Colton Cowboy Jeopardy (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“If it is and I turn out to be the crazy rich owner of Triple R land, should I watch out for your pretty face?”

She laughed uncontrollably. The idea of her trapping him was so ridiculous. Her heart might be harboring fantasies, but she wasn’t foolish enough to think they could come true. Jarvis had his own life, his own goals. She was a detour for him at best, no matter how those kisses made her feel.

As her giggles continued, he tugged her out of her bunk and over to his. “You’ll wake the baby, shaking the bed that way.” His breath was warm against the shell of her ear.

The contact quashed her humor instantly. She tried to hold herself away from him, but he wouldn’t have it. Lying on his side, he pillowed her head on his biceps and pulled her back against his chest. With his muscled arm across her waist, his hips were snug against her bottom.

It was the coziest she’d been in ages. “You’re better than a pregnancy pillow,” she whispered.

“I don’t want to know what that means,” he said. “Go to sleep.”

How could she possibly sleep when he surrounded her this way? “And if I can’t?”

“Then odds are good we will definitely wake the baby.” He nuzzled the back of her neck with his lips, soft, feathery touches that set her on fire.

“It’ll be your fault,” she teased. “You dragged me over here.” She traced the bones and tendons in the hand that kept her snug against him.

“I dragged you over here to sleep.” His thumb caressed the curve of her breast. “We can talk in the morning.”

She wanted to talk now. Questions and wishes and what-ifs bounced around like popcorn through her mind. She knew what she wanted and knew that she was overthinking his every action, hopeful that he was changing his mind about what he wanted. From her, from life. From them.

Please, let there be a them.

Could there be anything here but wishful thinking on her side? He kept showing her this incredible tenderness and a protectiveness she could get used to. She never thought protectiveness would be a turn-on, but it ranked high on her list right now. Easy enough to explain that away because Regina threatened everything Mia held dear.

If her stepmother found out about Jarvis helping her, he would become a target. The idea made her queasy.

Shifting to talk with him, she realized his breath was deep and even and his hand was slack on her belly. He really was sleeping as soundly as the baby. The awareness delighted her. He trusted her. Resting her palm over his hand she held him close as an unprecedented contentment lulled her.

She’d always found the saying “home is where the heart is” trite. Here, in this modest bunkhouse surrounded by grassland, she was living it. Jarvis felt like home, the home she’d treasured before her mother had died. Back when the Graves family was strong and solid, and the house a haven where she was welcome to be herself.

If there was one thing she categorically resented about Regina, it was the way she’d razed all those memories in favor of the “right” colors and “refreshing,” updated style.

Mia dashed away a tear.

There had to be a way to knock the blinders from her father’s eyes. Only when he saw Regina for the snake she was would Norton and Silas have a chance to know each other. Only then would their broken communication and crushed expectations have enough room to heal.

Chapter 9

Jarvis stopped digging long enough to swipe the sweat off his forehead. He was a fool for continuing this search on such a hot day. Opening another bottle of water, he considered calling it a day. Isaiah had waited years to tell him the whole story, assuming it was true. Another few months wouldn’t change anything.

The day after the party, he’d eliminated one long stretch of possibilities that fitted Isaiah’s story and the deed records for parcels less than a mile away from the warming hut. In the days since, he’d searched areas based on Mia’s research and recommendations, hoping to find something conclusive. It was frustrating to know he could miss the box by only a few yards. Unless he brought out heavy equipment to turn over every square inch, he would have to settle for one average hole at a time.

From his back pocket, his phone chimed and he smiled when he recognized Mia’s number. He slid the icon and said hello.

“Hi.”

Her voice trembled on the single syllable and he froze. “What’s wrong?” He tucked the phone between his chin and shoulder and started filling in the hole. He’d brought the horse this afternoon, enjoying the slower pace and the quiet solitude. Now he regretted the decision. It would take him forever to reach her if she was in trouble.

“I’m okay,” she said in a rush. “There’s another text from my dad a-and I’m letting it upset me. Sorry for bugging you.”

“You never bug me,” he said. It was more than reflex; it was the truth. He’d have to wrestle with that later. “Was it another demand to come home?”

“Yeah.”

A few days after the party, Norton had reached out to Mia, surprising them both. Jarvis wanted to be encouraged, but he was guarded. When he was talking to Norton that night, it had seemed as if Mia’s dad had all but given up on seeing his daughter and grandson again. They suspected Regina was behind the new text messages somehow, but they weren’t sure how to respond.

No matter how he much he assured her of Spencer’s discretion, Mia wasn’t ready for him to share any of this with his brother. She was too fearful her dad would pay the price.