“Corbin went out.”
She stiffened. “Where?”
“To grab a pizza for dinner.” He paused. “And I suspect to apologize to Addie for the way he reacted to Lou Ella’s cancer.”
“Oh.” At least Corbin had the decency to apologize for being wrong. This made her feel a little better about him, and somewhat guilty for jumping the gun.
Wallace gave her a tentative look. “Corbin told me what happened with the chopping block.”
She went to rub her hand through her hair, realized the wig was there, so she touched it instead. “You’re probably thinking I’m nuts for getting so upset.”
“No, not at all.”
“Really?” The kindness in his eyes caused a lump to form in her throat.
“After what you’ve been through, it’s understandable that you’re upset.”
She hugged her arms to ward off a shiver. “I’ve been trying to take your advice, to feed the right wolf …” she paused “… but it’s hard.” She let out a nervous laugh. “That other wolf’s not going down quietly, I can tell you that.” Wallace’s analogy had given her hope that she could change, could vanquish the old fears and start fresh. But now she wondered if it was only a pipe dream.
“Be patient with yourself. It takes time to reshape your thoughts. But with persistence, patience, and a whole lot of prayer, it’ll happen.”
More tears. Ugh! She felt like such a crybaby. “I dunno.” She looked away, unable to face his probing gaze.
“Delaney.”
She was surprised that he’d called her Delaney. “Yes?”
“Corbin cares about you and you care about him. Don’t let fear keep you apart from him.”
“I can’t be with a man who can’t control his anger.”
Wallace laughed. “Then you’re out of luck.”
“What?” Not the answer she was expecting.
“All men experience anger, frustration. It’s how we’re wired. Men have to be warriors to take care of their families.” He looked her in the eye. “The thing you fear most about Corbin is also what makes him great … what draws you to him.”
She grumbled out a laugh. “Tell me about it. I’ve always been attracted to the wrong sort of man.”
He arched an eyebrow. “If you’re including Corbin in that list, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to disagree with you.”
She just looked at him, at a loss for words.
“Sure Corbin’s impetuous, even reckless at times, but he has a heart of gold.” His eyes went moist. “Which is why this thing with his grandmother’s tearing him up inside.” He gave her a perceptive look. “It’s why whatever happened to him in the military still haunts him.”
The words burned into Delaney’s breast with a conviction that surprised her. Corbin was good in all the areas that counted.
“Corbin has a temper. He’ll get mad and beat some inanimate object to a pulp, but he would never hurt you.” His eyes held hers. “In fact, his burning desire to keep you safe may be the thing that does you both in.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I hope I’m not speaking out of turn here, but I think Corbin’s making a big mistake.”
She leaned forward waiting for him to expound. “What do you mean?” she asked when he remained silent.
He cocked his head like he was gathering his thoughts. “The best way I can describe it is to tell you what happened to me once. I was with a group of fellow hunters, tracking a grizzly bear that had mauled a hiker. We tracked the bear for twenty or so miles through the forest before we caught a glimpse of him. One of my buddies shot him several times. The grizzly kept going, but we knew he’d been hit because of the trail of blood spots.”
“It was getting dark. Half the men wanted to go after the bear and put an end to the chase. But the other half was tired, wanted to set up camp and wait until daylight to track him. After a few rounds of arguments, the latter group won. We found a place by a stream and set up camp for the night. About two in the morning, when everyone was asleep, the enraged grizzly charged into the camp. As we were scrambling for cover and to get our rifles, the bear killed three men and injured several others before we could put it down.” He paused. “Had we gone after the bear, lives would’ve been saved.” Intensity burned in Wallace’s eyes. “No matter how long you run, Hugh Allen’s going to eventually find you.”
A shiver slithered down Delaney’s spine. Wallace was right. There was no way they could evade Hugh forever.
“You can’t change that,” Wallace continued, “but what you can change is how and when he comes.”
Horror trickled over her as she caught the meaning of his words. “Are you saying we should lure him here?” The thought of doing so had her quaking.
Wallace’s jaw tightened. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Bring him to our territory where we’ll be waiting. That’s the only hope you have of outsmarting him.”
“Have you told this to Corbin?”
His brows furrowed in frustration. “Yes.”
Her mind whirled, trying to decide if Wallace was right. “What did he say?”
“Corbin won’t even entertain the idea because he wants so desperately to keep you safe. But like I said, while his intentions are noble, it will be to your detriment in the end. Think of how much better off me and my hunting buddies would’ve been had the bear not caught us unaware.”
“Why’re you telling me this?”
“Because Corbin loves you too much to voluntarily put you in danger.”
Her mind caught on the word love, running it through her head a few times. I love him too. The thought caused her to jerk slightly. She shook her head, putting her focus back on the problem at hand. “What do you want me to do?”
A grim smile spread over Wallace’s lips. “To be the bait. Lure the grizzly here to our trap.”
She sucked in a breath, fear settling like stone in her gut. Could she do it? Be brave enough to face this? Or was luring Hugh Allen here utter stupidity? She bit her lower lip, trying to decide the best course of action. “I’ll have to give it some thought,” she finally said.
Wallace nodded. “Fair enough. But don’t let it sit too long because my gut tells me we’re running out of time.”
She went cold all over, the knowledge settling into her like the march of doom. Somehow, in a way she couldn’t explain, she knew that Wallace was right. Their time was almost up.
21
When Corbin returned to the cabin after visiting with Addie and picking up pizza, he figured he’d find Delaney locked in her room. He was shocked when he walked through the door and found Delaney and Pops playing a game of checkers.
“Crown me,” Delaney said triumphantly, as she pushed her red checker into the back row of Pops’ side of the board.
Pops groaned. “Not again. At the rate you’re getting kinged, it’s bound to be a short game.”
Delaney let out a light laugh that tingled through Corbin’s senses, shooting rays of hope into his heart. Maybe things would be okay between him and Delaney. He was sorry he lost his temper and vented it on the chopping block, but he couldn’t walk on eggshells around her 24/7.
Corbin placed the pizza on the table. “Who’s hungry?”
“I’m starved,” Delaney said.
Corbin was glad to see she had an appetite. That was a good sign that her emotional state had improved.
“Let’s pause our game and continue it tomorrow,” Pops said with a sly grin. “I’m not overly anxious to get whupped tonight.”
Delaney laughed again, shaking her head. She cast a surreptitious glance at Corbin and he could tell she was nervous. They needed to have a conversation to clear the air, but it would have to wait until after dinner.
Corbin retrieved three glasses from the cabinet and reached for the two-liter bottle of soda. Then he grabbed three plates.
Pops walked to the coatrack and reached for his jacket.
“You’re not staying for
dinner?” Corbin asked, hoping he wasn’t so he could work things out with Delaney in private.
“No, I need to get home.” He winked. “And three’s a crowd.”
A deep blush came over Delaney’s face making her look so beautiful that Corbin nearly lost his breath. He was falling hard for this woman, but could they work through their problems? If not, he was headed for a major heartbreak. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Pops.”
He nodded.
Corbin felt closer to Pops tonight than he had in years. The two of them had a breakthrough of sorts earlier. Corbin was still torn up about Gram’s condition, but he no longer blamed the situation on Pops or Addie. Truthfully, he never had. It was just an excuse to hold his own guilt at bay. Seeing Gram, realizing how bad off she was, there was no way Pops could take care of her at home. Corbin and Addie had a quick but meaningful conversation where he told her how much he appreciated everything she’d done for their grandparents. It was good to bury the hatchet and mend his family relationships. Now he hoped to do the same with Delaney.
After Pops left, they sat down at the table. Suddenly, Corbin was nervous, unsure what to say. Delaney cleared her throat when he reached for a slice of pizza. He froze mid-action. “What?”
She gave him a censuring look, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, which were silky pools of chocolate tonight. “The prayer.”
“Oh, yeah.” Heat crawled up his neck. “Would you like me to say it?”
“Please.”
Religion had always been a key element of Corbin’s growing up years, so he was well-versed in how to pray. There were times when he hadn’t been as consistent with his prayers, particularly after the ordeal in the Philippines when his anger and heartache had nearly consumed him. Nevertheless, he had a strong belief in God and was glad Delaney did too. He started his prayer by expressing gratitude for the food and that they’d been kept safe. Then he asked for continued protection to see them through the ordeal with Hugh Allen. Pushing back emotion, he gave thanks for Gram and asked that she be blessed to have very little pain. He added that he was grateful for her long, fruitful life and the many lives she’d touched, including his. Lastly, he expressed gratitude for Delaney and asked that she be given added peace. When he said Amen and opened his eyes, he noticed that Delaney had tears in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
She smiled slightly, nodding. “Yeah. That was a beautiful prayer. Thank you.” He was surprised when she reached for his hand. “I’m sorry I freaked out earlier.”
His heart melted a little. “I’m sorry I acted like a buffoon and took my anger out on the chopping block.”
“It’s okay,” she shrugged.
He searched her face. “If you didn’t know it by now, I have a temper. I’m working on getting it under control, but it comes out from time to time.”
Her eyes lit with laughter, turning them a warm caramel. “You?” she asked in mock astonishment. “No.” She pursed her lips. “Come to think of it, I might’ve guessed that when you laid out my three-hundred-pound bodyguard in the middle of a party.”
“Not one of my finer achievements,” he said dryly. He looked her in the eye. She was so beautiful—strong, yet vulnerable. And in the short time they’d been together, she was consuming him body and soul. “I know I’m a hothead, but you need to know that I would never hurt you. I love you.”
Tears slipped from her eyes. “You’re a good man, Corbin Spencer. I know you’d never hurt me.” She took in a deep breath. “I’m just trying to fight those demons.” She laughed remorsefully. “It’s hard, you know?”
“Yes, I do know. We’ll fight our demons together. Okay?” He held his breath, awaiting her answer.
“Okay.”
He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they could move forward. Yeah, it would be awesome to know that Delaney loved him too, but it was early in their relationship. Like Pops said, he needed to be patient, give her time. He released her hands. “I guess we should eat the pizza, before it gets cold.”
“It looks delicious. I’m glad you got a supreme. It’s my favorite.”
He smiled. “Another thing we have in common.”
She chuckled. “The list is stacking up.” She took a large bite. “Very good,” she said, a minute later. She reached for her napkin, dabbing her lips. “Oh, I was thinking about the sweetheart dance tomorrow night. I think we should go.”
He nearly choked on his pizza. “What?”
“It would mean a lot to Addie …” She gave him a hopeful look. “And I’d like to dance with you.”
Delaney was full of wonderful surprises. His eyes caressed hers, his voice going husky. “We could dance together tonight, here in the cabin. In front of a warm fire.” The very thought of dancing with Delaney, holding her close, swaying to soft music, swirled anticipation through his veins.
Color seeped into her cheeks. “Yeah, we could,” she said evasively. “But it would mean a lot to Addie for us to go to the dance. And I’d like to get dressed up and go out on the town.”
Absolutely not. “What if someone recognizes you? Madison came close at the lodge. We can’t take another risk.”
“Madison came close, but she didn’t recognize me.” She touched her hair. “You have to admit, I look so different with this thing on.”
“True,” he conceded, “but do you really think we should chance it?”
“I think it’ll be okay.” Her eyes pled with his. “The lights will be low. I’ll wear extra makeup. Will you take me to the sweetheart dance? Please?”
Why was she being so stubborn? He crossed his hands over his chest. “No.”
Irritation flashed in her eyes as she squared her jaw. “Fine. If you won’t take me, then I’ll go by myself.”
“Have you lost your mind? You really want me to take you to a place packed with people?”
She looked him in the eye. “I want to get dressed up. Go someplace as a couple. Forget about our problems for a few hours.” Her voice quivered slightly. “Is that too much to ask?”
He sighed, knowing how this would end—the same way things had gone down when Gram wanted something from Pops. Eventually, Pops would always give her whatever she wanted. As kids, Corbin and Addie used to joke that Gram had Pops wrapped around her little finger. But for the first time, Corbin understood the situation. How could he say no to a woman like Delaney? From the first moment he saw her, all his thoughts had revolved around making her happy. “Okay, I’ll take you.”
She rewarded him with a dazzling smile. “Thank you.”
“For the record, I still think this is a bad idea.”
“Duly noted.” She looked at him with an adoring expression. “I hope you know how much I appreciate this.”
He softened. “What’re you going to wear?”
“My red dress, the one I wore for Sutton’s party.” She frowned, touching the wig. “I hope it looks okay with this hair color. Do you think the reds will clash?”
“I think you’ll look stunning no matter what you wear,” he said sincerely.
“Thanks,” she murmured in appreciation, her thick lashes brushing her cheekbones as she lowered her eyes to her plate. The movement was subtle, yet so distinctly feminine, making Corbin want to jump up and pull her into his arms this very minute. No, better at least wait until they’d had a chance to eat dinner.
He thought of something. He didn’t have any formal clothes except for the white tux, stained with Anton’s blood from the fight. He’d have to take it to the cleaners first thing in the morning, see if they could do a rush job, and make it look decent enough to wear. He thought of his upcoming phone call to Sutton this evening. Maybe it was better not to mention that he was taking Delaney to a public dance. Sutton wouldn’t approve, too much risk of exposure. While they were at the dance, Corbin would have to do his best to make sure the two of them stayed out of the limelight. He glanced at Delaney. Who was he kidding? A woman like her could never be kept in the shadows. Even with the wig, she was a walk
ing bombshell.
Last night during their phone call, Sutton mentioned the possibility of surrounding Hugh and his men in Northern Cal and putting a stop to this whole business. Corbin was all for that, as he’d wanted to hunt Hugh down from the start. According to Sutton, his team on the ground was doing a little more research to make sure they covered all the angles before Sutton made a final decision. Corbin made a mental note to ask Sutton about it tonight. If the threat were removed in the next twenty-four hours, the dance would be a non-issue. That would be the best solution. A long shot perhaps, but it was something to hope for.
“Are you okay?”
He forced a smile. “Yeah, why?”
Delaney studied him. “You had a funny look on your face.”
It was uncanny how perceptive she was at picking up on his feelings. “I was just lamenting my lack of dancing skills.”
She laughed. “Is that right?”
“Yep.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Well, I guess I’ll have to teach you a few steps …” her gaze moved over him in that slow sultry way that sizzled his blood “… for practice sake.”
A smile broke over his lips. “I’m all about the practice.”
22
The Bear Claw Resort was brimming with people. Corbin placed his hand on the small of Delaney’s back, maneuvering her through the crowd as he nodded at familiar faces.
A guy stepped in front of them, wearing a large smile. “Hey, buddy, I didn’t know you were back in town.” He gave Corbin’s hand a hearty shake.
Scott Linton and Corbin played high school football together. Corbin hadn’t seen Scott in several years, might not have recognized him out of context. Gangly in high school, Scott had put on at least fifty pounds.
“Good to see you, Scott.”
“Yeah, you too, man.” He turned to Delaney. “Who’s the babe?”
Babe? Seriously? Scott was certainly lacking in the manners department. “This is my girlfriend, Dee,” Corbin said coolly.
“Nice to meet you,” Delaney clipped, picking up on Corbin’s annoyance.
The Reckless Warrior (Navy SEAL Romance) Page 18