Chapter Three

      Kellie had no doubt he’d get the job done, but Cy Vance was too modest for words. That was part of the charm of the man who was growing on her with every passing second. His rugged profile stood out in the lamplight. He’d stretched out in the chair with his hard-muscled legs crossed at the ankles.

      She’d been around cowboys all her life. Some of them were more attractive than others. Some had great builds. Others were loaded with talent in the arena. Still others had engaging personalities. But this Texas Ranger had all of those qualities and more. He’d been put together in such a way no one could compare to him.

      Impatient with herself for concentrating on the attractive Ranger, she turned over so she faced the back of the sofa. She needed sleep. Desperately. Knowing he was right across the room from her gave her a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt since her first encounter with the stalker. How unbelievable was it that the Ranger she’d bumped into in Bandera had come into her life at the most precarious moment of her existence?

      When her cell phone suddenly rang, she jerked upright. Kellie flung herself around, staring at her phone in terror.

      “It’s all right.” Cy’s deep voice was reassuring. “What does the caller ID say?”

      She took a shaky breath. “It’s my best friend, Kathie.”

      “Go ahead and talk to her. Put it on speaker.”

      Kellie reached for it and clicked on. “Kathie?”

      “Hi! I know it’s late, but I had to call you. Good grief, Kellie. Is it really true that you’re married?”

      Her gaze locked with Cy’s. “Yes. How did you hear?”

      “Patty told me she read it on your blog tonight. How come you didn’t tell me?”

      Oh dear. Kellie heard the hurt in her voice. Now for the lie... But this lie was going to save her life and it took away her guilt. “It happened while I was on the circuit and there was no time.” That part was true. “Look, Kathie. It’s a long story and—”

      “And your husband wants your attention. Is he right there?”

      At that remark Cy’s eyes smiled. Kellie felt a fever coming on. “Yes. We just got in from Bandera. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

      “He must really be something for you to get married so fast you didn’t even have your parents there.”

      “W-we couldn’t bear to wait any longer.”

      “Whoa. I’ll hang up now, but I expect a detailed report later. You know what I mean.”

      Embarrassment brought the heat in waves. “Thanks for calling. We’ll talk soon. I promise.” She clicked off and put the phone back on the coffee table.

      Cy closed the laptop and put it on the floor. He leaned forward with his hands clasped between his knees. “Kathie is one of the names on the list you gave me. Who is she?”

      “My best friend in our group. Sally, my other friend, is a part of it, too.”

      “What group is that?”

      “There are about thirty of us who ride for pleasure, but serve as volunteers in case of any kind of local emergency.”

      His brows lifted. “Do you have a name?”

      “We’re the Blue Bonnet Posse.”

      “That’s right. You mentioned one of your friends from the group who moved to Colorado Springs. Come to think of it, I have heard of the posse. Weren’t you the ones who found that autistic child who’d wandered away from home last year?”

      “That one, and a lost Boy Scout. The police department calls our leader when they need volunteers to do a search in the outskirts of Austin.”

      “No doubt you’re kept busy. Those lucky parents must be indebted to you. I’m impressed.”

      “It’s our job.” She echoed his earlier words to her.

      “Touché.” He reached down and pulled off his cowboy boots. She watched him turn out the lamp and stretch out on the hide-a-bed. It couldn’t be that comfortable, and he hadn’t even changed. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head.

      She forced herself to look away. But no sooner had she curled on her side hoping to fall asleep than the phone rang again. Still petrified, but less startled this time, she reached for the phone.

      “Put the speaker on,” Cy reminded her.

      She nodded. It was her father and she clicked on. “Hi, Dad. I’ve got the phone on speaker.”

      “Forgive me for calling this late, but your mom and I want to make certain you’re all right.”

      Her gaze drifted to Cy. “I’m fine. Really. The news is out. Kathie just called me.”

      “We got a call from your cousin Heidi. She read your blog and couldn’t believe it.”

      “I know this is going to come as a shock to everyone who knows me.”

      “They care about you. It’s a tribute to the wonderful woman you are.”

      “Spoken like a biased parent.”

      “We love you, Kellie.” His voice sounded gruff with emotion. “Tell that Ranger we can’t thank him enough.”

      She looked at Cy’s silhouette in the semidarkness. “He knows how you feel. All I do is thank him.”

      “We’re expecting you for lunch. Good night, honey.”

      “You get a good sleep, Dad. Cy is keeping me perfectly safe. Love you.” She hung up the phone and hugged her pillow.

      The next time she had cognizance of her surroundings, she heard the phone ringing. Immediately her adrenaline brought her to a sitting position. The second she realized there was no name on the caller ID, she felt bile rise in her throat. Cy had already hunkered down at the coffee table, urging her to pick up and press the recording app.

      Her body shook as she reached for the phone. Doing as Cy asked, she clicked on. “Hello?”

      “I knew you got home today. How did you like my letter?”