Tyler acted on instinct, knowing what the popping sound was. He’d heard it so many times before when he was deployed overseas that his reactions had become second nature. Take cover! Gunfire! he shouted in his head.

Dragging Jeanie across the ground in low-crawl fashion to get to safety was the only thought in his head. Once he got them to the other side of the alleyway, he looked around the corner to see if he could determine where the shots were coming from, but no more shots were fired, and he couldn’t see anyone. A dark truck sped away at the end of the alley.

Ducking back behind the wall, he looked at Jeanie. With quick movements, he guided his hands all over her body to make sure she hadn’t been hit. Her face was as white as a sheet, and she had a blank stare.

“Jeanie are you okay?”

No response.

“Jeanie, can you hear me?”

Again, no response.

Tyler began to be concerned and said more loudly, “Jeanie look at me.” He put his hands on both sides of her face.

She looked up at him, and it was as if a switch was flicked on inside of her, and she became aware of her surroundings. She blinked; her eyes focused. “What just happened?”

“Someone was shooting at you,” he said as he turned to look down Main Street. A police truck barreled down the road, lights flashing and siren blaring.

“What! Why?” She said gripped his arms and tried to stand up.

Tyler put his hand on her shoulders to keep her down, so she wouldn’t move around too much. Even though he was sure she hadn’t been hit, she was probably in shock. As he looked her over again to make sure he didn’t see any blood, the police vehicle pulled up with an ambulance right behind it. The sheriff jumped out of his vehicle, ran to them, and crouched down next to Jeanie.

“My name’s Sherriff Baron from here in Eagle Rock. I heard shots fired here in town and came to check it out.”

Tyler nodded. “Hi, I’m Tyler King, and this is Jeanie Finley. We’re staying at the Sunshine Rehab Ranch.”

The Sherriff tilted back his hat back. “You guys okay?”

Two paramedics walked up with their bags and started to check out Jeanie.

Tyler assumed her pallor concerned them, too.

“I think we’re both okay, although I think Jeanie is probably in shock. I checked her over but didn’t see any wounds.”

Jeanie was talking slowly to one of the paramedics, and the other knelt beside Tyler to begin checking him over.

“I’m fine, no injuries.”

“Are you sure man?” the paramedic asked, beginning to put his gear back in his bag.

“Don’t worry about me.”

The other paramedic was finishing up with Jeanie and said, “Ma’am, are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital to get checked out?”

She waved him away and gave him a forced smile. “No, I’m fine. I’m just a little shook up.”

The paramedics returned to their ambulance and headed out.

“How did you know we needed help?” Tyler asked.

“Ever since Hank set up the Brotherhood Protectors, we’ve had more excitement around here, and I like to err on the side of caution. Shots fired went over the radio, and I was nearby, so I came running,” the Sherriff said.

“Well, thank you for that.” Reaching down to help Jeanie stand, he put his arm around her narrow waist to steady her. It felt right have his arm around her and a warm feeling spread through his body. Jeanie leaned into him and her warmth soaked into his side.

“I’m going to need a statement from you two. Do you want to ride with me or follow me in your vehicle?”

“If you can give us a ride to the truck, we’ll follow you to the station.”

“Alright, folks, hop in.” He pushed his hat back down and walked over to his truck.

“Jeanie are you okay?” Tyler asked softly, still holding on to her.

With a shaky voice, she said, “Yeah, everything has been just crazy. There’s definitely something going on.”

“Are you okay to walk?”

“Tye, you’re so protective,” she said with a little grin.

“Oh, so it’s Tye, now,” he said with a chuckle, “but, seriously, that was a close call. Let’s just get to the truck and go give the report, so we can get back to the ranch.”

“I like that plan.”

Tyler helped her into the sheriff’s truck and hopped into the back seat. They directed him to the ranch’s truck they’d come to town in. Tyler decided it would be better if he drove, so he directed Jeanie to the passenger seat, hopped into the driver’s seat, and pulled out behind the sheriff. Just a little way down the road was the Sheriff’s Office, and they got out and walked through the glass doors that the sheriff held open for them.

“Right this way, folks,” he directed them to the back of the station to his office, passing a couple of desks for the deputies and the secretary. Once they were inside his office, he motioned for them to take seats in the chairs in front of his desk.

“Here, Jeanie, you sit here,” Tyler said, “I think I’ll stand.”

The sheriff blew out a breath. “All right, so what happened?”

Tyler talked him through the scenario of what had happened, up to the point when the sheriff had arrived.

“Could there be anyone trying to hurt either of you?” he asked.

Jeanie sat there looking straight ahead, and Tyler watched her eyes get bigger and her face go pale. She looked down suddenly and started fiddling with the handbag in her lap.

The sheriff gave her a minute, and then asked again, “Is there something you know that might help us understand what’s going on?”

With one step, he was next to Jeanie, and he put his hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him, and her hazel eyes seemed to be flashing through thoughts. Finally, she looked at the sheriff. “Yes, there was a situation a few months back that this could be related to. It’s why I’ve been at the rehab ranch for recuperation and therapy.” She took a deep breath, and then continued. “I was kidnapped along with several other women by a human trafficking ring in Colorado. My sister, her fiancé who’s a local detective, and some of the Brotherhood Protector guys rescued us. The men involved were taken into custody. One of the men who was injured ended up in a coma and was in the hospital last I heard. The Colorado police were trying to question his brother, but they couldn’t find him.” She took another deep breath and let it out.

Although her description was sparse, to the point, in his mind, Tyler filled in the details. His chest tightened at the thought of everything she’d been through. He couldn’t believe how strong this woman was. There are a lot of nasty things a person could experience in a lifetime, soul-testing things, but this was one was a nightmare he couldn’t imagine. He felt a strong need to protect her but also respected her more for having experienced this and come out stronger on the other side.

Jeanie cleared her throat. “Sheriff, I have to add that the Brotherhood Protectors have someone keeping an eye on things, on me, as well.”

The sheriff looked at Tyler, and his eyebrows lowered. “I don’t suppose that’s you?”

Tyler looked down at Jeanie as she looked up at him. Her face started to turn red, and her lips pursed. He tried to give her a look to show how sorry he was for not telling her the truth earlier. He glanced back at the sheriff. “Yes, I’m Jeanie’s bodyguard, and the Brotherhood Protectors have been keeping an eye on the situation ever since she was rescued.”

Sheriff Baron nodded. “I, for one, am glad you guys are keeping up with this situation, but maybe with my department’s help, we can get this sorted and keep Jeanie safe.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. If we’re done here, I think I should take Jeanie back to the ranch.” Again, the other man nodded. “Yes, I think that would be a good idea, too. I’ll get hold of the Colorado PD to get more information and give them an update concerning what happened here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “My official number and my personal cell phone—if you need anything or have an update.”

“Thank you, again.”

Jeanie stood and walked past him and out the doorway of the office. He followed her out, appreciating the smooth line of her legs and her rounded hips. He hurried past her to get to the door, holding it open for her and doing a quick visual sweep for safety, before she exited the building. Every direction he looked seemed clear. He walked to the truck and opened the passenger door for Jeanie. She got in without a word to him.

She sat in the passenger seat and didn’t say a word to Tyler the entire way back to the ranch. He pulled the truck into the spot she’d driven out of earlier that day. It felt like a lifetime ago since they’d left the ranch, but it had only been a few hours. Jeanie jumped from the trunk, trying to distract herself from her anger and the fear she felt after almost being shot. She walked toward the ranch house, when suddenly, she was pulled off balance and maneuvered toward the side of the building.

Jeanie looked up into Tyler’s dark eyes and noted a dangerous sharpness glinting there.

Tyler meant business, and his face had tightened to show how angry he was. “Why do you act like nothing just happened?”

She stood there and crossed her arms over her chest, and then looked away. She couldn’t tell him how afraid she’d been, and how alone she still felt. Those feelings brought back all her memories of the few times she’d come to while she’d been held captive. Trying to move on from her experience was what she’d been working so hard on since coming to the ranch. Her eyes pooled with tears as looked back at Tyler. “I’m trying to hold it together, but things are starting to happen so fast now, and I feel out of control. And now, you say you’re here to protect me.”

His face lost its granite hardness, and the look in his eyes softened. Which oddly made her madder. How could he be so calm at a time like this, when her emotions were running all over the place. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and shook as if she had a chill, even though it was seventy-five degrees outside.

The silence stretched, which was a good thing. Her mind engaged again. From where she stood, having Tyler watching her back wasn’t such a bad thing. She felt as though she could trust him, and he would protect her. For the first time in a long while, she yearned to give up a little control and share some of the worry.

He started to lean toward her, and Jeanie wasn’t sure what it meant, but it all happened so fast. His face kept moving closer, and then he gripped her arms, and his lips touched hers. A burning feeling started deep in her core, and it warmed her up from her center outward. The strength of his hands on her arms made her feel like nothing would happen to her, and that he would always be there for her.

Her lips parted, and his tongue dipped into her mouth, almost as if he was licking chocolate off an ice cream cone. She moaned and felt her knees give.

Tyler brought her body against his, and she could feel how well they fit together. His strong muscles and her slight curves and long legs felt like two parts of a whole against each other. He moved his arms and stretched his hands downward to mold her bottom and started to gently squeeze her. His other hand went to her head as if he wanted to anchor her there because he couldn’t get enough of kissing her.

Jeanie felt all of this as her head continued to spin. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. The she reached higher and threaded her fingers through his thick, short hair. He continued to kiss her, and she kissed him back with all the strength, fear, and passion she had inside her. She could feel he was giving it his all as well. One of his knees moved between her legs and pressed into her, and she felt herself start to cream, warmed by the movement of his leg as he rubbed her.

Suddenly, he drew back without letting go of her completely. As her mind came back to the here and now and she was able to stand on her own, he let go of her arms. Then he stepped away completely. Disappointment was sharp. It felt like a great chasm had opened once he’d let go of her. She swayed toward him but stopped herself. With a glance into his face, she could see fleeting glimpses of different emotions until his expression turned hard and serious.

His eyes were steely, and his lips firmed into a straight line. “Jeanie, you don’t know me well, but I protect those I’m ordered to protect. Key to my mission is that you talk to me.”

Her mouth dropped open slightly, and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was as though there were two different Tyler’s standing before her. The passionate one from a few minutes ago and now this hardass. She snorted. “Fine, GI Joe. You can follow me around like a little puppy, but I’m still going to go about my day. Plus, I plan on figuring out who’s after me.” With heat filling her cheeks, she turned to walk away.

He cleared his throat behind her.

Stubborn anger flooded her. No way was she going to continue their conversation now. Not when she needed time to gather her thoughts and self-control. She glanced back. “Well, are you coming? We have stuff to do.”

“Don’t think for a second we’re done. We aren’t done by a long shot,” he called out softly as she started again toward the barn. She could hear him lugging the supplies out of the truck and the rustling of bags of clothes he had purchased.

She could feel his gaze on her and wanted to turn around and tell him what she thought about him. But what exactly did she think about him? He was wonderful with animals, a hard worker, sexy as hell, and very protective. All wonderful qualities, but she didn’t really know him. The cons? He didn’t like to answer questions about his family, and he barely talked about his time in the military. Now that she thought about it, she’d only known him for two days. Those two days had seen a lot happen to and between them.

With her long strides, she arrived quickly at the barn and moved toward Minnie, still in her stall. The ranch hands had made sure to clean it out and feed her, but the little horse wouldn’t go with them. They’d let her stay in her stall today until Jeanie came back.

Minnie’s little face seemed to smile, and her little eyes lit up. She neighed as Jeanie opened the stall, and then pranced out and stepped around Jeanie then Tyler.

Tyler chuckled beside her, and she watched from the corner of her eye as he reached down to pet the little pony. “How are you today, little one?”

As if she could talk, Minnie jerked up her head.

Jeanie took the horse’s little halter, put it on the pony, and moved to walk her out of the barn. The three of them walked quietly toward the corral. The ranch hands had finished with the horses for the day and were off doing other chores, so they had the corral to themselves.

They walked Minnie around a few times, then they put her in a little pasture that was built just for her so that she could graze on fresh grass during the day. As they walked back to the stall to put up the gear they’d been using in the corral, Jeanie’s stomach let off a loud growl.

Tyler arched an eyebrow. “Well, I wondered when you’d finally realize we missed lunch.”

With a little giggle, she said, “Well, I was a little distracted. Come on, there should be something we can snack on while we wait for dinner.”

Tyler moved beside her so that they could walk together. He took her hand in his, and they moved in a quiet but companionable silence. At the ranch house, he opened the door for her. Such a gentleman. She watched as the muscles in his arms flexed with the slight effort. Remembering how strong they’d been surrounding her, she felt warmth spread over her cheeks. Her mind was reeling with the change from his all business attitude to the now down to earth, caring one.

Tyler let go of her hand, moved to the fridge, and started riffling through the containers. “We could have some sandwiches and chips, if that’s ok with you?”

“Sure, I’ll get the bread.” Jeanie moved to the bread holder on the counter. Cookie made fresh bread every day. After setting the loaf on the counter, she walked over to the cupboard to get bags of chips out. She brought everything she had gathered to the island counter that became part of the bar they sat at for meals. They put together several sandwiches, piled chips on their plates, poured fresh lemonade, then sat at the bar to eat.

After taking the edge of her hunger with several quick bites, she glanced at her companion. “Tyler, why didn’t you tell me you were my bodyguard when you got here?”

He was about to take a bite of his sandwich, but then slowly set it down. “Honestly, the first time I saw you I was speechless. By the time I got a chance later that day, we were already dealing with the snake, and I didn’t want you any more upset. As well, you have to admit, you were kind of hard to talk to.”

She finished chewing a chip, and then put her hand on his and looked him in the eyes. “I’m sorry about that. Ever since I was kidnapped, it’s been hard for me to be around guys. I know I’m protected here on the ranch, and the guys don’t push me for conversation, so I’ve gotten used to my quiet days.”

He squeezed her hand. She felt his warmth spread up her arm into her chest. Although it was hard, she let go of his hand to finish eating. When she was done, she pushed away from the counter and took her plate to the sink. She could feel him standing behind her. Slowly, she turned and put her arms around him then sighed with satisfaction when he placed his around her. His eyes as he gazed down at her seemed to pierce into her soul, and she could feel a connection with him she’d never felt with anyone else. With a slow movement, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. He groaned, and she opened to him.

As if a whirlwind encased them in its center, she felt herself slip into this moment. His mouth was so warm and inviting she felt herself slip further from reality. Strong arms enfolded her body, and she felt at home in them. Their tongues dueled and danced. Finally realizing that she would have to stop, she broke off the kiss, and this time she was the one to stretch his arms from her body and step back. She could see him taking in long breaths as if he had just run a marathon. Long breaths seemed to be the same thing she needed.

“I’m gonna go freshen up for dinner and maybe rest for a little bit.” She knew she was running, but she didn’t know what else to do and needed time to think. With a short pivot, she walked in long strides and, once she hit the stairs, she ran up them to her room. Falling on the bed, she finally let it all soak in. Her day, the shooting, the two kisses, and then her mind wandered backward to the kidnapping, her rescue, and then the ranch. It all was too much. An emotional rollercoaster. She started to hiccup, and then sobbed into the pillow on her bed. One person could only absorb so much in one day. She fell into an exhausted sleep where no nightmares or dreams bothered her.