His mind still reeling, Tyler looked down at his hands and tried to absorb what had just happened. Not once, but twice now, he’d taken beautiful, strong, but wounded Jeanie into his arms and had passionately kissed her. What was wrong with him? He never did things like that—getting involved with someone like her—someone hard to walk away from, and he always stayed on task when on a mission. Everything was changing so fast it was hard to keep up. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Hank.

He answered after the first ring. “Tyler, the sheriff just called and gave me his report. Give me yours.”

With a deep breath, he told Hank everything that had happened, minus the kisses. “I’m kind of at a loss for what to do now.”

“On our end, IT will be looking more into this brother. I want you to work directly with the other ranch hands who are prior military. If needed, I can send in more Brotherhood Protectors, but at this point, I want to try to keep it simple. I’ll send a text to Percy and Gavin, since he’s prior military, and you need to debrief him as well, so that he has a better idea of what to look out for.”

“Alright, I have my marching orders.”

“Keep in contact, Tyler.”

“Will do, Hank.”

The line went dead.

Tyler’s appointment with Hannah was due shortly, so he headed off in the direction of her office. His mind was swirling with thoughts, and, at first, he didn’t notice the figure walking toward him. It was Gavin. They met just past the main horse barn.

“Gavin frowned. “Word through the grapevine is that there was an incident in town.”

“Word travels fast around here,” Tyler muttered, coming to a halt in front of the other man.

“Small town, small community. Hank texted me just before you walked up.” Gavin crossed his arms over his chest.

“What did you hear through the grapevine?”

“That Jeanie was shot at in town, and that I needed to talk to you.”

“Ok, so these are the details. We were walking toward the restaurant in town and passed an alley a few storefronts down from our goal. Two shots were fired off, and I pushed Jeanie to the ground and dragged her to the opposite side of the alley. When I peeked around the corner, I could see the individual and noticed a dark truck drive away. Then the sheriff and paramedics showed up.”

“Oh, man, this is getting bad.” Gavin shook his head.

“We headed to the sheriff’s office and gave a report. Jeanie informed him she’d been attacked in Colorado and kidnapped by a human trafficking ring. One of men ended up in the hospital, and the police there have been trying to question his brother, but they haven’t been able to contact him. Hank wants us to keep a more watchful eye out for Jeanie while they get more information on this brother.”

Gavin nodded in agreement. “Yeah the text said as much. I’ll talk to Percy and the other prior military guys and see what we can figure out to protect her. Tyler, you need to be even more watchful since you’ll be glued to Jeanie from now on. I want you to move into the house, but first, I want you to take her out to the old cabin. We can say it’s to find any stray cattle that have gotten away from the main herd.”

Tyler nodded. “Okay. When should we leave?”

“This afternoon should be fine. It’ll give you enough time to get there before it gets dark.”

“Thanks. I’ll catch up with you later. I have counseling session then I want to go check on Jeanie. She’s in her room right now, resting.”

“Alright. Sounds like a plan.” Gavin smacked Tyler on the shoulder like a football player does with a fellow player and walked off toward the main house.

Tyler watched Gavin stride away, and then turned toward Hannah’s office. He knocked on her door.

“Come in,” a feminine voice called out.

The hardest part of his day was about to start. He could feel the tension starting to spread over him. Pushing the anxiety away as best he could, he shook his shoulders and squared them before entering the little office. Inside, the color scheme was neutral, with a few western items placed strategically throughout. A painting of horses galloping across the plains and a little statue of a horse rearing up on its hind quarters was set on a side table next to a lamp. Sitting at a small wooden desk was Hannah the therapist.

She looked up at Tyler and smiled. “Sit over on one of those couches, and I’ll be right with you.”

She motioned toward several overstuffed, brown leather chairs facing each other.

“Thanks,” he murmured. He maneuvered his body into the chairs facing the door and tried to get comfortable. The chair was a soft faux-suede leather and felt comforting after the events of the morning. With his face toward the door, he could keep an eye out for anything that might come—an old habit he kept from his days in the military. Never have your back to the door, and always keep your gaze on the room around you. That’s what his platoon leader had taught him when he’d deployed the first time.

Hannah moved from around her desk and walked toward him and the circle of chairs. He stood up as she approached and stuck out her hand.

“I’m Hannah. I think this is our first official introduction.”

She took a seat across from him. She wore a wedding ring on her left hand and had long sandy-blonde hair. She was about average height.

Tyler sat down in his chair after she was seated.

Her eyes were warm as she tilted her head. “Why are you here, Tyler?”

His brows knit together, and he looked down at his hands. She knew why he was here, but Tyler realized that she wanted his reasoning, in his words. He stared, trying to run through the thoughts flashing in his mind. Why was he here? So many answers went through his head, but none seemed to stick. All the reasons, and then none, seemed to fit the answer for why he was sitting here across from her, needing therapy for PTSD. Shame was featured prominently in his mind, and he wanted to be rid of thinking about what had happened to his fellow brothers in arms. It was common knowledge that when you entered the military you could be shot at, but the reality of it was a totally different thing when witnessed first-hand.

Silence hung in the room like meat on hooks. Tyler felt close to bursting and finally blurted, “I watched my squad members die, and I couldn’t stop it. I’m here because I have PTSD.”

With just those few words, he felt like a small weight had lifted off his shoulders. They were few, but he felt the strength of them.

She gave him a warm smile. “Good. It’s important for you to say why you’re here, but more important to talk about what happened to you,” she said matter-of-factly.

To his surprise, his hour of therapy passed quickly. Walking out into sunshine, he finally felt the chill that had settled over him start to dissipate. As he walked down the steps, he found Jeanie waiting for him. Her honey-colored hair shone like a beacon. Her eyes had a flicker of life in them again. The last time he’d seen her as she’d rushed for the stairs, she’d had tears glistening in them. Now, she looked fresh and rested.

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” she said, giving him a tiny grin as he stopped in front of her.

“Yep, always in the right place at the right time.”

She turned, and they walked back toward the horse barn.

“Hannah’s nice and a really good therapist, don’t you think?” she asked, looking toward the mountains and the blue sky.

“Yeah, that’s the impression I got, too.”

He enjoyed talking with her. Their strides matched as they walked side by side. His palm itched to take her hand in his and, finally, he reached to touch hers.

She hesitated for a moment, but then her warm hand settled into his, and they continued on until they reached the horse barn. Her hand slipped from his as they approached the building entrance, and he felt the loss of her warmth like a lightning bolt cracking through his system. The jolt was so strong, he stopped suddenly, rooted in place.

When Jeanie realized he’d fallen behind, she turned her bright shining gaze on him. He felt that look go straight through him.

As she returned Tyler’s intense stare, Jeanie could feel their connection getting stronger and stronger. However, she still felt let down that he hadn’t told her he’d been sent to be her body guard. She didn’t like secrets, and, after her kidnapping, she had a hard time trusting men, especially when they lied or, as in Tyler’s case, omitted the truth. She knew he’d done it to protect her and make her more comfortable around him, but she was strong and could take the truth, in any form. She preferred the truth over any coddling because that’s how she’d been raised.

Walking into the barn, she reflected on his expression when she’d released his hand. He’d looked stunned—how she always seemed to feel around him. The air surrounding them always seemed to hum with an electric charge. Internally, she shook off the fanciful notion that they might share some cosmic connection. Right now, they had work to do.

His footsteps scuffed behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder.

“Jeanie has Gavin talked to you yet?”

“Yeah a little. He mentioned that we needed to take care of Minnie, and then head out to the old cabin on the far side of the property so we can look for any missing cattle.”

He nodded. “Right, have you been out there before?”

“Yes, I know how to get there, if that’s what you mean. We can drive ATVs out there. It’s easier than horses, and there are extra gas cans stored at the cabin, too.”

“That sounds handy, and I like the idea we won’t have to mess with the horses.” He chuckled.

She returned his grin and tamped down a thrill of excitement at the thought of spending time alone with him. He was so easy to talk to and be around. After everything she’d been through, it was nice to know there were good men out there, even if they tended to be overprotective.

They finished up with Minnie, and then went to pack an overnight journey to the cabin. Tyler headed to the bunkhouse while she headed to the main house. After she finished gathering her clothing, Jeanie went to see Cookie to get food for at least three days, just to be on the safe side. The cabin had canned goods, but she wanted to take some sandwiches and breakfast items. When she arrived in the kitchen, Cookie had beat her to the punch and already had a pack of food for her and a small ice chest.

He arched an eyebrow. “Girlie, hope your trip up there is uneventful.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I do too, but Percy and Gavin both talked to me earlier and provided me a satellite phone to take up there in case we have any trouble.”

“That’s a good idea. I’m glad to see you smiling. With all the grunts around, it’s sure nice to see a pretty, smiling face. You and Hannah are like daughters to me, and I don’t like to see either of you hurting.”

Jeanie smiled at Cookie and gave him a big hug. He gave her a breath stealing hug right back. With another quick smile, she took the packages of food and headed toward the ATV shed.

When she got there, she noticed Tyler already working on one of them, and Gavin checking out another one, performing the needed inspections prior to taking them out for a few days. She set the packages on the back of the one Gavin was working on then pulled out bungie cords from a small satchel underneath the back rack of the ATV that usually held feed that was carried all over the ranch, when needed. Gavin and Tyler placed rifles in scabbards attached to the ATVs. Tyler slid a 9mm into a holster that rested against the small of his back.

Impressed with their foresight, she shook her head. “Wow, boys, you sure know how to pack for an overnight trip.”

Both men glanced her way then chuckled.

“We should be prepared for anything,” Tyler said as he turned away to finish putting his bungie cords on the rack.

“True, but I understand the rifles for any large animals we might encounter but hadn’t considered needing something for close quarters like that 9mm.”

Tyler’s gaze narrowed a little. “You never know what you’ll get yourself into, so I like to be prepared. Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes, I even brought some fresh food for later.”

“I didn’t even think about that. The beast has to be feed,” he laughed and then mounted his ATV.

Gavin patted her on the shoulder. “Jeanie be safe, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry Gavin,” Tyler said. “We’ll see you tomorrow and give you a head count of any cattle we find.”

“Until tomorrow.” Jeanie turned to her ATV and mounted up.

She’d always liked riding these things. Each of them strapped on a helmet. Safety first, as always. Jeanie’s dad had taught her long ago that you could have fun, but never risk your safety, and always wear safety gear. They pulled out of the large ATV shed and headed north toward the cabin, the snow-capped mountains in front of them. Fields of green grass and rolling hills passed by them quickly, and the ride was peaceful.

Tyler rode ahead of her, and she noticed he was wearing his new jeans and one of his new shirts. He was very nice to look at, and she was getting a good view, but she needed to get in front of him since he didn’t know where they were going. She pulled the ATV up beside him and motioned in the direction they would head. The scenery flew by, as did time, and they finally arrived at the cabin. It was nestled in the foothills of the mountains, and due to the higher elevation, the air was cooler than at the ranch. Thick clouds were forming over the mountains, darkening the sky. Jeanie hadn’t packed a coat because there were some already stored at the cabin in large foot lockers for anyone who needed them. All-weather gear and many more things were stored in the small barn near the cabin.

Jeanie motioned to Tyler to drive the ATV into the barn. They both dismounted and took off their helmets.

“Whew! The only thing worse than helmet head is bed head,” she said, shaking back her hair. Then she turned to look at Tyler.

His hair was standing on end. She felt a grin stretch, then she chuckled. Finally, she started laughing and couldn’t stop. At some point, Tyler joined in, and they both were both bent over, laughing hard—so hard her stomach muscles were spasming.

Tyler held up his hand. “Ok, stop! I can’t breathe.”

“I think that just made my day,” Jeanie said, still giggling. “Let’s leave our gear for little bit and check out the cabin.”

Together, they walked out of the barn and toward the cabin.

A tree limb snapped off toward their right in the forest. Tyler froze and motioned for Jeanie to go back to the barn. The moment she began moving back, a loud popping sound started, and she had to cover her ears. Tyler dove toward her, and they fell just inside the doors. Breathless with fear, she rolled over and watched as he crouched behind the barn wall with his 9mm drawn and started popping off rounds into the forest. With his figure bent, he looked like a soldier in the midst of a firefight. Disbelieving what was happening, Jeanie couldn’t move and held her breath as she watched. Another sharp report sounded, and Tyler jerked backward. Instantly, red seeped across the shoulder farthest from her.

Tyler, no! Fear for him had her scrambling in a low crawl to the ATV. The first aid kit was in there, as well as the satellite phone. She pulled both out and began to crawl back toward Tyler, when everything went silent. In the distance, an engine started. Jeanie maneuvered herself next to Tyler, who was pressing his palm against his wound. His features were pinched, and his eyebrows were lowered in a fierce frown. Their gazes locked. Fear had her jaws tightening as she brought out the satellite phone and punched in Hank Patterson’s number.

“Hank, here.”

“Hank, it’s, Jeanie,” she said quickly. “We have a situation here.”

“Give me the phone, honey,” Tyler said, his voice hard.

She placed it against his face then knelt to lean close and listen.

“Hank we just had another incident. Someone opened fire as we left the barn near the cabin on the edge of the ranch. I heard them leaving the area on some sort of vehicle. I don’t know if they’re coming back.”

“Okay, Tyler, you two stay put at the cabin. The walls have been reinforced. I’ll scramble a team to get to your location. Do you think you guys will be okay out there alone for now?”

Tyler’s face turned gray, and his shoulders went lax a second before he slumped toward the ground.

Alarm had her shaking. She put the phone to her ear. “Hank, he just passed out.” She pressed her lips together to keep from saying more, because she didn’t want him to know just how scared she was.

“Jeanie, can you check him over for gunshot wounds?”

She nodded and then realized he couldn’t see the motion. “I-I know he’s been hit in the shoulder but let me make sure that’s it.” She set down the phone and leaned over him. She noted only the one wound on his left shoulder which slowly seeped more blood. Frantic, she felt for his pulse. It was strong and steady. Ripping open his shirt at the shoulder, she saw a small graze across his skin, high up on his arm. The bullet had just nicked the skin at the corner of his shoulder. Not bad, thank God, or he’d be in much worse shape.

Taking up the phone again, she said. “I think it’s just a flesh wound, not a lot of blood.” What was she saying? Not a lot of blood? She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. They were alone, isolated. She was Tyler’s only backup. She couldn’t lose it now. “When I get him to the cabin, I can take care of it for now.” She would do it. She had to.

“Ok, stay with him. I can’t send anyone else out. A storm’s blowing in, and my pilot can’t fly. My team won’t get to you before it hits.”

“Hank, I can take care of Tyler. We’ll hole up in the cabin until you get here.” She gave a nod for emphasis although he couldn’t see it. She straightened her shoulders. She’d be strong and get them both through this.

“Let me know if anything else happens.”

She pressed END then stood and walked to the open doors. Without exposing herself, she glanced at the clearing surrounding the cabin, just to be sure they didn’t have any company, then she hurried back to Tyler.

Gripping the torn fabric at his shoulder, she rent the shirt, cleaned the wounds, then quickly put a square gauze over the small wound and taped it tightly down. She was relieved to note that blood wasn’t seeping as fast.

Leaving him, she went to the ATVs and unstrapped their bags and packages, then shouldering a rifle, she made two trips to the cabin, transferring some of their food and gear. When she returned the second time, she stepped inside the shadowy barn and saw that he was awake on his feet, although he swayed. The moment he glanced her way, she noted a wild glint in his eyes. Her heart stilled when he quickly drew the 9mm and pointed it at her.

He moved in a defensive stance. “Tango, niner, niner, what’s your position?”

Frightened, Jeanie raised her hands. “Tyler, it’s me, Jeanie.”

His gaze narrowed, and he kept the gun still pointed at her chest.

“Look,” she said, softening her voice. “Tyler, I’m unarmed, and we’re on the ranch in the U.S.”

His brow creased, and he spun slightly with the gun still pointed her direction as he glanced through the barn doors at the clearing. “Where are am I?” he asked, shaking his head. “Who are you?”

Jeanie’s stomach dropped as she realized what was happening. Tyler was having a PTSD episode and was reliving one of his deployments.