jeans that night.

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“There were a bunch of these alongside a creek that runs down the middle of the hills behind my house.” Kathryn dumped the handful of rocks on the table. “Damn, woman.” Andy picked up one of the pea-sized, almost clear rocks, and held it up toward the light. “I don’t know a lot about diamonds.” Andy handed the rock to Paul who held it up while squinting with one eye shut. “I’m no expert either,” Paul consented. “My guess is that you definitely have diamonds here. I wonder how they’ve managed to remain undetected all this time.” “The Millers have lived out there forever and a day.” Kari picked up one of the rocks and studied it. “People just don’t wander around on other people’s land.” “They will if they think diamonds have surfaced.” Andy frowned and met Kathryn’s gaze. “I don’t want my land dug up to get a bunch of diamonds out. Besides, we don’t know how many are out there.” Andy gave her a long thoughtful look. “You said there were a bunch along the creek like this.” “Well yes, I guess there were. I didn’t study them.” Kathryn looked up at Kari. “I wasn’t really paying much attention either,” her sister said with a shrug. “We were busy talking. But you know, that creek runs through this property too. Remember those letters that kept coming to Mom?” Kari looked at Paul. “What letters?” Kathryn asked. “Mom kept getting letters from some company who wanted to buy her land. Paul was with me when I got the last letter.” Paul frowned. “I never looked that closely at it. It could have been Highland Industries. I’m not sure.” “If there are diamonds on this land, they are staying right where they are,” Kari said stubbornly. “Agreed.” Kathryn reached for her sister and they clasped hands. “I helped a couple get certificates for some diamonds a few years ago.” Paul sounded contemplative. He continued to study the rock in his hand. “These appear to be each about a carat. They have a faint yellow tinge to them. Those aren’t worth as much as the ones with no color. But, each rock is clear, not hazy. If there are colorless rocks out there, you probably have a valuable creek bed on your property. Each carat could be worth several thousand dollars at least, depending on their color and clarity, of course.” “Good grief.” Kathryn stared at the tiny rocks. “I’ve worn diamonds all my life, and you know more about them than I do.” “If word gets out that diamonds have been found on their land, you’re going to have a devil of a time keeping trespassers off.” Paul looked up at Andy, who nodded. “That’s crossed my mind. Someone’s done a successful job of keeping this land undisturbed so far. Let me do some research.” Andy dropped his napkin on his plate and smiled at Kari. “You give your mom a run for her money on being the best cook in these parts.” “That’s nice of you to say.” Kari beamed.

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Andy stood and walked toward the living room, picking his hat up from the back of the couch. Kathryn was right on his heels. He turned and stared down at her. She bit her lower lip and let her question go unspoken. “Don’t you think you’re going to have enough gossip flying through this town about you?” He ran his hand through her hair and seemed to be focused on her lips. “If this town wants to talk about me, then I’d just as soon they talk about me staying at your place then anything else.” She walked over to the stairs and picked up a small overnight bag. “If you don’t let me come with you now, I’ll simply drive over to your place and throw my diamonds at your bedroom window until you let me in.” “What am I going to do with you?” he muttered and gazed at her with eyes coated with desire. “I could think of a few things.”

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Chapter Twenty-Two “Where are we going?” Kathryn frowned in the darkness of his car when they turned the wrong way out of the drive. “We’re going over to your place. You tell me you love the country sky…we’ll take a walk under the stars.” “I thought that nighttime was when the wild animals came out to hunt.” Kathryn looked nervously out her window, but only saw her reflection. “I’ll protect you.” She turned to meet his dark gaze and a warm flood of excitement and anticipation washed through her. Will you protect me for the rest of my life? Kathryn stood silently next to him as he opened the trunk to his Buick, and pulled out a large flashlight and a rifle. He insured the weapon was loaded, and then swung it over his shoulder, handing her the flashlight. His arm slipped around her as they walked toward the side of the house. “What do you want to do with this place?” He looked up at the side of the structure, ripples of paint hanging off it. The old windows reflected the moonlight and glowed from the cleaning they’d received. “When I was inside earlier, I imagined living here.” She beamed the light in front of them, accentuating the individual tall blades of grass. A rabbit darted past them into the darkness. “I can picture raising children here.” “You really want a family?” His thumb caressed her shoulder. “I think I’d make a good mommy. I would make sure my children knew what it felt like to be loved.” Kathryn laughed dryly and Andy stopped to stare down at her. “I guess I’m not real sure what love even feels like.” Her expression was so innocent, so filled with raw desire—not just desire for him, but desire to know what she hadn’t yet experienced. He lowered his head slightly to brush his lips across hers. “You will, you’ve got plenty of it to give.” “Do you think so? Maybe it’s because I haven’t given any of it away yet. That’s pretty sad to say after twenty-five years.” She studied his soft milk chocolate eyes. He was a powerful man, completely able to care and provide for himself and all those around him, yet, at the moment, he looked at her so tenderly and full of need. There was a gentleness about him that engulfed her, wrapping her up like a well-loved blanket. “What does love feel like, Andy?” He leaned his rifle against the house so that he could cup her cheeks. His thumbs caressed her silky skin and she smiled warmly at him. “I thought I knew once,” he attempted to explain. “But I think I confused the desire to possess…control…with actual love. You can offer someone the world but it has to be mutual, or love dies. My wife wanted to change me. She didn’t like my job, and continually pushed for me to sit at a desk, and work with a computer all day.” “I think that would kill your spirit.” She smiled as she watched that spirit dance in his eyes. “You my dear, need a bear coat and a coon skin hat.”

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Andy laughed and lifted her off the ground so he could kiss her soundly. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and he danced around in circles out into the middle of the yard. She dropped the flashlight so that its beam streamed across the unkempt lawn. Kathryn was giddy with what she suspected might be some of that love they were discussing. She leaned her head back to stare at the stars while clasping her hands tightly behind his neck. He pounced on her exposed neck with his tongue and his teeth. “It’s funny in a way,” he whispered to her collarbone, and she straightened her head. He looked up and met her gaze, which was level with his. “I grew up in the inner city. But you’re right, nothing is better than untamed land like this.” “I want it to stay this way,” she whispered, and he nodded. His lips found hers then, and she cuddled around his taut body with her arms and legs, relishing in the ease in which he held her securely to him. “Can it be this way forever, Andy?” He opened his eyes and stared at her. Their eyes were mere inches from each other, and their feelings so exposed that their souls easily reached out and danced with each other. “What is this, Andy?” She caught his lower lip with hers, and breathed the question into his mouth. “Is this what love is?” He didn’t answer her, but deepened their kiss. His long fingers spread out over her back, and lowered to her bottom, pressing her into him, needing to be deep within her velvet folds. “I don’t know what this is, Kathryn. Maybe it’s simply your infatuation with a type of man you haven’t been with yet.” “I’m not on a trek to be with every type of man there is out there.” She looked hurt, but he could handle that emotion better than the other she was implying. “There are plenty of outdoors men in Three Hills. It’s you I want to be with.” “I want to be with you, too.” He would admit that much…it was too obvious to ignore. “Make love to me, Andy. I want to see these incredible stars behind you while you’re deep inside me.” “God knows I want to be inside you,” he groaned, and let her slide down his body to the ground. He liked the way she felt when she did that. Her fingers tortured his skin while she unbuttoned his shirt and slid it backwards off his shoulders. Drawing paths through the hair on his chest with her fingernails felt like tingling rushes threatening to make him go cross-eyed. He would endure serious damage being with her so much. It seemed his cock remained harder than steel whenever she was near. Shrugging the shirt free of him, Andy stepped backward, laying it on the ground and then reached for her. “My knight,” she said, grinning up at him as she went down on her knees and then stretched out like a cat on the ground. God he liked the view of her down there before him. He knelt, looking down at her as she pulled her sweater over her head, confirming his suspicion that she wasn’t wearing a bra. “You’re drooling.” She smiled while desire made her eyes sparkle better than any rock on this land could possibly accomplish.

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“Just enjoying the show,” he admitted, amazed at her beauty, that she stared only at him, that he was the one she wished to please. She unzipped her jeans slowly, swaying her hips gently as if she danced to music created by their cravings for each other. It was all he could do not to rip them off her as she slowly slid them over her narrow hips and down her long legs. He forgot he was still dressed when she reached up and tugged on the fly of his jeans. Aptly, she unzipped them and then went to her knees in front of him as she slid them down his legs. Andy was over her instantly. He took over the torture session as he praised every inch of her body with his tongue and teeth. “I want to count your freckles,” he mumbled into her belly button. “How dare you!” She pulled playfully at his hair. He continued undaunted. “This one right here.” He kissed her inner thigh and she arched her body to him. “It has the most beautiful shape.” “You’re teasing me.” She covered her eyes with her hand and groaned at what he was doing to her. “No, I think I’m loving you.” She moved her hand quickly and met his heated gaze. Andy thrust into her then and she screamed out from the intensity of it. Their eyes locked on each other and if there were stars behind him, she forgot to look. Fiery heat rushed through her, and her inner muscles quivered as inflamed moisture plummeted within her. Andy froze, desperately wanting to enjoy her longer than this. When he finally built the momentum, she met him with a hunger that overpowered him. He was almost brutal as he took the intense satisfaction that only she seemed able to give him. He spilled into her everything she asked of him, and felt a sensation he’d never experienced before. “I’m scared,” she said on a breath, as she stared into the soul that was now inside her as well. “This is new to me. I really don’t want to fuck it up.” “That makes two of us, darling.” He held her tightly and rolled onto his back, needing the scratchy and moist grass to deaden his baffled senses. She straddled him, keeping him warm and comforted, deep inside her; and buried her face in his neck. “I think at the rate we’re going though, we’re going to be just fine.” “Together,” she breathed into the sensitive part of his neck. “Yes. Together.” ***** Kathryn loaded her groceries from the shopping cart to the back of the truck. She glanced at her watch, and then jumped behind the wheel. Andy would be off work at five, and she planned parking next to his car when he walked out. She was within a block of the sheriff’s office when her phone rang. It was Andy! She knew it. She pulled her phone out of her purse, and grinned mischievously. He knew he was avoiding her. He was running scared just because things got a little emotional the other night. Well, these emotions were new to her, and she was handling it. He could handle it, too. “Hello,” she purred into the phone, just sure her tone would curl the man’s toes.

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“Kathryn, don’t hang up the phone.” Phillip Ackley’s smooth voice spilled through her phone. “I want to talk to you.” “What do you want?” All warmth left her as trepidation chilled her blood. “Not on the phone, dear. Have lunch with me.” “I’m not going to do anything with you.” She slammed the truck to a stop in the parking lot by the sheriff’s office. “You didn’t press charges…not that they would have held if you did…but, I knew that you wouldn’t. Just have lunch with me…one hour. I’ll meet you in Little Rock; you name the place.” “The only way I would meet with you, Phillip, is if the sheriff were present. But I don’t see why we need to meet at all. I didn’t press charges because I didn’t want anything to do with you.” Kathryn grit her teeth and willed her heart to slow down. Anger mounted inside of her. This man had a lot of nerve to think he could start something between them again. “Kathryn, I know the situation with my wife was humiliating for you. I understand how it still must hurt. But I never thought of you as some kept woman. There was magic between us, and you know it. We’ll be more discreet this time. If you want to stay down there…fine.” He paused and let out a sigh. “This is what I wanted to say over lunch. I know you like that old house you bought. Let me help you fix it up. You need someone to finance it for you, don’t you?” “I know why you were down here, Phillip. I have no intention of digging up my land. If there are diamonds out there, then they can just stay where they are.” Phillip laughed softly in her ear. It was a laugh she once thought was sexy. Now, he sounded insulting. “My adorable Kathryn, you have no idea what you’re saying. You shouldn’t worry that beautiful head of yours with such matters. We’ll make that place beautiful for you.” Kathryn pounded her dashboard with her fist. She almost wished they were having this discussion in person. She wanted to pound his face. “I am not your adorable Kathryn!” She looked out her window quickly, when she realized how loudly she yelled. “Stay away from me and stay away from my land.” There was great satisfaction in hanging up on him. She jumped out of her car, and slammed the door shut. A car pulled to the curb on the street. Phillip rolled his dark tinted window down. “Kathryn.” She almost jumped out of his skin. “What the hell are you doing here?” “Giving you the chance to make the right decision.” His tone was cold, like ice. Chills rushed down her spine. “Leave me alone, Phillip.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder, determined he wouldn’t see how nervous she suddenly was. “Not on your life, babe.” “That’s right. This is my life. I call the shots. I make the decisions. And I don’t want anything to do with you. Go back to Detroit.” A darkness crept into his eyes that she’d never seen before. “Listen here, little bitch,” he hissed through clamped teeth. “You love that sweet sister of yours, don’t you?”

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Her heart stopped beating. Fear clamped down on her too hard to answer. Phillip’s grin was beyond terrifying. “You come with me and she won’t be hurt. I’d hate to have to resort to something besides snakes. But you wouldn’t leave, so now you’re in this with me.” “Oh God.” Her knees trembled and for a moment she feared they wouldn’t hold her. “I knew you were a smart lady.” The darkness faded from his eyes, satisfaction appearing and he smiled. “Now get in the car. That land out there is going to make us millions. And I’ll see to it that you have the life you deserve.” The life she deserved? Outrage rushed through her. “You lay a hand on my sister and I swear, I’ll kill you myself.” Her legs almost did give out on her when she turned and almost ran toward the sheriff’s office. Dark auburn hair flew around her as she marched inside. Her lips were no more than a thin line and her hands were balled in fists at her side. She looked ready to take on the three men who stared at her innocently when she marched through the door. “Where’s Andy?” The question came out more like an order. The oldest of the three men actually smiled. Kathryn’s anger burned into outraged fury. “I need to speak with him now.” Andy appeared in a doorway and took in the little scene quickly. He could see amusement on the men’s faces when Kathryn marched up to him. She simply marched past him into his office. He glared at the men when they actually started to snicker. “I can’t believe it.” Kathryn threw her hands up in the air, and didn’t notice when Andy shut the door to his office. “I can’t believe his nerve. What kind of woman does he think I am? He threatened me. God. He scared the shit out of me. The spineless bastard. I’ll kill him. I swear I’ll kill him.” “Who threatened you?” Andy didn’t understand a word she was saying. But he didn’t like the words that were coming out of her mouth. “He said I wasn’t a kept woman. Can you believe that?” Kathryn glared at him. His confused expression annoyed her. “He threatened to hurt Kari.” “Who are you talking about?” Andy struggled to maintain patience. He wanted to shake her. “Phillip Ackley. He just called me. He wanted me to have lunch with him in Little Rock so he could talk me into letting him help me fix up my house. But, when I told him if there were any diamonds on the land they could just stay where they were, he told me I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head about such things.” Kathryn had yelled the words at him. She took a deep breath when she finished, and struggled to calm herself. When she spoke again, her voice was trembling. “I hung up on him. But then he pulled up out front. He admitted to putting that snake in the garage. And he said he’d hurt Kari. He made me feel like a stupid twit…someone that’s not good for anything but…” Andy bolted out of the office, leaving her standing there alone. Within minutes he’d returned. “There isn’t anyone outside. I’ll send a car over to Kari’s. You need to tell me everything that just happened—every detail.”

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She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at the floor. She was trembling now and just wanted Andy to hold her. He was across the room in an instant. He pulled her into his arms, unfazed by her stiffness. In the next minute, she relaxed into him. He was worried something like this might happen. It had taken some footwork, but he’d gotten his hands on the report that Ackley had on her property. Kathryn O’Brien bought that land for a steal. She jumped when her phone rang inside her purse, and didn’t mind a bit when Andy released her and opened her purse. “Hello.” His voice lowered when he answered. He sounded intimidating. “Could I assume this is Andy Adams?” “Who is this?” “Adams, this is Nate O’Brien, and I would like to speak with my daughter.” Andy pulled the phone from his ear. “Hello?” “Kathryn, this is your father. I need to talk to you about the land you bought.” Kathryn reached blindly for the nearest chair, and fell into it. All of this was simply too much for her. “Not you too, Dad.” “Who else has contacted you?” “Phillip Ackley has been down here, and he just called me. I’ve told him to leave me alone, but he won’t. Dad, I have no intention of doing anything with that land other than making a home on it.” “If that’s what you want, your wishes will be honored. Is Adams still there with you?” Kathryn looked up at Andy, showing her surprise. “Yes, Dad, he’s right here.” “Let me talk to him.” Kathryn was stunned, and silently handed the phone to Andy. Andy, however, wasn’t quite as surprised. He put the phone to his ear and walked around his desk to his computer. “I’ve seen the report Ackley compiled,” Andy offered in form of greeting. “I’d be surprised if you hadn’t. Do you need me to send down some extra men to protect her?” “I’ve got a better idea.” Andy moved to his computer and began opening files. “Let me send something to you. I’ll need a private e-mail address. I think it will handle matters before they escalate out of control.” Kathryn sat there mystified as Andy calmly spoke with her father. “I can nab him with trespassing, harassment, a few other small charges. I’m not going to do that though. I’ll give him time. He’s a greedy mother fucker and his kind always plays out the game the same way. When I take him down, it will be for good.” She could tell Andy was accustomed to speaking with men of all stations. He offered her father the respect he’d earned over the years, but he wouldn’t be bullied or intimidated. She had Andy Adams on her side, and she knew at that moment that life simply wouldn’t be right if he wasn’t next to her always. She smiled at him when he hung up the phone. “Are you taking care of me?” She allowed a smirk to cross her face, as if she could have handled the entire matter on her own.

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“Isn’t that what you wanted when you stormed into my office?” Andy leaned back in his chair, and smiled at her scrunched up nose. ***** Kathryn frowned as she carried the roll of wallpaper she planned to put around the bottom half of her living room walls. She dropped the bundle on the hard wood floors and glared at it as it echoed through her empty house. She couldn’t help staring at her phone, which rested lifelessly on the card table she’d set up in the dining room. Kari came up behind her and plopped a bucket of supplies on the floor with a thud. “We should probably see if the floor boards will pry loose before we start measuring.” Kari dug into the bucket until she found a screwdriver. When she straightened, her sister was still glaring at her phone. “Why don’t you call him?” “Call whom?” Kathryn stuck her nose in the air and pretended to study the walls around her. “Andy. You know who I’m talking about.” Kari walked around to face her sister. “Did you two have a fight?” “No, we didn’t.” Kathryn’s scowl deepened. “And that’s why none of this makes any sense. We had a wonderful time at lunch yesterday. Andy had no problem walking through the general store and helping me decide from the samples of wallpaper I’d selected. When I told him I wanted to put a wooden trim around the middle of the walls to separate the wallpaper from the paint; he made some calls, and arranged for this carpenter friend of his to come out and see what I wanted. Everything was just great. I just don’t understand it.” “Are you sure he didn’t tell you he had plans for the weekend? Maybe he went hunting.” Kari offered a reassuring smile, but it had no affect. “He wouldn’t go hunting without taking me with him. We had a lot of fun last time. Yesterday at lunch we were having a wonderful time, and I haven’t seen him since.” Kathryn had tried to find him after he got off work, but he was nowhere to be found. She’d called his house twice, but he didn’t answer. She was scared that was exactly what he’d done. He’d taken off hunting without her, and didn’t bother to call her first because he knew she would manipulate her way into going with him. But, why didn’t he want her around him? Ever since Phillip Ackley called her, Andy had grown very possessive of her. They’d had lunch together at the café like usual, but he had made arrangements to see her every evening as well. There was no further discussion of love, but his kisses spoke louder than words. The way he touched her, held her, no one had ever treated her this way before. And she wasn’t about to let it go. “Whatever he’s doing, he couldn’t possibly be having more fun than us. Come on, let’s put up some wallpaper.”

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Chapter Twenty-Three Andy leaned back against the tree, and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He reached inside his backpack and pulled out the sandwich Mattie Rook made for him earlier that day. He bit almost half of it, and chewed loudly as he scowled at the trees surrounding him. He needed to clear his head. He’d made two careless mistakes at work today, and that wasn’t like him. Andy Adams didn’t tolerate mistakes from anyone who worked with him, and he certainly didn’t indulge in the careless acts himself. He reached for his mug and took a long swallow of the still warm coffee. Nope, reckless thinking wasn’t his style. He took time to think things through, analyze all the angles, and act in a calm methodic fashion. When he made his first mistake, he beat himself up over the matter for the next few hours. He forgot to check the safety on his gun and almost put a hole in his office floor. A stunt not even acceptable with a rookie. That stupid stunt had fogged his thinking, and allowed him to make another mistake. He didn’t complete a report properly, and Judy had to question him about it. Again, sloppy work that he would yell at any man for doing. Andy picked up a rock and flung it at the nearest tree. There was only one explanation he could come up with for his sloppy actions. Kathryn O’Brien. She consumed every rational thought he had. It was enough to accept that she’d gotten under his skin—that he was more than giving into her seductions, but craving them. Then the woman had to go and mention love. It surprised him. He wouldn’t have thought her the kind of woman to be so quick to bring the subject up. After all, they’d only known each other a little over a month. Okay, so he knew who she was long before that, and he’d admit, he’d been captivated by her. But many beautiful women captivated him. He didn’t hunt them down. After last weekend, making love to Kathryn in her backyard, mentioning the possibility of love, he suddenly couldn’t be with her enough. They spent his lunch hours together, and he’d shown up at her doorstep after work every night like a lovesick schoolboy. They’d gone to a movie, walked through the downtown, sat on her front porch…he’d loved every minute of it. It didn’t matter what they did, he’d opened up to her. An act he didn’t think he was capable of doing with another human being. He shared every thought he had with her. He couldn’t think of a subject they hadn’t discussed—right down to their favorite names for children. After that, he didn’t know why their time yesterday at lunch annoyed him so much. She met him at the café like always, smiling with eyes only for him. She’d plopped down on the stool that had quickly become known as her spot, and asked if he had time to do some shopping with her. He’d spent most of the morning doing paperwork, and the thought of walking out in the sunshine appealed to him…especially with her at his side. The covetous looks most of the men in town gave him would have bothered him except that Kathryn seemed impervious to them all. She simply smiled up at him and focused only on him. What a remedy for a man’s ego!

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He’d stopped short when she’d hauled him over to the wallpaper samples at the General Store. Kathryn’s breeding allowed her to forget about hired help unless she needed something. That’s why he was sure she didn’t notice the whispering sales clerks when she’d held several samples up and asked for his advice. The locals would have them married before the weekend was out. He was sure of it. So, he did what he felt any red-blooded American man should do in the situation. He ran like hell. Andy dug into his backpack and pulled out an apple. He munched at it and squinted up at the bits of sky he could see through the treetops surrounding him. No one questioned him leaving work an hour early. He had literally run with his tail between his legs. A perfect ending for a perfect day! He stopped in at the café and asked Mattie to throw a lunch together for him. He couldn’t even look the woman in the eye. He just knew the gossip mill would have reached her, and she would know he had been shopping for wallpaper with Kathryn. He’d gathered up his supplies as soon as he reached his house, not even bothering to listen to his messages, and then he’d high-tailed to the woods. He’d slept in his sleeping bag under the stars, or tried to sleep. Kathryn’s telling him she wanted to see the stars behind him while he was inside her popped into his mind. Damn that woman and the lines she pulled on him. Sleeping didn’t appear to be an option after that. “This isn’t working,” he mumbled to himself, and slowly got to his feet. He was supposed to be hunting…he might as well bring something back for his efforts. His frown didn’t leave as he gathered his things, and stuffed his trash into his backpack. He grabbed his rifle, and tossed it over his shoulder as he began walking through the woods. A bear could have stepped in front of him and he wouldn’t have noticed. ***** Kathryn and Kari spent the entire day working on the living room. Neither one of them could believe the complete transformation when they stood back to look at their work. “It’s not even done yet.” Kathryn could smell the adhesive from the wallpaper. “I absolutely love the intertwining rose pattern.” “Did you pick this out, or did Andy?” Kari ran her finger down the seam of the wallpaper. “Did I tell you we went shopping together?” “No. I went into the General Store yesterday afternoon. One of the teenage clerks was telling her mother about it on the phone.” “Good. Let all the mothers tell their daughters that he is no longer available.” Kathryn tossed the thought to the side and focused on her walls. “I think I’ll paint the walls a very pale mauve. It will make it look warm in here. A living room should have that warm, comfortable feeling about it, don’t you think?” “Yeah. But the people in the house create that, not the wallpaper.” “Don’t worry, sister of mine.” Kathryn grinned and determination glowed in her eyes. “I intend for this house to be full of people who love each other.” “Maybe if Mr. Right ever finds me, we’ll have two happy homes right down the road from each other.”

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Kathryn suspected Mr. Right had already found Kari, but she didn’t say that. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it,” she said instead. “Are you still going to go out to the Wilbert’s with me, to drop off that homemade ice cream?” Kari asked, once they had put all the supplies in Kari’s truck. “I’m looking forward to it. With four children all down with the chicken pox, it will probably be nice to enjoy the peace and quiet while all of them eat ice cream.” Kathryn took a look around her yard in the growing twilight. “I want to hang around here a little bit longer. How about if I meet you at the house in an hour?” Kari nodded and headed home. Kathryn shook off a quick feeling of foreboding once she was alone on her property. Andy chased all the assholes away. The strangest sensation that he’d taken off running settled uneasily through her. Damn him. He better not have run. “You’re not the only one who can chase someone to the ends of the Earth,” she said through clenched teeth. Andy Adams wouldn’t run though. He was the predator, the aggressor, her knight in armor. Fear and him didn’t walk hand in hand. But learning patience with him would give her gray hairs. She wanted to know where he was. Realizing she scowled at the highway, she forced herself to shrug off her own fears. He would show up. And he wouldn’t catch her grouchy and hen-pecking when he did. She had her own life to keep her busy. Taking a quick look at the setting sun, she hiked around the side of her house and headed out into the field. She wanted to take another look at that creek bed before it got dark. ***** Kari scooped the last of the ice cream into the bucket and then placed it in the middle of her cooler. She dumped ice around it so it would stay cold while they hauled it over to the Wilbert’s. The clock on the wall said it was six o’clock. By her thinking, it had been exactly one hour. Kathryn would be here any minute. She studied the ice cream in the cooler. Maybe she would add a little more ice. She felt a slight pang when she realized her mother would be doing this if she were alive. Thirty minutes later, Kari walked into the living room and peered out the front door. It was completely dark, and she couldn’t see much past the front door. But, headlights would be visible through the darkness. And, there were none. Kari waited another half an hour, and then hauled the ice cream out to her truck and took off with rocks crackling around her. She pulled into Kathryn’s driveway, and scowled at the sight of her sister’s truck. There weren’t any lights on in the house. “Kathryn, where are you?” She stared out her truck window and wondered if she should go inside, or walk around the house. There wasn’t any way she could drive around to the back of the house. Her heart raced as she climbed out of her truck and walked up to the house. She pushed open the front door and quickly turned on the light. The smell of the wallpaper filled her nostrils, otherwise the house was deathly quiet. “Kathryn?” Her voice almost echoed. There was no response.

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She flipped on lights in every room as she traipsed through the house. And then flipped them back off after determining she was very much alone in the old place. Opening the back door, she stepped into the darkness. There wasn’t any light back here. “Kathryn?” she yelled. Several birds answered her. The unbearable silence that followed gave her the chills. Kari ran back through the house and jumped into her truck. She pulled out of the driveway, and tried not to panic. Kathryn was missing. Her truck was at her house, and she wasn’t inside. Therefore, she had to be outside. It was simple logic. She wouldn’t think about whether Kathryn was lost somewhere on her property in the dark, or if someone had assaulted her on her land in the dark. Neither thought was palatable. The only thing she could think to do was drive to the sheriff’s office—the only thing she’d ever done when there was trouble. “Hi Kari, I haven’t seen you in quite a spell.” Merdyl Gunkshire looked up from the magazine she was reading, and smiled. “How is everything going out at your place? I’ve seen that sister of yours with the sheriff a lot lately. Are we going to hear any news soon?” “I don’t know, Merdyl. But my sister is missing. Do you know where Andy is?” “She’s missing?” Merdyl shut her magazine. “Are you sure about that? You know, Mattie Rook was just telling me this morning that they were shopping for wallpaper together.” “Merdyl, please. We need to call someone. Is it okay if I use your phone?” Kari didn’t wait for Merdyl to answer, but picked up the phone and called Andy’s home number. She hung up when she got his machine. She dialed again, and sighed when Paul answered on the second ring. “Paul, I can’t find Kathryn. She was at her house and was supposed to meet me in an hour. I waited for almost two hours and went over to her house. Her truck was there, but I couldn’t find her. Paul, we need to do something.” “Calm down.” Paul sounded tired. “Where are you right now?” “I’m standing in front of Merdyl. Should we call out the volunteer sheriffs, or try to find Andy?” Kari didn’t have to ask to know that the evening shift always consisted of volunteers. Even the weekends in Three Hills tended to be rather quiet. Paul walked into the sheriff’s office five minutes later. He still wore the suit he’d had on all day, but his tie hung loose around his neck and the top button of his shirt was unbuttoned. He didn’t bother to tell Kari that he called the beeper number Andy gave him in case there was an emergency. He was surprised Merdyl didn’t have it. The phone rang when he reached the front desk. “Sheriff’s office.” Merdyl spoke cheerfully into the phone. “Well, sheriff, Kari just walked in here asking about you. What a coincidence.” Kari grabbed the phone as soon as Merdyl pulled it away from her ear. Fortunately, Merdyl was thrilled to have the company in the office, and didn’t notice Kari’s abruptness. “Andy, its Kari. Kathryn’s missing.” Andy pulled into the sheriff’s parking lot less than an hour later. He was in a foul mood. He’d been in the woods since yesterday afternoon and hadn’t shot his rifle once. He couldn’t get his thoughts off Kathryn for five minutes the entire time he was out there. And

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now, the little vixen was missing. He strolled into the office and Kari jumped up and ran into his arms. “Oh Andy, I’ve tried calling Kathryn’s cell phone and there is no answer. I’m scared she took off walking on her land and got lost.” “When did you last see her?” Andy spoke quietly as he held Kari. She felt oddly like Kathryn in his arms, yet there was no question that she was a very different woman. “We were together around five. We spent the day hanging wallpaper. I went home to get the ice cream we were supposed to take to the Wilbert’s, and she said she would be there in an hour. She never showed up.” “Did she say what she was going to do?” Andy released Kari when she pushed gently against him. She backed up next to Paul and crossed her arms against her stomach. “No. She said she just wanted to hang out for a while.” Kari shot him a quick glance, but then looked at the ground. “I figured she wanted some time alone.” “Was she upset?” Andy felt foolish for asking the question the second Kari gave him a scathing look. He’d never seen Angela’s temper surface in Kari the way it did in Kathryn. But with one glance, she showed him she was beginning to seethe. “Yes, Andy. She’s been rather upset since yesterday. It really bothered her that she didn’t know where you were.” Kari spoke in such a deadly whisper that Paul and Andy both stared at her. “What are you going to do about it?” “Merdyl, call the boys, and send them to the old Miller property. That’s Kathryn’s place now and it’s where she was last seen. She’s been missing for over two hours now, and we need to organize a search.” Andy spoke as he walked across the room and picked up the cellular phone from its base unit. “Paul, will you help?” Paul nodded quickly, and placed his hand gently on Kari’s back to guide her toward the door. Andy opened the door for them, and thought out loud. “We should organize a search of the property. I’m going to need plenty of flashlights. Kari, maybe we should drop you off at one of your friend’s houses here in town.” “Oh no, Andy!” Kari turned on him, looking panicked. “I want to come with you. I’ll go crazy just standing around wondering where she is.” “We’ll find her, Kari.” Andy softened his tone, trying to calm her. “I promise you that.” They joined forces with the men who met them out at Kathryn’s place. Andy walked through the house first, finding no indication that Kathryn had been there recently, other than the smell of wallpaper glue. He found Kathryn’s cell phone in her purse on the kitchen counter. Paul agreed to stay at the house, with Kathryn’s phone as home base. If anyone found anything, they would call him. Andy divided everyone into teams of two, and sent them out in different directions across Kathryn’s property. There was over four hundred acres of wooded hills surrounding the house. That was a lot of land to cover. “You can come with me.” Andy gestured to Kari, and she wasn’t surprised to see them head in the direction of the creek.

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“You think she wanted to check out where she found those diamonds, don’t you?” Kari said, after they’d walked next to each other in silence for a few minutes. “Wouldn’t you?” Andy searched the darkness with the beam of his flashlight. “Do you remember exactly where she picked up those rocks?” “Yes.” Kari pointed toward the blackness wrapped around the thick trees in front of them. “It’s not too far into the woods. But Kathryn doesn’t have a very good sense of direction. That doesn’t mean she went this way.” “It’s somewhere to start. She had the advantage of daylight if she took off around five.” Andy let Kari lead the way, as they fell into silence. They hadn’t walked too far when they heard voices. Andy grabbed Kari and pulled her behind him. He froze, with his head lowered, and simply listened for a minute. Kari tried to control her breathing when Andy let go of her. She swore she breathed loud enough they could have heard her a mile away. Two men knelt on the ground, through the trees, with several kerosene lamps surrounding them. Kari couldn’t tune in on their conversation. They spoke in soft monotone voices, more than likely, chatting while they worked. What they were doing appeared obvious. They each held trays in their hands, and sifted dirt through it slowly. They were searching for diamonds. “Can you shoot?” Andy more mouthed the words than whispered them. Kari nodded, and then looked down when she realized he was stuffing a gun into her hands. He turned his back to the men and pulled out his cell phone. He punched numbers quickly, and then pulled his jacket around his face to keep his voice from traveling. Kari didn’t dare blink as she watched the two men working. She held the gun poised to the ground, but her finger was on the trigger. She desperately tried not to think; knowing if she did, panic would consume her. The only thought that plagued her, and that she worked to ignore, was that Kathryn was nowhere in sight. The presence of these two men spawned terror in her stomach, causing nausea to churn with an acidic taste up to her throat. “Alright, Kari.” Andy whispered, once he’d hung up his phone. “Back up is on its way. You’re officially deputized. Let’s go make an arrest.” Kari was sure she would throw up, as she forced wobbly legs to follow Andy toward the two men, who hovered over the ground with their backs to them.

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Chapter Twenty-Four Kathryn rolled over and looked at the bright red numbers, glowing in the dark. Fivethirty. She couldn’t believe she fell asleep. She sat up slowly, bringing the thick comforter up with her, to cover her bare chest. She wasn’t as sore as she thought she would be. There was an incredible burning in between her legs, and she felt stiff, but all things considered, she could feel a lot worse. Of course, she wasn’t counting the incredible aching heart and the dull ache in her head that had set in before it was dark the night before. Humiliation seeped into her soul like the plague. She couldn’t imagine anything so degrading. Not even when Phillip’s wife had caught them. The things Phillip had done to her. Ignoring her pleas when she’d told him his actions were wrong. Nothing mattered to the man other than making money. He’d use and abuse anyone to have what he wanted. That once she’d found him appealing, had thought the possibility of loving him existed, made her sick to her stomach. He needed to be shot, forced to endure the worse kind of torture. God she hated him. Sincerely and truly hated and despised him. Such intense ugly emotions made her feel even worse. And as much as she wanted him to suffer, she just wanted to get the hell out of there. Get away from him. Cleanse her soul until she forgot every detail he’d put her through. Looking over her shoulder at Phillip, she fought bile that threatened to rise to her throat and slipped out of the bed. She pulled the cover back up to the pillows, not wanting to see any of Phillip’s nakedness. How she managed to fall asleep in the same bed with him, she had no clue. For hours she’d lay next to him, under firm orders not to get out of the bed, and listened to him snore quietly. She rubbed her swollen, burning eyes and padded to the bathroom. There wasn’t enough hot water, even in this five star hotel, to make her feel clean again. Kathryn walked out of the bathroom in the same clothes she wore the night before. They were smeared with dirt. She bent over to rub her wet hair with a towel, and ignored Phillip, who sat on the end of the bed in red silk boxers. He held the remote in one hand, and a cup of coffee in his other hand. His attention was on the TV. “And no one has seen millionaire Nate O’Brien’s daughter since last evening. Arkansas authorities are using all resources available to locate Kathryn O’Brien.” A recent picture of Kathryn in an evening gown, waving to the camera, displayed on the corner of the screen. “Anyone who has recently seen this woman is instructed to call the number on your screen.” “You need to make a statement.” Phillip spoke with such casual indifference, Kathryn’s blood chilled. “The only statement I’m going to make is that you kidnapped me and repeatedly raped me throughout the night.” Phillip stood slowly and brushed his knuckles down Kathryn’s cheek. She flinched but continued to look at him defiantly. In the next second, he slapped her across her face. Kathryn fell backward awkwardly, until her back hit the wall. Tears burned her already bloodshot eyes, and she held her hand up to the red spot on her cheek. “You bastard!”

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“I left my wife for you. You will make a statement saying that there has been no kidnapping, and you’ve come with me of your own accord.” The green eyes she once thought so capable of making any woman swoon, now appeared demonic and crazed. “We will dress for breakfast and eat leisurely in the dining room, where I’m sure someone will notice you. You will laugh easily, and apologize that you haven’t been watching much TV in the past twenty-four hours.” “I’m not going to do any of that,” she hissed through her teeth, but then moved quickly to put the luggage holder in between them. “Two weeks ago, right after you bought that land, you booked reservations to Italy for two. Our flight leaves in several hours.” His continual monotone was worse than running fingernails down a chalkboard. “How did you pull that off?” She tossed her wet hair behind her shoulder, and glared at him. “Do we add stealing credit cards to your list of crimes?” “The credit card is yours. You did it on line using your personal pass code. There is no way you could prove otherwise in a court of law.” Phillip sounded almost bored. “There are clothes hanging in the closet for you. You won’t walk by my side dressed like that.” “Exactly. I’m not going anywhere. And if you try to take me anywhere, I will scream for help at the first chance I get.” “Kathryn, your empty threats are childish.” Paul waved a hand at her dismissively. “The only thing you’ve accomplished is that now I’m going to tie you up before I take a shower. Sooner or later, you’ll decide the position of mistress sounds much more appealing than the position of captive. As soon as I shower, we’ll eat, and then get out of this backward state. If it weren’t for the diamonds on your land, there wouldn’t be a thing to remember about the state of Arkansas.” “And that’s all you care about.” Her stomach twisted, churned. She was going to be sick, she just knew it. There was nothing to throw up though. Her stomach was empty, if only her mind were the same. Bile rose in her throat as thousands of miserable feelings clogged her thoughts. Somehow she needed to keep her wits about her so she could figure a way out of this nightmare. “Why did you go to all of this trouble for a few rocks in the ground?” Phillip laughed. “Darling. You are worth millions of dollars now. From the reports I’ve seen so far, there are more diamonds on that piece of land you swindled from me, then there are in the rest of this country. You are going to make me filthy rich. And I will keep you spoiled and pampered, just the way you like it.” He opened the top dresser drawer and pulled out an unopened package of clothesline. Kathryn gasped when he ripped the plastic off the roll and pulled a long length of line free of the roll. She literally jumped and screamed when there was a solid rapping on the motel room door. Phillip slipped the clothesline back into the drawer and wagged a threatening finger at her. The rapping on the door was louder the second time. “Phillip Ackley. Open the door.” Phillip froze while sliding into his bathrobe, and simply stared at the door. He moved to it hesitantly when the voice spoke again. “You’ve got three seconds to open this door willingly.” Kathryn’s heart exploded. “Andy!” She yelled at the same time Phillip opened the door.

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A black ominous figure flew through the door and Phillip stumbled backwards and landed on his backside. His bathrobe twisted around one of his legs, while his other leg flew up into the air. Kathryn heard herself scream before she realized she had done it. Andy lunged forward and pulled Phillip to his feet by one arm. He had his fist pulled back, ready to pound the man again, when several men behind him grabbed him. “Don’t be a fool, Adams.” Several people spoke all at once. Kathryn didn’t see Kari hurry around the men, until her sister had pulled her into her arms, and held her tightly. “Are you okay?” Kari pulled away from Kathryn far enough to look at her face. She cringed inwardly at the red mark on her cheek, and the puffy, bloodshot eyes. Tears streamed down both women’s cheeks. “What…what did he do to you?” A woman, with a Little Rock Police Department badge on her shirt, walked up to the two women. “Are you Kathryn O’Brien?” “Yes…yes I am.” Kathryn realized how horrible she must look when a man with a camera resting on his shoulder, slid around the police officers, and a bright flash blinded her. “Oh God, no pictures. Please, Kari, help me.” Andy’s presence engulfed her. Suddenly, he wrapped her up in loving arms, and lifted her up against a powerfully muscular chest. His authoritative voice vibrated through his chest like a protective blanket. She turned her face into his chest and let him carry her out of the hotel room. Kathryn woke up to the sun shining through her bedroom window. She blinked several times, and then simply enjoyed the warmth on her face. Movement came slowly. The well-worn quilt cocooned around her and the last thing she wanted to do was move a muscle. She let her eyes travel slowly across her room to her alarm clock. It was eight thirty. Kari would have left for work a couple of hours ago. An hour later, Kathryn stood barefoot in a pair of comfortable jeans, watching the coffee, drip by drip, fill up the glass coffee pot. She had made a royal mess of everything. There were so many questions last night. Andy wouldn’t let her answer anything until she had a lawyer by her side. It shouldn’t have surprised her when her father’s personal lawyer had shown up at the house. She couldn’t look him in the eye, knowing by the man’s presence that her father knew what had happened to her. He had advised her, and told her when not to answer, or to wait to respond until test results were available. And the doctors were worse than the police and the reporters. They had poked, probed, taken a semen sample from her to confirm she’d had sex and who with. Good grief, she had thought she would die of complete humiliation. The thought of Andy sitting somewhere, reading the reports and interrogation papers was the blow she couldn’t handle. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tears fell for the first time that day. What was she doing here? Who was she trying to fool? She took her coffee and wandered out to the porch swing. It was a beautiful morning; the breeze was crisp and cool, and the warmth from the sun was revitalizing. She simply

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rocked and nursed her coffee for a while, staring at nothing in particular. Her thoughts tormented her, preventing her from appreciating the beauty of the morning. Even though she could smell the soap she’d used when she’d showered, she still felt dirty. She didn’t belong lounging on a front porch in the middle of these hilly woods. This was a peaceful land. Children raised here grew up wholesome, with strong morals and values. What did she know about such things? She had been raped repeatedly last night. At least she would call it rape. She hadn’t fought Phillip Ackley; she didn’t like pain. But, she certainly hadn’t cooperated. She’d told him no—begged him to leave her alone. A cold chill ran over her, and she swat at another tear. Her lawyer had said they would be able to prove rape. She might have to deal with some nasty cross-examination, but he had told her he would do his best to see that it didn’t go to trial. He told her men like Phillip Ackley would bend to plea-bargaining. Kathryn let out a choked sigh, and looked at the peaceful front yard, the long circular, gravel drive, the small trees recently planted next to the existing apple trees. She thought she could make this her home, but she’d been wrong. There was nothing for her here. There was no one for her here. Andy Adams made it clear that he wanted a woman with strong convictions, and morals. She’d been kidnapped by an old lover…a lover he’d watched her spend time with for several months. Kathryn O’Brien came with too much dirty laundry for a man like Andy Adams. There was no way she could look him in the eye after what had happened. The best thing for her to do was pack her things and get out of here. But where would she go? She chewed on her lower lip and gave this some thought. Her father obviously knew what happened to her. She didn’t want to ponder over how he might have gathered this information. Had he heard it on the news? Had Andy contacted him and asked for his help? Had Andy simply told him that he washed his hands of her? Since her father knew about this awful situation, maybe he would let her move back home for a while. He might take pity on her, and allow her some time to figure out her life. She figured that wouldn’t take more than fifty of sixty years. Gravel popped, the grumble of an engine approaching grabbed her attention. Kathryn looked up quickly. Her heart pounded and cold sweat broke out on her forehead as terror consumed her. She shouldn’t have been sitting out here without her phone. In the next moment, she gasped for air, trying to calm her heart. It wasn’t someone coming to steal her away. Andy pulled up and parked his patrol car. Her still pounding heart began to ache at the sight of the beautiful man who shut his car door, and then simply stood and studied her for a moment. Bearing his scrutinizing gaze was too much. She stared down at her coffee in her mug, and her knuckles turn white as she gripped the cup. Whatever he had to say, she would take it with grace and style. She owed him that much. Getting mad, begging him to endure the pain of her past a bit longer, was simply selfishness that she wouldn’t indulge in. Maybe she’d never be able to put her past behind her. But her future wouldn’t be a continuation of bringing those around her pain. She didn’t look up as Andy climbed the stairs to the porch and took long, slow strides until he stood in front of her. He knelt down in front of her, and one hand came up to brush her damp cheek. She looked up at him unable to breathe.

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“How are you doing today?” His voice was so deep, so melodic. It broke her heart. She would never know another man as perfect as he was. Not trusting her voice, she simply shrugged and closed her eyes. She squeezed them tightly when he placed his lips on her forehead and kissed her gently. This is where he tells me goodbye. “I wish I could erase the memories of what happened to you,” he began. “I can’t do that Kathryn. All I can do is hold you when the thoughts overwhelm you. But I can erase some of the condemning paperwork that could otherwise get in the hands of people who look for scandal.” Kathryn continued to look at her hands, not sure what he was saying. She had a hard time making her mind focus on his words. His tone was so compassionate, she simply nodded, and accepted its soothing affect. “You won’t have to worry about reporters snooping around looking for a story.” “That was nice of you,” she murmured. “We certainly don’t want any more scandal circulating about me.” She let out a staggered sigh, and felt a sudden need to put distance between them. His hands rested on her knees though, and she couldn’t push him away in order to get up. And damnit, she didn’t want him to leave her, to quit touching her. “Darling, with you in my life, I fear there will always be crazy antics occurring.” “I know,” she wailed, and couldn’t stop the torrent of tears. “You don’t need someone like me around you.” Andy cupped her cheeks in his hands, and she looked up at him with beautiful baby blues, swimming in tears. She grabbed a staggered breath, and her eyes went wide, when she saw the moisture in his eyes as well. “You’re right. I don’t need someone like you.” He used his thumbs to wipe the tears that slipped down her cheeks. His smile made her feel weak in the knees, and she was sitting down. Butterflies dared to dance in her stomach. She bit her lip, and blinked out the rest of her tears. He kissed her gently. “Kathryn, I do need you. I went hunting overnight and didn’t bring home a damn thing. If you aren’t with me, I might very well starve.” “You took off without me.” She rubbed her hands and tried to make her expression reprimanding. He simply took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. She watched his lips on her knuckles. “You know, I could find cause to blame you for all of this. I should have been with you.” Andy’s smile was sad, and she immediately regretted her words. It wasn’t right to find reason to blame the whole ordeal on him. She knew in her heart that she shouldn’t have wandered out on her land by herself. She was an adult, and someone else wasn’t responsible for her actions. Obviously, Andy had blamed himself for her kidnapping. “You know, you were right about me. You told me once that I was a chicken—and you got that right. Woman, you had me out choosing wallpaper. You know how long it takes news like that to fly through Three Hills?”

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Kathryn raised an eyebrow. The corner of her mouth dared to rise, but she fought off the smile that threatened her composure. “I don’t believe it took quite twenty four hours. Don’t tell me you ran to the hills to hide from questions about us from the town? Where are you going to run after something like last night?” “To you.” Andy grabbed her arms and brought her face closer to his. “I’ve been married. It didn’t work. It took me running to the hills to realize it didn’t work because I married the wrong woman. I need you, Kathryn. Just the way you are, with all your qualities and all your faults. I was crazy in those hills. I couldn’t quit thinking about you.” “All I could think about was you too.” She watched when he let her go, and then reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small jewelry box, old…with its felt worn. He held it up in front of her, and licked his lips. When she looked at him, his gaze was focused on the box. “This was my grandmother’s. It never crossed my mind to give it to my first wife. I don’t know why. But when I looked at it earlier; it’s the exact same color as your eyes.” He held it up to her. “It’s not worth several thousand dollars. Hell, it may be worth a hundred.” Kathryn took the box and flipped it open. Inside, there was a narrow silver band with one sapphire in a simple setting. She held the ring with two fingers, and realized her hand was shaking. “What are you doing, Andy?” Her voice was a cracked whisper. “Marry me, Kathryn. I can’t live without you.” Tears spilled down her cheeks as her smile spread across her face. She held the ring out to him. “Put it on me, please.” “Is that a yes?” She reached out to touch the tear that made a narrow streak down his cheek, and nodded vigorously, not trusting her voice to work. She rested her hand on his shoulder when he looked down and took the ring from her. It slid on to her left ring finger as if it were made for her. He took her left hand and kissed her palm, his gaze smoldering into hers. “I’ll marry you, my Sheriff Rambo. I wouldn’t be able to live if I didn’t. I think that simple truth hit us both the first day we saw each other.” Andy chuckled so deeply that her body sung with delight. He put his hands under her arms and lifted her up, so they stood in each other’s arms. “Yeah, I should have run to the hills that day.” She punched at him playfully and he grabbed her in a suffocating hold, as he lifted her off the ground. He swung her around the front porch and she broke out into laughter that was food for his soul. He’d found a woman who craved him as much as he craved her. “But then you would have chased after me and gotten lost.” “I should have done that, then you would have rescued me and we could have started the rest of our lives a lot sooner.” “Don’t ever run from me, Andy,” she whispered into his mouth, after he’d kissed her tear-stained lips. “Reckon I won’t,” he drawled, and her entire body shivered, much to his delight. “I only end up having to rescue you.”

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He strolled off the porch toward his car, with her still in his arms. He opened the passenger door and placed her gently on the seat. “Come on, Mrs. Adams, let’s go give this town some new gossip to spread.”