Dale grunted and was about to crush her close when he heard several footsteps rushing toward the barn.
Alarm tore through him, replacing desire with a massive surge of dread.
Shit!
In one quick move, he had Sadie behind him and his gun aimed at the barn doors.
Chapter Eight
Sadie’s heart pounded hard in her chest as she lifted on tiptoe to peek over Dale’s shoulder while he aimed his gun at the barn doors. Every muscle in his body was tense and coiled, ready for action. Tension hung thick in the air. Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder.
Whoever it was, they were coming fast.
She glanced at Dale’s profile. His gaze was fixed on the door, his finger hovering near the trigger, apparently ready to protect her at all costs. Sadie held her breath, fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins, sending her thudding heart into her throat.
This was real—dangerously real. She had seen Dale in action before, but never like this. Never with such cold, controlled intensity.
With the footsteps almost upon them now, Sadie wished she’d had her gun with her. Fat lot of good it did her in a lock box at home. She’d learned at a young age how to shoot and had a permit to carry. Glancing around, she spotted a pitchfork nearby and grabbed it, grateful to at least have some type of weapon. Just as she tightened her grip on the wooden handle and braced for whatever was about to burst through the door, the sound of a familiar voice broke through the tension.
“Dale? It’s Gabe.” The familiar voice was urgent but reassuring, cutting through her fear like a knife.
Her protector exhaled sharply, lowering his gun as the barn doors swung open to reveal Gabe and his two deputies, weapons in their hands. They stopped dead and their brows rose at the sight of them.
Sadie let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, her body sagging with relief. “Gabe,” she breathed, her voice shaky but grateful. “You scared the hell out of us.”
“You’re pretty scary yourself,” the sheriff countered. “You can put the pitchfork down now.”
Dale turned to look at her, his gaze shifting from hers to her weapon, then back again.
She shrugged. “What? I needed something. How else could I have your back?”
His lips twitched. “Thanks.”
She smiled and nodded.
“And, Jesus, Gabe,” Dale said, pivoting around to face his friend. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot first and ask questions later.”
“Sorry about that,” Gabe replied, his tone serious as he holstered his weapon. “Didn’t mean to spook you. We got here as fast as we could. Thought you would’ve heard our vehicles.”
Need had overridden all their senses because they’d been too busy kissing. But what a kiss. It’d been so much better than she’d ever imagined. Sweet and gentle had quickly turned into a hot, hungry search for each other’s tonsils. Even now, remembering the passion with which he’d ravaged her mouth sent heat rushing through her body again.
Feeling all eyes on her, Sadie busied herself with returning the pitchfork to where she found it, willing her face not to blush.
It did anyway.
Dammit.
Don’t look at them. Don’t make eye contact, she silently ordered when she had no choice but to turn around and walk back to Dale’s side.
Gabe regarded her closely, his gaze narrowing briefly before flicking to Dale. His lower lip twitched slightly but then it stopped. “So, tell us what’s going on.”
Her heart rocked, and for a crazy second, she thought the sheriff was asking about them until Dale answered, quickly explaining how they’d arrived to find the horses loose, wearing the halters she’d taken off them before putting them in their stalls that morning. Dale also told the sheriff about the unsettling sense that they hadn’t been alone, then pointed to the pile of charred fireworks behind them in the middle of the aisle.
Gabe’s expression darkened as he listened, his gaze sweeping the barn as if expecting trouble to jump out at any moment.
“All right,” the sheriff said once Dale had finished. “We’ll have a look around.” He nodded to his deputies, who immediately began searching the barn, their flashlights cutting through the shadows as they checked every corner.
While the deputies worked, Gabe turned back to Dale and Sadie, pulling out a notepad. “I’m going to need statements from both of you.”
