The New Cowboy

He found it unbelievable that such a desirable woman wasn’t involved with someone special. In talking with Sadie he’d learned that Avery had dated a little in high school. Evidently she preferred to be off riding in the mountains and spending time on the Crow Indian Reservation. After high school she went to Montana State University in Bozeman for her undergraduate degree. Later she received a graduate fellowship from the anthropology department at Berkeley in California.

Zane could only speculate about her social life during that six-year period before she returned home to work these past two years. His thoughts flew back to the time he’d lived at the Bannock ranch house for two weeks. Sadie and Jarod had spent their honeymoon on the Corkin ranch so they could be near her half brother, Ryan, while the Hensons helped tend him.

Zane had moved out temporarily to accommodate them and took over Jarod’s bedroom on the second floor down the hall from Avery’s bedroom. During those two weeks, Zane shared his meals with Avery and her grandfather in the morning and evening.

They’d mostly discussed ranch life and her work with the Crow people who lived on the reservation. Not only was she intelligent, she had a great love for the Crow culture, no doubt due to Jarod’s deceased Crow mother.

Connor and Avery shared a different mother. After Jarod’s mother died, his father met another woman and married her. Two children came from that marriage, Connor and Avery. From the beginning it was clear Avery worshipped her older brothers and the three of them were tight in every way.

Avery had depths he hadn’t found in other women. She did ranching chores with her brothers and could ride a horse like Sadie and Liz. In fact she could do a lot of things a vet could do. Her remarkable talents and the desire for academic learning that had earned her a master’s degree made her exceptional in his eyes.

During those two weeks they’d played cards with Ralph and were starting to get to know each other better when his application to join the BLM was approved and he was sent to Georgia for law enforcement training. After being in the SEALs, it was like déjà vu.

But in one day Zane had to pack his bags and go. When his training was over, he was temporarily assigned to the field office in Glasgow, cutting off his chance to spend more time with her. Though his instincts told him she wanted to be with him, something was holding her back from expressing her interest openly. She was a mystery that wanted solving.

He picked up lunch at a drive-through before entering the field office in Billings. While he ate, he listened to the noon news.

...And there’s still no news about the explosives heist. Last week we reported that five hundred pounds of explosives had been stolen from a locked federal storage facility near Billings, Montana. Federal officials do not believe it’s terrorism-related, but it has raised security issues.

Montana’s only congressman was quoted as saying, “I’m deeply concerned about the theft and will be closely monitoring the investigation.”

Zane frowned and turned up the volume to listen while he finished off his hamburger.

The thieves took off with various emulsion-type explosives, cast boosters and detonating cord. Federal officials aren’t able to point to why the explosives were taken and have downplayed what could happen if they fall into the wrong hands.

Some in the area—who don’t want to be named publicly—believe the facility might have been looted by local miners or by private forestry-related companies that want to bypass buying the explosives legally. The local sheriff says they don’t have any idea who did it, but the types of items taken are used in mines and to clear rock slides and construction trails.

The latest news flash on the heist was the first thing the lead ranger Sanders talked about after they shook hands. “Welcome to Billings and your first case.”

Zane chuckled.

“The spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they’re offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for information and the culprit will be given ten years of prison time. There’ve been no arrests yet.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“We’re pleased to have you assigned to our team, Lawson. That drug trafficking ring you put away has rid the state of a real menace. Congratulations on your special commendation from the top brass. With your background in the SEALs, no one’s surprised you’ve surpassed expectations.”

“Thank you.”

“From now on you’ll be conducting criminal and civil investigations into various types of crimes spreading through eight counties associated with our field office. Besides pursuing investigations for cultivation of marijuana, fraud, arson and assaults on BLM employees, you’ll be looking into thefts of archaeological and paleontological resources. More and more of that is going on.

“Just today we had another call from the local police concerning more vandalism and thefts at one of the dig sites. Some of these crimes are broad in scope, involving interstate transport of stolen artifacts. Many of your investigations will require you to work outside your assigned area. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to join a task force for interagency operations and security.”

“Understood.”

“With this latest theft, I trust you’re ready for more trouble.”

“To be honest, I’m anxious to get started on some new cases.”

Sanders broke out in a smile. “The SEALs loss is our gain.” He got to his feet. “I know you’re on your way home so I won’t detain you. Before the day is out, I’ll email some of the recent cases involving geovandalism and felony mischief to you. Call me anytime.”

“I will. Thank you.”

He hurried out to his truck, anxious to get home. Six months ago he’d flown down to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas with Sadie and her husband to watch Liz and Connor compete. Avery had come with her family.

They’d all partied after the competition and she’d seemed to enjoy his company while everyone was around. They’d danced for several hours, long enough for a fire to have been lit. If they happened to be alone she kept him at arm’s length, yet the chemistry between them was stronger than ever. Unfortunately he’d had to get right back to Glasgow.

Under the circumstances, any relationship had to be put off while he was still working in the northern part of the state. Though he’d been home a few times since then and had gotten together with her and both families, he needed more time alone with her.

A half smile broke the corner of his mouth. Now that his transfer had come through, he was going to get all the time he wanted. After all, they were next-door neighbors from here on out.

Chapter Two

Avery loved the month of June. After coming out of freezing winter, night didn’t come until late and the mountains sprang to colorful life with wildflowers. But lovely as it was to have the warm sun following her home to the ranch on this Thursday evening, the balmier weather brought out vandals and thieves who desecrated the archaeological sites.

The one she’d been working on outside Absarokee had been hit again, infuriating her. She and the team spent hours out there, so careful not to destroy one millimeter of soil in order not to corrupt the ground holding precious information. Then during the night their work was set back by thugs and lowlifes.

During the thirty-minute drive home, the helplessness she felt over the situation had caught up with her and she needed to calm down. Mike Durant would be coming to the ranch for her soon. He’d driven by the site to make arrangements for tonight. They were going to dinner in White Lodge. For several months he’d been dropping by the site to talk to her about her work and had asked her out repeatedly.

She’d finally accepted and they’d had one dinner date. But this second date would have to be their final one. He’d asked her out again in front of the other team members and she hadn’t wanted to embarrass him by turning him down. Though she didn’t want to hurt his pride, she couldn’t go out with him again. It was a mistake she’d regretted from the moment he’d tried to turn friendship into something else.

Earlier in the month when Liz Bannock had learned that Avery had gone out on a first date with him, her new sister-in-law had eyed her with the kind of excitement that made her uncomfortable. “What’s he like?” Funny about happily married people. They wanted everyone else to find their soul mate and settle down.

“Nice, but I can see what’s in your eyes, Liz, and it’s not going to happen.”

Her expression deflated. “What’s wrong?”

“I like him, but—”

“But what?” Liz prodded.

“I’m not interested.” On the advice of her psychologist, Avery had accepted a date with Mike in order to get back in the dating loop, but it hadn’t worked and now she was paying for it.

“I thought you found him attractive.”

“I did in a way. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and he’s a good source of information because of his work among other tribes.” That much was true. “He’s well-informed about the Crow culture, kind of like Jarod.”

“Wait a minute—you mean you were drawn to him because he reminds you of Sits in the Center?” That was Jarod’s Crow name.

Avery and her brothers shared the same father, but his first wife, Raven, was from the Crow Nation. After Jarod was born, she died. Later he married another woman named Maddie, who was Connor and Avery’s mother.

“Only in a certain sense, but after one date I discovered Mike is nothing like Jarod. He’s nice, but that’s all.” Mike was too aggressive.

Growing up, Avery had worshipped her big brother and everyone knew it. On more than one occasion she’d told her sisters-in-law and her cousin Cassie that she’d never get married unless she found a man she loved more than she loved Jarod. It was an easy excuse that still worked these days on those who were concerned about Avery’s almost nonexistent love life.

No one knew that a year ago May, love had hit her with the force of a supernova when Zane Lawson happened on the scene. But like the heavens, he was beyond her reach and would remain her secret.

Unfortunately Liz wouldn’t let it go. She shook her head. “I don’t believe you. What’s the real reason you don’t want to see Mike again?”

“To be honest, there’s something about his personality that turns me off.”

“That’s too bad. It makes me sad because I’m worried about you.”

She had to tamp down a burst of temper. “Not everyone is lucky enough to find the kind of happiness you’ve found with Connor.” To have a normal life was something that had escaped Avery, but the news from Detective Rymer had taken away a gargantuan shadow. With it gone, she had to face a new reality. Her feelings for Zane ran so deep, the last thing she wanted was to give another guy hope that she was interested in him. Especially not Mike.

“We’re not talking about me.” Liz refused to be put off. “I’m serious, Avery. There’s been something wrong with you since you first went away to college in Bozeman. When are you going to break down and tell me what it is?”

Never.

Avery had her therapist in Bozeman, whom she’d been seeing for the past eight years, and she didn’t need anyone else. No one but Dr. Moser and the police knew Avery’s secret and that was the way it would stay even though she loved Liz with all her heart. “Please don’t worry about me.”

“I can’t help it. That’s what family is for.”

Liz was a sweetheart, but no one could help with Avery’s particular problem rooted deep in the past. If time could dim the pain, then she’d pray for that much relief.

Now Avery pulled the truck around the side of the ranch house and hurried through the terrace to the dining room where she found her grandfather Ralph. He was talking on the phone while he ate his dinner.

When he saw her, he ended the call. “There’s my Avery. Come here, darlin’.”

She leaned over to give him a hug. “Hi, Grandpa. How have you been today?”

“Never better.”

“You’ve been doing so much better lately.” Her eyes teared up. She adored the man who’d taken over as both parent and grandparent after her parents had died. “I’m so thankful.”

He squeezed her hand. “Me, too. Guess what? I’ve just received exciting news from Matt.”

Now that there’d been another marriage in the family, her grandfather and Matt Henson had become best friends, the way it should always have been. Watching the national rodeo finals together on the television had bonded the families in new ways.

Avery needed to shower, but she sat down for a minute to hear him out. “Tell me what’s going on.”

His eyes lit up. “The owner of the Corkin ranch is coming home tonight for good.”

“You must be mistaken, Grandpa. He’ll be here on the Fourth of July for his vacation. Not before.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t listen to me. I said he’s coming home for good tonight.”

The news caused the blood to pound in her ears like thunder over the Pryors. Zane Lawson was coming back? “What do you mean for good?” Her voice faltered.

“He’s been transferred from Glasgow to the Billings field office. There’s more. They’ve authorized him to set up a satellite BLM criminal law enforcement office at the ranch so he can cover the Pryor Mountains region from home. He’s back to stay and I’m ecstatic!”

Avery shot to her feet. “You’re joking.” He’d be working next door from now on?

“I wouldn’t joke about a thing like that. Matt and Millie couldn’t be more delighted.” Her grandfather went on talking. He had no idea what was going on inside Avery. “This will thrill Sadie. Ryan asks about his uncle Zane every day.”

Avery knew about that. Often when she went to Sadie’s, her sister-in-law was on Skype with Zane so he and his nephew could see and talk to each other. Last week was a revelation. Ryan had thrown a tantrum because he hadn’t wanted to stop talking to Zane.

Neither had Avery, who loved those rare, precious moments. She’d never been able to get enough of Zane. Sadie would include Avery so that she and Zane could communicate. Her pulse raced during those sessions.

Now he was coming home for good. Avery was so staggered by the revelation, she was trembling. That little boy adored him. So did Sadie. So did everyone who knew Zane.

So did Avery.

“That’s wonderful news, but right now I’ve got to get ready.”

“What for?”

“Mike Durant is coming by to take me to dinner.”

“Is he an archaeologist?”

“No. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.”

Her grandfather scrutinized her. “How come I never heard of him? Do you like him?”

“He’s all right.”

“When did you meet him?”

“After Christmas. He was transferred from the office on the Pawnee Reservation in Nebraska, but we can talk about it later.” Her heart was racing with unhealthy speed. “Does Jarod know about Zane?”

“I’m going to call them right now. Matt’s already told Liz and Connor. Millie’s planned a party for everyone later tonight. Too bad you can’t be with us. Zane’s the finest man I know.”

That was high praise coming from her grandfather. “Do you need me to drive you over before I leave?”

“Oh, no. One of the boys will take me. You go on and have a good time.”

Smothering a groan, Avery kissed his cheek. Her grandfather’s news about Zane had shaken her so badly she ran out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom to get ahold of herself. After removing her snap-up Western shirt, she took off the holster shirt that concealed her pistol. It was a lightweight Beretta Nano pocketed under the left arm. She set it on the dresser and got in the shower.

Avery couldn’t believe Zane was back. Ralph’s praise of him rang in her ears. Little did her grandfather know she thought Zane was the finest man she’d ever known. Heroic. Honorable. Exciting. Fascinating. A man to match the mountains she loved. And desirable beyond belief.

But soul-destroying fear nipped at the heels of her excitement that he was coming home, ruining the news for her. During her years of therapy, Dr. Moser had helped Avery get to the point where she could trust again and accept going out on dates. After the assault, that was progress. But the psychologist predicted that one day a man would come along who would make Avery feel the deep emotions of desire and intense wanting she’d thought had died.

As Dr. Moser pointed out, in order to have a full, loving physical and emotional relationship with this person, Avery would have to end the silence and tell him the truth about the assault on her.

Avery hadn’t been able to imagine the day coming when she’d meet such a man. And when and if she did, how would she overcome the shame, humiliation, depression, anger, fear? The guilt. It had been eight years and yet she was still suffering to some degree from all those emotions, especially shame.

After her attack, she’d called the police from the hospital. Jarod’s aunt Pauline, a nurse on the reservation, had always worried about Avery riding in the mountains and on the reservation alone. She’d continually warned her that if, heaven forbid she was ever assaulted, she should go to the hospital immediately for a thorough examination in order for the police to catch the culprit.

When Avery thought about it, Pauline had given her amazing counsel years ago. But maybe it wasn’t so amazing after all. If she, too, had the gift of vision like her husband, Charlo, it was possible she’d sensed something about Avery’s future and had warned her. According to Pauline, there were too many assaults on the reservation. Being on duty at the hospital, she saw a lot of things and had shared that information with her.

On the night of Avery’s assault, Pauline’s advice had rung in her ears. She went to the hospital and the collected evidence and DNA had been entered in her file to help the police. Since that time she’d prayed every day that her assailant would be caught so he couldn’t hurt anyone else, but in all the years since, there’d been no news until Monday.

The doctor at the hospital had helped her find the right psychologist. Within a few days she’d started self-defense classes and had bought a handgun she learned to shoot. Her concealed weapons permit allowed her a certain amount of protection. She was doing all she could to prevent herself from being victimized again. But if she told Zane the truth about her traumatic experience, it would turn him off.

He was too good a man to be interested in a woman like Avery. On occasion in his line of work as an agent, he had to arrest criminals inflicting that kind of horror on their victims. She could only imagine the kind of taste it left in his mouth. Avery couldn’t bear the thought of him having to put her in that category.

When Zane had walked into the room at the funeral for Sadie’s father, Avery hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him. Everything about him excited her to the very core of her being and she knew she’d met the man her therapist had been talking about.

His tall, hard-muscled physique had created a stir among all the women gathered there. At first everyone, including Avery, thought the brooding, retired Navy SEAL was Sadie’s lover from California. Before Jarod knew differently, it had almost destroyed him to see Sadie with Zane.

Beneath dark brown hair and eyebrows, his startling blue gaze had swept the living room at the Corkin ranch without really seeing anyone. He’d seemed totally removed from the event and had gathered Sadie’s little half brother in his strong arms to entertain him away from the others.

It was when he’d smiled at his nephew, Ryan, that his hard-boned features gave way to faint dimples, melting Avery on the spot. In that moment he’d looked up at her and the world reeled away. The male admiration in his eyes lit up every cell in her body and she was never the same after that.

As Liz had remarked later that day, there wasn’t a female in Montana who could be immune to such a gorgeous man. If Liz hadn’t been madly in love with Connor since high school...

After meeting Zane, Sadie’s divorced stepuncle, Avery learned he’d decided to stay in Montana rather than return to San Francisco. She’d be seeing him coming and going from the Corkin ranch.

Shocked by her intense attraction to him, Avery fought it in the only way she knew how and plunged into her work with more zeal than ever. For her to have to divulge those traumatic ten minutes to anyone besides the therapist made her sick inside. But when that someone was a fabulous man like Zane Lawson, she shrank from considering it.

During Sadie’s honeymoon, Zane had lived at the Bannock ranch house for two weeks. Avery did her best to be friendly, but the thought of encouraging him was overshadowed by the trauma of her past. Mentally, Avery knew she didn’t have anything to feel guilty about, but emotionally she was crippled. She felt soiled by it.

When Zane went to work for BLM law enforcement in Glasgow, part of her had been relieved, yet secretly the other part of her was devastated that he was so far away. Five months later she’d spent one evening with him and the family in Las Vegas. She’d felt his desire when they’d gone dancing with the others, but even though her fire for him burned hotter than ever, she’d made certain they weren’t alone together.

She flew home from the trip to Nevada resolved to throw herself into one of her Crow projects, hoping to put Zane from her mind. A while back she’d finally accepted a date with Mike Durant.

Unfortunately she realized she shouldn’t have accepted because it had been for the wrong reasons. Zane filled her mind and heart. She couldn’t possibly go on seeing Mike when there was no attraction on her end. The only thing to do was refuse to go out with him again after tonight. But how to do it without hurting his feelings was a tall order. He’d be there any minute.

Zane would be arriving at his ranch any minute, and he wouldn’t be leaving again.

She could hardly breathe.

* * *

TWILIGHT HAD CREPT over the landscape as Zane drove down the road toward the Corkin ranch. This was the kind of evening that called to him. He felt alive and excited. In thirteen months’ time this place had become home to him even though he’d been away a good part of it. The few short visits had only made him long to stay put.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a ruby-red Silverado parked in front of the Bannock ranch house. It had the Department of the Interior logo for the BIA. Must be someone from the reservation looking for Jarod and asking for directions to his new house.

Suddenly Zane saw Avery come out the front door and down the porch steps with a dark-haired man Zane didn’t recognize. Something about the way he cupped her elbow told him he wasn’t there on official business.

Zane’s stomach knotted as he slowed down to get a better look. She’d dressed in jeans and a leaf-green Western shirt. In cowboy boots she was five foot seven. He was stunned by the feminine picture she made with her rich sable-colored hair pulled back at the nape.

In a different frame of mind than he was a moment ago, he drove on, but he kept his eyes trained on the rearview mirror. Before he turned into the ranch, he watched the truck disappear in the other direction.

How long had that been going on?

Forced to swallow his disappointment, he gunned the accelerator and pulled in the driveway too fast. It forced him to stand on his brakes when he reached the ranch house. With everyone’s trucks parked to the side along with his Volvo, it looked like a gathering of the clan. They’d obviously been waiting for him because everyone came pouring out the front door. A Sadie who looked about ready to deliver led Ryan by the hand.

“Welcome home!” she cried. “This little guy has been waiting for you.”

“Come here, sport.” He reached for his nephew who was growing to look more and more like Zane’s older brother, Tim. Already his hair was going darker. Zane hugged him hard and kissed him. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”