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She’d wanted to run. The only thing that’d kept her there was Luke’s warm and reassuring hand on hers. The angry expletives from Luke’s friends and the acceptance she’d seen on Daniel and Ellen’s faces had eased her anxiety further.
“Hey, you okay, sunshine?” Walking beside her as they picked their way over the uneven ground, Luke tugged on her hand until he pulled her off-balance and she bumped into him. Immediately, his arm went around her waist and brought her against his side.
“Yeah—just…” Her words faded and she shrugged.
“They’re on our side.”
He offered that as though possibly endangering the lives of six more people somehow made the situation better—or took away her shame.
“I get that you’re uncomfortable with strangers knowing your life story, but Travis and the others are exactly the help we need. We couldn’t ask for better. I don’t know how Brennan could track us here, but if he does, we’ll see him coming, and we’ll have the experienced manpower to discourage him.” He halted and stepped in front of her, his thumb stroking the smooth skin of her cheek. “Trust me, Sally. We’re safer here than out there on our own.”
Sally forced the corners of her mouth upward and swallowed the words that had been caught in her throat all evening. Everyone at the meeting had expressed surprise that Brennan had waited ten years to seek revenge. “He had the resources and manpower to reach out from prison and not have to get his hands dirty,” Travis had said. “This feels personal.”
That had been her opportunity to come clean. She’d wanted to tell them—tell Luke—that Clive Brennan was her father. That when she chose to testify against him, she not only put a murderer away…she betrayed the one man who no doubt expected her undying loyalty. His vendetta was almost certainlypersonal. She expected nothing less. Sally had tried to form the words…but the conversation had taken a turn and the moment passed.
Focusing her attention on Luke’s tired eyes, she forced her guilt to a place where it was less noticeable. She’d deal with it later. “I trust you, Luke. You know that, right?”
“Talk to me, then. What’s up?”
Sally looked away from his gaze as she searched for a safer topic. Her daughter. It’d been just her and Jen for a very long time, and tonight it’d proved extremely difficult for Sally to leave her asleep in Daniel’s cabin. Ellen had assured her that Jen would be comfortable and safe in Bridgett’s room for the night. “She’s sound asleep, Sally. No sense waking her,” Ellen had said.
Sally cocked her head and gave another quick shrug of her shoulder. “I know Jen will be fine with Daniel and Ellen. It’s just…I’m not used to being away from her.”
She shivered as Luke trailed his fingers down the side of her throat, then tipped up her chin. His expression held a mixture of sadness and contentment. “I know how hard it was for you to walk out of there without her, and I had a hunch you might change your mind. We’ll go get her right now if that’s what you want.” The conviction in his eyes told her he meant every word.
Letting Jen stay at Daniel’s cabin meant she and Luke would be alone for the first time since he’d reappeared in her life. Without reservation, he’d offered up that time for her state of mind and Jen’s safety. Tears prickled her eyelids at the realization of how much she loved him. She’d be crazy not to snatch him up and never let him go.
Blinking the tears into submission, she shook her head. “No, but I might need a distraction.” She traced one finger down his chest.
Luke flashed his signature grin. “I can guarantee that.” He leaned in and nibbled her lips gently. An instant later, he groaned, stepped away and continued walking toward their cabin, grasping her hand in his.
She lengthened her stride to keep up.
They’d left a light on in the two-room dwelling on the banks of the river and brought in dry wood, kindling and newspaper for the fireplace before they joined the others for dinner. Daniel had said it could still drop below freezing at night this far north.
An arm around her shoulders, Luke hurried up the gravel path, jogged the four steps to the porch that lined the front of the cabin and shoved the door open. With a sweep of his hand, he stepped aside and let her go first.
An amused grin curled her lips as she stepped across the threshold. “What’s the rush, Harding?”
He caught her hand and spun her around to face him, then backed her against the wall, kicking the door shut as he moved closer, a devilish grin parting his lips. His hands circled her waist and held her tightly against him while he leaned in slowly and kissed her, his tongue stealing between her lips to claim hers in a sensuous dance.
When Luke raised his head, a slow moan escaped her, much to her chagrin.
He smiled, lifting one eyebrow inquisitively. “There’s no rush. Now that I have you to myself, we’re going to take everything nice…and slow.”
His voice was so low and sexy, Sally’s breath stuttered, and again he smiled. Clearly, he knew exactly what he was doing.
He kissed her again, long and hard. This time when he released her, he stared searchingly into her eyes. Suddenly, he cleared his throat and took a step back. A trace of uncertainty crossed his face. “Daniel said he stocked the wine cupboard. Would you like some?”
“That would be nice.” Sally studied him for the cause of his mood change. Although the temperature had chilled noticeably, she couldn’t detect the reason for it.
Luke stepped toward the kitchen area, which consisted of a coffeemaker, a microwave, a small refrigerator and a sink. He searched the nearby cupboards until he found the one he was looking for, reached inside and came out with a dusty bottle of red. A drawer yielded a corkscrew, and then the hunt was on for what Sally could only suppose were wineglasses…or glasses of any kind.
The silence thundered around them. The distance she sensed settling between them confused and saddened her. Was it something she’d said? Had he suddenly realized how much trouble she was bringing to the relationship? She certainly wouldn’t blame Luke for thinking twice, but she hadn’t expected the sense of loss she experienced to be so great.
She took a couple of steps toward the small bedroom. “I think I’ll freshen up, if that’s all right?
“Ah, here we go.” Luke pulled two wineglasses from a cupboard above the sink and turned to look at her. “Of course. Take as long as you need. I’ll have this wine poured by the time you’re finished.” He smiled, but his eyes remained guarded.
