Killer Cowboy (Cowboys of Holiday Ranch) Read online

  She was not only gorgeous, but she was also intelligent and feisty. She spoke exactly what was on her mind and he liked that about her. He just wanted to get to know her a little bit better. Surely there was no harm in that.

  He pulled up in front of the Bitterroot Café, where the parking lot was full, as it was on most evenings. The brash redheaded owner Daisy Martin greeted them as they walked in the door.

  “I’ve got a booth with your name on it unless you want to wait for a table,” she said.

  “A booth is just fine,” Dillon said, and Cassie nodded in agreement.

  As Daisy led them to an empty yellow vinyl booth, several people greeted them both. Once they were seated and waiting for a waitress Dillon smiled at her. “You know by tomorrow we’ll be the talk of the town.”

  She returned his smile and picked up the menu. “Living on the Holiday ranch I’m used to being gossiped about. But I’ve never heard any gossip about you so this is going to be a first.”

  “Oh, not a first,” he protested. “Several years ago there was enough gossip going on about me to last a lifetime, but that’s a story for another time.”

  She cast him a curious gaze and then looked down at her menu. He hadn’t meant to be cryptic, but talking about Stacy’s blindside of him wasn’t something he wanted to do in public over a casual dinner.

  Julia Hatfield appeared at their table with glasses of ice water and her order pad. “Cassie, nice to see you,” she said. “And, Chief Bowie, it’s always a pleasure to see you. Now, what can I get you both?”

  “I’d like the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes,” Cassie said and closed her menu.

  “Pot roast for me.” Dillon didn’t have to study the menu since he ate here practically every night.

  “What about to drink?” Julia asked. Cassie ordered a sweet tea and Dillon ordered a soda. “I just want to let you know you might want to save room for dessert. Daisy made a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry drizzle and it’s getting rave reviews.”

  “Hmm, sounds good,” Cassie agreed.

  “I’m still a loyal fan of Daisy’s apple pie,” he replied.

  “She does make a mean apple pie,” Julia agreed.

  “I’d rather have apple pie for dessert than anything else,” Dillon said.

  Julia smiled. “I’ll see that you get an extra big piece tonight.” She took their menus and then left the booth.

  Dillon leaned back and studied the woman across from him. Cassie Peterson wasn’t classically beautiful, but with her short, curly blond hair and sparkling blue eyes she was cute as a bug. Her nose was slightly upturned and her lips were perfect cupid bows.

  “You do know you’re staring at me,” she said.

  “Sorry, I was just thinking it’s nice to see a smile on your face. Too often in the past I’ve seen you upset.”

  “The same goes for you. I usually see you looking all stern and businesslike. But I don’t want to talk about anything negative this evening. I just want to enjoy a nice meal in good company.”

  “Amen,” he replied.

  Their drinks arrived, followed quickly by their meals. As they ate they talked about a variety of topics. She loved old rock-and-roll music and he preferred country. She enjoyed movies that were comedies and he liked action flicks.

  They argued good-naturedly about the merits of owning a dog versus having a cat, about hot chocolate or hot cider in the winter, and by that time they were finished with the meal and had received their desserts and coffee.

  “Hmm, this is yummy,” she said after taking a bite of her chocolate cake. “And this has been so nice. Thank you for inviting me, Dillon.”

  “It has been nice,” he agreed. “You’re easy to be with, Cassie.”

  “What did you expect?”

  “I don’t know, maybe that you’d be angry with me for believing one of your men is guilty.”

  She smiled, the gesture lightening her eyes, making him want to fall into the beautiful depths. “We can agree to disagree on that issue and many others. That doesn’t mean I’m going to be bitchy with you.”

  “Are you ever bitchy?” he asked humorously.

  She laughed. “Definitely when I first wake up. I’m not much of a morning person until I’ve had my coffee.”

  “I’ll have to remember that.” Now why had he said that? As if he anticipated spending an early morning with her.

  He gazed toward the door and his stomach tightened as he saw Lloyd Green, Zeke Osmond and Ace Sanders walk in. They were all Humes’s men.

  “Brace yourself, here comes trouble,” he said softly to Cassie just before the men reached their booth.

  “Well, well, don’t you two look all cozy,” Lloyd said as he hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and rocked back on his heels. Behind him Zeke and Ace snickered.

  “Evening, boys,” Dillon said evenly.

  “Don’t you look lovely, Cassie,” Lloyd said and then looked back at Dillon. “I’ve got to say, I’m surprised to see you here with her.”

  “Why would you be surprised?” Dillon asked.

  “I didn’t know you still had a nose for that city stuff,” Lloyd replied. “I’d a thought you learned your lesson with Stacy.”

  Every muscle in Dillon’s body tensed. “And I’d a thought you’d be smart enough not to bait the man who is investigating you and your friends for all kinds of crimes,” he replied.

  “And I’m not stuff, thank you very much,” Cassie replied with obvious irritation.

  “You’re hot stuff,” Zeke said with a leering grin.

  “You got that right,” Ace added and jabbed Zeke in the side with a snicker.

  “Lloyd, take your friends and get in a booth or get out,” Daisy’s voice rang out as she approached them. “Sorry, Chief,” she said as the three men headed to a booth in the back.

  “No problem, Daisy,” he replied.

  “Too bad you can’t arrest stupid,” she exclaimed as she shook her head and then returned to the counter by the front door.

  “I can’t believe that a town that produced so many wonderful people also produced them,” Cassie said drily.

  “I imagine every town has their share of bullies and troublemakers.” Dillon willed himself to relax, but he couldn’t get back the peaceful enjoyment he’d felt before Humes’s men had shown up and intruded.

  Minutes later they were in his truck, his headlights piercing through the darkness as they headed back to her place. “I’m so full I should sleep like a baby tonight,” she said.

  “Me, too. I could have done without the apple pie but I always like a little sweet at the end of a meal.”

  What he’d really like would be to end the night with the sweetness of her lips on his. He’d been thinking about kissing her again throughout most of the evening.

  As they got closer to her place and she talked about some of the people who had been in the café, his stomach tightened with the desire to hold her in his arms.

  Don’t be a fool, a little voice whispered inside his head. Just don’t go there with her. The last thing he wanted was to make her believe he wanted a relationship with her when he didn’t. There was no reason to lead her on.

  Once they reached the ranch he parked by the back door and she got her keys out of her purse. “Thank you again, Dillon,” she said as they reached the door. “I’ve really enjoyed the evening.”

  The moonlight loved her features and his heart quickened its pace. He didn’t plan it, but before he knew it she was in his arms. As she raised her face he captured her lips with his.

  She tasted of dark chocolate, sweet raspberry and white-hot desire. Her body was invitingly warm against his when he pulled her closer.

  She curled into him as if wanting to be as close as possible. He stroked a hand through her springy soft hair and deepened the kiss.

  He finally tore his mouth from hers and peered down at her. “Was that just another mistake?” she asked as she raised a finger to her lower lip.

 
; “Probably,” he replied. “I’ve got to tell you, Cassie, there’s something about you that makes me want more, but I’m not looking for love right now in my life.”

  She tilted her head slightly, her gaze curious. “I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking for, either. But then what are we doing?”

  “I don’t know,” he confessed. “All I do know is I like spending time with you.”

  “And I like spending time with you,” she replied. “And I definitely like kissing you.” Her eyes shimmered in the moonlight as her words heated his blood once again.

  He dropped his arms to his sides and stepped back from her. “I think we’ve done enough kissing for one night. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Good night, Dillon, and thanks again.”

  “’Night, Cassie.”

  He waited until she’d unlocked her door and was safely inside and then he walked back to his truck and headed home, his thoughts working overtime.

  Was what he felt for Cassie strictly sexual? It was possible. It had certainly been a long time since he’d been with any woman. As chief of police he’d been wary of dating a woman from Bitterroot, knowing that his relationships would be scrutinized by the entire town. The last thing he’d wanted to do was tarnish his reputation by dating a series of women as he tried to find that special one.

  Still, he liked Cassie’s company. He enjoyed the sound of her laughter. Having left her only moments before, he already anticipated the time when he would see her again.

  He knew it was possible she’d eventually be lured back to the big city, so the one thing he absolutely would not do was give his heart to Cassie Peterson.

  Chapter 6

  Cassie practically danced into her house, her lips still holding the very hot imprint of his, and her body warmed by his embrace. The evening had been wonderful. Dillon had been more than wonderful. Everything she had learned about him had only made her want to know more.

  She headed up the stairs, her mind playing and replaying every minute of their time together. She’d always had the impression that he was stern and more than a bit unyielding, but tonight she’d discovered he had a terrific personality with a sense of humor that only increased her attraction to him.

  When she reached her bedroom she stripped off her clothes and got into a short pink nightgown and then padded into the adjoining bathroom to take off her makeup.

  During their dinner conversation Dillon had laughed often and his eyes had held a lightness she’d never seen there before. Definitely sexy, she thought.

  Minutes later she was in bed with an artist pad, a charcoal pencil in hand and Dillon’s handsome features burned into her brain.

  For the next half an hour she worked on the sketch, not stopping until she was satisfied she’d captured each and every bold line of his face. When she was finished she stared at the sketch. She’d managed to capture his strong jawline and his straight nose perfectly. Lines fanned out from the outer corners of his eyes, giving him character.

  She wasn’t sure she’d gotten his mouth just right. She’d worked on it for a long time in an attempt to capture the sensual curl of his smile, but it still needed a little more work.

  Tomorrow, she thought as she set the sketch on her nightstand and then got up and went into the bathroom once again, this time to wash her hands.

  By the time she returned to bed it was a little after ten o’clock. She turned off the lamp on the nightstand and then cuddled down beneath the covers.

  Dillon. She’d half wanted to grab him by the hand and bring him up to this bed. No man had ever stirred such a well of longing inside her before. She had no idea where their relationship was going. She wasn’t sure if it was smart to allow it to go anywhere. If she decided to sell the ranch and leave Bitterroot there was no way she would expect him to pull up roots and go with her. And a long-distance relationship would be ridiculous to try to maintain. Besides, he’d told her he wasn’t looking for love in his life.

  Still, with all these negatives playing in her mind, she couldn’t imagine not exploring whatever crazy emotions they were experiencing with each other.

  She thought of what Lloyd had said in the café. Who in the heck was Stacy? The question lingered in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

  She awoke with a jolt, her heart racing so fast she could scarcely catch her breath. She sat up and shot a glance at her clock. The illuminated numbers indicated it was just after one.

  What had awakened her? She didn’t remember having any kind of a dream. She held her breath and listened...and heard the faint pad of footsteps coming from downstairs.

  Her heart squeezed so tightly she couldn’t breathe. Somebody was inside the house! How had they gotten in? Oh, God, who was down there and what did they want?

  “Cassie.” The hoarse, sibilant whisper drifted up the stairs and raised goose bumps on her arms. A loud bang resounded, shaking the walls.

  Cassie stifled a scream. Oh, God, what was happening? The back of her throat closed up as she grabbed her cell phone, slid from the bed and frantically looked around. What should she do? Where could she hide? She definitely didn’t want to confront whoever was inside.

  The overstuffed closet. She quickly ducked inside and closed the closet doors. Another loud crash sounded. She whimpered and tried to burrow deeper behind the hanging clothing. What was going on? Who was in her house?

  With shaking fingers she dialed Dillon’s number, nearly sobbing when he answered on the first ring. “Somebody’s in the house,” she whispered into the phone.

  “Where are you?” His voice held urgency.

  “I’m in the closet in my bedroom. Hurry, Dillon, I think he’s coming up the stairs.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  She clicked off the phone, afraid that if Dillon said anything more the person coming up the stairs might hear his voice and know she was hiding in the closet.

  “Cassie.” The guttural voice was closer...so horrifyingly close. Don’t open the closet door. Please, don’t open the closet door. Once again something slammed into the wall and this time the crackling of Sheetrock filled the air. All the muscles in her body jumped in fear.

  Who was it and what was he doing? Oh, God, it sounded like he was destroying the entire house. What did he want from her? And what was he going to do to her when he opened the closet door and found her? And there was no doubt in her mind he would find her.

  She shoved her fist into her mouth to staunch her need to release a scream of utter terror. Tears washed down her face as she waited in the dark closet...anticipating something horrible happening.

  She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, like a child who believed if the bogeyman wasn’t seen, then he didn’t exist. But he did exist and he was coming closer... He might be here in the room with her at this very moment.

  The faint sound of a siren drifted to her.

  Dillon! Oh, God, hurry...hurry!

  The only sound she now heard was her own breathing. Rapid and frantic she gulped in air as her tears raced faster and faster down her cheeks. Did the silence mean the person was gone?

  Or was it a ruse and he was just waiting for her to step out of the closet? She remained curled up in the darkness for several long, terrifying, silent minutes.

  “Cassie? Cassie, are you in here?”

  The deep, familiar voice shuddered relief through her. “In here. Dillon, I’m in here,” she called. The closet doors slid open and she began to cry in deep, wrenching sobs.

  He reached behind all the hanging clothes and pulled her up and out. She plastered herself against him, only then allowing her terror to release in earnest. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, finding comfort in his familiar scent, in the strength of his arms surrounding her.

  “It’s okay, Cassie. You’re safe now,” he murmured softly as one of his hands slowly stroked up and down her back.

  Safe...thank goodness she was safe. She drew in several deep breaths in an attempt to steady herself. It was o
nly as she stepped away from him that she saw how dark and turbulent his eyes were.

  He led her to the bed and then pulled out his cell phone. “I’m just going to call and get Michael and Juan out here.” As he made the quick call she shivered and fought back a new burst of tears. Who had been in her house? Who had broken in in the middle of the night and what had they wanted from her?

  “Now, tell me exactly what happened,” he said when he was off the phone. He sat next to her and took one of her hands in his.

  “I was asleep and something woke me up.” She told him about the whisper of her name and then the loud noises she’d heard.

  “You didn’t recognize the voice?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I just know it was husky and creepy.” She shivered. “How did he get inside the house?”

  He gently squeezed her hand. “The window next to the back door was broken. Apparently, he broke it to reach in and unlock the door.” He released her hand and stood. “I’d like you to come downstairs and wait there until after my men are done in here.”

  “Okay, just let me grab my robe.” She wanted it not only to cover her for modesty’s sake because the officers would be here soon but also because she was icy cold and felt as if she would never be warm again. She walked to the closet and grabbed her soft, long pink robe and pulled it tightly around her.

  “Cassie...before we go downstairs I need to warn you that there’s some damage to the walls in the staircase.” Once again his eyes were dark and intense.

  “I’m not surprised. It sounded like he was hitting them with an ax.” She raised a hand to her lips as she held Dillon’s gaze. “Oh, God, was it an ax?” A new wave of horror swept through her as his mouth set in a grim slash.

  * * *

  The last thing Dillon wanted was for Cassie to see the simmering sense of horror that had been in him since he’d received her phone call. He’d driven like a bat out of hell to get here. His horror had only grown worse as he raced up the stairs and had seen the deep, gashing wounds in the walls.