by Amy Lamont
For the first time in years, my restless bear settled down. I could still feel his impatience, his sense of urgency, below the surface. But something about finally—finally—having Ivy beside us seemed to calm him in a way I hadn’t been able to do in the last five years. And damned if I was ready to give up that feeling any time soon.
I held out my hand to her. “Why don’t we move to a booth?”
Ivy
What on earth was I doing? Every survival skill I’d developed in the last month was screaming at me to run. I’d finally found a spot that seemed like I’d made it to the ends of the earth, a place none of the men my father sent after me would think to look. And what happens just an hour after I arrive in town? My dream man shows up.
Every instinct that kept me one step ahead of my father’s men was telling me to run as far and as fast as my feet would carry me.
But the girl I was up until a month ago was doing her best to claw her way to the surface. She was the one who still believed in fairytales and dark knights swooping in to save the damsel and happily ever afters.
And look where believing all that got you. I tried to remind myself that even the father I thought loved me beyond reason had betrayed me. If that wasn’t a cautionary tale about allowing anyone to get too close, I don’t know what was.
But despite my instincts, despite my better judgment, I allowed the fairytale loving girl to take the lead for just a moment. And that’s the part of me that slipped my hand into his much larger one and agreed to have breakfast with him.
I allowed him to lead me to a booth in the corner, not giving more than a fleeting thought to the suitcase the kind waitress had stowed behind the counter for me when I walked in just a few minutes ahead of my dream man. I tried to remind myself that I needed to have an escape plan in mind just in case.
But I was so tired of formulating plans and trying to stay two steps ahead of everyone else. For just this moment, this one meal, I was going to indulge myself and enjoy having breakfast with the sexy, rugged man who had yet to release my hand.
“Morning, Cole.” The waitress walked up to the table and dropped the coffee I’d ordered just a second before my dream man arrived in front of me. She dropped another steaming cup in front of my dream man.
Cole. Apparently my dream man’s name was Cole.
“Morning,” Cole said, his voice a rumbly baritone that suited him.
“You going to have your usual?” The waitress asked.
“Please.”
“And for you?” The waitress turned her sweet smile my way.
I blinked. I’d been so caught up in staring at Cole, drinking in his large frame, his rugged features, his rumbly voice, I hadn’t even thought about food. But staring at the waitress now, with scents of coffee and maple syrup filling the air around me, it occurred to me just how long I’d gone without a real meal.
“What’s his usual?” I titled my head toward Cole, but kept my eyes on the waitress.
“Lumberjack special. Eggs, pancakes, hash browns, bacon, sausage and toast.”
I could feel my eyes getting bigger with each word she spoke. When she finished, my stomach let out a quiet growl. But judging by the chuckle that came from the other side of the table, not too quiet.
“I’ll have the same.” I flashed the waitress a smile as her eyes grew round at my order.
She recovered nicely, though. “Eggs scrambled or over?”
“Over easy, please.”
She nodded and hurried off to get our order in. I kept my eyes on her for a little longer than necessary, almost afraid to turn back to my breakfast companion.
But finally, I couldn’t put it off any longer. I turned my eyes toward him and once again the impact of his presence hit me like sledgehammer. My breath left me as I tried to take in the fact that my dream man was here. Real. Sitting across from me.
“What brings you to Kodiak?” Cole asked.
His question immediately brought me back down to earth with a resounding thud. I could feel the wariness stealing over me at his question.
I tried to tell myself it was a perfectly normal, reasonable question.
“It was kind of an impulse,” I finally said. “I’ve been traveling around the country without much of a plan other than to see as much of it as I can.” I shrugged. “I don’t think I really even made a decision to come to Kodiak until I was on my way here.”
An odd expression passed over his face at my words, but before I had a chance to figure out what it meant, it was gone.
As I stared at him, it struck me all over again just how handsome he was. I knew it from seeing him in my dreams, but nothing came close to the impact he had live and in person. His dark eyes, the military-short dark hair, the chiseled jaw. The sight of him was almost enough to make me forget about the cup of steaming hot, fresh brewed coffee in front of me.
He flashed me a grin, and a dimple appeared in one of his cheeks. Damn. Now I was amazed I could remember my own name.
I did my best to shake off the feelings churning inside me. I needed to pay attention to my surroundings. I hadn’t had a premonition about any of the men following me since the night I left that motel in Montana. That didn’t mean I could let my guard down, though.
“Are you from Kodiak?” I asked.
“Originally I’m from North Dakota, but I’ve moved up here recently to take a job.”
“What do you do?”
Again, that odd look passed over his face and then was gone as quickly as it appeared. “I work for a security firm. I left the Army a few months back and found out some buddies had started a business up here. It seemed like a good fit for my skills.”
He only spoke three sentences, but I had the sense he said a lot in there. I wanted to question him more, find out all about him, both for my peace of mind and to quench the rampant curiosity about my dream man. I still couldn’t quite believe he sat across form me now.
But I decided not to indulge my desire to interrogate him. I knew I couldn’t stick around town too long. Though I was hoping I could hide out here for at least a couple of days. It had been so long since my life was normal. Couldn’t I give myself the next hour to pretend I was just a normal girl who was asked to breakfast by an attractive man?
One hour. I gave myself strict instructions. I could indulge all my fantasies for the length of this breakfast. Then it was back to reality.
And feeling a bit like Cinderella waiting for the clock to strike midnight, that’s just what I did.
Chapter 5
Ivy
Standing in front of the diner a little over an hour later, a light snow falling around me, I found myself contemplating a phrase I’d never really thought much of before.
Charmed the pants off of her.
If I had given it much thought before, I probably would have rolled my eyes at the idea. As sheltered as I was and with my abilities, I hadn’t really dated much. Or at all.
And the idea of having my pants charmed off of me certainly didn’t fit into the romantic fantasies I often entertained while growing up.
But after spending the morning with my dream man, I couldn’t help but turn the words over and over in my head.
Always a little shy and introverted when I met knew people, it shocked me how easy he was to talk to. About halfway through breakfast it occurred to me that I was on my very first date. At it. Was. Amazing.
Cole was charming and made me giggle with a few stories about the men he worked with. He’d asked me a few questions about myself, but nothing too personal. And through it all, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.
I was fascinated how a man who was so tall and broad could still seem almost graceful in his movements. My gaze strayed to his hands again and again, and it didn’t take me long to wonder how those work-roughened hands would feel against my skin.
As he talked about living in Kodiak, I watched his lips. His standard expression seemed to be an almost emotionless blank face, his mouth firm and hard. But as
he spoke, he allowed some expressions to break through, and I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the way his lower lip was fuller than the top. Or the way his teeth flashed at me when he grinned.
By the time the waitress filled my coffee cup for a second time—and don’t think for a second I didn’t revel in the copious amounts of heaven in a cup I got to indulge in—my body was on high alert. My nipples stood at attention and a molten heat had gathered low in my belly and other areas of my girly bits. If I hadn’t been so ravenous, I probably would have dropped my fork and spent the hour staring at him, drinking every bit of him in. It took me a few minutes to understand what was happening to my body since it was a completely new experience.
Something else new happened in there, too. Somewhere during breakfast, despite my desire-addled mind, I had made the decision not to wander through his mind.
I knew it wasn’t smart. I knew it wasn’t safe or sane. But for one hour I wanted to indulge in the fantasy that I was just a girl out on a date with a normal—albeit sexy, dangerous, and rugged—man.
But that was an hour ago. And now, standing on the street with the suitcase our waitress had retrieved for me, it was time to let reality seep back in. I needed to find a place to stay, get a shower and some sleep, and figure out a plan for the next few days.
“Thank you so much for breakfast.” I couldn’t quite keep the tinge of sadness from my voice. I had enjoyed every moment of the last hour. It was a memory I hoped would carry me through the days and weeks to come.
“You’re welcome.” He looked around the parking lot. “You have a car here?”
I shook my head. “I took the ferry in. I figured I’d find a place to stay when I got here.”
He gave me a look, contemplative look before he spoke. “You might have a tough time. During tourist season, lots of lodges and places to stay. But this time of year when the days are short and the temperatures drop, a lot of the places close for the season.”
Disappointment bloomed in my chest and I tried to consider my options. Maybe I should go back into the diner and use the pre-paid cell phone I picked up to call some local places, see if I could find a room somewhere.
As the flurries turned into a light snow, I started to question my choice to come to Kodiak. The remote location seemed like the perfect place to hideout and regroup for a few days. But transportation on and off the island didn’t come easy this time of year. The last thing I wanted to do was get stuck with no place to stay and no way out of here in the middle of a snowstorm.
“You okay?” Cole asked.
I shook off my thoughts and looked up at him, trying to dredge up a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. Just trying to figure out where to go from here.”
He stared down at me for several long seconds before he spoke. “I know we just met. And I know it’s not the safest thing in the world to encourage you to do. But I don’t know if you’ll be able to find a place to stay and this snow is supposed to get a lot worse before it gets better. You’re welcome to come stay at my place until you figure out what to do next.”
A longing hit me so hard it nearly knocked me off my feet. I couldn’t believe this almost complete stranger invited me to his home. Odder still, I couldn’t believe how badly I wanted to say yes.
But that would be crazy. Wouldn’t it?
I tilted my head up to look at him. Of course it would be totally nuts, my logical mind told me. You can’t trust him.
But, if I stay with him, I won’t have to check into a hotel. That means I get to hold onto my money a little longer and probably would throw up another roadblock for anyone searching for me.
And it had been days since I’d had a premonition. The idea started taking root that maybe my father had accepted my disappearance and stopped sending men after me.
Then I remembered the feelings and thoughts I’d encountered in his mind. And I knew without a doubt he’d never stop looking for me. Not for as long as he believed he had something to gain with my abilities.
“You don’t have to stay with me.” Cole took a step closer and his warm, male scent filled my senses. “It’s just an option.”
Even as he spoke the snow kicked it up another notch in intensity. If I still believed in signs, I’d think the universe was trying to tell me something.
I squinted up at Cole and realized there was only thing I could do. If I was going to consider his offer, I couldn’t just be a girl having breakfast with a hot guy. I had to be a smart woman who used every skill in her arsenal to defend herself.
I held his eyes and pushed my way into his mind. And for the first time since I discovered this ability, I ran into a roadblock. It was the strangest feeling. I could almost see a brick wall standing in my path.
I reached out with my mind and pushed against each brick, trying to find a weak spot, a way into his thoughts. As I continued to test his mental barriers, his eyes narrowed on me.
Holy crap. Did he know what I was doing?
That had never happened before either. I’d been using all my alone time to hone my some of skills. I’d dipped into the minds of countless people who traveled on buses with me. Nothing too intrusive. Just little pushes to test and expand my ability. And never had I encountered a mind I couldn’t breach.
Until now.
“Ivy?” Cole prompted, pulling me from my thoughts. “Do you want to come home with me?”
And before my mind could catch up with my mouth, I answered him. “Yes. I’d love to go home with you.”
What on God’s green earth had I been thinking? The question had come to me over and over again in the twenty minutes we’d been in Cole’s shiny, black SUV. For all I knew this man was a serial killer. Hell, I’d even thought of him that way in my dreams.
And here I was allowing him to cart me off into the middle of nowhere Alaska.
But there had to be a reason I’d been dreaming about him. And I rationalized it by reminding myself the waitress knew him. He obviously wasn’t known for being the last guy seen with women who turned up missing.
Though he was new in town. Who was to say he hadn’t moved to Kodiak after he left a bunch of bodies buried under some barn in North Dakota.
“Hey.” Cole’s quiet rumble brought my attention back to him. “I promise, I offered help because you needed it. Not because of any nefarious plans I have for you.”
He gave me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the road, which was becoming more treacherous with each passing minute. The snow was really coming down fast now.
“Are you a mind reader?” I teased.
He flashed a quick grin my way. “No. I’m just good at reading people. It’s not hard to figure out a woman alone in a strange place might be having second thoughts about being carted off into the woods by some strange guy.”
“Uh, yeah. To say the least.”
He reached over and picked up my hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “I would never allow you to come to harm, Ivy.”
As fast as he picked it up, he dropped my hand, but the affect of his words lingered. Maybe I was a fool. And maybe it was wishful thinking. But the way he said those words…I felt like he’d just made a vow to me. And like he was the kind of man who took his vows seriously.
“Okay,” I finally said. I wanted to tell him I trusted him, but I couldn’t go there. I couldn’t trust my own father. I’d give my dream man a chance to prove himself to me. But that didn’t mean I’d give him my trust. I didn’t think it was possible for me to that ever again. For anyone.
I was distracted from my thoughts by something out my window. We pulled down what seemed to be a private road and it was dotted with beautiful homes, most of them log cabins with wide front porches, although a few more modern looking homes were mixed in.
Almost all of them had Christmas lights strung along the roof and around bushes and trees. Even though it was the middle of the day, between the overcast sky and Alaska’s short days, they had most of them turned on even though it was still morning.
With the backdrop of the snowy forest and mountains, it was magical.
I turned to Cole. “This is beautiful. I love the Christmas lights. Is this where you live?”
He sent me an indulgent grin at my chatter. “Yes. The land back here is owned by a large family. They turned it into a family compound of sorts. They had an empty place in the back so they rented it to me.”
For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself the time to really admire and appreciate the landscape. The dense forest that ran behind all the houses was breathtaking in its natural beauty. The hills and mountains in the distance behind the trees just added to the incredible scenery. I felt like I’d been dropped into a painting. It seemed impossible for anything real to be this incredible.
I should have known my dream man would live in a dream place.
He pulled the SUV to a stop in front of a log cabin. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t tiny. Like the ones we’d passed, it boasted a wide front porch and large windows.
“No Christmas lights.” I tried to keep the disappointment from my voice. How silly was I to feel disappointed? I seemed to have lost my father’s minions. I had a place to stay for at least a day or so. I had no reason to be disappointed.
“Let’s get you inside.” Cole swung out of the vehicle and before I knew it he had me and my suitcase standing in the living room of his home.
All disappointment fled at the sight that greeted me. It wasn’t really so much a living room as it was a great room. A large kitchen with gleaming wood cabinets and stainless steam appliances was on one side. On the other was a seating area with oversized furniture that looked like it fit Cole’s oversize frame and a gorgeous stone fireplace large enough I could probably stand in it.
But the really breathtaking part of his home was the floor to ceiling windows that made up almost the entire back wall. The house was built right into the tree line so it felt like we were smack dab in the middle of the forest.