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front steps of the church, talking to the Hispanic
man she d seen with him earlier. They both grew
silent as she approached.
She ignored the other man, turning her back
slightly to him as she faced Ty. I thought we might
talk about what s going to happen tomorrow.
Ty nodded. Let me introduce Diego Salazar,
he said, tilting his head toward the dark-haired
man next to him.
She didn t like really want to meet him.
Something about the way his gaze slid over her
body, made her feel like she was the butt of a joke
and only he knew the punch line.
Kate returned his stare, taking in his darkly
tanned skin, black hair, and Spanish features. Too
handsome for her to trust or even feel comfortable
standing beside.
Diego s my next in command.
Her back stiffened, but she nodded, reluctantly
acknowledging the introduction. So this was the
man Ty wanted to command her in his absence?
68
Sanctuary
When Hell froze over!
Diego lifted one sardonic eyebrow as though he
could read her irritation. The slight smile curving
his lips infuriated her.
Kate lifted her chin and glared.
You two know each other already? Ty said, a
hint of laughter in his voice. His arm slid around
her waist, and he leaned to whisper in her ear,
He ll grow on you. Promise. I only want to kill him
twice a day.
She snorted and drew away.
There s not much left to discuss, Ty
continued. When we get to your place tomorrow,
we ll need everyone to pack up their belongings,
and we ll load them all into the deuce-and-a-
halfs.
Kate stared at him blankly.
The transport vehicles, Diego murmured, his
deep voice a silky murmur.
We ll leave so soon? Kate asked, feeling
suddenly cold.
It s not safe for you there, and you know it,
and I didn t like leaving a skeleton crew behind at
Fort Davis. How many people do you have now at
the ranch?
She shivered, fighting the urge to offer a
protest. Ty was right. Much as she hated the
thought of leaving Sanctuary ranch, she had to. She
drew a deep breath and dropped her gaze as she
forced herself to count. I have my foreman and six
ranch hands. Three families thirteen total there.
Another nine stragglers who showed up at the
69
Delilah Devlin
gates. Her voice grew fainter toward the end, and
she realized she was close to tears. What the fuck?
She never cried. Oh, and Cass, the cook. Wishing
she d never sought him out, she half-turned, ready
to escape back into the church.
Do you have horse trailers? Diego asked.
I have three big enough to load all the
horses. It hit her then. She raised her gaze to Ty.
I won t be able to bring my cattle will I? A
McKinnon without a ranch or a herd.
No, he said quietly.
She nodded, pretending to take it all in stride.
I ll have to leave them on the open range to
graze, she said faintly. They d be fodder for the
wolves. Feeling chilled to the bone, she asked,
How long will it take us to get to Davis?
About ten hours. We ll leave in daytime
lowest wolf activity.
So we ll spend one night at the ranch, then
leave the next morning?
He nodded.
And when we get to your post, what
happens?
There are officer billets standing empty. The
families can be split out there. They ll be
comfortable, but there s no running water. They ll
have to use outhouses and get their water from the
central well. The single men can bunk in one of the
barracks.
What about the women?
She didn t miss the charged glance he shared
with his next in command. We ll see what
70
Sanctuary
arrangements they prefer when we get there.
Kate nodded, once again going with her gut to
trust him. She wanted to ask where she d stay, but
he saved her the embarrassment.
We ll have our own quarters off the
operations building.
While she stood beside him, his hand rested on
the small of her back, his thumb circling. It
probably wasn t even something he was aware of
doing.
But she noticed. She d never considered herself
an affectionate person. She and Sam had kept their
relationship pretty much under wraps for years.
The few gestures of affection they shared were
relegated to the bedroom.
But when Ty slipped his arm around her
shoulders while he continued talking to Diego, she
leaned into him and slipped her arm around his
waist.
His answering squeeze warmed her.
How had she come to crave his touch so
quickly? She hadn t the example of a mother and
father sharing physical affection, her mother
having died shortly after she was born. Her father
had raised her the best he d known how, but his
was a gruff sort of love, and he hadn t known
exactly how to raise a little girl. She d known he [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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