Carried Away (Montana Miracles Book 1)

by Grace Walton

  “You know his world so well?” Her words were cool.

  “Of course I know how the bad guys operate Carrie, I’m a deputy sheriff.”

  “Killing Gage would make you no better than he is,” she insisted.

  “Killing Ferguson keeps you alive. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but that’s sort of important to me.” Now he was the one being sarcastic.

  Carrie’s face softened. “You can’t kill a man without just cause.”

  “Oh, I’ve got cause, more than enough.”

  She tried another tack. “You know you’d never be able to live with yourself if you killed him.”

  “Why not?” He sounded brutal.

  “Because you’re a Christian.” She used her ace in the hole. “I’ve been reading the Bible a lot lately. And I’d say God frowns on that kind of killing.”

  “Maybe He does.” It was very clear Sam agreed under duress. His eyes were dark and wild.

  “So you’ll just have to keep me safe,” she said in a bright voice.

  “Not funny Carrie, not funny at all.” He scowled at her. “I will keep you safe. But you aren’t going to like the process.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, if Ferguson can get into the school so easily, he can get into your house with no problem at all. Piece of cake for a guy like him.”

  “I know. I’ve already decided how I’ll fix that problem,” she said with a touch of smugness.

  “Oh, you have?” His condescension really irked her.

  “I’m buying a gun.”

  His curses filled the car again. “No. You are not.”

  “You can’t stop me.” She was being mulish.

  “Wanna bet?” he snarled back. “I’m the deputy sheriff, remember, I can block your gun sale.”

  “So what’s your solution?” She was getting increasingly irritated with him.

  “You got two bedrooms in your house right?”

  “Yeah, so?” She wasn’t following him.

  “I’m moving in with you.”

  “No!” She shook her vehemently. “You are not. I’m a teacher. I can’t have a man living with me.”

  “In this instance, I’m not a man. I’m just a deputy there to protect you.”

  “I don’t care if call yourself the ‘Grand Pooh-Bah’, you’re still a man.”

  “Noticed that, did you?” he asked with a manufactured sexy grin.

  Carrie frowned and gritted her teeth. “Do not even try to flirt with me right now.”

  “I’m moving in tonight.”

  “You are not moving into my house.”

  “I’ll see you at seven,” he answered as he pulled into her driveway.

  “No.” She jerked open her car door and huffed out.

  He backed the car down the drive and added a snarky parting shot.

  “What are we having for supper Honey?”

  Chapter Twelve

  She stirred the spaghetti sauce and thought one more time about Sam’s remark as he’d driven away. She was disgusted with herself for cooking him a meal. He deserved nothing. Bread and water were too good for him. She’d put a haunting CD in the player on her kitchen counter. She tried to tell herself it was a distraction. But it wasn’t. Not really. It was just an extension of what she was feeling- lonely, isolated, and hurt. Maybe she should just try to fall in love with Sam? How hard could it be? He was good looking, protective, and she knew he wanted her. He’d said he loved it when she touched him. Pretty heady stuff for a woman who’d never been intimate with a man. The sauce did distract her. It smelled heavenly and she wondered if Sam was partial to Italian food.

  A peek in the oven told her the bread was rising just as it was supposed to. Before she’d died, Mom had taught her to bake killer bread. And Carrie had used those almost forgotten skills tonight. It was a first. She’d never baked bread for a man before.

  She wished that man was Gage instead of Sam. Darn, where had that come from? She used the stained oven mitt to brush the hair back from her face. Sam, she had to think about Sam.

  “Carrie?” It was a quiet whisper. But the voice was unmistakable. She whipped around to find Gage Ferguson slouching lazily against her kitchen counter. Something about the way he held himself made Carrie think he was uncertain. Not of himself, but of her. It was probably all an act, she told herself. Remember who he is. Remember what he’s here to do. She had to fight to drill it into her brain. He just looked so darned honest. He looked like he cared and that illusion was dangerous, probably fatally dangerous.

  “Carrie?” He started to push away from the counter and walk towards her.

  She pointed her spoon at him. “Stay away from me.” She knew it was ridiculous.

  “If I don’t what are you going to do? Assault me with a kitchen utensil?” he drawled. She tried poking the spoon in his direction one more time. It didn’t stop his slow, easy progress towards her.

  Carrie tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Why did he have to look like that, she wondered? His old jeans were snug in all the right places. His worn flannel shirt stretched across an impressive chest and looked like it’d be perfect for snuggling up against on a cold Montana night. His clean, strong jaw was defined by just a hint of black scruff. Warm, steady butterscotch eyes watched her. It just wasn’t fair. In a perfect world somebody who was trying to kill you would look like a lying rat weasel. Or Harvey Beasley.

  “Just put down your weapon and I’ll surrender,” he murmured in a low teasing voice as he advanced. He held his hands in front of him, in a passive pose. But his eyes weren’t passive one bit. She didn’t trust him. She cursed Sam for blocking her chance to buy a gun that afternoon.

  “Sam will be here any minute,” she boasted. It didn’t work. He frowned and moved to within an inch of her.

  “I’m shaking in my boots,” he mocked. One lean hand came up to cup her face. She trembled. Gage smiled.

  “He is, coming I mean.” She stumbled over her words mesmerized by his tiger eyes. “Sam is coming for supper.” She finally managed to get it out.

  “Baby, he thinks he’s coming for a lot more than that.” Gage scowled. A tender finger traced her lower lip. She shivered in response.

  “Carrie, God help me. This is hard.” he whispered as he bent to kiss her. Her traitorous body leaned into him.

  “Baby, he’s not what he seems.” He’d stopped himself a scant inch from her quivering expectant lips.

  Her tongue swept over her bottom lip. She was surprised to see an odd shudder run through his big body.

  “Funny,” she mused. “He says the same thing about you.”

  A painful look swept over his features. He bowed his head until his forehead rested against hers. “Baby, I know, I know.”

  She grabbed a sudden breath as he drew her body even closer.

  “Trust me Carrie. Baby, can you please just trust me?” His words sounded so bleak she had to comfort him.

  She lifted a pleading hand to stroke the sandpaper of his jaw. “I’m trying to, Gage, I’m really trying to.”

  He captured her hand. He placed a scorching kiss into her palm.

  “Don’t do that,” she protested drawing her hand away. “I can’t think when you do that.”

  He smiled. He leaned down to nibble at the corner of her mouth. “Baby, I know. I can’t think either. I’ve given up on any rational thought concerning you. Concerning us. It’ll never work. We’ll never work. I’m so dirty. You’re so clean. I’ve tried to stay away. But I just can’t.”

  His mouth was suddenly completely over hers. His expert lips teased her own. She felt as if the sun was burning her alive from the inside out.

  “No, please, stop.”

  He did instantly. And for good measure, he pushed her away from his hard straining body. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t. The truth is, I can’t seem to control myself around you Carrie,” he confessed not daring to look in her eyes. “It’s never been like this. I mean with anybody else.”


  She couldn’t look at him either. “Me too, I mean I’ve never.” Her words were a mere whisper.

  “Don’t.” There was suddenly a muscle jumping along his jaw. “Don’t say things like that.” He stared bleakly at her trembling lips.

  “I can’t help it. I’m not real good at self-control around you either,” Carrie confessed sadly. “You’ve got to leave. Sam will be here any minute.”

  He cursed under his breath and captured her lips again. ”You’ve said that already.”

  “He’ll kill you Gage.”

  “He can try.”

  “How did you get past my security system?”

  He shrugged. He drew her back against his chest.

  “How did you get into my classroom?” she murmured against his shoulder.

  He suddenly stiffened. “Your classroom?” He framed her face with hard tender hands and drilled her with serious eyes.

  “The rose, the note?” She leaned closer.

  He was suddenly very clinical and professional. He pushed her gently away. “Carrie what are you talking about?”

  Reality crashed in on her with a suddenness that took away her breath. “This morning, the white rose on my grade book, the note about being careful. It was from you.”

  He shook his head, denying all she’d said. “No.” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “Baby, no, I’d never scare you like that.”

  “But Sam said.” She looked up at him intently.

  “I can guess what he said.” He traced her lips with one finger as if he was trying to memorize them. “Carrie, he’s not what he seems.”

  The very same words Sam had said about Gage washed over her like a bucket of freezing water. She turned away from him and walked with purpose across the kitchen. “You need to leave.”

  His steady tawny eyes refused to give her solace. “If that’s what you want.”

  “That’s what I want.”

  He stiffened as if he’d been punched. “Carrie, don’t trust him.”

  “Right now, I don’t trust anybody.”

  “Fine, I’ll be around.” He searched her eyes for some hint of what she was feeling. She refused to look at him.

  “Don’t,” she said, turning to stir the sauce pot. “It’ll be best for all of us if you’d just go away.”

  The muscle in his jaw jumped again. “I can’t.”

  Quick tears flooded her eyes as she realized he wouldn’t give up the contract that had been taken out against her. Somehow she’d convinced herself with what had just transpired between them, he’d let it go, walk away. Obviously that particular scenario wasn’t going to happen. Fine then, she purposely hardened her heart against him.

  “Sam will take care of me,” she said in a choked voice. He cursed under his breath and looked like he wanted to kill somebody. A car pulled into her driveway. She looked out the kitchen window and hissed, “Go!”

  He gathered her in his arms as if she were a priceless treasure. She struggled to get away. She managed to free one hand. She slapped him- hard. It was like striking granite. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t move. Only his eyes frosted over as if he was steeling his soul against some terrible enemy.

  “He’s going to hurt you Carrie,” Gage said in a dead voice.

  “And you’re going to kill me,” she said sarcastically. She turned as she heard the front door bell chime. “Go!” She shoved at his broad shoulders. “Sam’s at the door right now. All it would take is for me to scream and he’d be in here in two seconds. Go while you have the chance.”

  Gage shook his head slowly. A cold hard smile twisted his lips.

  “Go and don’t come back,” she hissed. “It won’t do you any good to continue hunting me. Sam’s moving in tonight.”

  An angry, demanding fist was pounding at her door. Time seemed to crystallize. The big hands on her arms tightened until she gasped in pain. At the sound of distress, he released her immediately. His expression never changed. But he stepped calmly away from her, putting distance between them.

  Why did she feel so bereft? Why did it hurt so much? He was only doing as she’d asked. He was leaving her? She’d made him leave her.

  Pain like nothing she ever felt tore through her. It wasn’t his hard face or harder eyes that accused her. It was her own heart. She’d tried to wound him. And now she was feeling the paralyzing pain instead.

  “It’s not what you think,” she pleaded with one outstretched hand.

  “You don’t know me. You couldn’t if you believe I’d ever hurt you. And you can’t know what I’m thinking Carrie,” he said slowly. He turned to leave.

  A sob caught in her throat. “It’s better this way.” She tried to reason with him.

  Gage’s smile never reached his icy eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. It is.”

  He strode out of the kitchen and was silently gone before she could even catch her breath. She must answer the wild hammering at her door. Ironically, it mirrored the hammering of her heart. If she didn’t get there soon, Sam would break the door down. Taking several deep breaths, Carrie moved in a jerky fashion in that direction.

  With shaking hands, she unlatched all the locks and turned the knob. A belligerent Sam barked at her.

  “Where were you? I’ve been standing here like a moron for ten minutes.” He walked into her living room as if he owned it. She was stunned and dismayed by his attitude. But, maybe he’d always been sort of arrogant and she was just seeing it now. Carrie was so shaken by her encounter with Gage she didn’t know what to think. She didn’t want to think- period. She sank down onto the tattered sofa. It was the only furniture in the little shabby room.

  A violent trembling had started with her hands. But now it spread to the rest of her body. Her legs felt weak. Her face felt clammy. Sam frowned down at her. He was clearly irritated.

  “You can’t do things like that to me Carrie. You can’t just let me stand out in your front yard banging on your door while the neighbors watch. The security system is not fail-safe. Don’t you know how it works? Do I have to explain it to you again? If Ferguson wanted to, he could still get in here in a New York minute. That’s why I’m moving in. We’ve been over this a couple of dozen times now. I’ve got to make sure he doesn’t get to you.”

  Carrie’s giggle sounded manic even to her ears, wild and frightened. “Too late.”

  Sam sat down beside her and gripped her already aching arms. He gave her a little shake. When that didn’t stop her mad laughter, he shook her even harder. Her hair fell from its secure tie. It tumbled in lush waves almost to her waist.

  “Snap out of it Carrie.” He shook her again. “Don’t go loco on me.” There was no hint of tenderness or warmth in his voice. And that had Carrie wondering. He’d always seemed so kind and caring before.

  “Now, what did you say?”

  The laughter stopped as she said, “He’s already been here.”

  Sam was astounded, refusing to believe what she’d just told him. “Ferguson? Ferguson’s been here?”

  Carrie nodded, trying to gather up her runaway hair.

  “What did he tell you?” There was a slightly panicked note in his voice that caused her to turn and stare at him. He must have realized how he sounded. Because his next words were much more measured. “I meant. Did he hurt you?”

  As a save it wasn’t bad. But something about his first reaction bothered Carrie. “No, he didn’t. I think he just wanted to talk. Sam, Gage said he didn’t leave that rose in my classroom. He said.”

  “Gage?” There was a lewd suggestion in his voice. He muttered something ugly under his breath. His derisive chuckle whipped her head around.

  “Maybe I’ve been mistaken. In fact, maybe I’ve just been an idiot. This is some sort of elaborate double cross you’ve got set up here, isn’t it? But I get it now. I mean you and Ferguson grab the cash, and split to some tropical island with no extradition treaty with the US, right? And I’m the dumb patsy who gets the blame for your disappearance. I knew he was good, but
I think you’ve got him beat for double-crosses Carrie.”

  She backed away as he leaned closer. She asked, “Cash? What are you talking about? No, no, you’ve got it all wrong.”

  “Yeah, I just bet I do. How long have you been sleeping with him?” He glared at her. “I thought you were different. But you stupid chicks, you’re all the same. Ferguson snaps his fingers and you all come running like a pack of starving bitches in heat.”

  His words were cut off by her hard shove against his chest. That and her face stopped him. She didn’t look like a woman who’d just seen her lover. She looked like a broken little girl. He’d messed up, bad. He cursed himself silently and wondered how he was going to make amends. He didn’t get the chance.

  “Get out,” she whispered as she wiped at her face. “Get out of my house.”

  “Carrie wait, I’m sorry.”

  “Yes, you are.” She got up and yanked the front door open. “You’re the sorriest,”

  “No, wait, please,” he begged. “I lost it because I just can’t stand to think of that monster anywhere near you. He uses women, Carrie. His file reads like Casanova’s biography. He’s using you. I haven’t figured out what he’s doing exactly, but I will.”

  “Get out.”

  He shook his head sorrowfully. “I know you hate me right now. But when you calm down think about this- A drug lord wants you dead before you can testify against him. He puts out a contract on you. The killer has you in his hands and he does nothing. Something’s wrong with that scenario Carrie. Something’s very wrong. I’m not saying you’re a part of it. That was just my stupid animal jealously talking. I get that way around you. I couldn’t even stand the little prissy doctor putting his hands on you at the hospital. How sick is that?” He snickered at himself. “I wish every day I was five years old again so I could sit in that classroom with you. It’s that bad. I know you hate me, and somehow, somehow, I’ll learn to live with it. But I know myself. I wouldn’t survive your getting hurt. I might as well be dead if something happens to you. Don’t shut me out. Please Carrie. Don’t shut me out of your life.”