Chapter Four
Eli entered the office and made his way to his desk. After hanging up his hat on the rack, he sat down and opened his computer to look at the new case he had been assigned. He was frustrated to not be working on the Palmer case, but there was nothing he could do until more leads were uncovered. The other agent working on it was doing all they could, but it seemed like a dead end.
As he glanced up at the sound of someone passing by his desk, Eli noticed Luke heading toward Dave's office. He knocked and went inside when Dave waved him in. Eli assumed he was giving an update on a case. All the agents kept their boss in the loop, and he wondered if Luke was free to join him on this new case. Twenty cattle had been stolen from a nearby ranch in Hartland, and Eli knew it would take more than just himself to investigate.
He watched as Luke left Dave's office and walked back to his desk. Eli got up from his chair and approached his desk.
"Luke?"
"Hey, Eli. What's going on?"
"Are you done with your current case?"
"Yeah, why? You need my expertise?"
Eli chuckled. "Who in this department wouldn't want that?"
Luke grinned. "Hell, everyone."
Eli took a seat on a nearby chair. "That's true. But seriously, I could use some help on this new one. Twenty cattle stolen from Hartland."
"I'd be happy to assist. Let me talk to Dave after lunch."
"Sounds good. Just let me know." Eli stood back up.
"What about the Palmer case?"
"I have Jenkins handling it for now. It's at a standstill, so Dave put me on this one."
"Got it. I'll talk to him after my lunch. I'm meeting Beau and Colt."
"Colt Monroe? I haven't seen him for a while."
"He's so busy at the Cotton ranch, he rarely gets away. I'll tell him you said hello."
"Okay, I'll catch up with you later."
"Yep." Luke closed his computer, got up, and left the office.
Eli made his way back to his desk, sat down, and returned to work. He'd rather be working on the Palmer case. At least then he'd have an excuse to see Lorna.
****
Lorna held tightly to Lily's small hand as they made their way across the yard and into the barn. As soon as they stepped inside, Lily broke free from her mother's grip and scampered down the aisle of the barn. Lorna couldn't help but smile as she watched her daughter's excitement. Lily had always adored horsies, as she called them, but her favorite was Scout, her Shetland pony.
The heat was already starting to become unbearable, even though it was only ten in the morning. Lorna took off her hat and fanned herself with it, trying to find some relief.
"Mama, can we ride to the pond?" Lily asked eagerly.
"Of course, we can, sweetheart. Let me just get our horses ready," Lorna replied.
She headed into the tack room, making several trips back and forth to gather all the necessary supplies. After saddling both horses, she helped lift Lily onto Scout's back and adjusted her stirrups for what felt like the tenth time in just a month. It seemed like Lily was growing up so quickly. Lorna's heart ached when she thought about how Lily would never know her father or how much he had longed for her arrival. He had initially wanted a son when they found out Lorna was pregnant, but when they learned it was a girl, he couldn't have been happier.
Mac would have been an amazing father and Lorna knew he would have spoiled Lily endlessly. It hurt her to think about how much he missed out on, especially when she looked at their daughter. She longed for Lily to have a strong father figure in her life, knowing firsthand the special bond that fathers and daughters share.
"Hurry up, Mama!" Lily exclaimed excitedly.
"Do you have somewhere important to be?" Lorna laughed as Lily giggled.
"Can we go fishing?" Lily asked eagerly.
"Of course. I packed the poles and tackle box in the saddlebags. I bet I can catch a bigger fish than you," Lorna replied with a grin.
"I like the little fishies, Mama," Lily pouted.
Lorna shook her head, knowing that Lily didn't quite understand the concept of fishing. She was more interested in watching the minnows chase her bait at the edge of the pond and even hooking a few before gently releasing them back into the water. Lorna had given up on trying to explain to Lily that she should try to catch bigger fish. Instead, she'd just smile and watch Lily drop her line into the pond with pure joy on her face.
They rode out of the barn and rode to the pond on the property. It was close to where the horses had been taken from, but she knew it was safe. No one had been around for over two weeks and Lorna wondered if their horses would ever be found.
After a couple of hours had passed, Lorna and Lily sat on the bank of the pond while their fishing lines dangled in the water without any bites. The heat was too intense for the fish to leave the cool shelter under the rocks.
Lorna sighed heavily and watched her daughter playing at the water's edge, splashing around, and making waves with her hand. Tears filled Lorna's eyes as she thought about Mac.
"Do you see your daughter, Mac? Lily loves fishing just like you did," she said, her voice trembling. "What am I supposed to do without you? I miss you so much, but I know you'd want me to carry on. And I want to, but I don't even know how to meet someone new." She smiled sadly. "The only man I know is your best friend, Eli." She let out a frustrated huff. "If only he wasn't an agent."
"Who are you talking to, Mama?"
Lorna chuckled. "Just myself, honey. Sometimes I give myself the best advice."
"What?"
"Forget it, sweetheart. You'll understand when you're older." Lorna stood up, reeled in her line, and walked over to her horse. "Are you ready to head back?"
"I'm getting sleepy."
"Alright then, let's get you home before you fall asleep on your horse." She grinned as Lily giggled.
They mounted their horses and started back toward home. On the way, Lorna stopped by the spot where the fence had been cut before. She brought her horse to a halt and stared at the damaged fence.
"Damn it," she muttered.
"Mama!"
"Sorry sweetie, just give me a moment. I have to make a call."
She took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts until she found Eli's number, and called him.
"Agent Hawkins," his deep voice answered, sending shivers down Lorna's spine.
"Eli, it's Lorna. The fence is down."
"Where?"
"The same spot."
"Damn it. Alright, I'm on my way. Just be careful not to leave any tracks near it."
"I know."
She could hear his laughter through the phone.
"Of course, you do. Can you have someone saddle a horse for me? I need to get there as soon as possible."
"Sure, I'll call someone. I'm at the fence."
"Alright, see you soon." He hung up.
After calling one of the ranch hands to prepare a horse for him, she dismounted and helped Lily off her horse. They sat in the tall grass, waiting for Eli's arrival. Lorna's stomach was tied up in knots at the thought of seeing him again. It had been two weeks since they last saw each other, and she was surprised by how much she missed him.
"Mama?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"I'm tired."
"Oh honey, I know you are. But I want to talk to Eli when he gets here."
"Okay." Lily lay back in the grass.
Lorna let out a sigh. Maybe she should take Lily back to the house. It would still be a while before Eli arrived. She got up and lifted Lily onto Scout and riding back to the house. After tying the horses to the porch rail, she carried Lily inside.
"Is everything okay?" her father asked.
"Yeah, well kind of. The fence is down in the same spot. I called Eli and he's on his way. I was going to wait for him, but Lily needs a nap. I'll put her to bed and then head back up there. He'll stop here first to get a horse so if you hear a truck, that's him."
"Okay Cookie, I'll keep an ear out for Lily."
"Thanks Dad, I'll be back soon."
After removing Lily's boots and tucking her into bed, Lorna went back downstairs.
"Let me know what he says, Cookie."
"I will. I'm going to give Scout to one of the men and wait for Eli in the barn."
"Sounds good."
As she stepped outside, the heat hit her like a wave. She quickly made her way to the barn, leading both horses behind her. Once inside, she allowed her eyes to adjust before smiling at one of the ranch hands who was saddling a horse for Eli.
"Is Ebony the only horse available?"
"Yes ma'am. He was in the indoor corral. The others are out. Do you want me to get a different one?"
"We'll wait until Eli—Agent Hawkins arrives. I'm not sure how well he can ride. I mean, he did ask for a horse to be saddled so I assume he knows how..."
"You won't have to wait long." The ranch hand motioned toward the barn's entrance.
Lorna turned to see Eli walking toward them, causing her heart to race. She took a deep breath and approached him.
"Can you ride?" she asked.
He stopped in his tracks. "Would I have asked for a horse to be saddled if I couldn't?"
"Well, no."
Eli smirked. "I can ride."
"Okay, but I'm coming with you."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" he teased.
"Do they teach you to be this big of a smartass or does it just come natural?"
He grinned. "I'm a natural at it."
Suppressing a laugh, Lorna bit her lip. Eli had a fantastic sense of humor, and any man who could make her laugh was incredibly attractive in her eyes. With his good looks and fit body, Eli Hawkins seemed to have it all.
He walked by her with ease and leapt onto the saddle of his horse. Catching Lorna's eye, he raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Yep, smartass," she joked, but couldn't help grinning when he laughed.
Mounting her own horse, they rode out of the barn and into the bright sunlight. Lorna put on her sunglasses and noticed that Eli did too. She smiled as she followed him, admiring the curls in his hair that she was sure he probably hated. She'd love to run her fingers through them.
"You can't do that," she muttered.
"What?" Eli turned in the saddle to look at her.
"Talking to myself." She shook her head. "I do it far too often."
"I do too when I want to have an intelligent conversation."
Lorna laughed before becoming serious. "Wait a minute. Are you insinuating that you can't have an intelligent conversation with me?"
"There is no way in hell I'm answering that question," Eli replied with a grin.
Lorna chuckled as well. "Smart man, and you're not even married yet."
Eli laughed along with her. "I'm forty years old. I've learned not to piss off a woman."
"But I bet you still do it," Lorna teased.
"Guilty," Eli admitted with a shake of his head.
The two of them reached the fence. Eli dismounted from his horse and took out his flashlight and cellphone from his pocket. He walked over to where the fence had been cut, crouched down, and searched through the grass. Lorna didn't know what he was looking for, but she trusted his expertise as a livestock agent. She observed as he squatted again, ran his hand over the ground, then stood up and continued along the fence.
Damn, those Wranglers really showed off his well-defined ass. Lorna couldn't help but want to bite it. She let out a gasp and Eli quickly looked at her.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
Lorna tried to suppress her smile, not wanting to give away her thoughts about his posterior. But it seemed like he saw right through her as he frowned in response. She shrugged nonchalantly.
"Uh, nope."
"Why do I have this suspicion that you're not being entirely truthful?"
She chuckled. "Is that a polite way of calling me a liar?"
"Is that a trick question?" He tilted his head curiously.
"I suppose it could be."
Eli climbed onto the horse's back. "There's nothing out here. I think someone's messing with you."
"But why?"
"That, I can't say. But why would they cut this fence again? There are no animals around." He shook his head and scanned the area. "It's strange."
"I agree. What do you propose?"
Eli shrugged. "I don't know. When was the fence last inspected?"
"Yesterday."
"Okay, have it repaired, and I'll come back tonight to keep an eye out."
"For what?"
"To see if anyone shows up."
Lorna shook her head. "And what if they do?"
"I'll arrest them if I catch them doing anything, like cutting the fence again."
"You could get hurt, or... worse, Eli."
"Lorna, it's my job. I'll be careful."
"Oh, like you were careful the night you got shot?" she snapped.
"That was a low blow, Lorna," he replied calmly.
She sighed. "Yes, it was. I'm sorry."
He dismounted from the horse and dropped the reins before walking through the tall grass to reach her. He looked up at her.
"You can't assume that will happen every time, Lorna."
"I know, but you also can't assume it won't." She wiped away a tear.
Eli reached for her and pulled her out of the saddle and into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed onto his chest.
"Lorna, you have to move on from what happened to Mac. That's what he would want."
She stared into his eyes, concerned. "It's not about Mac, Eli. I'm worried for you."
"You don't have to worry about me." He kissed her on the forehead.
"But I do. I know firsthand how dangerous your job can be. I don't want anything to happen to you, Eli."
"I promise, I'll be careful. If I see anyone, I'll call for backup. Maybe I'll bring Luke with me tonight."
"Please," she murmured, their eyes locked. She noticed his eyes briefly flicker down to her lips before meeting hers again. She lifted his hat off his head and let it fall to the ground. In response, he removed her hat and let it drop as well.
"Lorna," he murmured as he leaned in and took her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.
She moaned and pressed herself closer to him. He groaned as she moved against him.
"Eli, please," she pleaded.
He slowly laid her down on the ground and she willingly went along. He positioned himself between her legs and she could feel his hard cock through his jeans. She reached for his belt and quickly unbuckled it, unzipping his pants and slipping her hand inside.
When she grasped his cock, he let out a groan and deepened their kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She then put her hands on his shoulders and pushed, flipping him onto his back.
Lorna sat up, removed her T-shirt, dropping it beside them. She went to stand but Eli sat up, flipped her onto her back again, and proceeded to remove her boots before stripping off her jeans. As she lay there in nothing but a purple lace bra and panties, she could see his eyes tracing over every inch of her body. She eagerly raised her arms up toward him.
"Eli," she urged.
He quickly pushed down his jeans and tossed his wallet to the side before removing his shirt. She couldn't help but admire his chiseled chest. He was undeniably attractive, and she wanted him like no other.
Lorna couldn't tear her gaze away from him as he got down on his knees, grabbed a condom from his wallet, pulled down his boxer briefs, and rolled the condom onto his hard length.
She thought she might have an orgasm just from watching him. When he leaned in to kiss her again, she eagerly met him. As he slid his fingers between her slit, he touched her clitoris, and she felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. He didn't stop until she cried out as she came.
****
Eli lifted his head and gazed at her, noticing the beads of sweat on her forehead as she caught her breath, her cheeks flushed, and eyes closed. She opened her eyes and met his, a smile spreading across her face as she bit her lower lip.
"That was incredible. Thank you," she gasped.
"We're just getting started, sweetheart." He leaned in and kissed her deeply while sliding his fingers teasingly between her thighs, feeling her wetness. Slowly, he entered her inch by inch.
As she wrapped her legs around his waist, he groaned, feeling the warmth and tightness enveloping him. He increased his pace, each thrust driving him deeper into her. He placed one hand under her ass, pulling her closer to him as he took her with powerful strokes. Her inner muscles tightened around his cock like a vice grip, causing him to release a moan of pleasure.
She arched her back and cried out as she came. Eli rested his head on her shoulder, panting, while he felt the heat of her breath against his cheek. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at her face—her eyes dark with desire—as a smile spread across her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair while he continued to move inside her; it was a tantalizing dance between pleasure and pain. He pressed his lips to hers and groaned into her mouth when he came, then he stared into her eyes.
She chuckled and he raised an eyebrow in question, sweat dripping from his brow onto hers. It was an intimate dance that left them both craving more.
"You hate these curls, don't you?" she teased.
"Yes," he growled playfully, making her laugh even harder.
"I happen to love them."
Eli kissed her lips and rolled onto his back, lying beside her in the grass.
"Of course you do." He looked at her intently. "I actually shaved my head about two years ago."
"Bald?" she asked, sitting up.
"No, just really short. But I didn't like it either." He shrugged before grinning. "Are we seriously going to talk about my hair after what just happened?"
Lorna laughed. "I guess not."
"You're not sorry, are you?"
"No, but..."
"But what?"
"I can't get involved with someone who has a dangerous job. I'm sorry, Eli."
"I understand." He stood up and got dressed before offering her clothes to her. "I'll let you know if I find out anything after tonight."
"Eli? Please don't be angry with me."
"How am I supposed to feel, Lorna? You have sex with me and then tell me you don't want to get involved with me." He walked away from her but turned back around. "But you already did get involved, whether you want to admit it or not. I'll respect your wishes, and we'll just stay away from each other." He strode through the grass, mounted his horse, spurred it into a run, and left her behind.
****
Lorna watched as Eli rode away, tears welling up in her eyes. She never wanted to hurt him, but she knew she had. He couldn't understand why she couldn't be with him.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Lorna quickly got dressed and mounted her horse, riding back to the barn. But when she arrived, she didn't see Eli. Instead, she saw one of the ranch hands cooling off the horse he had ridden.
"Andy? Could you cool off this horse for me too?" she asked.
"Of course, Ms. Carter. I'll take care of it," he replied with a smile as he took the reins and tied the horse to a rail.
Lorna knew Andy would do as she asked; he was a reliable worker. As she walked toward the house, her stomach was in knots over her conversation with Eli. All she wanted to do was go inside and sulk. She couldn't imagine not seeing him again, but if that's what he wanted, she would respect his wishes.
Stepping into the kitchen, Lorna took off her hat and hung it on a peg before heading toward the living room where her daughter was sitting on her grandfather's lap.
When Lily noticed her mother, she immediately climbed down and ran over to her. Lorna squatted down and caught her daughter in her arms, holding her close to her chest as tears threatened to fall once again. She hated that she had hurt Eli; he was an incredible man and an amazing lover... even in a field.
****
Eli drove to the office, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel. The sound of his curses echoed through the truck, filling the confined space with anger and frustration.
"You damn idiot," he seethed through gritted teeth. "You stupid, fucking idiot."
As he pulled into the parking lot, he yanked off his hat and tossed it onto the passenger seat. Running a hand through his hair, he tried to calm himself down.
What made him think that was a good idea? She was Mac's widow, for God's sake. The guilt and regret settled heavily in his chest as he grabbed his hat, stepped out of the truck, and made his way into the office. The weight of his mistake hung over him like a dark cloud, threatening to burst at any moment.
As he stepped off the elevator and made his way down the hallway, Eli already felt the weight of the day bearing down on him. He pushed open the door to the men's room with a little too much force, causing it to slam against the wall and bounce back at him. Frustrated, he pushed it again before striding toward one of the stalls. He disposed of the condom he still wore and washed his hands, trying to wash away the lingering images of Lorna from his mind.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he couldn't help but mutter, "You dumbass."
With a deep exhale, he left the bathroom and headed back to the office where he had work waiting for him. He knew that throwing himself into his work was the best way to distract himself from thoughts of Lorna.
Entering the office, Eli made his way to his desk and took off his hat before sitting down. He noticed that Dave's office was dark, meaning he was either gone for the day or out of the office for some reason. Glancing around the room, he spotted Luke at his desk and got up from his chair to go talk to him.
"Hey, Luke," Eli greeted as he sat in the chair beside Luke's desk.
"Eli, how's it going?" Luke asked with a smile.
"Good. Hey, are you doing anything tonight?"
"No, why?"
"The fence at the Palmer ranch was cut again and I thought I'd go there tonight to stake it out. I could use some company."
Luke leaned back in his chair. "I'm free, but we'll have to run it by Dave first."
"Yeah, do you know where he is?"
"He had a court date. Should be back anytime now," Luke replied while glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Okay then, I'll talk to him when he gets back."
"Anything on that other case?"
"I have a lead," Eli said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Alright. You know Dave's going to ask and if he thinks you're not making progress, he won't let you switch back to the Palmer case yet. He'd send another agent tonight."
"I know." Eli sighed. "I just emailed him the lead for the other case. But I still want this case for Marcus Palmer."
"Marcus Palmer or Lorna Carter?" Luke asked in a low tone.
Eli hesitated before answering, "Both."
Luke leaned forward; his expression serious. "You be damn careful, Eli. Getting involved with her—"
"It's not going to happen, Luke," Eli cut him off. "She already made it clear she won't get involved with anyone in a dangerous job."
"I can see that, but hell, a person can get killed crossing the street."
"True, but I'm sure she thinks the odds of someone in a job like ours is at a much higher risk."
"I'm sure since her husband was killed while on this job." Luke shook his head.
"I'll talk with Dave when he gets back and send you a text with the address and we'll meet after dark."
"Sounds good. Yeah, what better way is there to spend a Friday night?" Luke muttered.
Eli chuckled. "Sorry, I'm not your usual Friday night date type."
"Hell, no. You're too ugly, Hawkins."
Eli laughed, walked back to his desk, and got back to work.