Let me see. His grip was firm but gentle and his tone the same.
The warmth of his hands on her arms sent shivers of awareness throughout her body. Really, its fine, she said, even as she let him maneuver her to sit on the arm of the couch.
Ben squatted, pulled the tennis shoe off her foot and removed her sock. I had training as a first responder on the Austin police force. Let me be the judge.
Kate held her breath as he lifted her foot and turned it to inspect the ankle, his fingers slipping over her skin.
See? Just bumped it. Itll be fine in a minute. She cursed inwardly at her breathlessness. A mans hands on her ankle shouldnt send her into a tailspin.
Ben Harding was a trained professional. Touching a womans ankle meant nothing other than a concern for health and safety. Nothing more.
Then why was she having a hard time breathing, like a teenager on her first date? Kate bent to slip her foot back into her shoe, biting hard on her lip to keep from crying out at the pain. Her head came very close to Bens. When she turned toward him she could feel the warmth of his breath fan across her cheek.
You should put a little ice on that, he said, his tone as smooth as warm syrup sliding over her.
Ice was exactly what she needed. To chill her natural reaction to a handsome man paid to help and protect her, not touch, hold or kiss her.
Whoa, there, girl. Kate jumped up and moved away from Ben and his gentle fingers, warm breath and shoulders so broad they could turn a girls head. I should get back outside. No telling what Lily is up to.
Ben caught her arm as she passed him. You felt it, too, didnt you?
Kate fought the urge to lean into him and sniff the musky scent of male. Four years was a long time to go without a man. I dont know what youre talking about.
Ben held her arm a moment longer, then let go. Youre right. We should check on Lily.
Kate hurried, no, ran for the open door, her heart racing, her breathing ragged. Just as she crossed the threshold into the open breezy, South Texas sunshine, a frightened scream made her racing heart stop.
Lily! Kate burst out onto the porch.
The sound of engines racing up the gravel driveway greeted her. A man wearing a do-rag over his head with a bandanna pulled up over his mouth and nose straddled a huge motorcycle in the middle of the yard, holding a doll by its hair. He laughed, the sound so evil it made Kates skin crawl.
Thats Lilys doll. Kate flew off the porch and would have scratched the mans eyes out if an arm hadnt circled her waist and yanked her back.
Go back to the house. Now, Ben said into her ear, his voice tight around the command.
But Lily
Go. He shoved her back behind him.
Kate hesitated.
The roar of engines rose to a crescendo. An army of bikes swarmed into the yard, stirring up dust where the grass had long since died.
Kate ran for the house. Before she could reach the porch, a motorcycle cut her off. There must have been twenty bikes racing around the yard in a tight circle, trapping Ben and Kate in the center. The dust rose in a cloud, choking visibility to everything beyond.
Beyond panic, long past frightened, Kate screamed into the smoke screen, Wheres my child?
Chapter Four
Ben had left his Glock on top of the refrigerator inside the house while theyd been working to unload the trailer. Now he wished he had it. Two unarmed people against a biker gang werent good odds in anyones experience.
A rider broke the ring, circled the pair and then swerved toward Kate.
Fear for her spiked his adrenaline and he lunged toward the motorcyclist. Grabbing the closest handlebar, Ben twisted it hard toward the man astride. The sharp turn on the forward-moving bike caused the bike to flip over, rider and all.
Ben snagged Kates hand and pulled her closer to him into the center of the circle.
The man hed toppled pulled himself out of the dirt, his face bleeding from where hed crashed into the gravel drive. He glared at Ben and Kate and roared, veins popping out on his forehead.
Kate shrank against Ben. Oh, God.
They had nowhere to go; the ring of motorcycles tightened. The man with the doll eased toward them, dark eyes glaring through the slit between his do-rag and bandanna. You need to leave, lady, before its too late. He ripped the head off the doll and flung it at Kates feet.
Kate reached for the doll, but Ben held her back. When I make my moverun toward the house, he said into her ear. Anger surged and Ben threw himself at the lead man, knocking him out of his seat.
Kate ran.
Ben got one good, hard punch at the mans face before two goons ditched their rides and jerked him off their leader. Caught between two beefy Hispanic men, Ben struggled, twisting and kicking, determined to keep their attention long enough for Kate to escape.
Ben jabbed an elbow into the gut of the guy on his right.
The man loosened his hold.
Ben ducked beneath his arm. No sooner had he shaken free from his captors hold than he was slammed to the ground from behind, a bull of a man hitting him low and hard.
The wind knocked from his lungs, Ben lay facedown in the dirt, willing his body to move. A foot in the middle of his back kept him from doing anything, especially refilling his starving lungs.
Kate screamed.
A shot of determination rocketed through Ben. He rolled onto his back; at the same time he grabbed the mans leg whod planted his heavy boot into his back. With a hard twist, he sent the thug flying backward, landing hard on his butt.
Two more men grabbed him, hauled him up and yanked his arms behind him, hard enough that spasms of pain ripped through his shoulders.
The leader lumbered to his feet and stalked toward Ben. He hit him with a hard-knuckled fist, square in the jaw. Bens head jerked back, hazy gray fog encroaching on his vision. Another punch to his gut would have had him doubling over, if he didnt have two big guys holding him up.
Through the torture, his gaze panned the yard, searching for Kate and Lily.
The bikers had broken the circle and raced around the yard, running over bushes, ramming into a rose trellis. One drove up onto the porch and ripped the porch swing from its hooks.
Another cut off Kates attempt to get to the house.
Kate shot a glance over her shoulder and dodged to the left.
The biker sped past her and spun to renew his attack.
Ben planted his feet in the dirt and struggled, twisting and turning in an attempt to go to Kates rescue, his mind conjuring his wifes last minutes on the earth, fighting to protect their daughter.
Then, he hadnt been there to help Julia. His job now was to protect Kate. If only hed been more vigilant and not lulled into believing danger wouldnt strike during the daylight hours.
Hell, the fight wasnt over.
The gang leader swung again.
Ben jerked to the side hard enough that the guy on his left tripped. The leaders blow hit his own man in the cheekbone. The man yelled and grabbed his face with both hands, letting go of Ben.
Using the weight of the other mans body, Ben rolled into him and sent him flying over his shoulder.
Kate ran toward the road.
The biker whod missed her straightened his bike and hit the gas. The back tire spun, then gripped the ground and shot forward.