Hot Zone. Elle James
touched her fingers to her lips, her eyes glazed. “Why did you do that?”
His lips quirked upward. “I couldn’t think of a better way to make you shut up long enough to listen.”
Her glaze cleared and her brows met in the middle the second before her hand snapped out and connected with his face in a hard slap.
She raised her hand again, but he caught it before she could hit him again.
“There was another four-wheeler,” he said. “I was chasing him. He was a good fifty yards ahead of me when he reached the road. I would have caught him if I hadn’t stopped to render aid.” He forced her wrist down to her side. “Now, you can choose to believe me or not. But that’s what happened.”
Liv rubbed her wrist, her eyes narrowing. “That doesn’t explain why you were on my land.”
“I started out on government land, up in the hills, when I ran across the other man, planting explosives in a valley. I thought it might be a good idea to ask him why he was doing that.”
* * *
LIV’S BREATH CAUGHT in her throat. “Explosives?”
“Yes.”
“Why would someone plant explosives in the hills?” she asked.
“I suspect it has something to do with the oil pipeline cutting through that area.”
“But why come through my property?”
“I don’t know, but if you have livestock, your fence is down in two places. You should get someone to help you put it back up.”
She laughed, the sound seeming to border on hysteria. “That someone was just hauled off in an ambulance.”
His brows furrowed. “Don’t you have ranch hands?”
Liv’s red hair had come loose of its ponytail. She reached up to push it back from her face. “Only during roundup. It was just my father and our foreman managing a herd of about five hundred Brangus cows and twenty horses.”
“Then you might want to let your father know about the fences.”
Liv couldn’t stop the sudden burning in her eyes, nor could she speak past the instant tightening of her vocal cords. She had to swallow twice before she could answer. “That would be hard considering we buried him today.”
Hawkeye had been in the process of turning away. He froze, his shoulders stiffening. When he faced her again, he stared at her without any expression on his face.
The big man’s lack of emotion and the anger he stirred inside her helped Liv keep it together.
“Who else is with you on your ranch?” Hawkeye asked.
She squared her shoulders. “You’re looking at the sum total of ranch hands on the Stone Oak Ranch.”
His gaze raked over her from top to toe. “You’re serious?”
Lifting her chin, Liv faced him with all the bravado of a prizefighter. “I’m fully capable of mending fences and taking care of livestock. I learned to ride a horse before I learned to walk.”
“You’re alone.” His word wasn’t a question. It was more of a statement. “Have you been living in a cocoon, lady? Are you even aware of what’s been happening around your little community of Grizzly Pass?”
Raising her chin a little higher, Liv met the man’s stare. “I haven’t been home in the past nine months. My father didn’t let me know about any of this. I just got back into town when I was notified of his passing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to meet Jonah at the tavern in a few minutes.”
She pushed past him and thought that was the end of it.
A hand reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back around.
She raised a brow and stared down at Hawkeye’s big fingers. “Let go of me.”
“You’re not safe out on that ranch by yourself. A man with access to dynamite passed through your place.”
She had already come to the same conclusion, but knew she didn’t have a choice. The ranch couldn’t run itself and she’d be damned if she sold out to that greedy, bottom-dwelling Mr. Rausch. “I’m fine on my own. I learned to handle a gun almost as early as I learned to ride a horse. I’m not afraid of being alone.”
“You should be.” He sighed and released her arm. “Look, at least come with me to talk to my boss. He’ll want to hear what’s going on out your way.”
“Are you crazy?” She shook her head. “I don’t know you from Jack.”
He held out his hand again. “At the risk of repeating myself, my name’s Trace Walsh, but my friends call me—”
She waved away his hand. “Yeah, yeah. They call you Hawkeye.” With a shrug, she stared down Main Street toward the tavern. “Just who is your boss?”
“Kevin Garner, an agent for the Department of Homeland Security.”
Her curiosity captured, she returned her attention to Hawkeye. “Is that it? Is that why you were out in the mountains? You work for the DHS?”
Hawkeye shook his head. “Not hardly. I’m an army ranger on loan to the DHS. This is only temporary duty to help Garner and his team. He seems to think there’s enough activity going on in this area that he needed a hand.”
Liv didn’t say anything, just stared at the man with the crisp, black hair and incredibly blue eyes. Perhaps Hawkeye’s boss was onto something. Liv had never quite swallowed the idea that her father had fallen off his horse and died instantly. He was a good rider. No, he was the best, and had the rodeo buckles to prove it. The man had ridden broncos when he was younger and still broke wild horses. When he was on a horse, he wasn’t just on it—he was a part of it. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to talk to your boss.” She raised her finger. “But don’t ever try to kiss me again.”
Hawkeye raised his hands, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Those lips that had awakened a flood of unwanted desire inside Liv. For a stranger, no less. “Don’t worry. I like my women willing.”
“And quiet.”
“Not necessarily.” He winked. “Just quiet when they need to be.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t kiss me. I can do a lot more than slap.”
He rubbed the side of his cheek where the red imprint of her hand had just begun to fade. “I’ll remember that. Next time we kiss, you’ll have to initiate.”
“Good. Because that will never happen.” She planted her fists on her hips. “So where is your boss? I’d like to get this meeting over with. I have a ride to catch.”
“You’re in luck. His office is over the Blue Moose Tavern.” He flung his leg over the four-wheeler and jerked his head to the rear. “You’re welcome to ride with me.”
“No, thanks. I’ll walk.” Liv stepped onto the sidewalk and hurried toward the tavern.
The four-wheeler engine revved behind her. A moment later, Hawkeye pulled up beside her. “Sure you don’t want a ride?”
“I’m sure.”
He pressed his thumb to the throttle lever and the ATV sped up the street, disappearing around the back of the tavern.
Alone for the rest of the distance to the tavern, Liv had just enough time to think through all that had happened since she’d arrived home. For a moment her predicament threatened to overwhelm her.
Daddy, why did you have to go and die?
She fought to hold back the tears as she came abreast of the building she’d been aiming for.
Hawkeye rounded the corner and tilted his head.