Chapter Nine

Dusty turned on the radio then opened a plastic carrier sitting on his desk. Ben tilted his head as if wondering why he was moving files from the heavy metal cabinet into the smaller tote. Pausing, Dusty plopped down in the old wooden chair, the seat squeaking under his weight, and petted the dog’s head. Ben looked up at him as his tail brushed the floor.

“Looks like our luck might run out, buddy. The fire is drawing closer and no one I’ve called has trailers or men available to haul stock. Even if there was someone, I haven’t found a place to take them. With the vast amount of acreage affected, no one nearby has anything left.” He ran his hand through his hair and stared at Ben. “I didn’t need anyone, was happier alone. Now, when the chips are down, I’m out on a ledge by myself.”

He sighed. Except for April. She’d worked her ass off at the stable, volunteering her time and energy to help care for the animals. Even more, she added a bit of humor into his life. Idly, he realized she’d brought a renewed attitude that perhaps all women weren’t made from the same mold, and made for an overall good friend. Friend? Bullshit. He’d wanted more from the day she’d strode through his doors full of excitement and determination. Only her reservations and his hard lessons had prevented him from throwing out a pick-up line or three.

Then he’d kissed her—the best and worst thing he’d ever done. She’d tasted like ambrosia and had set a flood of desire streaming through his blood that had yet to dissipate. More than that, she’d reached something deeper, tenderer inside, twisted him in knots as he discovered places he didn’t know existed with her name written on each and every one. She’d grown on him in their few days together, turning a once awkward silence into familiarity as they worked side-by-side day in and day out.

Now she’d run off toward the inferno to help rescue her small hospital and all those inside.

His gut clenched with worry, even as he reminded himself she spoke the truth. The authorities would clear hospitals and institutions first due to the number of people and time needed to evacuate the essentials to safe ground. However, just the fact they’d made such a declaration stirred up worry and fear, something he hadn’t felt in forever.

“The fire still rages out of control. Latest information claims eight percent contained as the continued dry conditions and high winds push the flames northeast,” the radio announcer droned on.

Dusty sighed, his shoulders pushed down in defeat. For three years, he’d wanted nothing more than to be alone with his animals, to live in peace and tranquility without the spiky thorn of dealing with too many people. Ironically, here he sat, packing up his office, waiting for Mother Nature’s fury to play out, and with the realization of his huge error slapping him directly in the face. With his world going to shit, no one had his back.

He thought of his brothers, the terrible fistfight between him and Archer that had ended any association between them for the past three years. Before he’d acted like an arrogant imbecile and turned on them for pointing out what he refused to see—they’d always stood beside him. He would never have to even ask, they would come running if they thought he had bitten off more than he could chew.

Plucking the phone from his pocket, he pulled up his contact list and eyed Archer’s number. His finger hovered over the button.

Despite their anger and hurt feelings, more than likely his brothers would come save his ass. Yet his pride stopped his hand. Slowly, he set the phone on his desk, then released a breath. I can deal with this. All he needed was a bit more time and luck.

The thought didn’t bolster his spirits in the least. Instead he felt more morose than ever. Scratching behind Ben’s ear, he took comfort in his best friend while worries ate away at his gut, leaving his stomach churning. Always before he’d known things would simply work out. After spending four years as a SEAL, he didn’t fear much, including death. The trivial matters were just that—trivial—and most things fell into that particular category.

Unfortunately a pending natural disaster fell outside the limits of basic issues he no longer fretted over. His animals and livelihood were in potential peril and the one woman who actually cared had raced off toward the wildfire to save others.

With those unsettling thoughts, he stood and resumed packing, still racking his brain for answers.

* * * *

The familiar rumble of a car engine slowly entering the drive alerted Dusty to his visitor. He paused in his task of organizing horse feed in order to peek out the stable door to see who had decided to pay him a visit. Instantly he recognized April’s large SUV.

Relief and a jolt of excitement hit him directly in the chest. She’d been gone for nearly two days and he hadn’t heard a word. Not that he’d actually expected her to call, but deep down, he’d needed to hear her voice, to ensure she arrived in one piece and that the fire didn’t threaten her life before she could bolt for home. He’d chastised himself for the reaction, understanding what the sentiment meant deep down, but not anywhere near ready to deal with such profound questions.

She pulled up and parked, then jumped out. “Hi.”

“Hi yourself.”

Leaning into her vehicle, she wrestled for some items. The position stretched her jeans snug over her curvy backside. He appreciated the view, which only caused him to envision rubbing his hands over her delectable body, testing each hill and valley for suppleness and softness.

With a full plastic bag in hand, she shut the driver’s side door. “How are the horses? Did they give you any problem?”

“They’re fine and no problems at all. Miracle is coming along slowly but surely.” He studied April like a book. She appeared clean and healthy, dressed in her typical attire of jeans and a T-shirt. Pink tennis shoes covered her feet. Yet her face told the story. Lines of fatigue and dark circles under her eyes spoke of missed sleep and stress. Concern cascaded over him. “You look ready to drop.”

She frowned and he wanted to kick himself for his less than tactful greeting. Lowering his head, he ran his hand through his short hair and watched her with avid interest. “I’m glad you’re back.” The words carried truth.

Tension eased from her face as her blue eyes lit up. “Thanks. It was crazy, but we managed to get everyone and everything not cemented down sent to safer ground.” She stepped forward to stop in front of him. “I brought lunch.”

Guilt pressed his shoulders down. She worked her ass off for the hospital, brought him food, and all he could say was how tired she looked. Whatever happened to his manners? His charm? Hell, he used to be able to pick up a woman with a grin and a line. Now he couldn’t even show basic kindness to the woman who had given so much of her time to help him with daily chores. Stop being a damn prick and wake up, he chided himself and blew out a breath. “You didn’t have to, but thanks.”

She beamed, which put a little smile on his own face. “It’s meatloaf from the small diner. I hope you like it.”

He blinked at her. “Carry-out from Nelly’s?”

“Yep.”

“My favorite.” He wrapped an arm around her and nudged her toward the house portion of the stable. “Let’s go eat.”

Ben bounded over, sniffed April and wagged his tail in happy welcome. She paused for a second to pet him. “Don’t worry. I brought you some goodies too.”

He barked as if understanding every word.

She paused to allow him to open the gate, tripping over a rock. “Umph.”

Dusty caught her to steady her. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just tripped.” She glanced down. “What’s in the small box?”

“Spare key.”

“Smart.”

Holding the gate open for her, he waited until she passed through before closing the barrier and striding to open the entrance to the house, not stopping until he reached the kitchen. He started pulling out necessary utensils and glasses.

He poured them each a glass of iced tea while she unloaded the food. Both plopped down after she left an oversized dog cookie on Ben’s bed. The radio played softly from across the room where he’d left it on earlier.

“Where did you find those?” He nodded toward the bag she’d pulled the dog treat from.

“A gourmet dog shop on the way back. I never noticed them before, but they have tons of things. Food, toys, even clothing.” Her gaze landed on Ben, who lay on his bed, eating with obvious delight. “Looks like I need to swing by there more often.”

Dusty watched his companion animal for a long moment. “I’d say you did well.” He opened his Styrofoam container, found a full meal still steaming hot, and hungrily dug in. The first bite nearly made him groan with the delicious taste. “Nelly is the best cook around.”

April sampled her potatoes and nodded. “I think so too. Didn’t know she did take-out until today, though. I wanted something more than fast food, but didn’t want to take the time to sit and eat at the restaurant. When I asked, she told me she’d happily fix up a couple of plates.”

Not for the first time, he noticed the subtle signs of her fatigue. Her normally bright eyes appeared dull and she only picked at her food. The previous lines grew more prevalent as time went by.

He’d learned how to determine how close a man stood at the end of his rope with the SEALs. God knew the supervisors had pushed him and the other recruits to the brink over and over again. He’d always managed to find a little more buried inside that served him well then, on the war front and even now when nightmares limited his sleep dramatically.

“You could use a nap.”

She glanced up at him. “Maybe later.”

She ran close to her body’s limits, though not quite at the end of her rope. Dusty didn’t want to push her to see how much more she could take. His protective instincts leaped to the fore, demanding he care for her, provide a comfortable place for her to rest until she caught up on much-needed sleep. He hadn’t felt the urge to look after a woman since, well, quite a while ago. Realization of how deeply April had dug under his skin should have shocked or concerned him. Instead he felt comfortable warmth spread through him. He might only have known her for a few days, but her inner self remained transparent and rang true. Just admit it, SEAL, she’s grown on you. Big time. Oddly enough, the thought didn’t send him into defensive mode.

“You can use my bed. For a nap, that is.” He gauged her reaction closely.

Her eyes widened in surprise before her face softened. The corners of her mouth curled up as she met his gaze with genuine appreciation. “Be careful. I just might take you up on the offer.”

Her lighthearted teasing prodded his sense of humor. “It’s all yours. Unless you prefer Ben’s oversized pillow.” He looked down at the canine finishing his snack. “But I should tell you he snores.”

She giggled, the sound rivaling a happy meadowlark in the spring. “Does Ben’s owner snore as well?” She peered up at him through her lashes.

“Now that would be telling.” He jumped into the humorous bantering with both feet and a teasing smile.

April grinned and dug into her food. He matched her in pace and soon both sat with empty containers as he polished off the last of his tea. “The sheets are clean, if you’re ready to lie down.”

She tilted her head as if seriously considering his offer or trying to figure out a particularly complex puzzle. “What will you be doing while I sleep in your bed?”

Images of a naked April snuggling into his sheets sent a spear of desire through him. She would curl up, her long hair spilling over the pillows. He’d crawl in beside her, find her nape with his lips and commencing kissing her until her need grew to such a fevered pitch she begged him to cover her, to make her his.

His cock reacted to the erotic image, causing a definite discomfort in his jeans. Dusty sucked in a breath and tried to cool his overheated body.

The radio squealed blaringly, followed quickly by the disc jockey’s voice, now serious and excited. “This is an emergency warning for residents north of Jackson Station, east of Boulder City, west of Union and south of Fairway. The wildfire has turned. Strong winds are driving the fire rapidly northwest. If you are in these areas, evacuate immediately.”

Dusty’s gaze met April’s widened eyes. He stood and tossed away the empty container of his meal. “Go on home. You’ve got to pack so you can get out of here.”

She shook her head, followed his lead, and walked quickly through the office door to the stable. “No way. I’m not leaving you like this. You can’t get everything here boxed up and the horses loaded in time by yourself.” She paused to look at him. “Besides, my bags are already packed.”

He tilted his head toward her, surprised both by the fact she refused to leave and that she’d actually done as he’d advised.

A small smile crossed her lips. “Yeah, sometimes I actually do listen to you.”

“You’re already tired.” He knew she was ready to drop but also saw a spark of energy, compliments of the dire situation. “I can’t ask more of you.”

She lifted her chin haughtily. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. Now what do you need me to do first?”

He would have grinned at her sassy reply except the alarm screamed once more, propelling him into action. Surveying the stable, he made a quick decision. “I need the office computer and the files. I put them in the plastic carrier to make them easier to handle than in the big file cabinet.”

With the wildfire raging for days with little progress by the thousands of firefighters in the area, he’d begun making preparations for the worst-case scenario days ago. Everything possible had been sorted and stored in portable containers already, making for a timely and easy load. Except for the horses and the lack of trailers. As much as he stewed, he couldn’t figure out a way to get them all moved with the two trailers he owned. He’d called about renting more, but all to no avail. Besides, he had no one to drive a third vehicle to pull another horse trailer. Now his lack of success was sure to cost him everything he valued.

No. He wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. Striding outside, he headed for his truck, stopping when a highway patrol vehicle pulled up. A uniformed man got out and nodded in greeting. “You heard about the fire and mandatory evacuation?”

Dusty nodded. “Yeah. We’re working on packing the last things right now.”

The middle aged man’s brow furrowed as he surveyed the place. “Better hurry. Forest Service’s best guess is that fire will come like hell on earth.”

“How long?”

The officer shrugged. “Best estimates right now for this particular area, four to six hours.”

Dusty’s heart seized. He might have some things ready, but that didn’t leave any time to spare, not when he had twenty horses to get loaded and moved. Not to mention he had nowhere to take the animals. They couldn’t stand in their trailers for days on end. He needed to find pasture, a stable, somewhere with room to absorb them without issue.

April emerged from the stable, carrying the box of files with the computer on top. She beeped open the back door of the vehicle, then slid the items inside. Spinning around, she hurried back for another load.

The policeman returned to his car and drove off, presumably to alert others.

Damn. I can’t make it. Not in that time frame. With his back against the wall, desperate and totally out of ideas, he sighed wearily and pulled out his phone. He’d sworn he’d never do this, but if he was to save the animals and April, he had no other choice.

“Hello?”

“Archer?”

“Dusty?”

“Yeah. I…” He sucked in a breath and ran his hand through his hair, his gaze automatically searching the pasture, finding his prize mares with their foals grazing contentedly. He steeled his resolve. “I need a favor. A big one.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a wildfire coming. I have two horse trailers, but it’s not enough. The highway patrol say I’ve got four hours before the fire barrels in and destroys everything. I’ve got to—” His voice broke.

“No problem, bro.” Archer’s voice came through with confidence.

“But you’re three hours away. It’s going to be close. I don’t have anywhere to take them, either.” Defeat sat upon his shoulders as he rattled off the many problems he faced.

“Actually, we’re more like five minutes away, just turning off the highway.”

Dusty blinked at his oldest brother’s words. “We?”

“The news started talking about the fire turning this morning. We got together, hitched up the trailers and started your way.”

“God bless you.” Hope returned on an angel’s wings.

“That’s what brothers are for.” Archer chuckled. “Now get to packing, bro. We’re on a tight schedule and not about to leave anything behind.”

“Thank you.” Dusty clicked off and jogged back into the stable. “April. My brothers are bringing in more trailers.”

She paused as she carried another armload of stuff toward her car. “Thank goodness.” She stared at him for a moment. “I know it cost you a lot to call them, but I’m proud of you.”

He nodded slightly. “With their help, we’re going to make it.” Dusty gestured toward her vehicle. “You’ve got a hitch. I’ll need you to pull my extra trailer, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure. I don’t mind in the least.”

“Thanks. That’ll answer one problem.”

April shot him a quick smile. “We’ll get to them all. No worries.”

He saw her enthusiasm and optimism and wished he felt as upbeat. Yet things were indeed looking up.

As he thought those words, three trucks pulled into the driveway, each towing an empty trailer. Relief eased his tension just the slightest. Striding over, he met Archer as he stepped out of the lead vehicle. “Thanks.” He reached out a hand. Archer ignored it and pulled him into a big bear hug.

“No thanks needed.”

The trucks parked and his other three brothers jumped out. They all carried smiles and warm greetings, each one giving him a hug. Old resentments seemed downright petty now as he faced the people his ego had forced from his life. Now they came to his rescue. “I can’t repay you enough.”

Colt slapped him on the back. “Seeing your ugly mug again is payment enough.”

Dusty chuckled.

“No time for a family reunion, boys. There’s work to do.” Archer gestured toward the stable. “What do you need packed?”

“April is working on the office stuff at the moment since she has an SUV to keep things from blowing away.”

“April?”

Four men shot him cheesy grins. He shrugged, but couldn’t help but smile back. “She’s…one of my boarders.”

“Uh-huh.” Evan waggled his eyebrows. “Must be easy on the eyes too.” He offered up a lopsided devilish smile to Dusty. “Never knew you to gravitate to ugly women.”

“Who said anything about her looks?” The corners of Dusty’s mouth hitched up as he fell into the old habit of sparring with his brothers. Damn, I missed this and them. Too much.

Archer nodded slowly. “Your poker face isn’t working, Dusty. You’ve been checking out that girl and sizing her up for keeping.”

Not willing to admit anything to his brothers when he hadn’t already decided for himself, Dusty forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. “Let me show you where things are.” Dusty stepped back into the stable.

“Nice place,” Brand said.

“Thanks. Damn shame that blaze will demolish it very soon.” The potential reality threw a damper on Dusty’s spirits. “We need to take the feed. With the price of hay this year, I don’t want to lose it. We can start filling the back of my truck. See how much fits and go from there.”

“On it,” Evan replied.

Dusty tossed him the keys. “It’s parked in front of the shop. Hook up one of the trailers. We’ll use April’s vehicle for the other one.”

April stepped out of the office, suitcases in hand, and smiled. “Hello. You must be Dusty’s brothers.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Archer tipped his hat toward her.

“April this is Archer, Brand, Colt, and the one walking toward my truck is Evan.”

“Nice to meet you,” they said in unison.

“The same. Sorry it’s under these circumstances.” She looked at Dusty. “The office is cleaned out, but you might want to double-check. I’ve shut Marmalade and Ben in there for now. Don’t want them to get upset and hide where we can’t catch them.”

“Good thinking.” He watched his unattached brothers eye April with avid interest. Protectiveness rushed to the fore as well as a healthy dose of selfishness. He might not have made any overt moves on April, but that didn’t mean he would stand by and let one of his brothers snatch her out from under his nose. His sudden annoyance quelled as April looked to him with admiration and approval in her eyes. She made him feel special and singled out with the brief glance. Clinging to the warm feeling, he began rattling off tasks to be done.

Dusty pointed toward a large rectangular wooden box. The blue color set off the elaborate design on top which announced the stable’s name and emblem. “Let’s see how much that can hold of halters and grooming supplies.” He looked around. “The saddles need to go as well. Buckets too.” He spat out orders and everyone scurried to do his bidding. In less than an hour, they had all the side items loaded up, the trucks’ beds full.

He sighed with relief as they managed to stuff the essentials in every nook and cranny of the trucks and the areas of the trailers made for storage and equipment. April’s vehicle now sported a trailer just like every other vehicle. Dusty looked around then made the decision. “Let’s go get the horses.” Grabbing a pile of lead ropes he’d sat aside, he passed two out to each person.

“Any particular order?” Archer asked.

Dusty shook his head. “I’ll get the stud. April will collect the mini and the gray filly. Feel free to fetch any of the rest.”

“A mini?” Evan arched an eyebrow. “You’re raising novelties these days?”

Dusty snorted.

“The mini is mine. Came with the filly.” April clutched the soft ropes and started for the pasture.

The heavy scent of smoke carried through the air. A stout wind blew harshly across the area, hastening in dry air, heat and devastation. Dusty noticed the plumes in the distance and swore under his breath. He wouldn’t bank on the short four hours they were promised.

The horses sensed the tension and the fire—not far away, judging by their nervousness and reluctance to be caught in a couple of instances. Those were left for last as the brothers rounded up those they could, led them to a trailer and encouraged the animals inside. Dusty supervised the loading, choosing carefully who he placed together. The stud went in first with a group of geldings. The mares with foals were given ample room with another mare in the same trailer. Miracle and Mischief loaded just fine, as did most of the horses. The final two stragglers didn’t want to be left behind, as they stood at the gate for easy catching.

With all the horses loaded, Dusty breathed a sigh of relief. Thick smoke grew in intensity, a sure sign the fire was still building and engulfing acres in its path. He didn’t hold out much hope for his stable and home for the past three years. Yet with his brothers’ and April’s help, they were going to make it.

Speaking of April…

She darted back in the office and emerged with a cat carrier and Ben on a leash. Archer helped her load the pets, their food and supplies. Dusty took the opportunity to look around, searching for anything he might have missed. They still had to stop by April’s rental house to pick up her luggage, and the vehicles were full, but he needed to look one more time.

Striding through the living area, he did a quick yet thorough scan. His bags had been taken already along with the laundry basket of shoes to April’s SUV. The few pieces of furniture remained, waiting for Mother Nature’s wrath, as did his bed. Heading to the kitchen, he plucked a twelve pack of bottled water out, setting it on the table. They would get thirsty on the three-hour trip back to the ranch and they might as well utilize what he had.

Sadness weighed his shoulders down as he realized he was probably walking through his home for the final time. The belongings didn’t matter so much as the living creatures, yet he couldn’t help but grapple with grief over the situation. Everything he’d worked so hard to achieve was soon to burn to the ground. He sucked in an unsteady breath, put the morose thoughts from his head and focused on salvaging anything and everything he might possibly need. Finding nothing else in the house, he carried the water to his office, placed it on the desk, then quickly went through drawers. April had wiped the place clean of the necessities. What remained was too big to take or negligible in the scheme of things.

Picking up the water once more, he made his way to the stable. Everyone stood around watching him, April holding onto Ben’s leash as he stood panting, his head cocked in canine bewilderment. Evan stepped forward and took the water from him.

“Thanks.” Dusty walked the length of the aisle from stall to stall, checking every nook and cranny, ensuring nothing would be left behind. Satisfied, Dusty faced the others. “Okay. I think that’s it.” His heart clenched at the deep sorrow he felt.

Archer slapped him on the back and hooked a hand over Dusty’s shoulder. “Then let’s get going.”

No sooner had they stepped from the stable than Ben barked, jerked the leash from April’s hands and darted off. “Ben!” April sped after him.

Dusty followed suit, his heart in his throat. Great black clouds pushed closer, reminding him of the short time left before they would be overtaken. He couldn’t leave Ben, but he didn’t have much time to waste either. “Ben! Come back here!” His dog rarely disobeyed, and always for a good reason.

By the time he’d run through the paddock and into the back field, Ben was trotting back, dragging his leash and herding a goat.

April turned to blink at Dusty. He shrugged, having absolutely no clue where the animal came from. Since the goat wore a collar, he decided it must be someone’s pet that was lost or perhaps had been left behind. The thought turned his stomach.

The goat bleated and hurried right up to April. She grabbed its collar. Ben rushed to Dusty, leaping into his arms. “You did good, boy. Took a decade off my life, but you did good.” He patted the dog and walked back to the others waiting beside the trailers. “I suppose we have room for one more.”

They shook their heads but collectively grinned. “Can’t leave such a cute thing behind.” Brand took the goat from April, lifted her up in his arms and deposited her in the back of the nearest trailer.

“Anything else?” Brand shut the trailer and secured the door.

“That’s it. We just need to swing by April’s house for a minute to pick up her bags.”

“Okay.”

They divided up the water, each taking a couple of bottles.

“I don’t mind pulling your spare horse trailer, Dusty, but I’ve never driven with such a thing before.” April looked at her SUV then back to him. “Do you mind to drive? I’m afraid of taking turns too sharp, and the thought of backing up gives me heart palpitations.” The corners of her mouth hitched up.

He shared her smile. “Sure. Evan can drive my truck.” He dug through his pocket and frowned.

“Still have the keys, bro.” Evan shook them in the air and jogged to the large black dually.

Dusty opened the door of the SUV, placed Ben inside, then slid into the driver’s seat. April settled beside him and closed the door securely. Both sat for a moment in stillness, looking at the place.

“It’s in God’s hands.” Dusty shoved the key in the ignition and turned the engine. With ease of long practice, he maneuvered the vehicle around, complete with trailer, and hit the road.