Just Shoot Me (Cowboy Way, #1) (31 page)

“
Dean put me down!” she said,
fighting against his hold. His hand landed on her ass and she
squealed, then a thrill raced up through her body.

What the hell was that about?

Dean walked a little further with her, then
set her down on her feet. Tina was about to try to plant her heel
in his shin again, but he stepped on her toe with his boot. “Kick
me and I’ll spank you good,” he threatened.

A tremble worked through her, and moisture
pooled between her legs. Dammit! This was scary, not exciting.
Suddenly she felt herself flying again, then she was across his
shoulder.

“
Don’t you dare move,” he warned
and she was jostled as he held her across his shoulder with one
hand. Where the hell was he taking her?

Suddenly, she was set down on something soft.
Tina scooted away, but Dean’s hands followed her. She felt him yank
the sack, and he pulled it over her head. He didn’t untie her arms
though. “Untie me!” Tina demanded shooting daggers at him with her
eyes.

She had no idea if he could see her or not,
because it was pitch black wherever they were.

“
Dean, have you lost your mind?”
she asked breathlessly. Sane men didn’t do what this man was doing.
Desperate men did though. A little fear snaked down her spine, but
then she reminded herself that Dean had never hurt her. Not even
close. But he might have snapped. She might have snapped him this
morning. “We can get you some help, honey,” she said smoothly,
trying damned hard not to let him know she was afraid.

“
The only help I need is right here
in this deer stand with me. And yeah, I’m crazy…about you. But you
won’t listen to me.”

So that’s where he had taken her, the deer
stand where they made love. Her heart kicked in her chest and Tina
had a hard time hanging on to her anger.

“
Just take me back to the
bunkhouse, I’ll listen. I promise.” She had decided to do that
anyway, just not this soon.

“
You’ll listen right here,” he shot
back, and she heard him sit down. There was rustling, he struck a
match and suddenly the deer stand was filled with light. He put the
cover back on the oil lantern then sat it to the side.

Tina’s eyes moved around the deer stand and
she was shocked speechless. Dean had little hearts made out of red
construction paper taped to the walls. In each heart was a name.
Hope, Cord, Barb, Silas, Jeremy and Laney. There was even one with
a question mark, which she figured was for the baby.

“
Where’s my heart and your heart?”
Tina asked meeting his eyes.

“
Mine is right here,” he said and
put his hand to the center of her chest. Her heart did a dull thud
in her chest then melted and dripped down her insides. “And I hope
yours is here.” Dean put his fist to his chest. “My whole family is
head over heels in love with you. But none of them—nobody in the
world—could
ever
love you more than I do.”

“
Dean—“ she said, and he put his
finger over her lips.

“
Listen, buttercup, please.” Tina
nodded.

“
I feel like a first class ass
because of what I said to you. I deserve every moment of the misery
I’ve been through for the last two weeks, every damn minute and
then some. And I’ve got to tell you I’ve been one miserable
son-of-a-bitch. I was wrong. No excuses. If you promise not to
leave me, I’ll spend every minute I have left on earth trying to
make it up to you, baby. If you’ll spend those minutes with me.
Loving me, even though I’ll never deserve it.”

Dean Dixon was not romantic. But that was just
about the most romantic thing any man had ever said to her. To hear
him lay himself bare like that told her he really was
sorry.

Stunned, Tina just sat there staring at him.
She shook her head to make sure she was awake even. “Okay. Who are
you and what the hell have you done with my husband?” she asked
more than half-serious. “I’ll pay whatever you want, because I love
his grumpy ass.”

“
Oh he’s around here somewhere, I
promise,” Dean growled and grabbed her shoulders to pull her onto
his lap. “You haven’t seen the last of him. But if he shows up, be
sure to kick his ass okay?”

“
You got it. Now untie me,” she
said looking into his eyes.

“
Not yet.” he replied with a
secretive smile. “I have other plans I was going to use tonight to
convince you. More for tomorrow if you still weren’t convinced. I
made plans to stay up here as long as it took to convince you to
stay. Cord and Mama are on standby to deliver food when
necessary.”

Tina wanted to hear more about these plans of
his. “Hmm…sounds like you were prepared. These plans sound
interesting,” she said smiling up at her handsome husband. “You
could always tell them I resisted so we could stay up here
longer.”

“
Baby, I love the way you think,”
Dean said as he lowered his mouth to hers.

EPILOGUE

It was dark as Tina pulled up under the light
at the side of the front porch near the bunkhouse, and shut off her
car. She stopped a moment to get her happiness under control,
because she had to maintain a certain mood for this, or Dean would
be disappointed. Last year at this time she hadn’t been grinning
from ear to ear just yet. Her opportunity for that would come in a
few hours.

Tina grabbed her purse and briefcase from the
seat beside her, then opened her door to swing her legs out of the
car. When she stood a tall, dark figure dashed from the darkened
side of the bunkhouse and a thrill coursed through her. Barb Dixon
had made banana pudding this afternoon, and Tina wondered if Dean
would bring some of his second favorite dessert for them to have
later. It was sticky, but a dip in the lake later would take care
of that.

But right now she needed to focus.

She dropped her purse and briefcase, then
pretended to run, but before she could take a step a sack was
thrown over her head. Tina trembled and pinched her knees together
as a rope was looped around her arms at the elbow, and she was
caught. She sucked in a deep breath, but before she could scream a
hand clamped down over her mouth.

Tina heard a grunt, as she was swept off of
her feet and carried. She squirmed and fought as much as she could,
but stopped when a firm hand smacked her ass. Hard enough to bring
tears to her eyes, and send a chill racing up her spine. She could
practically feel her captor’s handprint on her ass. Her breath came
in short gasps, but Tina didn’t know if it was excitement or the
heat from the sack over her head making her breathless. She could
hear her heart beating in her ears, and feel her captor’s pounding
against her shoulder.

Suddenly, she was tossed onto a seat of some
kind. She felt around, and tried to push up, but a seat belt was
looped around her, and she heard it click. Tina couldn’t move now
at all.

A powerful engine cranked, and she was jostled
as the truck moved forward. Tina got her senses back and screamed
as loud as she could. If this was a kidnapping, someone was going
to know she was being kidnapped. Maybe Dean would hear her, she
thought, suppressing a giggle. If he didn’t hear her, he must be
deaf. She continued to scream until she was hoarse. A rush of wind
blew in from the window beside her, and took her breath away. Tina
sat there breathing, and hoping she would have a chance to get away
from this madman, or maybe join him in a deer stand to celebrate
their one year anniversary.

She needed to bide her time. Wait for an
opportunity, she thought. She stayed still and quiet, while they
drove over very bumpy ground for what seemed like forever. Suddenly
the bumping stopped, and the truck engine was cut. A door opened
and Tina’s heart raced, wondering what her captor was going to do
to her now.

What about her baby? Tina thought about Deanna
and wondered if Mrs. Dixon was doing okay with her tonight. Hope
said she’d help check in on them, but Tina knew she was busy enough
as it was taking care of her own little boy Jase. Jeremy loved his
baby sister to distraction, he was more protective of her than
Dean. And that was saying a lot.

Tears came to her eyes, because this was their
first night apart since Deanna was born four months ago, and she
was worried the baby would miss her too. She wondered how long her
captor would keep her from her sweet little girl. She knew he was
probably just as worried.

But this was their special night, and nothing
was going to ruin it. Things would be fine.

The back door opened, and Tina couldn’t be
quiet any longer, “Please don’t hurt me,” she begged then sucked a
gulping breath. “I have two daughters, a son and a husband who love
me.” As of four months ago, Laney was her daughter too. Her sister
had signed over custody, and that was the best thing for her. It
was a tough decision, but she was finally proud of Lori for doing
the right thing, well mostly. She was still gallivanting with
cowboys, but Tina didn’t think that would ever change.

Someone leaned over her, to unclick the
seatbelt, then leaned close to her ear. “I love you too,” a raspy,
sexy voice said, before she was gently picked up off of the seat,
and she heard the door shut. Tina sniffed again and caught a faint
woodsy scent. It wasn’t the natural woods. That was Dean’s cologne,
and Dean’s voice! Dean had kidnapped her!

Tina struggled trying to break free, and his
arms clamped around her tighter. “Be still,” he said gruffly. Tina
wasn’t going to be still. Her own husband was kidnapping
her!

“
Dean put me down!” she said,
fighting against his hold. His hand landed on her ass and she
squealed, then a thrill raced up through her body, and she
shivered.

Dean walked a little further with her, then
set her down on her feet. Tina was about to try to run, but he
stepped on her toe with his boot. “Run and I’ll spank you good,” he
threatened.

A tremble worked through her, and moisture
pooled between her legs. Dammit! This was supposed to be scary, not
exciting. Suddenly she felt herself flying again, then she was
across his shoulder. She landed with an oomph over her captor’s
shoulder.

“
Don’t you dare move,” he warned
and she was jostled as he held her across his shoulder with one
hand. Where the hell was he taking her? Suddenly, he sat her down
on something soft. Tina scooted away, but Dean’s hands followed
her. He yanked the sack and pulled it over her head, but he didn’t
untie her arms.

“
Untie me!” Tina demanded, shooting
playful daggers at him with her eyes.

She had no idea if he could see her or not,
because it was pitch black inside the tree stand.

“
Dean, have you lost your mind?”
she asked breathlessly.

Sane men didn’t do what this man was doing.
Desperate men did though, and her husband was desperate.
Desperately in love with her if what he said was true. But you
never knew how far you could push a man before he snapped. A little
fear snaked down her spine, but then she reminded herself that Dean
had never hurt her. Not even close.

But he might have snapped. She might have
snapped him this morning when she went a little too far with the
cherry cobbler last night. “We can get you some help, honey,” she
said smoothly, trying damned hard not to let him know she was
excited rather than scared.

“
The only help I need is right here
in this deer stand with me. And yeah, I’m crazy, buttercup. Crazy
about you. But you won’t listen to me anymore.”

It was their one-year anniversary and Dean
suggested they celebrate where they made love that first night. Mr.
Cranky Pants had definitely not been around in a while. Her husband
was caring, thoughtful and romantic. Tina had a hard time even
remembering what Mr. Cranky Pants was like. Her heart kicked in her
chest and Tina had a hard time hanging on to the pretense of being
afraid.

“
Just take me back to the
bunkhouse, I’ll listen. I promise.” Tina loved hearing her
husband’s sexy voice. She could listen to him all day
long.

“
You’ll listen right here,” he shot
back, and she heard him sit down. There was rustling, he struck a
match and suddenly the deer stand was filled with light. He put the
cover back on the oil lantern then sat it to the side.

Tina’s eyes moved around the deer stand and
she was shocked speechless. Dean had the same little hearts made
out of red construction paper taped to the walls. In each heart was
a name. Hope, Cord, Barb, Silas, Jeremy and Laney. There was even
for the baby. Deanna. Their precious little girl. Laney and
Jeremy’s sister, and her Daddy’s heart.

“
Where’s my heart and your heart?”
Tina asked meeting his eyes.

“
Mine is right here,” he said and
put his hand to the center of her chest. Her heart did a dull thud
in her chest then melted and dripped down her insides. “And I hope
yours is here.” Dean put his fist to his chest. “My whole family is
head over heels in love with you. But none of them—nobody in the
world—could
ever
love you more than I do.”

“
Dean—“ she said with a sigh, and
he put his finger over her lips.

“
Listen, buttercup, please.” Tina
nodded.