Appalachian Peril

by Debbie Herbert

  It took several attempts, but to her surprise, the move worked to free her from Sammy’s grip.

  “Good job. Now let’s try a different scenario. Let’s say someone grabs you from behind and places his arms around your waist.”

  Sammy moved behind her and held her tight in his arms. His hard body pressed against her back, and heat flared through her. The memory of last night’s kiss fueled her awareness of him. If she turned her head an inch to one side, her lips would land on his chin, and then his mouth would seek hers, and—

  His arms clenched tighter around her abs and squeezed. “Pay attention,” he said, his voice harsh and deep in her ears.

  The warm rush of his breath sent shivers down to her core. How could she possibly concentrate when her mind was thick with the possibilities of the two of them kissing? With great effort, she shook off the images playing in her head. “I’m listening,” she said. “What do I do next?”

  “Grab my arms and then pull yourself in.”

  “Like this?” she asked, holding tight to his arms.

  “That’s it. Now swing your hips to one side and make a fist.”

  Surprisingly, she felt his hold give way, and she held up her fist. “Now what?”

  “If this was an attacker, you’d strike his groin with that fist. Hard as you can.”

  “That should buy me a few seconds,” she remarked dryly.

  “Use that time to run. If you’re out in public, scream as loudly as you can.” He frowned. “Next time I’m at the office, I’ll get you a whistle.”

  Beth stepped away from him, glad to put a little distance between them. “Thanks. I’ll keep these moves in mind.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “We’re not nearly through yet.”

  “We aren’t?”

  “I’ve got a couple more moves to show you, and then you’re going to practice until your reactions become automatic. Otherwise, you won’t remember any of this if an attacker comes at you with no warning.”

  Sweat trickled down her neck and chest, despite the cold air and snow. Beth shrugged out of her coat as Sammy had done earlier. Over and over, they rehearsed her reactions for every eventuality, whether she was attacked from the front or behind.

  “Remember the key vulnerable areas—eyes, nose, throat and groin,” he kept reminding her. “Use your head and stay aware of your surroundings. If an attacker aims a gun at you, then run away in a zigzag pattern while seeking shelter.”

  Forty-five minutes later, Beth’s body dripped head to toe with sweat, and she was panting. But she was prepared. “I’m feeling pretty badass,” she said with a cocky grin.

  Sammy didn’t return the smile, still intent on drilling home his message. He made a sudden lunge for her, and she raised her fists by her face, ready to fight. Again and again Sammy came at her, and she fended him off. At last he broke away and gave an approving nod. “I think you’ve got it. One last thing. If you have no choice but to fight back, commit to it and never hesitate to hit as hard as you can.” His eyes darkened. “If you do get overpowered, fake compliance, and then strike again or run at the first opportunity.”

  “Got it,” she said. Beth had never felt more competent. If someone did try to take her by force, she’d at least put up a good fight.

  Chapter Nine

  “So how come you never got married?”

  Sammy nearly choked on the vegetable soup they ate for dinner in front of the fireplace.

  A flash of worry flickered in Beth’s eyes. “Or are you?”

  “Wh-what?” he stammered, clearing his throat. His eyes watered, and he hastily swallowed iced tea.

  “You okay there?” Beth placed her hand between his shoulder blades and patted.

  “What in the world brought on that question?”

  She shrugged. “Why not? I mean, we’re stuck out here together. Nothing else to do but talk.”

  He quirked a brow at her. He could think of plenty of things to do besides talking. If she noticed his amusement, she pretended otherwise.

  “Well, are you?” she prodded.

  “I’m not married, although I was engaged once.” He hadn’t thought of Emily in years.

  “How long ago? What happened?”

  “Years ago.”

  Beth’s gray eyes remained pinned on him.

  “She dumped me for another guy.”

  Her mouth rounded in an O of surprise and sympathy flooded her face. “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry that—”

  Sammy held up a hand. “It was my fault. She kept pressuring me to set a date and I wasn’t ready. Frankly, getting engaged had been a mistake from the beginning. It was a decision I later regretted.”

  “Why? Did you fall out of love? Realize she wasn’t the right woman for you?”

  More like cold feet. Actually, that had been more than half of the problem. Sammy moved his bowl to the side and faced Beth where she sat opposite him. They were both cross-legged on the floor, casually dining in front of the fireplace—the only warm spot in the cabin. He could give a short nod to her questions, because Beth was partly right, but he wanted honesty between them.

  “The idea of tying myself down forever to one woman and raising kids scared the hell out of me,” he admitted. “Judging by my parents’ marriage, it’s a miserable way to live. Guess you’ve heard stories about my dad. It’s a small town.”

  Her forehead creased, and she bit her lip. “You’re almost a decade older than me so it’s not like we ran in the same circles. But it seems like I did overhear that he had a drinking problem.”

  “Stone-cold alcoholic.” Sammy drew a deep breath and decided to rip the bandage off as it were. “Mom ran off with my high school math teacher when I was a junior. Even though the marriage had never been great, it broke Dad. He started drinking heavily.”

  Sammy kept his face averted, not wanting to see the sympathy in Beth’s eyes. He believed in letting the past stay buried and rarely mentioned either of his parents.

  “That must have been horrible for you as a teenager. I had no idea. You always seemed so happy and cheerful when I saw you with Aiden.”

  All an act. Sports had been a lifesaver in his teenage years. While Dad spent most of his free time at local bars, playing ball had given him an activity to focus on instead of sitting alone in a dark and cold house waiting for parents who’d both deserted him—in mind if not in body.

  “It wasn’t that big of a deal,” he lied.

  Beth’s hands closed over his fists. He hadn’t even realized he’d clenched his hands into hard knots, or that his body was wound up tight as a swollen tick. Not until the warm softness of Beth’s fingers caressed his knuckles, bathing him with light.

  “Of course it was a big deal,” she murmured. She squeezed his hands and let go. “Do you regret letting her get away?”

  “Who?” he asked, confused at the question.

  “Your ex-fiancée.”

  “Emily?” He chuckled. “Not at all. I run into her from time to time. She’s happily married with two boys. I’m glad for her. It’s what she always wanted. What about you?” Turnabout was fair play.

  “Me?”

  “Why aren’t you married?” That was the real mystery. A woman with her looks, brains and talent must have been hotly pursued.

  “Guess the right guy hasn’t come along yet. I’ve had a few close relationships but...” Her voice trailed off.

  “I call bullshit.”

  Instead of taking offense, Beth laughed. “You might say I fundamentally distrust most people. That doesn’t make for strong, lasting relationships.”

  “You trusted Rayna Lambert yesterday.”

  “Maybe I just wanted to believe there was an easy way out of this mess. That a mom can appeal to her son’s basic decency and set everything right.”

  “That outcome’s high
ly doubtful.”

  “True.”

  She turned her head toward the hearth and he watched the play of fire glow on her elegant features. “You seem to trust me,” he ventured.

  “Also true.”

  Perhaps she’d had no choice but to do so. “You can, you know,” he said gently. “Trust me, that is. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  “You can’t make a promise like that.”

  “I just did.”

  She fixed her attention on him again. “This—” she swept the room with her hand “—is only a brief respite, not a fun getaway in the woods, much as I try to pretend that it is.”

  “There’s plenty going on behind the scenes while we hide out. Charlotte’s working on the case, and the Atlanta PD will eventually pick Lambert up now that he’s on their radar. Until Lambert’s accounted for, this is our best option.” He cocked his head to the side and studied Beth. “Is it so bad being stuck with me?”

  “Of course not. Only it feels like my entire life’s on hold. It’s frustrating. I came down to visit friends and family and instead I’m burrowed underground like a mole.”

  “Not for long.” At least, he hoped that was the case. This morning, Charlotte had informed him that Judge Wynngate’s computer hard drive was sent to a tech specialist in Atlanta, but that she’d been unable to place a priority on the task. A stalking case in Appalachia didn’t rank high in their opinion. To be fair, they had murders and kidnapping cases that rightly took precedent. There was never enough manpower to investigate every potential crime risk.

  “Some visit,” she mumbled.

  Visit. Meaning she’d be leaving soon. He’d managed to keep pushing that bit of reality from his mind. Getting too close to Beth would be a mistake.

  So why did his arms reach for her, draw her close into an embrace? He rested his head on the top of her scalp, inhaling the clean scent of shampoo. Her hair was silky and warm against his cheek. She wiggled closer into him. Side by side they watched the flames in the fireplace leap and play in the darkness. Night came early in the mountain woods and it lay thick around them. With no neighbors and no electricity, the only light outside came from moonbeams reflecting on the pristine snowy ground.

  He rained down kisses, starting at the top of her scalp, and then trailing the side of her face. Beth turned into him, her lips seeking his own. His tongue sought hers and she moaned softly as her arms wrapped behind his neck, urging him closer—deeper.

  She could be gone tomorrow. Sammy tamped down the thought as her fingers traced the nape of his neck and then stroked his hair. This can never last. Damn that incessant, rational voice in his brain that fired off warning missiles.

  Beth climbed into his lap and straddled him, never breaking their kiss. His pulse skyrocketed, and a fever of need coursed through his body. She’ll only leave you.

  That got his attention. The thought triggered his dad’s often-repeated words about how women always left you high and dry and to never trust them.

  Sammy broke off the kiss, cupping Beth’s chin in his hands. Her eyes were graphite-dark and clouded with passion and her lips were swollen and moist. How could he possibly say no to this magic between them?

  He couldn’t.

  And he was experienced enough to know this was more than a physical reaction. Blended with the raw passion was tenderness and awe. His heart was in so much trouble.

  Abruptly, Beth stood and then pulled her sweater and T-shirt over her head. Her long, dark hair wildly tumbled around her pale shoulders. His throat went dry as she locked her gaze with his and unhooked her bra. The sight of her semi-naked body took his breath away. Sammy couldn’t even speak. Instead, he held out his hand. Beth took it and she kneeled in front of him. Impatiently he pulled loose and stripped out of his T-shirt and then his jeans. Her eyes devoured him as he shed everything and stood before her, his need evident.

  And then he was beside her, lying on the soft rug, their bodies pressed against each other. Who cared about tomorrow when tonight was so entrancing? For now there was only the heat of the fire on their nude bodies, the heat of bare skin brushing against bare skin, and the heat of need bubbling inside him like a fiery cauldron.

  Much, much later, Sammy drifted in the twilight between sleep and wakefulness as Beth lay sound asleep beside him. He tucked the quilt she’d brought from the bedroom around her shoulders and smiled as she sighed and snuggled closer into the warmth of his body. A peaceful, contented drowsiness lazed through him.

  Right now, holding Beth after a night of lovemaking had to be a top ten moment in his life. Scratch that, top five at least. Maybe even the best moment he’d ever experienced... Quickly, Sammy eradicated the thought. The sexual afterglow had clouded his perspective. There was no need to rank or analyze what he was feeling. Just enjoy this time while it lasts. Determined to follow his own advice, Sammy yawned and succumbed to the lethargy.

  Through the fog of sleep, a slight noise pricked his awareness. Sammy mentally swatted at it, annoyed at the disruption, and drifted back into a doze. A slight flicker of light disturbed the inky darkness behind his eyelids. A slight crackling erupted from the silence, probably the dying flames consuming the last of the oak. Come morning, he’d add more wood to the fire.

  Crunch.

  Sammy’s eyes popped open, alertness splashing over him like icy water. His body tensed, ready to spring into action. A quick glance assured him Beth still slept undisturbed by his side. He waited, as still as a cat ready to pounce.

  Crunch, crunch and then crunch, crunch. The sound of advancing footsteps muffled in the snow.

  Someone had found them.

  This was bad. There’d been no noise or oncoming headlights from a car. No phone communication from the outside world warning of an emergency visit. It had to be Lambert or one of his men. Sammy eased the blanket off while his eyes searched the dark room. The fireplace embers provided just enough light to locate his pistol set on the mantel. Slowly, he rose and grabbed it, the cold metal gripped in his palm reassuring. Beth turned restlessly, pulling the quilt up until it almost covered her face.

  He pondered the wisdom of waking her. The advantage would be that she’d be his backup, armed with a shotgun. The disadvantage would be that in waking Beth, he’d startle her, and she’d make a noise, alerting whoever was out there that they were awake and onto them. Swiftly, he decided to rouse her. He couldn’t very well leave her alone and vulnerable while he searched out the danger.

  Noiselessly, he kneeled and placed a hand on her shoulder. No response. He gave her shoulder a little shake. Her eyes flew open in alarm, then softened when she focused on him. Keeping his gun in his right hand, Sammy lifted the index finger of his opposite hand and pressed it against his puckered lips.

  Hush.

  Her eyes widened with fear, but she nodded understanding. He pointed at his gun and then to the fireplace. Get your shotgun. Nimbly, she tossed aside the quilt and rose. They both had on sweats they’d donned before falling asleep in the chilly cabin. He saw her scoop up her cell phone and shove it into a pocket as she went to the mantel. When she held the shotgun, he raised a palm toward her. Stay here.

  Beth violently shook her head no. He glared at her and she returned his gaze with equal determination. Seemed he had a backup after all.

  Sammy leaned into her and whispered in her ear. “Someone’s out there. I’m going outside.”

  Beth nodded and whispered, “Let’s go.”

  “Stay behind me.”

  He walked to the door and disengaged the lock. A barely audible click sounded before he slid the metal bolts to the side. Fighting an instinct to fling open the door and run wildly into the dark, Sammy turned the knob, conscious of Beth’s soft breathing behind him and the warmth of her body pressed against his back. He released the pistol’s safety mechanism.

  Frosty air bombarded him, and his bare feet
sank into snow. Thank heavens it’d been so cold that he and Beth had put on clothes before falling asleep in front of the fire. They’d saved precious time.

  Impossible to see more than a few feet ahead, but there was no sign of anyone and no car in sight. Had he imagined the noise? Could it have been an animal rather than a human? Slowly, he advanced to the side of the cabin, Beth at his back with her shotgun at the ready.

  An explosion of shattered glass broke the night’s eerie silence. Sammy ran toward the back of the cabin, gun raised. The shadows shifted, and he made out a large figure running toward the tree line that bordered the county road. The bedroom window was broken.

  “Halt!” he shouted. The figure kept running. No way he could see well enough to land a shot, but Sammy fired his pistol in the air, hoping it would scare the man into surrender.

  It did not.

  Sammy gave chase, his mind racing as fast as his feet running in the freezing snow. Had the attacker heard them approach? Why hadn’t he entered the cabin through the broken window. Unless...

  He reached out an arm for Beth, relieved when he made contact with the solid strength of her body. “Get down!”

  An explosion shook the ground at his feet as he dropped to his knees and then laid his body above Beth’s. His ears rang with the sound of an incendiary pipe bomb exploding. Fire billowed from the cabin, illuminating the sky like lightning. Debris flew through the wind—wood, glass and ash. The snow reflected the giant leaping flames, giving the impression of molten lava spilling on the ground.

  Sammy tore his eyes from the horrific damage and scanned the area, eyes peeled for any sight of the attacker returning or any accomplices lurking nearby.

  From up the road, the beam of car headlights cut through the darkness.

  “They’re getting away!” Beth said, pushing him off and scrambling to her feet. “We’ve got to stop them.”

  She ran toward the cabin, and he caught up to her, tugging at her arm. “Hurry,” she urged. “Get the car keys. We can’t let them escape.”

  “I’ll get them. You wait here.”

  “I can help you search.”