by Sara York
He ended the kiss, hopeful they had a chance. Mike’s breathing evened out quickly, indicating he was asleep. He sighed, happy they’d gotten together. Maybe he was being stupid for wanting to be with Mike, but the guy did it for him.
Chapter Fourteen
Mike woke before Tanner. He could tell the weather had warmed some because the cabin wasn’t as cold. Before they left, they needed to empty the firebox, clean out the mugs they’d used, wash their dishes, and make sure they left no trace of who they were behind.
He had Canadian currency on him and would leave enough to pay for the soup they’d taken plus a little extra. If it was his cabin, he’d be pissed someone broke in. But he wasn’t the average person. This guy would probably be pissed but use it in a story that either got babes or guys or both.
Getting up meant leaving Tanner’s side. They had to get moving though. The sky was turning pink and there would only be so much daylight. He sat up and Tanner rolled over. Mike’s heart squeezed as he watched Tanner settle. He wasn’t sure he was good enough for Tanner, but he wanted to be. It wasn’t just that Tanner was beautiful, he was a good man too.
Mike came out of the restroom and found Tanner sitting up. He watched as he rubbed one hand over his face then stretched, his beautiful torso on full display. No doubt, he wanted to push Tanner to the mattress and sink into him. Having Tanner’s arms wrapped around him, all that perfect flesh pressed up against him, was amazing.
“Hey, you ready to head out?” Mike asked.
Tanner stood, his cock hanging loose, his legs looking perfect. He stumbled over, his face scrunched up as he stretched one more time.
“You look tired,” Mike said.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted and I shouldn’t be.”
Mike wanted time to kiss every inch of his perfect flesh. But they would, just later. He chuckled and resisted the urge to reach out and toy with Tanner’s nipple, or touch his abs, or even grab his cock.
“Freshen up. I’ll heat some water for coffee.”
“Sounds good,” Tanner mumbled as he stretched. He slowly stumbled into the bathroom while Mike watched in awe.
Mike’s thoughts were on the gorgeous man of his dreams as tossed two logs into the cookstove. Getting rid of the fire in the stove would be easy since there was snow on the ground. They wouldn’t have to search for sand or water to put out the embers, the snow would put out the fire, keeping the area safe.
Tanner came out of the bathroom and moved close. He hugged Mike from behind. Tanner’s lips trailed down his neck, making him shiver.
“Thank you.” Tanner whispered. “This has been amazing being with you.”
He turned and wrapped his arms tight around Tanner. “I’m floored you want to be with me.”
“Why?”
His faults played front and center through his mind. “I’m nothing special.”
“You are. Don’t discount yourself. You’re a good man.”
“Thank you, but I don’t feel good.”
“You’re also very sexy.” Tanner brushed his lips over Mike’s and he moaned.
After the kiss ended he pulled away. “We have to get out of here and head to James and Brody’s house.”
Tanner’s eyes narrowed as he pulled him close again. “First, I need another kiss.”
Mike laughed and met Tanner’s lips in a hot kiss which left him breathless. When he pulled away, he missed their closeness. Once the water and food was warmed, he shoveled out the firebox, dumping the hot embers into a metal pail he found behind the stove. He stepped outside and poured out the embers. The hissing when they hit the snow was oddly satisfying.
He brought the pail in and placed it behind the stove. It looked like it hadn’t even been used. He joined Tanner at the table and drank his coffee, enjoying their time together. He wouldn’t miss having soup for breakfast. It was warm food, and he was thankful they had a place indoors to sleep while the storm passed. Once they finished their meal, they started cleaning the place. In no time, they had the cabin looking like they’d never been there.
Mike did one last look through, making sure they’d left nothing other than the money behind. The room was cleaner than when they’d arrived. He hoped the guy who owned this place wasn’t too angry.
They took off, Tanner leading as they retraced their steps to the main trail. They stopped and conferred, deciding which way to go and how far to walk before they checked their location.
He needed to call the ranch and give them a sitrep, but he wanted to wait until they were closer to James’ cabin. The weather was clear, the snow starting to melt. The path they were on wasn’t too deep, but the snow would slow them down.
James had been such an important part of their lives. He would be upset if anything happened to them. Maybe the guys just wanted to be left alone. What if they’d stepped away and didn’t want to be bothered. He knew James wouldn’t do anything to them, but they may not appreciate the intrusion.
Two hours after they left the cabin, he halted them for a break. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Tanner said as he pulled down his face cover. “Freezing cold out here. I’m going to be ready for some hot coffee when we get there.”
“Tell me about it. You’ve been keeping up with our location, right?”
“Yes, sir. We have about an hour left. We have to take a trail to the right up here. There should be a lake visible on our left in just a bit. That’s the mark I’m looking for.”
“Okay, then let’s get going.”
He pulled the cloth mask over his face and took off. The snow was pretty, but it slowed them down. They were moving at a good enough pace. He was thinking of their time in the cabin, the sex, how amazing Tanner had felt in his hands, his silky skin, and the blissed-out look on his face when he came, not paying attention to the trail when Tanner tapped him on the shoulder.
“This way, cowboy,” Tanner said.
Mike shook off his desire. It wasn’t comfortable getting all boned up in his gear. He should be paying more attention to this mission. Even if it seemed easy, that didn’t mean it was.
“Hey, we need to stop for a moment,” Tanner said.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just want to…” Tanner pulled out his binoculars and lifted them to his eyes. He stared at the landscape then gave a sharp nod.
“You find something?” Mike asked.
“Sure did. I found the cabin.” Tanner’s lips stretched wide as he handed over the binoculars. Tanner pointed between two pine trees. His breath warmed Mike and he shivered. “Look just over there, you can see the chimney.”
Excitement pulsed through Mike. “Alright. Let’s go.”
Tanner led them through a grove of trees, down into a small valley then up to the cabin. The place looked empty. No smoke was coming from the chimney. They were gone, he could almost guarantee it.
“We need to approach cautiously,” he said.
“Why? They aren’t here,” Tanner said.
“Exactly.”
Tanner turned to stare at him and lifted his brows. Mike chuckled, wishing he could pull Tanner in for a kiss but they were wearing too much gear.
“Let’s call out a few times, just to make sure they aren’t in there,” Mike said. They both called for James and Brody, but nothing happened. “Follow me, move slow though.”
Mike took off slow and steady as he moved closer to James and Brody’s cabin. They were at the porch and nothing had happened. He hadn’t seen any trip wires, or any other devices that would cause them harm.
“I think the porch is clear,” Tanner said.
“In one sense, I’m disappointed, but I’m also relieved.”
“Why are you disappointed?”
Mike shrugged. “If I were James, I would have this place set up with traps. No one would get through.”
Tanner blew out a breath and chuckled. “Don’t you think the location is one huge snare?”
“How do you mean?”
“We c
ould have died coming out here. It’s so far away from everything. And who in their right mind would think to come out this far?”
“Yeah, there is that.” Mike brushed the snow from the first step. A little disappointment filled him when he found nothing that would trip them, no wires, no motion detectors. He made his way up the stairs to the porch and glanced around, seeing the first camera.
Tanner followed his gaze. “Do you think it’s live?”
“Could be. I’m going to take off my mask and gear so if it is, they’ll see it’s me.”
Tanner pulled his hat off then the rest of his gear covering his face. Mike smiled as he revealed himself. No doubt, his feelings were growing. There was something about Tanner that made his emotions go crazy. Once his gear was removed he looked up at the camera and waved. Tanner waved too.
“We look like idiots,” Mike said.
“But you’re a sexy idiot.”
Mike laughed and shook his head. “Come on, let’s break into this place.” Tanner moved to the door and reached out, trying the handle to see if it was open. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “It was worth a try.”
“I’m sure. Now then, where would he place a key?”
“Do you think he has one out here somewhere? Wouldn’t he fear someone breaking in if they found it?”
“Like you said, this whole setup is impossible to crack.” Mike walked around the porch, looking at the windowsills, the support posts, the boards and saw nothing. Tanner hopped off the porch and bent low, pushing the bushes around.
He followed, staring at the area under the porch. He was beginning to doubt James had left a key outside when he saw a seam on one of the posts.
“That spot.” Mike pointed at the area he was talking about.
“Yeah, looks like it.”
Mike reached out and pushed on the seam. It popped open and he shined his flashlight inside. There was a key on a heart-shaped keyring which had a photo of James and Brody’s hands. A thread of jealousy pulled at his heart. Never before had he ever admitted he was jealous of what the other guys had. He’d always told himself he didn’t need a relationship, but my goodness, he craved having someone in his life who would be with him when it got tough. He glanced over his shoulder, watching Tanner as he adjusted his pack. This man was exactly what he wanted. Fear shouted in his head, telling him he couldn’t live up to what Tanner expected, but he so wanted to be the guy Tanner could live with.
Their age was a factor. If he got involved with Tanner, he could easily die long before Tanner did. When Tanner was his age, he’d be fifty-four. Would he want to be dating a fifty-year-old man?
Tanner lifted his brows and smiled. “You ready to get in out of the cold?”
Mike glanced at the photo in the heart. He wanted to come in out of the cold and right into Tanner’s arms, but he feared his desires.
“Sure, let’s head in.”
The key worked but he didn’t open the door. Once he opened it, they would possibly need to input a code in a security device.
“What are you waiting for?” Tanner asked.
“Alarm code.”
“Hmm, any ideas?”
“Yes, the date he met Brody, or the date they got married.”
“You know those dates?”
“Sure do. He’s one of my best friends. All the guys at the ranch are. You know, they’re special.”
“I get that. The short amount of time I’ve been there, I get how special they are. It’s different from the military. It seemed like in the military there were always guys who were trying to fuck up, but with you guys, you really do work to make the best of everything.”
“I think it’s because we’re chosen. You know, the training we went through, it makes a difference. We’ve had guys do the training then say no. They just can’t hack what it is we do. We’re not ever going to be normal people walking around enjoying life.”
Mike turned to face the door and pushed it open. He waited two seconds to make sure nothing bad was going to happen then he stepped in and moved to the alarm panel where he typed in the numbers associated with the date James met Brody. The alarm silenced and he turned to Tanner, giving him two thumbs up.
“I guess the date meant something special.”
“It did. It was the day they met. James said it changed his life forever.”
“Hmmm, forever.” Tanner took off his pack in the entryway and then removed his boots.
Mike did the same then headed to the kitchen and grabbed a towel from the third cabinet he looked in and wiped up the snow they’d tracked in. He pulled out his sat phone but Tanner put his hand on Mike’s shoulder and lifted his brows.
“Notice anything?”
Mike narrowed his gaze and looked around the room. He wasn’t sure what Tanner was talking about until he reached out and flipped a switch on the wall. The lights came on.
“It’s warm, that’s what I didn’t notice. It’s warm,” Mike said.
“How do you think they get electricity out this far?”
“No clue, maybe solar panels somewhere.”
Tanner smiled as he began shucking his jacket and sweater. “I’m starving.”
“Same here. Let’s check the house then see what they have to eat.”
Mike and Tanner searched every room downstairs then headed up to the second floor. There was a loft and a bedroom upstairs along with a bathroom. After checking each room, he could say the place was empty. When they got downstairs, Mike opened the refrigerator and found condiments but nothing that would spoil. He did find meat in the freezer. Tanner was looking through the pantry and pulled out some crackers and a couple cans of beans.
“I found some meat and corn,” Mike said.
“Looks like a feast.”
“We’ll have to send a note to James, telling him we ate some of his food.”
Tanner chuckled, the sound warmed him. He heated up the meat while Tanner opened the beans and poured them into a pan to heat on the stove. Once the stove was on, Tanner headed to his pack and pulled out his iPhone and charger. He plugged it in and turned it on. Then he went back and grabbed Mike’s phone and the sat phone with its charger.
“We should charge everything,” Tanner said.
“Yeah, we should. I wonder if James and Brody left any hint about where they are.”
“It would be nice if we could find them.”
“Yeah.”
After putting the meat into the oven to warm, Mike grabbed his phone and turned it on. He connected to James’ guest Wi-Fi and guessed the password after the second try.
He sent a text to the ranch then waited for a call. Instead of a call, he received a text from Matthew.
Glad to hear you’re good. I’ll call in thirty.
It seemed a little weird, but he shrugged and checked on the meat before going in search of a bathroom. Since he was connected to the internet, he pulled up the weather application and checked to see if they would be warming or cooling. The nearest town seemed to be on the way to warmer temps and clear skies. They might get some rain from a cloud moving in from the south, but it wouldn’t dip below freezing. The snow would start to melt, which was a good thing.
Mike came out and found Tanner with the meat out of the oven, slicing it before he slid it back in. Tanner stirred the beans then got out two plates. “Food will be done in a few minutes.”
“Sounds good.” Mike’s gaze swept the room. Could the guys have left any type of clue where they were? Maybe they’d made an error heading up here, but they’d feared what had happened with the guys.
He moved to the desk in the corner and found nothing on the surface. James was too smart to leave any clues lying around. He opened the drawers but felt bad almost immediately. James wouldn’t want him digging through his stuff.
“What are you thinking?”
Mike glanced up and met Tanner’s gaze. “We’re not going to find anything. James and Brody are probably safe. They just aren’t communicating with us.”
Tanner turned off the oven and the burner before he took the food out. He drew in a deep breath, loving the scent. Mike came over and took the plates before moving to the table. Tanner followed with the food. They sat across from each other as they began their meal.
Being with Tanner made him feel good. He worried about when they returned to the ranch. Would things change?
“So, what do you want to do?” Tanner asked.
“Let’s spend the night then assess. We probably could head back in the morning. It won’t take us but one day to get back to the car. We’ll drive for a while then pitch in at a hotel for a bit.”
Tanner nodded as he took a bite of food. “At least we got to spend some time together.”
“Yeah, I agree.” Mike felt good about the time he spent with Tanner, but what would happen once they headed home? Up here in Canada where no one else knew about them, it was easy. At home, would he feel differently?
Tanner finished his food then went to the sink and turned on the water. “Oh yeah, they have water. Wait just a second.” Tanner turned the knob then sighed. “Hot water.”
“Nice.”
Their gazes met and he shivered. Tanner’s smile drove him crazy and his amazing body set him on fire. His phone rang and he hesitated. It would be ridiculous to think the guys knew what he was thinking about. Still, anxiety festered.
He answered after the second ring. “Hey.”
“Glad you made it to the cabin.”
“Yeah. They aren’t here. No issues either. We’ve checked the whole place, and cleared it.”
“Any clues?”
“Not that we’ve found. I think we’ll head back starting tomorrow.”
“Okay. Before you leave, give me a call.”
“Sure thing. How are things there?”
“Good.”
“Awesome. We’ll be in touch.”
Mike hung up and stared at his phone, thinking the weird tone in Matthew’s voice had more to do with the fact the guy was new to running an operation and less to do with anything happening on the ranch or out here.