The Pride Of Jared Mackade

on the third floor—with its own kitchen—that would be part of the salary. You'd have privacy. Maybe you and the kids could come by and take a look. We'd really appreciate it.'

An apartment, privacy. No rent payment. That beautiful house on the hill. A manager. It all whirled in Cassie's head like blurred and colorful dreams.

'I'd like to help, but-'

'Great.' Flashing a grin at his wife, Rafe patted Cassie's shoulder. 'You just come give the place a once-over, and we'll talk about it some more.'

'All right.' Dazed, she shifted Emma on her hip. 'I'll come by. I have to get along. I promised Connor and Bryan we'd have hot dogs on the grill.'

'Go on and round them up,' Savannah suggested. 'I'll run and get Bryan's backpack.'

She waited until Cassie was out the screen door. 'You make a very good team,' she murmured, looking at Regan and Rafe. 'And very good friends.'

She was nearly at the steps when she saw Devin on her porch, talking to Cassie. Her back snapped straight. 'Something I can do for you, Sheriff?'

Only mildly annoyed at the interruption, he looked through the screen. 'No. I just walked over with Jared and Rafe. You've done a nice job on the bank.'

'Thanks.'

When Emma held out her precious cookie to share, Savannah's brow furrowed. She watched Devin lean forward, take a small bite.

'You taste better,' he announced, and made Emma giggle by nuzzling the gentle curve of her neck.

'You can hold me,' she told him, tossing out her arms and wrapping them around his neck.

'Thank you, ma'am.' He took her, brushing his cheek over her hair before settling her on his hip. As Cassie hurried away to call the boys, Devin looked back through the screen, Emma in his arms. 'Some women like me.'

Eyes cool, Savannah inclined her head. 'So it seems.'

'I'm not packing heat, Ms. Morningstar.' That lethal MacKade grin flashed, all power and charm. 'Just taking in a spring evening with my best girl.'

'You're wearing a badge,' Savannah pointed out.

'Habit. I've got no problem with you.'

'I'm going to keep it that way.' She looked across her yard to where Jared was hitting pop-ups for the boys.

'I've got no problem with that,' Devin said quietly, and drew her gaze back to his.

'All right.' She nodded and headed up to get her son's overnight bag.

Holding Emma, Devin stepped off the porch. He managed to draw Cassie into a brief conversation and charmed one hesitant smile out of her before he had to pass Emma back and watch her and the kids head for their car.

She wasn't quite so thin as she'd been those last months before he was finally able to collar Joe, Devin thought. Though she still looked as though one careless shout would topple her. A man had to be careful with her. The shadows had faded from under her eyes, but the eyes were still haunted.

He worried about her, and wondered. When the car was gone, he tucked his thoughts away and strolled over to Jared. 'Your lady doesn't like me.'

Jared gave the bat a last swing. 'She doesn't like your badge.'

'Like I said—she doesn't like me.'

Jared looked toward the porch, where Savannah stood watching them, and felt his heart beat off rhythm. 'She's had a rough road.'

'I don't doubt it.' He'd seen a few miles of it in her eyes. 'She what you want, bro?'

'Looks that way.'

'Well, then.' Devin rubbed his chin in his thoughtful way, still holding Savannah's cool gaze. It would take a hell of a lot more than a shout to topple that one, he mused. 'I have to say your taste in women has improved mightily since your timely divorce.'

Surprised, Jared leaned on the bat. 'I thought you liked Barbara.'

Devin snorted out a laugh. 'Yeah, right.'

'You never said different.'

'You never asked me.' Devin picked up the ball from the grass, tossed it high, made a one handed catch that would have had Bryan cheering. 'I like this one.'

Bemused, Jared shook his head. 'You just said you didn't.'

'I said she didn't like me.' Devin's grin was sly and slow. 'I find that very attractive in a woman.'

Jared had him in a headlock in a blink. Experienced in such matters, Devin overbalanced and sent them both rumbling to the ground.

With the faintest of frowns, Savannah watched them wrestle—much as Bryan and Connor were prone to do. Behind her, Rafe and Regan stepped out of the house.

'Well, hell, they got started without me.'

'We're going.' Regan took a firm grip on Rafe's arm. 'You promised to take me to dinner.'

'But, darling...'

'You can fight with them tomorrow. Bye, Savannah.'

'Mm-hmm...'

At Rafe's shout, Devin rolled aside and rose, narrowly avoiding the hand that snaked out to trip him. After brushing off his jeans, he jogged down to join Rafe and Regan. He sent one quick salute to Savannah and disappeared into the woods.

'What was that?'

A bit winded, Jared climbed onto the porch. He winced a little and rubbed his ribs. 'He got me a couple of good ones.'

'Were you playing or fighting?'

'What's the difference?'

She had to laugh. 'What were you playing and or fighting about?'

'You. Got anything cold?'

'Me?' She was in the house behind him like a shot. 'What do you mean?'

'He said...' Jared let the words trail off, sighed lustily over the icy beer he'd snagged from the refrigerator, popped it open, then drank deeply. 'He said he found you attractive, so I had to pound on him a little.'

'Your brother, Sheriff MacKade, finds me attractive.'

'Yeah.' He leaned over the sink to splash cold water on his face. 'He likes you.'

'He likes me,' Savannah repeated, baffled. 'Why?'

'Partly because you don't like him. Dev can be perverse. Partly because I do, and he's loyal.' He rubbed his dripping face with a dish towel. 'And partly because he's got good instincts and a fair mind.'

'Are you trying to make me ashamed?'

'No, I'm telling you about my brother. Rafe's cocky and driven. Shane's good-hearted and laid-back. Devin's fair.' Thoughtfully, he laid the towel aside. 'I guess it bothers me that you can't see that.'

'Old habits die hard.' But she could see it, had seen it. 'He was sweet with Emma.'

Satisfied that he'd found a chink, he grinned. 'We've all got a way with the ladies.'

'So I've noticed.' She took the beer from him and helped herself. 'Would you like to stay for dinner?'

'I thought you'd like to go out.'

'No.' She smiled at the yellow tulips on the table beside him. 'I'd like to stay in.'

Big Mae, who had run the Tilt-a-Wheel in the carnival where Savannah had worked one educational season, had always said if she ever found a man who could cook and who didn't turn her stomach at the breakfast table, she would give up the high life and settle down.

After being treated to Jared MacKade's Cajun chicken and rice, Savannah thought Big Mae had had a very valid point. She sipped the wine Jared had gotten into the habit of tucking into her refrigerator and studied him over the candles on her dining room table.

'Where'd you learn to cook?'