TRACELESS (17 page)

The sure walk, the confident swagger. She loved it all.

And the scruff. It still outlined his chin. She’d try to convince him to keep that, at least for a short time.

He stopped right in front of her but saved a scowl for Cam. “I’m wondering why my wife is about to board a plane without telling me.”

Cam cleared his throat. “I’ll wait over there.”

“Smart move.” Connor shot Cam one last dark look. “We’ll talk later.”

“I figured.” Cam’s voice trailed off as he walked outside and into the sunshine.

She watched him go only to turn back and stare into the angry eyes of her husband. “Don’t be mad at Cam. I forced him.”

“He’s a grown man.”

“And I’m a grown woman.” She waited for the verbal battle to begin. This time she’d win. Their marriage, their lives together, were too important not to.

Connor didn’t disappoint. That scowl grew even more menacing. “Meaning?”

“I want to go home.”

All the emotion ran out of his face and his expression went blank. “By yourself.”

She knew that look was a bad sign. He’d blow...and soon. But she wasn’t scared. He’d never hurt her and it was clear he’d never leave her, no matter how much either of them messed up.

“No, Connor.”

His fury slipped as his eyes narrowed. “I don’t understand what’s happening here.”

“I’m not going to let you do it. Storm in and take the blame for what happened with Drake.” She put a hand against his chest, loving the feel of his muscles underneath.

He immediately covered her hand with his. “I didn’t keep you safe.”

There it was. The guilt and desperation that would always be between them. They bounced it back and forth, taking turns feeling bad about something. She planned to break that cycle now.

“You did. I left the protection of our home.” And she had to take responsibility for that. After seeing adult men, someone like Drake with a lifetime of service behind him, not own up to being wrong, she’d vowed never to take that path.

Connor nodded. “Because I smothered you.”

“Yes, you did.” Pain moved behind his eyes and she rushed to wipe it out again. Her hand went to his chin and she caressed that stubbly skin. “But I still shouldn’t have left. I should have somehow made you listen and understand. I gave up too fast, and I’m sorry for that.”

His arms came around her. She sensed he wanted to gather her into a crushing bear hug but he settled for resting his arms loosely around her waist.

“I almost lost you today.” The words sounded harsh, as if they were ripped out of him.

“I’m not going anywhere except home to our house, to our bed.” She leaned in with her forehead resting against his and tried to believe how much she loved this man. “Do you know why?”

“Because your head injury made you loopy.”

She smiled as she lifted her head. She caused him pain and pushed them apart, yet he didn’t wallow. “Because I love you and don’t want to be away from you.”

His fingers tightened against her waist then relaxed again. “Wasn’t that true when you walked out?”

“Yes.”

He exhaled. “Not to sound ungrateful, but what’s changed?”

Some small things that added up to everything. Some changes came from her and really were more about recognizing the things she had started to take for granted.

Seeing the way he looked at her. Feeling him against her as they made love. His strength, honor and loyalty.

“When you didn’t put the tracker in my clothes, which I know was hard for you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I nearly crushed the thing in my hand.”

“But you didn’t. You talked with me.” Her palms found his cheeks. “We talked it out and I made the decision.”

“Okay.” He winced. “You know I may have tucked it in your pants if you said no, right? I want to take credit and be the bigger man and all that, but I don’t know what I would have done if you fought me.”

She loved his honesty and right now, after all the double-dealing and lies they’d seen, it meant even more. “Admittedly, we still have some work to do.”

His hand went to her hair and he massaged the back of her head. “You know that I would do anything to keep you safe. That the idea of losing you is the only thing in this world that I cannot handle.”

“And you know I feel the same way about you.” That’s the part she needed him to understand. “We are in this together. Both of us. Equally. I may not be a sharpshooter and can’t crack a safe with a can opener, or whatever you do—”

“That’s Shane.”

“—but when it comes to our lives together and how we get through each day, we’re equal. You worry about me and I worry about you.”

“I get that.” A few words, so simple and firm in their delivery.

She knew he meant them. “I just needed to know you understood that.”

He pulled her in tighter until every curve of her body slipped into his. “For the record, even without the can opener skills, that was a pretty impressive head butt you did back there.”

“You told me to use it as a last resort, and I was feeling pretty desperate.” So much of what he’d taught her came rushing back when she needed it. He’d ingrained it in her. Maybe the strong-arm tactics annoyed her, but the skills stuck. “Point is, your training made a difference. Your surveillance made a difference. I think we can figure out a way to balance it all, but you have to meet me halfway.”

“You’re not the only one who learned something all these months, you know.”

She hoped that was true. She was gambling everything on it. “What did you learn?”

He kissed her then. Leaned in and covered her mouth with his, passing and pressing until her hands went to his neck and her heart bounced against her ribs.

She smiled against his lips. “Well, I like that.”

“You are a fierce, beautiful, strong and independent woman. I loved those things about you when I married you and I love them now.” He kissed her nose and her cheeks. “I’m sorry I made you question any of that, that I didn’t show you how I felt every day. But now I get that suppressing the things that make you who you are doesn’t make either of us happy.”

There it was. That little hiccup her heart did when he said something so perfect she wanted to tackle him and drag him off somewhere private. “And I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder, that I left you at all.”

He kissed her again. Quick but still so precious.

“Forgiven.”

She could see in his eyes he meant it. “So are you.”

“Then you know what we need to do next.”

He lifted her up until her toes barely touched the floor. Even being tall he could make her feel cherished. “That smile promises something naughty.”

“We need to get back to Maryland first. If we do what I’m thinking on the plane, poor Cam might jump out.”

She bit back a laugh. “Then take me home.”

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from WEDDING AT CARDWELL RANCH by
New York Times
bestselling author B.J. Daniels.

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SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

Read on for a sneak peek of
WEDDING AT CARDWELL RANCH
by
New York Times
bestselling author
B.J. Daniels
Part of the
CARDWELL COUSINS
series.

In Montana for his brother’s nuptials,
Jackson Cardwell isn’t
looking to be anybody’s hero.
But the Texas single father knows a beautiful
lady in distress when he meets her.

“I’m afraid to ask what you just said to your horse,”
Jackson joked as he moved closer. Her horse had wandered over to some tall grass
away from the others.

“Just thanking him for not bucking me off,” she admitted
shyly.

“Probably a good idea, but your horse is a she. A mare.”

“Oh, hopefully she wasn’t insulted.” Allie actually smiled. The
afternoon sun lit her face along with the smile.

He felt his heart do a loop-de-loop. He tried to rein it back
in as he looked into her eyes. That tantalizing green was deep and dark,
inviting, and yet he knew a man could drown in those eyes.

Suddenly, Allie’s horse shied. In the next second it took off
as if it had been shot from a cannon. To her credit, she hadn’t let go of her
reins, but she grabbed the saddle horn and let out a cry as the mare raced out
of the meadow headed for the road.

Jackson spurred his horse and raced after her. He could hear
the startled cries of the others behind him. He’d been riding since he was a
boy, so he knew how to handle his horse. But Allie, he could see, was having
trouble staying in the saddle with her horse at a full gallop.

He pushed his horse harder and managed to catch her, riding
alongside until he could reach over and grab her reins. The horses lunged along
for a moment. Next to him Allie started to fall. He grabbed for her, pulling her
from her saddle and into his arms as he released her reins and brought his own
horse up short.

Allie slid down his horse to the ground. He dismounted and
dropped beside her. “Are you all right?”

“I think so. What happened?”

He didn’t know. One minute her horse was munching on grass, the
next it had taken off like a shot.

Allie had no idea why the horse had reacted like that. She
hated that she was the one who’d upset everyone.

“Are you sure you didn’t spur your horse?” Natalie asked, still
upset.

“She isn’t wearing spurs,” Ford pointed out.

“Maybe a bee stung your horse,” Natalie suggested.

Dana felt bad. “I wanted your first horseback-riding experience
to be a pleasant one,” she lamented.

“It was. It is,” Allie reassured her, although in truth, she
wasn’t looking forward to getting back on the horse. But she knew she had to for
Natalie’s sake. The kids had been scared enough as it was.

Dana had spread out the lunch on a large blanket with the kids
all helping when Jackson rode up, trailing her horse. The mare looked calm now,
but Allie wasn’t sure she would ever trust it again.

Jackson met her gaze as he dismounted. Dana was already on her
feet, heading for him. Allie left the kids to join them.

“What is it?” Dana asked, keeping her voice down.

Jackson looked to Allie as if he didn’t want to say in front of
her.

“Did I do something to the horse to make her do that?” she
asked, fearing that she had.

His expression softened as he shook his head. “You didn’t do
anything
.” He looked at Dana. “Someone shot the
mare.”

Someone is hell-bent on making Allie Taylor think she’s
losing her mind. Jackson’s determined to unmask the perp. Can he guard the
widowed wedding planner and her little girl from a killer with a chilling
agenda?
Find out what happens next in
WEDDING AT CARDWELL
RANCH
by
New York Times
bestselling author B.J. Daniels,
available
July 2014, only from Harlequin® Intrigue®.

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara
Heinlein