Laying Down the Law (7 page)

Colt knew he’d made a mistake the moment he blurted the words. He pulled out of her heat and rolled to the side of the bed, coming to a stand even though his legs were shaking in the aftermath of the most explosive orgasm he could ever remember.

“What did you say?” she gasped.

“Never mind,” he growled, wanting nothing more than to escape and shore up his ravaged emotions.

She swung her legs to the side and sat on the edge of the mattress before pulling the sheet to cover her nude body.

”Little late for that,” he muttered.

“I’m not used to havin’ conversations when I’m naked.”

He turned his back to her, hands on his hips as he stared down at his cock, still semi-erect and coated with his come and her juices. Damn. “Well, don’t worry about it. We aren’t. Havin’ a conversation, that is.”

“You can’t just say something like that and expect me not to respond.”

“It’s water under the bridge.”

“Not the best analogy right this freakin’ moment,” she said, anger sharpening her voice. “What did you mean, why did I go?”

Colt didn’t suffer the same modesty she did. He turned fully toward her, not caring his cock was still mostly hard. “All right then. Why’d you leave me? I gotta ask. It’s not like you left me for something better than you coulda had here.”

She lowered her eyebrows in a fierce scowl, twisted her lips in a snarl. “You didn’t want me,” she said, her voice huskier now, laced with tears.

“Didn’t want you?” Something inside him snapped. “I had a goddamn wedding ring in my pocket when you dropped your bomb,” he shouted. “‘My car’s packed’, you said.”

She shoved off the bed, letting the sheet slide away as she stalked toward him. When she was in front of him, she stabbed his chest with a finger. “It was packed because Jed kicked me out. Said he was done the day I graduated. I woke up that mornin’ and he had all my belongings sittin’ in the trunk and back seat of my car. I had no place else to go.”

Her body vibrated with anger, shaking so hard he was tempted to catch her to steady her, but then everything she’d said struck him like a blade. “You could have come here,” he said hoarsely.

“Well, you didn’t ask me to stay.”

“You should have known I wanted that. I told you I loved you.”

“So did every high school boy who wanted in his girl’s pants.”

Colt swallowed hard, cold chasing the heat from his body. He dragged in a deep breath. “Would you have stayed if I’d asked?”

Her eyes closed. Her head hung, but not before he saw a tear trickle down her cheek.

“Guess it doesn’t matter,” he said, feeling as hollow as he sounded. “You didn’t trust me.”

“I still don’t trust anyone,” she said, her shoulders shaking. “It’s not like I had anyone to teach me how.”

Colt raked a hand through his hair. “Well, fuck.” He returned to the bed and sat. “All this time, I thought you left because you didn’t care.”

“I cared.” She turned slowly. “You’re the only man who ever mattered to me.”

The tears came freely now, and he felt at a loss. He patted the bed beside him. “Sit.”

She crossed her arms over her middle, ambled slowly forward then sat beside him, inches separating their thighs.

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side.

Zuri turned and snuggled against him, her hand cupped over his heart. “I’d have stayed. All you had to do was tell me not to go.”

For years, he’d carried around his resentment and confusion, afraid to trust his heart again, and for what? She hadn’t trusted him, but he sure as hell hadn’t given her his trust. He’d assumed she didn’t care a lick when she’d walked toward her car and driven away. “We’re a pair, Zuri,” he whispered, then kissed her cheek.
Both fools. What a damn waste.
“You should get some rest.”

She sniffed and raised her head. “What about you?”

“I have to read Gabe and Tommy into the situation. They have a right to know.”

She nodded. “If they have a problem with me stayin’, I’ll leave.”

“And go where?”

She lifted her shoulders. “Do you want me to turn myself in?” Her head came up. Her lashes were starred with her tears.

“Not until we can figure out how to keep you safe. He’s had all the time in the world to set you up.”

“You believe me?”

Colt sighed. “I want to,” he said truthfully.

She gave a little nod, slid deeper onto the mattress and lay on her side. “Guess I am pretty tired.”

He hesitated for a moment, then bent toward her, gave her cheek a kiss and pulled the bedding from the floor to cover her. “For tonight, don’t worry. I’m in your corner.”

She sniffed again and looked away. “I would have stayed,” she said, her voice so ragged his chest hurt.

He gave her another kiss. This time on the lips. Damn, if he didn’t believe her.

“And you believe her?” Tommy asked, eyebrows high.

Gabe snorted. “’Course he does. He’s all soft on account he just fucked her.”

Colt bit back a curse. “I’m not an idiot.” He’d woken both his brothers from a deep sleep, and now they sat alone in the kitchen, mugs of instant coffee on the table in front of them. Colt took a sip of his and made a face.

“You’re an idiot when it comes to her,” Gabe said, his eyes narrowed. “No offense, bro.”

Colt bristled. “I told you, she and I both made mistakes.”

Tommy sat, arms crossed over his bare chest. He tilted back on the kitchen chair, his expression pensive as he stared back. “So what you want to do?”

He eyed his youngest brother, surprised at his even tone. Tommy had always been just as adamantly anti-Zuri as Gabe. “Not gonna tell me I should turn her in?”

Tommy’s lips firmed into a narrow line. “Not if you think there’s a chance her story’s true.”

Colt felt relief spill down his spine. He leaned forward, both elbows on the table as he stared into his cup. “If she’s tellin’ the truth, this cop’s gonna be lookin’ for her. He’ll come here. She thought she saw him just before she went into the river, so he could already be close.”

Gabe rubbed his jaw then sat forward as well. His gaze swung between his brothers, and he took a deep breath. “Can’t say I’m happy havin’ her under our roof. I still remember how it was after she left. She changed you, man. Whether this is her fault or not, she’s trouble. But if this is what you want to do, I’m in. I’ll talk to the men. Make sure none of them says a word to anyone about her bein’ here.”

“Better we all stick close to the ranch,” Colt said, nodding.

“I’ll make sure no one goes out unarmed,” Gabe said, “and we should probably set up a patrol.”

Colt nodded. “I have to talk to Wade. He knows she’s here. If he sees anything come in about her, he’ll have to know how to handle it.”

“You expect him to keep quiet?” Tommy said.

“I’ll tell him everything and give him the choice of what he wants to do. Only fair. His ass would be in a sling too, if shit goes sideways.”

“You’re takin’ a big risk with your job,” Gabe said, shaking his head. “Hell, you could wind up in jail for harborin’ a fugitive. You sure this is how you want to do this?”

Colt’s jaw tightened. “What I want is a little time to sort out her story.”

“And if she’s not tellin’ the truth?” Gabe arched a dark brow.

Colt grunted. “That patrol works both ways. No one comes in—and she doesn’t take a step off this ranch.”

“I’ll tell the guys.” Tommy pushed up. “I’ll hit the bunkhouse now. It’s gonna be a long day.”

When Tommy left the room, Gabe gave him a hard stare.

Colt stiffened. “Go ahead and spit it out. It’s not like you’ve ever held a thing back.”

The hard edge of Gabe’s jaw eased a fraction and his gaze reflected worry. “I know she’s pretty.”

Colt snorted and picked up his cup to take a sip.

“Okay, she’s beautiful. I get why any man would want her. But you’ve been down that road before. It didn’t work twelve years ago. It sure as hell can’t work now. All I’m gonna say is be careful.”

“I’m not a kid anymore. And you’re my younger brother. I could tell you to mind your own business, but I know better.” Colt set his cup on the table and raised his gaze to meet Gabe’s. “I love her. Always have. Always will. She’s under my skin. As long as we’ve been apart, I never forgot her smell, her taste. When she looks at me like I’m a dream come to life, somethin’ happens.” Colt paused, realizing this was the longest personal conversation they’d ever shared.

Gabe shifted in his chair, then scraped it closer so he hunched beside Colt. “I won’t pretend I understand, because I don’t. For all the reasons I’ve said ’til I’m blue in the face. But I can see she’s dug deep. If you’re set on helpin’ her, I’m in. Not for her, but because you’re my brother. This is about family. Ours. We’ll stand together.” He rose and clapped a hand on Colt’s shoulder. “I’ll take a walk around the yard.”

Colt sat for a long moment, swallowing past the burning lump at the back of this throat. He’d brought trouble into the house. He hoped like hell he could keep everyone safe.

When he returned to his room, he quietly opened the door, then stripped off his jeans and climbed into bed beside Zuri.

By her deep, even breathing, she slept.

In his head, he replayed their conversation, heard the heartbreak in her voice when she’d demanded to know what he’d meant. He believed that much was real—that she’d thought he’d been happy to see her go when they’d parted after graduation.

And he’d held tight to his resentment. Harbored it. Let if fester until it had colored every relationship he’d ever had.

Zuri would have stayed. Would have been his wife. He’d fucked up big time, and now she needed his help. Whether she lied about the rest
…
Well, he’d deal with that as it came. In the meantime, he’d keep her safe and find her a damn good lawyer.

Moonlight silvered her hair and skin. Gabe had called her beautiful. Looking at her now caused that lump to burn his throat again. He snuck an arm over her waist and pulled her closer, doing his best to ignore the heat stirring in his loins as he nestled his nose into her hair and breathed deeply, taking in her fresh, sweet scent. Colt realized in that moment how much he’d missed this, having her here beside him. He’d never stopped loving her because she’d been imprinted on his mind and body. There wasn’t another woman on the planet who’d ever made him feel anything so intensely.

Lord, how would he ever let her go?

Colt didn’t sleep a wink. When dawn broke, just before light peeked through the curtains, he called Wade, who went from groggy and annoyed to instantly alert as Colt described Zuri’s predicament.

His friend agreed to keep quiet and urged Colt to stay home to watch over her. Colt’s stomach churned, wondering how the hell he could help her and keep his brothers and friend out of trouble too.

Zuri stirred, rolling to her side and snuggling her cheek against his chest. “This is nice,” she whispered. “You sleep good?”

“Yeah,” he lied, smiling as her eyelids fluttered open.

Her soft brown gaze roamed his face, touched on his lips, and he knew what she wanted because she lingered there.

He came closer, but she pulled back, wrinkling her nose. “I need to brush my teeth.”

“Don’t worry about me,” he murmured and kissed her although she kept her mouth firmly closed. His lips smiled against hers. He nudged her hip with his cock.

Her eyes widened. “Been like that long?” she asked, her voice husky.

“A pretty woman lying right beside me, what do you think?”

She brushed her hair from her face with her hand. “I must look a sight.”

Colt caught her fingers and threaded them with his before placing both their hands on the pillow beside her head. “Have any better plans?”

Chapter Eight

Zuri breathed, taking in his crisp male scent. No man had ever smelled like that. Of horse and sage and his own male musk. Wearing his clothes had cloaked her in it, even freshly laundered. When she was surrounded with that smell, she couldn’t help but remember all the times they’d been like this, waking in the dawn, weak morning sun casting rays to chase away the shadows that made their loving something private and secretive. Something she could handle because he couldn’t see every expression flitting across her face.

Mornings revealed, inspiring fresh passion as well as fear. She worried over how she looked. Could he see the wrinkles beside her eyes? Would he think she’d grown old? Did he compare her to other women, more generously endowed women?

But mostly, she feared the honesty light revealed. With him, now, she couldn’t put on a careless face. He’d see how much every little caress meant, how wild he made her.

He came up on an elbow. Morning was more than kind to the man. Dark stubble on his jaw and chin added a dash of danger to his appearance. His large hand cupped her small breast and his callused thumb rasped the tip.

She bit her lip against a moan. Lazy heat burned between her legs. She angled toward him, unable to resist the challenge in his gleaming eyes. Reaching beneath the covers, she cupped his erection in her palm. “Have to say, Sheriff Triplehorn, you do know how to get a lady’s attention.”