SAFE IN HIS ARMS

Shelby Townsend and her orphaned five-year-old nephew have escaped to Hidden Springs, Colorado, leaving plenty of pain behind. New job, new home—a new start is just what they both need. Until a very delicious complication walks into her life. Sheriff Cullen Brannigan.

Cullen assumes he’ll miss the hustle and bustle of his big-city life when he’s forced to take a break from his job with the Denver police force. But he’s surprised how much two complete strangers, who just happen to be living on his ranch, make him want to stick around. Because behind Shelby’s protective shell is a tempting vulnerability that inspires a promise in him—to keep Shelby and her nephew safe at any cost.

She smiled and his heartbeat shot off.

Damn, he needed to stop reacting to her every time she smiled.

He touched her arm to stop her. “Shelby, about this morning. I need to apologize to you. I had no business kissing you.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I just thought you kissed all random women who come to your door.”

He shook his head, then caught her mouth twitch. “Not random women, only beautiful women with big blue eyes who appear at my back door at five in the morning.”

She cocked her head and desire shot through him again. “Cullen, I can’t have a relationship right now.” She glanced away. “My life has to be focused on Ryan.”

He held up a hand. “I feel the same way. I’m only here for a few months. My job isn’t even permanent.”

She laughed. “Well, with all those complications, I’d say we don’t have to worry.”

Her Colorado Sheriff

Patricia Thayer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PATRICIA THAYER was born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, the second in a family of eight children. She attended Ball State University before heading west, where she has called Southern California home for many years. There she’s been a member of the Orange County Chapter of RWA. It’s a sisterhood like no other.

When not working on a story, she might be found traveling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while enjoying time with her husband, Steve. Together, they have three grown sons and four grandsons and one granddaughter, whom Patricia calls her own true-life heroes.

As always, Steve.

And to the next 45 years together.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

With a gasp, Shelby Townsend sat up in bed, her room dark and foreboding. The tree blowing in the wind outside her window cast ominous shadows on her wall. She ignored her own fears when she heard the child’s cry again.

“Ryan.” She jumped up and hurried across the hall into the other bedroom. There she found the five-year-old boy thrashing around on the single bed.

She sat down on the mattress and grabbed his flaying arms. “Ryan, it’s okay. I’m here,” she whispered in what she hoped was a soothing voice. “Aunt Shelby is here.”

The child’s cries and fighting stopped as the blond-haired boy opened his eyes. He made an indistinguishable sound as he gripped her hands tightly. “Aunt Shellie. The bad man is going to get me. I’m scared.”

“I know, but I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The boy sat up and hugged her. “I want Mama,” he cried.

“I know, Ryan. I know.”

Shelby’s heart tightened painfully, making it hard to breathe. How could she explain to this child that his mother wasn’t going to come back? Ever. Ryan wouldn’t understand the awful things that happened only two weeks ago. How could he? Even she didn’t understand why her big sister had been killed.

“I want...I want to go home.”

This was to be expected since it was the first night in their new home. Ryan didn’t handle change well.

She rubbed his back, hoping to calm him. They could never go back to Kentucky. Besides, there wasn’t anything left there to return for.

Tears filled her eyes as she remembered the events of the past few weeks. She was running late from picking Ryan up from school. If only she’d convinced Georgia to come with her instead of meeting them... Things might have turned out differently, and she’d still have a sister, and her nephew would have his mother.

“I’m sorry, Ryan, but we can’t go back there. This is our home now.” At least for the next few months, they’d be hidden out here in the country, until branding season was over.

Shelby almost laughed at the situation. The small town of Hidden Springs, Colorado, was a funny place for a sous-chef to end up.

The town was chosen not because of her culinary skills, but the best area for them to find a safe place to settle in, and create a new life. For now, the large Circle R Ranch was a good hideout.

Ryan raised his head. “Please, can I have the tablet?”

She knew that she shouldn’t give in, but the child needed something to calm him after the bad dream. She went to the desk and retrieved the device. After putting on a timer, she handed it to him. “You can look at your pictures for twenty minutes only.”

She was rewarded with a rare smile. She kissed the boy and left the room. Too keyed up to go back to sleep, she slipped on her robe over her flannel pajama bottoms and tank top, then headed down the stairs in the cozy farmhouse.

Once on the main floor, she glanced at the sheet-covered furniture in the living room, reminding her of the cleaning job she had tomorrow. She was a little curious as to why no one was here to meet them. She also had to search for the key, and found it over the door, then let herself inside. She was still wondering if Georgia had been confused about the living arrangements.

Shelby continued through the dining room, filled with a long table and hutch. Who would use this place for temporary employees? It had been Georgia who’d found the ad for a roundup cook online. Room and board was included, and the job was far enough away from Dawkins Meadow to hopefully keep Gil Bryant out of their lives.

A shiver ran through her body as she glanced out the big windows over the sink and into the moon-bright night. No streetlights out here on the ranch. She filled the kettle and took it to the stove, hoping some chamomile tea would help her sleep. But in her heart, she knew that it would take a long time before she could rid herself of the nightmare of the few past weeks. And the terrible death of her sister would never go away.

Now her goal was to move ahead with her life and keep Ryan safe.

* * *

HE BLAMED IT on the full moon.

Cullen Brannigan drove his patrol car off the highway onto the county road leading to the ranch. His sour mood had nothing to do with driving through the small community of Hidden Springs, and the outlying areas.

He should have his head examined for taking this interim sheriff’s position. Thank you, Trent, for talking me into this.

After chasing down high school seniors who’d played pranks on unsuspecting residents, tearing a new pair of uniform pants, he was rethinking his decision to accept the job here.

He wasn’t a small-town sheriff. He was a Denver police detective. At least he had been before he was suspected of taking bribes while working white-collar crimes one year ago. While Internal Affairs investigated leads, he’d been suspended from the force. Even though he’d been cleared and reinstated, he wasn’t sure he could go back. As if his fellow officers would ever trust him again.

That went both ways. The brotherhood hadn’t exactly stood up for him during the investigation, either, but his father’s betrayal had been the worst. Captain Neal Brannigan couldn’t possibly have taken his son’s word of his innocence. Maybe his stepbrother, Trent, was right; a fresh start was what he needed to move on.

Cullen shook away the memories as he turned his vehicle onto the gravel road, the bright moonlight showing him the way. Damn, it was pitch-black out here in the sticks. And for now, thanks to his recently deceased stepmother, Leslie Landry Brannigan, he owned part of these sticks. Part of a ranch, to be exact.

Maybe it was time he had a look at his new home, especially since he’d gotten a radio call saying that a passing neighbor had seen an unfamiliar car in the driveway. For years, the property had been leased out, but with his stepmother’s death, the land transferred to her sons. So the renters were notified and had moved out of the guest cottage two weeks ago. The place should be deserted.

Cullen drove under the wrought iron sign that read Circle R Ranch. Leslie had told him many stories about her parents’ large cattle operation back in the day. Until her sudden death last month, he had no idea that she’d willed the place to him, his twin brother, Austin, and her biological son, Trent. The property was to be divided between them equally. He guessed Leslie wanted her boys to know she loved them equally.

Damn, he missed her.

He drove past the faded red barn and into the driveway at the front of her house. The Victorian structure needed a lot of work, but she was still grand to look at. He got out of the patrol car and walked around the side of the house where he spotted the small sedan parked in the driveway. He glanced at the dim light in the kitchen.

He walked back out front as he punched Trent’s number into his phone. He knew it was late, but he wanted to double-check if he’d been expecting anyone here.

He got a groggy greeting. “Hello, Cullen. What’s going on?”

“I’m over at your grandfather Robertson’s place. There’s a car parked here.” He rambled off the make and model and plates. “Do you know them?”

“They could be related to the Donaldsons, who just moved out.”

“Could they get into the main house?”

He heard a sigh. “To be honest, Cullen, I’m not sure. I haven’t been there in years. All the rent money went to Mom.”

“Okay, then I’ll see if I can stir someone.”

“Hey, give me a few minutes, and I’ll be there to help you.”

“I don’t need a big brother anymore,” he teased, recalling their intense days as teenagers. “I’ll knock on the door, and if there’s anything suspect, I’ll call for backup.”

Cullen hung up and climbed the steps to the front door. He rang the bell, then a minute later with no answer, he began to knock hard on the door and called out.

He unfastened the strap on his gun. “Sheriff’s department. Please, open the door.”

* * *

SHELBY FROZE. Oh, God, no. Gil had found them. She stood and hurried into the other room. What should she do? She rushed to the window and peeked out through the heavy curtains. She found a tall, well-built stranger standing under the porch light. She glanced toward the black-and-white car with the logo of County Sheriff on the side.

The knock sounded again. “Who’s ever inside, you need to answer the door. You are trespassing on private property.”

She heard Ryan’s loud cry from upstairs. She ran to the stairs and called to her nephew. “Go back to your room, Ryan. It’s okay.”

When the boy disappeared, Shelby took a shaky breath and released it. She stood by the door. “What do you want, Sheriff?”

“Would you please step out on the porch? I need to speak to you.”

With trembling hands, she unbolted the door, but left the chain on, then opened it a crack to see the dark-haired man in uniform. Well, if you could call dark jeans, boots and a light blue shirt a uniform. Around his waist he wore a gun, and several other weapons.

“May I see your identification, Sheriff?”

He looked irritated, but pulled out an official ID. She read the name Cullen Brannigan. He was six feet one inch tall, his weight one hundred ninety, eyes, hazel, and hair, brown.

“Thank you.” She handed it back to him. “I’m not trespassing, Sheriff. I was hired to come here and cook for spring roundup. The job came with room and board.”

He frowned. “Who hired you?”

“The Donaldson family.”

He nodded. “May I see your identification?”

“Of course.” Shelby went to the table next to the door and got her wallet. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself. If Gil got news of her being here with a computer search... “All you have to do is contact Mr. Donaldson. He’ll tell you that we’re supposed to be here. But he talked with my sister, Georgia Hughes.” That had been what her new ID stated. She was supposed to have a chance to start over. She handed over her Kentucky driver’s license. “If there is a mistake, we’ll leave.”

“Where is your sister?”

Miss Townsend glanced away. “She died unexpectedly... We just recently buried her before we came here.”

Before she could say any more, a truck pulled up into the yard. Shelby stiffened and pulled her robe closer to her body as another man climbed out and rushed up to the porch.

“Hey, bro.” He turned that smile toward Shelby. “Hello, I’m Trent Landry.”

“I’m Shelby Townsend. I was just explaining to the sheriff, my sister and I were hired to cook for the roundup for Mr. Donaldson.”

Trent nodded. “I’m sorry, but the Donaldsons no longer live here. Since my mother’s passing, this property has changed hands. I’m surprised you haven’t been contacted by Hank.”

Shelby tried to stay calm given this new situation. Oh, God. Now, what was she going to do? “We were probably on the road by then.” Had Georgia known the change of plans and never got the chance to tell her? “I apologize for the mistake.” She opened the door and allowed both men inside. “As you can see, nothing was disturbed. We only arrived a few hours ago.”

Cullen watched as the attractive brunette fidgeted with the belt on her robe. Something told him she wasn’t telling him the entire story. He glanced around at the large room filled with sheet-covered furniture. The place was huge.

The woman started to speak when a child’s voice rang out from upstairs. “It’s okay, Ryan,” she said. “You can come downstairs.”

A little boy about five hurried down the steps and ran to her side. He looked scared, and Cullen hated that he’d caused the boy any more stress.

Trent spoke first. “Hello, there. I’m Trent. What’s your name?”

The boy looked up at his aunt. “It’s Ryan,” she said for him. “He’s five.”

“Good to meet you, Ryan,” Trent said. “Sorry if we scared you.”

“Don’t hurt Aunt Shellie,” he said slowly.

The woman stepped in. “No one is going to hurt anyone, Ryan. This is Sheriff Cullen.”

The boy’s eyes widened before he buried his head against his aunt’s waist.

“He’s very shy and a little frightened. I apologize for the mistake. If you give us about thirty minutes we can be packed up and out of here.”

Hell, he didn’t want to kick her out onto the street. Cullen spoke up. “Whoa, we aren’t kicking you out in the middle of the night.”

* * *

OUTSIDE THE HOUSE, Trent asked, “So you think it’s okay to let them stay?”

Cullen still wasn’t sure what came over him. He was usually the bad cop, the by-the-book guy. But the kid got to him with that look of fear on his face. “It’s nearly midnight. Do you really want her to drag the boy out at this hour? Besides, didn’t you do the same thing when Brooke came to town not too long ago? You offered her a place to stay, and look what happened.”

“Are you saying you’re attracted to Shelby Townsend?”

Cullen blinked. Where did that come from? “What? I met her two minutes before you did.”

A cocky grin appeared on Trent’s face. “That’s all it took for me when I first saw Brooke.”

“Well, I’m not you, soldier boy.” He called him by his old nickname. Trent had spent a dozen years in the military before coming back here. “Let’s get back to the problem at hand. Do you want to toss a woman and a child out at midnight? Besides, by the looks of her vehicle, she doesn’t have much extra money for a motel. Why don’t you see if you can get ahold of your last tenant, the Donaldsons, and see if they can check out her story?”

Trent shook his head. “I’ll call in the morning. Now I’m going home and climbing back into bed with my beautiful wife.” He grinned, and Cullen wanted to slug him. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Cullen pointed to the house. “What about the guests?”

“I’ll let you handle the pretty brunette. If they rob us blind, I’ll send the sheriff after them.” With a laugh his brother walked off to his truck.

Cullen just shook his head. When his father had first married Leslie, he and his twin brother, Austin, had been barely ten. And they hated Leslie’s thirteen-year-old son, Trent, on sight. It took a few years, but they all got over it, and with his stepmother’s love they’d all become somewhat of a family.

He looked up at the house. Did he trust the woman? He used to rely on his cop instincts, but these days he wasn’t so sure. He walked up the steps, knocked on the door and waited until she answered.

The door finally opened and Miss Townsend motioned him inside. “Please, come in, Sheriff.”

He stepped across the threshold and caught a whiff of her fragrance, soft and clean like soap. Damn, if she didn’t remind him the past year had been a long and lonely one.

“You and the boy can stay for the night and I’ll come by in the morning to see about making other arrangements.”

“That’s not necessary, Sheriff. Ryan and I are planning to head west.”

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

She hesitated, then shook her head. “But I have a laptop and I can look for a job.”

“The B&B Café is looking for a part-time cook,” he blurted out.

She looked surprised at his volunteering the information.

He shrugged. “I only know that because I was in earlier for supper and Bill told me he and Betty needed to cut down their workload. They also run a catering business on the side. I know cooking for cowboys is different than cooking for a restaurant...”

“I am a chef, Sheriff.” She combed back her hair with long fingers. “I graduated from culinary school.”

“Then it shouldn’t be difficult to find employment.” He played with the hat in his hands. “If you do plan to stay and get a job maybe we can help you find a place to stay. There is the cottage out back. It’s a lot smaller, but there are two bedrooms.”

He saw the interest in her blue eyes.

“I’ll just need to talk to Trent.” His brother Austin was one of the owners, too, but wouldn’t care if he rented the place. “Not sure how the Donaldsons left it, but I’m sure it’s livable.”

“That’s very nice of you,” she told him. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“I understand. I should get back on patrol.” He didn’t move. Why did he hate leaving her alone? He could sense her fear and couldn’t help but wonder what was causing it.

“You and your brother are being very generous for letting us stay the night. I’ll make sure we clean up before we leave.”

“So you’re not staying in town?”

“Only if I get employment.”

He nodded. “Okay, if you want to try for that job, the B&B Café is just off Main Street on Aspen.”

She hugged her robe together. “Thank you again, Sheriff. I’ll think about my options. Of course, Ryan has to be my first consideration. I’ll let you know tomorrow.” She headed to the door, letting him know that he should leave.

He shouldn’t care, but he found he wanted to help. Why? Maybe it was because when he had trouble, there’d been few people who wanted to stand by him. Sometimes, it took a stranger to step up and give a person a hand.

He stopped at the door. “I’m new here, too, just a few weeks as the interim sheriff. Hidden Springs is a nice town.” What was he, the chamber of commerce? Then he realized what he said was true. Maybe he should take his own advice and give this place a chance.

Chapter Two

The next morning, Shelby packed their suitcases. No matter what happened today, they weren’t going to be staying in the farmhouse.

By ten o’clock, Ryan had been fed his usual bowl of Cheerios and they headed into town. Shelby parked her compact car off Main Street and eyed the storefront building, the B&B Café.

Should she go in and see about the job? She glanced in the backseat and saw Ryan busy with his picture album. He kept looking at his mother’s photo. She had no way to explain to the boy about the evil of some people. How they could take another life.

“Look, Ryan, we’re going to go inside so I can see about getting a job.”

“Mama worked. She worked at my school.”

“That’s right, sweetie. She was a teacher.”

“She was going to teach me, too.” He blinked really fast. “Now, she’s in heaven with Daddy.”

“Yes, she is, and he’s going to take care of her forever and ever.” Shelby had trouble holding back the tears. “So don’t worry about her.”

Shelby got out of the car, went to the backseat and helped Ryan out, too. They walked into the café, and she opened the glass door. Here goes. She released a breath, hoping to relax a little.

Inside, Shelby looked around and decided she liked the down-home atmosphere. Several gingham-checked-cloth-covered tables were situated on a black-and-white-tiled floor, and black leather padded booths ran along the wall under the windows. There were pictures of the area’s skiing and hiking trails, and many just of the beautiful Colorado scenery.

A slight woman about fifty-five came out of the back. She had short gray hair, warm brown eyes and a big smile. “I’m thinking you might be Shelby Townsend.” She smiled down at the boy. “You must be Ryan.”

Her nephew hid behind her. “Yes, I’m Shelby.” So the sheriff had been here.

“Welcome to town, I’m Bess Cummings. My husband, Bill, and I own this restaurant and the catering business next door.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cummings.”

“Please, call me Bess.”

Shelby nodded. “I’m told that you might possibly be looking for some help in the restaurant.”

“Could be. We’re overworked, especially when the wedding season begins in a month or so. It’s hard to run both sides of our business. Oh, pardon my manners.” She motioned to the end booth. “Please, go have a seat. Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

Bess looked at Ryan. “How about some pancakes with fruit? Some strawberries?”

The child’s eyes rounded and he looked at Shelby, and she nodded. “That would be nice.”

Bess went into the kitchen and returned with two mugs of coffee and a small glass of milk. “I hope this is okay.”

“Yes, thank you, milk is fine.”

She got Ryan situated with his photo book. “You picked a good time to come in with the breakfast crowd already gone.” The door opened and two customers walked in. “That always happens.”

A large gentleman came out of the back as two men sat down at the counter. He filled their coffee mugs, then took their orders. “That’s Bill. I’ll introduce you later.” She looked at her. “I hear you’re a chef.”

The sheriff again? “Yes, I graduated from culinary school in Louisville, Kentucky.” She pulled out her folded résumé from her purse. “Here are some of the places I worked.”

Bess read over the paper. “I’m impressed. A sous-chef, huh?”

“I just recently moved in to the position when I left town.”

“May I ask why you left the restaurant?”

How much should she say? “My sister and nephew were moving here, and they’re my only family so I decided to come with them.” She glanced at Ryan and lowered her voice. “My sister passed away unexpectedly. So now I’m Ryan’s only family.”

Bess’s hand touched her heart. “I am so sorry for your loss.” She looked at Ryan, showing her sorrow. “If there is anything I can do... Of course there is.” She looked over the résumé again. “How would you like to work for Bill and me? We’re not fancy, and we can’t offer you full time yet, but I am curious to see your ideas for our catering business. Our May and June is nearly booked with weddings, so maybe you can add some new items for our menu.”

“Really? You want me to help with catering?”

She nodded. “That’s when Bill and I really get overwhelmed, and we’re too old to run around like that. So if you don’t mind working at the restaurant and cooking hamburgers in between a few specialties...”

Wow, she was being offered a job. Did she dare take it? “Of course not. I mean, I can cook a hamburger.”

Bess smiled. “Good, because your help would be wonderful, especially with your skill level. I doubt we can pay you what you’re worth, but there are good tips working here, and especially in the catering. So if you can deal with that, you’re hired.”

“Sounds fine to me. Thank you, I’ll take the job.”

Bess grinned, then turned to her husband. “Bill, get over here and meet our new waitress.”

* * *

NEARLY TWO HOURS LATER, Shelby drove back to the ranch, excited she had accepted the job. A good one and she had to take it. Step one was taken care of with her getting the job. Now her biggest concern was Ryan. He’d had enough changes in his life already, so she couldn’t just drop him off for a stranger to watch him.

Georgia had been adamant about her son’s special care. She was an overprotective mother, but with good reason. Ryan had lost his father, Lieutenant Joshua Hughes, while he’d been deployed in Afghanistan three years ago. Ryan never really knew him. Now his mother was gone, too.

Since Georgia’s murder, Shelby didn’t know whom to trust. Her thoughts turned to Sheriff Brannigan. The law was supposed to help you, but she’d learned that wasn’t always the case.

She pulled into the driveway and saw the sheriff’s car along with the familiar oversize black truck parked around the side of the house.

“Aunt Shellie, who’s here?” Ryan said, with fear in his voice.

“It’s okay, Ryan. Looks like Sheriff Brannigan and Mr. Landry.”

So the family was here to make sure she was moved out. What was she going to do now? She needed to figure out a place to stay. Maybe a small apartment, but her money was limited until she got her first paycheck. It would take everything she had to get together the first and last months’ rent, and she wasn’t sure if this job would work out here. Maybe she could find something that she could pay week to week. The savings Shelby had planned on, a lot had been spent on Georgia’s burial. So this job was all Shelby had.

She climbed out of the car, helped Ryan from his safety seat in back, then they walked the single step of the guesthouse porch. The door was open, and voices reached her before she saw anyone.

She hated to interrupt. “Hello, is anyone here?” she called out.

Soon a tall blonde woman appeared. “Hi, you must be Shelby.” Her green eyes sparkled when she smiled. “I’m Brooke, Trent’s wife.” She looked at Ryan. “And you’re Ryan. My niece, Addy, is about your age.”

The boy looked at his aunt and then smiled at the woman.

Shelby held out her hand and shook hers. “It’s nice to meet you, Brooke. I apologize for invading your house last night.”

“Not your fault.” Brooke waved her arm. “Trent talked with Jake Donaldson this morning, and he feels terrible about the mix-up. I hope the guys didn’t frighten you too much.”

After her dealings with Gil and his police buddies, the sheriff and Trent Landry were sweethearts. “No, they were very considerate about the situation.”

“Well, please come inside. The Donaldsons were great tenants, but still the house needs a good cleaning.”

“Wait. Are you saying you want to rent this place to me?”

Brooke paused. “That all depends. If you’re staying in Hidden Springs, and did you get the job at the café?”

She hesitated, then nodded to both.

“Then with your employment, I’m sure Trent and Cullen won’t have a problem renting to you.” Brooke gasped. “Of course, you want to see it first before you commit.”

Shelby looked around the small, but cozy, living area. There was a leather sofa, and a high-back chair with two end tables and lamps. An area rug covered the scarred hardwood floors. She was drawn to the brick fireplace, then followed Brooke down the hall to a retro bathroom with green and black tiles. The next stop was a small bedroom with a single bed and dresser.

“This could work for Ryan,” she suggested.

Brooke agreed. “Yes, he doesn’t need much room.” She looked at the boy. “Do you like it, Ryan?”

Her nephew nodded.

They went to the last bedroom, which was a little bigger and held a bare queen-size bed and a dresser. The windows were void of any curtains, but there were shades for privacy.

“If you add your own touches, it would really dress up the place.”

She would love to. Question was, could she afford this house? “It’s lovely, but I need to know what the rent is.”

“I guess we should ask the brothers that question.” Brooke smiled. “I love saying that they’re brothers. Trent and Cullen hadn’t been together in a long time. It’s time they were family again.”

* * *

WHEN CULLEN’S SHIFT ended he hadn’t been crazy about going back to his temporary residence at the motel. Instead, he’d stopped for breakfast and somehow he ended up talking with the Cummingses about Shelby Townsend, then called Trent and asked him about renting the guesthouse.

Trent told him it wasn’t a problem, but then Cullen would have to live in the main house. He wasn’t crazy about that, but it was temporary, like his job.

Damn. Why was he so gung ho on helping this woman?

Two years ago, he wouldn’t have lifted a finger to help. So many things had changed, and his life would never be the same. To be on the safe side, he’d run Shelby Townsend’s name through the system and found she’d checked out. She was who she said she was. Not even a parking ticket.

Now he was here, cleaning. And if Shelby and Ryan moved in here, they were going to be neighbors.

“So Miss Townsend intrigues you,” Trent said as he paused from cleaning the upper cabinet.

“She doesn’t have anywhere to go,” he said. “It was Hank Donaldson who brought her here for a job. A job that doesn’t exist anymore.” He continued to toss out all the packaged food and spices in the cupboard that had been left behind. “We’ve never had a problem about knowing where we’d live.” He couldn’t imagine having to do it with a child.

“No. Uncle Sam took care of me for over a dozen years. And then Dad left me the Lucky Bar L.” Trent gave him a big smile. “And I finally found my home.”

Cullen had to admit he was a little envious of his stepbrother. “And that pretty wife of yours.”

“I think I heard my name.” A smiling Brooke walked into the kitchen, followed by Shelby and Ryan. He felt a sudden awareness as the woman glanced in his direction.

Trent was the first to speak. “Hey, there, Ryan.”

The boy’s eyes widened, but he stayed glued to his aunt’s side.

Cullen’s attention stayed on the pretty aunt. Today she was dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a pretty pink blouse with a long tan coat sweater.

“Hello, Shelby,” he finally greeted her.

“Hello, Sheriff,” she returned.

“I’m off duty, so call me Cullen.”

Trent chuckled. “Heck, he’s only been sheriff what, ten days? Call him Cullen all the time.”

That got a smile from her, and he wished he’d been the reason for it. “How about Sheriff Cullen?” she joked, and even Ryan laughed.

Cullen looked at the boy. “So you like that, huh, buddy?”

He was rewarded with a bigger grin and a nod. Why did that make his day?

He looked at Shelby. “Did you go to the café?”

She nodded. “Thank you for recommending me for the job.”

Trent shot him a look, but he ignored it. “I only told Bess that you might be in today.”

“Well, she hired me part-time for the restaurant now, then more hours for the catering side. They have several weddings booked starting next month.”

Cullen nodded. “That’s good.”

She didn’t look as happy. “I’m worried about Ryan. We’re in a new area and I need someone reliable to watch him. When we planned to work the roundups, he would stay with us.”

Brooke spoke up. “I have a few names we use for our son, Chris. There’s also St. Francis’s preschool. My niece went there last year. I’ll get my phone and give you all the info. So does that help you make the decision about staying?”

Shelby nodded, but she was pretty sure she couldn’t afford to live here. “I guess that depends on the rent for the cottage.”

Trent looked at Cullen, then his brother said, “Why don’t we go a hundred a week until you see if everything works out with the job?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Oh, no. I can’t accept that. That’s...too generous.”

Trent raised a hand. “This was our mother’s ranch.” His voice grew husky. “I have no doubt she’d offer you the same arrangement. Sometimes we all need some help to get started.”

Brooke stepped in, and slipped her arm around her husband’s waist, then said, “How about we give you a trial period, then increase the rent then?” She looked at Cullen. “Do you both agree to that? A trial period then if Shelby wants to stay you’ll raise the rent.”

Cullen looked at the pretty brunette, suddenly hoping she’d take the agreement and stay around.

* * *

THAT AFTERNOON, SHELBY had their meager belongings moved over to the cottage. With the brothers giving her a cut in rent, she agreed to take the place only if she’d be the one to finish cleaning it.

She looked around and saw the beauty of the place. Okay, it was small, but the brick fireplace and the hardwood floors, scarred or not, gave it character. She’d mostly lived in apartments, with roommates, but after finishing culinary school, she’d hoped to finally put down some roots. Could Hidden Springs be that place?

She could see the brothers both wanted to help her, but she didn’t want to be beholden to anyone. Most of her life, she and her older sister had been in the foster care system. A lot of those years she’d lost touch with Georgia. They’d found each other only about a year ago when she’d learned about the hell her sister had been going through with Gil Bryant. Shelby had seen firsthand what Georgia’s ex-boyfriend could do when angered. She’d shown up one day and found Georgia beaten and bruised, but her sister refused to go to the ER.

Since Gil was a cop in the small Southern town, his fellow officers protected their brother. Even after Georgia broke up with him, he still got away with coming into her apartment and terrorizing her. He swore that she could never leave him.

Not having the option to call for any protection, Georgia had no choice but to take her son and disappear, and Shelby was going with them. They’d planned to leave Kentucky and come to Colorado to work on a ranch.

Then came the day they were to leave town. At five o’clock, Shelby had her car packed with all their possessions. She picked Ryan up at preschool, then drove to the designated meeting spot at the strip mall. When nightfall came and Georgia hadn’t shown up, Shelby got worried, and knew in her gut something had gone wrong.

After dropping Ryan off at the babysitter, she drove to the house, but a block away she saw the police car and flashing lights, then the coroner’s vans. Panic took over and she jumped out of the car and ran to the house, but it was too late. Gil had gotten to Georgia. He’d killed her. There wasn’t any proof that he’d been the one who shot her. Of course he had an alibi. Several of his fellow officers backed him up.

She’d never trust a cop again.

She swiped at a tear. That was when she heard her name. She swung around to find Cullen Brannigan. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a henley shirt. She couldn’t help but look over the expansive chest, then realizing what she was doing, she looked at his somber face.

“Oh, Cullen.” She went to the opened door. “Is something wrong?”

He shook his head, but held out the two big bags in his hand. “Brooke sent me over with some cleaning supplies. She was at the store and realized there weren’t any left here.”

She started to take the bags, but he shook his head. So she motioned him inside and led him into the kitchen. He followed her into the room lined with older white cabinets and butcher-block counters. The floor was worn but went with the rest of the house. She had boxes of pots and pans and her seasoning and spices on the table. And her extravagance had been her specialty knives.

“Thank you. This will help a lot. Once I get the kitchen organized and unpack my things, I was planning to go pick up some food, too.” She was excited that she would have an adequate kitchen to work in.

Their eyes connected, and there was a tightening in her chest that quickly spread through her body. She glanced away.

“I believe there’s shelf paper in there, so you can put away all your things.”

“It’s crazy, but the kitchen is important to me.”

He nodded. “Well, I’d hold off awhile on making too much food,” he suggested. “I have a feeling Brooke and Laurel will be bringing some food dishes by later.”

“Oh, they don’t need to do that.”

Cullen crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Sorry, there’s no stopping them. You may be a professional chef, but you’ll be getting some pretty tasty food.” He leaned forward. “Laurel’s mother is quite the baker, too. Her oatmeal cookies are out of this world.”

She nodded. “Sounds like you’ve sampled a few.”

“Of course. Luckily, since I’ve been here I’ve managed to work off the extra pounds by lifting hay bales for Trent.”

“So you don’t do any ranching like your brother?”

He shook his head. “I lived in Denver until this job came up. I really haven’t thought much about what to do with my share of this land. Trent likes that I’m here, and will probably talk me into getting some animals.” He looked out the window that faced the big empty barn. “I wouldn’t mind getting a horse or two.” He wasn’t sure right now. “I want to concentrate on my job and settle in.” He knew that since he was part owner of this property, Trent would encourage him to stay permanently.

Before she could ask, he said, “Trent’s mother was married to my father. She died suddenly last month.”

Shelby caught the sadness in his voice. “I’m sorry. She must have really loved you boys to leave you all this.”

He nodded. “It’s one of the reasons I took the interim sheriff job. Sheriff Ted Carson had a heart attack.”

“Oh, I hope he’s okay.”

“From what I hear, he’s doing fine, but he has to recover from his surgery.”

“So what are you planning to do after that?”

He shook his head. “Seems we’re in the same predicament, Shelby Townsend. I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the future.”

Chapter Three

The next evening after the sun had gone down, Cullen stood at his kitchen window looking toward the cottage. After Trent’s strong urging, he’d officially moved in to the ranch house. Now his attention was focused on the other tenants living about a hundred yards away from his back door. Bright lights illuminated the small structure, and with the lack of curtains, he could easily see inside.

Shelby Townsend was busy at the stove, maybe cooking one of her specialties. Her rich mahogany hair was pulled up into a big clip, but some wild curls found their way out. She had on an oversize T-shirt and a pair of jeans covering her trim figure.

He quickly shook away his wayward thoughts and turned his attention to the table, where the boy sat, going through his photo book. Shelby said something to the child that caused them both to laugh. A soft lyrical sound seemed to vibrate through his chest, causing that familiar ache, reminding him of his solitary life.

He turned away, knowing that Miss Townsend could be a distraction if he let her. He thought back to when his shift had ended this morning, and how he had to fight from stopping by the café. Even after one of the deputies came into work all chatty about the pretty brunette Bess had hired, he’d driven home. Well, back to the motel, but just long enough to pack up his things and finally move in to the ranch house. He didn’t want the new tenants to be out here all alone.

Something else nagged at him, causing him to want to know more about the attractive, blue-eyed woman who’d moved twelve hundred miles from her home for a temporary job. The cop in him was suspicious of her motives, especially after the recent death of her sister. So many questions.

The microwave buzzer went off, pulling him back to reality. He realized he’d been standing there in the dark looking into other people’s lives.

Hell, he was one pathetic guy who didn’t have a life. He turned away and took the casserole out of the microwave. Once the word of his move had circulated through the Hidden Springs family, the contributions poured in, starting with sheets and towels. Mysteriously, his refrigerator had been stocked with food staples; butter, eggs, bacon and milk. Brooke had added a chicken casserole, and she’d also taken some to Shelby and Ryan at the cottage.

Cullen walked over and flipped on the overhead light, then reached in the drawer and found a fork, then poured a glass of milk and sat down at the large table.

He wasn’t sure if he was ready to make a home here in this small town, not beyond the next few months of his interim job anyway. He wasn’t the down-home type of guy.

Ever since he’d been a little boy, he wanted to be a cop like his dad. He’d idolized Neal Brannigan, the highly decorated, by-the-book cop.

And it had been Cullen’s goal to follow after him.

Since the day he’d entered the police academy, he’d been dedicated to his job, a job that he had learned would cost him relationships and friends.

He’d worked his way up the ranks from patrol officer and earned detective, then went into a special department for white-collar crimes. He found he liked it, and best of all, he was good at going after cybercriminals. Then he messed with the wrong people, and he got too close to breaking up an illegal credit card ring.

The next thing he knew he’d been arrested for taking bribes. They found large deposits in his bank account, all the evidence he’d compiled on the ring had disappeared and Internal Affairs came in to investigate. He’d been humiliated, but the worst part, he didn’t get any support from his own father. Captain Neal Brannigan said he had to stay neutral. Cullen knew his father had always been a hard-ass, but he never thought the man would desert his own son.

It had taken nearly a year, and a chunk of his savings, before he was cleared of all the charges, and reinstated in the department. The question was, did he want to go back? How could he trust his fellow officers, if they didn’t have his back? Maybe that was the reason he didn’t trust many people.

Cullen took a last bite of food, then carried his plate to the sink, his thoughts still on his new neighbor. Even though he found nothing about Shelby Townsend, he also searched the national database for information on her sister, Georgia Hughes. Only a month ago Mrs. Hughes was murdered in her home.

He glanced at the cottage again. It seemed that Miss Townsend had withheld a lot of information the other night. Not that she’d been involved in any criminal activities, but the cop in him sure was curious.

There was a soft knock on the back door and he wondered if it could be Trent. He walked through the kitchen and flipped on the light in the mudroom to find Shelby and Ryan standing on the stoop.

He opened the door, but before he could speak, Shelby spoke, “Good evening, Sheriff.”

“Hello, Shelby. Ryan.”

“I don’t want to bother you. I only wanted to drop these off to say thank you for all your help.”

“Not a problem.” He took the covered plate. “What is this?”

“Cookies,” Ryan announced.

Cullen couldn’t help but smile. “Please come inside for a moment.”

Shelby shook her head. “We really can’t. I should get Ryan to bed.”

He found he didn’t want her to leave. “At least come in and tell me how work went today.” He was hoping to get more information about her sister. And he had four long hours of solitude before he left for his shift on patrol. “Or are you afraid I won’t like your cookies?”

She straightened. “Please, Sheriff. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s my baking skills.”

So he hit a sore spot. “Just for some coffee, and some milk for Ryan and share a cookie.”

“Okay, but not too long. I have the early shift tomorrow.”

“And I have the late shift tonight.” He allowed them in ahead of him. He inhaled her soft womanly scent. Whoa, she was intoxicating.

In the kitchen, he watched as Shelby looked around.

“The place is pretty big, isn’t it?” he said.

“Yes, it is. I didn’t get a chance to see everything when we arrived. I love all the character.” She ran her hand over the tiled counters. The cabinets had been painted white, and the floors were the same hardwood that ran throughout the house. She went to the older stove.

“Lucky you. This is an O’Keefe & Merritt stove.” She ran her hand reverently over the chrome handles and white porcelain top. “I know the newer models are more efficient, but I love this. Reminds me of the one at my grandmother Ivy’s house.”

Good opening for some info. “Does she still live there...in Kentucky?”

She shook her head. “There isn’t anyone else left, just Ryan and me.”

He caught the sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry. Please, have a seat,” he said, but Ryan had wandered through the dining room to the living area. He stood staring at the big screen over the fireplace. The only thing Cullen had gotten done since yesterday had been to mount his television.

“Hey, Ryan, would you like to watch a movie?”

The boy looked at his aunt and said, “Thomas the Tank Engine, please.”

“You just said the magic words. We don’t have a television right now.” She looked at her nephew. “Maybe next time, sweetie. We can’t stay long tonight, remember?” The child didn’t argue. He just climbed up on the chair at the table.

Cullen walked to the coffeemaker, took down two mugs from above and poured them both a cup. “Cream or sugar?” he asked. “Whoa, I’m not sure if I have any sugar. I do have milk, though.”

“Black is fine,” she said.

“How did your first day at the café go?”

She smiled. “Good. Bill and Bess are sweethearts to work for. Bess even let Ryan stay at the restaurant. She made a place in a corner of the kitchen away from the work areas. A little table where he could color and play on his tablet.” She shrugged. “It’s temporary. I’m looking into some day care, but this week he can stay with me.”

“That’s great.” Cullen brought the full mugs to the table as she removed the foil from the plate of cookies. Oatmeal. He got a glass and filled it half-full with milk for Ryan and set it down in front of him. He took the chair across from the pair.

Shelby felt nervous being here with Cullen. She was attracted to this man, and that wasn’t something she needed to be thinking about, or giving him any ideas about being available. There was no time, or room, in her life for a man. Too bad.

She took a sip of the rich brew with a touch of almond favor. “This is good. The only problem might be I’m up all night.”

Cullen nodded. “And I need it to stay awake for my shift.”

“Why is the sheriff working the night shift? Aren’t you the boss?”

“The interim sheriff, and I’m the new guy here. I’m trying to get to know the area.” He took a drink of his coffee. “I should be used to pulling an all-nighter, but my body tells me differently.”

She couldn’t help but watch the man. Just his good looks drew her, but it was more. He had a way of making her aware of herself as a woman, maybe too aware. Working in a male-dominated field, she had to become one of the guys to survive in her profession.

His gaze met hers. The hazel color was almost green...his mouth was tempting. He didn’t make her feel like one of the guys.

She glanced down at the plate. “You haven’t tried my cookies.” She handed one to Ryan.

Never taking his eyes off her, Cullen reached for one and took a bite. She watched him chew, waiting for his praise. It didn’t take long.

An approving rumble erupted from deep in his chest, then he smiled. “You weren’t lying, Miss Townsend. This is great. What’s your secret?”

She shook her head. “I can’t divulge that. Maybe one day I’ll want to open my own shop and become a millionaire.”

“The million-dollar cookie. Has a nice ring to it.” He quickly finished one, then reached for another. “Are you going to take over the baking for Bess?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure. I made a sampler plate of things to take into work tomorrow.”

“A sampler plate? Why did I only get to test oatmeal?”

She hid a smile. “Because that was the one kind you talked about.”

“So if I put in my order now, will you bring me, say, chocolate chip, maybe sugar, or peanut butter?”

Was he flirting with her? Darn, it had been so long she couldn’t even tell. “We’ll see.”

He leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m glad you brought these by tonight. I wanted to stop at the cottage to see if you’re doing okay, but didn’t want you to feel I was checking up on you and Ryan.”

Tempting as this man was, she had to ignore the little flutters of excitement. “Thank you for allowing us the privacy.”

“I want you to know that you’re safe here.”

She nodded, feeling her breath locked in her lungs as she recalled the terror of the past few weeks. Would she ever feel safe again? “Why wouldn’t I be safe out here?”

“You were all alone on a ranch, but I’m here now.”

That still didn’t help with her trust issues. Cullen Brannigan made her nervous, not in a fearful way, but in a way that could be just as dangerous.

* * *

ABOUT ELEVEN THIRTY, Cullen was dressed for work. He took his sidearm out of the lockbox he’d decided to keep on the high shelf in the hall closet. He slipped the Glock into his holster, snapped the leather strap over it and adjusted his utility belt. He wore a pair of dark blue trousers, and his light blue uniform shirt with his sheriff’s badge pinned over the pocket. As a detective, he carried only cuffs and his sidearm. He wasn’t used to all this bulk. Since he’d be inside the station tonight, he didn’t put on his Kevlar vest.

He grabbed his travel mug filled with coffee for his twenty-minute drive into town. He reached for his gray cowboy hat off the hook, then he turned the lock before closing the back door. He started for his patrol car when he heard the child’s scream.

What the hell? He froze in alert, then glanced at the cottage to see the place was dark, except for the porch light. He listened and then heard another frantic cry. That had to be Ryan.

He set his coffee on the hood of the car and hurried toward the cottage, but he passed the porch and went around the side to Ryan’s bedroom. He found the window untouched. No sign of any break-in.

Then he heard Shelby’s voice. “It’s okay, Ryan. I’m here, and no one will hurt you.”

Cullen glanced in the window and saw her seated on the bed, holding the child. He moved away, but listened, telling himself it was to make sure they were both okay.

“He hurt Mommy. He’s gonna get us,” the child cried. “I want my mommy.”

Shelby hugged Ryan as tight as she could, but even her secure hold didn’t stop the child’s trembling. She cursed Gil Bryant. He might never have put a hand on Ryan, but he had to watch as the bastard hit his mother.

“I know you do, sweetheart, but we talked about this. Your mother is in heaven. She’s safe with your dad.”

“I want to go, too.”

“Oh, Ryan.” She blinked back tears. “I would miss you so much.”

Suddenly a loud knock sounded on the front door. Ryan gasped.

“Shelby. It’s Cullen. Are you okay?”

She sighed in relief. “It’s Cullen.” She lifted the boy from the bed. “We better go answer the door.” She carried the child with her, knowing she couldn’t leave him alone in the bedroom.

She checked through the peephole to see the man dressed in uniform. “Oh, boy.” She opened the door to the sheriff. He removed his hat as he stepped inside.

“Is everything all right?”

With her nod, he turned his attention to Ryan. “I heard you scream, son. Did you have a bad dream?”

Shelby was surprised when Ryan nodded against her shoulder. “Sorry he disturbed you,” she said.

Cullen put on a smile. “He didn’t, I was headed into work. Since there’s no one around for miles, I wanted to make sure everyone here was all right.”

His empathy drew her. “Thank you, Sheriff.”

He nodded, then glanced back at the boy. “Hey, Ryan, did you know that part of my job is to check under beds and in closets? If you want, I can check yours.”

Ryan raised his head, looked at her, then nodded.

“Okay, I’ll go and make sure it’s all clear.” He winked at Shelby, then took off down the hall to the first bedroom. The light went on, then a few seconds later, she heard, “The closet is clear.” A few more seconds, “Under the bed is clear, too.”

Sheriff Brannigan walked out and toward them. “I checked everything, including shutting and locking the windows. It’s safe to go back to sleep.”

Shelby looked at Ryan. “I think it’s time you go back to bed, okay?”

The boy nodded and Shelby carried him down the hall and into the bedroom. She handed her nephew the iPad and let him look at a movie. She probably shouldn’t spoil him, but they both needed some sleep.

She kissed him on his head, then walked out but didn’t close the door. She came back into the living room and joined Cullen. “Thank you, Sheriff. What you did was very nice.”

He shook his head. “I’m glad I could help, and I thought you were going to call me Cullen.”

She glanced over him decked out in his uniform. “Dressed like that, it’s hard not to call you Sheriff.” Surprisingly, the uniform hadn’t scared Ryan.

“I’m still getting used to the title and the uniform.”

He studied her for a moment.

She was suddenly aware of her thin pajamas. She crossed her arms over her chest, but didn’t hide much. That was the least of her troubles. She had more important things to hide from this man.

“Does Ryan have a lot of nightmares?”

She shrugged. “It’s a new place. He has trouble with change. That’s an issue with kids on the...spectrum.” She wasn’t about to go into Ryan’s medical disorder at this time. “We’re dealing.”

“Since I’m your only neighbor, is there anything I should know about his...condition?”

“Since he’s usually with me, I don’t believe so. He’s just recently lost his mother, and he’s dealing with a lot for a little boy.”

“That’s got to be rough on him and on you.” He looked at her another moment, then checked his watch. “I need to get to work.” He took a card out of his pocket, along with a pen, then jotted something down. “Here is the number of the sheriff’s office, and also there’s my cell number.”

“I don’t need to call you. Ryan just had a bad dream.”

“Whatever you call it, I’m here and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe.” He turned and walked out, leaving her wanting to run after him and take what he was offering her.

“Thank you, Cullen,” she whispered into the darkness. If only she could trust him enough to share her secrets. But the stakes were too high.

Chapter Four

The next morning the sun was shining bright when Cullen walked out of his office at the station. He greeted the day shift, deputies Tory Michaels, Brad Rogers and Sheila Brown.

“If you need me, call. For anything,” he told his second in command, Lieutenant Rogers, then he walked by the dispatcher, Connie Lara, at her workstation.

The midfifties woman truly ran the place, and he appreciated her efficiency. He was sure Ted Carson was resting easy knowing his sister was keeping an eye open.

“Have a good day, Sheriff,” she called.

“You, too, Connie. I’m going home to sleep.” He walked through the glass doors and got into his truck, but instead of heading to the ranch, he drove across Main Street and parked in front of the B&B Café.

“So shoot me, I’m hungry,” he murmured as he got out and went inside the cozy diner. He glanced around the place crowded with customers. It was after eight o’clock. He guessed these people didn’t have to work for a living. There was a lone vacant spot at the counter, and he grabbed it. Bill Cummings walked by with an empty mug, set it on the counter and filled it.

“Thanks, Bill. Are you running a special this morning?” he asked.

The café owner nodded. “You bet. It’s Shelby’s French toast, her eggs Benedict, and her biscuits and gravy.” He reached for a basket. “Here, try one of her apple spice muffins. You don’t even need butter.”

Cullen grabbed one. It was still warm. He took a bite, and his taste buds went crazy.

The sixty-something café owner leaned against the counter. “Bess and I haven’t even started tapping into her other talents.”

“Well, it looks like she’s caused a boom in your business.”

Bill grinned. “Yeah, and I might have to hire another waitress.”

“I’ll have the French toast and a side of bacon with scrambled eggs.”

“Got it, Sheriff.”

Over the next ten minutes he drank his one cup of coffee, then switched to orange juice so he could sleep when he got home. Finally his platter of food arrived just as Shelby walked out of the kitchen with little Ryan in tow.

She was dressed in a white cook’s smock and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, making her blue eyes look even bigger. Her face was clean of makeup with just a little lip gloss on her mouth. Even with his lack of sleep, he felt the jolt of awareness.

She walked around to his side of the counter. The café was clearing out. “Morning, Sheriff.”

“Morning to you, too. Hi, Ryan.”

The boy smiled.

“Join me?” He reached down and lifted Ryan to the vacant stool beside him. The child was carrying his prize picture book.

“Hi, Sheriff Cullen.”

That made Cullen grin. “So, no more monsters?”

The blond-haired boy shook his head. “All gone.”

“Good. I’ll chase them away any time you want. Okay?”

The boy nodded. “Okay.”

Shelby sat beside her nephew. “So how was your breakfast?”

“You know how it was. Delicious. Another secret recipe?”

She nodded. “My grandmother’s. She taught me more than any culinary school.”

He watched the sadness play over her pretty features. He wanted to reach out and comfort her.

“I bet she’d be proud that you learned your craft so well.”

Shelby looked at him. “I hope so. She was the best part of my childhood. She took me in when no one...” Shelby stopped and glanced at the busy kitchen. “I need to get back to work.”

She started to help Ryan down, but the boy resisted. “Want to stay with the sheriff.”

Shelby opened her mouth, but Cullen stepped in. “He can sit here awhile until I finish.”

She didn’t look too certain. “Trust me, Shelby.”

She nodded then walked back to the kitchen, leaving him wondering what in her life caused her to be so distrusting. He took a sip of coffee. That was something he hoped he could change.

* * *

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Cullen finally got up from bed, showered and dressed to go downstairs. He looked at the living room. Sheets still covered the furniture, except for the sofa, where he could sit and watch television. Maybe it was time he got his things from storage. He combed his fingers through his short hair, thinking he needed coffee before he made any decisions about his future. He turned and walked through the dining room to the kitchen.

Once the coffee had been made and he took his first sip, he began to slowly feel human again. That was when he heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. He looked out the window to see Trent’s truck pulling a trailer and parking beside the barn.

“What the hell?”

He put down his mug and headed outside just as his stepbrother climbed out of the cab. “Good afternoon, Sheriff.”

Cullen nodded. “That depends on what’s inside the trailer.”

Trent put on a big smile. “Just a couple of old guys who need a place to retire. Well, one is a lady.” He walked to the back of the trailer, unpinned the gate and lowered it. Inside there were two horses.

“Whoa. Are they staying here?”

Trent paused and slipped his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, if you don’t have a problem. I don’t have any extra stalls at my place, and since this barn is empty, I thought I could board them here.”

Before Cullen could even figure out what was going on, Trent was slowly backing a golden-brown bay gelding down the ramp. At one time the horse must have been a beauty, and the good bloodlines showed in the equine.

Trent held on to the lead rope. “This is Dakota Dancer.” He gave the reins to Cullen and went to get the other horse, a little black mare, with white stocks and a star blaze on her forehead. “This is Sassy Girl.”

“So how long are they going to be staying here?”

“Not sure.” They walked toward the corral, opened the gate and released the horses.

“I know. I know. They’re older horses, but they’re still perfectly healthy. I mean, I wouldn’t suggest you take them on a hard ride, but I can’t allow them to be put down.”

Cullen didn’t like that idea, either. “So you’re opening a horse rescue here?”

Trent’s eyes lit up. “Hey, not a bad idea.”

Cullen didn’t like where this was heading. “And who’s going to be feeding these two and mucking out their stalls? From what I remember from childhood, when you feed animals, something comes out the other end that needs to be cleaned up.”

Trent laughed. “Well, I thought you could handle the feedings. Maybe I can hire a high school kid to keep the barn and stalls clean, or I can send one of my hands over.”

Cullen stood on the bottom railing and watched the two horses run around the corral. Although he couldn’t see any evidence, he had to ask, “Have these two been abused?”

Trent shook his head. “Not beaten, but likely neglected. Okay, they were abandoned and left on their own.” He sighed. “The animal rescue couldn’t take them, and because of their age, they’d probably be put down.”

The black mare came over and nudged at Trent’s hand, looking for attention. He couldn’t resist and petted her. She blew out a loud breath and bobbed her head. She was a sweetheart. Not to be left out, Dakota came over and wanted his turn.

“See what I mean?” Trent said. “We have room here, and the means for some feed.”

Cullen tried not to get attached, but these two made it difficult. “What happens when I leave here?”

Trent shrugged. “Let’s not worry about that now. We can set up a schedule for everyone to help out. I just need some stalls to protect them from the weather.” He turned to his brother. “So what do you think? Will you help out?”

“Hey, this was your mother’s place.”

Trent frowned. “She wanted you and Austin to have a part of this place, too.”

Leslie might have been his stepmother, but to Cullen she was a true mother. His biological mother had died when he and Austin were only ten. Leslie had worked tirelessly to make them a family again when she married their father and brought the brooding thirteen-year-old Trent into the household. It wasn’t instant love between the boys.

Cullen tried to hide his smile at the memories. “Okay, it’s not a bad idea. So could I ride Dancer?”

“You could, but if you want a good hard ride, I’ll bring over one of my saddle horses.”

He found he was excited about the idea. “We’ll see.”

A familiar compact pulled into the driveway. Shelby and Ryan were home. Cullen felt a little kick start around his heart. He was anxious to see how the boy would be around horses.

Once they were out of the car, he motioned for them to come over. Shelby took Ryan’s hand, and they started toward him. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her sexy walk in those formfitting jeans.

She reached them, and she looked first at Trent. “Hi, Trent.” Then she turned to him and smiled, and his gut tightened. “Hi, Sheriff.”

“Hello, you two.” He leaned down to the child. “Want to see who moved in today?”

The boy nodded and reached up so Cullen could lift him. He hoisted the boy up and put him on the railing of the wooden fence. He called to the horses, and soon they came to the railing. So they’d been trained well.

Cullen reached out his hand and stroked the horses. “This is Dakota and this is Sassy. They’d like you to pet them.”

The boy looked at Shelby to see her nod also. “Go ahead, Ryan.”

Cullen was a little surprised that Shelby wasn’t more protective. Then he got a bigger surprise when she came to the railing and greeted the horses herself.

“Here, like this, Ryan.” She rubbed her hand over Dancer’s face, and the gelding loved it. “He’s gentle,” she said. “Now, you rub Sassy.” She took the boy’s hand and ran it over the horse’s face.

Ryan giggled. “Tickles.”

“It’s a good tickle,” Shelby said.

With Ryan busy with the horses, she asked Cullen, “You’re boarding horses now?”

He nodded to his brother. “It’s more like Trent rescued them.” He shrugged, admitting he wasn’t the hero in this story. “And we have room here in the barn.”

She smiled, and Cullen felt the impact deep in his gut.

“Good job, Sheriff,” she said. “Come on, Ryan, I need to fix us some dinner.” She said goodbye to Trent, then started off toward the cottage, but stopped and looked back. “Sheriff, it’s only leftovers, but there’s plenty if you’d like to come by about six.”

Without waiting for an answer, she walked off.

“Whoa,” Trent said and slapped Cullen on the back. “Nice invitation, bro. You gonna go?”

“I shouldn’t.” Yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off her cute rear end. “I can’t get involved.” There were too many unanswered questions about Shelby Townsend.

Trent nodded. “I went through the same thing about two years ago with Brooke. Some of us just don’t trust easily. But hey, you’d be a fool not to take a second look at her.”

He thought back to the past year of his life. “It won’t be the first time I’ve been called that.”

* * *

AN HOUR LATER, Shelby was calling herself every kind of crazy. What had she been thinking? She had no business asking the sheriff to dinner. Her time here was temporary. She might need to move on just to keep Ryan safe. He was her first and only concern. She was the child’s only family, and Georgia trusted her to be his guardian.

The picture of her sweet new employers, Bess and Bill Cummings, came to mind. She knew she’d impressed them with her skills at the restaurant. She loved that the diner was filled up most of the day with customers wanting to eat her food. And she couldn’t wait to do her first wedding reception. A couple had a tasting in a few weeks, and Shelby wanted to come up with something special. If the truth be told, she didn’t want to leave here.

There was a knock on the door, and her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t have time to analyze the reaction, and went to answer the door. She stopped in the kitchen doorway to see that Ryan had let Cullen in.

The sheriff had crouched down to her nephew’s size. “Hey, buddy. It might be a good idea if you ask who is there before you open the door.”

The boy’s blue eyes widened with fear. “Because of monsters?”

“Just because there might be a stranger.”

The boy nodded. “Okay.”

“Good.” Cullen stood and looked across the room to Shelby. “Hi. I hope I’m not too early.”

“No, I’m just heating up the lasagna in the oven.”

He inhaled a long breath, causing his already-developed chest to expand more. “I thought I smelled something garlicky.”

“Probably the bread.” She motioned for him to follow her. “Come into the kitchen. I’m finishing up the salad.”

“Need help?” he asked.

Need help with what? He sure didn’t need any more help being sexy, or too handsome for his own good, or for being too nice to Ryan. He was guilty to all the above. She needed to keep her radar sharp, because this man made her forget all her instincts. Not good.

“I think everything’s just about ready.”

He stepped up to the small table. “Wow, this all looks pretty good for leftovers.” He looked down at the red-checkered tablecloth, and white plates set out with a wooden bowl filled with salad greens. Candles. Had she overdone it?

“I should have brought some wine.”

She shook her head. “Don’t you have to work tonight?”

“No, I’m off tonight. Of course, I’m on call. So you’re probably right, I shouldn’t drink. I don’t like to have any alcohol if I’m going to get behind the wheel.”

Not every law enforcement officer felt that way. She recalled seeing Gil drunk when he showed up at Georgia’s door. She shook away the bad memory.

“I’m glad. There are too many crazies out there already.”

He nodded in agreement. “Well, I’m hoping I don’t have to go any farther than from here to my bed next door.”

“Long week?”

“A long two weeks getting acquainted with the area and the way they do things here. These men love Sheriff Carson. I’m an interloper in their community.”

“You’re only doing your job.”

“Law enforcement is a special brotherhood. We take care of each other... Or most of them do.”

She knew all about the close connection. She slipped on pot holders and took the pan of lasagna from the oven, then set it on the hot plate on the table. She called for Ryan, then motioned for Cullen to sit down.

After a short blessing, Shelby picked up the plates and began dishing out helpings of the Italian dish. “Are the other deputies not cooperating with you?”

“No, but I’m the temporary new guy. They’re ready to tell me when I do something different from the sheriff.”

She enjoyed watching him eat so...enthusiastically. “How do you handle that?”

He tore off some bread. “I just let them tell me how things are normally done. Unless it sounds so off-the-wall I’ll go along with them, or I go ask Connie Lara, our dispatcher, and the sheriff’s sister.” He grinned and took a big bite and chewed. “This is great.”

“Thank you.”

“Another of Grandma’s recipes?”

She nodded. “What can I say? She was a good cook.”

Ryan picked up his fork, and said, “It’s my favorite.”

Cullen took another big bite, and groaned while he chewed his food, then said, “I’m thinking it’s mine, too.”

Ryan giggled.

Cullen winked at her nephew, and something melted around Shelby’s heart. She could get into trouble if she wasn’t careful. She had to stay alert and not fall into a false sense of security. Gil was out there. She didn’t doubt that he had the means to find her. Why? What did he want from her? Well, he wasn’t getting any more. He’d already stolen her sister.

Out of the blue, Ryan asked, “Can I ride your horse, Sheriff?”

Shelby started to answer, but Cullen was faster. “I’m not sure. The horses just moved in to their new home. They might be a little scared right now. So we better wait for a while so we can see how much they like little kids.” He looked at Shelby. “And your going riding is a decision your aunt has to make.”

They both looked at her. Great, now what should she do? Oh, Georgia, I wish you were here.

Chapter Five

After dinner, Shelby helped Ryan bathe and get ready for bed. Once he was tucked in, she kissed him and let him play on the tablet for his allotted twenty minutes. She closed the door, but stood in the hall, thinking about the good-looking man still in her kitchen. While doing dishes earlier he’d discovered a leaky faucet and offered to fix it.

She couldn’t just leave him alone in there. She walked back to find the man stretched out on his back under the sink, his Levi’s riding low on his narrow hips. He had removed his Western shirt so as not to get it dirty, and so he was working in his undershirt. When he reached up to turn something, the fabric rode up, revealing his flat stomach and a swirl of dark hair.

She closed her eyes, trying not to let this man affect her. It wasn’t working.

Suddenly there was a clang, then a chain of curse words. He lifted his head, then she heard the thud and more curse words.

She squatted down next to his prone body. “Cullen, are you okay?”

He slid out from under the sink, and sat up. His face was close to hers. Yet, she couldn’t seem to move away.

“Yeah, just bumped my head.” He rubbed the sore spot.

“Here, let me see it.” She leaned closer and began to look for blood on his crown. Dear Lord, the man smelled good, a mixture of soap and a hint of aftershave. Had he put on aftershave for her?

“So what’s the verdict? Did you find anything?”

“No, it looks okay, but I could get you some ice.” She was once again zoned in on his rich hazel eyes.

He finally broke the hold with a shake of his head. “I don’t need any ice, just another-size wrench. I’ll get it when I come by tomorrow to fix the pipe.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“As your landlord, I need to have everything in working order.”

She sat back on her heels. “Really, I’ve lived in a lot of places and a lot of things broke, but none of the landlords rushed to fix them.”

He didn’t hide his smile. Wow, another heart-stopper. She wasn’t going to survive this man living next door.

“I guess you’ve been living in the wrong places.”

“You can say that again.”

She stood up. She was entirely too close to this dangerous man. She saw that he was interested in her, too. No. Men were out of the question. She had Ryan to think about. So for now, Cullen Brannigan was off-limits.

“Look, what I mean is, just take your time to fix it. It’s not so bad that you have to spend your day off doing the repair.”

He stood and wiped his hands on a towel. “No, I’ll probably be spending it feeding and caring for my new boarders, Sassy and Dakota.”

She smiled. “They are beauties. I’d say you are pretty lucky to have them.”

“Yeah, it’s been a long time since I’ve had horses around. Do you ride?” he asked.

She nodded. “A long time ago on my grandmother’s farm. When she died they sold the place and the stock.”

“I take it you were too young to inherit the place.”

She glanced away. “Her brother, Harry, got it.” He gladly took possession of the property, but no thoughts of taking her grandkids.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

She looked up to see the concern on his face. “It’s okay, I was only twelve and it was a long time ago.”

“Did you spend a lot of time on the farm?”

“Georgia and I lived there with our Nonnie permanently.” She glanced away. “Our mother had died in a car accident.”

He folded the towel and set it aside. “So you went to live with your dad?”

“No, he couldn’t take us.” She didn’t want to talk about this. “Oh, my, look at the time. I need to go to work early in the morning. I won’t be home all day, but you’re welcome to come in and fix the faucet. If you really want to.”

He looked at her like he wanted to ask more, but nodded. “Sure.” He gathered up his tools and headed out of the kitchen. At the front door he stopped and said, “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.” He frowned. “I’m a little disappointed there weren’t any oatmeal raisin cookies.”

She couldn’t stop her grin. “I apologize. I was running late.”

Cullen smiled, too. “I’ll tell you what. If you bake me some of your famous cookies, I’ll let you ride Sassy.”

Excitement rushed through her. “You have tack for the horses?”

“Yes. They could use some cleaning, but there’re bridles, halters and saddles.” He raised a hand. “First, I want to try out the horses to see what their temperaments are.”

“From what I saw today, those horses are as gentle as lambs, and happy to have a home. Your brother must be a real softy for rescuing them.”

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