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She studied him for a long time. He was beautiful. He was real. And he wouldneverdo anything to hurt her. As she studied him, he shifted. Woke. He just stared at her in return. “Hey, you’re awake.”
“We both are.” Dusty sat up, then looked down. Made sure she was inappropriateclothing. She wore the same T-shirt and sweatpants Dixie had brought to the hospital. Nothing to shock Ben there. “How did you get in here?”
“I think Dixie took pity on me actually. She seems to think you would want me in here with you. I think she’s my new bestestest friend forever.”
She did. She definitely did. She didn’t even want his sister in here right now. But… Just what exactlydidshe want?
Wasn’t that the question?
He stood, stretched. Then she felt her bed dip. Ben was on the mattress with her. “I need a hug. You scared me, baby. You are not allowed to do that ever again.”
Dusty lifted her arms. She wanted a hug, too. No, she wanted more than that. She wanted the man toholdher. To block out the chill of the snowstorm. To block out the memories. All of them. Maybe that wasn’t fair of her. To want that from him now. But that was what she wanted.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Will you just…hold me for a minute?”
“I’m ready to hold you for a lifetime. Just whenever you are ready. Say the word. I’ll hold you forever. I’m just waiting for you to tell me I can.”
Dusty leaned up. She didn’t know what made her do it. Maybe it was just a combination of everything. But it felt right.
For the first time, she was the one who kissedhim.
He kissed her back, of course. For a long time. No pressure, no pushing for more. He just held her, kissed her. Made her feelsafeagain.
He held her all night. Just the way she needed.
Of course, he did. He wasBen.No one made her feel the way he did.
Or ever had.
Dusty started to suspect no one everwould.
She was going to have to figure out what she wanted next. Tomorrow.
Tonight, she just stayed right where she was—Ben Tyler’s strong arms around her. Exactly what she wanted.
48
Wayne wasn't stupid.Jason was getting more erratic, more obsessed. Wayne was going to have to find a way to just walk away. To take Linda and the girls and disappear. For a moment, he considered doing what the Talleys had done so many years ago. State's evidence or something. He could tell his family he'd witnessed Jason doing something—there was a family connection. He could tell his wife he'd merely stopped back off in Wyoming to check on his second cousin, and had walked into him doing something illegal. He could apologize, make himself out to be innocent.
Linda would believe him, she loved him, after all. Far more than a man like Wayne deserved.
“Come on, damn it.” Jason was getting bossier, and the decisions he was making were foolish.
Dangerous.
Wayne didn't play that game. He never had and he wasn't about to start. “Where the hell are we going?”
“Those girls at the diner. They’re Geena's younger daughters. Exactly what we need.” Jason had a triumphant, almost gloating tone in his voice that made Wayne's skin crawl more than it ever had before. He knew Geena had had a few more kids after she and that husband of hers had run from Masterson all those years ago. Arthur Talley hadn’t hidden himself as well as he’d thought. The man was too damned distinctive for that.
He hadn't realized Jason knew that, though. He should have. That bastard had contacts going deep into the federal government. Just as corrupt and dirty as Jason was himself.
Jason hit the gas. In a matter of no time, they were right there on the little four door sedan. Wayne had seen those girls in the diner. They'd reminded him of his own three daughters. They had that same innocence about them. “You are not going to fucking hurt those girls!”
“I don't intend to hurt one,” Jason said. “I intend to use one. The only way to get Geena out from behind that damned husband of hers is through one of those bitches.”
Before Wayne could stop him, Jason slammed the front bumper into the rear of that car.
Sending those girls skidding straight into the ditch. Wayne yelled.
