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Mac nodded.
“Gus designed a kind of car seat or stroller thingy for our most reliable packhorse. We make sure the load is balanced, secure, and designed for the safety of the infant. I always take one of my people along just to lead that packhorse, but it’s fun.”
“You still love what you do.”
She cocked her head and looked at him.
“Don’t you?”
“Hmm, not sure love is the word I’d use. I’m good at it, and it’s a job that needs doing. It gives me a lot of satisfaction, but I don’t think I’ve ever waxed poetic about what I do. And I paid a high price to get where I am today.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever accused me of waxing poetic,” she said, disengaging from the conversation.
“Don’t take it the wrong way, I think it’s great. When you talk about your clients, your whole body relaxes, and it’s obviously something you enjoy. But don’t you worry about risking everything for the mustangs?”
“You never did understand about them. I love them because they’re wild and free, because they represent the very best of our country. They were all brought here by someone else. Thehorses we see today aren’t native to North America. There was a similar species, but it went extinct with the dinosaurs. And like every other immigrant group, the mustangs made this place their home and thrived until some asshat decided he could make a profit by exploiting them.”
“So, you steal them, then what?”
“I don’t steal anything, Mac. I liberate them and drive them to protected land, or if it’s a small herd, there are ranchers in the area who will care for them and let them graze their lands.”
“Steal versus liberate? I think that depends on which side of the horse you’re standing on.”
“Not really. Until they’re sold, the horses have no intrinsic value. Therefore, I can’t be prosecuted for stealing something that has no value. Why I’m debating semantics with a guy who left me five years ago and has now kidnapped me, I’ll never know.”
“That’s the second time you’ve thrown that bit of revisionist history at me. For the record, you’re the one who walked and told me not to be there when you returned. Do you have any idea what that did to me? Technically, I didn’t kidnap you. I took you into federal custody, so you would be protected.”
“I can protect myself.”
“Sure, you can. I saw that while you were bleeding all over the helicopter. Give it a break, Willa, and settle down. You’re not going anywhere until Eastwick has been apprehended. And, at some point, we’re going to have a long talk about you and your mustangs.”
We’ll see about that.
She had no intention of playing house with Mac again. She’d make sure he had a full belly, and once he was sound asleep, she’d take his keys, borrow his truck, and return to her life—a life that didn’t include Marshal Ethan McDaniel. If he hadn’t seen the canyon behind the waterfall, she could have gone there.It was one of her favorite places, but there were several hidden canyons up in the Superstitions almost as nice in the opposite direction from where Eastwick was headed. No sense in not taking certain precautions to stay safe. After all, the man had murdered his wife.
Mac watched as she pushed past him and made a thorough inventory of the kitchen. He really liked the way she moved—purposeful yet graceful. There was no wasted movement, yet it was decidedly feminine.
He hadn’t planned on kissing her, but given her response, he was glad he had. What had started as a light brushing of his lips against hers had quickly developed into a far deeper level of intensity and intimacy. Mac had especially liked the way she responded when he’d pulled her closer, and she’d rubbed against him. Wildcat was probably an accurate way to think of Willa Reynolds. She was strong, powerful, sensual, and had attitude to spare. He quickly was recognizing he had missed her even more than he thought.
He had to suppress a grin and his body’s physical response when he thought about how he intended to bring that attitude under control. He was playing with fire, but like a moth to a flame, he would be hard-pressed to resist her allure. There was a strict no-fraternization policy where witnesses were concerned and for good reason, but he figured they had been a committed couple before. Besides, Willa made him dismiss all of those reasons, as well as if anything were to go wrong and it was discovered they’d entered a relationship, he could lose his job. As Mac glanced at her bending over to get a frying pan from the drawer at the bottom of the stove, he decided she was worth it.He meant to bring Willa under his protection on a permanent basis, whether she liked it or not.
“Do you mind breakfast for dinner? There’s plenty of good stuff here for either, but breakfast is quicker.”
“You’re the chef. If you make it, I’ll eat it. I can’t recall you ever feeding me anything I didn’t like… especially your honey.”
Willa blushed. “Too bad. That’s not on the menu.”
Mac watched as she began to chop, slice, sauté, and even microwave. Before long, she was layering a heavy cast iron with vegetables, bacon, onions, and potatoes before pouring an egg mixture over the top and putting it in the oven. Next, she quickly set about making biscuits and placed them in the oven with the skillet.
Watching her hands knead the dough reminded him of the first time he’d fucked her. They’d had an argument about the state of their relationship… actually, that wasn’t true. They’d had an argument about whether or not they were going to discuss the state of their relationship before they had sex. Willa had gotten her way—they hadn’t talked first, but the first time he mounted her, it had been from behind after he’d inflicted a considerable amount of sting in her tail.
“Okay, we have about twenty minutes. Should I pick out one of the bedrooms upstairs?”
“No. There’s a master suite here on the ground floor that’s totally secure. The windows are bulletproof, and the doors are all armored and have deadbolts. You’ll sleep in there.”
“Don’t you think that’s a bit over-the-top for dealing with anything Eastwick might be planning?”
“Are you forgetting you were shot earlier today? And keep in mind we have yet to find the shooter, although we’re closing in on him.”
