Maverick Sheriff (16 page)

Tucker mumbled plenty of profanity. Maybe because he didn’t like being joined at the hip with a sister they no longer considered a sister. At least that had been the case when Rosalie had first shown up at the ranch with Jewell’s entourage. However, Rosalie had more than pulled her own weight by helping to take care of Liam. And now she’d given them a lead.

Maybe.

If it wasn’t already too late.

One glance at Tucker and Cooper realized his brother was thinking the same thing.

Tucker took out his phone. “I’ll find out if there are any missing persons reports or dead bodies that might match this woman who found the baby.”

“But you don’t know anything about her,” Rosalie interrupted.

“She must live near the creek,” Cooper explained while Tucker proceeded with the call. “And she’s probably not elderly if she walked down to the creek so soon after the flood. Also, since she was willing to commit a crime by selling the baby, then she possibly has a criminal record.”

Of course, it still could turn out to be a needle in a haystack, but it was a start.

Jessa went closer to him. “I know I sound like Hector, Peggy and Donovan, but I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know.” And Cooper would have given her more reassurance than that if Colt hadn’t finished his call.

“It’s not good,” Colt told them right off the bat. “I just spoke to a friend in San Antonio P.D., and Calvin Brinton was found dead just a few hours ago. Murdered, execution-style.”

Rosalie’s hand flew to her mouth, but Cooper could still see her lips trembling. Jessa wasn’t faring much better. Maybe because she was thinking this would implicate her in a murder, but in Cooper’s book, it didn’t.

“It’s not your fault,” Cooper immediately said to Rosalie. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the person behind these attacks paid Brinton to contact you just so he could implicate Jessa.”

Jessa nodded, but she lost more of the color on her cheeks. “He wants us divided. He wants me to take Liam and run. That way I’ll be an easier target.”

Cooper nodded, too. “I figure this guy will do anything to eliminate any chance that Liam could be linked back to him.”

There’d already been a lot of effort made to cover up that link. The kidnapping attempts. The break-in at the lab to destroy the DNA sample. Now Brinton’s murder.

Colt finished another call and joined them. “I’ve put out feelers. Whoever this woman is, we’ll find her. Hopefully alive,” he added in a mumble.

“Come on,” Cooper said to Jessa. “We should get Liam back to the ranch. Rosalie, too.”

“Wait. What are you gonna do?” Tucker asked with his hands on his hips and his gaze firmly planted on Cooper.

He didn’t think Tucker was talking about the danger now. “I’ll have to sort it out with Jessa,” Cooper settled for saying.

That caused Tucker to huff. “For Pete’s sake, Liam’s your son, and you’ve already lost too much time with him.”

Colt made a sound of agreement. “All you have to do is show any judge those DNA results, and that’ll start the process to revoke the adoption.”

Cooper couldn’t deny what his brothers were saying. Neither could Jessa. If he pushed, he could have custody of Liam by the end of the month. No matter which way he went with this, it would mean a drastic change in all their lives.

“Well?” Tucker prompted. “Please tell me you aren’t just gonna let her take him.”

“No.” Cooper’s gaze came to hers. “I’m going to do what’s best for Liam. I’m having Jessa and him move to the ranch and live with me.”

Chapter Fourteen

Jessa paced outside Cooper’s office while she waited for him to finish the family meeting with his father and brothers. There wasn’t much else she could do—especially since Cooper hadn’t invited her to join in on the discussion.

Liam had been bathed, fed and was down for the night. Her mother had said good-night, too. The ranch house was quiet, well guarded, and Jessa should be trying to settle herself so she could get some rest.

Fat chance of that, though.

She wasn’t resting until she had a chance to confront Cooper about his idiotic insistence that she move to the ranch. He certainly hadn’t made it sound like an invitation. More like one of his orders. And yes, their relationship had gotten a little friendlier.

All right, a
lot
friendlier.

However, that didn’t mean it was a good idea for them to be under the same roof for an extended period of time. It would only make things harder for her to distance herself from him. And distance him from Liam.

As if she could.

No, Cooper wouldn’t just let Liam go, but she had to find a way to minimize the damage and guard her heart in the process.

The sound of voices snagged her attention again. Jessa could hear parts of the conversation from the four McKinnon men. Some parts were easier to hear than others because the meeting involved some raised voices. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who thought the moving-in order was a bad idea. Tucker was especially against it.

No surprise there.

Like Cooper, Tucker had been especially critical of her pressing for Jewell’s arrest. And like Cooper, his criticism hadn’t been because he wanted to defend Jewell but because he saw the investigation as a threat to the rest of his family. Especially his father.

However, his father didn’t agree with Tucker on the matter of Cooper’s order. Roy was all for the idea of Liam and her moving to the ranch. Permanently.

She heard a phone ring. A moment later, the door flew open and Tucker stormed out. Not before giving her a glare that could have withered every blade of grass in Texas. Jessa fared somewhat better from Roy. He whispered an apology—for what, he didn’t say—and walked away.

Colt was on the phone and didn’t even make eye contact with her when he came out. Still, she was pretty certain they blamed her for this. They probably thought she’d managed to talk Cooper into this stupid moving-in-with-them idea.

She didn’t wait for an invitation from Cooper. Jessa went inside the office and immediately spotted the baby monitor on his desk. It was on, and she could see her son sleeping peacefully in the crib. She was pleased about that but not pleased that Cooper was already acting like a parent.

Jessa mentally groaned. Of course he would think that he had a right to act that way. And he did. But she hated that there was nothing she could do to stop him from chipping away at her claim on the child she’d raised.

There was more proof of that on the desk.

The DNA results that proved Liam was Cooper’s son. Not some handwritten note, but the actual lab report. She’d used reports just like that to prove a case in court.

Cooper would no doubt use it for the same reason.

“Doc Howland sent it over,” Cooper explained. “He’s keeping it under wraps for now. And since he didn’t want anything on file, that’s the only copy.”

Cooper’s eyes met hers. For an instant she saw the bone-weary fatigue there. However, he must have seen the fight in hers, because he frowned and mumbled some profanity under his breath.

“Why ask me to move in with you?” she demanded, and didn’t wait for his answer. “Did you think it was the fastest way to get custody of Liam?”

“No. I thought it was what I should do for Liam. And for you.” Cooper scrubbed his hand over his face, walked closer.

That threw her for a moment. Jessa had braced herself for the kind of stubborn, riled attitude she’d gotten from Tucker. But Cooper just seemed as exhausted as she was.

“I love Liam,” Cooper went on. “And it wouldn’t do anyone any good to push you out of his life. It sure wouldn’t be in his best interest.”

“It wouldn’t do anyone any good except for you,” Jessa corrected.

“Yeah. I’d have my boy to myself, but it’d come at a high cost.” He paused, glanced at the photo of his wife on his desk next to the baby monitor. “Liam doesn’t remember Molly, but he sure as heck knows you. It wouldn’t be fair to cut you out of his life.”

Jessa hadn’t braced herself for a lot of things, including fairness. It softened her anger a lot more than she wanted it to.

“But moving in here at the ranch?” she questioned. “You can’t think that’s a good idea.”

He lifted his shoulder. “We could make it work.”

“Really? For one thing, your family wouldn’t like that.” Then she pointed to Molly’s photo. “And you’re still in love with your late wife.”

Cooper didn’t deny either accusation, but he did take the photo, and after a long look, he eased it into his desk drawer and shut it.

Jessa sighed. “I didn’t say that to make you put the photo away. I’d hoped it would make you see that we’re not suited for living with each other.”

His eyebrow lifted. “Really?” he repeated.

She felt the heat rise on her cheeks. And elsewhere. With just one word Cooper could remind her of that mistake of a kissing session. Except it hadn’t felt like a mistake at the time.

Sadly, it still didn’t.

And that was why it was indeed a mistake.

“We’re attracted to each other,” he pointed out.

“Attraction’s not enough,” she insisted. Though there were times, like now, when it certainly felt as if it could help them overcome a lot of things.

“We’re both committed to Liam,” he said, coming toward her. Cooper stopped just inches from her. The weariness vanished from his eyes, and he pointed his finger at her. “And if you repeat that part about attraction not being enough, I’ll remind you otherwise.”

Jessa swallowed hard. She was all too familiar with Cooper’s reminders. The kisses. The smoldering looks. Her body being in a continuous state of arousal just by being around him.

“Being committed to Liam and this attraction aren’t enough,” she reminded him.

“It’s a start,” he reminded her right back.

Okay. She was clearly losing this argument, and it was one she couldn’t afford to lose.

Could she?

Would it really be that bad if she gave in to his order?

For just a moment Jessa allowed herself to think about living with Cooper. Not just for the immediate future until the danger had passed. But, well, forever. It would have some advantages. Like no messy custody dispute over Liam.

And maybe even sharing a bed with Cooper.

She couldn’t stop that from creeping into her mind. However, she still shook her head. She didn’t say a word, but her answer to the ridiculous living arrangements must have been all over her face, because Cooper hooked his arm around to snap her to him.

And he kissed her.

Jessa put her hands against his chest to push him away. At least some small part of her wanted to do that, but the other parts won out, and she found herself falling deeper into his arms.

All in all, not a bad place to be.

With her body pressed against his, and his mouth moving over hers as if he knew exactly how to set her on fire.

Jessa tried to hang on, tried to voice some kind of reminder that this wasn’t going to help their situation. It would only muddy already muddy waters. But did she say that?

No.

She just stayed put in his arms and returned the kiss. Boy, did she. Jessa was the one who deepened it, and she was the one who tugged Cooper closer and closer until they were plastered against each other.

Until she was burning for him.

Soon, very soon, all thoughts of Cooper’s order for her to move to the ranch slipped from her mind. Common sense did, too. She wanted to blame it all on the fact that it’d been so long since she’d been kissed like this. So long since she’d been held and wanted. But this wasn’t about time.

This was all Cooper’s doing. And she was terrified that even if this continued, it wouldn’t leave her satisfied for long, that she would only end up wanting him more.

Cooper reached behind him and locked the door. She realized then what he had in mind. To take this much further than a scalding-hot kissing session.

That still didn’t stop her.

Since this was going to be a massive mistake, Jessa figured she might as well enjoy it.

And pay the price for it later.

* * *

C
OOPER DIDN’T QUESTION
what he was doing. He just went with it. He pushed aside the investigation, the looming custody fight. Even his insistence that Jessa move in with him.

And he just let himself get lost in her.

It wasn’t hard to do. She tasted like Christmas and all the other good things rolled into one. Felt that way, too. With her breasts against his chest. Cooper did something to make the pressure even better—and worse—by catching the back of her leg and lifting it so that her sex met his.

Damn good.

And once he got his eyes uncrossed he did something about ridding her of some of the blasted clothes between them.

Jessa was doing some clothes removal of her own. Not easily. She stayed with the kissing until she was out of breath and gasping. She broke away only long enough to pull some air into her lungs and then continued unbuttoning his shirt. She finally managed to get it off him.

Her touch was instant. Her fingers against his bare skin created some instant heat inside him. Not that he needed more. He was already crazy enough, but it sped things up for Cooper, and he rid Jessa of her top. Then her bra. She was small, firm. Perfect.

Tasted perfect, too, he discovered when he lowered his head and kissed her there.

Jessa reacted. Man, did she. She made a little sound of pleasure and pulled him closer for even more. That sent him fumbling to get them to the sofa. He darn sure didn’t want to wait to take her upstairs. Everything inside him was yelling for him to take her
now.

But something else yelled through his brain.

“I don’t have a condom,” he let her know. Not easily. He damn sure didn’t want this to end.

With her breath still gusting and her fingers on his zipper, Jessa froze. Met his gaze. She seemed to have a split-second debate with herself and yanked him back to her for another kiss.

“I’m on the pill,” she said through the frantic flurry of kisses she showered on his face.

That was the best news he’d heard in a long time. Cooper knew he should still back off, but he would have had a better chance of telling his heart to stop beating. This was going to happen even if it didn’t make sense.