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Hot Velocity
Elle James


Operation Day CareHighly skilled combat veteran and former rodeo star Rex Trainor likes to be in the thick of the action. So when he's loaned out to Homeland Security, he plans to bide his time until he can get back to the real war. He doesn't, however, plan on Sierra Daniels, a local day-care giver whose pretty smile hides a stubborn streak more daunting than Wyoming's Beartooth Mountains. When tragedy nearly strikes the kids in Sierra's care, Rex vows to expose the culprit. Rex hasn't failed on a mission yet, and protecting the desirable Miss Daniels is no exception!







Operation Day Care

Highly skilled combat veteran and former rodeo star Rex Trainor likes to be in the thick of the action. So when he’s loaned out to Homeland Security, he plans to bide his time until he can get back to the real war. He doesn’t, however, plan on Sierra Daniels, a local day-care giver whose pretty smile hides a stubborn streak more daunting than Wyoming’s Beartooth Mountains. When tragedy nearly strikes the kids in Sierra’s care, Rex vows to expose the culprit. Rex hasn’t failed on a mission yet, and protecting the desirable Miss Daniels is no exception!

Ballistic Cowboys


Sierra backed away. “I have to ask you not to do that again.”

He nodded. “Agreed. It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to get involved with me. I won’t be around for long and, despite our little charade, I’m not very good boyfriend material.”

Sierra hadn’t expected him to agree with her so quickly. Disappointment filled her chest. Pushing back her shoulders, she lifted her chin. Why should she care? He’d only confirmed her desire to avoid anything sticky growing between them. Still…

He turned and walked toward the door.

Before he crossed the threshold, she asked, “Why?”

He stopped and half turned toward her. “Why what?”

“Why do you make bad boyfriend material?” She shouldn’t be interested in his answer, but she was and she waited for his response.

He shook his head, a hint of a smile tilting his lips. “Trust me. I’m no good for you, or any other woman.” With that, he walked out of the room and shut the door.


Hot Velocity

Elle James






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ELLE JAMES, a New York Times bestselling author, started writing when her sister challenged her to write a romance novel. She has managed a full-time job and raised three wonderful children, and she and her husband even tried ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas). Ask her, and she’ll tell you what it’s like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird! Elle loves to hear from fans at ellejames@earthlink.net or www.ellejames.com (https://ellejames.com/).


CAST OF CHARACTERS (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

Rex “T-Rex” Trainor—US marine on loan to the Department of Homeland Security for Task Force Safe Haven.

Sierra Daniels—Mother’s Day Out Day Care worker who loves children and being independent.

“Hawkeye” Trace Walsh—US Army Airborne Ranger and expert sniper, on loan to the Department of Homeland Security for Task Force Safe Haven.

Kevin Garner—Agent with the Department of Homeland Security in charge of Task Force Safe Haven.

Jon “Ghost” Caspar—US Navy SEAL on loan to Department of Homeland Security for Task Force Safe Haven.

Max “Caveman” Decker—US Army Delta Force soldier on loan to the Department of Homeland Security for Task Force Safe Haven.

Clay Ellis—Sierra Daniels’s ex-husband who hasn’t accepted that they are divorced.

Grady Morris—Political candidate in the race for senator of Wyoming.

Bryson Rausch—Formerly the wealthiest resident of Grizzly Pass, who lost everything in the stock market.

Leo Fratiani—Land agent set on securing some land for an oil pipeline project.

Brenda Larson—Sierra Daniels’s friend and coworker.


This book is dedicated to my grandmother who, at the

age of 97, is still fighting to stay in this world. After a

broken back, she powered her way through physical

therapy to make it back home from rehab for

Thanksgiving. She’s a fighter and I hope to have as

much gumption as she does when I’m 97!


Contents

Cover (#u52184de1-37b6-5de1-824f-0a336202cb42)

Back Cover Text (#u6e5e058c-4627-5ac3-87fc-b607586cc8f7)

Introduction (#ub09d3410-62e1-519c-8f93-fd7439d3e211)

Title Page (#u5d2f2d51-6c11-5d22-a3c0-92d9b4c9ad06)

About the Author (#uad674059-494d-5ef4-8606-9e547a67ab23)

Cast of Characters (#u797838fd-dfc2-593b-bec2-2749c8d82d57)

Dedication (#u25334216-2403-5a42-bb14-7eab07821716)

Chapter One (#ufdd02bd7-82e3-5301-96dc-be0b8ffdfddc)

Chapter Two (#u3d2a2447-5a3a-5a73-9d7d-7828ef51f89d)

Chapter Three (#ueecdd9fc-af11-5bd2-abef-e23559e5450b)

Chapter Four (#u36ad9246-252e-5da8-accc-13e48f86d485)

Chapter Five (#u83d56e4b-afb8-5f14-add3-4e404c5d3e5a)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

“Whatcha got?” Captain Rex “T-Rex” Trainor leaned toward the man sitting beside him in the helicopter, preparing to deploy into the small Afghan village on the edge of nowhere.

Gunnery Sergeant Lance Gallagher, Gunny to the unit, grinned, splitting his scarred, rugged face in two, and held up a small, shiny piece of paper with a black-and-white picture on it. “Number four is a boy!” he shouted over the roar of the rotors spinning overhead.

T-Rex nodded. “Congratulations!”

“Three girls and a boy.” Gunny shook his head, his lips curling into a happy smile. “Poor kid will be outnumbered by women.” He looked up, catching T-Rex’s gaze, his smile fading. “That’s why I’m giving up the good life of a career soldier to retire. I plan on being there to make sure Junior gets a shot at playing football, baseball and whatever the hell sport he wants.”

T-Rex didn’t blame the man. “Someone needs to be there to make sure he has that chance.”

“Darn right.” Gunny waved the thin piece of paper at T-Rex. “I want to teach him to throw his first ball, build a fort, take him hunting and, most of all...teach him how to treat a woman right.” He winked.

What every boy needed—a father who cared enough to show him the ropes. T-Rex’s dad had taught him everything he knew about horses, ranching and riding broncos in the rodeo. He’d taught him how to suck it up when he was thrown and to get back up on that horse, even when he was injured. Too many kids nowadays didn’t have that parental influence, whether it be a mother or father, to push them to be all they could be and more.

“LZ coming up!” the pilot shouted. He lowered the craft onto the rocky ground and held steady while the team exited from both sides of the Black Hawk.

Although it was night, nothing stood in the way of the stars and the moon shining down on the rugged landscape.

They were deposited on the other side of a hill from their target village. In less than thirty minutes they climbed to the top of the ridge and half ran, half slid down the other side into the back wall of the hamlet.

This was supposed to be a routine sweep to ensure the small group of Taliban thugs they’d chased off hadn’t returned. The intelligence guys had some concerns since the location was so close to the hills and caves the terrorists fled to when driven out of their strongholds.

T-Rex motioned for his team to spread out along the wall. When he gave the signal, they were to scale the wall and drop to the other side. When everyone was in position, he spoke softly into his mic. “Let’s do this.”

In two-man teams, they helped each other over the wall, landing softly on the other side. T-Rex led the way through the buildings, checking inside each one. The locals knew the drill, they’d been invaded so many times. They remained silent and gathered their sleeping children close.

What a life. These people never knew who was coming through the door next, or if the intruders would kill them all or let them live to see another day.

As T-Rex neared the other end of the village, doors stood open to huts that were empty of people and belongings.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. “Something’s not right here,” he said softly into his mic. He knelt in the shadow of a building and strained to see any movement in the street ahead or from the rooftops. Nothing moved. No shadows stirred or separated from the buildings, and no one loomed overhead from the tops of the homes.

In his gut, T-Rex knew they were walking into a trap. “Back out the way we came,” he whispered.

“I’ve got your back,” Gunny said.

“Get the others out of here. I smell a trap.”

“Not going without you, sir,” Gunny insisted.

“That’s an order,” T-Rex said, his tone firm, despite the whisper. “Move out.” He glanced over his shoulder to the gunnery sergeant’s position a building behind him, and on the opposite side of the road, the other members waited for the signal, hugging the shadows. At that moment, a shadow appeared on the roof directly over Gunny’s head.

“Heads up! Tango over you, G,” T-Rex warned, setting his sights on the man, waiting for the telltale shape of a weapon to appear. His finger on the trigger, T-Rex counted his breaths.

One...two...

The man yanked something in his hand.

“Not good!” T-Rex pulled the trigger, hitting the man in the chest. He collapsed forward, the object in his hand slipping from his grip, falling to the ground. “Grenade!” T-Rex shouted.

Gunny threw himself away from the small oval object rolling across the dirt. But not soon enough.

T-Rex lurched to his feet, too far away from his gunnery sergeant to be of any use. “No!”

The world erupted.

T-Rex was flung backward, landing hard on his back, the breath knocked from his lungs. Stunned, he lay for a second, staring up at the stars overhead, shining like so many diamonds in the sky until the dust and debris from the blast obliterated the night. Then he remembered how to breathe and sucked in a huge lungful of dust. The popping sound of gunfire came from above and all around.

T-Rex rolled toward the shadows of a building and bunched his legs beneath him. Bullets rained down around him, kicking up puffs of dirt near his feet.

Raising his weapon to his shoulder, T-Rex scanned the rooftops through the cloud of dust.

A man stood above him, aiming an AK47 in his direction.

His ears still ringing, T-Rex pinned the man in his sights and fired. One shot. The man fell to the ground, his weapon clattering on the rocky street.

T-Rex quickly scanned neighboring rooftops and the road ahead. Nothing moved there, but the world was pure chaos behind him.

He spun and ran toward the others, his heart hammering in his chest, his head still spinning from the detonation of the concussion grenade.

His men were pinned to the sides of the building, by a single fighter wielding a machine gun from his position near to where his comrade had been standing when T-Rex had taken him out.

T-Rex knelt, aimed, but his vision blurred. He blinked, gaining a clearer shot. His finger tightened on the trigger. He fired one round, and the fighter fell, dropping the machine gun to the street below.

Farther ahead, three of his men were exchanging gunfire with two fighters hiding out between the buildings. How the hell had they missed them?

Their training kicked in and they leap-frogged, providing each other cover as they worked their way to the fighters and knocked them out, one by one.

T-Rex hurried to where Gunny lay in the rubble of the building damaged by the grenade.

The man lay so still, T-Rex’s gut knotted. He bent to feel for a pulse. At first, he could feel nothing. He held his breath and shifted his finger. That was when he felt the reassuring vibration of a heartbeat. Quickly scanning the man’s arms and legs, he noted the tears in his clothing where shrapnel had penetrated. None of the wounds was bleeding profusely. If Gunny had sustained an arterial wound, T-Rex was prepared to apply a tourniquet. But he hadn’t.

Chief Petty Officer Miles Kieslowski ran up to him. “Sir, we got incoming enemy reinforcements. We have to get out of here while we can.” He stared down at the man covered in dust. “Damn.” He glanced up into T-Rex’s gaze. “Is he...”

“Alive. But I don’t know the extent of his injuries.”

“Let’s get him out of here.” Kieslowski started to lift Gunny. “Kenner is on the radio, calling in for pickup.”

“No. I’ve got him,” T-Rex said. “You cover me.” He handed his rifle to Kieslowski. With his hands free, he pulled Gunny to a sitting position and then draped the man’s body over his shoulder. Straightening, he felt the strain on his back and legs. But nothing would stop him from bringing his man out. Never, in all of his skirmishes, had he left a man behind. He wouldn’t start now.

With his burden, T-Rex hurried toward the designated extraction site. As he emerged from the village into the open, he spotted several trucks in the distance, stirring up dust as they barreled toward them. In the light from the moon, T-Rex could tell the men loaded in the backs of those trucks all carried weapons.

The thundering roar of helicopter rotors sounded nearby as the aircraft rose up over the hill behind the village and landed a couple of hundred yards from where T-Rex had stopped to catch his breath. The other marines from his team knelt behind him, firing at the village, as more enemy fighters came out of hiding.

T-Rex had one goal: to get his men to the waiting chopper and out of there before they were outnumbered. As he reached the helicopter, he gave over Gunny’s care to the medic on board and turned toward his team.

Several of them ran toward him, while the others returned fire, backing up as they did. When they were out of range of rifle fire, they ran toward the aircraft and leaped in.

T-Rex stood beside the vehicle, helping his men board. When the last man was in, T-Rex climbed in, yelling, “Go! Go! Go!”

As he settled into his seat, he noted the trucks had stopped short of the village. Several men climbed out carrying long narrow tubes. “They’ve got RPGs!” he yelled.

The helicopter couldn’t move fast enough for T-Rex. It lifted off the ground with its heavy load of souls on board and swung back toward the hill.

They had just made it to the ridge when an explosion went off so close, it made the chopper shudder.

Instinctively, T-Rex ducked.

They made it over the ridge and dropped out of the line of sight of the truck and the RPG-bearing fighters.

The rest of the trip back to their post seemed like they were moving in slow motion. The medics worked furiously over Gunny and the other men who’d sustained injuries.

“Is he going to make it?” T-Rex leaned over his gunnery sergeant, thoughts on that sonogram photo of the man’s fourth child. The boy he’d always dreamed of having. For the first time in a long time, T-Rex closed his eyes and prayed.


Chapter Two (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

“Time to line up,” Sierra Daniels called out to the toddlers on the playground outside the Grizzly Pass Community Center. Some of the little ones headed her way. Others ignored her completely and continued to play with their favorite outside toys or apparatus.

Sierra couldn’t be angry with them. They were children with the attention spans of gnats, and so adorable she loved each one of them like she would her own. If she had any kids of her own. She sighed, pushing back against that empty feeling that always washed over her when she thought about how much she’d wanted to hold her own baby in her arms.

With a shrug, she called out again, forcing her voice to sound a little sterner. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to line up for a game.” Though they were all under six years old, they seemed to have a keen sense of who they could push around and who they couldn’t. Sierra was 100 percent a pushover when it came to children.

Once all the boys and girls stood in front of her, Sierra instructed, “Let’s play follow the leader. Hands on the shoulders of the one in front of you, like this.” She placed the hands of one of the little girls on the shoulders of another. When each child had his or her hands on the one in front, Sierra led the little girl who was first in line around the play yard, weaving back and forth, creating a giggling, laughing snake of toddlers.

The community center had once been a US Army National Guard Armory. Eventually, the Montana National Guard moved its meeting location to a larger town and turned the building over to Grizzly Pass. It was now used as a community center for local events and the Mother’s Day Out day care program. There were also several offices in the building rented out to local businesses.

Sierra had been ecstatic to land a job as a caregiver to the small children who were too young to go to public school. Jobs were hard to come by in the small community, and she’d needed one when she’d filed for divorce.

She and the other caregiver, Brenda Larson, worked together to corral the little ones and see that they were happy, fed and learned something while they were at the center.

Brenda was inside with the babies and infants. The two women traded off between the babies and the more mobile toddlers.

Sierra led the children around the yard one more time and had angled toward the door to the armory when a truck pulled up and the driver honked the horn.

Her fists clenched and she tried not to glare at the man stepping down from the vehicle. The children picked up on her moods more than she’d ever realized. If she was sad or angry, tiny Eloisa would pucker up and cry her little eyes out. It broke Sierra’s heart to see the tiny girl with the bright red curls shed a single tear, much less a storm of them. She refused to give in to the temptation to yell and throw rocks at the man walking her way.

She pasted a fake smile on her face and waited until he was within twenty feet of her before she said in a patient but firm voice, similar to the one she used with her class, “Please, stop where you are.” Her smile hurt her cheeks, but she refused to release it.

Clay Ellis crossed his arms over his chest. “Get your things. You’re comin’ home.”

“I don’t live with you, Clay,” Sierra said, her voice singsong in an attempt to fool the children into thinking she was fine and that the angry man wasn’t scaring her, and therefore they shouldn’t be frightened either. She glanced down at the thirteen children gathering closer around her knees.

Eloisa stared from Clay to Sierra, her bottom lip trembling.

Oh, no. Sierra wouldn’t let Clay’s bad temper impact the little ones. “Come on, everyone. It’s time to go inside.”

“Like hell it is.” Clay stepped forward.

Eloisa screamed and flung her arms around Sierra’s legs, burying her face in Sierra’s slacks.

She laid her hand on the bright, soft curls and faced her ex-husband. “Clay, I’ll have to ask you to leave. You’re frightening the children.”

He didn’t leave. Instead, he walked up to her, grabbed her arm and pulled. “Quit playing around with these brats and get home. I’ve put up with enough of your nonsense.”

Sierra dug in her heels, refusing to go anywhere with the jerk. She’d put up with enough of his verbal and physical abuse. “We aren’t married anymore. You have no right to boss me around, now or ever. Let go of me.”

He raised his free hand as if to strike her.

Sierra braced herself, but wouldn’t flinch. There had been a time she’d cowered when he’d raised his hand to her. But not anymore. She’d learned the hard way that she had rights, and she didn’t have to take abuse from any man.

The children clung to her, their eyes wide, scared. Eloisa sobbed loudly into the smooth linen of Sierra’s tan slacks. Once Eloisa started, the other children sensed her distress and joined the squall.

“Shut up!” Clay yelled.

For a moment, all the children stopped crying and then, as if the spigot had been opened full blast, they all screamed and cried like a dozen caterwauling cats in a back-alley fight.

Clay yanked her out of the center of the noise and dragged her toward his truck.

Sierra dug her feet into the dirt and resisted with all of her might. “Let go of me. I’m not going with you.”

“The hell you aren’t,” he said. “You belong to me.”

“I belong to no man.” She clawed at the meaty hand gripping her wrist like a vise. “I have a restraining order against you.”

“No one’s going to honor it. Everyone knows you’re my wife.”

“Ex-wife. What part of divorce don’t you understand?” She couldn’t let him get her into his truck. Sierra couldn’t go back to this man. He was a bully, a cheater and a monster. “Let go of me, or I’ll scream.”

“Scream. Only those brats will hear you.” He snorted. “You expect them to come to your rescue?”

“I don’t need anyone to rescue me.” She stopped leaning back against his hold on her and let him pull her close. When she was in range, she stomped hard on his instep and raised her knee hard against his crotch.

Clay bellowed and bent double, clutching the area she’d injured. But he didn’t release his grip on her wrist.

Sierra’s fingers were growing numb, and the kids behind her were hysterical. She had to do something to stop this madness. But what? Clay was bigger, stronger and meaner than she was. He’d demonstrated that over and over again. She had the scars to prove it.

“Please, Clay, you’re scaring the children. Let me get them into the building. When I’m done, I’ll go with you.”

“Yeah, right.” He grunted and straightened. “You expect me to believe you?”

“I will. Cross my heart.” She held up her hand as if she were swearing in front of a jury, something she’d had to do in order to convince a judge she’d been abused and needed out.

“No way.” He turned and dragged her closer to his truck.

“You can’t leave them standing outside. They might get lost in the woods. They’re just children.”

“Like the kids you wouldn’t give me? Why the hell should I care?”

“I wanted children. I tried,” she said. “You can’t blame our problems on these little ones.”

“They aren’t mine. I don’t give a crap what happens to them.”

When he set his mind on something, there was no stopping the man. He’d refused to listen to reason when they were married. What made Sierra think he would listen now?

Using another one of the techniques she’d learned in her recent self-defense class, she twisted her wrist, jerked her arm downward and broke free of Clay’s hold. Free at last, she spun and ran. She hadn’t gone two feet when a hand clamped on her hair and yanked her backward.

Sierra screamed and stumbled backward. The children screamed, as well. She could see them standing there, terrified and confused. It made her mad enough she could have spit nails, and all the more determined to free herself of the madman she’d once promised to love, honor and cherish.

“Well, it goes both ways. And you didn’t live up to your part of the bargain,” she muttered, twisted and turned, attempting to get away. But short of letting him rip chunks of her hair out of her head, she was caught.


Chapter Three (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

A persistent ringing grated on T-Rex’s nerves. He didn’t like to look away from the road when he was driving, so he waited until he pulled to a stop sign before glancing at his cell phone.

GALLAGER

The name on the screen made his heart tighten. The man had gotten out of that Afghan village alive, barely. He hadn’t lost his life, but he’d lost so much more. “Hey, Gunny, how’s that baby?”

“Great. I got to hold him today. With a little help.”

T-Rex swallowed hard before saying, “That’s great, man.”

“Did I tell you that I’m getting some of the feeling back in my fingers?”

“No kidding?”

“No kidding.” Gunny sounded more upbeat than T-Rex had heard him since he’d returned to the States. The hand squeezing his heart loosened a little. “Glad to hear it.”

“I’ll be throwing a football for slugger before long.”

“Please tell me you didn’t put ‘Slugger’ on his birth certificate.”

“No. The wife wouldn’t let me. Officially, he’s Lance Gallagher. But I drew the line at Junior. Nothing shoots a man’s ego down more than being called Junior.”

“True.”

“So, how’s your TDY going?” Gunny asked. “About ready to head back to home station and ship out again?”

“Past ready.”

“That boring?”

T-Rex had to think about that. “Not really boring, just not what I want to be doing.”

“What? Kidnappings and big-game hunters not exciting enough?”

“How’d you know about that?” T-Rex asked.

Gunny snorted. “I read the news.”

“I could do without some of the excitement. I want to get back to the front line.”

“You know you won’t find the guys who did this to us,” Gunny said, his voice softening. “You could hunt every last member of the Taliban and still not know whether you got the guys who staged that trap.”

“Maybe, but if I don’t try, they get away with what they did to you.”

“Oh, is this about me?” Gunny laughed. “The way you blew up in front of the command psychologist, you’d think it was all about you.”

T-Rex’s hand squeezed the cell phone so hard, he was surprised it didn’t crack. What he was feeling was in direct response to what had happened to Gunny. The man had taken the full brunt of the attack. He’d suffered spinal cord damage and might be a quadriplegic the rest of his life. The thought of the father of four spending his life in a wheelchair made T-Rex want to rage at the universe. “It’s just not fair. I should have been the one injured. I didn’t have a baby on the way.”

“You didn’t get to pick,” Gunny said. “It’s the way the cards fell. Or the grenade, in our case.”

“Anyway, things might be settling down here. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels.”

“Yeah, but I doubt the commander will want you back so soon. He was pretty hot when he sent you off.”

“If he knew what a boondoggle it is, he wouldn’t have sent me.”

“Boondoggle?” Gunny snorted. “Sounds like another day in the life of a marine. You’ve got enemy hiding in the hills, you’ve been shot at and you’ve taken out some of the bad guys.”

He had a point. Still, T-Rex would rather be back where his world had come apart. Then maybe he could put it back together. “I don’t know which strings our team lead pulled to get a loan of highly skilled military men to work for the Department of Homeland Security.” Luckily the team had been there, or there could have been a bunch of kids dead or trapped in a mine. “It’s like the Wild West out here in Wyoming.”

“Dude, Wyoming is the Wild West. Who lives there, anyway?”

“Exactly. Mostly a bunch of cowboys. There’s not much more to do out here than ranching or work for the pipeline.”

“What’s wrong with that? You’re in the most beautiful part of the country. Take in some fishing in your time off. If you get to know Wyoming, you might not hate it as much.”

“I don’t exactly hate it.” He didn’t. In fact, the area was beautiful. If he wasn’t in the military, and maybe when he retired, he might consider living there. The rugged mountains were majestic and appeared serene. “I just want to get back to the real war.”

“And some unhealthy fixation on retribution against the Taliban. Do you think you could do more good for the US in a foreign country than here at home?”

“There are other people who defend the home front.”

“Clearly there aren’t enough people with your skills in Wyoming.” Gunny sighed. “Look, I’m not going to change your mind about the need for you to be where you are now. Let’s change the subject.”

T-Rex relaxed some of the tension from his shoulders. “Good.”

“Good,” Gunny agreed. “What have they got you doing now?”

T-Rex hadn’t realized he’d slowed nearly to a stop on the main road until a honk reminded him he was in a truck and he should be driving to where he was supposed to go. He pressed his foot to the accelerator and the truck leaped forward. “I’m on my way to the County Records office to look up who owns property along an existing gas pipeline.”

“Okay, now you’re talking boring. I practically fell asleep as you talked about it.” Gunny laughed. “Just kidding. Sounds like you’re having to do a little sleuthing. That could be interesting.”

T-Rex had to admit, after all they’d been through in the few weeks he’d been in Grizzly Pass, the need to resolve the open issues had crawled beneath his skin and stuck with him. “It’s all part of figuring out who’s behind the problems they’ve had lately in this little backwater town.”

“I thought you caught the guy.”

“We caught some of the guys we think were involved. But not the one who had enough money to purchase a couple crates full of AR-15 rifles for distribution. Nor have we found those missing rifles.”

“You think you have something bigger going on? Wow. You are in up to your eyeballs.”

“Maybe. Or maybe we’re marking time. If someone is truly out there planning a takeover of a government facility, they might be lying low until the Department of Homeland Security releases us military augmentees. Then they’ll do their damage.”

T-Rex turned onto the street that would lead him to the Grizzly Pass Community Center and the County Records office. As he pulled into the parking lot, he noted a truck, with a mashed front fender, parked at an odd angle, taking up more than its share of the available parking spaces. But that wasn’t all. A man was dragging a woman by the hair toward the truck. By the expression on her face, she wasn’t at all happy about it.

“Gunny, I gotta go.” Without waiting to hear his friend’s response, he dropped the cell phone into the cup holder, slammed the shift into Park and slid out of the truck, his hands balling into fists. Nothing made him madder than witnessing a man abusing a woman.

* * *

SIERRA STRAINED HER NECK, trying to get Clay to release his hold on her hair. “Let go of me. I have a job to do. I have children to take care of.”

“You have a husband to take care of, and you’re not doing it here.”

“We. Aren’t. Married,” she said through gritted teeth. The pain of having her hair pulled so hard brought tears to her eyes.

A loud crack sounded behind Sierra.

Clay grunted and dropped to the ground, taking her with him.

Sierra fell to her backside. Clay’s hand loosened its hold on her hair. She rolled to the side, bunched her legs and shot to her feet, putting several feet between her and Clay before she looked back and came to a complete stop.

Clay lay on the ground, his hand clamped over his cheek.

A big man with massive shoulders and an iron jaw loomed over Clay.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Clay demanded.

The big guy growled. Literally growled. “Your worst nightmare if you lay another finger on that woman.”

Sierra watched in wonder. The children gathered around her legs, clinging to her, shaking in their fright.

“I’ll do whatever the hell I want,” Clay said. “That woman’s my wife.”

“Ex-wife,” Sierra reminded him.

“I don’t care if she’s your great-aunt Sue.” The man poked a finger at Clay. “If you ever lay another hand on her, you’ll have to reckon with me. Do. You. Understand?”

“I don’t have to take this.” Clay rolled to his feet and came up swinging.

The big guy ducked and, in one smooth uppercut, popped Clay in the chin, knocking him to the ground again. This time, Clay lay for a moment, blinking. “I’ll kill you for that.”

“Big talk for a man who can only seem to push women around.”

Clay rubbed his bruised chin. “You gonna let me get up?”

“You gonna apologize to the lady?” He tipped his head toward Sierra.

Her ex-husband’s lip curled into a snarl. “Ain’t got nothin’ to apologize for. She’s the one who walked out on me.”

The big guy shot a glance at Sierra. “Seems to me she had reason.”

“That’s a load of bull.” Clay started to rise.

Big Guy pushed his foot into Clay’s chest. “Not until you apologize.”

Clay’s cheeks burned a ruddy red and a muscle ticked in his jaw.

Sierra held her breath. She’d never seen Clay apologize for anything.

“I’m sorry,” Clay said, his voice tight and angry, not apologetic in the least.

“Say it like you mean it,” Big Guy warned, his fist clenching.

The color deepened in Clay’s cheeks and his lips formed a thin line. “Fine. I’m sorry,” he said, his tone measured, softer this time, but just as tight, the anger simmering between the surface.

Big Guy stepped back.

Clay rolled over, pushed to his hands and knees and staggered to an upright position, glaring at the man. “Who the hell are you anyway? And don’t give me that crap about being my worst nightmare. What makes you think you can get in between me and my wife?”

“Ex-wife,” Sierra repeated. “The divorce has been final for months. I have the signed copy to prove it.”

“Not in my mind.” Clay turned toward Sierra, his gaze boring into hers, his hands tightening into fists. “I never would have signed that paper if the judge hadn’t threatened to throw me in jail.”

Sierra planted her fists on her hips. “Yeah, well, it’s done, legal and final. I’m not going back to you. I have a life now. And it doesn’t include you.”

Clay shot a look at Big Guy. “But it includes him? What? Is he your new boyfriend?”

Sierra lifted her chin. “If he was, it’s none of your business.”

Clay’s eyes narrowed and he studied Big Guy. “So, you ditched me to hop in bed with him?”

“If she did, it has nothing to do with you.” Big Guy crossed his arms over his massive chest and stood with his feet braced slightly apart, like a conquering warrior. “What she does is her own business.”

Sierra’s heart fluttered. By all appearances, Big Guy was a man’s man. He didn’t need to push a woman around to make himself feel big. He was larger than life and, at that moment, a hero in her eyes.

“Yeah, well, you can’t be everywhere she is.” Clay faced her. “I’ll see you when your boyfriend isn’t around.”

Sierra’s cheeks heated at Clay’s reference to the stranger being her boyfriend. She figured now wasn’t the time to correct him. Perhaps if Clay thought the guy who’d kicked his butt was her boyfriend, he’d be less likely to target her. “Just leave me alone, Clay.”

“You belong to me,” her ex said. “No hulking ape takes what’s mine.”

“Okay, buddy.” Big Guy gripped Clay’s arm and marched him toward his truck. “I can take a man swinging at me and I can take some verbal abuse, but when you start calling me a hulking ape, I draw the line.” He opened the door and shoved Clay into the driver’s seat. “Leave my girlfriend alone, or you’ll be reckoning with me.” Then he slammed the door and stepped clear of the truck.

Sierra held her breath, fully expecting Clay to push the truck into gear and run Big Guy over.

Clay lowered his window and yelled, “It ain’t over.”

“Oh, yes, it is.” Brenda Larson stepped out of the building with a phone in her hands. “The sheriff is on his way.”

Clay slammed his truck into Reverse and backed up so fast, his tires spit up gravel. He swung around and left the parking lot and Sierra in stunned silence.

Brenda waved. “Gotta get back to my babies.”

“Go. I’ll get the kids inside.” Sierra waved toward her friend. Brenda ducked back inside, leaving Sierra with Big Guy and the thirteen crying children, clutching her legs.

“Are you all right?” her hero asked, turning his full attention to her. He had reddish-brown hair, cut high and tight like a military man, and his eyes could have been brown or green depending on the way he turned his head toward the sunshine.

Sierra gulped and tried to remember his question. “Uh, yes. I’m okay.” She rubbed her arm absently.

“Did he hurt you? You know, you can file a report.” The man closed the distance between them and took her hand, his face darkening. “He did hurt you.”

Sierra stared down at the bruises forming on her arm. She pulled against his grip. “I’m fine. Right now, I need to get these children calm and inside.”

Eloisa sobbed against her leg, clutching Sierra so tightly, she couldn’t move without knocking the little girl over.

Several of the children who couldn’t get close enough to Sierra turned to Big Guy and wrapped their arms around his legs, crying.

Sierra laughed and gulped back a ready sob. “I’m sorry. But it seems we are trapped by a handful of toddlers.” She held out her hand, forcing herself to sound normal and upbeat, putting a game face on for the children. “I’m Sierra Daniels. And you are?”

“Apparently, I’m your boyfriend.” His lips curled into a sexy smile that nearly bowled her over. “Rex Trainor. My friends call me T-Rex.”

Sierra raised her brows. “As in the dinosaur?”

He nodded. “That’s right.” He engulfed her hand with his big one.

Warmth flowed all the way up her arm and into her chest. “Thank you for coming to my rescue... T-Rex.” She glanced down at the toddlers. “Okay, gang, the show’s over and everybody’s okay. Let’s go play in the gym.”

“I want my mommy,” Eloisa wailed. Sierra lifted her small body and settled the redhead on her hip.

Several other children joined in the chorus.

“Who wants a ride into the gym?” T-Rex reached down and lifted a little boy named Nathan and settled him on his shoulders.

At first the little boy’s lip trembled, and then he gripped T-Rex’s hair, grinned and giggled.

“Who else?” T-Rex asked. With Nathan clinging to his hair, Sierra’s hero scooped up a little girl and a boy in his arms. “Follow me!” he called out in the best impression of a drill sergeant’s tone Sierra had heard in a long time.

Without hesitation, the rest of the toddlers lined up behind T-Rex and marched with him into the community center.

Sierra hugged Eloisa against her chest and followed. This must have been what it felt like to follow the Pied Piper. She didn’t know this man, but she trusted him with her life and those of the toddlers in her care.

And if he had hazel eyes that she could fall into and dark, reddish-brown hair she’d like to run her fingers through, that shouldn’t matter in the least. He’d come to her rescue. That made him a hero in her eyes and the eyes of the children.

Her heart beat faster and butterflies fluttered their wings inside her belly. Her day was looking up. And all because of a stranger who’d arrived in time to save the day. Talk about heroes.


Chapter Four (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

T-Rex entered through a side door that led into an open gymnasium with brick walls and basketball goals on either end.

A woman stood in one of the open doorways off the side of the gym, a baby in her arms. “Oh!” She blinked several times. “I was expecting Sierra. Who are you?”

His lips twisted into an ironic grin. “Apparently, I’m Sierra’s boyfriend.”

“He’s kidding.” The woman he’d rescued from her ex-husband entered behind him, carrying a tiny red-haired girl. Sierra’s cheeks were rosy and her blue eyes bright. “Clay assumed he was my boyfriend.” She shrugged. “I didn’t disavow him of that assumption.”

“Like I said. I’m her new boyfriend.”

Sierra’s friend stared at him, her eyes narrowing. “Wait. You’re one of the new guys in town working with Kevin Garner, aren’t you?”

T-Rex nodded and set down the children in his arms and then swung the little boy off his shoulders to his screaming delight.

As soon as he set him on the ground, the boy reached up. “Do it again! Do it again! Please?”

T-Rex lifted the boy high into the air and swung him back to the ground.

The other toddlers all raised their hands, shouting, “My turn!” at the top of their lungs.

“Okay, children,” Sierra called out over the commotion. “Mr. Trainor isn’t here to entertain all of you. Let him go about his business. Go on and play.” She set the red-haired girl on her feet and shooed her and the others toward the tumbling mats scattered across a corner of the gym. Once the children had moved away, Sierra held out her hand. “Thank you so much for coming to my rescue.”

He gripped her small hand in his, and a shock of electricity raced up his arm. His gaze connected with hers. Had she felt it? Her eyes widened for a second, but other than that little bit of motion, she didn’t indicate recognition.

Her lips curled upward in a smile. “Are you done with my hand?”

T-Rex immediately released her and jammed his hand into his pocket. “My pleasure.”

“Seriously, Sierra,” the woman with the baby on her hip said. “You haven’t met the men from the team of military guys who helped save us when the bus was hijacked?”

She shook her head. “Actually, I haven’t. You remember. When that happened, I was out with the flu.”

“You’re the one they called T-Rex, right?” The woman walked forward. “You might not remember me, but I’m Brenda Larson. We met in front of the Lucky Lou Mine a few days ago, after the showdown with the Vanders boys.”

T-Rex shook her hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember.”

“I can understand. There was a lot going on.” Brenda’s lips thinned and she glanced at Sierra. “Be glad you were sick that day. I still have nightmares.”

Sierra shuddered. “I’m so sorry for Mrs. Green. Her husband was such a nice man.”

“Mr. Green, the bus driver?” T-Rex asked.

Sierra and Brenda nodded.

“It was a shame. He didn’t do anything to deserve being shot,” T-Rex said.

“Well, don’t let us keep you, Mr. Trainor,” Sierra said. “Thanks again.” She stepped back, out of his way.

A baby’s cry had Brenda moving toward the door she’d come out of. “That’s my cue. Nice to see you again, T-Rex.”

T-Rex shook his head and glanced around. “I understand the County Records office is somewhere in this building.”

Sierra nodded. “You have to go back out to the front of the armory to get to their offices.”

“This was an armory?”

“It used to house a small unit of the Montana Army National Guard. When they moved out, they donated the building to the town. Now it’s the Grizzly Pass Community Center.”

He swept the gym with another assessing glance. Now that she’d mentioned it, he could imagine a military unit holding formations in the gym when the weather outside was too cold, wet or snowy. A twinge of regret filled his belly. While he was pretty much playing the civilian Stateside, members of his unit were putting their lives on the line in some godforsaken country on the other side of the world. His fists clenched. “Nice that the building could be useful.” As much as he’d like to talk to the pretty woman with the long, wavy blond hair, he had work to do. The sooner they figured out who was at the bottom of all the troubles in Grizzly Pass, the sooner he could be back with his unit.

Besides, it would do him no good to get close to a female. His career was with the US Marine Corps. And he’d seen the devastation a career in the military could wreak on a family. He couldn’t do that to a woman, any more than he could do what Sierra’s ex-husband had done to her. No, he was single for a reason. Career military men had no business dragging families along with them.

“I’ll be going. If your ex gives you any more trouble, you can call me. I’ll be happy to step in as the protective boyfriend for as long as I’m here.” As long as that was as far as it went. He didn’t say it, but he thought it, specifically to remind him he wasn’t in Grizzly Pass to start anything. He was there to finish it.

He spun and walked out of the building and around to the front, where an entrance led into a hallway with what had once been the offices of the officers and enlisted men who’d run the unit. Now the doors were marked with the names of businesses. He found the one marked County Records and entered.

With the help of the clerk, he found the surveys and plats of the properties bordering the oil pipeline running through the hills on the south side of Yellowstone National Park.

He snapped photos with his cell phone, and on a notepad he jotted down the names of the people or corporations who owned the land. When he was finished, he tucked his notepad into his pocket. “Thank you,” he called out as he left the office. He’d been there for over an hour. He knew he should go straight to his truck and leave, but he couldn’t without first checking on Sierra. Back around the side of the armory, he found the entrance to the gym and day care.

Sierra stood with the little red-haired girl and a woman with equally red hair who had to be the child’s mother.

“She took a nap after the commotion, but she might continue to be distressed,” Sierra was saying. “I’m so sorry it happened in front of the children.”

The mother held her daughter close in her arms. “I’m just glad you’re okay. Don’t you worry about us. Take care of yourself.” The woman turned and stopped, her eyes wide. “Oh. I didn’t hear you come in.” Her eyes narrowed and she shot a glance back at Sierra. “Do you know him? I can stay if you need me to.”

Sierra smiled. “I know him. He’s the one who chased Clay away. The kids love him.”

As if on cue, the little red-haired toddler reached her arms up to T-Rex. “My turn.”

Her mother frowned.

“It’s okay.” Sierra nodded. “T-Rex had them all wanting a turn.”

Eloisa leaned farther out.

T-Rex grabbed her before she fell from her mother’s arms. “Do you mind?”

“I guess not.” Eloisa’s mother gave him a confused smile. “She doesn’t usually go to strangers.”

T-Rex swung her up into the air and back to the ground, then up again.

Eloisa giggled and laughed. When he handed her back to her mother, she clapped her hands and held them out. “Again.”

“Sorry, sweetie.” Her mother straightened the child on her hip and hiked her diaper bag up onto her shoulder. “We have to get home and cook supper.” She smiled, waved and exited, leaving Sierra alone in the gym with T-Rex.

“Are all of the others gone?” he asked.

“Everyone but me.” She retrieved her purse from a chair and slipped it over her shoulder. “I get to lock up tonight.”

“I’ll wait.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know.” He waved a hand, indicating she should lead the way.

“Really. I can do this on my own.”

He touched her arm. “Look, you’re giving chivalry a bad name. After what happened today, I would feel better knowing you made it home safely.”

Her baby blue eyes sparkled, and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. She pushed her long blond hair back over her shoulders. “Okay, then.” She led the way to the door.

T-Rex’s gut twisted and his groin tightened as she sailed past him, her slim hips swaying ever so slightly in her tan slacks.

He liked what he saw. Normally he would go after her and ask her out on a date. But his usual MO was to date and ditch. Based on what he’d witnessed of how her ex-husband had treated her, he couldn’t do that to Sierra. She needed a man who treated her like a princess, with all the love and caring she deserved. This woman was strictly off-limits.

She led him out of the building, closed the door and locked it behind them.

“So, you’re here with the others who’ve been loaned to the Department of Homeland Security?” she asked as they walked side by side to their vehicles.

“I am.” He paused beside her older-model sedan and waited for her to pop the locks. When she had, he opened the door for her.

She glanced up at him. “Thank you for all you did today.”

“You’re welcome.” She stood so close he could smell the subtle scent of her perfume. If he leaned forward just a little, he could capture her mouth with his. His pulse quickened and his gaze slipped from her shining blue eyes to those soft, full kissable lips.

“I... I’d better go. It’s getting dark.” She slipped into the car, closed the door and started the engine.

T-Rex stepped back, telling himself he was a fool to even think about kissing the woman. She was on the rebound from a bad marriage. He’d be doing her a favor to stay out of her life.

Sierra lowered the window. “If ever I can do anything for you, don’t hesitate to ask. I owe you big-time.”

He nodded, tempted to collect on her debt by requesting a kiss. Instead, he shook his head. “No repayment required. Just being a good citizen. I’ll follow you to make sure you get home okay.”

“This is a small town. It’s not necessary.” She smiled and backed out of the parking lot.

T-Rex waited until she disappeared down the winding drive heading away from the community center. Then he climbed into his truck and drove to his temporary quarters at a bed-and-breakfast off Main Street.

As he pulled into the parking lot, he noticed that one of the other vehicles parked at the very end looked familiar. He parked and got out. Could it be? He entered the big, rambling colonial home the owner had converted into a six-room bed-and-breakfast. Standing in the large living area was Sierra, talking to the owner, Mrs. McCall, two suitcases on the floor beside her.

She looked up as he entered, and her brow furrowed. “You didn’t have to follow me.”

“Mr. Trainor, I’m glad I caught you. I hope you don’t mind, but I had the handyman here today. He worked on the balcony door to keep it from sticking.”

“Thank you, Mrs. McCall,” he said, his gaze on Sierra, not the owner of the bed-and-breakfast.

“Oh, have you met Miss Daniels?” Mrs. McCall asked.

T-Rex nodded. “I have had the pleasure.”

“She’ll be staying with us while her apartment is being renovated.”

He nodded. “That’s nice. You’ll love Mrs. McCall. She makes the best scones this side of the pond.”

Mrs. McCall blushed. “Oh, you’re too kind. Thank you.”

“No need to tell me about her scones.” Sierra smiled and patted Mrs. McCall’s arm. “I’ve been eating Mrs. McCall’s scones since I was a little girl visiting her with my mother. And you’re right. They’re wonderful.”

“Thank you, sweetie.” Mrs. McCall smiled and pushed back her shoulders. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my program is coming on television and I don’t want to miss it.” She winked. “An old woman needs something to look forward to.” She scurried away, entering a door marked Private.

“Let me help you.” T-Rex grabbed the handles of the suitcases.

“I can do that,” Sierra said, reaching for the cases.

“I know you can. But we’ve already had this discussion about chivalry. It isn’t dead. At least not where I’m concerned. My mother taught me better.” He headed for the stairs. “What room?”

She gave him the number, and his brows rose. It was the room next to his. He wanted to groan, but he didn’t say anything. She’d find out soon enough.

For a man who didn’t want to start something with the pretty day care employee, the odds were stacking against him.

“I didn’t know you were staying here,” she said as she followed him up the stairs.

“In a town as small as Grizzly Pass, the lack of hotels forced us to scatter out among the few privately owned establishments.” He stopped in front of the door to her room and stepped back to allow her to use her key in the lock.

She entered and held the door for him to carry her luggage through.

T-Rex set the two cases on the wooden floor and turned. “Welcome to the McCall house.”

Sierra giggled. “You don’t look like a bellboy, but I appreciate the help.” She reached her hand into her purse and dug around. “What do you require in the way of a tip?”

He laid his hand on her arm. “No money. Just this.” Before he could stop to question his motives, he lifted her chin with the tip of his finger and claimed that kiss he’d been thinking about since she’d left him at the community center. One quick, toe-curling kiss. That was all he wanted and he’d be out of her way.

But it didn’t happen like he planned. As soon as his lips touched hers, fire exploded in his belly and his blood ran like heated mercury through his veins, angling downward to his groin.

He raised his other hand, cupped the back of her head and deepened the connection.

She laid her hands on his chest, but she didn’t push him away.

And he was glad she didn’t. Because, now that he was kissing her, he didn’t want it to end.

* * *

SIERRA HAD BEEN shocked and tinglingly aware of the man when he’d stepped through the front door of the bed-and-breakfast. She’d completely forgotten what she’d been saying to Mrs. McCall. All she’d been able to do was stand there and stare at the broad-shouldered hero with the reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes, and just barely been able to stop herself from drooling. He was the kind of man every girl dreamed of. Tall, dark, handsome and willing to fight for her honor.

Now he stood in her room, kissing her. Her knees trembled and she curled her fingers into his shirt, pulling him closer. She raised up on her toes, deepening the kiss of all kisses. Clay had never kissed her like this. Like she was special and the only person in the world. She pressed her body into T-Rex, loving the hardness of his muscles against her soft curves. He was a man a woman could lean on in tough times. He didn’t need to have his ego stroked to make him feel more of a man.

His tongue darted out, tracing the line of her lips. She couldn’t resist him, opening her mouth to allow him in. Part of her felt a little guilty. She had to remind herself she was single now. She could kiss anyone she liked. And she liked kissing this one.

He caressed her tongue with his, gliding in and out, taking her along on a rising wave of passion. The only thing that could have been better about that kiss was if they were both naked. Skin to skin.

Heat built low in her belly. An intense ache made her sex clench and her body long for more. She felt more alive than she had in years, and it was all due to this stranger, who asked for a kiss for his tip.

All too soon, T-Rex lifted his head.

Sierra dropped back onto her heels and glanced down at where her hands crumpled his shirt. She licked her swollen lips, tasting him on them. “Well, that was quite the tip,” she managed to say, appalled at how squeaky her voice sounded.

“I’d apologize,” he said, his tone low and husky. “But I can’t. That was incredible.”

She nodded and dared to look up into his eyes. Then reality set in. Having divorced only six months before, she wasn’t sure she was ready to get right back into a relationship. If anything, her seven years of marriage to Clay had convinced her that she wasn’t very good at long-term commitment, or was she just terrible at choosing the right man for her? Either way, it was too soon.

Sierra backed away. “I have to ask you not to do that again.”

He nodded. “Agreed. It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to get involved with me. I won’t be around for long, and, despite our little charade, I’m not very good boyfriend material.”

Sierra hadn’t expected him to agree with her so quickly. Disappointment filled her chest. Pushing back her shoulders, she lifted her chin. Why should she care? He’d only confirmed her desire to avoid anything sticky growing between them. Still...

He turned and walked toward the door.

Before he crossed the threshold, she asked, “Why?”

He stopped and half turned toward her. “Why what?”

“Why do you make bad boyfriend material?” She shouldn’t be interested in his answer, but she was and she waited for his response.

He shook his head, a hint of a smile tilting his lips. “Trust me. I’m no good for you, or any other woman.” With that, he walked out of the room and shut the door.

All of the starch leached out of Sierra’s shoulders and she sagged, raising her fingers to her mouth. Holy hell, the man could kiss. Her brows dipped and her eyes narrowed. And what kind of nonanswer was that? I’m no good for you, or any other woman.

Her curiosity aroused and left unsatisfied, she yanked one of the suitcases up onto the bed and began the task of unpacking. Within minutes, she had both cases emptied and her meager belongings stored in the dresser and closet. Six months ago, she’d left most of what she owned with Clay, taking only what she could carry in the cases. The apartment she’d been living in had come fully furnished. Unfortunately, the roof had sprung a leak in the last rain. Not only had they had to repair the roof, they’d had to rip out the drywall and flooring due to water damage and mold. She wouldn’t be allowed back into the apartment until they’d completed all of the repairs and mold remediation. Thus, the move to the bed-and-breakfast.

The night was still young, the sun having barely dipped below the hilltops. She could lie there and reminisce or go find something to eat.

Grabbing her coat and purse, she headed for the door, slung it open and nearly crashed into T-Rex. “Oh, sorry.”

He steadied her with his big hands and then dropped them to his sides. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” She stepped back and willed her heart to slow.

“I was coming to see you.”

“You were?” Her pulse leaped again.

T-Rex dug in his pocket and pulled out a device that fit in the palm of his hand. “I want you to have this.” He reached for her hand and placed it on her palm.

“What is it?” she stared down at the gadget, her heart banging against her ribs at the touch of his hand beneath hers.

“A stun gun.”

Okay, so it wasn’t a diamond bracelet, but seriously, what man gave a woman a stun gun as a gift? “How does it work?”

He turned it over and pointed to the button on the side. “You switch it on here. When someone gets close enough to you, you push this button and stick it to him.”

“And then what?”

“He will lose muscle control and balance and become disoriented. It will disable him for up to thirty minutes.”

“Wow.” She held it out. “Sounds dangerous.”

“The effects aren’t permanent. It gives you a chance to get away. Carry it in your hand when you’re alone, like when you’re locking up at the day care and walking out to your car. If your ex ever pulls a stunt like he did today you can be ready to take him down long enough to get away. One jolt from this baby and he’ll think twice about harassing you.”

She stared at the device and then glanced up at him. “That’s about the nicest gift anyone has ever given me.”

He laughed out loud. “Better than roses?”

“Much.” She slid it into her purse, careful not to switch it on in the process. “I’m not sure I have the nerve to use it, but it will make me feel better knowing I have it in case I need it.”

“Were you heading out?” he asked.

“I was just going to find something to eat. Normally, I fix a salad and eat at home.” She grimaced. “But that won’t be an option while I live in the bed-and-breakfast. I miss my apartment already.”

“I was about to go to the Blue Moose Tavern. Care to join me?”

She smiled and shook her head. “So much for avoiding each other. I think it will be nearly impossible in such a small house.”

“No need to. I promise—” he held up his hand as if swearing in court “—not to overstep your boundaries without your permission.”

“In that case, I would love the company. I hate eating alone.” She led the way down the stairs and out of the building.

Once outside, he glanced around as if looking for something or someone. “I don’t see your ex anywhere, but we should probably keep up appearances.” T-Rex held out his hand. “Girlfriend?”

She hesitated, staring at his big, open hand. Knowing it would only be for appearances, it shouldn’t be a big deal. But as soon as she placed her hand in his, the electricity of his touch zipped through her body, pooling low in her groin. Yeah, being this close to T-Rex could only lead to trouble.

At that moment, she didn’t care.

Together, they walked the three blocks to the Blue Moose Tavern and asked the waitress for a table.

Once seated across from T-Rex, her hand in her own lap and no longer touching the man, Sierra’s thoughts settled from the scramble they’d been since she’d kissed him. He was just a man. The first man she’d kissed since her divorce. Surely there would be more, and she wouldn’t make such a complete fool of herself over the next.

The waitress brought them their drinks—a glass of red wine for Sierra and a draft beer for T-Rex.

Sierra lifted her glass. “To new friends.”

He touched his mug to her glass. “To new friends.”

They sipped and stared over the tops of their respective drinks.

Sierra had to focus on staring into his eyes and not letting her gaze fall to his sensuous mouth. For a long moment, she struggled to come up with something to say that wasn’t kiss me. Finally, she knocked back the rest of her wine and set her glass on the table. “Tell me about yourself.”


Chapter Five (#u6e32857e-6827-5a94-a61e-7a4335488036)

T-Rex felt his muscles tighten. He’d never been this uncomfortable sitting across a table from a beautiful woman. When she stared at him and demanded he tell her about himself, his pulse kicked up a notch. He swallowed the last of his beer and set down his mug. What did she really want to know?

Did she want to hear that he’d watched his best gunnery sergeant nearly get blown apart? That he wished he could have taken Gunny’s place in that explosion? That he loved women but avoided relationships because of the profession he’d chosen to dedicate his life to? He didn’t want to talk about himself, so he stalled. “Like what?”

“Not going to make this easy, are you?” Sierra nodded, squared her shoulders and launched. “You can start by telling me which branch of the service you’re in.”

“Marine Corps.” That wasn’t so hard. He relaxed a little.

“How long?” she demanded.

“Ten years.”

“That’s quite a commitment.” She drew in a breath and let it out. “Have you been deployed to a war zone?”

Tension shot up again. He nodded, his glance dropping to his empty mug. “Four times.”

Sierra’s brows drew together, and she reached across the table, laying her hand on his arm. “Thank you for your service.”

The heat of her touch sent his blood burning through his veins. He didn’t feel like he had done anything to be thanked for. While he was walking around on two perfectly good legs, Gunny couldn’t even hold his newborn son in his arms, or hug his girls.

T-Rex shook off her touch and moved his hands to his lap. “My turn.”

She nodded. “Shoot.”

“How long were you married to your charming husband?”

“Seven years.”

“Was he as abusive the entire time you two were married?”

Sierra glanced to the far corner of the room, her brows wrinkled. “He’s always been demanding. I thought he’d mellow as we grew older together, but he didn’t. Then he lost his job as a truck driver due to an accident a couple years ago. He was home all the time and I went to work. That’s when he got mean.”

“Children?”

She shook her head, her shoulders sinking a degree. “No. No children.”

“By choice, or luck of the draw?”

“It just didn’t happen. If I could, I’d have a dozen children.”

“Do you come from a big family?”

She shook her head. “No. My parents died when I was six. I was raised in the foster care system.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She smiled. “My foster parents were very good to me.”

“Were?”

She sighed. “They passed away within months of each other five years ago. I miss them.”

“No siblings?” he asked.

She shook her head. “You?”

T-Rex nodded. “I have a sister in Texas. She’s married with three little boys.”

Sierra looked at him with a smile. “They must love their Uncle T-Rex.”

“I doubt it.” He shrugged. “I don’t see them often enough.” Hell, he hadn’t seen them since they were all in diapers. He made a mental note to visit his sister.

“Parents?”

“Retired and traveling around the country in a motor home.” He shook his head. “They sold the home and ranch we grew up on and bought a motor coach. They never spend more than four months in any one place. Their goal is to explore every national park in the United States before they die. And a few dozen state parks.”

Sierra leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her palm. “Wow, sounds like a wonderful way to spend your retirement.” A long strand of her blond hair fell forward over her cheek.

Without thinking, T-Rex reached across the table and tucked it behind her ear. He brushed his knuckles across her cheek, that same electric current sending shock waves through his system. He snatched back his hand. “Why do you stay here?”

She shrugged. “I love this town and most of the people in it. Minus one ex-husband. It’s a great place to live and raise a family.”

“But you aren’t married and, from what you’ve just told me, you don’t have family here.”

She shrugged. “I’d love to travel, but I never considered doing it alone.” Her lips twisted. “I’d want to share my adventures with someone else. I couldn’t see myself standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon and having no one to share my appreciation for what I’d be seeing.” Sierra laughed. “Sounds dumb, but that’s how I feel. Besides, I was married from the time I left college until just a few months ago. We didn’t have the money to travel. We barely had enough to pay the rent. So, there you have it. That’s my pathetic life in a nutshell. The best part about it is working with the children. I love those kids.”

“And they all love you.”

“The little traitors were quick to switch their loyalties when you came through the door.” She winked at him. “Why don’t you have children?” Her eyes widened suddenly. “Wow, I don’t even know if you’re married.” She pressed her hand to her lips.

He shook his head. “I’m not, and I don’t have any children.” Leaning toward her, he said in a low voice for only her ears, “Besides, I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had a wife. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe you only kiss the one you’re committed to.”

Sierra sank back against her seat. “Whew. You never know. I’ve been out of the dating scene for a long time. Heck, I don’t think I’ve ever been in it. I married my high school sweetheart two years into college.”

“What did you major in?” he asked.

“I would have majored in elementary education, but I didn’t get to finish.” She rubbed the third finger on her left hand.

“Why?”

“Clay thought college was a waste of time. He dropped out and got a job as a truck driver and we got married. When it came time for fall semester to start, he wouldn’t let me go back. He said it cost too much, and what did I need a college education for anyway? He made enough money driving a truck to support us.”

“And he lost his license.”

She nodded. “Over a year ago.”

“Seven years and no children. That from a woman who loves kids.” He raised his brows.

“I wanted them.” She shrugged and looked away. “They never seemed to happen. Can we talk about something else?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay. It was a sore subject in our marriage, and it still hurts.”

“Then let’s talk about what to order.” He popped open a menu and perused the items he had yet to try. Soon, the waitress delivered a bison burger for him and a Southwestern chicken salad for Sierra. They spent the rest of the meal talking about the upcoming football season and who they thought would play in the bowl games.

When he’d finished the burger and fries, he ordered another beer and sat back. “I’m surprised you know your college football teams.”

She sipped from her wineglass and raised her brows. “Why? Because I’m a girl?”

“No,” he hedged. “Because you’re a woman. I thought most women disliked sports.”

“That’s a sexist remark.”

“Guilty.”

“My foster mother and father were huge football fans. We spent many weekends watching the games and yelling until our throats were raw.” She smiled, her face softening. “I miss that.”

“Was your ex a fan?”

She shook her head. “He liked hockey. Don’t get me wrong. I love watching a good hockey game, too. But I missed watching football.”

“He wouldn’t let you watch football?”

“No.”

“Jerk,” T-Rex muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

Sierra laughed. “My thoughts exactly.” For a long moment, her smile lingered. Then it disappeared altogether.

T-Rex found himself wanting to make her smile again.

“Speak of the devil.” Sierra nodded toward the entrance and ducked her head.

T-Rex glanced in the direction indicated.

Clay Ellis strutted into the tavern, cocky as hell, sneering at anyone who dared to give a friendly greeting.

“Don’t worry. He can’t hurt you here,” T-Rex said, clenching his fists beneath the table.

“I know. But he can make a fuss.” She set down her wineglass. “We can leave now, if you want.”

“I’d rather you finished your wine and I finished my beer and neither one of us lets him get to us.”

She laughed, though it sounded less than convincing. “You’re right.” She lifted her glass and sipped. “I shouldn’t let him get to me. I’m done with him.” As she spoke, she lifted her glass. Her hand shook so much, the wine spilled onto her chest. “Darn. This was my favorite sweater.” She dabbed at the stain with her napkin. When that didn’t help, she looked up. “I’d better go to the ladies’ room and see if I can get this out before it sets.”

T-Rex watched as she left their table. His gaze switched from her to where Ellis leaned against the bar, flirting with one of the waitresses trying to fill a drink order.

As far as T-Rex could tell, Ellis hadn’t seen Sierra.

“T-Rex, glad we found you.” Caveman slipped into the chair Sierra had vacated a minute before. “We’ve been looking for you.”

Kevin Garner, Ghost, Caveman and Hawkeye pulled up chairs around the little table.

“Uh, guys, I’m here with someone.”

“Yeah?” Hawkeye, the army ranger of the group of military men, glanced around. “I don’t see anyone else.”

As one, all four men craned their necks, searching the room.

“Who is she?” Ghost asked. The Navy SEAL smiled, refusing to let T-Rex off the hook.

“Who said it was a she?” T-Rex drummed his fingers on the table, willing the men to leave before Sierra returned.

Caveman laughed. “You, by the way you’re avoiding the question.” The Delta-Force soldier crossed his arms. These men weren’t going to give up until they got an answer.

“It doesn’t matter.” The only way T-Rex would get rid of them was to find out what they wanted. “What’s up?”

“Charlie found the social media site the Free America group moved to,” Ghost said. Charlie McClain was an old flame of Ghost’s who moonlighted as a cybersnoop for the Department of Homeland Security.

“And?” T-Rex prompted to move the conversation along.

Ghost leaned closer, lowering his voice so that others couldn’t hear. “There’s been more noise about a potential takeover in the very near future.”

“Any dates given?” T-Rex asked.

“No, just a general call to arms to stand ready.”

“Great. And we’re no closer to figuring out who’s involved with the Free America group?”

“Our computer gurus, Hack and Charlie, said that anyone could have set up that group from a public library,” Garner said. “The members of the group are using aliases, probably set up on public Wi-Fi systems.”

T-Rex’s fingers clenched into fists. “How much time do you think we have until they make their move?”

“We’ve known something was coming for the past couple weeks we’ve been here,” Caveman said.

Garner, the team’s leader, shrugged. “It could be a couple more weeks from now, or it could be any day. What did you find at the county records office?”

T-Rex pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed the notepad he’d used to record his notes. Then he brought up the photos of the maps on his cell phone. “Not much more than we already know. Olivia Dawson—” he glanced toward Hawkeye, who’d established a relationship with the woman “—owns this portion of land bordering the current pipeline easement.” He pointed to the middle of the map on his phone. “On the north side of the easement is the national park all the way through the mountainous area. East of the Dawson spread, the land was recently sold to Pinnacle Enterprises.”

“West of Dawson’s ranch is owned by BRE Inc.”

“Any idea who BRE Inc. is?” Caveman asked.

Garner’s lips thinned. “Bryson Rausch Enterprises.”

“The big shot in town?” Ghost asked.

Hawkeye’s brows descended. “Liv says Rausch owns half the town. He offered to buy her ranch before her father’s casket settled in his grave.”

“I can’t imagine the man risking a connection to the Free America group,” Ghost said. “Why would he? He has plenty of money.”

“I can’t help but think what’s happening with the pipeline is somehow connected with Free America.” Garner stared into the distance.

“Wayne Batson admitted he was paid to kill the pipeline inspector,” Caveman said.

“But he didn’t share the name of the guy who funded him,” Ghost reminded them.

“Hack hasn’t found the money Batson claims he was paid.”

“Unless he was paid in kind.” T-Rex’s eyes narrowed. “Do you suppose he was paid in weapons?”

“The weapons we can’t find?” Caveman asked.

“Yes, those.” T-Rex drummed his fingers on the table. “The ones that arrived in the boxes discovered in the Lucky Lou Mine.”

Garner nodded, his own eyes narrowing. “Could be.”

“We know Batson had a tactical training facility on his property and that he was training individuals there,” T-Rex reminded them.

Leaning forward, Garner’s eyes narrowed. “We can only assume they were members of the Free America group and Batson was one of them. But we have no evidence, and Batson didn’t keep written or video records of those who came for the training.”




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