Stockyard Snatching (12 page)

“I’m all for any place we can keep Jackson safe,” she said to the sheriff. “If you think this is a good idea.”

Tommy nodded.

“Then let’s go back to the ranch,” she said.

The sheriff shot a look toward Dallas that Kate couldn’t get a good read on. What was up with that?

She didn’t care. The only thing she was focused on at this point was her son. And ensuring that he didn’t end up in the hands of very bad men. She held him tighter to her chest and he quieted at the sound of her voice as she whispered comforting words.

“Allen can go now, right?” she asked Tommy. “If the attacks are still happening while he’s locked up, then he can’t be involved.”

“A deputy is already processing his paperwork,” the sheriff said.

“It’s been a very long day and I’d like to get out of here,” she said to Dallas. Then she turned toward Tommy. “Are you okay with us leaving?”

“Go. Get some rest. We’re trying to track down your lawyer to bring him in for questioning. So far, he isn’t answering our calls.” Tommy paused. “Also, you should know that we’re planning to send a deputy to talk to your family members.”

“My family?” she echoed, not able to hide her shock.

“It’s routine in cases like this,” he said. “We take the ‘no stone left unturned’ approach to investigations.”

Oh.
Kate tried to process that, but it was all too much and she was experiencing information overload. She needed a few quiet hours to focus on feeding Jackson and allow everything that had happened that day to sink in. Even though it was only four o’clock in the afternoon, she was exhausted. A warm shower and comfortable pajamas sounded like pure heaven to her right then.

“And it might be better if they don’t know we’re coming,” Tommy said, and the implication hit her square in the chest.

“Surely you don’t think…” No way could her family be involved. She held on to Jackson tighter. They had their differences about the adoption, but they were still family.

“I won’t take anything for granted,” the lawman said.

Dallas’s strong hand closed around her bent elbow, sending all kinds of heat through her arm. Heat that had no business fizzing through her body and settling between her thighs.

Dallas O’Brien was a complete stranger, and since that scenario had worked out so well the first time she’d broken her rules for someone, she decided no amount of chemistry was worth falling down another rabbit hole like that. But she wasn’t fool enough to refuse his help.

He urged her toward the door and then to the car, surveying the area as they walked out.

She buckled Jackson into his seat and slid next to him in the back.

A few seconds later they were on the road again, but this time Dallas drove the speed limit and she appreciated the extra care he was taking with her son in the car.

If Dallas O’Brien was a father, and she figured that had to be the real reason he was investigating Safe Haven, then he was going to be a great one. He already had all the protective instincts down.

She could only imagine what horrible circumstance had brought him the need to hire a private investigator, but decided not to let her imagination run wild. Especially when she kept circling back to that kiss and the fizz of chemistry that continued to crackle between them.

Because another thought quickly followed. How could a man who obviously loved his family so much allow his own child to be adopted? The question helped her see how precious little she knew about the magnetic cowboy. And even if she could risk the attraction on her own behalf, she’d never be able to go down that road now that she had a baby.

“Is there anything Tommy should know about your family?” Dallas asked, his voice a low rumble that set butterflies free in her stomach.

“You already know they don’t support my decision to bring up a child alone,” she said softly. “Our relationship has been strained since my divorce, and my mother sees
this
—” she motioned toward Jackson “—as me adding insult to injury.”

In the rearview mirror, she could see Dallas’s eyebrows spike. She could also see how his thick dark eyelashes framed his dark brown eyes, and her heart stirred in a way she’d never experienced.

She ignored that, too.

Besides, they’d dodged bullets and he’d saved her son. Of course she’d feel a certain amount of admiration and respect because of that, and a draw to his strength. That was normal in such a situation, right?

“I’m sorry about your folks. Everyone should have love and support from their family, even if they don’t agree with your choices.”

“My mom has never been the type to give up that kind of control,” Kate said, trying to make a joke, but recognizing that the words came out carrying the pain she felt instead. “Sorry—you don’t want to hear about this.”

“I do,” Dallas said so quickly she thought he meant it.

Why would he care about her family drama?

Kate didn’t talk about it with anyone. She figured she’d have to explain to Jackson one day why he didn’t have grandparents, but life for her was a “take one day at a time” commitment at the moment.

“That must be hard,” Dallas said.

And lonely
, she added in her head. Thank the stars for the relationship she had with Carter, barren as it was now that she didn’t see him on a daily basis.

Speaking of which, she needed to call her brother as soon as Tommy gave her clearance.

Carter and she had forged a tight bond that had felt strained since Kate had said she was leaving the business they’d started. He had said he understood, but she knew down deep he’d been hurt by her decision.

“My brother and I were close growing up, and that helped,” she said, trying to gain control of her emotions before she started crying. Even though she knew that her mother’s rejection wasn’t her fault, it still stung.

“Brothers can be a blessing and a curse,” Dallas said, sounding like he was half joking.

She was grateful he seemed to take the cue that she needed a lighter mood. There was so much going on around them and she felt so out of control that she needed levity to help her get a handle on her emotions.

“That’s the truth,” she agreed, thinking about all those times her younger brother had annoyed her over the years.

She glanced down at Jackson. He was her sanity in this crazy, mixed-up world. He made her see that life was bigger than just her and her problems.

“I used to be so angry at my parents,” she said, finding love refilling her well, as it did every time she looked at her son.

“What changed?”

“Him.”

The surprised look on Dallas’s face caught her off guard. Because there was something else there in his expression. It was so familiar and yet she couldn’t quite put it into words. “Can I ask a personal question?” Kate murmured.

He nodded.

“Was Susan your girlfriend?”

“Yes. A while back,” he admitted. He took a hard right turn and there was a security gate with a guard.

“And the baby you’re investigating… Is that for you or a friend?” Kate didn’t look at him.

“Me,” he said so quietly that she almost didn’t hear him.

“Where are we?” she asked, not recognizing the wooded area. Hadn’t there been another layer of security earlier?

“This is the west end of the ranch property,” he answered, as he was waved in by security.

When Dallas had told her he owned a hacienda on the ranch, she wasn’t sure what she’d expected. A large shed? A tiny log cabin?

Certainly not this.

The gorgeous Spanish-style architecture was about the last thing she would have imagined.

He’d explained that each of his brothers had a place on various sites on the land. His sat near the west end so he could take advantage of the sunset.

“This whole property must be enormous,” she said, eyes wide.

“Pop added acreage over the years,” Dallas said as he parked in the three-car garage.

There was a vintage El Camino, completely restored, in the second.

“That belong to you, as well?” She hadn’t thought about the fact that Dallas might not live alone.

“I like to work on cars in my spare time,” he said, holding her door open. “That is, I did when I
used
to have free time.”

She let him take the diaper bag as she unhooked Jackson, and then she followed Dallas into the house.

The kitchen was massive and had all gourmet appliances. There was an island in the center with enough room for four bar chairs.

“Is the ranch keeping you too busy to pursue your hobbies?” she asked.

“That and trying to transition my old business to the new owner,” he said.

“Why sell? Why not hire someone to run the other business for you and keep it?” she asked.

“Didn’t think I could do justice to either place that way.” Dallas’s tone was matter-of-fact. “If I’m involved in something then that’s what I want to be able to put all my attention into, and not just write my name on an office door for show. A man’s name, his reputation and his word are all he really has in life.”

“Powerful thought,” she said, trying not to admire this handsome stranger any more than she already did. Those were the kinds of principles she hoped to instill in her son.

Dallas stood there, his gaze meeting hers, and it felt like the world stopped for just that brief moment.

And that was dangerous.

Kate threw her shoulders back. “Is there somewhere I can give Jackson a bath?”

“Let me give you a quick tour so you’ll know where everything is,” he said. “My brothers arranged for you to have supplies waiting.”

She nodded, afraid to speak. Afraid her voice would give away her emotions.

The rest of the house’s decor was simple, clean and comfortable looking.

“A crib was delivered from the main house. They keep a few on hand up there for overnight guests.” He stopped in the middle of the living room. “If you need to reach out to your employees, I’d rather not alert anyone to the fact that you’re here. The fewer people who know where you and Jackson are, the better.”

“I know I already asked, but are you sure this is a good idea?”

“The security staff knows we have a special guest and that you’re staying at my place. They’ll tell maintenance what they need to know to stay safe, so no one’s in the dark. But it’ll be best to keep your identity as quiet as possible,” Dallas said, showing her the bathroom attached to her guest suite. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“Once I’m able to put Jackson down, I’d love clean clothes to change into after a hot shower.”

A dark shadow passed through Dallas’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to think about you naked in the shower,” he grumbled. Then he said something about making a fresh pot of coffee and walked out of the room.

Kate smiled in spite of herself. She didn’t want to like the handsome cowboy any more than she already did. Her heart still hadn’t recovered from its last disappointment.

And an attraction like the one she felt for the cowboy could be far more threatening than anything she’d experienced with Robert.

Adding to her confusion was the fact that Dallas O’Brien had secrets.

CHAPTER EIGHT

He had tried not to watch too intently as Kate fed Jackson his bottle. But Dallas couldn’t help his natural curiosity now that the seal had been broken on that subject and the possibility he was a father grew a fraction of an inch.

“Mind keeping an eye on him while I clean up?” Kate asked and then laughed at Dallas’s startled reaction.

Dallas couldn’t say he’d had a stunning track record watching his brothers. Colin had broken his arm twice in one year on the tire swing Pop had set up on the old oak in the yard. Both the twins, Ryder and Joshua, had endured broken bones more than once on Dallas’s watch, while climbing trees, and then there was the time Tyler had rolled around in poison ivy. And forget about Austin. That kid had had Pop joking that he needed a physician on staff for all the sprained ankles and banged-up body parts over the years.

“You sure about this? I’m not exactly qualified to take care of a baby,” Dallas said, eyeing the sleeping infant.

The little boy looked so peaceful and innocent.

And Dallas figured that would last until Kate turned on the water in the shower.

“I think you’ll be okay while he’s out. He’s a heavy sleeper,” she said. “Or I could just take him in the bathroom with me and open the shower curtain to keep an eye on him, if you’re not comfortable.”

“No, don’t do that,” Dallas said, figuring he might need to know how to take care of a baby sooner than he’d anticipated. If Susan’s child was his, these were skills he was going to need. And Jackson really did seem like a good baby. “I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Dallas said with more confidence than he felt.

“I’m just in the next room showering if you need me,” she said, and he shot her a warning look about mentioning the shower again.

The last thing he needed while he was caring for a baby was the image of her naked in his mind.

His nerves were already on edge and even seeing the baby sleeping so peacefully in his Pack ’n Play didn’t help settle them.

“Just go before you put any more images in my mind I can’t erase,” Dallas said to Kate.

One corner of her lip turned up in a smile and it was sexy as hell.

Watching a sleeping baby had to be the easiest gig ever, he told himself. And yet he could feel his own heartbeat pounding at the base of his throat. His mouth was dry, too. He hadn’t felt this awkward and out of place since he’d asked Miranda Sabot to be his girlfriend in seventh grade.

Jackson half smiled in his sleep and it nearly melted Dallas’s heart. There was a whole lot of cuteness going on in that baby basket.

There was a knock at the door. Thankfully, the disturbance didn’t wake the baby.

Dallas welcomed the delivery from Sawyer Miles, one of the security team members who worked for Gideon Fisher. He thanked him and brought the box into the kitchen.

The pj’s were folded on top, so he took those and placed them on the bed in the guest room. Next, he put the food containers in the fridge for later. Dallas returned to the living room and eased onto the chair next to the little boy.