by Denise Agnew
He could almost hear Terra’s wheels turning. She wanted to know what had sent him out of the military.
“I thought all of you guys in Delta stayed until every part of your body was used up,” she said with a smile.
Boom.
“How do you know I’m not used up?” he asked.
Her gentle laugh was soft but then her expression turned serious. “Were you injured?”
He rubbed the back of his neck as the muscles tightened. “Yes. And no.”
She gave him an exasperated look. “Which is it?”
“Physically I was okay. Used up mentally. It was time to go.”
She stepped toward him. Just one small step, but his breath caught.
She zipped her jacket. “What do you do now?”
“I’ve been helping Fletch with stuff around his property. Other odd jobs since I’m pretty good with mechanical things. There’s a military contract job…” Whoa. Slow down. She doesn’t need to know all of this.
She lifted one eyebrow. “Mercenary?”
He snorted. “Hell no. Teaching emergency medicine to firefighters and paramedics.”
Terra’s smile returned. “Sounds just right for your skills.”
“I don’t know if it is or not. I’m not sure I’ve got what it takes.”
The door behind them opened, and they both swung around to look. Fletch stood in the doorway.
“God, it’s cold out here,” Fletch said. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Awesome.” Terra headed for the door. “I’m starving.”
Dylan followed, and Fletch clapped him on the back. Dylan half expected Fletch to corner him again and insist he protect Terra. When he didn’t, Dylan was relieved ten fold. For the rest of the day, though, he regretted saying one thing.
I’m not sure I’ve got what it takes.
Because the truth hurt too damn much.
Terra enjoyed dinner. Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes with all the trimmings, and a choice of pumpkin or apple pie, made everyone groan in satisfaction and slump in their chairs. Even Dylan, who sat way down the table from her, looked satiated and ready for a nap. They hadn’t said a word to each other during the meal, and she couldn’t say it bothered her. Their short talk outside had taken her by surprise. She’d met a few of the men who worked with Fletch, and Dylan seemed different from them in a way she couldn’t pinpoint. Of course he was former Delta, and the former made him different. No, that isn’t it.
When he’d followed her outside, she’d been taken by surprise. Then she wondered if Fletch or Emily had suggested it. Yet he hadn’t flirted or made any comments she could interpret as making a move. When he hadn’t planted his rear in a chair next to her at dinner, she felt better and worse. Worse because she’d liked their short conversation, and she was curious about him. Better because she didn’t want a guy latching onto her.
Latching on? No, that didn’t seem likely for him. He didn’t have that air of desperation, or that arrogance Allan Rivers had displayed when she’d first met him. And he probably isn’t into you. Right. It wasn’t as if he found her attractive.
Yeah, but you do find him attractive.
She did. But that didn’t mean she had to act on it.
Fletch stretched. “Okay, who is volunteering for dishwashing duty?”
Rasheed and Marcus volunteered just as Terra and Dylan started to say something.
“Amazing,” Emily said. “I’ve never seen that many guys volunteer to wash dishes in my life.”
Everyone laughed.
Rasheed, Marcus, Rob, Terra and Dylan tried a rock, paper, scissors shoot out for the dish duty and Rasheed and Marcus won. That left everyone else contemplating a board game around the dining table. Terra wasn’t much for board games but decided she’d give it a whirl. Dylan joined with Emily, Fletch, Rob and Terra for a fantasy world game. Before long Terra found herself enjoying it more than she expected. Dylan seemed to loosen up, his smile brilliant and his big, deep laugh contagious. She hadn’t laughed this much in a long time. She’d forgotten how good it could make her feel.
After the last board game finished, Annie invited Terra to look at her Millennium Falcon. Terra spent quite a while in the girl’s room learning all about it, very impressed with the girl’s skill in putting it together.
Sunlight made it’s last gasp when she decided she’d head home. She grabbed her purse and coat.
“I’m outta here, too,” Dylan said as Emily handed him his leather jacket.
Emily gave them hugs. “Don’t be strangers.”
Fletch shook Dylan’s hand. “Let us know how it goes with the new job, okay?”
Dylan smiled. “If I take it.”
Fletch groaned. “Take it. That’s an order.”
Dylan grunted. “Even if I do, it doesn’t start until January. Which means I can continue to be a pain in your ass through the holidays.”
“You’re never a pain, right Fletch?” Emily asked, gently elbowing Fletch in the ribs.
Fletch slipped his arm around Emily’s shoulders. The love shining in his eyes for Emily created a sudden pang of envy within Terra. What would it be like to have that kind of relationship? To have a man care for her that deeply? Terra also envied their joking and ease around each other.
This is why I need to get a life.
“Get outta here, Westcott.” Fletch gave him a mock frown and then looked at Terra. “He’s one of the biggest pains in the ass I’ve ever met.”
Dylan smirked. “Glad to be of service.”
As Terra put on her coat, she wondered if Dylan leaving at the same time was a coincidence or if he had other motives. After they finished saying their goodbyes to everyone, they left the house and headed for their respective cars. He stopped at a dark blue truck.
“Well, it was nice to meet you. Have a good night,” she said.
Dylan put his hand out, and she took it. His warm hand enveloped her much smaller one. Sensual awareness tingled down her arm and reached low in her belly.
Okay, so I find him attractive. So what? No big deal. I’ll probably never see him again.
“Great to meet you, Terra. Have a good evening.”
His deep voice sent an additional ripple of heat through her. Man, this guy had a potent effect.
“Thanks,” she said. “You, too.”
She turned away reluctantly. The man had grown on her in the last few hours. She’d seen his sense of humor, his quietness, and appreciated that even though he’d been a member of one of the most elite military units in the world, he didn’t seem to have an ounce of arrogance. Quiet confidence, for certain. She also sensed something missing inside him wanting to get out, a part of him he’d put away never to be seen again. But maybe she should stop speculating. Allan Rivers had played the beta until his ugly side had surfaced. Dylan could be the same.
She backed out of the driveway and headed home.
Dylan pulled out of the driveway in time to see a Toyota Forerunner leave a side street and follow Terra’s car.
Suspicion hit him straight in the gut. He’d learned in the military to never ignore his instincts. Logic said he should take the next turn off to his apartment. Instead he continued behind the Toyota. When Terra turned down one road, so did the Forerunner. Dylan stayed with them. The Toyota followed Terra again when she made a turn. Again and again.
“Shit,” Dylan said.
He used his hands free cell phone system to call Fletch’s number. Fletch picked up immediately.
“Hey,” Fletch said. “You can’t miss me that much already.”
“I’m following Terra.”
“What?”
“You said she might have a stalker, right?”
“Maybe.” Fletch’s voice turned hard, the sound of a soldier in operational mode. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“I think someone is following her, so I’m tailing them both.”
“Shit. Is the vehicle a Toyota Forerunner?”
“Yeah. Off white. Eighties model ma
ybe.”
“Damn it. I’ll head out for her apartment.”
“Give me her address in case I lose them.”
Fletch rattled off the address which Dylan memorized.
“You stay on them,” Fletch said.
“Roger that.”
They hung up. Dylan’s pulse quickened. All the old training returned. Whether he wanted to be a protector or not, he had to do it now. There was no way in hell he’d allow anyone to harm Terra.
Terra’s heart banged in her chest so hard she could hardly breath. She hadn’t experienced this much anxiety in a long time, but when the Toyota Forerunner came out of nowhere, she couldn’t help it. The car never got close enough she could see if it was Allan Rivers. What were the odds that a random off-white Forerunner just seemed to turn up nearby more than one day in a row? An earlier model Forerunner at that? She’d made several turns and had almost decided to pass her house and head to the nearest police station when the Forerunner had taken a left and headed away. She accelerated and that’s when she thought she saw a dark blue truck that looked just like Dylan’s coming up behind her. A glance in the rearview mirror told her Dylan occupied the truck. Relief surged through her.
She pulled into the apartment complex driveway, and Dylan followed her. She grabbed her parking space and Dylan found a spot nearby. He was already out of his truck and coming up beside her car.
When she opened the door, he said, “That Toyota was following you. We need to get inside the apartment building quickly. I called Fletch. He’s on his way.”
“Dylan, I’m okay now.”
Damnit. I’m terrified. Again.
“Come on. As soon as Fletch arrives, if you want to kick me out, you can.”
As they moved, he took her arm in a firm but gentle grip. The apartments had outside individual entrances and hers was in the A building on the second floor. They entered quickly. She turned on a light as he locked the door. She backed away from him and into the middle of the living room. She rummaged in her purse and grabbed her cell phone. Dylan peeked through the window shade.
“Do you see the Toyota?” she asked, her heart pounding in her ears.
“No. He might’ve figured out we’re on to him.”
Dylan stayed posted at the window. She dropped her purse on the couch but kept her phone in hand. Nervousness kept her in place—no way would she relax. A shiver ran through her body. She turned on a lamp next to her couch, and the added light added a warm glow and chased away darker thoughts.
“You have a firearm?” he asked.
A little startled, she hesitated long enough that he turned a moment to look at her.
“Uh, no,” she said.
“It’s okay. If you had one, though, I was going to suggest you get it out.” He turned back to the window.
“Do you…have a firearm?” She hadn’t seen him with one earlier, obviously, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t grabbed one from his car.
“Nope. Don’t own one. Was never that fond of them.”
She shouldn’t be surprised. Not every former military member owned and carried a personal weapon.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For…what made you follow me?”
His shoulders heaved in a sigh. “Fletch mentioned you had a stalker back in Denver. I was pulling out of the driveway and ended up behind the Toyota. I saw him follow you. When he followed you down more than one turn instinct kicked in.”
She wanted to ask him why Fletch had told him, but before she could Dylan said, “There’s Fletch.”
Dylan opened the door and Fletch walked in quickly. Dylan relocked the door and went back to his position at the window.
“Hey,” Fletch said, looking at them both. “You okay, Terra?”
“Yes. Fine.”
“You see any sign of the Toyota?” Dylan asked.
“Nope.” Fletch took his cell phone out of his coat pocket. “I’d better report to Emily.” He made a quick call to Emily and then turned back to them. “We need a plan.”
She sighed. “I know I have to increase my personal security for safety, but you two are not going to devise a plan and leave me out of anything. We can brainstorm together, but we are going to do this in a way that isn’t going to disrupt everyone’s life.”
Dylan nodded. “Of course.”
Terra gazed at the men standing in her living room, Dylan at the window like a sentinel, and Fletch with his hands on his hips. Neither one looked likely to budge anytime soon. She knew enough to realize they’d leave if she asked. They might be alpha males, but Fletch wouldn’t bully a woman into doing anything she didn’t want. But she’d be stupid not to talk strategy with them.
“Okay. I think I could use some coffee,” she said.
She took off her coat and slipped it around the back of a dining chair. Making the coffee amounted to stalling, but she also had a feeling she wouldn’t sleep much tonight. Once the coffee maker gurgled into life, Fletch’s cell phone rang. She didn’t pay much attention to his conversation, but quickly understood it wasn’t Emily. As she stood at the counter, he ended the phone call.
“Sorry, Terra, but I’ve got to go. I’m going wheels up.” His gaze bounced between her and Dylan.
“It’s okay. Dylan can help me figure this out,” she said. “We didn’t get a good look at the person in the Toyota. At least I can’t say for certain it’s Allan Rivers. A new restraining order or anything like that…it wouldn’t do any good if it was him. Besides, he’s supposed to still be in prison,” she said. “I’ll call the police and find out.”
“I’ve got a contact in the police department,” Fletch said. “I could check with him if you like.”
She nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
“I’ll discuss a plan with Terra,” Dylan said. “I’ll be here at least until your contact at the police department gets back to you with information. Or until Terra kicks my ass out in the street.”
Fletch pinned Dylan with a firm look. “Take care of her. Or Emily will kill you. If she doesn’t, I will.”
Dylan smiled. “You got it.”
Fletch went to Terra and squeezed her shoulders lightly. “It’ll be all right.”
With that, Fletch was out the door. Dylan locked up behind him.
Dylan took off his leather jacket. “Why don’t you tell me all about this Allan Rivers asswipe.”
Chapter Four
Terra tucked her hair behind her ears and then picked up her coffee up. She took a tentative sip of the hot liquid. Dylan cupped both of his big hands around his mug. Her fingers trembled, so she put down the mug.
“All right?” he asked, eyes worried.
A rush of warmth hit her, a feeling she didn’t expect. Sure, she was freaked. She was worried. Yet sitting across from this man made her feel as nothing could harm her ever again.
“I’m fine,” she said automatically.
She couldn’t help but stare at him. In a crazy moment she wondered what it would feel like to have those fingers and palms trace over her skin tenderly. To have those carved lips touch her.
Oh, my.
His dark eyes assessed her, and a warm tingle moved all through her and took up residence in her lower belly where it throbbed. She hadn’t experienced this raw an attraction to a man in a very long time. Though she didn’t know Dylan well at all, he made he feel safer than anyone had in her entire life. Looking at him across the table rattled her almost as much as the idea that Allan Rivers might be skulking around planning God knew what.
Then common sense bit her. Just because she found him attractive and nice didn’t mean it would go anywhere, or even that it should. Why the hell was she noticing how hot he was when her life could be in danger? It was stupid.
I’ve lost my mind, that’s why.
“I hope that jumpy look isn’t because of me,” Dylan said, lifting his hands up in a surrender gesture.
“Well, no…” She heard the doubt in her own voice.
Her face felt hot, and she gazed into her coffee. “If you don’t want to stay, you don’t have to. I didn’t mean for you to get dragged into this.”
“Hell no.”
She looked up at him and frowned. “No?”
“I’m not leaving you alone. At least not until we’ve got a plan.” He drew in a deep breath. “Now, tell me about this Rivers guy.”
She abandoned the coffee mug and leaned back in her chair. “He stalked me for an entire year of my life. Well, more than that, actually.”
“Shit,” he said under his breath.
“Yes.” She didn’t know where to go from that here. So much had happened since then. “I guess I should start at the very beginning. I met Allan in high school when I was seventeen and so was he. He was the high school football coach’s son and a running back on the varsity team. I was a cheerleader my last year of high school.”
“Sound idyllic.”
She snorted a soft laugh. “Yeah, we were pretty high on ourselves for awhile. Before that I was never popular, but being a cheerleader changed all that. I let it go to my head. It was stupid.”
“We all make mistakes when we’re kids.” His gaze seemed reflective. “And sometimes when we grow up we continue to make them.”
She heard an undercurrent there, one that piqued her curiosity. She made a note to ask him later and continued with her story.
“We dated in high school, but Allan quickly turned possessive. Domineering.”
“Let me guess. He tried to gaslight you.”
Surprise hit her. “How did you guess?”
“Typical behavior for some jerks. I’ve met a lot of them. I’m sorry…go on.”
“Fortunately I recognized something wasn’t right and so did my parents. I cut the relationship off after two months. When he didn’t fight it and let me go I thought everything was fine. He left for college. I never heard from him for those four years. After I graduated, I became a therapist as a part of a psychiatrist’s office and worked there for several years. One day he makes an appointment with me.”