by Penny Ash
Up ahead, the shoulder of the road widened into a parking area forming a scenic overlook. This was her chance. If she waited until they were out of the mountains where the road was flat, Dell would never catch up. Taking a deep breath, she made a grab for the steering wheel, jerking it toward the large flat area where a couple of cars were parked.
She struggled with Wilson for control of the vehicle, and they swerved wildly before he pulled her hands loose and shoved her away. She hit the passenger door, using her momentum to open it. Another quick deep breath and she leapt out of the El Camino.
She did her best to roll as she hit the pavement. Trying to protect her head with her arms, she came to a stop just a few feet away from the edge of the ravine. Through the pain, the shouts of the tourists at the overlook and the horns honking barely registered. Her last thought was an image of Dell’s face as blackness closed in and she fainted.
* * * *
Dell followed as closely as he could. The road twisted crazily down the mountain, a sheer wall of rock on one side and a deep chasm on the other. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel and his thoughts raced. If Davis didn’t get Wilson, he’d kill the son of a bitch himself, as slowly and painfully as he could.
He heard Davis issuing orders to his people over his cell phone, calling for roadblocks and helicopters and requesting back up from local law enforcement. Movement in the car ahead caught his attention, and he realized Alison was struggling, fighting Wilson for control of the El Camino. He saw the door fly open as she hit it, spilling her out onto the pavement.
“Oh, baby, no,” he whispered, his heart in his throat. Vaguely, he heard Davis ordering an ambulance as he slammed on his brakes and jerked his truck into the overlook parking area, skidding to a stop.
* * * *
Wilson fought for control of the fishtailing vehicle. In a rage, he glared at the scene behind him, looking back over his shoulder. The sound of an air horn jerked him around just in time to see the grill of an eighteen-wheeler headed straight for him.
He jerked the steering wheel over hard, and the huge truck clipped the tail end of the El Camino. The vehicle spun around, skidding over the edge of the chasm and tumbling into the ravine where it impacted the bottom and exploded.
* * * *
Dell leapt out of his truck and ran toward Alison, ignoring the honking horns and screeching brakes as other vehicles stopped. Pushing aside the people in his way, he stopped beside her and dropped to his knees with a moan, bending forward and shielding her with his body.
Gently touching her cheek, he fought the urge to gather her into his arms. He brushed the hair from her face and touched his lips to her forehead in a soft kiss.
“I’m sorry, baby, I should have done better,” he whispered, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes.
Her eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes, wincing at the bright sunlight. “Dell?” she asked, reaching toward him.
“I’m right here, baby. Stay still.” He caught her hand.
“Where is…” she began, trying to sit up.
Dell laid his hand on her shoulder and stopped her. “He’s dead; he can’t hurt you.”
“Oh.” Alison relaxed and shut her eyes again. She was silent for a long moment.
“Alison, baby, talk to me,” Dell said, concerned. Smoke from Wilson’s burning car drifted over them, and she wrinkled her nose and coughed.
“Hurts,” she complained.
“I know it does. Help is coming.” Dell smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Next time I feel the urge to jump out of a moving car, slap me,” Alison said with a grimace.
Dell sniffed and chuckled, leaning down to kiss her again. “Never,” he whispered.
The wail of approaching sirens got louder, and he heard Davis talking to the sheriff’s deputies. A fire truck arrived, followed by an ambulance, and Dell let the paramedics take over.
Chapter Sixteen
Dell sat next to Alison’s bed in the emergency room and listened to her tell Davis about her time with Wilson. It felt strange, hearing about it from her side and realizing she had been working to get away while they had been trying to find her. He still got chills when he thought about how close he’d come to losing her.
“Well, I don’t see any reason you can’t be on your way as soon as the doctors okay it,” Davis said. He looked at Dell and held his hand out, offering Dell the keys to his truck. “I parked your truck by the admissions’ entrance. Good luck.”
Dell shook the FBI Agent’s hand and watched him leave, taking the rest of the law enforcement people with him. When he turned back to Alison, she was sitting up, trying to let the bed rail down.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked.
“I’m getting up,” she said. “What does it look like?
“Nobody said you could get up.” Dell walked over and caught her hands.
“I said I could get up. I want out of here.” She glared at him.
“Not until the doctor says it’s okay. Now lie back down,” he said, ignoring her glare.
“Dell…”
“You are a stubborn woman, Alison Taylor,” he cut her off, refusing to look at her. If he did that, he just might embarrass himself and cry.
He saw Alison open her mouth to retort and quickly close it again from the corner of his eye. Suddenly, she pulled him closer to the hospital bed and wrapped her arms around him. He responded to the comfort of her touch and laid his head on her shoulder, taking a deep, shuddering breath.
“I almost lost you,” he whispered. Her hands rubbing his back felt so good.
“But you didn’t,” she said softly.
A noise at the entrance to the treatment area startled him, and he looked up to see the doctor.
“The x-rays are clear; there are no broken bones, and all the other tests are normal. You’re a very lucky woman, Ms. Taylor,” the doctor said.
Alison smiled at the man. “Great, so I can go?”
“Yes, you can go. If you have any problems or feel worse, come back and see us,” he said.
Alison smiled at Dell, and he felt his whole world turn over. He smiled back at her. “I’ll go bring you in some clothes,” he said.
* * * *
Dell got Alison’s blue bag and laid it on the passenger’s seat. He opened it, feeling a little like an intruder, and picked up a white cotton dress. Holding it up, he shook it out and looked it over; it was soft and had bits of lace and little ruffles down the front. His mouth went dry when he pictured her in it.
Carefully folding the dress and tucking it under his arm, he closed the bag and put it back in with the rest of their things. He stopped for a long moment, smiling to himself. Their things, he thought. He was getting downright possessive over this little slip of a woman.
A chill went up his back, and he looked around. The parking lot was silent, empty except for a few trucks and cars. He quickly got in the truck and started it, backing out of the spot by the door and moving his truck to the breezeway entrance to the emergency room. Hesitantly, he leaned over and opened the glove compartment, letting out a relieved sigh when he saw the Glock resting there. He started to close the glove compartment. He stopped, unsure why he felt the need to move the gun, but he did it anyway, stashing it under the seat where he could get to it fast if he needed to.
He shook his head, berating himself for having an overactive imagination. Wilson had to be dead. Nobody could have survived that crash and explosion. Dell locked up the truck and headed back into the hospital. Unless he managed to jump, a tiny nagging voice said in the back of his mind. Davis did say they didn’t find any remains…
He stopped and turned quickly, scanning the parking lot one more time. Nothing had changed; a red car, a blue one, and a green pickup truck parked next to a silver compact car with black windows.
* * * *
Alison sat on the edge of the hospital bed, swinging her feet impatiently when he walked in. He st
opped by the curtains and watched her for a few seconds. The way her light brown hair fell over her shoulders made his groin tighten.
“I found this.” Dell held out the soft white dress toward her. “I thought you might want to put on something loose.”
She took the dress from him and unfolded it. “Sweetheart, this is a nightgown,” she said, a little bright spark of mischief in her emerald eyes.
“Really? How come I haven’t ever seen it?”
“How often do you let me wear anything to bed?” She rolled her eyes at him.
“Um, yeah, well,” Dell stammered and ducked his head, blushing. He looked up at her and grinned. She was reaching around, trying to catch hold of the hospital gown ties. He hurried over to help her.
“Ow.” Alison winced.
“Here, let me.” Dell reached around her and tugged on the tie at her neck, unknotting it. The top of the hospital gown came loose, and his breath caught. It slipped off her shoulder and his stomach clenched. He untied the last tie and swallowed hard, his mouth dry.
“I’ll just step out here for a second, ’til you’re ready.” He pulled back the curtain and nearly ran into the nurse bringing the wheelchair for Alison.
A few minutes later, Dell had himself under control and was walking with Alison and the nurse out to the truck. He opened the door and then lifted Alison into the truck. He got a crawly feeling between his shoulder blades as he started to get in and stopped, turning to look around the parking lot again.
“Ready to go, baby?” Dell started the truck and pulled out of the breezeway into the parking lot.
“Yeah.” Alison smiled at him.
Chapter Seventeen
The lights of Carlsbad, New Mexico lit up the night sky ahead. He pulled into the parking lot of the Desert Inn and climbed out of the truck, going inside to register. The room was in the back at the end of the building. He carried their bags inside, then propped the door open with a chair and walked back out to the truck. He opened the door and reached in, gently touching Alison’s cheek.
“Stopping for the night, baby,” he said.
Alison opened her emerald eyes and returned Dell’s gaze. He smiled at her and leaned a little closer, brushing his lips against hers. Sliding his arms around her, he scooped her up and carried her into the room, setting her down on the bed.
The trust in her eyes made his heart clench. He still didn’t feel he deserved her trust after he’d let her down so badly.
“There’s a fast food place back up the road. Will you be all right while I go get us something?” He asked. He had to get away for awhile and get himself under control.
“I’ll be fine.” She squeezed his hand.
He left, shutting the door and locking it behind him.
*
Alison sighed and got up. He had been treating her like she was made of china since they’d left the hospital. Yes, she was sore, bruised, and battered, but she was alive. And right now, she needed to reaffirm that. She opened her bag and rummaged around.
* * * *
Dell parked in front of the door to the room. He turned off the engine and lights and sat there for a long moment. The room looked dark. Finally, picking up the bags from the fast food restaurant, he got out and went inside.
The only light came from the slightly cracked bathroom door. His breath stopped when he didn’t see Alison right away. “Alison?” He put the food down on the table beside the window.
The bathroom door opened slowly, and her arm reached out. She beckoned him to come to her. Not quite sure what was going on, he walked toward the little room. A cloud of steam wafted out, and his eyes widened. What on earth was she up to? She wasn’t in any shape for any sort of fooling around.
“Alison, what…” She caught the front of his shirt and pulled him into the room. “Whoa,” Dell gasped. “Ali…” She cut him off, drawing him down into a deep kiss, covering his mouth with hers.
The strength left his knees, and he returned her kiss, twining his tongue with hers. Her fingers made short work of the buttons on his faded chambray shirt and moved to the fly of his old jeans.
Dell pulled away, breathless. “Alison, we can’t do this.” He tried to get himself under control.
“We can.” She pulled him close again.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Dell said, his voice husky.
“You won’t, I trust you.” Her hand slipped inside his jeans, and Dell moaned.
“I don’t deserve…” he whispered against her lips.
“Oh, but you do.” Alison pushed his jeans down over his hips.
Dell tried to argue. “But…” Her hands moving over his skin made it difficult to think.
“I need you, Dell,” she said, laying her head against his chest.
“I’m here, baby. I’m right here.” He toed his boots off. The jeans quickly followed, and he kicked them aside as he gathered her up into his arms and kissed her.
She took the condom from his hand, opened the wrapper, and worked it onto him. He moaned and felt his eyes cross. When he was sheathed, Alison pulled him into the hot shower with her. She handed the washcloth and soap to him, and a tremor of desire swept over him as he lathered up the cloth.
Beginning with her shoulders, he carefully worked the cloth over her skin. Moving in slow, small circles, he gently avoided the scrapes and bruises until he reached her breasts. He slid the soapy cloth over her skin, slipping closer and closer to her hard nipples. She moaned and shuddered at the touch of the rough cotton.
Dell moved the cloth further down over her stomach and knelt, dropping it. He pulled her down, and with a groan he was inside her. She moved, rocking against him until he couldn’t keep still. He lifted her in his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Carrying her to the bed, he managed to get most of the way onto the mattress before falling with her. He rolled over and arched his hips up with a moan. She pushed him back down and caught his hands, pinning them over his head and covering his mouth in a deep kiss.
She moved over him, her lips sliding against his throat and over his collarbone to his shoulder. He bucked against her and moaned her name as everything shattered.
* * * *
The room was dark when he woke, and Alison was curled up against him, her breathing slow and easy. He didn’t hear the water running. Alison must have turned it off after he had fallen asleep.
Carefully, he got out of bed, found his jeans, and pulled them on. He looked at the food he’d bought earlier and then back at Alison, weighing the idea of going out and getting something else. She sighed and shifted, reaching for him.
“Dell?” she asked, sitting up and looking around.
“Right here, baby.” He smiled at her yawn. “You hungry?”
“Um, yeah, a little.” She yawned again and rubbed her eyes.
“Well, the hamburgers I got earlier are a little cold,” he said.
“That’s okay, I don’t mind. Unless you want something else?”
“No, I’m cool. I’ll just go down to the machines and get us something to drink.” Dell dug in his pocket and pulled out a handful of change as he stepped out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
The soda machines were just a few feet from their room. He put his change in and pushed the button. The machine made a horrendous thumping clatter as it dropped the soda bottles. That crawly feeling of being watched hit him in the center of his back again, and he turned to look over the parking lot. It was quiet, and the only thing that caught his eye was a silver compact car with dark windows. It was eerily similar to the one he’d seen in the hospital parking lot.
Dell picked up the soda bottles and shrugged off the creepy feeling. There were probably hundreds of those little silver cars around. He pushed the car out of his mind and thought about Alison waiting for him back in their room.
Chapter Eighteen
Dinner wrappers littered the table by the window, and his jeans were draped over the back of a chair. Dell lea
ned against the pillows, propped against the headboard, and Alison leaned against him, her hands on his knees. He sighed and looked at the New Mexico and Texas map he held.
“Where did you say your friends lived?” He asked, dropping a kiss on her shoulder.
“San Antonio, but we don’t have to go there. We can go anywhere you want to go.” She ran her fingers along the crease at the back of his knees, sending a shiver of pleasure through him. He felt himself getting hard again and reached for another condom.
“San Antonio is fine.” He tossed the map onto the floor and slid his hands up over her breasts. She moaned softly and tilted her head to one side, allowing him to kiss her ear and trace over it with his tongue.
He shifted until he was on his knees behind her and sat back, pulling her against him. Lifting her hips, he guided her down, sliding into her with a gasp and a deep moan.
* * * *
Dell woke to find Alison sitting on the side of the bed next to him.
“You’re dressed,” he said, disappointed.
“I am,” she agreed, rubbing his shoulders.
“Dressed is bad,” Dell moaned.
“Dressed is good. We overslept, and it’s time to check out.” Alison kissed his ear.
He groaned and sat up.
“Come on, sweetheart, I’ve already chased the maid away once; she’ll be back any minute.” Alison got up, evading his grab for her.
Dell sighed and got out of bed.
Ten minutes later, he picked up their bags and followed her out of the room to the truck. He felt a pang of remorse when he noticed her limping more than she had the night before when they’d arrived.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Dell quickly tossed the bags into the back and caught her, sliding his arm around her waist and lifting her onto the seat.
“I’m fine, just a little stiff and hungry,” she said.
* * * *
When they came out of the little café they’d stopped at for breakfast, Alison was moving a bit better. They settled into a comfortable silence as they drove south, heading for Interstate 10, which would take them into San Antonio.