by Connie Mann
Suddenly, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, and a deep voice said, “Evening, everyone.”
Delilah’s head almost snapped up, but Josh kept a firm hand on her neck. Despite the warmth radiating from him, her blood turned to ice.
She knew that voice.
“Just keep dancing, Delilah,” Josh whispered. “We’ve got this.”
Her heart pounded until she was sure everyone around them could hear it. She realized her breath was coming in short pants and forced herself to slow it down. She couldn’t blow it now.
She kept her eyes averted as the man tapped Josh on the shoulder. “You folks new here?”
He stopped moving but tucked Delilah against him, keeping her face in the shadows. “I’m Jim Brown, this here is the missus.” He held out his hand to the other man. Delilah held her breath.
“Nathan Hamm, but my friends call me Nate,” he said.
“He’s the one who organized tonight’s little get-together,” Eli added from beside him.
Delilah willed herself to stand still and not look up. When the man thrust a hand in her direction, she shook it firmly, head down.
“The wife and I just moved down from Ohio, and we’re looking to meet some like-minded folks.”
“Then you’ve come to the right place. We’re happy to have you.”
The conversation swirled around her, but only one thing registered. Nate was here. Oh, God. When she’d heard no mention of his name, she thought he’d left town. What would he do if he found out she was back? Far more terrifying, had he acquired another child bride and subjected her to the kind of “love” he’d tried to force on her? Was it even possible he was Mary’s groom?
It was suddenly too much. She mumbled, “Excuse me,” and rushed past the edge of the crowd and threw up in the bushes. She heard laughter behind her and then Nate’s voice. “Looks like maybe the missus has a bun in the oven.”
“Nothing would make me happier,” Josh responded. “But if you folks will excuse us, I think we’ll head home.”
“Here’s my email address,” Nate said. “Get in touch, and I’ll make sure we keep you up-to-date on what our plans are.”
“Appreciate that. Good night, all.”
Delilah felt rather than heard Josh step up behind her. He thrust a handkerchief in front of her, and she sent him a grateful glance as she used it to wipe her mouth. “Sorry about that.”
He didn’t say anything for several seconds, just watched her. “Are you all right?” His voice was quiet, concerned.
Her stomach gave another lurch, and she wrapped her arms around her middle as she stood. “I will be. Can we get out of here?”
“Of course.” He tucked her against him as they made their way around the outside of the crowd. Eli Foster intercepted them, holding both their chairs. “Nice to have met you folks. Hope we’ll see more of you.”
Once they reached the truck, Delilah sank back against the seat and willed the churning in her stomach to stop.
Dear God. Nate is still in town.
* * *
Josh watched Delilah’s eyes slide closed and temporarily shelved his need to question. He’d learned some interesting things tonight, not the least of which was County Commissioner Rory Kilpatrick’s conversation with Aaron. But he was more concerned about her.
When he pulled into their campsite, he laid a gentle hand on her arm, and she startled awake, eyes wide. “We’re home. Let me check the camper first.”
Once he gave the all clear, she hurried past him, straight toward the bedroom.
He stepped in her path. “Are you okay?”
“I will be. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He settled his hands on her shoulders, rubbed the tight muscles. “Talk to me, please.” He’d noticed she retreated into herself when she was shaken, but she needed to talk, even if she didn’t realize it. This hunched, frightened version was not the Delilah he was getting to know. That Nate could do this to her, after all these years, made him see red.
She sighed. “Let me get out of this getup.”
He made coffee, then booted up his laptop and grabbed the tub of chocolate chip cookies Charlee had sent along. He’d completed a background check and was on his third cookie by the time Delilah ventured out of the bathroom and sank down across from him at the dinette.
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Sure. Thanks.” She wrapped her hands around the mug as though trying to warm them.
“I’m guessing you haven’t seen your erstwhile groom in eight years.”
“No. There’s been no mention of him anywhere since I’ve been back. I’d hoped he’d left town.” She studied her coffee cup. “He didn’t have a beard before, but I’d recognize him anywhere.”
“Is the scar on his cheek courtesy of Xena?”
Her chin came up. “Yes. I was desperate to get away.”
He leaned forward and wrapped his hands around hers. “Good! I hope that bastard thinks of you every time he looks in the mirror.”
She froze. “That’s what I’m worried about.”
“What do you mean?”
“My engagement to him was part of some business deal between him and John Henry. When I disappeared before the wedding, he would have been royally ticked off and would have taken it out on my father. He’s the sort to hold a grudge, so if he finds out I’m alive…” She shook her head. “There’s no telling what he’ll do.”
He tilted her chin up, furious at the anxiety shimmering in the blue depths of her eyes. “He will not hurt you again, Delilah. I will make sure of it. Don’t let him do this to you. Don’t let him make you afraid.”
Flames suddenly shot from her eyes, and she jerked her chin away and jabbed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare say things like that to me. You’re strong and male and can protect yourself. You don’t know what it’s like to be overpowered and trapped and terrified, afraid for your life. So don’t you dare tell me how to react. You have no idea what you’re talking about.” She huffed out a breath.
Pride shot through him. Damn, she is incredible when she shows her power. Eyes flashing, shoulders back, she looked ready to take on the world.
“There’s the Xena I know.” Then he sobered abruptly, captured her hands again. “But you’re right; I don’t know. I’m so sorry you went through that, especially as a teen. And I’m furious your family didn’t protect you. I’ll make sure you never have to deal with him again. I’m also going to make sure he gets what he deserves.” When she winced, he realized he’d squeezed her fingers harder than he intended.
She met his gaze, eyes still spitting blue flames. “No. You’re not doing anything. It’s over, and it was too long ago to do anything legal about anyway. I checked.”
“I can check on a civil—”
Her chin came up, and this time, she clamped down on his fingers. “Let it go. I’ve moved on. My focus is on making sure Mary is never in the same situation.”
He snorted. “The guy shows up and you puke. How is that moving on?”
“You don’t understand.” Delilah’s voice had an edge he’d never heard before.
“Then explain it to me. Why won’t you go after him?”
“Even if legal action were possible, I don’t want to relive it all for months on end, especially when it amounts to nothing more than a she said, he said situation. I won’t put myself through that. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get Mary safely away from all of this and then move on with my life.” Her eyes drilled into his. “That’s my choice.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Did you learn anything else tonight that might help us find her?”
He accepted the change in topic. “Hamm said he had to talk to John Henry about his daughter’s upcoming wedding.”
Delilah’s jaw clenched. “Did he say anything else? Tell you who she’s marrying? It’s not Nate, i
s it?”
“I don’t know. I tried to get close enough, but they moved out of earshot. And just so you know, sometime after we find Mary, Hamm is going to get a beating he will never ever forget. It’s that or I shoot his balls off.” He shrugged. “Either way, nobody treats my Xena like that and gets away with it.”
Her eyes widened, and then she huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. “I never know what to expect from you, Hollywood.”
He sobered. “Start by expecting respect, and we’ll go from there, okay?”
She nodded and set her cup in the sink, swaying slightly from exhaustion. “I’m done. Good night.” She paused by the bedroom door. “And thank you.”
He waited until the bedroom door closed before he stormed outside. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to keep his fury under wraps, but now he muttered and paced, fists clenched. He’d make sure Nathan Hamm got his.
After he’d calmed slightly, he called Hunter and told him about seeing Commissioner Kilpatrick at tonight’s gathering. “Aaron and John Henry Atwood also made an appearance, but Aaron disappeared before I could follow him. And interestingly enough, I heard a few men arguing about the risks of drawing attention to their group via the Mayor’s Ball.”
“Isn’t that interesting,” Hunter responded. “Any weapons talk connected to the ball? Or any kind of protest?”
“No. It sounded like they were going to talk up their group, if you can believe that.”
“At a ball? That’s not the usual MO for groups like this, especially at a political fund-raiser. Good thing you’ll be there in your monkey suit to figure out what’s going on, Hollywood.”
Josh snorted. “Thanks for that. In the meantime, I’m going to dig deep into Nathan Hamm’s background. He seems to be the head of this new group. He also has ties to Delilah’s family. And he mentioned Mary’s wedding, but I couldn’t get any details.”
“That’s more than we had before. Let me know what else you turn up.”
“Of course. I’ll be in touch.”
He rubbed the wedding band with his thumb, remembering the look in Delilah’s eyes when he’d slipped hers on her finger, but then he shoved that thought firmly away. Whatever was between them had to wait. His priority right now was keeping her safe. He went back inside and pulled out the sofa-bed, imagining all sorts of ways Nathan Hamm would pay for what he’d done.
Chapter 24
Delilah had expected to fall asleep immediately, but she kept replaying her conversation with Josh, and she wasn’t happy about what it said about her. She couldn’t deny that seeing Nate had rattled her. But had he made her afraid, as Josh said? She hated to admit it, but in that moment, yes. Suddenly she was sixteen again, helpless and terrified.
But she wasn’t that girl anymore, and she had to keep living like she believed it. Despite Josh’s desire to protect her, which touched something deep inside her, she’d also learned that her safety, physical and emotional, was ultimately up to her.
Her worry now was for Mary, a bone-deep determination to keep her from the same hellacious situation.
But were her old fears sabotaging her relationship with Josh? In an effort to play it safe emotionally, was she depriving them both? If they got involved, saying goodbye would be brutal. Oh, who was she kidding? It would be anyway. So why not enjoy every minute they had together?
She tiptoed into the living room, worried he might have fallen asleep already. Seeing him sprawled across the middle of the sofa bed, blanket bunched around his hips, made her want to touch.
As she approached, he sat up, scrubbed a hand over his face, and held out a hand in invitation. “Everything okay?” The husky timbre of his voice slid over her skin like a caress.
“It is now,” she whispered as she climbed onto the bed and sat beside him. She cupped his jaw and brushed a kiss over his lips, once, twice, before she pulled back.
In the dim light, she saw the question in his eyes, the barely banked fire. “Tell me what you want,” he whispered, pulling her close and kissing her, long and slow and deep.
When they pulled apart, she studied him a moment. What she wanted was him, with a desperation that frightened her, but she couldn’t offer forever, wouldn’t weave fantasies that could never come true. But she could give him honesty. “You know I’m not staying in Ocala. I can’t. But what if we make the most of the time we have?”
Their eyes met, and the silence lengthened as he studied her. “You’re sure?”
She ran the back of her hand down his cheek and smiled. “I’m sure.”
He leaned closer and tucked her hair behind her ear, his voice a low rumble. “Then let me love you tonight, and we’ll let tomorrow take care of itself.”
When his lips met hers, they slipped into that magical world where only the two of them existed. His tongue swept into her mouth and shut down her busy brain. All that existed were him and her and this moment.
She cupped his cheeks as she kissed him, determined to show him all the feelings she couldn’t put into words. Hands tangled in his hair, she gave him everything in her heart, and he did the same. Her eyes slid closed as he nuzzled her neck, then ran a line of kisses down her arm before he placed a tender kiss in her palm. She took his hand and did the same, the green fire in his eyes scorching everywhere it touched.
Their mouths met again, and their tongues danced, the heat in her belly coiling tighter and tighter. Frustrated that she still couldn’t get close enough to him, she swung her leg over and straddled his lap, enjoying his low moan when she settled over him, running her hands over his shoulders and chest, enjoying the feel of the crisp hair covering his pecs.
“I like the way you think, Xena,” he murmured and pulled her flush against him.
She sighed and nibbled the side of his neck, enjoying the idea that she could make him moan. His hands slid under her sleep shirt, and this time, she was the one who moaned.
“You feel good,” she said, running her tongue along his collarbone, then nipping his ear.
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” he said, then gripped the edges of her shirt, yanked it over her head, and tossed it away. “You take my breath away.” He studied her, trailing a hand from her neck to her waist and back again, touching and caressing along the way. Heat spiraled through her, and she pulled him closer, shifting restlessly.
“Hold that thought,” he muttered, then reached over the side of the bed for his pants. Once he found what he needed, he pulled her down to stretch out over him, and she sighed at the feel of his body under her.
With every touch, every caress, every slide of skin against skin, the heat built as their kisses grew more frantic, more desperate. He gripped her backside while their tongues tangled, fought.
Finally, when she thought she couldn’t stand it another minute, he threaded his fingers through hers. “Look at me,” he ordered, and she met his eyes. Gazes locked, they climbed to the stars together, higher and higher, until they reached the heavens and shattered in a burst of light.
A long time later, when their heartbeats had returned to normal, he pulled the covers over them and tucked her against his side.
“Sleep, Xena. I’ve got you.”
“And I’ve got you,” she murmured and burrowed closer. She listened to the steady beat of his heart and slid into a deep, dreamless sleep.
* * *
Several hours later, Josh’s eyes snapped open. He woke completely alert, as always, but it took a second to identify where he was and the warm body snuggled in close to him, her arm across his belly, her hair tickling his cheek. He grinned. He could get used to this.
Or not.
He frowned as he watched her sleep, the furrow between her brows gone, all her sharp edges erased for the moment.
I’m not staying…
She’d warned him, had been up front about their relationship or whatever the h
ell she wanted to call it, and he’d agreed to her terms.
His gut clenched. He’d been a fool. Somehow, when he wasn’t paying attention, she’d snuck past all his defenses.
She stiffened suddenly and started shifting restlessly, caught in the midst of a nightmare. He tightened his hold on her and murmured soothing words in her ear until she calmed again and settled back into sleep.
He watched her as the minutes ticked by, running his hand up and down her arm as he absorbed the fact that her happiness, her safety, meant everything to him. Ready or not and despite all her secrets, she’d burrowed into his heart, way down deep, to a place no one had ever touched before.
As he tucked the covers over them both, he decided he had neither the strength nor the desire to push her out. Ever.
And he was okay with that.
Now all he had to do was keep her alive while they rescued her sister.
And then figure out how to let her go.
* * *
The sun was barely up when she woke, and it took a moment to figure out where she was. Josh was gone, but she heard his voice outside, probably on the phone. She stretched, then sighed, remembering the way he’d made love to her during the night, the way he’d held her close. But it went deeper than that. Nobody had ever seen her the way he did, had ever touched her with such tenderness and want. When worries about how she would ever manage to say goodbye tried to intrude, she locked them away to think about some other time.
Today was Sunday. If all went well, Mary would be safely in her arms in just a few hours. She sent up a quick prayer. Please God, let her show up.
She grabbed a shower, packed her research gear, and headed to the kitchen. “I’ll go crazy sitting here all morning, so how about we check on my favorite monkey troop after breakfast?”
“Good morning to you, too,” he drawled, leaning against the counter sipping coffee. He was already fully dressed, and Delilah hid her disappointment. Though the way that T-shirt molded to his chest offered ample compensation.