Page 50 of Hot For You

She started to shake her head then paused. “It might have been an arsonist who’s been setting fires around town.”

Clint frowned. “Why do you think that?”

She pushed strands of hair from her eyes. “We think he’s after me.” She glanced toward the fire. “When I went into the house, I thought someone might be there. Cody had me wait in the truck while he went in to check it out.” More tears flooded her cheeks and she hiccupped a sob. “A few minutes later he came tearing out of the house right before it exploded.”

Clint looked grim then glanced down at Cody who was stirring. Clint tore off his western shirt, rolled it up, and laid it on the ground. “Let’s get him turned over.”

She swiped at her tears with the back of her hand then arranged the shirt behind Cody’s head like a pillow as they turned him onto his back.

Clint looked over his shoulder as a petite blonde in western jeans and a light blue blouse came toward them. “ETA, Ella?” he asked.

Ella knelt beside Cody. “Fifteen minutes.”

“Carilyn, this is Ella, my fiancée.” He nodded toward Carilyn. “This is Carilyn. She’s staying with Cody.”

Ella nodded. “Not exactly the best circumstances to meet.”

“No, definitely not,” Carilyn said.

Cody groaned and his eyes fluttered open. Nerves tickled Carilyn’s belly.

“What the hell?” Cody’s gaze met Carilyn’s and he frowned and tried to get up. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t move.” She sniffled. “You’re the one who’s hurt.”

Clint rested his hand on Cody’s shoulder, keeping him from getting up and drawing his attention. “Settle on down, little brother.”

“Clint?” Cody’s expression changed to one of anger as he shoved off his brother’s hand. “That bastard. He could still be here.”

“So it was the arsonist?” Carilyn asked as Cody sat up. “You’re sure?”

He looked a little unsteady but nodded. “Positive.” Both Cody and Clint looked at the burning house. “There goes everything we had left from Mom and Dad,” Cody said.

“You’ve still got the rest of the ranch,” Ella said.

Clint squeezed Cody’s shoulder. “Material possessions are all that were lost. What’s important is that you and Carilyn are alive.”

Cody looked at Carilyn. “If something had happened to you—” His words cut off, his voice sounding broken.

“Nothing did.” She put her hand over his. “We’re both okay.”

He narrowed his gaze at the fire. “That was laptop number three.”

“I don’t care about that.” She shook her head. “I’m just grateful you’re alive.”

He turned his hand up and linked his fingers with hers. “I’m going to get him, Carilyn. He’s not going to get away with this.”

“Shhh.” She pushed hair from Cody’s brow. “Don’t worry about that for now.”

Sirens cut the air in the distance. “Calvary is almost here,” Clint said as he looked in the direction of the road.

It didn’t take long before two fire trucks, three sheriff’s department vehicles, and an ambulance arrived at the house. Carilyn couldn’t tell if she’d met any of the firefighters before, with it being dark and with their fire gear on.

Soon the scene was well-organized chaos.

Ella directed the paramedics to Cody as the firefighters started battling the blaze.

“I’m okay.” At first Cody tried to brush off the paramedics’ attention but Carilyn and Clint managed to get Cody to sit still for them.

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