Page 31 of Dangerous Secrets
“Why would anyone thinkhassling me would be a way to get at you?That doesn’t makesense.”
“It makes sense if theyheard about that kiss you laid on me at Easy Money and think we’retogether.”
“The kiss I laid on you?What about the kiss you laid on me?Your kiss was a lot hotter andlikely to set people to wondering.”
His eyes glinted.“Yeah, it was hot.”He kept her hand in his as he walked to the side-by-side.“Go onback to the house.I’ll talk to Sawyer and clean thisup.”
“No, this happened on myproperty, and according to you, it might be a threat targeting me.I’m not going to go hide in the house and let themenfolktake care ofit.”
He let out a short laugh.“Notsurprised.”
Then his expression changed to one shecouldn’t decipher.Hands still clasped, he caught her off guard bydipping his head and capturing her lips with his.Her brain shortcircuiting, a flood of need and a white-hot rush of lustsimultaneously assaulted her.
Kissing him was a dangerous mistake.God, she knew that.But that didn’t stop her heart from thunderingin her chest as she grabbed hold of his shirt to anchor herself asshe pulled up to her tiptoes to go all in on the kiss.
Every caution she’d lectured herselfabout was carried out to sea by the warm wave of feeling crashingover her.That her shaky grip on reason was so easily cast asideshould’ve been infuriating, but she was too wrapped up in thedivine feeling of Walker’s mouth on hers to care.If he was tryingto distract her, it worked—in spades.
The sound of a vehicle approaching hadthem breaking apart, but when she released her grip on his shirt,he kept her firmly against him with a hand at the small of herback, his lips inches from hers.She had to resist the urge topress harder against the rigid length pushing against herbelly.
“We’re not done with eachother, Laney.”
“You confuse me.I don’tknow where we are, especially when you kiss me like that.I can’tthink when you do that.”
A corner of his mouth turned up, hisgaze hot on hers.“I wanted to see how we are together when youaren’t making a point to an audience.To see if we both still feelwhat we had before.It’s there, as strong as it everwas.”
His words were like cold water pouredover the heat they’d generated.More than anything, she wanted toopen to him and let her feelings take her where they would.Buttheir history told her it would only end in heartbreak.Sometimesreality sucked.“I’m no longer a naïve twenty-something, Walker.Our relationship reinforced what I already knew, namely thatrelationships don’t last.And guess what?I’m not willing to lay myheart out for you to trample all over one more time.I’m smarterthan that.”
A big black truck, Sawyer behind thewheel, made the last turn on the road and stopped behind theside-by-side.
“Laney, I—”
“No.”Delaney shook herhead and stepped away, ignoring Sawyer’s speculative glance as heexited his truck.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sawyer confirmed Walker’s assessment.The calf had been killed on the dirt road, and the killer washuman.He also found tire tracks indicating a large vehicle hadbeen parked at the side of the dirt road.
They stood staring at the marks in thedust.
“These tread marks arerecent, and the calf was killed last night,” Sawyer observed.“Either of you see or hear anything?”
Delaney shook her head.
“No.Those assholes shotat me before midnight not two miles from here.It’s damnedsuspicious this calf is slaughtered here most likely within a fewhours of that.”
“Agreed.”Sawyer crouchedand used his phone to snap photos of the imprints in the dirt.Hestood again and nodded to Delaney.“I’ll email you a police reportto fill out and we’ll attach these photos to it.I’ll stop by LonePine Ranch and talk to Shane, see if he’s missing a calf.”Helooked at Walker.“Need help burying it?”
Walker shook his head.“I’ll take careof it.Thanks for coming out.”
“Anytime, brother.Besafe, both of you.”His face was grim as he gave thewarning.
Delaney stood beside Walker as Sawyerdrove away leaving a cloud of dust hanging in the air.She closedher eyes to tip back her head and soak up the sun.
If she kept her eyes closed, it wouldbe easy to pretend there wasn’t a butchered calf covered with fliesonly feet from her, and that whatever danger seemed to lurk aroundWalker had dissipated into the warm mountain air.
But she had never been good atpretending.
Opening her eyes, she took in thepicturesque beauty of the scene marred by the dead calf.Theserenity of the landscape with the not-yet-ripe shiny greenGravenstein apples usually brought a peace she could find nowhereelse.
