“Of course you are,” Spence said without missing a beat. “But it’s been a while since your last scan. I’d like to do another one.”

  Katherine laughed, and Joseph’s face paled. “You’re okay, right, Katherine? You aren’t hurting?” he insisted. If Joseph could will his wife into perfect health he would. For a man who could do or get anything he wanted, it was a tough pill to swallow to not be able to do enough for his wife.

  Joseph had been shot the week before by a madman, along with Jon Eisenhart, who was running a special operations team for Joseph. Both of them had pulled through. Crew’s problems seemed minor compared to that.

  He’d figure it all out — and maybe they’d figure out what was wrong with Katherine too. Then again, maybe there was nothing wrong. In this strange world they’d found themselves in, nothing seemed to make much sense anymore.

  Chapter One

  Crew Anderson had been going through absolute hell for months.

  He was a psychologist, dammit! Crew told himself over and over again to stick to the facts, to not let speculation get to him. He tried giving himself the same advice he gave his patients — he needed to remain rational, in control, and look at the facts . . . only the facts. Yep, he also watched too many old black and white films if he couldn’t think that thought without Jack Webb’s voice from Dragnet filtering through his mind.

  Three months ago Crew had received a cryptic note telling him he had a daughter and more information would soon come his way. He’d searched his mind, wondering how that was possible. He wasn’t a saint, that was for sure, but he was a careful man and had been his entire life.

  Crew had great respect for women. He also believed in honesty. He’d yet to meet anyone who’d swept him off his feet. He treated women well, took them on nice dates, and when he did bed them, he always made sure they were both protected. So, the logical part of his brain told him this was nothing but a smokescreen. There was no way he could have a daughter.

  Protection fails!

  That thought had stayed with him with each subsequent note he’d received.

  Crew had finally asked Darla Winters to help.

  Though Crew was miserable, the thought of Darla brought a bit of warmth to his seemingly frozen heart. She was unlike any woman he’d ever met, full of love, laughter, energy, and optimism.

  She was the best friend of his brother Hudson’s fiancée. The girls had been friends since grade school and had a bond as strong as Crew shared with his brothers. He’d been drawn to Darla the moment he’d met her, and because she was a social worker, he’d finally decided to share his story with her. He’d been keeping it from his family for months.

  “Hey, cowboy, what are you doing?”

  As if thinking about her had pulled her from thin air, Crew turned to see Darla approaching, her usual smile firmly in place, her walk confident on her long, toned legs encased in a pair of jeans that seemed to have been made just for her.

  His gaze traced her luscious body as he admired the sweet curve of her waist where the fitted, bright pink, buttoned blouse she wore tucked into those pants, giving him a great view of her breasts and a peek at her cleavage.

  “Getting a good look? Do you want me to pose for a picture?” Darla asked as she stopped a few feet from him. “Take it from my left side. It’s much better.” Then she turned slightly, put a hand on her hip, tucked her chin down the slightest bit, and looked up at him with blazing green eyes that took his breath away. After a second she laughed as she stopped her pose and closed the distance between them.

  He gave her the slightest smile. Damn, she had a way of pulling him from his brooding thoughts.

  “Ah, there’s that almost smile I love so much,” Darla said before reaching out and chucking his chin. She leaned against the fence he’d been standing at for the past hour. “I see your new arrivals are here safe and sound. I was hoping to get here earlier, but I had a mother who needed to talk.”

  Crew knew Darla would share only what she could and nothing more. She’d never break confidentiality, just as he wouldn’t. “I hope all is okay,” he told her.

  “It’s never okay in my world, but once in a while I see miracles, and I see families truly fight for one another. That’s what keeps me going back again and again,” she said.

  They stood side by side as they both gazed out at the field. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” he finally muttered.

  “Well, it looks like you’re adopting horses,” she told him.

  That morning, four horses had been brought to his home. He wasn’t quite sure how he’d gotten roped into it. A couple of years earlier he’d bought the fifty-acre ranch with a barn, indoor arena, and an attached fenced field. He’d felt called to the property. But he’d never expected to fill it with animals.

  This morning his uncle had called, saying there was an emergency. A group had been busted for animal abuse and they needed homes for two grown horses and two foals. Crew had said he couldn’t do it, that he knew nothing about horses. But somehow, in a matter of minutes, his uncle had convinced him to accept taking charge of these probably-abused animals and have them dropped off ASAP.

  As soon as he’d finished speaking with his uncle, he’d called Darla. He hadn’t known why he’d called her instead of his brothers, but it seemed to be what he’d been doing for the past few weeks as the two of them tried to solve the case of whether he had a daughter or not.

  After his call to Darla, Crew had rushed out to buy supplies, made phone calls to arrange a vet visit, then spent the remaining time making sure the fences were secure and there was nothing in the unused barns that would hurt the animals.

  Now he was gazing out at the beautiful green field with fencing that needed some updating and the four horses that huddled together, sending suspicious looks his way.

  “I’m just housing the horses,” Crew said after a long pause at Darla’s words.

  “Mm-hmm,” she said before chuckling.

  “I won’t get attached to them,” Crew firmly said.

  “I don’t know,” Darla said as she gazed with fondness at the animals. “That dark beauty over there keeps looking at you with a challenge in his eyes. I think you might be meant for one another.”

  “I’ve never ridden a horse, nor have I ever had the desire to do so,” Hudson told her.

  As they spoke, the young tan foal with white highlights and skinny legs began taking steps toward them. There was no distrust in its eyes, only curiosity.

  “Come here, baby girl,” Darla crooned in a voice that made the horse’s ears perk up as it took another step.

  The female horse behind the foal neighed, making the young one turn its head, but then it looked back to Darla and took another step.

  “That’s it, baby girl. Come here,” she said as she pulled out a bag of cut-up apples and held one out through the fence. The horse picked up its step. “What a pretty girl you are,” Darla cooed.

  Crew had been standing there for an hour, watching the horses, and they’d barely glanced at him, other than the large male whose evil eyes told Crew he wanted to kill him. Within seconds Darla was enchanting the animals. He knew how they felt.

  “What’s her name?” Darla asked as the foal made it to the fence and gingerly moved her head forward to smell the treat in Darla’s hand. She took the small piece of apple and chewed it while Darla reached through the fence and gently petted her nose.

  “They don’t have names,” Crew said. “I don’t plan on naming them. They’re only here temporarily.”

  “That won’t do at all,” Darla said. “I’m going to call you Pixie,” she said. “You definitely look like a sweet little fairy princess.”

  The horse seemed to smile at Darla as she held out another piece of apple. The foal gladly took it then leaned against the fence munching it and enjoying the sweet caress of Darla’s fingers. Crew wouldn’t mind her caressing him with as much attention.

  The other young horse that seemed a few months older had noticed what was happening at the fence and trotted over, butting the female out of the way so he could get his own piece of apple. He was black, lanky, and absolutely beautiful with soulful eyes that told Crew he’d seen a bit too much in his young life.

  “He’s a little edgier, but I think with a lot of love and attention he’ll be as sweet as a purring kitten on your lap,” Darla said as she gave him another piece of apple and scratched his neck. “Are they siblings?”

  “No. I didn’t get a lot of information, but they said they believe those two are the mom and dad of the one you’re calling Pixie, and this boy is an orphan.”

  “Hmm, we’ll call you Shadow,” Darla said. Shadow seemed to like his name because he gave a whiney at Darla’s words, then nudged her hand for more apple.

  “Don’t get attached,” Crew told her. “They really aren’t staying.” He made sure his voice was firm. He had to keep his resolve.

  Darla smiled at him. “Your uncle Joseph set this up?” she asked innocently.

  “Yes, but he assured me it’s temporary,” Crew said.

  Darla laughed, the sound full of joy. “Oh, Crew, I’ve only known your family a short time, but if your uncle got the horses here, they aren’t going anywhere,” she informed him.

  Crew felt the color drain from his face. “I don’t know anything about horses. They can’t stay,” he said, feeling near panic. “I have this mystery to solve about a possible daughter, I have a practice to run, and I don’t want pets.”

  “We all need animals in our lives. They remind us we aren’t alone and that we’re loved. When people let us down, animals are there to pick up the pieces. No matter how much an animal might be abused, they’ll crawl back to you to love them. Are you really going to turn these babies away when they have a secure home here? Would you do that to them when you can help them?”

  “That’s low,” he said. “I can’t help if I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “I’ve been around horses my entire life, so it’s a good thing we’re friends and I’m looking for a new adventure,” she said.

  “A new adventure?” he asked. He was confused and it wasn’t a feeling he enjoyed.

  “Yep. We have a mystery to solve and I have vacation time. So we’ll take care of these horses and solve the mystery of your daughter. It’s a win-win.”

  “How is any of this a win?” he asked, throwing his hands in the air. The horses moved away from him, feeling his agitation. “Sorry,” he mumbled, realizing he was apologizing to animals. This woman changed his reality too often.

  “You win no matter what, Crew. Don’t you realize that? If you have a child out there, you’ll get to know her, love her, and protect her. If you don’t, then you’ll know it’s inside you to be a father. Your protective instincts have already emerged. And taking care of these beautiful horses will help you heal. There’s nothing more therapeutic than horses.”

  “I thought I was the psychologist,” he told her with a raise of his brows.

  “You know you aren’t allowed to doctor yourself. It’s a good thing I’m around to help you out,” she said.

  The woman was so full of confidence. It was certainly a turn-on.

  “They aren’t going away, are they?” he finally asked.

  She laughed again, the horses drawn to her pureness. “Nope. I’m glad you’re realizing it. I think you should name that beautiful stallion out there. He’s obviously yours.”

  “He’s not mine,” he said. She just raised a brow. “I guess it doesn’t hurt to name him though.”

  “That’s a first step,” she said.

  “Let me watch him for a couple of days. I don’t know how you came up with names so quickly.”

  “Are you getting all sentimental on me?” Darla asked. The older horses hadn’t come up to the fence but they had moved closer. The babies were still nudging Darla. “I’m all out of food. You’ll have to wait until later,” she told them. They actually seemed to look irritated with her.

  There were a couple of people working in the barn, and Darla waived to them.

  “It didn’t take you long to get people here,” Darla said.

  “My cousin Mark was on it. He loaned me some of his help until I hire my own. I think my uncle had this planned for days; as soon as I reluctantly agreed, it was all good to go. He gave me phone numbers to call and the vet and hoof person are on their way now.”

  “Hoof person?” Darla said.

  “You know, that guy who trims their feet.”

  Darla threw back her head and laughed. “I might have to stop calling you cowboy,” she told him. “You mean the farrier.”

  “I told you I know nothing about horses,” he said as he threw his hands in the air. “And I’m not even close to being a cowboy.”

  “Oh, Crew, there’s a bit of cowboy in all men,” she said as she shocked the hell out of him and slapped his ass — hard — before she turned and began walking toward his house.

  He stood watching the sway of her hips as she moved forward, unaware she’d left him stunned in place. He didn’t know what in the hell to think about this spitfire of a woman who had his insides twisted in a million directions. He wanted to chase after her and give her his own smack on her tight ass. Just the thought of that had him painfully hard beneath his jeans. He shifted as he tried to get more comfortable.

  “Are you coming, cowboy?” she called.

  “I thought I wasn’t a cowboy,” he fired back as he began walking after her.

  “And I told you all men have a bit of cowboy in them. Want to show me your lasso?” she threw back at him with a wink before facing forward again.

  Hell yes! He almost shouted that right at her. The thought of her in his bedroom, wearing nothing but a cowboy hat while he slapped his hand with a rope flashed inside his head. His arousal throbbed with need, and he felt his heart thunder in his chest.

  What in the hell was wrong with him? He was a damn psychologist, for goodness sake. He didn’t have fantasies of tying up women, and he didn’t need kink in the bedroom to have a good time. What this woman did to his head should be illegal.

  She turned and looked at him as he practically limped to her, his erection so painful it was difficult to walk. A gleam shone in her eyes as her gaze burned him from head to toe, and then back up again. When their gazes met this time, there was some definite fire in her eyes.

  “Hmmm, I can practically read your thoughts,” she said with a husky laugh. “Are you fantasizing about ropes and spurs?” she purred.

  He took a step closer to her. “That mouth of yours is going to get you into some seriously hot water one of these days,” he warned. Crew would’ve never considered himself a rough and tumble alpha male, but this woman seemed to be bringing it out in him. He had the strong desire to pull her against him and show her what teasing a man would accomplish.

  “Promises, promises. Don’t make an offer you aren’t willing to back up, cowboy,” Darla said in a taunting voice. She reached out and ran her finger across his lips, down his chin and over his chest. Then she laughed again before turning and once again walking away.

  Crew stood rooted to the spot for several long seconds. Then he grinned. “I’m your huckleberry,” he called.

  Darla turned, stunned. And then she threw back her head and laughed, pure joy escaping her.

  “Damn, you’re fun, Crew Anderson. It’s too bad I’m smart enough to know you’re a love ’em and leave ’em quick kind of guy. Otherwise, we’d rock the hell out of your bed.”

  And then she was gone. She stepped inside his house. They had a lot to do that day. But Crew suddenly didn’t want to do anything other than haul her into his bedroom. Should he do just that?

  Maybe . . .

  Chapter Two

  Darla took some deep breaths in and out while she walked into Crew Anderson’s home. She’d always been a confident woman, knowing who she was and where she wanted to go in life. She’d been knocked down a few times, but she’d never allowed that to keep her on the ground.

  She’d get right back up, put a smile on her lips, and try again. That didn’t mean she didn’t have moments she wanted to give up, or moments of self-pity, it just meant she was human and had real emotions. She’d wallow for a few hours, eat a pint of ice-cream, and then tell herself in twenty-four hours she’d be in a better place — and she always was.

  Because Darla was who she was, she’d been very unlucky in love. She’d dated quite a lot, more than the average person. But none of her relationships survived for long. She couldn’t seem to find a man strong enough to handle her.

  The men she dated couldn’t seem to accept that she didn’t need them. Yes, she wanted them, but she didn’t need them. That was the key. She wasn’t some princess in a tower who needed rescued. She wanted a partner who’d love her, appreciate her, spar with her, and stand next to her. She wanted her equal — not someone better or worse, but someone to walk beside her.

  From the moment she’d met Crew, she’d been in lust. He was gorgeous, and not in an understated way. He seemed all calm and brooding on the outside, but she’d instantly recognized that burning desire in his eyes he didn’t think anyone else noticed. He was intense, but managed to mask it with his calm demeanor and nerdy clothes. Even on Saturday the man wore business casual. She’d been shocked to find him in a pair of jeans for the first time she could remember. The man had every color and style of suit pants known to mankind. That was another thing that turned her on.

  He kept his dark hair perfectly cut, like seriously perfectly cut. The man had to go to the barber at least twice a month. She’d only seen his strands out of place once and that had been the night she’d come to a family barbeque at his place and monopolized his time. They’d ended their night with a scorching kiss that had led to her fingers curling up in that beautiful silky hair and messing it up quite sexily.