Her Cowboy Protector (13 page)

Every time she turned those pretty brown eyes on him, the color so rich and dark, he fought the shock of temptation. When she smiled at him, when those full pink lips curved, he felt a streak of heat through his lower belly. Her scent, her laugh, her very presence filled him with such an intense ache for something he couldn't have.

His rebelling body angered him. Of all the women in the universe to feel an instant attraction toward it had to be this one. That she was Carlos's baby sister was bad enough, but, after what she'd been through, it just wasn't right to look at her or think of her like that. She needed time to heal, not be badgered by unwanted attraction from a gruff old bastard like himself.

Embracing his hardened side, Niall yanked on the screen door and headed into the house, steeling himself for the fight to end all fights. He hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen. Cruz stood at the kitchen counter and attacked a red bell pepper with a worryingly large knife. She didn't strike him as the stabbing type but who could tell when it came to a heavily pregnant woman riled up and loaded for bear.

He cleared his throat to announce his presence and slowly entered the room. "We need to talk."

"So talk," she growled and hacked at the poor vegetable.

"Why don't you put down the knife?"

Cruz scoffed and lifted her gaze to his. "What? Are you afraid I'm going to dice you like this bell pepper?"

"No," he lied. "I'm worried you'll cut yourself. You're obviously upset. It's so easy to slip and gouge a finger."

"I am upset!" She tossed down the knife, the metal blade clattering as it hit granite. "But not at you. Well," she reconsidered, "not totally." She blew out an irritated breath. "I'm upset with myself mainly."

Niall hadn't been expecting that. All the wind left his sails. "So you realize you made a huge mistake."

"I'm not stupid, Niall. I mean, I did a stupid thing but that doesn't make me incapable of understanding the error of my ways." Cruz rubbed her face. He noticed the glimmer of tears returning to her eyes. "I had to know, Niall. I started poking around on Daniela's Facebook page and then I landed on John's and I just had to know."

"All right," Niall said, moving closer to the kitchen island. "I'm clearly out of the loop here. Fill me in." He listened as she told him everything she'd learned and how her discoveries had prompted her to run into town to use the payphone.

"It was a dumb risk to take but it paid off. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

She reached for her purse on the other end of the island and retrieved an envelope with a phone number and a web address. "John's mom was waiting for my phone call."

Niall's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Cruz nodded. "Before he died, John Stafford sent his mother a letter with instructions to give me that web address when I contacted her. He must have realized he and Daniela weren't long for this world. They knew I had the files and I'd open them eventually. I guess they were betting my natural curiosity would get the better of me and I'd be unable to leave well enough alone."

Niall didn't like this development at all. "Have you checked it out yet?"

"No. I got sidetracked being mad at you and then mad at myself and then mad at that girlfriend of yours—"

"Wait. Backup," Niall instructed. "Girlfriend?"

Cruz issued a throaty sound of disgust. "Jolene."

"Jolene? What the hell does Jolene have to do with any of this?"

"More than you know," Cruz replied with an angry frown. "She threatened me, Niall."

"Threatened you? How?" He considered Cruz was overblowing a conversation. In her hormonal state, it wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibilities.

"Uh, let's see. She pressed that gossipy Paula from the doctor's office for information about my pregnancy, did the math and told me there was no way you're the father of this baby. Apparently she keeps pretty good tabs on you because she swears you never left town in October and November."

Niall didn't know what to say. It creeped him out to think she was watching him like that.

"Oh, and," Cruz said with a burst of emphasis, "there was that part where she told me she'd hurt me if I hurt you."

"She what?" Niall's body went rigid. Jolene might be confused or jealous but that didn’t give her the right to threaten Cruz with bodily harm.

"You heard me. She said she'd hurt me. Right there in broad daylight." Cruz shook her head. "And she used my real name."

Niall froze. "Your real name?"

"Called me Miss Montes. Looks like your marriage ruse wasn't good enough to fool the bunny boiler."

Niall let the pop culture reference to that nutty stalker slide. "That fits with what Diego told me."

"Diego?"

"My Ranger friend," Niall clarified. "He served with Carlos and me for a tour."

"What did he tell you?"

"That someone here was digging into your past." He sighed and braced his hands on the counter. "It wouldn't surprise me if Jolene got your fingerprints from the paperwork you filled out at the appointment or maybe the newspaper at the cafe."

"She knows about Carlos."

Niall went still and silent. "You're sure?"

"She straight-out named him as an undercover agent, told me no cover was that deep."

Niall made a split-second decision. "Turn off that stove. Get upstairs. Pack your things."

"What? Why?"

"We have to go. Now, Cruz. It's not safe here anymore."

Cruz visibly paled. "He's really going to find me, isn't he?" She looked as if she might break into hysterics at any second. "He's going to kill me, Niall. He's going to take my baby. I'm never going to be safe."

"
NO
!" Niall came around the counter and tugged her into his arms. He cradled her smaller, fragile body against his, shielding her from the evil of the outside world with his body heat. She clutched at him, her fingers grasping the fabric of his shirt. Her head fit so perfectly in the curve of his throat. He allowed his nose to drift down and take in the bright lime scent of the shampoo he'd come to know so well. "El Alacrán can go to hell. He's never setting sight on you again."

Niall closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. Things were about to get really ugly. He just hoped Cruz had enough of that courage and bravery left to see it through.

8
Chapter Eight

"Cruz? We're here."

She bolted upright at the sensation of being gently shaken. In a haze of panic, she raised her fists, ready to strike, but Niall was quicker and carefully pushed them down. "Hey," he said softly, "you're okay. We're here."

Cruz inhaled slowly and let her fuzzy mind clear. She glanced around and noticed the truck was parked in front of a small cabin. The lights were on and she could see their luggage sitting just inside the doorway. She became aware of Niall's fingers wrapped around her hands. She suddenly realized she'd almost knocked his block off. "Sorry!"

Niall just smiled and touched her cheek. "That was some deep sleep. You didn't even notice when I hit the drive-thru on the way out here." He unlatched her seat belt and moved it out of the way. "Come on."

Cruz put her hand in his and let him help her out of the truck's front seat. "Where are we?"

"Coleman." He locked up the truck, grabbed the last two bags and walked her to the front door. "The guys and I keep this hunting cabin stocked year round, just in case."

"The guys? Carlos?"

He nodded. "It's not much but it's safe."

She glanced around the small space. There was one door off the main room. She assumed it led to a master suite. The open floor plan made good use of the available area. The couch and dinette set had seen better days. She wasn't the least bit surprised by the flat screen TV and gaming console tucked in a basket under the TV stand. Men and their priorities!

"I think it's nice and cozy," Cruz said finally. She sensed Niall wanted her to be comfortable and happy so she shot him a reassuring smile. "Really. I like it here."

His shoulders relaxed, and he put the bags down on the couch. "Good."

Cruz studied him for a moment. He was still wearing his dirty work clothes. His haggard face betrayed his exhaustion. Neither of them had gotten much sleep the night before so they were dragging badly. "Why don't you take a shower?" She gestured to their luggage. "I'll get this squared away and then we can eat."

His gaze moved to the bags of fast food he'd picked up earlier. "It'll be cold."

She shrugged. "I don't mind."

Niall hesitated and then finally nodded. He locked the front door and left the room. She lifted her arms overhead and stretched her back and neck. Sitting in the truck for nearly three hours hadn't done her any favors. She needed to move around and unpacking was a good excuse.

Cruz picked through the bags on the couch. They'd made a quick stop at a Target along the way to pick up a laptop, some prepaid cell phones and some other small items they needed for the cabin. Carlos's boxes of money had come in handy. She still didn't like using the cash but there really was no other choice.

She put the paper goods and batteries on the kitchen counter. The laptop box she left on the couch. She'd tackle that in the morning. The phones she carried around the cabin and plugged into available wall sockets to charge up their batteries.

As she wheeled the suitcases into the bedroom, Cruz was struck by a sense of déjà vu. How many more times would she and Niall be forced to run? She swore right then and there that if she ever saw Jolene Grimshaw again, she was going to slap her into next week. That nosy, jealous, spiteful woman had put more than just Cruz and the baby at risk.

Carlos had been furious. They'd only been able to speak for a few minutes while Niall loaded up the truck with their luggage. It had been so good to hear her brother's voice, even if he was annoyed with Barney Fife, as he'd called Jolene. He and Niall had spoken very briefly before ending the call. She'd been so worried about Carlos's safety but Niall had convinced her that Carlos could handle it himself. If there was any chance Jolene's digging around had caused problems, Carlos's DEA handlers would pull him from the assignment.

She piled the suitcases on the queen size bed and checked the closets and chest of drawers for space. She started to put things away on hangers and in drawers but stopped. What if they had to take off again at a moment's notice? Maybe it was better to live out of their luggage for the time being.

The thought saddened her deeply. What the hell had happened to her life? The guilt of dragging Niall down with her, of interrupting his life, made her stomach roll. He'd done a stand-up thing taking her in and protecting her. Now he'd been forced to leave his ranch. Who knew when they'd be able to return again? She sure didn't.

The bathroom door swung open unexpectedly. Niall appeared in just a towel. She swallowed hard at the sight of so much skin. Memories of the other night when he'd held her against that strong, hard chest left her quivering. Her gaze roamed all that lean muscle, the light smattering of auburn hair, the scars and tattoos.

His hand gripped the towel around his waist. "I forgot my clothes."

"I can see that." She gestured to his suitcase. "I didn't bother unpacking. I wasn't sure how long we're staying."

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "Not long, I hope."

She became aware of his body heat. He stood so close she could count the beads of water rolling down his sculpted chest. Feeling and thoughts she'd been certain would never surface again flared to life inside her. The urge to stroke his skin, to remind her fingertips what a real man felt like, warred within her. When he tossed a mischievous grin her way, a swarm of butterflies went wild in her chest.

"You want to stay for the show?"

She snorted with amusement and dropped her gaze to his towel. "I'll pass."

Niall laughed as she slid by him. Their arms rubbed together, the arc of contact making her toes tingle. She needed to put some space between them, and fast. She headed out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Out in the living room, she exhaled a shaky breath and wrung her hands. She needed to get her emotions in check. Niall wasn't the right man for her. He'd been clear about romantic entanglements. He didn't want any part of relationships. If—and that was a big if—she ever decided it was time to try intimacy and dating, it had to be with someone willing to go all the way, not someone so emotionally closed off he refused to even treat his PTSD. She and the baby deserved better than that.

Heart aching and mind conflicted, Cruz dug through the cabinets in search of plates and silverware. They might be living on the lam but that didn't mean they had to eat out of paper bags. She set the table and arranged fries and burgers on plates.

"What's the occasion?" Niall joked as he joined her at the tiny table.

She smiled and shook her head. This side of Niall she really enjoyed. She wished he'd show it more it often because the tight-lipped, aloof Niall definitely wasn't her favorite. Although, she had to admit, the quick-thinking Niall who had devised a bug sweeper out of a handheld radio and other electronics from the junk drawer in his kitchen had come across as rather sexy. She'd been ready to accuse him of paranoia for sweeping his truck for a tracking device but then she'd reconsidered. A woman who'd been sleeping with a magnetically suspended and fully loaded gun next to her head for eight months had no room to talk.

Dinner was a quick affair. They were both so tired that shoveling down food sapped most of their energy. Cruz sat on the couch and watched half an hour of TV to let her dinner settle and then headed to bed. There was a brief moment where she wondered if Niall was planning to hop onto the other side of the mattress but he'd only followed her into the room to grab the extra pillow.

It took her half an hour to get comfortable. She couldn't sleep on her back and her right side twinged. Felix had positioned himself across her belly again so she finally ended up on her left side with one leg bent and one arm up over her heard. Finally comfortable, she drifted off quickly.