Wild: Wildfire (16 page)

Jake’s gray eyes focused intently on her. “I love you, Dee. I’ve never stopped loving you. Say you’ll marry me and I’ll do whatever I can to make up for all the time we’ve lost.”

“You bastard.” She flung her arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. “I love you so much.”

He pulled away from her and grinned. “Is that a yes?”

“A most definite yes.” Dee cradled his jaw in her palm. “And I’m not waiting another minute. We can fly to Vegas tomorrow. I don’t want to give you a chance to change your mind.”

“There’s no danger of that.” He kissed her long and slow, then murmured, “Why wait that long? We can catch a flight tonight.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She was so full of love and happiness that she thought she’d explode. “We’ll start packing, just as soon as you finish fucking me again.”

He smiled and slid between her thighs. “I love you, Dee MacLeod.”

She grabbed his cock and slid him inside her pussy, giving him her orneriest grin. “You’d better, Jake Reynolds. You’d better.”

Epilogue

Catie Wilds pulled at her earlobe as she guided her battered ranch pickup into the parking lot of the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department. She’d had it up to
here
with the damn cattle rustling, and she was determined to give the sheriff a piece of her mind.

After she parked, she stormed out of the pickup, slamming the door behind her. Catie had been pissed about Dean MacLeod’s cattle being stolen, but now that the Wilds Ranch had been ripped off, it was definitely
personal.

Shoving the glass doors open, Catie stomped into the reception area.

A busty brunette raised a sculpted eyebrow, her scarlet lips set in a what-the-hell-do-you-want smile. “May I help you?”

“I’d like to see Sheriff Savage.” Catie propped her hands on her slim jean-clad hips. “Now.”

“I don’t think he’s available.” Boob Queen gave a don’t-you-wish-he-was-available sniff as she picked up the phone. “Let me check.”

Her temper escalating beyond eruption level, Catie glanced past the reception area. She looked into a room that was empty save for desks sporting computers and equipment…and that sorry excuse for a deputy, Ryan Forrester.

Without so much as a by-your-leave, Catie turned on her booted heel and headed straight for Forrester. She set her gaze on stun with shoot-to-kill as an alternative if the deputy didn’t give her satisfaction.

“You can’t…” Miss Mega-Tits spouted behind Catie.

“I need a word with you.” Catie strode right up to Ryan, propped her hands on her hips, and frowned up at him. At only five foot four, she only came up to the deputy’s shoulder—but her glare was enough to cut down a man three times her size. And Catie knew how to wield her icy gaze like a sword.

Ryan’s Adam’s apple bobbed and he diverted his eyes, waving off Boob Woman, then turned his attention back to Catie. “What do you need, Cat?”

“I’ll
tell
you what I need.” Catie poked one finger at his chest, punctuating each word with a jab at his shirt. “I need my goddamned heifers back. I need you guys to get off your asses and figure out who the hell is stealing everyone’s cattle.”

Forrester stepped back. “We’re working on it.”

“Don’t give me that crap.” Catie advanced on the deputy as he retreated. “Get me the sheriff.
Now.
”

“What can I do for you?” A deep rumbling voice startled Catie out of her tirade and shivers shot down her spine.

She whipped her head to the side and her gaze locked with the most amazing crystalline green eyes—and the hottest man she’d ever seen. Her panties grew damp, every coherent thought fleeing her mind as she got lost in the pull of those magnetic eyes.

He had his hip and shoulder propped against the doorway of an office, his thumbs hooked in the pockets of his snug Wranglers. The man raised one hand to push up the brim of his tan felt Stetson as he studied her. His sable mustache twitched as he smiled, causing Catie’s small nipples to harden into tiny torpedoes pointed straight at him.

Oh. My. God.
For the first time in her life, Catie Wilds was speechless.

Sheriff Jarrod Savage studied the little wildcat who’d stormed into his office and had been in the middle of ripping Deputy Forrester a new one. Damn she’d been cute as she’d spouted off at Forrester. Jarrod had enjoyed watching the flush in her fair cheeks, how her short blonde hair shimmered as she spoke and the way that sprinkling of freckles made her look so damn adorable.

He’d almost hated to interrupt her. And now…
well, hell
. The desire that sparked in those chocolate brown eyes charged up his own libido and it’d be a wonder if no one noticed the hardening in his cock. Something in his gut told him this was a woman worth getting to know—in every way a man could know a woman.

He pushed away from the door of his office and strode toward her. “Jarrod Savage,” he said as he held out his hand.

Forrester mumbled something about “work to be done,” and headed on out of the office, leaving Jarrod alone with the woman in the empty control room.

“Catie Wilds.” The petite woman drew herself up and raised her chin as she took his hand.

Her vanilla musk teased his senses, along with the current sizzling between them as he took her hand in his. He wished he wasn’t on duty so he could make things a little more personal between them. “A most definite pleasure, Catie Wilds.”

As though remembering why she was there in the first place, the little spitfire pulled her hand from his and stepped back. “This cattle rustling bullshit has gone on long enough.”

Jarrod nodded as he hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “You’re telling me.”

“Well what do you intend to do about it?” Catie propped her hands on her hips, that fiery glint back in her eyes. “We just lost fifteen heifers last night. We’re one of the smaller ranches in the area, and that’s something we sure as hell can’t afford.”

Frustration at their inability to track the bastards down was a fire in Jarrod’s gut. “Believe me, we’re putting everything and everyone we can on it.”

“Obviously that’s not good enough.” Catie raised her chin. “What’s it been? Six weeks since this whole mess started?”

Jarrod ran a hand over his mustache. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but we’re working on it.”

“Well that’s just
great.
” The little wildcat spun on her heel and marched out of the control room.

He had to hold back a smile as he watched the natural sway of her slim hips as she headed out the front door, muttering something about, “Damn bureaucrats.”

Jarrod shifted his position, trying to alleviate the new ache in his cock.

Looked like he’d have to pay a visit to the Wilds Ranch.