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Her gaze rose up. “Just his name. Dammit!” She held a hand up to her head. “And that he is important to me.”
“Okay. Take it easy,” Noah urged getting concerned about the way she held her head in her hands. “Maybe that’s enough for today.”
“No…” She dropped her hands. “It is not enough. I need to know what you have to do with him.”
Noah sighed. “We need to know who he was to you.”
“Why?”
The truth Noah? Yeah, that I’m a selfish, beautiful bastard. Trying to clear the way for my conscious so I can fuck you like I want to. “Tanner was a Special Ops SEAL. Just like me. Our missions are kept secret. Only like two in upper command even know of these missions.”
“Hmmph!” She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, and its classified. You cannot talk about it, blah, fucking blah!”
He shook his head at her. “You sound like one of those reporters. Ones who don’t get it.”
“We don’t get it because no one talks. People like you!”
He glared at her. “If we talk, we compromise everything. In this case, it did no good, they came after us…”
Her eyes rounded. “What?”
He turned away. “This is all very dangerous Ridge. Much more than you know. “
“So…those hit men.”
“Yes. They were following you.”
“I wonder if the ones who hired them knew where I was going?”
“See? That’s a good question. However, I doubt it. There is no signal or cell service for 50 miles out at least.”
“B-but what if…”
He poured her just orange juice this time. “If they come, I light out of here.” He handed her the glass.
Absently, she took it. “Light…?”
Dammit. Now he was talking too much.
“How can you do that? You said we were too far away from civilization.”
“We are.”
“How can you just sit there so calm?” She rose up. “You mean an army of hit men could come up here and take us out?”
“Sure. It is always a possibility.”
“And then what?” She raised her hands in the air.
“We fly out of here.” He sipped his whiskey.
“F-fly?” She leaned out from the barstool and looked at his back. “Can you sprout wings?”
He smiled. “No. I have a little bird.”
Ridge started laughing. “Okay, either you’re too drunk or I am! A little bird.” She bent her arms under with her elbows sticking out and flapped like they were wings. “Squawk, squawk!”
He laughed. “You are a funny drunk, you know that?”
She huffed and sat back down. “You’re the one with the sense of humor. A little bird.” Rolling her eyes, she took another sip of her drink.
“It’s an MH6.”
She paused and batted her eyes at him.
“A helicopter, Ridge.”
Her eyes rounded at him. “You have a helicopter here?” Her voice rose.
Again, he sighed. “Yes, among other vehicles.”
“What kind of set up is this?”
“I told you. We built this place to get away.”
“Yeah, you mean to hide away.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“So, I’m on a mountain with a special ops guy. Who is probably being hunted?”
Nodding his head, he took another sip of heat and replied, “That pretty much sums it up.”
“And I knew one of the men you served with…”
“And just how did you know him is what I need to know.”
“I-I have nothing.”
He turned his head to look at her. “What if he’s…”
Ridge leaned close. “He’s?”
“What if he’s your boyfriend or husband?”
She pulled her head back.
“All while…I’ve been wanting to have you for myself,” he openly admitted.
“Oh, wow…” She looked stunned.
“Yes, you get it now, right? I no longer think you were coming up here to actually do me harm.
“No longer? You mean you thought so before this?” Her face lost a bit of color.
“Ridge, in my life, one mistake is all it takes to end me. You cannot know what it’s like.”
She placed her hand on his. “I really don’t think I would…” She lowered her head.
Reaching out, he tipped her chin up. “What?”
“Want you like I do if I had someone already.”
“But we can’t be sure Ridge. You lost your memory.”
“Yes, but not my feelings!”
“It happens every day. People wanting someone else suddenly.”
“Suddenly?” Her eyes narrowed at him. “So, you’re saying I am a slut!” She stood up off the barstool.
“No! No.” Dammit, how did she get that from what he just said?
She nodded. “That is what you just implied.”
Noah knew she had taken it all wrong. He reached out to take her hand.
Stepping aside, she grabbed her glass and gulped down her juice. Then slammed it down on the bar. “Well, this party is over. The slut is leaving!”
“Ridge…”
“No! I get it now.” She marched off to her room.
Releasing a breath, he knew he’d fucked up. Hell, he’d never pursued a relationship with a woman before. Not since high school and they were girls, not women. His raised his head. Pursue a relationship? Like in serious? Like love? A future? He realized suddenly that after all this time, all the women and his wayward work, he finally wanted a woman for keeps.
