Colorado Abduction - By Cassie Miles & Marie Ferrarella Page 0,52
you.”
“I’ll be okay,” he said. “Logan might have shot up my vehicle, but he’s not dumb enough to injure a fed.”
“Don’t underestimate Sam Logan,” she said. “He’s a lot dumber than you think.”
Chapter Seventeen
In spite of the uncomfortable bulletproof vest under her jacket, Carolyn was glad to take an active part in the investigation. Astride Elvis, she rode with Burke and the two deputies from the sheriff’s department. They headed west toward the burned-out structure of the old stable. The acrid stench of charred wood hung like a poisonous cloud in the crisp air.
This was the first time she’d seen the destruction up close, and she reined Elvis in to take a closer look. The one-story structure had been reduced to a grotesque skeleton with only parts of walls still standing and rubble where there had once been neat stalls. A scorched backhoe—an expensive piece of equipment—huddled at the far edge of the stable like the remains of a prehistoric beast.
The fire had been her motivation for coming home, and the sight troubled her. Was Lucas responsible for this needless destruction? He’d admitted to being first on the scene. He was the one who called in the alarm. But she couldn’t imagine him doing this, risking the livestock, risking a wildfire that could have spread across the grassland. They could have lost acres and acres. Lucas wouldn’t want that; he loved this ranch. Or did he?
She didn’t trust her own judgment anymore, not after seeing that list of enemies that Burke and his agents had compiled. Half the county seemed to hate the Carlisles.
Burke reined his big bay horse up beside her. She tore her gaze away from the ruins. Watching Burke was a welcome distraction. Despite the fact that he wore a Chicago Cubs cap instead of a Stetson, he looked comfortable in the saddle. Those summers he’d spent with his grandparents in rural Wisconsin had served him well. “You don’t ride too badly,” she said, “for a farmer.”
“Once you learn how, you never forget.”
But there seemed to be something else he’d entirely forgotten. He’d made no mention of their lovemaking. But then again, she hadn’t said anything, either. Should I tell him that he’s the best lover I’ve ever known? That last night was spectacular?
Though tempted to gush, she decided to play it cool. When she was younger, she’d had her share of meaningless sex and knew how it was supposed to work: no flowers, no phone calls in the morning, no sweet talk.
But last night was different. The depth of their passion wasn’t what she expected from a one-night stand. Making love with Burke left her craving more. She didn’t want last night to be the first and only time.
I should tell him. Instead, she nudged Elvis with her knees and moved forward. Skirting the edge of the forest, they came into sight of one of the main feeding pastures, about four miles from the ranch house. Contained by a barbed wire fence, over three hundred head of Black Angus milled from water troughs to feeding on the hay spread on the ground.
This was usually the last stop for these cattle before being herded to the slaughterhouse in Delta. Unlike non-organic ranches that crammed the cattle into feed lots and stuffed them with corn to fatten them up, this wide valley offered plenty of room to move around and graze.
Burke rode beside her. He pointed to a fat boulder near the south side of the field. “Interesting rock formation.”
“La Rana,” she said. “The frog. When I was a girl, I thought La Rana watched over the cattle at night and croaked really loud to chase away predators.”
“A protector frog. Nice.”
She regarded the herd with pride. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”
“Not the word that springs to mind when I think of a nine-hundred-pound steer.”
“Don’t you dare say fat.” She bristled. “These guys are so healthy.”
“When I think of beauty,” he said, “I think of you.”
Taken aback, she met his gaze. His dark brown eyes warmed her, melting her attempt to be cool. Without saying another word, he seemed to be telling her that last night had meant something more to him, too.
But they were busy people with full, active lives and tons of responsibility. She couldn’t possibly think of settling down. Still, the idea of sharing her hectic life with Burke held a certain appeal. She imagined coming home after work and finding him waiting with a glass of Chardonnay. What would it be like to go on an