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Chapter Thirteen
Total blackness met Sally’s gaze when her eyes popped open. Luke must have turned the bedside lamp out after she dozed off. The bedroom door was open, giving her a straight shot to view the front entrance to the cabin as her vision slowly adapted to the dark. The lack of anything but starlight from outside, combined with silence so absolute she could hear her own heart beating, gave the impression she and Luke were the only humans for miles.
Yet something had woken her, unleashing instant dread that pinged from nerve ending to nerve ending like static electricity.
She pressed closer to Luke, craving the heat from his body to banish the sudden chill in hers. Apparently, she wasn’t the outdoorsy girl she’d thought she was. All this wide-open space made her edgy.
Sally sank deeper into the covers and forced herself to relax. They were in a cabin in the middle of the wilderness. The sound that had brought her from a deep sleep could easily have been an animal…making whatever noises animals made. An owl had hooted from a nearby tree as she and Luke returned to the cabin after the gathering at Daniel’s home. That was probably what had woken her—or a raccoon, a deer, a wolf. Every noise she heard didn’t necessarily mean her father was at the door.
The deck creaked as though an unseen weight had been brought to bear upon it, echoing through the silence of the outer room and drawing her rapt gaze to the door, where a silvery thread of light marked the threshold.Maybe something a little bigger. A bear?Mesmerized, she stared, her lungs aching for air as she held perfectly still. So intent was she that she nearly cried out when a shadow obscured the sliver of light for a second before moving on, rattling the doorknob as whatever it was continued its nocturnal exploration.
She propped her chin on Luke’s chest. Maybe itwasa bear.Yeah, that’s what it is. Nothing to worry about…as long as it stays outside.Relieved that Luke and his macho friends hadn’t witnessed her spinelessness, she settled more firmly into Luke’s arms, still wrapped around her protectively.
Suddenly, Luke leaned over her, his lips hovering near her ear. “Shh,” he whispered. His body lying partially over hers, he reached toward the floor and snagged the blue shirt she’d worn earlier. “Get dressed,” he hissed, pressing the shirt against her abdomen. In one lithe movement, he pushed himself over her and landed on silent feet beside the bed.
Sally sat on the edge and slipped on his shirt. Her fingers trembled slightly as she worked the buttons. From lowered lashes, she watched Luke pull on his jeans and retrieve his handgun from the nightstand. Fear threatened to erupt into full-fledged panic, knowing Luke was on high alert. Did he think someone—maybe Clive Brennan—was outside their cabin?
Defending people clearly came naturally to Navy SEAL Luke Harding. He appeared completely comfortable with a gun in his hand. As he took her arm and pulled her from the bed, confidence and control emanated from him. He had a job to do, and it was obvious he took his promise to protect her seriously.
“Go in the bathroom and close the door.” He still whispered, and his warm breath sent a chill clear to her toes. “Stay there until I come for you.”
The cold detachment in his voice scared her to death. Sally stared as he fumbled for his cell phone, its face lighting as he sent a quick text message. She searched for some sign he was only erring on the side of caution. That he also thought it was probably a bear or a wolf—that no further danger lurked outside their cabin. What she received for her effort terrified her even more. The man she was falling in love with all over again had turned into a warrior right in front of her. He was preparing to do battle…for her…while she hid.
Her stomach clenched and she shook her head. “No. I’m going with you.” This protecting thing between them went both ways.
Luke gripped her arms. “Huh-uh. This isn’t optional. For me to do my job, I need to know you’re safe. That means you stay where I say, for aslongas I say. Trust me on this, sunshine. I know what I’m doing.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “And I promise I’ll letyouboss me around later.”
She could hear the teasing in his voice even as his rigid stance told her it was useless to argue. Despite her tenseness, Sally smiled. He was right, of course. She would only get in the way if she went with him. For sure, she’d be no help. No doubt she’d endanger himandherself. Still, she hated the idea of staying behind—of not knowing what was going on or if he was safe. “I’ll hold you to that.” She tried to adopt his unemotional tone, but there was no hiding her fear.
He turned her toward the bathroom, his arm around her shoulders. Sally followed woodenly, her head spinning with thoughts of everything that could go wrong. “Don’t let anything happen to you, Luke.” The vehemence of her demand surprised even her.
Something flared in Luke’s eyes, and his familiar grin flashed briefly. “Don’t worry, sunshine. I’ve got everything to live for, so I won’t be taking any crazy chances.” He pushed her backward into the bathroom and closed the door silently.
If Sally had thought it was dark in the bedroom, the tiny bathroom, without even a window, was pure inky blackness. She could hear nothing, not even Luke’s footsteps walking away. Rejecting the idea of turning on a light, in case that would give away her location and somehow endanger Luke further, she braced against the dread clawing to escape as she tried to talk herself down. Claustrophobia had never been a serious problem. Until today. The walls were closing in on her. Her lungs burned for want of a complete breath. The room, a dark, lifeless tomb, stole not only air and freedom but her very life.
Sally groped for the doorknob, turned it as quietly as she could and pulled the door open a sliver. Her face pressed to the opening, the slight chill seeping through the crack brought reason back to her frazzled thoughts. The dim grayness that filtered through the bedroom windows grounded her. Dawn—it would be light soon. Relief washed over her, and she leaned her forehead against the cool wood of the doorjamb.
How long she stayed there before the sound of footsteps and voices reached her ears was unclear. Her head jerked up, and her breathing stilled as she listened. Male voices spoke in low tones from the front room, but she couldn’t make out whose they were or what they said. Quietly, she slipped through the opening and tiptoed toward the open bedroom door. Lamplight suddenly shattered the darkness beyond, and she jumped, pressing herself against the wall near the doorway.
“Who’d you say you’re looking for again?” Luke’s voice sounded friendly enough, but she heard the wary edge embedded within.
“Don’t play dumb, Harding. I’m too tired and too fucking pissed off to enjoy the game. Like I told you outside after you assaulted me, I’m a US Marshal. My name’s Greg Lambert, and I’m here to take Sally Duncan and her little girl into protective custody.”
Sally recognized the voice even before he gave his name. How had he found her? Why was he still looking after she’d told him not to? Thank God Jen wasn’t there. She carefully peeked around the doorframe.
Luke stood near the lamp in the center of the room, his back to her. His gun was shoved in the waistband of his jeans, snug against his bare back. Tension radiated from him like sunlight.
He laughed mockingly. “I don’t think Ms. Duncan is expecting you, Marshal. In fact, I’m damn sure she said she’d call you when she wanted you to drop by. Yet here you are, slinking around outside my cabin like a common thief.”
Greg stood just inside the cabin entrance. He was armed as well. Sally could see the bulge of his handgun beneath the edge of his jacket. Short blond hair, fortysomething, a rugged face beneath a black cowboy hat and long, slender, jean-encased legs ending in cowboy boots wasn’t exactly the picture she’d had of him, but she’d recognize his slight drawl anywhere. He was nervous and wary, never taking his eyes off Luke.
Greg spread his arms in an I-don’t-know-what-to-tell-you gesture and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes appeared. “There’s a killer after my witness. I’m well aware of what she thinks she wants, but it’s been my experience that women in Ms. Duncan’s situation don’t always know what’s best for them.”
“Oh, and you do, I suppose?” Anger flared hotly in Sally’s veins as she pushed herself away from the wall and surged into the room. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me, Marshal Lambert.” She stopped just inside, feeling suddenly exposed and out of control, Luke’s instructions echoing in her mind even as the realization it was too late dropped like a rock from a tall building.
The satisfied grin on the marshal’s face did nothing to alleviate her annoyance, but it was the disappointment and apprehension in Luke’s visage as he whirled around that made her regret her hasty entrance.
Then, as though to reinforce how badly she’d screwed up, the marshal pulled his weapon, took three long strides and pressed his gun into Luke’s back, disarming him all in the space of two seconds.
