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“You’ll have to excuse my friend. He’s had too much to drink and forgotten his manners.”
Jordan drew a shaky breath and turned her attention to the newcomer. He was tall with long, dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail. His voice didn’t sound threatening, and he exhibited a small measure of control over Kyle.
Curiosity shone in his eyes as he inspected her with an odd smile. “You okay?” He stepped closer and glanced toward Kyle, hooking his thumb toward the Jeep.
Kyle rolled his eyes, turned, and shuffled into the arc of the lights.
“Yes, thank you.” It was easier to breathe once Kyle wasn’t standing so close.
“Did I hear you say you’re waiting for someone?”
“That’s right. Um...my boyfriend. I’m supposed to meet him on this road. When I saw your lights, I thought it might be him. I’ll get out of your way.” She strode past him and moved as though to skirt the Jeep, staying out of his reach. He seemed harmless and concerned about her, and she felt a prick of guilt for reacting to him as though he was guilty by association. But not enough to distract her focus from hurrying past their vehicle and getting far away from Kyle.
The driver made no effort to stop her. “You can walk if you want to, but we just drove up from Cold Water Creek—that’s twenty miles or so—and I can assure you there’s no one else on this road tonight. The high country is too rugged for weekend campers. Everyone has left, gone home, or back to lower ground. It’s after midnight. Are you sure your ride is coming?”
“Twenty miles?” Jordan echoed his words. How had she gotten herself so lost? Alex must be frantic with worry by now. She’d been so stupid to wander off without paying attention to her surroundings. The magnitude of her blunder made her lightheaded and disoriented. The man reached out a hand to steady her, but Jordan stepped back instinctively.
He withdrew his arm, seemingly unaffected by her reflex. “When did you eat last?”
“This morning, I guess.” The mere mention of eating made the emptiness in her stomach obvious.
“Come on. We’ve got some food in the Jeep.” He turned slightly and waved her to walk with him.
“No thanks. I should get going.” She cast an uneasy glance toward Kyle, who stood silhouetted in the vehicle’s headlights.
“If it’s Kyle you’re worried about, don’t be. He gets obnoxious at times, but he works for me, and I guarantee he won’t hurt you. Look, I don’t feel right leaving you alone. You can’t possibly walk out of here tonight, and it wouldn’t be safe to try. There are wild animals in these mountains. Bear and cougar. Our camp is just a mile or so up the road. It’s a big camp; lots of people. You’ll be safer with us than hiking through the wilderness in the dark.” He glanced toward Kyle’s motionless silhouette, and a note of authority returned to his voice. “I’ll take you down the mountain tomorrow.” He shrugged as though to say the decision was hers, then placed his hands on his hips. “Also, it’s warmer in the Jeep. What do you say?”
Jordan didn’t like her options, but the man’s reasoning made sense. She was cold, tired, and hungry, and his invitation, coupled with assurances, sounded better and better. Besides, wiser decisions prevailed in daylight. She jammed her hands in her pockets and absently kicked the packed dirt with the toe of her boot. “You’re right. Thank you.”
A grin spread across his face as he motioned toward the vehicle, then waited for Jordan to fall in step beside him. “By the way, my name is Patrick. Patrick Brody. You’ve already met Kyle, and this guy is Travis.” He indicated a third man, leaning against the opposite side of the Jeep, almost invisible within the shadows.
It can’t be my Travis. That would be too much of a coincidence.The jolt of her heart destroyed that theory as the man stepped into the light.Shit! Shit! Shit! Can my luck get any worse?Two or three inches taller than Patrick, he dwarfed both men. His broad chest and shoulders, encased in black leather, narrowed to a trim waist. One of his thumbs caught on the edge of his front pocket with a casual air. Her black knight from the bar was still ruggedly handsome, if not more so. At least he would have been if not for the scowl that creased his face. Her relief at the decision to accept a ride evaporated.
Travis’s gaze bored through her. “Hello, Jordan.”
Clearly, he was angry, and his ire seemed directed at her. His stare became even more piercingly direct when she refused to look away.Okay, buddy. I was drunk and stupid, but it’s not like I kicked your puppy. Or rejected you.Her spine stiffened, and she raised her chin as her humiliation flooded back. There were many things in the past week that rated a do-over, but nothing that should have manifested the hatred in the glare he sent her way. A glint of metal drew her gaze lower. He held a coin, rolling it across the top of his knuckles in a fluid maneuver that made it look easy.
Kyle barked a laugh and staggered toward Travis. “You don’t look thrilled to see her. Wouldn’t she dance with you, either?” He bumped into Travis’s shoulder and almost fell.
Travis shoved him away with one hand, his lips forming words Jordan couldn’t hear.
“You’ve met these jokers before?” Patrick pulled her attention away from the other men.
She felt the heat rush to her face. “Just briefly at the bar in Prineville.” She tried a smile though it felt less than sincere. “I’m Jordan, and I appreciate your help. I must have been confused about where to meet my...boyfriend.” The lie trailed off as her gaze slid to Travis, opening the back door of the Jeep. Was that why he was angry—because he’d thought she had a boyfriend the night she’d thrown herself at him?Get over it!
Patrick’s gaze followed hers. “Don’t worry about either of them. They won’t touch you.” A hard edge surfaced in his voice.
Travis disappeared into the rear of the four-door Jeep, and Patrick opened the driver-side rear door for her. “It’s a bit cramped back here with our gear, but we don’t have far to go.”
Great!Scrambling through the open doorway, she practically fell into the empty seat beside Travis, jostling his arms and legs since he took up more than half of the small space. He ignored her, leaning his head against the sidewall, eyes closed.
As Patrick slid behind the wheel, Kyle leaned toward him, whispered something, and smirked in her direction. Patrick growled, his response so low she couldn’t make out the words, but whatever he said silenced Kyle instantly. Slumping in his seat, the slighter man braced one booted foot against the dash and cranked up the tunes.
Patrick turned the key, shifted into first gear, and the Jeep lurched forward. As they bounced over shale ledges and washouts, Jordan rocked back and forth, unable to keep her shoulders and hips from coming into contact with Travis’s body no matter how hard she tried. Apparently, it didn’t bother him. His eyes closed and totally relaxed, he might have been sleeping.
“There’s a cooler behind the seat.” Patrick raised his voice over the music and engine noise. “Nothing fancy, but help yourself.”
Her stomach growled at the mention of food, and she shifted around until she faced toward the back, trying to keep from intruding into Travis’s space more than she had already. Still, his wide biceps warmed the chill that had settled in her hips as she stretched over the seat.
