Cowboy In The Crossfire(15)

Her heart pounded in anticipation even as she uttered the halfhearted resistance.

"I always wondered," he whispered, "if you really tasted as good as I remembered. Christmas sweet and spice." He rubbed his thumb on her lower lip. "May I?"

She didn't think, just nodded her head.

With a deep groan, he tugged her into his arms and took her lips with a force that made her whimper. No one had ever kissed her like he was too hungry to let her go.

He wrapped her in his arms and when he pressed her lips open, she gladly let him in. He was right. She'd wondered if the kiss had been a fluke for longer than she'd wanted to admit. She pressed closer to him, her breasts crushing against his broad chest.

Heat sprang between them, and her body sizzled with want. Low in her belly, the recognition of her yearning for this man kindled something she hadn't felt in too long.

No fluke. She let herself sink into the feelings. She wanted so much to let him lay her down in this hay and make the world go away. Erase everything that had happened. She felt at home in his arms.

Amanda rubbed her hands over the strength of his muscles, the broadness of his shoulders, the narrowness at his waist. His response to her touch was primal and immediate. She could feel his hardness grow against her belly.

He wanted her. As much as she wanted him.

A loud car horn sounded from the driveway. Amanda couldn't stop the thud of her heart. Her knees shook as she tried to steady herself. She would have let him take her. Here in the barn. This wasn't good. She wrenched her mouth from beneath Blake's and pushed him away. "Oh, God, have they found us?"

"Stay here. I'm not expecting anyone." Blake pulled a Glock off the tackbox and strode to the barn door. He cursed. "It's my deputy, Parris. Keep out of sight."

Amanda knelt near the door and peeked out. The older man had stopped not far from where her car had skidded. He knelt down and studied the ground. Hopefully he wouldn't find anything. The melting ice and the tow should have destroyed any footprints.

Another reason to leave, despite the kiss. She touched her fingers to her tender lips. Blake's touch had been everything she'd fantasized. Another memory to keep her warm at night when she was alone.

Blake reached Parris, and Amanda strained to hear.

"What're you doing here?"

"Scooter called me about the car I ran. He found a bloody scarf and a gun on the front seat." Parris rose and slapped his hat on his thigh. "The station wagon was stolen from an Austin bar. Not too far from where you used to work." He crossed his arms. "You didn't patrol last night. You asked me to check on your mama. For the first time ever. Wanna tell me what's going on?"

The deputy stood toe-to-toe with Blake. The man had guts. Even from here, Amanda could see Blake's posture straightening, his stance threatening. She'd run the other way if he ever looked at her like that.

Blake leaned forward and said something pointed and short to the deputy, who stood firm, his expression mutinous.

Not a good sign.

Finally, the man nodded stiffly, got back into his car and took off. Amanda let out the breath she'd been holding. What had Blake told him? Too much? She waited until the deputy's car had turned off the road and disappeared from sight before she stood.

Blake returned to the barn and nodded at a speaker on the barn wall. "Ethan wake up?"

"Not a peep. Even your dog didn't bark."

"Leo knows a friend when he sees one."

"Is Parris a friend?"

"My dad's best friend since they were kids. And a good deputy."

"Which means I have to worry about him."

"He's loyal. He's taking care of a job for me." Blake's expression had closed off--stubborn and oh-so-stoic. He was hiding something. She recognized the signs. He and Vince were so alike.

"Is he checking up on me?"

"You don't trust me at all, do you?"

"I know what I'm asking." She touched her lower lip. "It's gotten complicated, hasn't it?"

His eyes flared as he focused on her mouth. "I want you safe, but the moment you told me about my family you changed the game. Because now we know they'll kill the innocent to get what they want. You'll never be safe."

Blake's words slapped her, but she knew he was right. "Does Parris know I'm here?"

"He's suspicious. You jacked the car from Austin. You came here. Your blood will place you in the car.

A gun was on the seat. Probably with your prints on it. Am I right?"

Amanda nodded.

"Please don't tell me it's Vince's gun."

When he said it like that, the reality of her situation made her tremble. They could use the facts against her. She'd taken a gun from a crime scene. They could tie her back to Vince's murder. What had she done?

Blake shook his head, almost in disbelief. "The evidence is stone cold, Amanda. What am I supposed to do about that? The only thing keeping a warrant from being issued right now is you took your purse last night. I found it in the ditch."

The ringing of his cell phone echoed through the barn.

"Redmond." He listened and his lips grew tight. "When?"

Blake's sharp question made Amanda's insides quake.

"You get the plate?" he asked. He let out a low whistle. "Rental. Coordinate with Parris. I'll leave him instructions."