Page 22

“He was camouflaged by the trees.”

“She’s got herself a nice arsenal of weapons here, Gunner, and she knows how to use them,” Wes told his brother.

Gunner walked over and nodded toward the case on the wall. Alana opened it up. He whistled.

“You know how to use all these?”

She lifted one eyebrow at him.

“Well, I don’t expect to have to come out here and clean up a mess when you pull something out and shoot the shit out of some guy.”

“If that guy breaks into my home, then I guess that’s a possibility.”

He chuckled. “Let’s hope not. I’ll call the local deputy here in Tranquility. Maybe he can do some drive-bys and look into who walks around those woods out back. I’m sure it was just some nosey hiker or something,” he said, obviously trying to ease her mind.

“I hope so too,” she whispered, and then she went to grab her sweater and her backpack. She locked the back door and rechecked the windows too. They all seemed to recheck what she just checked, which reiterated that they felt the guy in the woods was no nosy hiker.

They headed out, and Alana didn’t want to think about coming home to the dark, empty cottage alone. But she wouldn’t act like a chicken. She was used to being alone and not relying on a man. That was one thing she was forced to live without. The protection of a man like Gabe.

* * * *

“That’s no way to win a woman’s heart, friend,” Gunner told Jaxon as Jaxon watched Alana while she talked to two cowboys. They were being gentleman and all, but that possessive feeling was getting in the way of Jaxon’s rational attitude.

“What do you mean?” he asked Gunner.

“That mean, nasty puss you got plastered on your face. Scare the heck out of kids, never mind one very young, attractive, green-eyed woman.”

Jaxon glanced at Gunner. “Can’t help it. She shouldn’t be talking to any of those men.”

“If you think she should be talking to you, or one of your team members, then you guys should make a move.”

“How the hell can we?”

“Gabe will come around. He’s got to work through his emotions and all the hell he went through.”

“I can’t condone starting a complex relationship like this with myself and my team without Gabe on board.”

“Well, that’s stupid. Gabe will figure his shit out. He hasn’t taken his eyes off of her either.”

“That’s another thing. Alana can’t even look at Gabe without filling up with tears.”

“She loves him still, but she has feelings for you guys as well, right?”

“Seems that way. Still doesn’t make this an ideal beginning to a potential love affair.”

“A love affair, huh?” Gunner asked and chuckled low. Jaxon didn’t cut a smile.

They were silent a few moments, and then Gunner changed the subject.

Jaxon was grateful until he heard the direction the conversation was headed.

“Did you catch the guy?” Jaxon asked, standing straighter then looking for Alana again. Gia was walking with her toward the vendors.

“No. But Alana was smart. She got inside, she locked up the doors, and she grabbed her gun.”

“Her gun?”

“She’s got herself an arsenal.”