Chapter 1

ONE

The day Deputy Dave Kane, an off-the-grid special forces operative, arrived in Black Rock Falls, his life had changed dramatically. He'd encountered Sheriff Jenna Alton, an ex-DEA special agent in witness protection, spinning upside-down in her cruiser in the snow after an attempt on her life. Six years had passed since his reassignment to hide in plain sight as a deputy sheriff, and what an action-packed six years it had been. He'd found himself living in Serial Killer Central with a sheriff he'd been sent to protect and who was the last person who needed or wanted his protection. It was just as well his handler, Dr. Shane Wolfe, currently the medical examiner, was sent along to keep the peace. Not in his wildest dreams would he have believed six years later he'd be holding Jenna's hair from her face as she hugged the toilet.

After losing his wife in a car bombing during his time as a secret service agent, he'd never believed he'd love again, but the moment he'd set eyes on Jenna, something magical had happened. The opposite to him, Jenna was petite against his six-five, two-hundred-fifty-pound frame but they both had the same black hair and blue eyes. She just happened to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. It had taken him four or more years to propose, but now they had an adopted son, Tauri, and Jenna was pregnant with their child. Hence the need to hold up her hair as she spewed. It had become a morning ritual. Watching her and not being able to stop her misery tore at his heart. He passed her a damp washcloth as she lifted her head. "Sit still for a while." He flushed the toilet and crouched before her. "Wolfe said it wouldn't last much longer."

"It wasn't supposed to start at three weeks but it did." Jenna pressed the washcloth to her face and leaned back against the tile. "Sandy's lasted for three months." She pulled down a small section of the washcloth and peered at him. "But she was having twins. What if I'm having twins?"

Jenna was referring to Deputy Jake Rowley's wife, whom he'd rather not use an example of pregnant bliss as she'd ended up delivering her twins in the morgue as the roads to the hospital were blocked during a blizzard. Kane shook his head. "There's no twins in our families, so I doubt it, but whatever sex or how many babies we have, they'll be a blessing."

"Easy for you to say, you're not hugging the porcelain every morning." Jenna covered her face again. "Two would be great. Three is a great number of kids to have and we'd get it all done and dusted in one go."

Grinning, Kane sat down beside her. "This is the easy part. Once the morning sickness has passed, you'll be back to normal for a few months before you start waddling like a duck." He chuckled. "Then you get to squeeze all the life out of my hands during labor. Rowley told me that it took him six weeks before he could move his hands again after being with Sandy during the birth of the twins." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Don't worry, they say that as soon as the baby is put in your arms, you'll forget the morning sickness and the delivery."

"That's what women tell their husbands as an excuse for the verbal abuse they dished out during the labor." Jenna snorted. "Now I know why in the olden times, the midwives refused to allow husbands to be present at the birth. The modern way must have been suggested by a woman just to let a man know exactly what we go through." She dropped the washcloth. "Why don't you want to know the sex of our baby?"

A tightness closed around his heart. His first wife had been pregnant with their son when she was killed. The loss of both of them was like a dagger to his heart for so long he didn't know how he'd survived. He tipped back his head and stared at the ceiling. "I already know." He touched his head. "In here, I can see you holding our baby. I know the name and that you'll want another the moment you lay eyes on our child." He touched her face. "I know you, Jenna. You're strong and capable. You're a wonderful mother to Tauri and you'll continue to be a great sheriff. Children, as we've discovered, only enhance our lives. We've been very fortunate to be parents don't you think?"

"Yeah, I want this baby so much, but I hate spewing, is all." She smiled at him. "I'm not worried about the labor, but it will take all my willpower not to discover the sex. When I have the scans, I'll be looking. I just won't tell you."

Kane pushed to his feet and held out his hands. "Have a few crackers and sit awhile in bed before you take a shower. I'll go and tend the horses." He glanced at his watch. "Tauri will be awake soon and I promised him he could watch while I fixed the Harley." He pulled her to her feet and handed her the mouthwash. "Will you be okay now?"

"Yeah." She squeezed his arm. "Same time tomorrow?"

Kane chuckled. "I wouldn't miss it." He headed for the door.