Protecting Her Daughter (Wrangler's Corner) by Lynette Eason Page B

something stupid like take her in his arms and hug her. Or kiss her. He nearly tripped, righted himself and closed his hand around the door knob. He cleared his throat. “I’m just going to check on the heifer and the calf, and then I’ll be on my way.”
    “Of course. Thank you again for everything, Aaron. I know how much I owe you.”
    “You don’t owe me a thing. Get some rest.” He forced his gaze away from the shimmer of her dark eyes. With supreme effort, he opened the door and walked out.
    The sharp wind hit him full in the face and he shivered. He might be used to the bitter cold, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Picturing himself on a tropical beach, playing in the sand with Sophia or swimming in the surf with Zoe, he pulled his scarf from his pocket and wrapped it so that the cold didn’t cut as bad. Then he blinked the images from his head. If he was going to bury his attraction for Zoe, he couldn’t be imagining beach days with her. He looked around. But if they did wind up somewhere, it would definitely be a beach. No skiing. He was ready for warm weather. But not with Zoe. No way. That kind of thinking would only lead to heartache.
    The snow had stopped for now, but the way the air smelled said there was more to come.
    He spotted the Wrangler’s Corner police cruisers. One was positioned strategically near the barn with a view of the back of the house and one right out front. He squinted and waved. Ronnie Hart, who had a good view of the back of the building, waved back. A new deputy who’d been hired about a month ago, Ginny Garrison, also lifted a hand in acknowledgement then typed something into the computer she had open on the tray attached to the dash.
    Probably making note of his departure. He walked over to Ronnie, and the man lowered his window. “Thanks for watching out for her.”
    “No problem. Nice job out there on the mountain.”
    He still couldn’t believe he’d shot the man. Pete. The man had a name. “I couldn’t let him shoot Lance.”
    “For sure. Maybe you should hang up your stethoscope and go to the police academy.”
    Aaron laughed but it had little humor. “No way. I’m happy being a vet.” He nodded in the direction of the barn. “I’m just going to check on Lily and then I’m heading home.” He glanced back at the house and saw the flickering of the television through the curtains. So sleep wouldn’t come any time soon for her. He wondered if she would actually be able to doze off.
    “You think those guys will be back?”
    Aaron looked back at Ronnie. “Yes. Unfortunately, I do.”
    Ronnie nodded and patted his weapon. “Then we’ll be ready.”
    Aaron’s jaw tightened and he felt for the weapon he’d retrieved from the kitchen table where it had been left when everyone scattered from the house earlier. The weight of it against his side brought comfort, reassurance. “Yes. Yes, we will.”

SIX
    Z oe couldn’t bring herself to sleep in her room. Instead she’d lain down beside Sophia and figured she’d spare the child waking in the middle of the night to come find her. Careful not to disturb the still-sleeping Sophia, she rolled over to check the clock.
    Seven forty-five.
    So she’d actually slept. She really hadn’t thought she would, but having the two deputies outside had allowed her adrenaline to settle down. She slid out from underneath the covers. Goose bumps pebbled her skin, and she shivered. She needed to bump the heat up a notch.
    On sock-covered feet, she padded to the window and pushed the curtain aside to peer out. She could see Lance sitting in the cruiser sipping coffee from a thermos cup. A light dusting of snow covered the car. Ronnie must have left and Lance had taken over sometime during the night. He glanced up, saw her looking and lifted a hand. She waved back, then released the curtain and let it fall back into place. She walked to the thermostat, knocked the heat up two degrees then hurried to her room at the opposite end of