Ride A Falling Star (The Callahans) Page 9

“A little,” she admitted.

  He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her. The embrace was intimate, as if they’d been lovers for a long time. His groin pushed against her rear end and she shivered again, but not from cold this time. His warm breath on her neck made her tingle. Her nipples hardened, but whether from the freezing temperature or Levi’s proximity, she wasn’t sure.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

  “No.” He pulled her closer, if that was possible. “But I’ll tell you anyway.”

  “You don’t have to,” she said.

  “When I was in college, I met a girl named Beth at a rodeo club meeting. We hit it off almost instantly even though she had a boyfriend. She broke up with him and he began stalking her. He left notes on her car, called her constantly. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Everywhere she went, he showed up. He caught her alone a couple of times and threatened her.”

  “Oh, Levi.” She wrapped her fingers around his arms.

  “I thought if I brought her here to the ranch she’d be safe. But somehow he tracked her here.”

  Ava drew in a harsh breath. How could he face that again? “I knew better than to come home with you.”

  “I want you here, so stop worrying about it.” He continued his story. “Remember I told you my father murdered a man, his team roping partner, over a bet they made at the local rodeo? The man he shot, Moe Browning, was the sheriff at the time. From that moment on the department harassed us, made life so miserable we were almost forced to move.”

  Ava looked at the mountain range that had stood for thousands of years and was reminded of Levi and his family. “But you didn’t run.”

  “No.” His voice was husky. “We didn’t.”

  “Surely the police let go of their grudge sooner or later,” she said.

  “They haven’t. Not to this very day.” Bitterness edged his voice. “That’s why I know they’ll do you no good. No more than they did Beth.”

  “What happened to her?” Ava whispered, afraid to find out but more scared not to.

  A ragged sigh that seemed to come from the bottom of his boots tore out of him. “Beth’s ex tracked her here. She insisted we report him to the police. I tried to tell her they wouldn’t listen, but she went in anyway. Alone. Because I refused to go with her.”

  “And?”

  “Just as I’d warned, they ignored her plea. Said as long as she was with a killer Callahan they couldn’t help her.”

  Ava didn’t want to know the rest, but she asked anyway. “And then what?”

  “Her boyfriend found, abducted and killed Beth on her way back to the ranch.”

  A shudder ripped though Ava. That poor woman. Poor Levi. “My God. I’m so sorry I’ve brought my troubles to your door.”

  He turned her so she faced him. “I turned my head just long enough and Beth died because of it. I won’t make that mistake again. And my family is right there alongside you, too.”

  “You can’t watch me forever,” she protested. “You have a life, a career. I do, too. Or at least I did. Maybe I’ll be like Tiffany and go to New York to try out for the Rockettes.”

  “Do you want to leave?” Levi asked, his gaze intense.

  “No,” she admitted.

  “Then stay and we’ll figure this out together.”

  She moved into the circle of his arms, knowing she shouldn’t. “For now.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Levi ushered Ava inside. “Maybe we should finish eating.”

  The table had been cleared and he led her into a massive kitchen with gleaming, state-of-the-art appliances and an island with copper pots and pans hanging from it. Their plates had been covered with plastic wrap and left on the counter. He placed hers in the microwave. When it dinged in a couple minutes, he handed it to her. “Careful, it’s hot.”

  He heated his own food and carried it to the breakfast nook. Framed on three sides by windows, the sun lit up the area, warming them. Levi felt himself begin to relax. He hadn’t realized how tense he he’d been until he looked out at the glistening snow, felt the warm sun on his shoulders and got some of his mom’s good home cooking in his belly. He finished eating and leaned back with a contented sigh.

  “This is nice.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Are you tired?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “How’s your headache?”

  “I’d almost forgotten it.”

  They were talking about nothing. What he really wanted to do was get her alone and kiss her until they both forgot about the killer after them. “Let’s go outside.”

  After they wrapped up in coats and hats, he took her uninjured hand and led her outdoors. The sun reflecting off the snow blinded them for a moment and they stopped. “Wait here. I’ll get sunglasses.”

  He ran inside and grabbed a couple from a basket in the closet. Handing Ava a pair, he said, “Better?”

  She nodded. “I can see.”

  With her long blonde hair falling around her shoulders, the sporty glasses and borrowed rodeo jacket, she looked as much at home as his mom or sister, except she wore tennis shoes. Maybe he’d buy her a pair of boots for Christmas. Whoa! Buying gifts was for family, friends and serious relationships. Ava didn’t fall in any of the above. As soon as she was out of danger, she would be going back to Vegas.

  Alone.

  Making a relationship work with him on the road and her there would be next to impossible. They couldn’t get involved any deeper than they already were.

  One of the ranch dogs ran up with his tail wagging and Ava bent to pet him. “Hi, doggy. That’s a good boy.”

  Her smile was so happy it tore a hole in Levi’s gut. She deserved to look like that all the time. He guided her to the massive log barn and opened the door.

  She glanced at him as he ushered her through. “What’s in here?”

  “You’ll see.” The familiar scents of horses, leather and fresh hay greeted their noses as he walked way down a short alleyway to the horse stalls. Unless it got brutally cold outside, most of the equines lived outdoors year round. But they kept a couple of old guys with arthritic joints inside during the winter months.

  At a roomy box stall, he stopped and took a halter from the peg next to the door. “Wait there a minute,” he told Ava, “and I’ll bring him out.”

  He led the old mouse-colored horse out of his stall and handed her the lead rope. “This is Mickey, named for that famous mouse. Hold on to him a minute while I grab some oats and you can feed him a little.”

  She pushed her sunglasses up on her head and a brilliant smile lit up her face. “Oh, Levi. He’s beautiful.” The look on her face was rapt. Tentatively, she touched the ancient gelding’s silvery nose. He blew softly into her hand and her smile widened. “Hi, Mickey.”

  Inside the tack room, Levi filled a bucket with some grain, then carried it back to Ava. Mickey stretched his neck toward the bucket. Levi handed it to her. “Here. Let him have a little.”

  She took the bucket and let Mickey dip his nose into it. Her hand slid up down his neck in a soft caress. Levi envied the horse. For a second he envisioned her hands on him like that. Dangerous ground again.

  “I love him,” Ava said. “Thank you, Levi.”

  “When it warms up, I’ll take you riding.” Why did he keep making these promises?

  Her eyes sparkled. “I would love that so much. Do you think I could ride Mickey?”

  “I think you’ll probably want to ride something with a little more life.” He patted the animal’s shaggy neck. “No offense, old man, but you’re kind of a falling star.”

  Her smile faded and the spark in her eyes dimmed. “Like me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Levi stared at her in disbelief. “This horse is thirty if he’s a day. You’re young with a long life ahead of you.”

  “I’m done at the Blue Valentine and probably in Vegas.” She stroked the horse’s face as he munched. “I may as well be p
ut out to pasture for as far as me being a showgirl goes. I’m probably blackballed by now.”

  “Have you ever thought of being something else?”

  “Have you ever wanted to do anything but ride bucking horses?” she challenged.

  “No.” Not since he’d been about ten years old, when he’d briefly considered becoming a smoke jumper.

  “Neither have I. Dancing has been my dream since I was five years old.”

  “It’s not over yet,” he said.

  She didn’t answer. Was her faith in him shaken, then? Finally she said, “I need to limber up. Do you have a place I could work out a little bit?”

  “Sure. Let’s put old Mouse back in his stall and go inside. You can use the loft.”

  “Loft?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He took the lead rope from her and guided the grulla gelding back into his stall. After turning Mouse loose, Levi closed the bottom part of the Dutch door and hung the halter back where he’d found it. He again took Ava’s hand and they walked back out into the blinding sunlight. With the sun warming their backs and the scent of pines in the brisk air, it was hard to believe they were in danger in this isolated, pristine place.

  Levi refused to dwell on it any longer. “Let’s go.”

  Inside, the scent of baking apples filled his nose and he inhaled deeply. “Mom’s making pies. How soon is dinner?”

  Liberty appeared from the kitchen. “Levi, has it even occurred to you that Ava’s wearing borrowed clothes? She’s probably dying to get into something of her own. If she’s game, I’m taking her into town for a while to shop.”

  His first instinct was to refuse, but the hopeful look on Ava’s face changed his mind. “You’ll be careful?”

  “Of course.”

  Liberty had a permit to carry a weapon, and she knew how to use the Ruger she carried in her purse. “If that’s what Ava wants to do.”

  Ava smiled at Liberty. “Very much.”

  “Let’s go, then. All these big male egos around here can make a girl crazy.” Liberty grinned at her brother.

  He frowned back. “You’re not going without me.”

  She gave Ava a mock frown. “See what I mean?”

  “This is no joke, Liberty. Ava’s in serious danger.”

  Liberty sobered instantly. “I know, but you hate shopping more than root canals.”

  He laughed. “That’s true. But I’m going.”

  “Can we go, then, and quit talking it to death?”

  “Yeah.” Levi turned to Ava. “If you’re ready?”

  “Yes. Let me get my purse.” She hurried inside the house and returned in a minute, carrying her bag. “Should I wear your hat?”

  “I don’t think you need to today,” he said. “With what you have on, you’ll blend in.” Levi ushered the woman to his pickup and helped Ava in. Liberty jumped in the passenger seat, sandwiching Ava between them. Her long leg brushed his and a jab of awareness poked him. She smelled like a summer flower—honeysuckle, maybe. His mom grew a row of them out by the loft, and their sweet scent was embedded in his brain.

  He navigated the snowy road and turned onto the highway.

  Next to him, he felt Ava tense.

  No one traveled the road. Not a car in sight. Typical. Mostly ranchers lived in this part of the world, and they weren’t generally on the road in the middle of the afternoon. Gradually she relaxed.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To Settler. It’s a small town, kind of an artists’ colony.”

  “And there are clothing stores there?”

  Liberty answered. “Yes, there are several boutiques and there’s a western-wear store.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Ava said.

  Levi entered the small town, set in a tiny, pine-rimmed valley. Victorian houses lined both sides of Main Street, decorated with pine boughs and red ribbons for the holidays. At nightfall, white lights strung across the street gave off a soft glow. In a few days, the town council would light the enormous pine tree in the town park. It all reminded him of a postcard.

  He turned onto a side street and drove to an old-fashioned carriage house now converted to a shop. He drove inside and a man wearing greasy coveralls approached.

  “Levi. What can I do for you?”

  “Hi, Tony. Do you have time to change my oil and check the fluids?”

  “You bet. Hey, Liberty.” He looked expectantly at Ava.

  Levi indicated her. “This is Ava. But you haven’t see her if anyone asks, okay?”

  “Howdy, miss.” He removed his grimy baseball cap. “I’ve never seen you.”

  “Thank you, Tony.” She smiled at him and the mechanic blushed.

  “What about me, Tony?” Liberty asked as she jumped out of the truck. “Have you seen me?”

  His face flamed now. “I see you, Miss Liberty.”

  She smiled sweetly at him. “Good. I thought maybe I wasn’t your special girl anymore.”

  Levi grabbed her elbow. “Come on, Liberty. Ava, you ready?”

  He walked between the two women, escorting them to the sixth block in town, where the retail section of town began. Several men turned their heads as they walked by. He imagined how he looked, striding between two beautiful women.

  “Here’s the first place,” Liberty said. “Are you coming inside?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m going across the street for a cup of coffee. If you need me, call.”

  “Okay,” Liberty agreed. “Bye now.Levi turned away with a grin. “Have fun.”

  He crossed the street and entered a small coffee house. Although he had no use for cappuccinos or lattes, the place had decent regular coffee—and lemon bars to die for. He recognized a person or two and waved, but didn’t stop to talk.

  Inside the coffee hut, a perky waitress with a nose ring took his order. As Levi reached in his pocket for a bill, a thought crossed his mind—Ava had no money that he knew of. He should have given her his credit card. He paid the waitress and hurried outside.

  Not paying attention, he stepped into the street. A car honked and swerved. Levi jumped back onto the sidewalk, spilling half his coffee. He held on to his lemon bar, but squished it in its wrapper. “Damn it. Stupid tourists.”

  Before attempting to cross again, he looked both ways. The car that had almost hit him had disappeared down one of the side streets. He crossed without incident and walked the few feet down the sidewalk to the boutique his sister and Ava had entered. The cloying scent of incense or something else greeted him and he fought not to sneeze.

  A girl wearing long dreds and a flowing gray gown with a jagged hem approached him. “May I help you?”

  “I’m looking for two young ladies. They came in here a few minutes ago?”

  She looked puzzled. “No.”

  “Are you sure? They said they were coming here.”

  “There’s no one but me. You can check the dressing rooms if you like.”

  He backed up. “No, that’s not necessary. I must be mistaken.”

  On the street, he looked up and down the sidewalk, but didn’t see the women. His heart began to beat faster. They should be safe here in Settler, but Abruzzo had tracked them to Denver. Maybe he’d made it here, too.

  He walked toward the next store. Another boutique. He opened the door and a little bell made a silvery tinkling sound. Several women browsed the tiny space, but he didn’t see Ava or Liberty anywhere. He didn’t hear them either.

  The next two stores were a florist and a variety store. He didn’t check them, sure the women hadn’t entered either. His pulse thrummed through his veins and his head began to ache. Hadn’t he warned them to be careful? He looked around. The sidewalks were busier than usual, due to holiday shoppers. Both Ava and Liberty were tall and blonde; they shouldn’t be hard to spot.

  He caught a glimpse of a light-haired woman going into the store at the far end of the street and hustled that way. The woman he’d spotted had two toddlers with her, and close up bor
e no resemblance to his sister.

  At the doorway, he paused and looked back down the street. Walking toward him were the women, laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Neither of them carried bags, and he wondered what they’d been doing this whole time.

  Levi fought back his irritation and went toward them. Meeting them halfway, he said, “Where were you two? I looked in the first store and you weren’t there.”

  “I didn’t like that place,” Liberty said. “It’s a hippie hangout.”

  “It smelled like a funeral home,” Ava added.

  The two girls giggled like old friends.

  “We went to Prospector’s,” Liberty said, “but we didn’t find anything.”

  Levi hated to rain on their parade, but he wasn’t letting them out of his sight again. “Where are we going next?”

  They exchanged a glance.

  “Mika’s,” Liberty said. “She has cute stuff.”

  “Where is that?” Ava asked.

  Liberty pointed across the street. “Right there.”

  As they turned to look where she indicated, Ava gasped and grabbed his sleeve. “Levi, look.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Ava’s fingers curled into Levi’s sleeve so tight she feared them breaking off. Across the street from them sat a white H2. The vehicle that had run Paco and her off the highway and sent them both to the hospital.

  “What?” Levi looked confused.

  She began to tremble. “That white SUV. It’s the one that almost killed us.”

  Levi glanced her way. “That’s not an SUV, it’s an H2. A completely different thing. Are you sure that’s what ran into you?”

  “Positive.”

  “I’m taking a closer look. You two stay here.” Before either Ava or Liberty could protest, he darted across the street.

  “I’m going, too.” Ava went after him, feeling safer when closer. Liberty followed on her heels.

  Levi frowned when they reached him, but didn’t say anything. He was studying the bumper of the H2. “It doesn’t look like it has any dents and it has a Wyoming license plate. If Abruzzo rented it in Colorado, it would have plates from there, not here.”

  Ava peered in the window and saw an infant seat in the back, along with a diaper bag and a few toys. “I don’t think this is the same one.”