by Amy Star
“You sound sure of that. If the deer change up what they’re doing, can’t a bear or a mountain lion do the same?”
“Trust me, they’re not coming this way.”
“About that. I looked it up on the internet, and bears aren’t native to this region.”
He laughed. “Tell that to the bear.”
“I think you’re just trying to scare me.”
His smile slipped. “There are plenty of dangerous things on this mountain,” he said. “You don’t need to be scared, but you need to know that no matter how majestic some of the creatures are, they’re still wild. The elk especially. They’ll run your ass over in a heartbeat and stomp you into the ground for good measure.” He looked into her eyes, his gaze so intense a shudder passed through her. “If you see a wild animal, don’t try to take care of it yourself. Let me know, and I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
“I know my way around a gun-”
“Promise me,” he said. “The animals on this mountain are protected. Shooting them is a last resort, and only if human life is at stake.”
“What if they’re attacking one of your-”
He held up his hand. “I’ll handle it.”
“And what if you’re not here?”
“Then you hide until the danger has passed.”
She wanted to argue, but she decided against it. He was right, she didn’t need to put herself in between a wild animal and its food, even if that food was one of Hudson Ranch’s livestock. “Alright, I promise,” she said begrudgingly. “I just need you to know that I can handle things if I need to.”
“I already knew that,” he said. “But I need you to believe me when I say that it’s better for you to just let me deal with anything like that. We’re technically in a national forest. There are laws to follow and breaking them comes with a hefty fine and sometimes jail time. My family has lived here for generations. I haven’t had to protect the herd from anything in my life.”
“Okay,” she said. “We’ll do it your way.”
“That’s all I ask. I will protect you, you can trust that you’ll always be safe as long as I’m here.”
“I do,” she said, her voice catching in her throat. His words were so heavy, and she had a feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling her, but she wasn’t going to push him. There was time enough for that.
He dug into her aching arch and made her forget all her worries. Closing her eyes, she leaned back and wiggled into the couch pillows until she was comfortable, stretched across the sofa with her feet in his lap, her head on a throw pillow.
“Does that feel good?” he asked.
“It’s the best,” she said. “I’m just going to close my eyes for a minute.”
“Go ahead,” he said.
The fire was starting to warm her face when he took her other foot and rubbed it, then her ankles and slowly up her calves. Part of her wanted to stop him while she still had her wits about her, but his touch felt so good, and she could already feel herself starting to doze off.
She heard him say something, and she mumbled a response, but she had no idea what he had said, and her eyes were much too heavy to open. She was warm, and her body was completely relaxed for the first time in a very long time. Whatever he’d said was going to have to wait until she woke up.
It was her last thought before she drifted into the darkness and gave herself over to slumber.
Eli watched Ava’s eyes droop while he massaged her legs, the soft smile on her face taking his breath away. “I’m going to grab something to drink,” he said as softly as he could.
“I like fluffy llamas,” she said, then yawned.
Eli bit back a laugh, waiting until her jaw was completely slack before he eased himself out from under her legs. He covered her with a gray chenille throw he kept on the back of the couch, tucking it around her shoulders, legs and under her feet. She sighed and nuzzled the pillow beneath her head, long eyelashes casting a delicate shadow in the warm glow of the firelight.
He took one last look at her, then went into his office on the first floor. He closed the door behind him, but left it cracked so he could hear her if she woke up looking for him. Dialing the familiar number from his landline, he sat in the chair at his desk and turned on the computer.
Gideon answered on the third ring, his voice echoing as if he’d just gotten out of the shower. “‘Sup, Boss?”
“Should I call back?” Eli asked.
“No, I’m good. All ready for tomorrow.”
“Good. About that, I’m going to need you to do me a favor.”
“Anything.”
“Let the team know that I’m going to have you all on a separate jet, and I need you to leave a little earlier than planned.”
“Okay,” Gideon said. “Is something up?”
“Yes and no. Nothing that’s going to affect the project, but I’m going to need a little more space than normal. Let the guys know that I’ll set up a separate command post like normal, but my living arrangements are strictly off limits.”
“Boss?”
He sighed. “Remember the neighbor in Omaha?”
Gideon chuckled warmly. “Who could forget that gorgeous face with legs for days.”
Eli scowled. “She’s carrying my child.”
Gideon sucked in a quick breath. “Boss, I’m sorry, I didn’t-”
“I’m not worried about that. But she saw you and the others in Omaha, and I don’t want her getting suspicious. She thinks I’m a traveling IT trainer, and the less she knows, the better.”
“What about the other thing?”
“No, she doesn’t know about that.”
“Don’t you think you oughta tell her?”
“She’s staying here on a trial basis, to see if she can stand me. No need to spill all my secrets if there’s a chance she won’t stick around.”
“Why not just leave her at the ranch until we get back?”
Eli sighed. “She’s stressed, and she independent as all get out. I’m afraid if I leave her behind, she’ll go home and go back to life as usual.” There was stunned silence on the other end of the line, so Eli pressed on. “I need to keep my personal time separate, but I’ll keep a burner cell nearby so you can get in touch. It’s a good dry run for running your own team.”
“Are you getting out?”
“I’m thinking of readjusting my role in the business and being more hands-off.”
“It’s about time,” Gideon laughed. “You’ve been talking about doing that for years.”
“With Jameson at headquarters taking care of the remote operations, there really isn’t much for me to do.”
“But you’re our closer.”
“Jameson can do that. He’s been pushing for more to do, and the thrill is gone for me.”
“Parenthood changes everything, Boss.”
Eli was stunned by Gideon’s perception. He was the muscle, and though every man on the team knew Entity inside and out, Eli had never considered him the brains of the operation. But he’d hit the nail on the head, and Eli couldn’t deny that his change of heart had come right on the heels of Ava’s big news. Hudson Securities didn’t need Eli Hudson at the helm; he had spent years acquiring the best and brightest in the field, and it was time to hand the reins off to Jameson and let the company make him money while he went on with his life. “Thank you for understanding, Gideon.”
“No problem, Boss. It’s about time you settled down, let the right woman tame the wild beast.”
Eli snorted. “I can’t take you anywhere,” he teased. “Just make sure the guys understand to keep their distance. As far as she knows, you’re still working at some office in Omaha. I don’t want her asking too many questions.”
“Got it,” Gideon said. “I’ll make sure the team knows that discretion is of the upmost importance.”
“Thank you.”
He hung up the phone, then packed his laptop and flash drives in his bag, gathering everything he needed for th
e job while Ava was asleep. Having her at the ranch was wonderful, but keeping his work and his private life away from her had proved difficult. The work issue would be resolved by the end of the Dallas job, and the rest would have to sort itself out as the became closer. If it doesn’t work out, there’s nothing to tell her, he thought, but immediately pushed that voice of doubt out of his mind. She was carrying his baby; he was going to have to share his secret sometime, whether they remained together or not.
He sighed, feeling antsy, the excitement of a pending job building in the final hours before they headed out to Dallas in the morning. It was going to be a struggle to balance life with Ava and his work, but he was committed to giving their relationship a chance, and he hadn’t been putting Gideon on when he shared his fear that she would go back to Omaha if left alone for too long. There was no point to her being in Cloudcroft if he wasn’t there. He knew the beauty of the mountain wouldn’t hold her there if she was lonely. No, he had to keep her close, and taking her to Dallas was the only viable option. And if she hung around until that job was done, then he would share his secret with her and hope she didn’t run away.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“I don’t know why I’m so exhausted,” Ava said, sitting at the dinner table, pushing the last bite of her meal around the plate while he cleaned up the kitchen.
“I think it’s normal,” he teased. “You’re growing a baby. That takes a lot of work.”
“People keep telling me that, but I feel like I’m extra exhausted. I’m not sure how to explain it.” She looked down at her stomach. “And look at this! It’s like I grew overnight. My clothes are getting tighter by the day. Are babies supposed to grow this fast?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know much about human babies.”
“How long is a cow pregnant?”
“You don’t want to know,” he laughed. “But you definitely don’t want to be a cow, or a horse. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but the pregnancy will go fast, and you’ll be panicking about the birth coming up too quickly before you know it.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you say so.”
“I wouldn’t put too much stock in my opinion.” He took the plate she handed him, using his other hand to wipe the table with a damp cloth.
“You’re so good at that. If I hadn’t seen her with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe you actually had a maid.”
“She always says she has the easiest job.”
“I’ll say. Come over to a homecooked meal, clean up the kitchen and drop the laundry at the cleaners.”
“She does the grocery shopping, too.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “That’s not too hard.”
“Except you’re forgetting that the nearest grocery store is an hour’s drive away.”
“Oh.”
He winked at her. “I’m not so sure she minds. It’s nice to get off the mountain once a week.”
Ava looked out the window and sighed. “I don’t know why anyone would want to leave this place. I wish we could stay a few more days before we had to go to Dallas.”
“I’ve been mostly here since I left Omaha. If you’d found out sooner, we would’ve had more time here and” he trailed off. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”
“It’s okay. I’m just so busy all the time. Half the time, I’m not even sure what day it is. If Zoey hadn’t realized it and made me take a pregnancy test, I still wouldn’t know.”
Eli let out a joyous laugh that filled the room and echoed off the rafters. “Oh man, could you imagine?”
She giggled. “I’m sure I would have noticed before I went into labor.”
“But how long before?” he teased.
She shrugged one shoulder, still smiling. “That’s anyone’s guess.”
“Next time,” he said, winking at her.
Heat crept up her body to her face, but he’d already turned back to the sink, completely missing her expression. I should quit while I’m ahead, she thought, getting up from her chair and moving to stand next to him at the sink. She didn’t trust herself to look at him when they were standing so close together, so she stared straight ahead at the decorative tile backsplash on the wall behind the sink. “Unless you want help with anything, I think I’m going to call it a night.”
“I’ve got this. You get some rest.” He kissed her cheek, and they both froze. “Um, sorry about that. I was just-” He ran his fingers through his thick black hair and looked at her apologetically. “I’m trying to give you space and follow your lead, but you’re just so damn sexy.”
Her mouth dropped open, then she laughed.
“What?” he said, laughing nervously.
“I was waiting for you to make the first move,” she said.
He smirked, a single eyebrow arching in surprise. “I asked you to move in with me and give a relationship together a chance. What did you think I meant?”
“Well, I-” she huffed, blowing a strand of hair away from her face. “I mean, I knew that you meant as boyfriend and girlfriend. I guess I just didn’t think we would be moving this fast.”
He looked down at her belly, then back into her eyes, his expression playful. “I think we’ve passed the point of a goodnight kiss on the cheek being too fast.” She blushed and started to tilt her head down instinctively, but he caught her chin gently with one finger, forcing her to look into his eyes. “What we have here doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s idea of a new relationship. I only apologized for kissing you because it was instinctive. You said goodnight, I care about you, and it felt natural.”
“Oh,” she said, mentally kicking herself for making a mountain out of an anthill.
“I want this to work. More than I can explain to you without sounding like a completely lovesick fool. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that you’re happy and feel comfortable with me, even if I drive myself crazy in the process.” He kissed her forehead tenderly, then smiled at her. “You’re worth the wait. Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Ava nodded, hurrying out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room before she did something rash.
The moon was just starting to rise when she climbed into bed. She didn’t have to look at the clock to know that it wasn’t long past eight, but she was so tired that her legs felt like cement and every step between the bathroom and the bed had felt like a mile. She laid on her side, facing the window so she could watch the herd of deer that grazed at the edge of the large yard that separated the house from the first pasture. Bathed in the silver light of the full moon, the deer looked ethereal. “They’re so beautiful,” she said, her own voice sounding far away as she started drifting off to sleep. As her eyes started to close, her last thought was that she could’ve sworn the buck lifted his head just then and looked right at her window as if he’d heard her. But she knew that was impossible, and in the next breath, she was sound asleep.
She knew it was late when she woke up hours later, body stiff, and unsure of what had woken her up. The house was filled with a stillness that can only come when the inhabitants are all asleep. She rolled over and looked at the clock, smiling when she saw that it was only one. I have five hours to sleep before it’s time to feed the animals, she thought, slipping out of bed without turning on the lights to use the bathroom. She washed her hands in the glow of the nightlight, then went back into the bedroom and froze.
At the edge of the yard where the deer had stood hours before, a large animal moved in thin light that broke through the heavy cloud cover. When the animal moved out of the shadows and stepped into the light, Ava covered her mouth and backed up a step, so she was against the wall farthest from the window. Bear! Ava thought, frantic when the animal started walking toward the house.
Her heart beat painfully in her chest as she slid along the wall toward the door, trying with every she had not to scream out loud. When she bumped into the doorframe, she turned and fled down the hall, headed straight for Eli’s room.
“Bear!” she hi
ssed, her voice a loud, panicked whisper. When Eli didn’t respond, she rushed to the bed, surprised to find it empty. “Oh Eli, where are you?” she moaned. She went to the window and looked for the bear, but Eli’s windows didn’t face the same direction as hers did, and she couldn’t see where the bear had gone.
But she knew without a doubt that it was closer to the house than it had been before.
Her heart was in her throat as she went from room to room, calling out to Eli. That same stillness hung heavy in the air, and she wondered if Eli was even home. Had he left on some emergency? Or had he let her sleep while he ran a late-night errand?
“What if he’s at the barn?” she said, freezing on the last step and looking out all the windows she could see from her vantagepoint before stepping onto the first floor and going to Eli’s office to look for him.
When he wasn’t there, she closed her eyes, willing herself to control her fear so she could think clearly. She pictured the road to the barn, trying to remember if there was anything blocking access from the yard to the barn behind the house. There wasn’t. If Eli was at the barn tending to an injured or birthing animal, there was nothing to stop the bear from surprising Eli. He was a sitting duck, and he didn’t even know it.
Terrified, she grabbed her shoes by the front door and pulled them on without putting socks on, then ran out the door and straight for the barn, yelling at the top of her lungs as she ran. “Bear! Eli, there’s a bear!”
The gravel crunched under her feet as she ran around to the back of the house, scanning the edge of the trail for something to use as a weapon. She saw a small branch about the length of her arm and more than an inch thick laying near one of the trees that lined long driveway all the way to the wilderness beyond, providing a bit of a windbreak during the harsh winters. Keeping her eyes open for the bear, she paused long enough to scoop it up, then hurried around the corner of the house, still calling out to Eli.
The house blocked the moonlight, but even in the deep shadows behind the house, she could see the thing coming at her a split second after she rounded the corner. She acted on impulse before she could think, slamming the beast in the side of the head with the stick as hard as she could.