Before he reached the door, the curly-haired angel noticed him for the first time. Mommy, whos that man?
Kate eased her hold on her daughter and looked up at Ben, the fear of a few moments ago still evident in her pale face. Thats Mr. Harding. Hes the man who came to help us on the ranch.
Are you going to help my mommy? she asked, her gaze open, direct, piercing the wall wrapped tightly around Bens heart.
He yearned to run and keep running until the childs trusting eyes were erased from his mind. But he knew he couldnt leave this little girl and her mother when the intruder hed chased off earlier might return.
Yes, maam. Im here to help your mommy. He nearly choked on mommy. His daughter had called his wife Mommy. His daughter had looked at him with complete trust, as if he could never let her down.
But he had. He hadnt been there when shed needed him most. He had been all about the job, bringing in the bad guys. Hed never taken into account that the ones that got off might come back to haunt him. Until it was too late.
Kates eyes narrowed. Are you okay?
No. Bens gaze went from Lily to Kate. For a tough cop, used to facing down danger on the streets of Austin, he was more terrified of these two women than any criminal hed ever confronted. Im fine. He cleared his throat. Ill just bed down in the barn.
No. Kate stood and swayed, her hand on her daughters shoulder.
Before he could think through his actions, Ben was there, steadying her with a hand under her elbow, the other around her waist.
Stay here. In the house. She leaned into him for a moment. When shed steadied, she pulled away and looked up into his face. Please.
Her green eyes pleaded with him, her hand on his arm burning a path through his defenses. How he wanted to leave, but couldnt. Despite his vow to never care again, hed proved over and over he just couldnt honor that vow after all. Killing the high-powered child murderer was evidence. Damn Kate and Lily for making him care. Ill stay on two conditions.
Her shoulders straightened. Anything.
He scooped up the gun shed dropped earlier and handed it to her. First, put this away, take it to a pawnshop or learn to use it.
She took the gun from him, keeping her body between the gun and her daughters curious eyes. Check. Ill learn to use it. Her chin tipped upward. And the second one?
His gaze swept over her, taking in the smooth lines of her shoulders, the gentle swell of her breasts and the curve of her thighs peeking out from under the terry cloth. If he had any hope of staying neutral in this situation, he had to put distance between himself and Kate. She was too damned attractive.
He forced an uninterested rise of his brows. If Im going to get any work done around here, you have to keep your clothes on around me.
Kate gasped, hugging the towel closer, her cheeks flaming red.
Ill be on the couch downstairs. He stepped out into the hallway and closed the door between them with a firm click.
Kate stared at the barrier between them for a long moment, stunned at the cowboys abrupt words and departure. As if I planned to be standing in front of him in nothing but a towel, she mumbled.
Mommy, why was I in the closet? Lilys hand slipped into hers and tugged, dragging Kates mind back to what was important. Her daughter.
She scrambled for an answer that wouldnt scare her small daughter. I thought it might be fun to pretend to be camped in a cave in the mountains.
Lily tipped her head to the side as if debating whether or not she believed Kates lie. Then she smiled and pulled Kate toward the closet. Will you camp in the cave with me, Mommy?
Oh, baby, I dont think so. Im pretty tired and bed sounds more comfortable. You can sleep in the closet, if you want.
Lily stared from the bed to the closet and yawned, her eyelids sagging. No, Im tired, too. Maybe tomorrow.
Kate grabbed the blankets from the floor and flung them across the bed as best she could, tucking Lily in on the side away from the door.
As she pulled out a pair of pajamas that would fully cover her body, she thought of Ben Hardings condition. A spark of defiance shot through her and she replaced the pajamas in the drawer, reaching for the filmy light blue baby-doll nightgown shed bought one hot, impulsive day in Houston.
She slipped the silky garment over her head, letting the towel drop to the floor, and recalled the feeling of being held in Bens strong arms as he effortlessly carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. Her skin sizzled where his hands had been beneath her thighs and very nearly touching the side of her breast.
Now that she had time to think beyond defending her life, she realized the cowboy Hank had sent was everything a girl could dream oftall, dark and handsome. Add a brooding, mysterious look in his blue eyes and he was devastatingly appealing.
She hadnt felt like this sincebefore her husband, Troy, had been killed in Afghanistan, a month before shed delivered Lily. Four years ago. A wave of guilt washed over her for thinking such thoughts about a man who wasnt her husband. But, then, Troy had been dead a long time, she hadnt. The man downstairs had triggered a strong physical response she thought shed never feel again.
Kate sucked in a deep breath and let it out, the tips of her nipples tight little points poking at the sheer fabric of the nightgown. She reached for the hem, telling herself that wearing the gown was asking for trouble.
Her hands stopped before they could lift it over her head. Who was she kidding? The man wasnt interested in her any more than she should be interested in him. He was there as the hired help. Hank had promised protection for her and Lily until they could figure out who was responsible for the break-in in Houston and now at the Flying K Ranch.
As she lay down on the sheets, her thoughts drifted to the man sleeping on the couch downstairs. Hed had a strange look in his eyes when hed seen Lily. His brows had furrowed into a fierce frown, scary in its intensity. It hadnt looked like an angry frown so much as one of great pain and sorrow. What would cause such a look on a mans face?
She didnt know. In fact, Kate didnt know much of anything about her hired gun. Hell, she didnt know anything about Hank Derringer for that matter. This area was rumored to have a big drug cartel influence. Had she asked for help from one of the local mafia?
Kate lay staring at the ceiling, wondering what shed done by bringing Lily here. Not that shed been any safer in Houston. Not after her apartment had been ransacked.
A yawn nearly dislocated her jaw, forcing Kate to give up trying to make sense of all that had happened. Tomorrow shed ask the questions burning in her mind. Who the hell was Ben Harding and what kind of hired hands did Hank Derringer provide? Even more importantly, did he have any hired hands that were a little older and less attractive?
Kate rolled over and punched her pillow before settling down. Her bruised cheek reminded her of the intruder and her near miss with death. She reached out and looped her arm over her daughter, pulling her close. If anything happened to Lily, shed never forgive herself.
Tomorrow shed start her search for answers.