Authors: Jennifer Lowery
Sara waved to Abby from where she sat in
the shade beside MaryAnn. The kids had finished eating long ago and were
playing tag with Grover. She couldn’t help but smile. She loved kids. They were
so innocent and happy. They didn’t let life get them down and bounced back like
a rubber ball from just about anything. If only adults could be more like them,
life would be so much easier.
The yard was full of people she’d gotten
to know over the past couple days. Talking, laughing, and visiting as they ate
the delicious food prepared by the wives of the men working with Murphy.
Comfortable, Sara searched for Murphy, wanting to share this with him.
She found him standing near the dessert
table helping himself to a second slice of apple pie, talking to the sheriff.
He looked good. Dusty after a long day’s work, and in his element. His tan had
darkened and she swore his biceps had grown larger. Or maybe she just missed
him.
“Hello? Earth to Sara.”
Startled out of her thoughts, Sara
turned her attention to Justine. “Sorry. What did you say?”
Justine followed her gaze and sent her a
knowing smile. “I asked if you have ever been on a cattle drive?”
“No, never.”
“Then you can’t miss the one coming up
in a couple weeks. You’re riding like a pro already. I think you’d enjoy the
open sky at night. Campfires and sleeping under the stars. It’s great. I think
Jon is leading the next one. He always did like them.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m not that
comfortable with horses yet.”
“Sure you are. Abby can stay with us.
We’d love to have her.”
Sara couldn’t imagine going off without
Abby. They had been separated three days when she was locked up. She never
wanted to go through that again.
“I don’t know. I think I’d be in the
way.”
“No, you wouldn’t. Think about it. Abby
will be safe with us.”
Sara didn’t want Justine to think she
didn’t trust her and Paul. She did. Just the thought of being away from Abby
bothered her.
“Oh, I know she will. I trust you and
Paul and I’m sure Abby would have a good time at your house. It’s just…we’ve
never really been separated.”
“I understand. It’s hard for a mother to
let her kids spread their wings.”
Sara pushed food around her plate.
Justine was right. She wanted to keep Abby beneath her wings forever and
protect her from everything that could hurt her. But that was unrealistic. She
would eventually have to let go. She just didn’t want to do it now.
“Give it some thought, okay? Hey, we’re
celebrating the completion of the new barn tomorrow. Mom’s throwing a party.
There’s going to be a barn dance after dark. We could go into town and buy you
a new dress.”
Barn dance? She had never been to one
before. It sounded fun. She didn’t have a dress and going into town sounded
like just the thing she needed as a distraction from Murphy. She had yet to see
the quaint historical town, other than through Murphy’s truck window.
“I don’t think your brother is going to
let me go into town.”
Justine grinned. “I’ll handle Jon.
Tomorrow, after breakfast, we’re gone. We can take Abby along and buy her one
too.”
Remembering she was broke, her spirits
fell. She had a little money, but she couldn’t spend it on frivolous things.
They may need it later.
“Um, I don’t think I should,” she said.
Justine winked at her. “Don’t worry,
we’ll put it on Jon’s bill. He doesn’t spend his money on anything. It’s time
he put it to good use.”
Sara shook her head. “Oh, no, I
couldn’t. He’s done so much already.”
“Trust me. He would want to do this. Oh,
Paul is waving to me. I better go see what he wants. Shopping, you, me,
tomorrow. It’ll be fun.”
Sara watched her walk over to where Paul
waited for her. He slipped an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear.
Justine smiled and kissed him. Sara felt a twinge of envy. What would it be
like to have a loving husband? The love Paul felt for his wife was obvious to
anyone looking. It shone in his eyes and in the way he smiled at her. That’s
what she thought she’d be getting when she married Kent. Boy, had she been
wrong.
Leaning her head against the tree, Sara
let her gaze drift over the crowd covering Alice’s lush lawn. These were good
people. Friendly and caring and close. This would be a good place to lay roots
and raise Abby. If she could ever find a way to free herself from the
Benchleys, maybe she would consider a town like this.
Leaving was going to be hard, she
thought, as her gaze landed on Murphy again. He leaned against a tree with his
arms crossed over his chest, talking to James. Head bowed slightly, he nodded
at something James said.
Sara relaxed and watched him. She liked
the way he carried himself with authority and confidence. And the way his jeans
hugged his long, muscular legs and rode low on his lean hips. She liked the way
his shirt stretched across his chest. He was a handsome man. Strong and virile.
Any woman would consider herself lucky to be the one he called his.
MaryAnn approached and handed him a
portable phone. She smiled at her husband and dragged him away by the hand so
Murphy could have privacy for his call. Sara watched him as he spoke, his
expression revealing nothing. He suddenly lifted his eyes and looked directly
at her. He kept on talking as he held her gaze, and she felt a jolt of
awareness rip through her. He looked at her so intently her entire body felt
the impact from across the lawn.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out
slowly. It scared her how much she wanted him. With just a look she ached for
him. These feelings were strong and getting stronger by the day. Not a naive,
youthful kind of lust like with Kent. It was pure adult, passionate desire and
she wanted nothing more than to take him by the hand and lead him down to the
barn where she could have her way with him. Where he could have his way with
her.
Her gaze dropped to his lips, watching
him speak. Her mouth went dry. Mercy, she was overreacting. Lusting after
Murphy in the middle of the yard with plenty of witnesses. She had to put a
stop to it before someone saw her.
Pushing to her feet, she broke the
connection and walked over to the trash container to throw her plate away. The
sun began to set and people were starting to pack up and head home. She helped
with the clean-up, aware of Murphy as he strode toward the house, phone still
to his ear.
“He’s talking to an old military
friend,” MaryAnn said, coming up beside her. “Gabe MacKenzie. He grew up here
with Jon. His family owns the ranch bordering us to the west. Gabe was a Ranger
too. He served with Jon in the Army. I think Gabe retired five years ago, his
mother was telling me. She was here earlier, she brought the coleslaw.”
Sara had tasted the coleslaw, but she
didn’t remember seeing the woman who had brought it.
“The coleslaw was delicious. I’ll have
to get the recipe from Mrs. MacKenzie when I see her. Will she be at the dance
tomorrow?”
MaryAnn gathered up some empty plates
and grinned. “You can get the recipe from Mr. MacKenzie. He’s the cook in the
family. Jane simply carried it over.”
Sara chuckled. “Then I’ll ask Mr.
MacKenzie.”
“He loves to discuss cooking, so prepare
yourself when you do. He’ll talk your ear off.”
Sara chucked empty cups into the
trashcan. “I’ll remember that.”
“I hear you and Justine are going into
town to buy a new dress tomorrow. Care if I tag along? Mom said she’d keep an
eye on the kids while we were gone.”
Sara smiled. “I wouldn’t mind at all. I
think it’ll be fun.”
“It will. Have you ever been to a barn
dance before?”
“No.”
“Well you’re in for a treat.” MaryAnn
leaned in closer. “James may not look it, but he’s a great dancer. I’ll have
him twirl you around the dance floor a couple times.”
Sara blushed. “I’m afraid the only kind
of dancing I’ve done is ballroom and I was never very good at it.”
“You haven’t ever tried the two-step?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Well, hold on to your hat. You’re going
to get your first lesson tomorrow night. James is a great teacher.”
“I look forward to it.”
“You know, Jon used to be a pretty good
dancer too. I’ve seen him tear up the dance floor many times in the past.”
Sara’s hand paused midair. She couldn’t
imagine Murphy dancing. He was so reserved. She couldn’t see him twirling
anyone around the dance floor…letting loose.
“Shocking, isn’t it?” MaryAnn said with
a chuckle.
“Very.”
“Maybe tomorrow you can ask him to take
you for a round or two. He hasn’t danced in a long time. It would be good for
him.”
Sara started working again. “Maybe,” she
murmured. She liked the thought of dancing with Murphy, but doubted she would
get the opportunity. He was on a mission and it didn’t include dancing.
Chapter
15
Sara stood in front of the mirror in her
bedroom. The floral dress she’d bought today had a long skirt and scooped
neckline that dipped a little too low for her taste, but Justine and MaryAnn
insisted looked perfect on her. It fit her nicely and made her feel like a
woman again. She liked that it came to her calves and hugged her waist. The
tiny pearl buttons running the length of it made her feel feminine.
Shopping had been fun, but she’d been so
nervous about being seen, she had spent the entire time looking over her
shoulder. She hadn’t seen Stephen, but he was close. She also didn’t like going
behind Murphy’s back and leaving when he’d told her not to stray from the
house. When he found out, he was going to be livid.
Abby came bouncing through the door in
her new sundress. She twirled and smiled as Sara signed how beautiful she
looked. Too excited to stay put, Abby asked if she could go down to the barn
early with the other kids. Sara agreed, knowing she would be safe. As Abby
bounded out of her room with Grover on her heels, Sara took a moment to smile
and admire the changes in her daughter. She no longer lived in fear. She was
happy, smiling, playing and venturing outside of Sara’s grasp. She didn’t want
Abby to live in fear, but she didn’t want to let go of her, either.
With a sigh, Sara turned back to the
mirror and touched her hair, swept up in a twist, with a tendril hanging loose
on either side. She had applied a little mascara and gloss to her lips for
color. It was subtle and pretty and hadn’t taken hours she’d spent perfecting
herself for Kent. Not that it had done any good. He’d still strayed. In order
to be presentable, as Chelsea had put it, a woman needed to spend hours on hair
and “painting her face.” She had never been that woman, no matter how much
makeup she wore.
She could hear cars in the driveway.
They had been coming in steadily all day. Now that the sun had set and the work
was done, it was time to celebrate. Everyone had worked so hard on the barns,
they deserved a night to kick up their heels and have some fun. The soft murmur
of voices drifted through her window along with the occasional beat of a drum
as the band set up. She hadn’t seen Murphy all day, and felt a tiny twist of
excitement at the prospect of seeing him in this kind of atmosphere. He
probably wouldn’t have any fun. He would stand off to the side like a sentry
and pat down everyone who came in the door.
It was high time Murphy let loose. Her
too. It had been a long time since she’d done something fun. Tonight was a
night for good memories. Family and friends. Even after she was gone, she would
remember the people she’d met here.
With a nod, she left her room, slipped
out the back door and walked across the yard toward the barn. A soft breeze
ruffled her skirt around her legs and carried the sound of voices and music. It
sounded like the party was in full swing already. Cars and trucks lined the
driveway all the way to the barn. Her sandals sunk into the grass. As she
neared the barn, she weaved her way through men and women who said hello even
though she was sure she had never met some of them. She smiled and returned the
greeting, searching for Abby and Murphy’s family.
Through the open barn doors, music
drifted out and wrapped around her. She stepped inside and let out a gasp of
delight. Alice had gone to a lot of trouble. Along one side of the barn were
endless tables of food and drink, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. A delicious
array of food had been laid out and people were eating at their leisure. She
had no doubt it would last the night, there was so much.
On the far end, set up on a flatbed
trailer, a four-man band played upbeat, lively music. There were people
everywhere. Some dancing, some eating, some drinking, all smiling and having a
good time.
Sara found the kids playing in the hay
bales that had been stacked in the corner and waved to Abby. She spotted Alice
near the food table and made her way over to her.
When Alice saw her, she broke into a
wide smile and opened her arms for a hug. Sara went willingly, hugging her
tight.
“This is wonderful,” she said. “You sure
know how to throw a party.”
“Not without the help of friends and
family,” Alice said, keeping an arm around Sara’s waist. “You look lovely
tonight. I like the dress. It’s very flattering.”
Sara blushed. “Thanks. Can I do anything
to help?”
Alice clucked her tongue. “No, you go
have fun. The girls are around here somewhere. Drink, eat, dance, have a good
time.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
Alice nodded and gave her a tiny push
toward the dance floor. She made her way toward the kids, stopping to say hello
to people she had met over the past few days, all the while looking for Murphy
but not seeing him. Enjoying herself already, she surrounded herself by friends
she’d always wanted but never had.
Abby leapt into her arms when she approached,
signing furiously. Uncle James and Uncle Paul were going to swing her around
the dance floor after the food settled in her stomach. Neither man seemed to
mind that Abby called them “uncle,” so Sara didn’t correct her. She spent a few
minutes with the kids, laughing and watching the couples dance by as the band
began the first set. It was loud and the atmosphere was alive with excitement.
Sara fell right into it and was soon having the time of her life.
Justine and MaryAnn dragged her and Abby
out on the dance floor for a line dance that Sara stumbled through. She laughed
along with everyone else when she missed a step. Tonight both of them could
forget the past and enjoy themselves. And they did.
* * * *
Murphy didn’t like this one bit.
A party was the perfect opportunity to
get to Abby and Sara. He couldn’t change his mother’s plans. She was determined
to have her traditional barn dance, and he couldn’t stand in the way. So
instead he staked out the perimeter and had James and Paul doing covert security
checks. They were keeping an eye on the women while Murphy did recon outside on
all the guests and their vehicles.
He had showered quickly after everyone
left for the dance and now stood in the darkness outside the barn. No one
noticed him leaning against the corral as they walked in and out of the barn,
some coming outside for a smoke, others for a breath of fresh air. A couple
youngsters snuck around the far side of the barn. He knew exactly where they
were going and why. Once upon a time he had pulled his share of girls out to
the hay wagon to steal a kiss or two. He would take a stroll over that way in a
few minutes to make sure things weren’t getting out of hand.
Judging by the vehicles lining the
driveway, the entire town was here. Alice Murphy’s barn dances were a big deal
and had been drawing quite a crowd for years. He remembered punching out a few
boys who got a little fresh with his sisters in this barn. It seemed like a
long time ago. Back when his dad was alive…
“Hey, stranger, you going to stand out
here all night or join the most popular party in the state?”
Murphy recognized the deep drawl and
turned around to see a dark figure approaching silently. It had been a long
time since he’d seen Gabriel MacKenzie, but not so long he wouldn’t recognize
the easy swagger.
“I should ask you the same thing,” he
said as Gabe came to a stop beside him. “Thanks for coming.”
Gabe leaned a shoulder against the
corral. “You caught me at a good time. I was home for a little R and R.
Everything kosher so far?”
Murphy knew his old friend and Army
buddy had retired a few years ago and been recruited by a covert anti-terrorist
organization that kept him away from home. He didn’t know much about the unit
he worked for. Gabe was exceptionally closed-mouthed about it, and Murphy
respected his need for secrecy.
Covert
meant exactly what it implied.
But he couldn’t deny his curiosity about the group.
Gabe didn’t get home often and Murphy
owed him for spending his time helping him instead of with his family. He had
informed Gabe yesterday about the things going on with Sara and liked the idea
of having a fellow Ranger backing him up. He trusted James and Paul, but Gabe
was trained to deal with guys like Stephen Benchley. They had served together
in the Army, and Murphy liked having him at his back.
“Everything’s good. I’m going to stay
out here for a while. Why don’t you go on in and mingle. It’s been awhile since
you’ve been home, huh?”
Gabe nodded, staring at the barn. “Yeah,
too long. Want to point out Sara and Abby to me so I can keep an eye on
things?”
They walked toward the barn and stood
just inside the door. Murphy instantly saw Sara--it wasn’t hard to find her.
Her blond hair stood out in the crowd and so did her laugh. Light and airy, it
wrapped around him like a silken glove. In the middle of the dance floor, she
stumbled through the steps of a line dance. Every time she missed a step, she
laughed. Murphy’s chest tightened. She looked happy. Free. Not thinking about
her past or living in fear for the moment. It did funny things to his insides.
This was how he wanted her. Where she should be.
The thought came out of nowhere and
blindsided him. This was where she belonged. The kind of woman she deserved to
be. And, dammit, he wanted her to be here with him.
Shaken, he studied her for a moment. She
had swept her hair up into a soft pile of curls that showcased her slender
neck. She was beautiful. Her dress hugged her curves. His body tightened. He
wanted her. Had wanted her more since he’d told her they were through. Avoiding
her hadn’t done a thing to curb his appetite, and seeing her like this only
made him want her more.
“Keeping tabs on her is going to be
easy. She’s…” Gabe trailed off, searching for the right word as his gaze
followed Sara’s movements.
“Mine,” Murphy said before he could stop
it.
Gabe grinned and clapped his shoulder.
“Understood. You’re a lucky man. I think I’m going to go say hello to your
sisters. Catch you later.”
Murphy watched Gabe weave his way
through the crowd, stopping to chat with people he hadn’t seen in a long time.
He noticed a difference in Gabe, an alertness that had been fine-tuned over the
years. He presented himself as the casual, easygoing guy he used to be, but the
definite hardness in him could only have come from years of dangerous missions
and exposure to deadly terrorist games.
He and Gabe had spent their early years
raising hell in this small town, but the Army had turned them around. They had
done some really stupid things as teens. Spray-painting old man Turner’s barn
was only one of the stunts they’d pulled. His father had been livid when he
found out. He still remembered the disappointment on his old man’s face that
night. And his vow to never to put it there again. But he had. Many times again
before he got himself straightened out.
Then he was sent into Azbakastan.
Sara’s laughter drew his attention. She
stood on the dance floor with her head thrown back in exasperation. Abby tugged
on her hand, giggling. Justine and MaryAnn were laughing at her too and Murphy
suddenly felt like an outsider in his own family. They had taken Sara in just
as he knew they would. He missed them. His sisters were open, loving women who
accepted people for who they were. He had pushed them away, swearing he didn’t
want to be cared for, but dammit, he did.
He watched from the sidelines as Bobby
Thorton approached Sara and started talking to her. He appeared to be showing
her the steps. Knowing Bobby from school, Murphy knew exactly what he wanted to
teach Sara. Anger sparked.
What the hell was this woman doing to
him? Snapping a lid on it, Murphy slipped back into the night to do some more
recon and get his priorities in order. Keeping Sara and Abby safe was his
priority, not caring who she danced with.
But, as he walked the perimeter, his
mood grew surlier when he couldn’t get thoughts of Sara and Bobby out of his
head.
Damn woman had gotten under his skin.
* * * *
Her feet were going to fall off.
Sara begged for mercy and made her way
to where Abby was winding down on a bale of hay. She had circled the dance
floor more than twenty times with various partners and she was still dizzy.
James had indeed been a great dancer. Paul had spun her so fast she was sure
she’d walk sideways for a week.
Justine caught her by the elbow. “We’re
going to take the kids home, want us to take Abby with us? She can sleep over
while you enjoy the rest of the night.”
Sara hesitated, then took a deep breath
and nodded. Time to start trusting again. Who better to start with than
Murphy’s sister? Abby wouldn’t be far away, she could do this.
“Sure, I think she’d enjoy that.”
Justine’s smile said what words didn’t.
Good
job
.
Abby was ecstatic about spending the
night. She hugged Sara and took off with Justine and Paul without hesitation.
Sara watched, trying not to feel sad, but it didn’t work. She missed her
already.
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she
looked around the barn. She hadn’t seen Murphy at all tonight. Thought she’d
felt his eyes on her earlier but when she’d looked around she hadn’t seen him.
Would he show up at all?