Suspicions

Because she was looking at his eyes, she saw his control break away. Saw his pupils swell as the darkness swallowed the blue of his gaze. Then he was shoving her bra out of the way. His fingers curled over her breasts, stroked her nipples and a ragged gasp tore from her. Yes, yes, this was what she wanted.

No fear. No pity. Nothing but pleasure.

Mark.

Then his mouth was over her breast. “So pretty,” he whispered before his lips closed over her nipple. He sucked her, laving her with his tongue, and Ava nearly went crazy. Her hips bucked because the feelings coursing through her body were too strong. She needed him, wanted him. This moment had finally come, finally. She felt as if he’d been staying away from her since that kiss, and Ava had feared that she’d imagined his desire for her.

But I didn’t. He wants me just as badly as I want him.

There was no stopping. His hands were sliding down her stomach now, heading for her panties. There was—

An alarm shrieked, blaring through the house. Mark’s head whipped up. He stared at her for a moment and shook his head as if he were coming out of a fog. Then he bolted from the bed.

“Mark!”

“Stay here!” he said as he rushed for the door. “Something set off the alarm near the stables—I know that alarm!”

He was leaving her.

Her breath heaved out. White-hot passion one moment...fear the next. That would not be the story of her life. Ava jumped out of the bed. Her knees did tremble but she stiffened them up, and she grabbed for her clothes. One minute later, she was running out of that bedroom door and racing to keep up with Mark.

Because if she’d brought danger to Mark’s ranch, there was no way she was letting him face it alone.

Chapter Two (#ulink_da6fd3e8-d91e-54af-a04f-f41fe12966cb)

Mark rushed out of his house, his bare feet flying over the wooden porch. The alarm was still blaring up ahead, a security measure he’d put in after a psychotic SOB had torched his stables a few months back. The jerk had been trying to get at Brodie McGuire and Brodie’s girl, Jennifer, and the fire had been set to lure them both into a trap.

No one will use me again.

He could see some of his ranch hands already running toward the stables. There was no sign of a fire, but something had sure set off the alarm.

The whole ranch was wired with state-of-the-art security, courtesy, of course, of the McGuires. He’d been watching the security feed when he’d first seen Ava pull into his drive earlier that night. Ava already knew the code to get past his gate, and he’d watched her, stunned to see her back at his place. Especially since her brothers had told him to stay away from her.

“Ty!” He yelled for his foreman because he had just come from the back of the stables. “Are the animals all right?”

Ty Watts hurried toward him. “Looks clear, Boss.” Ty was close to Mark’s age, with dark hair and dark brown eyes. “I didn’t see anyone out back, and the men are in there with the horses now.”

But something had set off the alarm—something or someone.

“What the hell do you think...?” Ty began. Then he let out a low whistle. “Sorry. Didn’t realize company was here.” His gaze was directed over Mark’s shoulder.

Mark glanced back and saw Ava. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders. Under the lights that had flashed on with the security system, she appeared even more beautiful as the harsh glare lit up her body.

She was running toward Mark, clearly coming from the house.

In the middle of the night.

“Like that, is it?” Ty murmured.

Mark cut him a killing glare. “Yes,” he told him flatly. “It is.”

“What’s happening?” Ava asked, her voice husky as her breath heaved out. The woman even sounded like sin right then. He’d had her beneath him moments before. His hot dreams had been about to become reality, and then—

The alarm had been a cold shower. A hard wake-up that had stopped him from making a terrible mistake.

Would it have been a mistake? Or would it have been the start of an addiction I couldn’t end?

“Something set off the sensors at the rear of the stables, ma’am,” Ty told her, his Texas accent rolling beneath the words. “After the recent fire, Mark here didn’t want to take any chances with the horses’ safety. Those sensors go off if anyone gets too close during the night.”

A few more ranch hands came out. “Clear!” one of them shouted.

“Could have just been some animal checking out the place. Maybe a raccoon,” Ty said. “It could even have been a coyote.”

Ava was staring straight at Mark. “Do you have cameras set up back there?”

“No, not there,” he said. “Not yet, anyway. The cameras are all connected to the main house and to the main road that led to the ranch.”

“What if I led someone here?” Ava asked as she stepped closer to Mark. “What if I did this?”

“Nothing happened,” he told her flatly. “You didn’t do anything.” He nodded toward Ty. “Have the men search the grounds just in case. We don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

Ty nodded and turned away. A few seconds later, Mark heard Ty barking orders to his men. Mark wanted to go and join the search, too, but he needed to make sure Ava was safe. “I thought I told you stay inside,” he said as he leaned in toward her.

“I don’t always stay where I’m put.” Her voice held a distinct edge. “If there was a threat out here, I didn’t want you facing it alone.”

Ava...riding to his rescue. And some folks thought she was weak? Those folks didn’t know her at all. “I just wanted you safe.”

She stared up at him. “Are any of us ever really safe?”

With her past, yes, she’d wonder that.

“I want to help, and I don’t intend to help by hiding inside your house.” She straightened her shoulders. “If you’re searching, then I’m going with you.”

“Ava...”

“I...can’t wait in there alone.” Her voice was stark. “Don’t ask me to.”

He understood. He offered his hand to her. “Stay with me every step?”

Her smile flashed. “Of course. That’s how I keep you safe, right?”

She had a gorgeous smile. One that winked dimples on each side of her mouth. He hadn’t seen that smile of hers in a long time. He’d missed it.

The same way he’d missed her.

Ava put her hand in his.

* * *