Breaking Down Defenses (3rd in Breaking Series)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

"You want to work on the ranch again?" Elizabeth asked Thomas after she finally released him from a rib cracking hug.

"For now," he replied, aware that Brody was watching him from the corner as he played cards with Bryant. Sally, Nathan and Lexi were outside in the barn with the horses.

"I win!" Bryant exclaimed.

Brody looked completely bewildered as he threw his cards down, "What the hell is this game called that we're playing?" he demanded of his five-year-old son.

Bryant grinned sheepishly, "I win."

Brody couldn't help but laugh as he nodded, "That's what I figured it was called," he said as he dealt out yet another hand.

"You know you don't have to ask to come back to the ranch, Thomas," Elizabeth said as she smiled at her husband and son. Thomas watched her as she walked over and stood behind Brody. He saw the tough law mans posture relax when she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

What would it feel like to have a woman come up behind him and hold him close? What would it feel like to have a family... To play impossible to win card games with his son and go to bed each night with his wife.

"So what made you quit the rangers?" Brody asked, breaking Thomas away from his thoughts.

Thomas sighed and leaned against the wall, "I got tired of taking orders from a man living in comfort I guess."

"That was what I hated most about the military," Brody agreed. "Having a man tell me to run into harms way and risk my life for the cause while he sat nice and relaxed at camp; sipping on his coffee and getting all the credit."

Thomas moved toward the door, "Well I'll head on out then. Here's hoping I can get my old bed back at the bunkhouse."

Elizabeth smiled and moved away from Brody, "I'll walk out with you." Once they were out on the porch and out of Brody's hearing Elizabeth cleared her throat, "What really brought you back here Thomas?"

Thomas looked down at her and saw the knowing look on her face and sighed. It had been a while since he and Elizabeth had been close but there was no forgetting the bond they had once shared. She knew him too well to fall for anything but the truth, "Being tired of the ranger bureaucracy really did have a big thing to do with my quitting but.... the main reason I came back here is just walking out of that barn."

Elizabeth looked at the barn and saw Sally walking out with Nathan and Lexi on either side of her. Nathan sent a huge smile in Thomas's direction and Elizabeth saw the man smile in response, though his eyes seemed to be glued to Sally. Elizabeth tried to look at her through a man's eyes. Sally really was beautiful. Her golden colored hair shimmered loose and free in the sunlight. Her skin was tanned from the sun and her blouse and trousers fit her tall, feminine frame perfectly.

Sally smiled over at Thomas and her normally sullen, angry face, lit up and her blue eyes shone. Elizabeth knew about Thomas and Sally's night together. Ellie had shared her findings with her and asked for advice. Elizabeth had told her that they should keep it to themselves. If Jacob or Brody knew about it they would both blow up with anger and it wouldn't do anyone any good. Men were hypocrites by nature. Both Jacob and Brody had slept with their wives before they were married but it wasn't okay for someone to do the same with their younger sister.

"Take a look at our new ranch hand, Sally. Do you think we can get him back into the swing of ranch life?" Elizabeth asked.

Sally looked surprised for a moment and then she looked Thomas up and down and frowned, "I don't know... Being a ranger probably made him fat and lazy."