Cowboy Command (25 page)

Nora sipped her wine. 
“You?  Why, everyone loves you, Katie.  I can’t imagine why anyone would want you dead.”

“
Someone does.  I’ve been lying low for a while.  You, on the other hand, have been a busy bee lately.  Selling arms to terrorists and hiring hit men.  How did you find me, by the way?  I thought I was well hidden in Montana.”

“
You told me, dear.”  Nora looked genuinely happy at that moment.  “You used your credit card to purchase something online.  I had your phone, and the receipt came in your email.  A phone call to a police friend was all it took to get the location of the transaction.  Another mistake on your part.  An almost fatal one.”

“
You had my phone?  That’s what I was going back for when the car exploded.”

Nora frowned. 
“Is that how you escaped?”  She sighed.  “The maître d gave me your phone.  He found it on the table.  Of course, I held on to it.  I knew eventually you’d screw up.”

Wow, had she.  In her haste to enter Seth
’s Christmas present into Marion’s laptop on Thanksgiving, Presley must have accidentally used her old account name and password.  She was a fucking idiot.  She might as well have taken out billboards as to her location and posted them on all the highways from here to Montana.

Fuck!

She needed to gather herself.  Nora would delight in watching Presley squirm and she wasn’t going to do that.  Presley blanked her expression and pressed on.  She couldn’t forget she had a job to do here no matter how much she was perspiring.

“
You’ve always said good help was hard to find.  Perhaps you should have taken care of things yourself and not sent a couple of your henchmen.  You miscalculated things, sis.”

Presley held her breath waiting for Nora
’s reaction.  She was rewarded with anger flaring in her stepsister’s eyes.  Excellent.

I
’ve got you now.  You’re going to give me everything I need.

* * * *
*

In Seth
’s entire life he’d never been this nervous or scared.  That included when he had to stand up in front of the entire town at a council meeting and give a speech about drinking, driving, and not doing drugs.  This was a million times worse.  He was terrified something was going to happen to Presley.

He and Evan were in the house next door listening in on the wire Presley was wearing and watching a monitor via the
high-powered camera they had trained on the two women.  Presley looked surprisingly relaxed but Seth had felt her tension when he’d held her in his arms only minutes before.  She was scared and she didn’t want to admit it. 

Presley had exchanged a few pleasantries with her sister but now she
’d gotten down to brass tacks.  Getting Nora emotional enough to spill the beans.  Despite the fear twisting in his gut, he was proud of how Presley was playing it.  Seth watched the monitor intently, looking for any clue they needed to intervene.  They could be out the French doors and over to the next house not fifteen feet away in seconds.

Nora slapped her wine glass down on the table, her eyes narrowed. 
“I don’t make mistakes, Katie dear.”

Presley leaned back in her chair, taking a challenging stance that made Seth
’s heart speed up.  Damn, he wished he could stand between her and Nora, but this was something she had to do.  He understood it but he didn’t have to fucking like it.

“
I’m alive.  That’s at least two mistakes.”  Presley stroked her lips in thought.  “Randall’s turned state’s evidence.  That’s another.”

The shocked expression on Nora
’s face told Presley her declaration had come as a surprise.

“
You didn’t know about Randall?  I would imagine he has quite a bit to say.  About you.  You’re going to go to Federal prison for the rest of your life.  I heard it’s not much fun there.  Not that that bothered you when your plan was to send me there for life.”

Nora
’s lips twisted into an ugly smile.  “Orange is your color, dear.”

Presley let the silence stretch and Evan was nodding in approval.  Seth had advised her that silence might unnerve Nora.  He
’d used it on many a suspect during interrogations.

It appeared Nora couldn
’t take it any longer.  “Nothing to say?  I’m not surprised.  You never had much to say in the past.  Nothing worth listening to anyway.”

“
Is that why?  I was boring so you decided to have me killed?”

Nora shook her head. 
“The original plan was for you to go to prison.  Lovely Katie, everyone adored you.  A common criminal, betraying her country.” Nora tut-tutted.  “I used to dream about you being locked up for the rest of your pathetic life.  You wouldn’t stay pretty for long behind bars.”

Nora
’s expression had turned ugly and Seth could see Presley’s fists clenched under the table, but her face gave nothing away.

“
But Randall backed out.”  Presley didn’t make it sound like a question.  They already knew it was true.

Nora leaned forward, her palms on the table and Seth found himself reaching for his gun.  Evan put a hand on his shoulder. 
“Relax.  She’s unarmed and we’ve got men circling the yard.  Nothing’s going to happen.  Presley’s doing exactly what we rehearsed.”

Presley was doing it and doing it well.  Too well.  Nora was already angry, her nostrils flaring. 
“Randall is an idiot.  All he had to do was frame you with the paperwork, but could he do that?  Hell no. 
He liked you
.”  Nora practically spat out the last three words.  “He couldn’t do it, so I knew I had to have another plan.  That’s when I decided to kill you.  The only question was how.”

“
A car bomb.  Very unique.”  Presley appeared to be holding it together, but Seth could see she was struggling.  They needed to end this confessional soon.

Nora nodded. 
“I did that for you.  I didn’t want you to suffer.  I wanted you dead, but you are my stepsister.  I wanted to make your death quick and painless.”

Evan pumped his fist in the air. 
“Yes!  She’s getting the details we need,” he whispered.  “Keep going, Presley.”

Presley was rubbing one hand with the other on her lap. 
“That was thoughtful of you.  Did you hire someone to plant it?”

“
Of course.  I don’t know anything about bombs.  You’d be amazed at what people will do for money.”

“
Is that why you did it?  Selling the arms?  Did you do it for the money?”

Whatever tender feelings Nora had been feeling fled.  Her face contorted with rage. 
“Father didn’t leave me enough money.  He left the best house to you.  The others were mortgaged to the hilt.  He should have left everything to me.  Me!  I loved him more than anything, Katie.  I worked hard in school to make him proud.  I married a rich man and made a good marriage just like he wanted.  But did he appreciate it?  No.  He still loved you.  You stole love from me.”  Nora was shaking a finger at Presley.  “I loved Daddy so much.  He never loved me the same after you came into my life.”

What a maniacal bitch.
Love wasn’t a zero-sum game, but to her it was.

“
You married a rich man.  What happened?” 

Nora hopped up from the table. 
“He was an asshole.”  She whirled and pointed to Presley.  “But he liked you.  I had to divorce him.  Did you fuck him, Katie?  Did you fuck my husband?”

He saw Presley swallow hard and then her shoulders straightened up. 
“I didn’t.  Taking your things wasn’t my style, Nora.  That was your game.  So when the car bomb didn’t work, you sent someone to shoot at me in Montana.  They screwed everything up.  I bet the FBI are talking to them right now.  They’ll roll right over on you.  You have no friends and no family, Nora, and it’s all your doing.  You could have had a family but you pushed everyone away.”

Nora shoved a finger in Presley
’s face and Seth went on alert.  It was almost time to roll and he didn’t like Nora’s body language.  “I’ll keep trying until you’re dead.  Coming here today was a stupid mistake, Katie, but then you’ve made so many who’s counting?  When the authorities find your dead body in my pool, they’ll think it was just one more error in judgment on your part.  Oh wait, you’re already dead.  All I have to do is get rid of your body and no one will be the wiser.”

Seth didn
’t anticipate Nora’s next move.  She launched herself forward, knocking Presley, Presley’s chair, and herself into the pool next to the back patio with a splash.  Heart in his throat, Seth immediately jumped and was out the double doors and across the lawn in a flash.  Adrenaline pumping, he threw off his shoulder holster but didn’t stop to take anything else off, jumping into the water with the two women, who were wrestling for their lives.  Both women were coughing and choking, and Seth knew they would tire quickly with their clothes weighed down with water. 

Nora was thrashing around, trying to push Presley
’s head under.  Presley was obviously the stronger of the sisters but Nora was fueled by rage, making it an even fight.  Nora had a handful of Presley’s hair and Presley had Nora in a headlock that would have made a professional wrestler proud.  It took several attempts on his part to get between the women.  Their legs were kicking wildly and the splashing made it hard to see what was happening.  He insinuated himself between them, gaining what he knew would be some nasty bruises the next day.  He wrapped his arms around Nora, trapping her so she couldn’t flail her arms.  Two more agents had joined them in the pool, although one seemed occupied holding Presley back.  Between Seth and the agent, they quickly had the screaming woman subdued, physically if not mentally.  Evan tossed a pair of cuffs down to him and Seth restrained Nora’s hands behind her back, marched her up the steps out of the pool, and handed her off to one of the two dozen agents that had descended on the house and grounds.

Nora was screaming as she was led away.  Seth waded back in and gave Presley a hand out of the pool, b
oth of them dripping wet.  She coughed a few times but other than that she looked uninjured.

“
Are you okay?  Are you hurt?”

Presley shook her head and pushed a sodden hunk of curls back from her face. 
“I think I need to start working out.”  She shoved at his shoulder.  “I totally had her.  You didn’t need to jump in.  I could have taken her.”

Relief suffused every cell of his body.  She was okay and this long nightmare was finally over. 
“I’m sure you could have, honey.  I was simply hurrying things along.  You need to stop getting into trouble.  You’re going to be a full-time job, I can see.”

She smiled at him and it took his breath away. 
“It’s a dirty job but somebody’s got to do it.”  She peeked down her blouse with a grin.  “Will the water ruin the equipment?”

Evan laughed and handed them a couple of towels the agents had scrounged up. 
“Probably, but it doesn’t matter.  We have the recording of what she said.  We shouldn’t have any trouble holding her.  Looks like you’re free to pick up your life again, Katie.”

Presley shook her head and smiled. 
“Presley.  Katie’s dead, may she rest in peace.  I’m Presley now.”  She linked her arm through Seth’s and he felt his heart do a flip in his chest.  He loved this woman, and he couldn’t wait to get her to himself.  “We’re headed to Montana.  First thing tomorrow morning, we’re driving back.”

“
You don’t want to stick around and see some sights?” Seth teased.  “We could visit Gator Land or Sea World.  Maybe Weeki Wachee.  Don’t they have mermaids?”

“
You don’t need mermaids, Sheriff.  You need snow, am I right?”

Seth looked around the lush greenery. 
“I don’t know.  I could get used to the warm weather.”

She gave him a disgusted look
and threw up her hands.  “Men.  Give them what they want and they want something else entirely.”

“
I know exactly what I want.  Do you?” Seth challenged.

She pressed her body to his, and he could feel the heat even when both of them were soaked to the bone. 
“I want to go home, Sheriff.”

This time, her home wouldn
’t be someplace three thousand miles away.  This time her home would be with him.

Chapter Twenty-One

Presley hummed Christmas carols along with the music
drifting from her iPod dock.  She wanted to surprise Seth by finishing the decorating of their cozy log home before his shift ended. 

Their home.

She liked how it sounded.  When they’d arrived back in Montana last week after three days of driving, Seth had stomped up the stairs to her tiny apartment and helped her pack her belongings.  She’d moved out and never looked back.  She’d thought she might be depressed finding out her sister was a murderer but Seth’s family and Eliza were determined to show Presley she belonged in Harper.  She hadn’t mourned the tragic end to her family long.  She would, however, probably have to go back and testify against Nora at some point.  It wasn’t something Presley relished but at least she wasn’t hiding out anymore.

Now she was wearing naughty red silk lingerie and trying to string lights and pine garland on the mantle
.  Seth had been working so hard this last week, giving his deputies time off since they’d covered for him.  He had tonight and tomorrow off and she wanted nothing more than to spend time with him, make love, and watch the Broncos on television. 

“
Now that’s what I like to come home to.”  Seth’s wolf whistle made her whirl around.  He was standing in the doorway looking like the God of Sex in his uniform.  “A gorgeous woman in lingerie under twinkling Christmas lights.  Hell, we even have an angel choir in the background.”

Presley let her gaze wander up and down the man she loved.  He was hotter than sin and she loved to look at him.  His wide shoulders and flat stomach were emphasized by the tailoring of his shirt and his jeans cupped his perfect ass as if they were made especially for him. 
She had the perfect vantage point to see his ass as he turned to hang his coat by the door.  His grin was wicked and his hand went straight to his cowboy hat.  He tossed it through the air, across the living room, and it landed perfectly on the back of the sofa.  He did that every night, much to Presley’s amusement.  Her man was really loosening up and having some fun.

“
You scared me.”  Presley put her hands on her hips.  “Sneaking up on a poor, defenseless woman like that.”

Seth
’s eyebrows shot up.  “Defenseless?  Baby, you are about as far from defenseless as you can be.  The mightiest of men shake in their boots at the mere mention of your name.”

Katie Johnson had been declared dead after the car bombing and Presley didn
’t want the name back anyway.  She was more Presley than Katie.  She probably always had been.

“
Does that include you, Sheriff?” Presley teased.  She draped the strands of lights behind her neck like a feather boa.  “Do you shake in your boots?”

Seth glanced down at his black cowboy boots with a mock scowl. 
“Maybe, if I did something really scary.”

“
Running from hit men wasn’t scary enough for you?”

Seth walked toward her and she felt the rush of love and passion she always did when he was close.  He smelled delicious and his clean, masculine scent wrapped around her.  It never ceased to make her feel calm and centered.  He was her rock and she was his
roll, as she liked to tease him.

“
I was thinking about doing something far scarier than that, honey.”  He stopped right in front of her and captured her chin in his fingers, tilting her head so she was looking up into his beautiful blue eyes.  They were soft and loving and she felt her entire body fill with warmth at what she saw there. 

It was true love.

She placed her hands on his chest and his heart was beating faster than normal.  “You seem excited, Sheriff.  Are you in the mood for something in particular?  Shall we head in to the bedroom?”

He didn
’t answer.  Instead he fell onto one knee, holding her hands in his large ones.  She sucked in a breath as she realized what was about to happen.  He was either planning to beg for her to fix dinner or propose.  Her heart beat wildly at the thought of the latter.

“
Seth, what are you doing?” she asked slowly.  If he didn’t propose now after this big show she was going to be really disappointed. 

Seth looked up at her. 
“Presley Lawson, I know we haven’t known each other long, but I think you would agree, the time we have been together has been intense.”  She couldn’t argue there.  She nodded in agreement.  “I love you and you love me.  I figure if I don’t get a ring on your finger quick, well, there’s no telling what else might happen.  You’re walking trouble, honey, and I’m just the man to enjoy it.”

Presley
’s eyebrow lifted but joy started to build in her stomach making it flutter and dance.  “Enjoy it or tolerate it?  You don’t like chaos, remember?”

Seth stood up but didn
’t let go of her hands.  “I’ve been thinking about that.  Maybe being in control all the damn time isn’t as great as I thought it was.  I love you.”  Seth dug into his pocket with one hand and pulled out a small velvet box.  “Will you marry me?  Love me and have a family with me?”

The world tilted and the room spun.  Presley threw herself into Seth
’s arms, laughing and kissing him everywhere she could reach.

“
Yes! Yes!  I love you so much! Yes!”  His arms wrapped around her and she felt safe, warm, and loved.  His lips found hers and she was lost to the passion between them, her body responding as it always did to his patient loving.  When he lifted his head, she was breathless and he was grinning ear to ear. 

“
I thought it might take the ring to seal the deal.”  He pulled away just enough to flip open the top of the box with his thumb.  “Let’s get this on your finger, honey, so I know it’s official.”  The beauty of the princess-cut solitaire brought tears to her eyes.  Seth certainly made her feel like a princess so it was very appropriate.  He slid it on her finger, and her hand shook with excitement.  He bent to kiss the knuckle.  “No changing your mind.  This is forever.”

She nodded, hardly able to make out his face through the tears. 
“Forever, Seth.  I promise.  Not one day less.”

“
I’ll hold you to that.”  He lifted her up and carried her over by the tree, placing her on her feet.  He grabbed some pillows and a blanket from the couch and tossed them on the floor before hitting the power switch on the wall.  The room was now bathed in the most romantic glow from the fireplace and the tiny multi-colored bulbs of the Christmas tree.  He lifted the light strand from her neck and found the end with the plug.  He held it up and she frowned, not sure what he was going to do with it.  He knelt under the tree and found the power strip, plugging the strand in so it lit up in his hands.  “Lie down, honey.  We’re going to make love next to this Christmas tree.”

She couldn
’t think of anything she wanted to do more.  She settled on the cushions and reached up for him but he laughed and shook his head.

“
You touch me and this is going to be all over with too quickly.  I want to take my time.”  He lifted her arms over her head and wrapped the strand of lights around her wrists and then around the leg of a chair, effectively restraining her.  If she pulled hard enough, she knew the strand would give way but instead she relaxed, tugging at the bonds slightly.  It was secure enough to give her a reminder if she tried to bring her hands down. 

His rough hands glided over her flesh
, bringing goose bumps to the surface and making her shiver in response.  He flicked open the butterfly clip between her breasts and pushed the lace cups away so she was exposed to his gaze.  “Beautiful.  Just beautiful.” His hands slid to her hips and he tugged her panties down her legs, tossing the scrap of lace and silk over his shoulder.

He reached into the box of decorations forgotten at the foot of the tree and pulled out a handful of silver tinsel, dangling it above her breasts.  Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as he swirled the strands around and around the nipples, back and forth between them, until they were hard and tight. 

Presley’s cunt clenched in anticipation and honey dripped down her thigh as he moved the strands up and down her stomach, then up to her shoulders and neck, and back down to her hips.  He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her quivering abdomen, her breathing shallow as the blood began to burn in her veins. 

He dragged the strands down her thighs and then up along the sensitive skin near her pussy.  He did it over and over, every time coming closer to her slit but not quite.  She was about to scream when he brushed the tinsel over her clit, sending pleasure to every receptor in her shaking body.

Her eyes drifted closed as he tortured the nub, bringing her close to orgasm but never letting her go over.  Every muscle was tense and poised for release when instead of the tinsel she felt his mouth close over the swollen button.  She arched her back, frozen for a moment.  When her climax hit her, she screamed Seth’s name, the waves radiating from her center relentlessly until she was limp and drained. 

Her eyelids fluttered open and Seth had divested himself of his clothing and was kneeling between her thighs with nothing on but a smile.  A condom package dangled from his fingers.

“Is my future wife ready for me?  What does she want?”

His voice was deep and it sent tingles up her spine.  She couldn
’t believe she was going to get a lifetime with Seth.

“
Fuck me,” she hissed.  “I need you.  Fuck me.”  Her voice wasn’t as smooth as his, but he didn’t seem to mind.  He tore open the condom with his teeth and rolled it on his cock.  She slid her thighs further apart in entreaty.  Presley wanted, no, needed, his big cock pounding them both to heaven and beyond.  He positioned himself on his elbows, the head of his cock nudging her cunt.

Just as he leaned down to kiss her, he surged forward, thrusting into her
waiting and welcoming pussy. 

“
Yes!”  She cried out against his mouth.  His tongue traced her lips as his cock pistoned inside of her, each stroke sending her higher and higher until they were floating above the living room and tumbling in the clouds.  She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer and tighter so each time he thrust in, his groin rubbed her already sensitive clit.  She was ready to go off like a firecracker again. 

Seth
’s head was thrown back and his jaw was tight as he pumped in and out of her, the pressure growing in her lower abdomen.  His mouth dipped down and suckled at a nipple.  It sent ripples straight to her cunt and she tightened around him, silently urging him on to completion. 

His strokes sped up and the coil wound tightly inside
her finally sprung free.  Lights danced in front of her eyes and waves of pleasure roared through her from head to toe.  Her pussy clamped down on his cock and he groaned as he too fell over the edge.  His forehead was covered with beads of sweat as he thrust into her one last time, his face contorted with ecstasy.  She loved watching him as he fucked her, the emotions flitting across his handsome features fascinating her.  Each time they made love, she fell more deeply under his spell.

As they came slowly down to earth, Presley realized she
’d pulled her hands free.  She wrapped them around his shoulders when he would have moved away. 

“
Not yet.  One minute more.”

He dropped a kiss on her nose. 
“One minute, then I need to take care of the condom.”

“
I can’t wait to spend my life with you.  Thanks for keeping me alive long enough to do it.”

His laughter rumbled in his chest. 
“Thanks for saying yes.  Were you surprised or did you know it was coming?”

She giggled and wrapped a leg around one of his, the rough hair scratching against her skin. 
“Couldn’t you tell?  I was shocked.”

This time he did move away with a sigh. 
“I’ll be right back.”  He padded into the bathroom and was back in a few moments, cuddling under the blanket with her.  “I’d planned to ask you on Christmas actually, but I couldn’t wait.”

She idly stroked his chest. 
“I’m glad you didn’t.  Seth?”  Presley levered up on her elbow so she could look into his eyes.  “Everything has been pretty exciting up to now.  What if you get bored?”

“
I doubt that will happen, honey.”  Seth smiled and shook his head.

“
How do you know?  It could happen.”  He thought he knew everything, for heaven’s sake.  He was smiling like a Cheshire cat.

“
I don’t think it will.  You know when I went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom?”  He cupped her jaw in his warm hands.  “It was broken, honey.  We might be parents in nine months.”

She shook her head. 
“What?  Broken?  Huh?”  She couldn’t even string a sentence together.  Her brain was buzzing with his words.

Seth laughed. 
“You wanted a family.  Looks like we might get one.  I knew you were trouble.  Mom and Dad are going to be thrilled.”

Presley dug her fingers into his shoulders, her heart starting to swell with love. 
“Will you be thrilled?”

He got nose to nose with her. 
“Honey, I can’t think of anything that would make me happier.  We better get married quick.  Lord knows what might happen next.  I need to be prepared for anything with you.”