Tool Belt Defender
Carla Cassidy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to my very own tool

belt defender, Frank.

After all these years you still know exactly what tool to

use to keep me feeling safe and protected and

loved. Thank you and I love you.

Chapter 1

He was a hot hunk in a tight white T-shirt, a pair of worn jeans and a tool belt riding low on his lean hips. He was nothing like what Brittany Grayson had expected.

When she’d called Chad Warren, one of the local carpenters in the small town of Black Rock, Kansas, to see about him building a deck on the back of her house, he’d told her he was already booked for the spring but would send an old college friend of his who had recently moved to town.

Chad was a good old boy, fifty pounds overweight, who believed beer pong should be a nationally recognized sport. It was silly, but she’d just assumed his college buddy would be like him. But the man standing on her front porch didn’t look like a peer of Chad’s; rather he looked as if he’d stepped off the slick pages of some hot-hunk calendar.

“Brittany?” His voice was deep and pleasant and made her realize she’d been staring at him open-mouthed through the screen door.

“Yes, I’m Brittany and you must be …” Her mind suddenly went blank.

“Alex. Alex Crawford, Chad’s friend. You called him about a deck?”

“Yes, I did.” She hesitated before opening the screen door to allow him inside. There had been no men except for her brothers inside her home since she’d moved back in a little over a month ago.

As she unlocked the screen, she realized she wasn’t quite ready yet to allow a stranger inside, especially a male stranger. Instead she stepped outside where the late April sun was warm and the air smelled of newly bloomed flowers.

“It’s nice to meet you, Alex. Let’s walk around back and I’ll show you what I have in mind,” she said. She frowned as she realized there was no car in her driveway. “Did you walk here?” she asked.

His eyes were a warm blue that stood out against his tanned face and were complemented by his slightly shaggy dark hair. “I live three doors up.” He pointed up the street to the Walker home that had been on the market for a while.

“How long have you lived there?”

“I moved in about six weeks ago,” he replied as they walked around the side of the house toward the back.

That explained why she didn’t know the Walkers had moved out and Mr. Hardbody had moved in. Six weeks ago she’d still been living at her brother Benjamin’s house trying to heal from the trauma she’d lived through.

As they reached the backyard she motioned toward the small broken brick patio that existed just outside the back door. “What I’d like is a wooden deck big enough to hold a barbecue pit and an umbrella table and maybe some plants and, of course, lots and lots of people.”

He nodded and pulled a tape measure from his tool belt. “An outdoor entertainment area,” he said.

“Exactly,” she replied and watched as he began to walk the site. The last thing Brittany had wanted to think about over the past eight months of her life was men. But looking at Alex Crawford definitely gave her a slight flutter of pure feminine pleasure.

When she’d been held captive by a serial killer for four long months, she’d spent her time thinking about all the things she would do if she escaped, if she managed to live.

She hadn’t fantasized about love or having babies. She hadn’t thought about men or hot sex. Rather she’d thought about a deck where she could invite all her friends and family to share good times with her. And now she was finally going to see those fantasies come to fruition.

“I’d say what you want is about eighteen by twenty-four,” Alex said as the tape measure zipped back into its metal case.

“And I’d like a railing around it with an opening to step down into the yard,” she said.

He nodded and smiled. “I can do that.”

The man had a smile with the capacity to stop time. A wave of warmth washed over Brittany as she tried to stay focused on the matter at hand. “How long will it take?”

He frowned, the gesture doing nothing to detract from his attractiveness. “It will take maybe a week once we get started. I work weekdays from about eight in the morning until about three-thirty and I have a couple of young men who help out, but I don’t work on the weekends.”

Probably he took the weekends to spend with his family, she thought. A man who looked like Alex Crawford probably had a wife who looked like a supermodel. “So, you’ll call me with a bid?”

“If you give me just a few minutes I’ll have a bid for you now.” He pulled out a small pad and a pencil.

His dark hair shone richly in the overhead sunlight and Brittany suddenly felt the need to get some distance from him. “Why don’t I go get us each a glass of lemonade?” she suggested.

He looked up and smiled again and another rivulet of warmth swept through her. “That sounds great.”

She escaped back into the house and went through the living room to the kitchen. For a moment she stood at the window and watched him as he once again walked off the area where the deck would be built.

Surely her response to him was nothing more than a healthy awakening of emotions that had been dormant for far too long. She moved away from the window and poured the lemonade into two tall plastic tumblers.

She would be twenty-six in two months—it was only natural that she might appreciate the sight of a good-looking man. She should be glad that normal feelings were finally beginning to return to her.

For the past several months she’d alternated between numbness and an irrational fear as she’d tried to reintegrate back into the life that had been stolen from her for four agonizing months. Nightmares, panic attacks—she’d had them all and had begun to believe she’d never have a normal moment again. It was nice that this normal moment was a healthy dose of lust.

She walked out the back door and motioned him to one of the four chairs at the old table that was on the broken brick patio. “Thanks,” he said as he took the drink from her. “I’ve got some figures for you.” He handed her a piece of paper that had his bid written on it. “If you agree, then I’ll write up a contract for you to sign.”

The figure was about what she’d expected. “Looks good to me.” She leaned back in her chair and offered him a tentative smile. “Chad mentioned that the two of you went to college together.”

“We did. I went on to law school and got a job in Chicago and Chad came back here.”

“From lawyer to carpenter? Quite a leap,” she observed. “What brings you back to Black Rock?”

“My wife’s family is from here and after several years of doing the high-powered, high-stress corporate thing, I decided I was ready for a change of pace.”

A small laugh escaped Brittany. “The difference in pace between Chicago and Black Rock, Kansas, is like the difference between a pit bull and a stuffed dog.” She wasn’t surprised that the man was married.

He laughed. “You’ve got that right, but Black Rock is just what I needed.” He tilted his glass up and drained it and then stood. “If you agree with everything I can start work tomorrow, given I can get a lumber delivery.”

She got up from her chair and took his empty glass and together they walked around the side of the house to the front.

“Is it your birthday or something?” he asked.

She looked at him in confusion. “No, why?”

He pointed to her mailbox where a bright red balloon was tied and bobbed and danced in the slight warm breeze. Shock ripped through her and the glasses slid from her hands, crashing to the grass at her feet.

It’s party time. The nightmarish voice whispered in her brain as memories attacked her. The cell where she’d been kept, the promise of a party when all the cells were filled with helpless women, the final moment when red balloons had danced up to the ceiling of the old shed. It’s party time.

“Brittany, are you all right?”

Alex’s voice pulled her back from the dark abyss she’d nearly fallen into and she tore her gaze from the balloon and looked into his concerned eyes.

“I’m fine,” she replied, aware that her voice was shaky and hoping he didn’t notice.

“Are you sure?” He bent down and picked up the glasses.

She nodded, even though she wasn’t at all sure that she was fine. Thank God the glasses were plastic and hadn’t shattered when she’d dropped them. She took them from him, hoping he didn’t notice the trembling of her hands. “Silly me. Just a touch of clumsiness. You’ll call me and let me know if you’re coming tomorrow?”

“I’ll head home now and order the necessary lumber and other supplies. If they can deliver tomorrow then I’ll give you a call.” He eyed her worriedly, but she forced a cheerful smile to her lips.

“Do you need me to write you a check now for the materials?” she asked.

“That’s not necessary.” His eyes gleamed with a teasing light. “I know where you live.”

“Thanks, Alex. Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned on wooden legs and headed for the house, an urgent need to get inside and lock the door filling her.

She didn’t wait to watch him walk down the sidewalk toward his place; rather she turned on her heels and half ran toward her front door. Once inside she slammed it shut and locked it.

Leaning heavily against the solid wood door she told herself she was overreacting, that maybe there was a child’s birthday party someplace on the street or a graduation celebration and somebody had just tied the balloon on her mailbox by accident.

Surely there was a logical reason for the balloon. It had nothing to do with the man who had called himself The Professional. He was dead. She’d seen his body after he’d been killed. He was no longer capable of having a “party” complete with red balloons and death.

Still, the legacy he’d left behind sickened her and even though she knew it was totally irrational, that balloon tied to her mailbox made her fear in her heart that somehow The Professional wasn’t done with her yet.

As Alex walked back toward his house his head was filled with thoughts of Brittany Grayson. She was something of a celebrity in the small town. Last fall a serial killer had held the town of Black Rock hostage when he’d begun kidnapping women. It had taken all four of Brittany’s brothers, who were the law in Black Rock, to figure out that The Professional was actually the town vet, Larry Norwood. They’d managed to rescue the women and Norwood had been killed.

It was discovered that he’d committed the same crime in Kansas City, but unfortunately authorities hadn’t been able to catch him before he’d tortured and killed the women he’d held captive there.

Brittany had been the first woman kidnapped and the one who had been held the longest. Still, it wasn’t the crime that was uppermost in his mind—it was the woman herself.

Brittany Grayson was stunning and something about her had instantly struck him right in the solar plexus.

Her long dark hair had shone richly in the sunshine and although initially her chocolate-brown eyes had been wary, they’d warmed as she’d talked about the deck she wanted.

The gold, sleeveless blouse she’d worn had emphasized intriguing golden flecks in the very depths of her dark eyes and her jeans had hugged her slender frame and showcased her long legs.

As he approached the two-story house he now called home, he noticed it was time for the first lawn mowing of the season and reminded himself that he wanted to plant flowers in the bed along the porch and down the walkway.

Coming from a high-rise condo in Chicago where there had been no outside maintenance or yard work for him to be responsible for, moving into this house had been daunting but would definitely be worth it in the long run.

As he opened the door he heard the sound of little feet running and before he could prepare himself completely six-year-old Emily launched herself into his arms.

“Daddy!” She placed her hands on both of his cheeks, making it impossible for him to look at anything but her, which of course he didn’t mind. The pint-size blonde with her bright green eyes and long pigtails was the most important thing in Alex’s life.

“What?” he asked as he carried her into the living room and then leaned down to place her on the floor.

“Grandma said I’ve been so good while you’ve been gone, I should get ice cream after dinner tonight.”

“She did, did she?”

“Guilty as charged,” Rose Tyler said as she walked into the living room.

Alex smiled warmly at the older woman. She was an attractive woman, her short gray hair perfectly coiffed, clad in a pair of navy slacks and a tailored white-and-navy blouse.

She had certainly been instrumental in Alex’s decision to move to Black Rock. When his wife, Linda, had died eighteen months ago, Alex had tried to be a good and present single parent, but with his work schedule as a lawyer in a big firm Emily had spent more time with babysitters than with him.

It had been an unacceptable reality for a little girl reeling from her mother’s death. Here in Black Rock not only did Alex have a new occupation that he found far more rewarding than what he’d been doing and allowed him more time with his daughter, but Emily also had a loving grandmother who only lived a block away from their house and was available to babysit day or night.

“Then I guess ice cream it is,” he agreed and laughed as Emily clapped her hands together and then did a little dance to show her pleasure. “I have to go tell Lady Bear. She’ll be so happy.” She dashed from the room and up the stairs toward her bedroom.

“You’ve done such a good job with her, Alex,” Rose said with a smile. “And I’ll never be able to thank you enough for moving here so I can be a part of her life.” Her smile wavered slightly and she placed a slender, wrinkled hand over her heart. “When we lost Linda I was afraid that I’d lose you and Emily, too.”

“Don’t kid yourself, this move was as much for me as it was about you and Emily,” he replied. “I was more than ready for a change of lifestyle and I think this is going to be a great place to raise Emily.”

“Did you get the job?” Rose asked as she pulled on the white cardigan sweater she’d brought with her when she’d arrived to watch Emily.

“I did. If all goes well, starting tomorrow morning I’ll be working on a deck at Brittany Grayson’s house.”

Rose frowned. “That poor girl. I can’t imagine her having the courage to move back to her house all alone after what she’s been through. She’d got to be one of the strongest people I know.”

“She definitely seems ready to move on with her life,” he replied.

“Speaking of moving on, I’d better get out of here,” Rose said, as she picked up her purse from the sofa.

Alex walked to the bottom of the staircase. “Emily, Grandma is leaving. Come down and tell her goodbye.”

Emily came down the stairs, her favorite pink stuffed bear in her arms. “Lady Bear wanted to say goodbye, too.”

“By all means, I wanted to say goodbye to Lady Bear,” Rose replied as she shook the bear’s pink paw.

Alex watched the goodbyes exchanged between Rose and Emily and Lady Bear and tried not to worry that Emily’s attachment to the stuffed animal bordered on obsessive.

The bear had been a gift from a friend attending Linda’s funeral and Alex had a feeling that all of Emily’s love for her mother had been transferred to the stuffed animal.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you home?” Alex asked Rose when the goodbyes were finished and Emily had gone back upstairs to her room.

“No, thank you. A little exercise is good for me, and besides, it’s only a block. You’ll call me later and let me know what the schedule is for tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but I should be able to work it so that I’m home when Emily gets off the school bus,” he replied. “If something changes I’ll let you know.”

A few minutes later he stepped out onto the porch and watched as Rose walked up the sidewalk. Rose had lost her husband in a car accident five years ago and then had lost her only child, Linda. There was nobody Alex admired more in the world than his mother-in-law, who, despite the tragedies she’d suffered, continued to not only put one foot in front of the other but seemed to seek out happiness whenever and wherever she could find it.

She’d been by Alex’s side when Linda had died, and he knew the anger she’d felt toward her daughter, an anger that still burned inside Alex when the grief wasn’t filling him up. But Rose had hidden her anger well as she’d tended to her daughter in Linda’s last days.

When Rose disappeared from his sight he turned and went back into the house. As he climbed the stairs to Emily’s room, he checked his wristwatch. It was only a little after four.

He found Emily sitting at the child-size table and chairs in her room. Lady Bear sat in the chair opposite her and there was a coloring book open not only in front of Emily, but also in front of the bear.

“Hi, Daddy. We decided to color you a picture,” she said as Alex folded his long legs and sat in the little chair next to hers.

“You know how much I love your pictures,” he replied. In fact, the front of his refrigerator was laden with Emily’s artwork. He watched for a few minutes as she colored a blue sky and a pink house. When she started in on the yellow sun he spoke.

“You know, I was thinking, maybe since you were such a good girl for grandma while I was gone, we might have ice cream before dinner.”

Emily’s green eyes opened wide and the yellow crayon rolled out of her small hand and across the table. “Before dinner? Like right now?”

“Like right now,” he replied. He laughed as Emily was out of her chair with Lady Bear in her arms before he could blink his eyes.

“Now, that’s a good plan,” she exclaimed.

“But only one scoop. I don’t want to completely ruin your appetite for dinner.”

“Okay, maybe one scoop before dinner and one scoop after,” Emily replied, making Alex laugh.

Ten minutes later they were headed down the sidewalk to Main Street where Izzy’s Ice Cream Parlor had quickly become their favorite shop in town. He’d managed to convince her that Lady Bear didn’t need to come with them, that she’d much prefer some pretend honey when they got home than an ice cream cone now. As they walked Emily regaled him with stories about her day in school.

Thankfully, Emily had adjusted well to changing schools, loved her teacher and had already made new friends. She also loved having a backyard and had begun making noises about getting a dog. So far she’d adjusted to the move far better than Alex.

Although he’d been ready for the change, looked forward to a new occupation, a new lifestyle, he hadn’t expected the loneliness.

In Chicago there had been business dinners, fundraisers and late nights at the office to keep the loneliness at bay. Here most evenings existed of a bottle of beer and the sound of crickets from outside the window. He definitely hadn’t expected this kind of aching loneliness.

But he didn’t intend to ever marry again, and was reluctant to even date. The last thing he wanted to do was invite a string of women into Emily’s life, women who would never be more than temporary.

As they walked by Brittany Grayson’s house his thoughts returned to her. According to the local gossip she’d been strong and courageous during her captivity, and the other women who had been held captive had given her credit for keeping them sane.

If he did ever decide to marry again, which he seriously doubted he would, he would choose a strong woman. He’d loved Linda, but it hadn’t taken him long into the marriage to realize she was childlike in her fears of life and that fear was ultimately what had led to her death.

Still, even though he told himself he had no desire to get involved with any woman right now, he couldn’t help the anticipation that swept through him as he thought of seeing Brittany again.

He couldn’t help but wonder if she was the fearless heroine everyone called her or just a damaged victim of a heinous crime.

Chapter 2

“Maybe you moved back here too soon,” Brittany’s eldest brother, Tom, said to her the next morning. He’d stopped by on his way into work as sheriff of Black Rock. He was a handsome man in his khaki uniform, but he had that stern big-brother look on his face that drove Brittany crazy.

“I mean, if the sight of a balloon threw you for a loop, then maybe you weren’t ready to be out on your own,” he added.

“It was time for me to get out of Benjamin and Edie’s place. They’re newlyweds and need their own space and it was time for me to get on with my life.” Brittany got up from the table to refill her coffee mug. “Besides, it didn’t throw me for a loop. I just wondered who had tied it to my mailbox and why.” She topped off her coffee and then rejoined him at the table. “It was just natural curiosity.”

Tom smiled at her knowingly. “Most people’s voices don’t quiver when expressing their feelings of natural curiosity.”

“I’m sorry I even mentioned it,” she retorted ruefully.

“You know you could always stay with us if you aren’t ready to be out on your own. Peyton wouldn’t mind having you with us.”

Love for her brother surged up inside Brittany. He and his wife were newlyweds, as well, and had Peyton’s little daughter, Lilly, to dote on. Besides, Brittany didn’t want to live with any of her brothers anymore. She wanted … needed to be out on her own.

“Thanks, but I’m fine here. In fact I’m having a new deck built.”

“Chad doing it?” he asked.

Brittany shook her head. “He was busy so he recommended a friend of his, Alex Crawford.”

Tom frowned. “I don’t think I’ve met him.”

“He’s only been in town about six weeks. He moved into the Walker house.”

He nodded. “Have you given any thought to coming back to work?” he asked.

Before her kidnapping Brittany had also been a member of the Black Rock law-enforcement team. She’d worked beneath Tom as a deputy along with her other brothers Benjamin and Caleb. Her brother Jacob had worked for the FBI in Kansas City, but during the time Brittany had been kidnapped he had returned to Black Rock and was now also a deputy for the town.

“I’m not ready yet,” she replied. “I hate to leave you shorthanded but to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I want to return.” The words formed a lump in the back of her throat.

Tom lifted an eyebrow in surprise. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes studying her. “You don’t have to come back if it doesn’t feel right, and don’t worry about leaving me shorthanded.”

“But isn’t Benjamin leaving in a week or so?”

“Two weeks.”

Brittany’s brother Benjamin had for years divided his energies between the jobs of working as a deputy and ranching on the family homestead. He’d finally decided to ranch full-time and was quitting his duties as deputy.

“Have you given any thought to what you’d rather do if you don’t come back?” Tom asked.

“Not really. I thought I’d take some online college classes and keep my options open.”

“What about money? Are you okay?”

Brittany smiled. “I’m fine. I had some savings and I’m using some of my inheritance for the deck.”

“I figured you’d already spent all that money on shoes and purses,” Tom said teasingly and then checked his watch. “I’ve got to get out of here. If I don’t check in soon, Caleb will be sitting in my chair with his feet up on my desk.” He downed the last of his coffee and then got up from the table and carried his cup to the sink.

Brittany walked him to her front door where he turned and touched her lightly on the tip of her nose. “You’ll be okay. Go shopping, buy yourself something completely frivolous. That’s always made you feel better in the past.”

She watched him as he walked toward the path to his patrol car parked at the curb. She knew he meant well. All of her brothers did, but they all interacted with her as if she were the same person she’d been before the kidnapping, and she wasn’t.

She closed the door and locked it, then returned to the kitchen and grabbed her coffee cup. She walked to the back window and stared out at the patio.

A little over eight months ago, before she’d been taken captive, she’d been a spoiled, indulged princess. She’d loved hanging out with her friends at Harley’s Bar, a rough-and-tumble tavern that boasted live music on the weekends. She’d loved shopping and lunch out and dating men that weren’t necessarily husband material.

She’d often been late to work, knowing that her brothers would cover for her, and living each moment without thought for the next had been her specialty.

She wasn’t that woman anymore, but her brothers had failed to see that although her life had been spared, the immature, irresponsible girl she’d been had been killed, leaving her floundering to discover exactly who she was now.

She rubbed her eyes, feeling the grit of exhaustion. The balloon had been gone when she’d gotten up that morning, but the sight of it had kept her awake far too long the night before. She hadn’t been able to shake a sense of foreboding that in the light of day seemed rather silly.

She jumped as her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but picked it up and answered.

“Brittany, it’s Alex.”

His deep voice washed over her with a welcome heat and she reminded herself that he was a married man. “Hi, what’s up?”

“I thought I’d let you know that the supplies should be delivered around noon today and if you don’t mind I’d like to be there when they drop them off.”

“No problem. I just can’t wait for the project to be done.”

“Then I’ll see you just before noon.”

She hung up and smiled ruefully. It was just her luck that after everything she’d been through the first man who sparked any kind of interest in her was totally off-limits.

Reminding herself that the last thing she needed at this moment in her life was a man, she set about making herself breakfast.

It was about midday when she looked out her back window and saw Alex seated in one of the chairs on her patio. She opened the back door and stepped outside.

“You should have told me you were here,” she said as he smiled at her and stood.

“I didn’t want to bother you. They told me the delivery would be around noon, but that usually means anywhere between noon and four.”

She waved him back down and sank into the chair opposite his and tried not to notice that he looked just as handsome today as he had the day before. “Would you like something to drink?” she asked.

“No, thanks. I’m good.”

He was better than good, she thought. “It’s a gorgeous day to start the project,” she said.

He smiled. “Nothing better than a perfect spring day for a little work outside.”

“Have you had a chance to explore Black Rock?” She just wanted to make conversation, to have a reason to remain sitting across from him and enjoy the view.

“We’ve definitely discovered Izzy’s Ice Cream Parlor. I think it’s going to be our favorite hangout until winter comes.”

“When winter does arrive then you’ll have to go out to Mathew’s pond on the north side of town. If the temperature is right he sets up fire barrels around the edge of the pond and half the town shows up there on the weekends to ice-skate.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“How’s your wife coping with small-town life?” she asked, needing to remind herself that that he was a married man and then maybe that thousand-watt smile of his wouldn’t have so much power over her.

“Actually, I lost my wife almost two years ago. Being a single parent was part of my reason for changing careers and deciding to move here. My wife’s mother lives here and I thought my daughter could use the support of a loving grandmother.”

“I’m so sorry,” Brittany said, knowing the simple words weren’t adequate for the depth of loss he’d suffered. Her heart went out to him. He had not only lost the woman he loved, but apparently had made the choice to leave his career behind and move because in his mind it was the best thing he could do for his daughter.

Someplace in the back of her mind she realized this meant that Alex was a single man. Not that it mattered to her. No matter how hot he was, she just wasn’t ready for a man in her life.

All she wanted from Alex was a deck where she could have her friends and family over for barbecues and good times. Beyond that she knew what she needed most was time to heal, and that was something she had to do all alone.

“It’s all right,” he replied. “Time passes and life goes on. My main goal is just to make sure that Emily is okay. Emily is my six-year-old daughter.”

Now she understood why he didn’t work weekends and worked relatively short days. “You mentioned that your wife’s mother lives here. Would I have known your wife?”

He shook his head. “Linda never lived here in Black Rock. Her parents, Rose and Harry, moved here after Linda and I got married.”

“Rose Tyler,” Brittany said.

“That’s right.”

Brittany smiled. “She’s a nice lady. She does a lot of charity work here in town.”

“She’s the greatest,” he agreed. “And best of all she’s a babysitter who never complains about long hours.”

“What about your parents?” she asked.

“They live a wonderful life in Italy. They weren’t exactly what you’d call doting parents and so I knew not to turn to them when Linda died.”

At that moment the conversation was cut short as the truck from the lumberyard arrived. Brittany stood to the side and watched as it was unloaded. The truth of the matter was she watched Alex as he helped Ed Burton from the lumberyard unload. She watched in fascination as his T-shirt stretched taut across his back with each load he lifted.

She’d found the tidbit of information about his parents intriguing but told herself she didn’t want to know more intimate details of his life.

Even if she were ready for a man in her life and even though she found Alex incredibly sexy, she still wouldn’t want to have any relationship with him.

Brittany wasn’t sure she wanted children of her own. There was no way she’d want to take on somebody else’s. She still needed to work on herself and wouldn’t have the time or energy to deal with a grieving child.

No, she would be happy to admire Alex’s taut body over the next couple of days but there wouldn’t be anything more between them, not that he’d made any sign that he was even remotely interested in her.

Within twenty minutes everything was off the truck and stacked neatly on one side of the yard and Ed Burton drove away. Brittany was surprised when Buck Harmon and another young man appeared in the backyard.

“There you are,” Alex said with a smile to the two young men.

“Sorry we’re late. Gary had to stuff his face with a sandwich before we left his house,” Buck said. He raised a hand to Brittany in greeting.

“These are my helpers,” Alex said. “I’m assuming you know Buck and Gary.”

“I know Buck,” she replied. And what she knew of him she didn’t like. At twenty-four years old Buck had a reputation for trouble. He worked odd jobs, drank more than he should and could be a hothead. More than once as a deputy she’d had to give him a stern warning about some infraction or another. “But I don’t believe I’ve met Gary before,” she added.

“Gary Cox.” He strode over to her and held out his hand. The freckles on his face danced as he offered her a friendly smile and shook her hand with an adult firmness. His coppery hair gleamed in the sunlight as he stepped back from her. “I’m Buck’s friend and I’ve been helping Alex on some of his jobs.”

He looked like an odd companion for Buck. Gary gave the impression of being a puppy dog, eager to please and slightly goofy. “Nice to meet you, Gary,” she said.

“Now that the introductions are out of the way, it’s time to get to work,” Alex said.

“And I’ll just get out of your way,” Brittany replied. She went back inside the house but stood at the back window and watched as Alex and the younger men got to work.

She wondered if Alex knew that Buck wasn’t the most trustworthy person in town. Buck had had more than his share of run-ins with all of the Graysons. If she got a chance she’d mention her concerns about him to Alex, but in the meantime she watched as the work began on the dream that had helped keep her sane through her months of captivity.

Watching Alex work should become a national pastime, she thought as she watched him pick up a hole digger and hand it to Buck.

She turned away, deciding she needed to stop watching Alex and find something more constructive to do. She’d been meaning to clean out her closet since moving back into the house. She’d lost about fifteen pounds while being held by The Professional and intended to donate a lot of the clothes that were now too big for her to charity.

She kept her mind blank as she worked, knowing that if she gave it free rein it always went back to the filthy cell where she’d been held, counting the days, the very minutes to death.

It was just after three when she heard a knock on her back door and hurried to answer. Once again a rivulet of warmth wiggled through her as she saw Alex.

“We’re knocking off for the day,” he said when she opened the door. “We’ve got the posts up but they need to set. Since tomorrow is Saturday we’ll give them the weekend and we’ll be here bright and early on Monday morning.”

“Sounds good,” she replied. “Then I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Have a good weekend,” he said and then he was gone.

She hadn’t realized how much the sound of the male voices coming from the backyard throughout the afternoon had comforted her.

Now she found the silence slightly oppressive. She moved the box of oversize clothing she’d packed next to the front door and then called a local charity for a pickup the next day.

Sitting down on the sofa, she punched the remote control to turn on the television, just wanting the noise to fill the emptiness of the otherwise silent house.

For almost three months she’d been alone in the shed, with only the sound of The Professional’s voice to occasionally break the silence with his taunts and threats. She’d discovered that now she didn’t do silence well.

Her thoughts instantly drifted back to Alex. There was no question that she felt a visceral physical pull toward him. And why shouldn’t she? He was definitely attractive and she was definitely lonely.

She only left the house for grocery shopping and then only when it was absolutely necessary. She told herself it wasn’t fear that kept her inside but rather the stares and whispers that followed her anywhere she went.

A couple of the friends she’d had before being kidnapped had contacted her after her rescue, but she’d realized they seemed more interested in finding out the grisly details of the crime than her well-being.

Although she was happy that her brothers had all found love while she’d been gone, the fact that they were now building lives with loved ones and had a place where they belonged only made her loneliness deeper. She didn’t know where she belonged anymore.

The late afternoon and evening crept by. She fixed herself a salad for dinner, then watched some more TV. Finally at nine o’clock she went into her bedroom and got ready for bed.

She’d just turned out the light and closed her eyes when her phone rang. Fumbling on the nightstand, she turned on the lamp next to the bed and looked at the caller ID on the phone.

Anonymous caller.

She frowned and sat up. Probably a sales call or some stupid survey, she thought as she grabbed the receiver.

“Hello?”

Nobody replied, although she knew somebody was on the other end. She could hear the soft sound of breathing. “Hello?” she repeated, this time more firmly. “Who is this?”

Still nobody answered, but the breathing grew louder and she was suddenly cast back in time, back to when The Professional would breathe a little harder, a little faster as he talked about the party of death he intended.

Trapped in a moment of sheer terror, her heart beat frantically and she couldn’t catch her breath. Frozen with fear she heard nothing but the sound of the caller breathing … and waiting.

She finally managed to crash the receiver back into the cradle.

She drew several deep breaths and then released a shaky laugh. The Professional was dead. She was safe and a prank phone call had nothing to do with the man who had once planned her death.

The phone call, along with the balloon, had been nothing more than coincidences that had triggered bad memories. There was absolutely no reason for her to be afraid, yet she couldn’t stop shaking and she couldn’t quiet the dreadful sense of foreboding that slithered through her.

It took a very long time for her heart to finally return to a normal rhythm and even longer before she was ready to turn out the light.

Alex spent much of Saturday working in the yard with Emily. He cut the grass while she raked and bagged the clippings and then they went to the local nursery and picked out flowers to plant along the walk leading from the street to the house.

As they worked Emily kept up a string of chatter, asking him if there were flowers in Heaven, what kinds of flowers they were planting and anything else that entered her brilliant little mind.

It was after dinner and cleanup that he announced he thought a trip to Izzy’s was in order to reward them for all their hard work during the day.

At just after seven they left the house and headed down the sidewalk toward Main Street. It was a beautiful spring evening, unusually warm and with the scent of newly bloomed flowers hanging in the air.

Emily alternated between hopping and skipping next to him. She was a child that rarely just walked. She oozed energy and an exuberant happiness that filled Alex’s soul. In the weeks immediately following Linda’s death he’d feared that his daughter would never know real happiness again, but she was a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit.

“I’m thinking strawberry,” she said thoughtfully as she jumped over a crack in the sidewalk.

“Really?” he replied with amusement. They had this conversation each time they walked to Izzy’s. She professed to be thinking about eating some flavor of ice cream but always opted for chocolate ice cream with sprinkles when they got there.

“What are you thinking, Daddy?” she asked.

This was also part of the tradition that had been established in their walks to Izzy’s. Alex frowned in mock thoughtfulness. “I’m thinking maybe worm-flavored ice cream.”

He was rewarded by her infectious giggles. “Daddy, that’s so gross,” she exclaimed.

As they walked in front of Brittany’s house he was surprised to see her sitting on her porch. “Wait up, Emily,” he said. He jogged up the walk to her porch. “Good evening, Ms. Grayson.”

“Good evening to you, Mr. Crawford.”

Her smile warmed him as Emily came running to join him. “Emily, this is Ms. Grayson,” he said. “My daughter, Emily.”

“Hi, Emily. You can call me Brittany,” she replied.

“We’re going to get ice cream at Izzy’s. Want to come with us?” Emily asked.

“Oh, I don’t think so. I don’t go into town much,” Brittany replied, but Alex thought he saw a touch of wistfulness momentarily flit across her beautiful dark eyes.

“Emily, why don’t you show Brittany how you can do a cartwheel in the grass?” Alex said.

Emily’s face lit up. There was nothing she loved more than showing off her gymnastic skills. “Okay.” As she raced off the porch Alex turned back to Brittany.

“And why don’t you go into town much?” he asked.

“Watch this, Brittany,” Emily yelled from the yard.

She focused her attention on Emily. “You’ve probably heard about what happened to me.”

“I’ve heard a little bit about it,” he admitted.

“That’s super, Emily,” she called out as Emily performed two perfectly executed cartwheels. “People stare and whisper,” she said softly. “It makes me uncomfortable so I just don’t go out much.”

He heard a hint of loneliness in her voice and it called to his own loneliness. “We’re not going to traipse down Main Street in a parade. We’re just going to Izzy’s for some ice cream.”

“This time I’m going to do four cartwheels in a row,” Emily yelled.

“Tell you what,” Alex continued. “If you feel somebody staring at you and you get all uncomfortable, I’ll stick an ice cream cone on my nose and cover my head with sprinkles. Trust me, nobody will be staring at you after that.”

She looked at him in surprise and then laughed. By that time Emily had rejoined them. “Did you see me do four cartwheels?”

“I did,” Brittany replied. “That was so totally awesome.”

“So are you joining us?” Alex asked, vaguely surprised at how much he wanted her to come with them.

She hesitated a long moment and then nodded. “Okay, just let me grab my purse.”

“She’s pretty,” Emily said as Brittany disappeared through her front door.

“Yes, she is,” Alex agreed.

“Do you like her?” Emily slid him a sly glance.

“I’m building a deck on the back of her house so she’s kind of like my boss right now.” The last thing he wanted was for Emily to get any ideas about a budding relationship between him and Brittany.

Since they’d moved to Black Rock Emily had learned about stepmoms and had decided it would be nice to have one. Alex had explained to his daughter that finding a perfect stepmother was more difficult than it seemed and that she shouldn’t count on it ever happening.

Brittany stepped back out the front door with her purse slung over her shoulder. “All set.”

The two of them fell into step on the sidewalk while Emily danced just ahead of them. “What kind of ice cream do you like, Brittany?” she asked.

“I’m definitely a chocolate lover,” Brittany replied.

“Me, too!” Emily exclaimed. “Daddy says he’s going to get worm-flavored ice cream today.”

“That’s gross,” Brittany replied.

Once again Emily laughed in delight. “That’s what I told him.” She fell into step next to Brittany and gazed up at her. “Since you’re daddy’s boss, maybe you could tell him that he should let me get two scoops of ice cream instead of just one.”

Brittany laughed again and Alex thought he could listen to her laugh for a long time. He was also aware of the scent of her, a clean, fresh floral with a touch of jasmine that teased his senses.

“Let’s see when we get there how much arm-twisting we need to do to get your daddy to agree to two scoops,” she said.

Emily nodded and then once again danced ahead of them along the sidewalk. “She’s a doll,” Brittany said.

“She’s far too smart for her own good, as stubborn as the day is long, but best of all she’s my heart,” he replied.

“That’s nice. Every little girl needs a father in her life.”

“Are your parents here in town?” he asked.

She shook her head, her rich dark hair gleaming in the sunshine. “My parents died a long time ago, but I have four brothers who stepped into the role of father figure and sometimes that feels like four too many,” she said ruefully.

He grinned. “One of them is the sheriff, right?”

“Yes, that’s Tom. Then there’s Jacob, Benjamin and Caleb. Right now they all work as deputies, but Benjamin is quitting in a couple of weeks to ranch full-time.”

“And from what I’ve heard you were also a deputy at one time.”

“Before the incident.” Her voice held a slight edge of stress. The incident—such pitiful words to use to describe what she’d gone through.

“It’s been a beautiful day, hasn’t it?” He quickly changed the subject. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin this time with her by discussing something she didn’t want to talk about. “Emily and I spent the afternoon planting flowers along the walkway to our front door.”

“We got flowers with a name like what my daddy sometimes calls me,” Emily quipped. “Impatients.”

Brittany laughed again and Alex could tell she was relaxing with each minute that passed. There was something tragic about a woman who had lived through what she had and wound up being afraid to leave her own house because of the whispers and stares of the other people in town.

“Once you have my deck up I intend to plant flowers everywhere in the backyard,” she said. “I want that deck to be the prettiest place on the planet.”

“Then I’ll have to make sure that I’m on top of my game and give you a deck that will be the envy of everyone in town,” he replied.

By that time they’d reached Izzy’s. The ice-cream parlor was a small shop with half a dozen small round peppermint-pink tables inside and a long refrigerated counter displaying almost every flavor of ice cream imaginable. Much to Alex’s mock dismay and Emily’s giggles, they had no worm-flavored.

They were the only customers inside, and once they’d ordered and been served the three of them sat at a table near the window where the last of the day’s sun was visible, slowly sinking lower onto the horizon.

The conversation centered on the merits of ice cream and the variety of flavors available. Brittany was good with Emily, talking to her with an easiness and respect that Emily responded to in the same way.

There was no question that he was drawn to Brittany. Her thick, shiny hair begged him to tangle his hands in it, her plump lips seemed to ask for a kiss and that scent of her half dizzied him with a simmering desire to seek its source.

He didn’t know if his reaction to her was just a manifestation of his loneliness. Or maybe he was drawn to her because she seemed so different from his wife. A core of inner strength shone from Brittany’s eyes, a strength he found vastly appealing.

“This was nice,” Brittany said as they left Izzy’s and began the short walk home. Twilight had fallen and night shadows were beginning to creep in.

“I’m glad you came with us,” he replied.

“Me, too,” Emily added. “I think you should come with us every time we go to get ice cream.”

Brittany smiled at her. “That’s just because you got two scoops with me along.”

Emily giggled and then sobered a bit. “But I also like you because you’re really pretty and you make my dad smile really big.”

Alex felt his cheeks warm and tried to find something to say, but Emily wasn’t finished yet. “Did you know my mommy is in Heaven?” she asked Brittany.

“Yes, your daddy told me that,” Brittany replied.

“Do you think there’s ice cream in Heaven?”

Alex saw a whisper of compassion in Brittany’s eyes at Emily’s question. She stopped walking and crouched down to Emily’s level.

“I’d like to think there’s ice cream in Heaven. You know, my mommy died, too. Maybe your mommy and mine are having ice cream together right now.”

“That would be good,” Emily replied with a little smile. “Now, watch how I can jump the cracks in the sidewalk really fast.” She raced ahead of them, her pigtails dancing.

“That was nice,” he said to Brittany.

She nodded. “It must be tough to be a single dad.”

“Emily makes it relatively easy. She’s a good kid. Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? I cook a mean steak.”

He wasn’t sure who was more surprised by the invitation, Brittany or himself. The words had just tumbled out of his mouth as if with a life of their own.

“Thank you, but I always have Sunday dinner with my brothers and their families,” she replied.

“Then what about Monday evening?” They stopped in front of her house.

Her brown eyes studied him thoughtfully. “Alex, I’m not looking for any kind of romance.”

“I’m not, either,” he quickly replied. “I have no intentions of ever marrying again. But I’m new in town and to be honest, I’ve been a bit lonely. I just thought it would be nice to have a friend to share a meal or spend some time with.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “As long as we both understand where we’re coming from, I’d love to have dinner with you on Monday.”

“Great! Why don’t we say around six-thirty?”

“Sounds good and thanks for the ice cream.” She looked down the walk to Emily. “Bye, Emily,” she called.

“Bye, Brittany.” Emily waved. “See ya later.”

Brittany looked back at Alex. “And I’ll see you Monday morning, right?”

“Bright and early,” he replied. They said their goodbyes and he watched as she climbed the stairs to her porch and then disappeared into her house.

Emily fell into step beside him and began chatting about her plans to play with the neighbor girl the next day. Alex listened absently and wondered why he wanted to kiss a woman he’d just told he only wanted to be her friend.

Chapter 3

She shouldn’t have agreed to dinner. Brittany walked into her kitchen, dropped her purse on the counter and then sank down into one of the kitchen chairs.

Alex Crawford disturbed her in a distinctly pleasant way. Something about him made her heart flutter in her chest and caused her palms to dampen. She liked the way he looked, the way he smelled. She liked the sound of his laughter, so rich and deep, and she liked the way he interacted with his daughter.

As she’d watched him eat his ice cream she’d found herself wondering what his lips would taste like, how his arms would feel wrapped around her.

Dangerous thoughts.

She knew she wasn’t ready for a romantic relationship, and as cute and sweet as Emily had been, Brittany definitely wasn’t ready to be a mom. Her brothers would laugh at the very idea and remind her how flighty and immature she was.

Still, she could use a friend and apparently that was what Alex was looking for, too. He was new to town and obviously hadn’t made any real friends, and hers had all pretty much deserted her in the months following her rescue while she’d been living with Benjamin and Edie on the family ranch just outside of town.

“Two less lonely people in the world.” The words to an old Air Supply song filled her head. Maybe Alex was supposed to be her transitional man, the one who, through his easy friendship, could bridge her way from recovering crime victim to healthy young woman ready for love.

Dinner at Alex’s place was nothing to be concerned about, she told herself. Emily would be there, and besides, Brittany had made it clear to Alex she wasn’t ready for romance.

She was about to get out of the chair when a shadow darted across the kitchen window. Every muscle in her body froze—except her heart, which roared to a painful gallop.

Somebody was in her yard … just outside of her window. What was he doing out there? Had the person been watching her? Why? The inertia left her and with her heart still beating far too fast, she got up from the table.

Her feet felt leaden with fear as she tentatively approached the window and cautiously peered outside.

Nothing.

Although the evening shadows had thickened, there was still enough ambient light to let her know that there was nobody lurking in her backyard.

Had the shadow just been a figment of her imagination? Had a cloud danced over the moon to create what she’d thought was somebody just outside the house?

She drew a deep breath and backed away from the window, her heart not yet finding its normal rhythm. She felt foolish and yet couldn’t halt the feeling of threat that combined with a deep sense of dread that washed over her.

She wished she had her gun, but she’d turned it in to Tom just after she’d been rescued, knowing it would be some time before she was ready, if ever, to go back to work as his deputy.

The fear kept her awake until near dawn when she fell into a restless sleep. She didn’t get out of bed until almost noon the next day and as always the sunshine made her fears of the night before seem silly.

She hated the fear, was ashamed of it. It was part of the reason she knew she wasn’t ready to go back to her job. A good deputy didn’t feel fear. A good deputy didn’t think the way she’d thought when she’d been held by a madman.

It was just before six in the evening when she left her house to drive to the family ranch on the edge of town. Since the crime that had taken her away for four months, it had become a tradition that on Sunday the whole family got together at the old homestead for dinner.

As she parked in front of the large, rambling ranch house, she tried to slough off the exhaustion that had been with her all day long. Two nights of too little sleep had definitely taken its toll.

She was the last to arrive and when she walked through the front door the chaos of family greeted her. Her brothers were all in the great room, Tom’s wife Peyton’s little girl, Lilly, tottering back and forth between them with squeals of delight.

“Hey, girl.” Caleb got out of his chair and greeted her with a kiss on her temple. He stepped back from her and frowned. “What’s up with you? You don’t look so hot.”

She punched him in the arm. “Thanks, you’re terrific for a girl’s ego.” She worried a hand through her long hair. “I’m just tired, that’s all. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

“Bad night?” Benjamin asked, his dark eyes filled with compassion.

She shrugged. “I thought I saw somebody outside my window. It freaked me out a little bit and I had trouble getting to sleep.” She watched as they all exchanged glances.

“You know, Brittany, maybe you should talk to somebody,” Jacob said. “You won’t talk to us about what happened for those four months. Maybe you need a little therapy.”

“I don’t need therapy,” she replied with a touch of irritation. “I just need a good night’s sleep, that’s all.” She left the great room and her brothers and went into the kitchen where the wives were all gathered.

Of all the women who had become sisters-in-law, Brittany felt the closest to Layla, Jacob’s wife. Layla had been the last victim kidnapped and placed in a cell to await The Professional’s final party of death. Although she’d only been captive for a few hours before they had all been rescued, Brittany knew that Layla understood at least part of the kind of terror that Brittany had tasted, had endured throughout her ordeal.

“Mmm, something smells good,” she said as she entered the large, cheerful kitchen.

“Roast and potatoes, green beans and hot rolls,” Edie, Benjamin’s wife, replied. “And Portia brought pies.”

Portia, Caleb’s wife, patted her five-months-pregnant belly. “I’ve been dreaming about peach pies for the past week. I keep telling Caleb it must be some sort of strange pregnancy craving.”

“I wish I could blame pregnancy hormones for my dreams of chocolate fountains, doughnuts and candy bars. God, I’ve become such a sugar addict,” Layla exclaimed. Brittany laughed and sat on the stool next to her at the kitchen island. “How are you doing? You look tired,” Layla said.

“I am,” Brittany admitted. “But on a positive note I’ve started work on the deck I’ve been talking about forever.”

“That’s great. Who’s doing the work?” Peyton asked.

“A new guy in town. His name is Alex Crawford.” Even saying his name created a pleasant pool of warmth in the pit of her stomach.

Layla released a wolf whistle. “I sold him the house. That man is pure sin walking. What? I’m married, not dead,” she exclaimed as the others looked at her. “I’m still allowed to look and admire.”

“He is easy on the eyes,” Brittany admitted, but she didn’t mention that she’d agreed to have dinner with him. There was no point when she had no intention of it being anything but a pleasant dinner between friends. Still, she couldn’t stop the small shiver of delight that worked through her as she thought about spending more time with him.

Dinner was a wild, chaotic affair with everyone talking over each other and plenty of laughter served all around. Brittany found herself once again counting her blessings that she had such a strong support system in her family.

Still, there was no question that when she saw the small smiles and secretive looks that flew from husband to wife, the touches that spoke of a deeper, lasting intimacy, a wistful ache filled her up inside.

Eventually she wanted what her brothers had found, a love that made a couple into something more, a commitment that was meant to last a lifetime. Even though she yearned for that, she didn’t think she was ready for it at this time in her life.

She still jumped at shadows, trembled when nobody talked on the phone. She didn’t particularly like the dark and knew it was going to take time for her to finally be one-hundred-percent healthy.

“Just think, within a couple of weeks I’ll be able to have you all over for a barbecue on my new deck,” Brittany said as the meal was winding down.

“I like my burger medium well and my beer ice-cold,” Jacob said. He shot a glance to Layla. “And my woman silent and naked.”

Layla snorted. “I have no problem with the naked part, but you know you aren’t ever going to make me into a silent woman.”

Once again everyone laughed and within minutes the men had returned to the great room while the women cleared the table. “One of these days we’re going to make them stay here and do the dishes while we go into the other room and relax,” Edie said as she began rinsing dishes and handing them to Peyton, who placed them in the dishwasher.

“You know they would do the dishes if any of you asked them to,” Brittany said.

Portia smiled. “And that’s exactly why we don’t ask them to. We all let them pretend to be the big macho men, but we also know that underneath all that bluster are pussycats with tender hearts.”

That perfectly described the Grayson men and someday Brittany wanted to find a man like her brothers, a man who could protect her against the world if she needed it and who would love her to distraction.

It was after dark when the gathering began to break up. Edie looped arms with Brittany as she walked out the front door. “You want to spend the night here?” she asked. “Maybe you’d sleep better here than you’ve been doing at home.”

The offer definitely held more than a little bit of appeal, but Brittany shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather go home.” It felt too much like going backward to spend the night here where she’d stayed for her months of recuperation.

“Are you sure you’re doing okay?” Edie asked. Benjamin and Edie had spent the most time with her after she’d been rescued. Edie had sat up with her many a night when she was afraid to sleep for fear of the nightmares that might plague her.

“Am I back to normal? No, but I’m doing okay.” She gave Edie a forced smile. “Logically I know that he’s dead and I have nothing more to fear, but emotionally I haven’t quite embraced the notion of safety just yet.”

Edie gave her a warm hug. “You never wanted to talk much about the time you were held, but you know if you ever need to talk I’m here for you.”

Brittany returned the hug. “I know. And now I’m going to head home and hope for a good night’s sleep.”

Minutes later as she drove home, she thought about those months she’d been held. She hadn’t shared a lot with her family about that time, not wanting to burden them with the details. Although physically she hadn’t been molested or beaten, the mental abuse had been horrific.

The Professional had made sure she’d had enough water and food to stay alive, but he’d taunted her with all the terrible things he was going to do to her. Each time the door to the shed had swung open, she’d feared that it was the moment of her death, a horrible and painful death.

And in that place of fear, in that horrible space of abject terror, Brittany had found the utter darkness in her heart, the depth of her shame.

“But you’re going to be fine,” she said aloud as she gripped the steering wheel more firmly. The danger was over and life could only get better and better from this minute onward.

What she didn’t understand was why no matter how many times she told herself this, no matter how badly she wanted to believe it, there was still a part of her that was terrified that the bad times weren’t over yet.

The house was clean, Emily had gone to spend the night with Rose, and the steaks were marinating and ready to pop in the broiler. Everything was ready for dinner with Brittany, except that Alex was more nervous than he had been in a very long time.

He’d spent the day at her house working on the deck with Buck and Gary but Brittany had kept herself scarce, only coming out once in the afternoon to bring them all lemonade.

He now glanced at his watch. Almost six-thirty. She should be here anytime now and he told himself it was ridiculous to be so nervous about a simple dinner with a friend.

A friend, that’s all she was going to be, he told himself. A beautiful friend with eyes he wanted to drown in, with a tragic past he wished he could fix. Jeez, he needed to get his emotions where she was concerned under control.

Still, when the doorbell rang he nearly jumped out of his skin. He opened the door and the sight of her instantly calmed his nerves. She looked lovely in a pair of brown slacks and a yellow blouse that enhanced the darkness of her hair and eyes. She also looked nervous and that strangely put him at ease. She clutched her purse tightly to her chest and her smile was tentative.

“No need to look so terrified. I promise I won’t bite,” he said.

Her features relaxed and her smile grew more natural. “I know it’s crazy, but I am feeling a bit nervous,” she admitted.

“It doesn’t sound crazy. I was feeling the same way just a minute ago.” He gestured her toward the living room. “Maybe a glass of wine will make us both relax.”

“That sounds nice,” she agreed.

He walked her through the living room and into the kitchen where the table was already set for two and a salad and a loaf of warmed French bread sat in the center.

“Where’s Emily?” she asked as he gestured her into one of the chairs at the table.

“I packed her off to Rose’s for the night.” He pulled a bottle of red wine from the refrigerator and smiled. “I love my daughter to distraction, but sometimes I get hungry for adult conversation. Besides, she and Rose have been working on some intricate 3-D puzzle at Rose’s house. Lately I’ve had trouble keeping Emily home.”

He poured them each a glass of wine and then carried hers to the table. “And now the most important question of the night—how do you like your steak?”

She set her purse on the floor next to her chair and took the wineglass from him. “Medium.”

He placed the steaks in the oven and then joined her at the table, and for a moment an awkward silence descended, broken when they both started to say something at the same time.

“Sorry,” she said with a small laugh. “I was just going to say that it was my sister-in-law who sold you this house.”

“Layla? She’s a nice woman,” he replied.

“She talks a lot,” Brittany replied with a small grin.

Alex laughed and felt the ice breaking between them. “Yeah, even Emily said that Layla was a bit of a chatterbox, and if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black I don’t know what is.”

Brittany laughed and then took a sip of the wine and eyed him soberly over the rim of the glass. “It must be hard, to be a man raising a little girl.”

“It has its moments,” he agreed. “It took me months to learn to paint her fingernails to her approval and I still can’t get the hang of a French braid. Actually, I’m lucky that she’s a great kid and is very patient with me.”

“I could help you out with the French-braid thing,” she replied.

“Emily would be ecstatic.”

She nodded and took another sip of the wine. “The deck seems to be coming along faster than I’d expected.”

“There’s still a lot to do. Getting the floor down is the easy part. The railings and finish work take a bit longer.”

“Have you used Buck and Gary before as helpers?”

“Buck, yes, Gary, no. Buck helped me on a previous job and I told him I wouldn’t mind hiring another kid to help with the grunt work and he suggested Gary.”

“I don’t know if you know this or not, but Buck has quite a reputation.”

He smiled. “One thing I’ve learned since moving here is that the people of Black Rock like to gossip and nobody is shy about having opinions. I try not to listen to rumors and I like to judge people on their own merits.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard more than a little gossip about me.”

“A little,” he agreed.

She gazed down into her wineglass and when she looked back at him her eyes were filled with a steely strength. “I was kidnapped by a crazy serial killer and held captive in an old shed for four months. During that time he kidnapped four more women and planned to torture and kill us each, one at a time. He called it a party. Thankfully we were all rescued before he could have his little party. I survived and it’s just something that happened to me. It’s in my past now.”

A wealth of respect for her washed over him. “Must have been terrible.”

“It was. But so are cancer and plane crashes and a thousand other things that happen in the world.”

“What happened to the other women who were kidnapped?”

She took a sip of her wine and then answered, “They’ve all left town, except Layla. Suzy Bakersfield moved away with her boyfriend. Casey Teasdale married her fiancé and they also left town, and Jennifer Hightower went to live with an aunt in New York. Layla was the last one to be kidnapped and I like to think that if my brothers hadn’t rescued us when they did she would have talked Larry Norwood to death before he managed to kill her.”

Alex smiled and then jumped up from the table to check on the steaks. He flipped them over and then returned to his seat. “You know, I’ve been thinking about what you said to me the other night.”

She frowned. “What was that?”

“That you don’t go into town because people stare at you and whisper behind your back. I was thinking maybe if you went into town more often people would get used to seeing you around again and the stares and whispers would stop.”

She cocked her head as if giving it some thought. “Maybe you’re right,” she finally agreed. “I think it wouldn’t have been so bad if the other women were still around, but I was the one who was held the longest and so people seem to be the most curious about what I went through.”

“And you’d just rather put it behind you and not talk about it,” he said.

She flashed him a beatific smile. “That’s right.”

“I just want you to know one thing—if you need it, I can be a sympathetic ear or a comforting shoulder.”

Her eyes flared with a sliver of evocative heat that he felt deep inside. “Thanks,” she replied. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He wanted to kiss her. At that moment with her eyes shining so bright and her lips moist from the wine, he wanted to take her into his arms and lose himself in a kiss. Instead he jumped up from the table and went back to the oven where he pulled the steaks out.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

“No, thanks, I’m all set.” He plated the steaks and then carried them to the table.

Thankfully the dinner conversation flowed easily. He regaled her with stories about his days as an attorney in Chicago, enjoying each time he managed to make her laugh.

In turn, she told him about growing up with four older brothers who teased and spoiled her unmercifully. “When I told Tom I wanted to become a deputy he fought me tooth and nail,” she said. “There was no way he wanted his baby sister on the streets with a gun.”

“So, how did you convince him to hire you?” Alex asked, half-mesmerized by the sheen of her dark hair beneath the artificial light overhead. He knew it would feel like silk between his fingers, imagined the long strands whispering against his bare chest as she straddled him.

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