Chapter Five

Lorna lounged on the couch in her living room, absorbed in a movie playing on the TV. Next to her, Lily slept soundly, snuggled under a quilt. Lorna couldn"t help but replay the events of today over and over again in her head.

After packing up her daughter and bidding farewell to her father, she had driven home in silence. She half-heartedly made dinner, unable to shake off the heat that radiated between her and Eli in the field. It infuriated her because it had never been like that with Mac. In fact, she was surprised the field hadn't spontaneously combusted from their intense chemistry.

As Lily shifted and sighed in her sleep, Lorna gently picked her up and carried her to bed. She undressed Lily and put on her pajamas before tucking her into bed and kissing her forehead. Lorna quietly left the room and returned to the living room, collapsing onto the sofa once again.

She couldn't stop thinking about Eli, his piercing blue eyes still burned into her memory. The way he seized control and took her over. She trembled at the thought; damn, he knew how to please a woman.

Lorna tried to push Eli out of her mind, but it was useless. She knew she shouldn't let him into her life. If only he wasn't a livestock agent. If only... She had said those words countless times since Mac died.

If only he hadn't been a livestock agent. If only he didn't go on that dangerous stakeout. If only he had lived long enough to see their daughter grow up. But none of those ‘if onlys' could change the harsh reality. And the biggest ‘if only' of all: if only Eli wasn't in such a dangerous profession.

She couldn't bear the thought of losing another man she loved. That's why she made a vow to never get involved with someone in a job like his again. It was simply too risky, and she couldn't go through that pain again.

With a heavy sigh, she pushed to her feet, and turned the TV off. After making sure the doors were locked, she headed to bed, and prayed that Eli stayed out of her dreams.

****

Eli reclined against the fallen log, relishing the rich aroma of his coffee as he took a slow sip. The crisp night air made him realize that winter wasn't far behind. He felt at peace in the quietness of nature. His solitude was soon interrupted by the sound of a twig snapping, and he let out a sigh of relief as he spotted Luke approaching through the trees. Eli made room for him against the log and offered him a cup from his thermos.

"Not much action, huh?" Luke observed, scanning their surroundings with a furrowed brow.

"Nope. It's almost too quiet." Eli agreed, glancing around himself.

"I can't make sense of this case. Why go through all the trouble of walking the horses out when most thieves just drive through fences?" Luke shook his head in confusion.

"Maybe they're amateurs trying to throw us off their trail," Eli speculated, taking another sip of coffee.

"But why risk it? They could have easily been caught," Luke countered, brows still furrowed in thought.

"I've been here for two hours already. If you need to leave, I can stay longer," Eli offered.

"Nah, I'll stick around. Nothing else going on anyway," Luke shrugged nonchalantly.

"Just another thrilling night of bachelorhood," Eli joked with a grin, lightening the mood.

"Any special lady in your life?" Luke inquired curiously.

"Nope. Who has time for that?" Eli chuckled, shaking his head.

"True." Luke nodded in understanding before changing the subject. "By the way, how's your sister?"

"Stay away from my sister," Eli warned playfully before laughing along with Luke. "But seriously, she's doing much better now. That jerk she was married to was a real piece of work. I may have taken some satisfaction in punching him."

Luke laughed in agreement. "I can only imagine. I may not have a sister, but if someone hurt Beau, I'd probably punch them too."

Eli nodded approvingly. "I know Chelsea was devastated by what Ron did. Even my dad wanted to go after him." Eli shook his head in disgust. "I hope I never see him again or I might just have to hit him even harder next time."

Luke nodded solemnly. "I get that. I hope Chelsea finds someone who treats her right."

"Me too," Eli agreed wholeheartedly, thinking of his sister's happiness above all else.

The men sat in silence for another hour, their hopes of finding out anything disappearing. Disappointed, they reluctantly packed up their thermos bottles and began the long walk back to their trucks. Eli was frustrated that nothing had happened.

As they trudged through the woods, Luke brought up the other case they'd been working on. "What happened with the lead?"

"Nothing," Eli replied wearily.

"Damn. I'll check with my CI," Luke said.

They continued walking until they reached their vehicles, then said their goodbyes and headed home.

As Eli drove, his mind couldn't help but wander to Lorna. He knew he needed to stop thinking about her, but it seemed impossible after their unforgettable encounter.

"How am I supposed to forget about her when the sex was like nothing I've ever experienced?"

Finally arriving at his house, he parked by the porch and made his way inside. He removed his hat and hung it by the door before running a hand through his hair. Exhausted from the long day, he sat down on the bench to remove his boots.

Glancing at the microwave clock, he realized it was already almost two thirty in the morning. No wonder he felt so tired; he had been awake for over sixteen hours. Grateful for a day off tomorrow, he let out a tired grunt and slowly stood up. Making his way to the laundry room, he stripped off his clothes before heading to bed.

Despite feeling drained, he knew he needed a shower before getting some much-needed rest. After a quick wash, he climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

****

A week later, Lorna entered the kitchen to make breakfast and jumped when thunder boomed overhead. She placed her hand over her heart.

"Mama?" She turned to see Lily standing in the kitchen archway, holding her stuffed bunny. Lorna walked to her, squatted, and pulled her into her arms.

"It's just thunder, baby. It's going to rain."

"I don't like thunder, Mama."

"I know you don't, baby, but it won't hurt you. You're safe with me."

"I'm hungry."

Lorna smiled. "Then I'll make you something to eat. What would you like?"

"Pancakes."

"Okay, get dressed, and I'll start on—" She stopped when the lights went out.

Lily wrapped her arms around Lorna's legs. Lorna reached down and picked up Lily and held on tight to her.

"How about we get dressed and go to Grampa's house before it rains?"

"Yay," Lily clapped her hands.

Lorna set her on her feet. "Go take off your pjs and pick out what you want to wear, and I'll call him to let him know."

"You have to dress too, Mama."

"I will, baby. It won't take me long." Lorna called her dad while Lily ran to her room. "Dad? Is it raining there yet?"

"No, the sun's shining."

"It's thundering here, and the power went out. Can we join you for breakfast?"

"Of course. I love seeing my two favorite girls."

"Great. We'll be there soon. Love you." She disconnected and headed down the hallway to Lily's bedroom. She pushed the door open and rolled her eyes when she saw Lily pulling her jeans on backward.

"Lily, honey, your jeans are on backward."

"Uh-oh." Lily sat on the floor and pulled her pants off.

Lorna sighed. "Let me help. It will be quicker."

After finally getting Lily into the car, Lorna drove them to her father"s house. She parked next to the porch, unstrapped Lily from her car seat, and guided her toward the steps. As they approached, Lorna heard a distant rumble of thunder and paused to look at the Glacier Mountains looming in the distance. The sky above was dark and as she gazed up, a bolt of lightning streaked through the blackness.

"Come on, Mama," Lily exclaimed as she released her mother's hand and sprinted toward the porch. Lorna hurried after her, and they found Lorna's father waiting for them at the door.

"Hurry, it looks like the sky is about to open up," he urged them inside before stepping out onto the porch to check the fields. "I hope Agent Hawkins is okay," he muttered as he closed the door behind them.

"What?" Lorna asked with curiosity.

"Agent Hawkins. He's out in the west pasture."

Lorna gasped. "He'll get drenched!"

"I'm sure he's faced worse weather conditions than this, Cookie," her father reassured her with a small smile. "Let's focus on getting some breakfast started. I'm starving."

Lily jumped up and down, clapping her hands in excitement. "Mama's going to make pancakes!"

"Mama? I thought we were at Grampa's house so he could cook for us," Lorna raised an eyebrow playfully, watching as her father and daughter exchanged a laugh before shaking their heads and walking away.

"Lilypad and I are going to watch cartoons. Come on, honey, let's give Mama some space to work," Lorna's father said as they left the room.

Lorna shook her head with amusement before preparing the ingredients for pancakes. As she mixed the batter, thunder rumbled loudly enough to shake the house, causing Lily to scream in fear. The little girl hated storms.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Lorna comforted her as she rushed to her on her grandfather's lap, his arms wrapped around her.

"I don't like it, Mama."

"I know, baby girl. But you'll be safe here. I bet those pancakes will make you feel better." Lorna grinned when Lily nodded eagerly with a small smile.

"I'm hungry, Mama."

"Okay, okay. I'm working on it," Lorna assured her before returning to the kitchen and pouring the batter onto the griddle. Just as she flipped one over, there was a knock on the door. She frowned, wondering who could be out in this storm, and went to answer it. Peering through the blinds, she gasped when she saw Eli standing outside, drenched from head to toe with rainwater streaming down his hat and shirt.

"Eli, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed as she quickly opened the door.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Lorna," he replied, removing his hat.

"Come inside, Eli. You're soaked. Let me grab a towel from the laundry room."

"Alright." He stayed on the porch.

She hurried back to him, handed him the towel and watched him remove his hat, and rub the towel over his hair.

"Come inside."

"I don't want to make a mess of your floor. I have dry clothes in my truck if you don't mind if I use your bathroom. I hate driving home in these wet clothes."

"Of course, you can use it."

"Thanks. Let me get them." He ran down the steps, opened the passenger door on the truck, and then ran back up the steps with a bundle of clothes. He stopped at the door and stared at her.

"This place has seen worse than some rainwater. Come inside," Lorna insisted, opening the door wider for him.

He hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and entering the house.

"Thank you," he said.

"You can use the bathroom in the laundry room." She pointed to the doorway.

"Yes, ma'am."

The silence between them felt uncomfortable.

"My father is in the living room. You can join him after you change clothes. I'm making pancakes. Our power went out at home, and we called my dad..." She stopped herself from rambling any further.

"I think that one's ready to flip," Eli pointed out, nodding toward the griddle.

Lorna quickly turned over the pancake and cringed at the burnt bottom.

"Looks like I'll have to eat this one," she joked with a smile as she turned back to him, heartbroken that she couldn't allow herself to get involved with him no matter how much she wanted to. "Would you like to join us for breakfast? You can have this one."

Eli's grin sent butterflies fluttering in Lorna's stomach.

"I don't want to impose," he replied politely.

"You won't. I always make too many. Please, Eli. Stay," she pleaded, hoping he would agree.

He looked at her for a moment before nodding. "Okay, if you're sure."

"I am. Go change, then you can go hang out in the living room while I finish cooking."

Eli hung his hat on a hook and entered the laundry room, then he walked to the door, opened it, dropped his wet clothes onto the porch, and then walked to the living room. Lorna let out the breath she had been holding. She smiled when she heard Lily giggling upon seeing him enter the living room.

****

Eli couldn't help but smile as Lily waved at him and let out a cute giggle. He quickly scanned the area, looking for a place to sit.

"Please, have a seat, son," Marcus Palmer offered.

"Yes, sir."

"I thought I asked you to call me Marcus."

"Yes, you did, and I will. Thank you."

"I tell you what, your mama raised you right."

"Yes, she did."

"Did you see anything out there?" Mr. Palmer asked.

"No, sir. I had just arrived when the rain started. If there was anything there, it's probably washed away by now."

"That's frustrating. No leads at all?"

"No, sir. I apologize—"

"No need to apologize. We'll deal with it if we have to. I've been in this business long enough to know that rustling doesn't always come out the way you hoped."

Eli nodded, grateful that Mr. Palmer wasn't blaming him for not finding his stolen horses immediately. He knew some ranchers could get angry about losing their livestock, and often the animals were never recovered.

"Breakfast is ready," Lorna announced from the archway.

Eli stood and waited for Mr. Palmer to pick up Lily before following them into the kitchen. He noticed the booster seat at the table and realized that they must spend a lot of time here.

To his surprise, Lily ran over to him and lifted her little arms up with a big grin on her face. Eli couldn't resist picking her up and placing her in her booster seat before scooting her chair closer to the table. As Lorna brought a platter of golden-brown pancakes to the table, Eli watched as she set the dish down and then returned to the counter for syrup and butter.

"Eli, please sit," Lorna said.

"I will, after you," he replied with a smile.

She smiled back at him, causing his heart to beat faster. He had to remind himself that she didn't want him, but that didn't stop him from wanting to be near her. The memories of their passionate time together flooded his mind, but he quickly pushed them aside. Don't embarrass yourself, man.

Clearing his throat, he pulled out a chair for Lorna and then sat across from her at the table.

As Eli patiently waited for his turn to get his food, the scent of warm pancakes and sweet syrup wafted through the air. When he finally reached for the platter, he stacked four fluffy pancakes on his plate. As he looked up, he caught Lorna staring at his meal with a mischievous glint in her eye. She then met his gaze and grinned.

"I'm a growing boy," he explained with a nonchalant shrug.

Lorna laughed. "You're already six foot three, I don't think you need to grow anymore."

"My dad is six foot six," Eli replied with a smirk.

"Oh my! How tall is your mom?"

Eli chuckled. "Only five foot two."

Lorna and her father both laughed in surprise.

"I thought Lorna's mother was short at five foot four," Marcus Palmer chimed in with a chuckle of his own.

"Mom always said good things come in little packages whenever you'd tease her," Lorna added with a fond smile.

"Yeah." Mr. Palmer's eyes grew sad as he thought about his late wife.

"I remember Mac talking about her. He said she was a wonderful woman," Eli recalled.

"He loved her. She was gone too soon. Just like Mac," Lorna's voice trembled slightly.

"Mama? I'm done. Can I get down?" Lily interrupted their conversation.

"Of course, sweetheart. Let me wipe off your hands before I put you down."

"Okay." Lily obediently held out her sticky hands for her mother to clean.

"Eli? Do you like your pancakes? Mama makes good pancakes." Lily beamed up at him.

"Yes, she does." Eli winked playfully at Lily, causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

"She makes other good stuff too. You should stay overnight with us and she can make you breakfast." Lily's innocent invitation caught Eli off guard.

He tried to contain his laughter, but when he saw Lorna grinning at him, he couldn't help but chuckle as he looked back at Lily.

"I will definitely give that some thought, Lily."

Lily's smile grew wider, and for a brief moment, he locked eyes with Lorna before he tore his gaze away. He knew deep down that Lorna was off limits, no matter how much he may want her. He knew that as well as he knew his own name.

****

After breakfast, Lorna banished everyone from the kitchen so she could clean up and avoid Eli's presence. Whenever he got too close, she caught a whiff of his aftershave and remembered pressing her face against his neck and inhaling its scent.

She glanced into the living room and sighed; getting involved with him was not an option.

"Face it, you're already involved," she muttered to herself as she turned back to the counter.

"Talking to yourself?" Eli's voice made her jump, and she placed a hand over her heart before turning to see him leaning against the doorjamb to the dining room.

"You scared me."

He smirked. "Sorry."

Lorna couldn't help but grin back at him. "Sure, you are. Did you need something?"

Eli tilted his head. "Other than you? No."

"Eli..."

"I understand, Lorna, but that doesn't make me want you any less." He pushed off the jamb. "I should go. I need to take a shower."

"And did you find anything while out this morning?"

"No, ma'am. Either they've moved on or they're waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

He shrugged, "Who knows? I can't begin to understand how their minds work."

After taking his hat off the hook, he placed it on his head, touched the brim, opened the back door and looked at her one last time, "Thank you for breakfast."

"Will you be working today?" She furrowed her brow in concern.

"No, I have weekends off. I just wanted to check in and see if there was any activity."

"Did you stay up there last night?" Lorna asked.

"No. Luke and I were there for a few hours last week, but it was quiet."

"I wish they would do something so you could catch them."

Eli nodded in agreement. "Me too, but sometimes they get what they want and leave the area. Have a good day, Lorna." He nodded before walking out onto the porch and closing the door behind him.

****

The next day, Eli drove up to his parents' house and parked in front of the porch. He walked up to the door, about to knock when it opened, and his mother greeted him with a hug.

"It's been too long, Elijah," she scolded.

"I know, Mom. I apologize. It's been busy."

"You should never be too busy for your mother."

Eli smiled, took off his hat, and kissed her cheek.

"I know. Is Dad around?"

"He's in the barn getting ready to go on a ride."

"And you're not joining him?"

"No, I've had a headache all morning."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a minor inconvenience."

"Okay."

"Why don't you go ride with your dad?"

"I wanted to see you too."

"Well, you've seen me now. Go enjoy the ride with your dad."

"Alright." Eli grinned, kissed her cheek again, and stepped out of the house.

He walked across the yard, kicking up clouds of dust from his boots, then entered the barn. After giving his eyes time to adjust to the dim lighting, he made his way down the aisle.

"Dad?"

"In here, son."

Eli followed his voice and found his father in the tack room.

"Do you mind if I join you on your ride?"

His father raised an eyebrow. "I'd love that. Are you sure?"

"Of course. Mom suggested it and it's a beautiful day for a ride."

"Yes, it is. Get your horse ready and meet me in a few minutes." His father left the room.

"Yes, sir."

Eli entered the tack room and gathered everything he needed before heading over to his horse's stall. He hoped one day he'd build himself a bigger place on the land his parents had given him and he could keep his horse, along with a few others there. But for now, he only had five acres and no barn.

"Hey, Ghost," he whispered to the blue roan. He grinned as the horse lifted its head and walked toward the gate. "Wanna go for a ride?"

Eli opened the gate, attached the lead to Ghost's halter, and led him out of the stall.

After saddling his horse, he mounted up and turned to see his father riding toward him on Titan. The horse stood over eighteen hands, but with his father being so tall, he needed a large horse.

"Ready to go, son?"

"Whenever you are, Dad."

The two men rode along a trail that circled around the edge of the property. Eli took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead before putting it back on. It was another hot day, but he knew winter was just around the corner and fall was teasing them. He couldn't wait for cooler weather.

As they rode along the trail, Eli's mind drifted to thoughts of Lorna. He couldn't shake her from his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried. A heavy feeling settled in his chest as he knew it was better to stay away from her for both their sakes. But deep down, he longed to have her back in his arms again.

"What's on your mind, Eli?" His father's voice broke through his reverie.

Eli smirked and looked over at his dad. "A woman."

His dad chuckled. "Hell, forget I asked."

Eli laughed, but the sound was tinged with sadness. "Yeah, probably for the best."

They continued their ride until the distant rumble of thunder reached their ears.

"We should head back, son," his dad said, glancing up at the darkening sky.

"I'll follow you," Eli replied.

The two men turned their horses around and made their way back to the barn. Just as they entered the shelter of the barn, rain came pouring down in sheets. They quickly tended to their horses before standing in the doorway and watching the storm rage outside.

"So... working on a case?" his dad asked.

"Yep. I have two cases on my plate, but..." Eli shook his head. "Nothing yet."

As he explained about the strange incident of the livestock theft at the Palmer ranch, his dad furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Why would someone steal livestock like that?"

Eli shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me either."

"Any suspects?"

Eli hesitated before answering. "There is one person who has a motive, a developer who wanted to buy some land from the owner where the stolen horses were kept. But every time I go to talk to him, he's conveniently not home."

His dad raised an eyebrow. "Sounds fishy. You should track him down."

"I plan on it," Eli replied with determination.

His dad grinned. "I have no doubt you'll find him. You love your job, don't you?"

Eli nodded. "I do. I like helping out the ranchers and farmers."

"Just be careful out there, son. Your mother and I worry about you."

"I know, Dad. I'm sorry for causing so much worry."

"Eli, there's nothing to apologize for. It's a risk of the job, but it terrifies us nonetheless. We've seen what can happen with Mac... and we don't want to lose you."

"I understand. But I promise I'll be careful."

"Do you still keep in touch with Mac's family?" his father asked.

Eli nodded sadly. "They were devastated by his death. So was his widow."

"Have you seen her recently?"

A fond smile crossed Eli's face. "Actually, I had breakfast with her and her family yesterday at their ranch. The same ranch where the stolen horses were from."

His father stared at him, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Is she the woman on your mind?"

Eli let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Yeah... but it doesn't matter anyway. She won't get involved because she's afraid of losing me like she lost Mac."

"I see," his father said quietly.

"Well, looks like the rain is letting up a bit. Shall we make a run for it?"

"Yep, let's go."

The two men dashed out into the rain, across the muddy yard, and up onto the porch of the house. His mother opened the door and tossed each of them a towel before closing it again. They exchanged amused glances as they dried themselves off before entering the house to have lunch. When Eli left, he drove to John Callaway's property in search of answers.