“Are you sure?” A mixture of anticipation and disbelief ran through Hope.
“Yes, I’ll take you out. I know it’s been rough, but with the ranch needing me a lot more and the threat still very much real, I’ve been crazy. Look, Hope. I love you. I fucking love you so much that I’m at the point where I’d kill someone if they even thought about taking you from me.”
She stared at the man that stole her heart and saved her life, trusting him with her future. “I love you, too.”
“Good,” he growled, dragging his mouth across her lips until she parted them and let him in, swiping his tongue inside, seeking hers. Her hands glided up his muscular arms, rubbing the grey and blue plaid button-down. She loved the way he dressed. He had a sexy, sophisticated cowboy look about him.
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. “Go away,” he grumbled against her cheek.
“You know that’s not nice.” Hope swatted his arm, barely giving him a sting.
He brushed it off, grabbed her hands, and trapped them in one of his. Gage lifted them over their heads and stared into Hope’s eyes. “No, it’s not, but I don’t care about anyone else but you.” He continued kissing her, eliciting a deep moan from her throat, her body melding into his strong, rough hold. Then they knocked again.
“Damn it.” Gage pressed his forehead to hers and sighed.
“I’ll be here when you get back.”
He smiled, feeling reassured, finally pulling away. He walked to the front door, adjusting his cock, which could hammer a nail at the moment. He opened it to find his frustrated foreman. “Boss, we need ya.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone let the bull out.”
Gage closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Okay. Where is he?” As shocking as it was, he could tell that they got the bull back or Bill wouldn’t be so calm.
“We got him back in, but when we checked the locks, it was busted. Someone intentionally did it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s broken. The guys secured it long enough with a heavy chain and padlock, but you’ll need something else.”
“Okay. I’ll review the surveillance videos. They must have walked the distance and hopped the fences or something.”
“More than likely.”
“I’ll contact my security team.” Gage moved toward his office, but Bill didn’t come in. He turned back to him, wondering why he didn’t follow.
“Sorry, boss. I have to get back to wrangle up the rest of the cattle, but can you tell Mrs. Gibson her lunch was incredible?” Since the men lived on the ranch now, she decided that like many ranches, she’d feed the hands during the week.
“I will.” Gage had no intention of correcting anyone calling Hope Mrs. Gibson. He loved her with all he had and wanted forever with her. The fact that his crew understood her position in the house and to Gage made him giddy.
Although that mood shifted when he thought about someone getting on his property to cause trouble and steal from him. After Bill left, Gage stormed into his office to find out who crept on his property and vandalized it. For all he knew, it could be some country boys out to cause mischief, or it could be something serious like Navarro’s men.
He sat down in front of the computer screens, pulling up the bull’s pen. An hour later, he narrowed the footage down to between one and three am.
A knock at the door startled Gage, and he leaned back in his seat. “Come in.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I wondered if everything’s okay?” Hope gave him a crooked smile.
“Come and sit with me.” She walked over to his side, and he pulled her down onto his lap.
“Ooh.” She rocked her ass over his bulge. “So what are you looking at?”
“Someone broke the lock on the pen, and I’m trying to find out who.”
“Ooh look right there.” He froze the video while she pointed to a set of headlights in the distance. They watched in slow motion as the vehicle moved closer before someone jumped out with a sledgehammer. Zooming in on the video, he recognized the guy.
“Fucking bullshit.” He banged his hand on the desk.
“Who is that?” She’d never met the guy, but Gage definitely remembered him.
Gage didn’t answer; instead, he picked up his office phone and called Sheriff McCain. “Hey, Ray. I need you to do me a favor. I have someone trying to steal my bull.”
“Who?” Ray asked.
“The guys who sold him to me in the first place.”
“Ah, shit. You’re the second rancher who’s had issues from that auction. Old Man Benson said the same thing, but we thought he was looking for another lawsuit.”
“I’ve got video proof.”
“Great. Get me a copy and meet me at the station to file an official report and get those sons of bitches.”