Cowboy in the Extreme. Rita Herron

door squeaking?

       She vaulted up in bed, searching the darkness as she scanned the room. The dresser, the chair…the closet door was closed. Everything was just as she’d left it.

       A faint sliver of moonlight seeped through the blinds, making the silhouette of the trees outside look gigantic and ominous. Had she imagined the noise? Dreamt it?

       No…another sound…soft, muffled like footsteps. The floor squeaked in the living room.

       Her pulse pounded, and she jumped up, slowly cracked open her door, and peered through the dimly lit hall. A shadow moved across the den.

       Her breath caught as fear shot through her.

       Lucy…

       She reached for her cell phone, wishing she had a gun. But her shotgun was locked in the gun cabinet in the den.

       She tiptoed to the bathroom and grabbed her hair spray, then eased through the door and crept across the hall to Lucy’s room. The floor squeaked again, and fear nearly choked her.

       They’d had some problems with vagrants and a vandal on the Bucking Bronc property.

       Was one of them breaking in now?

       She eased the door shut and locked it, determination setting in. He could steal whatever he wanted. But she wouldn’t let him hurt her daughter.

       Lucy was still sleeping, and Kim lifted her in her arms and carried her into the walk-in closet.

       “Mommy?” Her daughter stirred, her face wrinkling with confusion, and Kim rocked her gently.

       “Shh, baby, it’s okay. We need to be quiet and hide for a minute.”

       Lucy clutched the lamb, squinting at her through the hazy darkness. Panic tugged at Kim. Her first instinct was to call Johnny, but he’d already left for his place.

       Her hands shook as she punched in Brody’s office number. Brody was the primary owner of the ranch and could get here faster than a 911 call could send somebody.

       A voice answered on the second ring, deep and gruff. “Bucking Bronc Lodge.”

       Kim froze, hand shaking. Oh, God…it wasn’t Brody. That was Brandon’s voice.

       “Hello?”

       The rattling sound grew louder. Whoever was outside was going to break down the door!

       Kim pressed her mouth to the phone’s mouthpiece, terrified the intruder would hear her. “It’s Kim,” she whispered. “There’s an intruder in my cabin.”

       Lucy jerked awake, her eyes wide with terror. “Mommy?”

       “Shh, baby.” Kim tucked Lucy’s head against her chest, her heart racing.

       Brandon made a shocked sound in his throat. “I’ll be right there.” The phone clicked to silence, and Kim closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that he would reach them in time.

       But a second later, the bedroom door rattled. Then came the sound of the doorknob being turned.

       “Mommy!” Lucy’s nails dug into Kim’s arms, and she braced herself to fight.

       A loud noise—a body slamming against the door—made her jerk her head up.

       Oh, God, he was going to break down the door…

      BRANDON’S THROAT clogged with fear as he jogged outside to his SUV. Dammit, Johnny said they’d had trouble on the ranch the last couple of weeks, but since Rachel’s ex-husband had been caught, he’d assumed the trouble was over.

       What if someone had broken in and hurt Kim?

       Pure terror seized him at the thought, and he stomped on the accelerator and raced toward her cabin, punching in 911 as he went.

       A second later a dispatch officer came over the line.

       “We have a break-in at the Bucking Bronc Lodge. Get the sheriff over here fast.” He stayed on the line long enough to give more specific instructions, then disconnected and swerved onto the road to Kim’s.

       Dust spewed and gravel flew as he bounced over the ruts, bypassing the stables and dining hall, then screeching to a halt outside Kim’s cabin. He looked out the windows, the dark exterior and woods.

       He didn’t see a car or stranger, only horses galloping across pasture land, but there were acres and acres of places to hide. Was the intruder still inside?

       Easing the car door open, he slid out, removed his gun and crept toward the cabin, wielding his weapon in case the culprit jumped out in attack.

       Seconds later, horse hooves pounded the dirt behind the cabin.

       Dammit, he wanted to chase the bastard, but what if there was more than one?

       He had to check on Kim and her daughter first.

       He held his breath as he inched open the door. Darkness bathed the interior, and he searched blindly to see if someone was inside. A lamp was overturned, broken. A twig snapped beneath his boots, and the wind whistled through an open window. Was that how the jerk got in?

       The sound of a child’s soft cries echoed from one of the bedrooms. A terrified sound that made Brandon’s blood turn to ice. Lucy.

       Was she simply frightened or had the intruder hurt her or Kim?

      Chapter Two

      Panic bolted through Kim. Whoever had broken in was determined to find her and Lucy.

       But the sound of a car engine rumbled outside, then a siren wailed, a door slammed and more footsteps pounded.

       Lucy trembled against her, and Kim soothed her. “It’s all right, baby.”

       Brandon’s gruff voice echoed through the house. “Kim, it’s all right. Where are you?”

       Relief surged through her, and she jumped up and hurried to unlock the door. Lucy clung to her, her head trying to bore a hole in Kim’s chest.

       The doorknob twisted, and he knocked on the wood. “Kim, answer me,” Brandon asked. “Are you hurt?”

       “I’m okay, just give me a minute.” Adjusting Lucy on her hip, she flipped the lock and threw open the door. When she saw Brandon in the doorway looking worried and so damn handsome and big and strong, she was so relieved she almost collapsed into his arms. “Thank you for coming,” she said on a ragged breath.

       He took a step forward as if to reach for her and the years of hurt and pain fell away. She ached to have him hold her again, to make everything all right, to have him love her.

       But his pale green eyes, eyes that reminded her of their past, of the hurt and betrayal between them, skated over her, then down to Lucy and she stiffened.

       He’d never met Lucy before. What if he took one look and knew the truth?

       Brandon tensed, gripping his hands into fists. “Are you two okay?”

       Kim stroked her daughter’s back, swaying back and forth rocking her. “Yes. Just frightened.”

       Brandon gestured toward the living room. “Come on, let’s go into the den. Then you can tell me what happened.”

       Kim’s legs felt shaky as she walked to the living room and sank onto the couch. Brandon flipped on the kitchen light, and she blinked to adjust her eyes. The sight of the broken lamp and dirt on the floor made her stomach knot with renewed fear.

       “Mommy?” Lucy lifted her head slightly, tears streaking her cheeks, and Kim wiped them away with her hand.

       “It’s okay, honey. We’re safe. You can go back to sleep.” Lucy sighed, then seemed to accept her mother’s answer and huddled against her chest in a tiny ball.

       Blue lights from the sheriff’s