by Vella Day
A very tall male nurse approached them. “The doctor will see you now, Ms. Nash.”
She stood and looked back at Kane. “You’ll be here when I get out, right?” She clutched her hands by her side.
“I can’t stay. I’ve got to get back to the Senator, so if you don’t mind walking home, I’d appreciate it.” All fifty miles of it. He then tossed her a smile and winked. When her chin dropped, he shot out of his seat and stepped close. “I’m kidding. I’d never leave you.”
Her shoulders sagged, and then a bright smile captured her lips. “I knew that.”
Sky Nash was something else. She turned and followed the nurse through a door. By the time she returned an hour later, he’d come up with a plan.
Her forehead was bandaged, but she wasn’t sporting a cast or showing any sign of a serious injury. The relief took his breath away. Kane stood and met her halfway. “You’re okay?”
“Just cold and hungry. No broken bones or internal injuries. Thanks for asking. The doctor said I’ll be quite sore tomorrow, and I’m supposed to rest, but you know me. That ain’t goin’ to happen.”
He laughed. “Let’s put you to bed then.” She stiffened for a split second. Oh, boy. That reaction implied someone had done a serious number on her, and he could only hope it wasn’t that boyfriend of hers.
On the way home, they went back and forth about who might want her to stay away from the perfume factory and why. She told him about the article she’d read claiming aliens might be kept in a kind of underground detention camp, but he wasn’t willing to entertain something that farfetched even though he couldn’t come up with a better alternative.
“You just passed the turn off to my place.”
Here came the argument. “I don’t want you staying alone.”
“Why? I’m a cop, and I own a gun.” She turned in the seat to face him. “You think someone will try to harm me?”
“You mean, harm you again? I don’t know, but I don’t want to take any chances. My other concern is that you might have side effects from the accident. Unless you think Harriet will stay with you, I’m volunteering for the night.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“You hope.”
She tugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders, and he slid the car’s heater to high. “You know Rosalie’s is the other way, don’t you?” she said.
“Did I forget to tell you that I’ve moved into the Senator’s RV?”
“No, but I should have guessed. You do know that if we stay in his motor home, you’ll have to be on your best behavior.” For the first time, a smile claimed her lips.
Call the press. Sky Nash was flirting with him.
As they pulled into the Wildacres RV Park, she sucked in a breath. “I forgot to ask about the results from the Senator’s probe. Harriet said you had information.”
“Yes.” He cut the engine and faced her. “I’ll tell you, but please let’s not discuss your opinion in front of the Senator.”
“You keep saying that, and here I believed you valued what I thought.”
He groaned. “I do. All right, here it is. The lab said that the probe wasn’t made from any kind of material they were familiar with.”
She pumped her fist and winced. “Shoulder. Bruised. Damn. Remind me not to get excited. You know what this means?”
He was afraid what she’d say. “Tell me.”
“Lab equipment can diagnose every mineral and metal known to mankind.”
“So that means you think the implant is alien.”
“Yes. This is amazing.”
“Sky, the government is developing all sorts of new materials, altering their physical properties to make them stronger and lighter. They don’t want the terrorists to get a hold of this research, so they hide the information.”
“You don’t think the probe is alien then?” Her voice dipped low.
He didn’t want to upset her any more. “All I’m saying is that we can’t be sure.”
She let out a breath. “What did the Senator have to say about this?”
“The Senator wants nothing to do with little green men. Can you imagine what would happen if the public got wind of the possibility the Senator was abducted or had alien technology implanted in his leg?”
She bit down on her lip. “He’d never get reelected.”
“Right.”
“So now what?”
“I’m going to find out who’s responsible.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sky was quite uncomfortable—not from the memory foam sofa she was laying on, but from Kane standing so close to her in a very intimate and warm RV. Leaving them alone, the Senator had retreated to the back bedroom. She could smell Kane’s pine-scented cologne, and while she loved the woodsy, masculine aroma, the scent traveled to her heart, quickening her pulse, and that wasn’t good.
He unfurled the blanket and let it float down on top of her. As the rush of air kissed her face, she inhaled and her muscles relaxed. When he leaned closer, she was forced to hold her breath or chance swooning, and she certainly didn’t need him invading any more of her thoughts.
Kane then tucked in the blanket, an action she remembered her mother doing when she was alive.
He watched her for a moment. “You comfy?”
She swallowed. “Very.”
“I have something else that might make you feel better.” He tossed her a dimpled smile and disappeared into the kitchen. Cupboards banged and metal scraped metal, but she had no idea what he was doing. Less than ten minutes later, he came out with a hot cup of mint smelling tea and handed it to her. “My mom swears tea heals all aches.”
Sky smiled. “Your mom is a very smart woman.” She sat up and her body rebelled. “My neck will put her theory to the test.” Sky sipped the drink and the strong, rich tea soothed her. “Delicious.”
“You ready for some shut eye?” he said.
“More than you can know.”
“Mind if I read for a bit?”
“Not at all.”
He picked up a pile of magazines from the coffee table and leafed through them. She wished she could have seen the titles to know what topics drew his interest, but the idea of him reading while she fell asleep created a sense of security. She set the cup on the side table, lay down, and closed her eyes. A minute later, she propped herself up on her elbows. “Have you ever had s’mores?”
Yes, that had been a random thought, but his woodsy aroma had caused old memories to surface. She was dead tired, but the idea of learning a little more about him intrigued her.
“What?”
She studied him for as long as she dared. His eyes twinkled, and that sexy mouth of his was turned up just enough to form shallow dimples. Dear God, the man took her breath away.
A small smile caught her lips. “S’mores. Like kids make over an open fire.”
“Not since I was young.”
Her parents had loved to camp, and they often made their meals over an open fire. At times, it was all they could afford. “I love the smell of the wood burning in a campfire, the intense heat on my face while my back remains cold, and the gooey marshmallow melting the rich chocolate between the crunchy crackers.”
“Sounds wonderful. Now get some sleep. The doctor told you to rest.”
Her body said yes, but her mind was remembering those pleasant memories and sending healing endorphins through her. “The heat from the fire might help calm me.”
He lowered his chin and gave her an evil eye. “Sky.”
“Fine.” She lay back down and tried to rest, but the flipping of pages kept her awake—at least for a while.
She jerked and let out a snort, like she had been sleeping. When she opened her eyes, Kane was in the same position. “I’m hungry,” she said.
He turned around and popped up to his feet. “I’ll see what the Senator has in the fridge.”
“No. I’m in the mood to sit by a fire.”
He chuckled. “You sure you want t
o sit outside at this time of night?”
The short nap had rejuvenated her. “Yes.”
Kane huffed. “I spotted a general store near the entrance. I’m betting they carry everything we’d need.”
She’d been to the store a few times but never this late. “It’s closed, though I know where Betty hides the key.” The manager was a trusting soul.
“Are you sure?”
She wasn’t on the job, and after the day she’d had, a little recreation might be merited. Being near the too-hot Kane would be tough, but she was serious when she said the heat from the fire might do wonders for her muscles. That crazy person in her head told her to go for it. “Let’s do it!”
He knelt in front of her, licked his thumb, and held it out. “Secret mission time. It’s a spit bond. If we’re captured, nobody talks.”
She’d never heard of anything like this, but hey, she was in. After licking her thumb, she touched her finger to his, and she swore a tiny electric shock jumped the gap. “We’re good.”
Never in a million years would she have suspected the rather focused, taciturn investigative bodyguard would be so fun and silly. Perhaps he was trying to take her mind off her near-death experience. For that, she’d be eternally grateful.
“Let me put on my boots.” She reached next to her and carefully donned them. “Should you let the Senator know?”
“Let him rest. I’ll keep an eye on the camper. We aren’t going far.”
She sucked in a breath and extended her arms. His large rough palms and strong fingers grasped her hands, and when he pulled her to her feet, she worked to ignore the slight pain rippling over her.
Their bodies stood within inches of each other, and her gaze locked onto his lips. Full. Perfect. Warm. Stop it. It was much too soon to be thinking about kissing the enticing man, so she stepped to the side and cast her gaze downward. Harriet’s chicken, chicken, chicken rang in her ears.
“Hold on.” He gently placed a hand on her arm. “Do you think we need face paint?”
She chuckled. “We don’t need no stinking face paint.”
“You’re right, soldier. It’s go time.” He was out the door in a flash.
Good God, the man could move fast. The moment she stepped outside, cold air hit her, but she didn’t mind, as the excitement of it all kept her warm. Sky wasn’t sure she was ready for the adventure of snuggling up to Kane and sharing a marshmallow by a hot fire, but then again, it wasn’t as if she was going to have sex with him or fall in love. They were two friends about to have a good time.
Do it.
She eased down the steps, holding in a grunt at the stiffness. When she didn’t see him, she stopped and looked around. Surely, he wouldn’t have left her behind. The sound of a rock tapping a tree caught her attention. That was too funny. Kane was crouched behind the trunk.
She jogged toward him, hoping the exercise would help loosen her muscles. As she neared, he motioned military style to go ahead and take up a position by the Buick parked in front of the next camper.
How fun was this?
Close to her destination, she tripped over a protruding rock, and before her hands hit the ground, he scooped her up by the waist.
“We FAST men never leave a man down.” She laughed so hard at his antics that her sides hurt. He placed her on her feet and turned her toward him, his face within an inch of hers. “You okay, soldier?”
She held her stomach. “I’m good. Mission is still a go. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“From here on out, we don’t talk unless we spot the enemy.”
She gave him a high-five. This time, he walked next to her as they made their way to their destination.
The newly renovated convenience store, with two rocking chairs in front, sat behind a row of tall trees. She held up her hand for him to stop. “Did you bring the flashlight?” Not even the sign was lit nor had Betty left any lights on inside.
He chuckled. “I thought you knew where the key was, soldier.”
She leaned closer. “I need light to see. She keeps it taped to the side wall behind one of the hedges.”
He pulled out his car keys with a small penlight attached and dropped them into her hand. “See if this helps.”
She loved the weight of his heavy keys. It was so manly—like Kane. She giggled at the comparison. What was wrong with her? Twenty-nine-year-old women didn’t giggle when a man handed them a light. Boy, she was so out of practice being with someone new—especially when that someone was a self-confident man who had a great sense of adventure and who wasn’t hard on the eyes.
They made it inside the store without a hitch. “Mission accomplished,” she said with more joy in her heart than she’d had in a long time.
This was like when she was back in high school—before she had any idea she was going to be a cop. She and a group of her friends had climbed over the school fence to go skinny-dipping in the pool. They’d had tons of fun until the local patrolman caught them. That’s when she decided it was better to be on the right side of the law.
Kane flicked on one panel of overhead lights and pointed down the second isle. “First stop, the food.” He grabbed a large package of marshmallows, then a box of graham crackers, not seeming to care which brand he picked up, and rushed to the candy aisle to get the chocolate bars. After placing the goods on the counter, he jogged over to the rack containing the wine.
She caught up with him. “There is no prize for the person who shops the fastest, you know.”
He laughed. “This gives me more time to decide on the perfect wine.”
“If I get a vote, I prefer red over white.” She should have mentioned that she rarely drank and that she got tipsy after one glass.
He lifted his chin, and the dark part of his eyes went extra wide, like he was drinking her in, trying to see what she really wanted. “You look like a red wine girl.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She laughed. God, it felt good to let go and have fun. As a cop, she always had to be a role model, but tonight, she was going to have the time of her life. Tomorrow, she’d reign herself in and go back to being Officer Nash.
He shrugged and picked up a Merlot and studied it then looked at two different Burgundy’s, followed by a Pinot Noir, replacing all but the last.
She nudged his back. “Hurry up. You aren’t buying wine for the Queen.”
He turned around and lifted one side of his lip. “You’d be surprised.”
She had no idea what that implied. He’d been quite the professional with her, and now he seemed, well, interested. It would be easier if he held back since there would be less temptation on her part.
Once he seemed satisfied with his choice, he took the bottle to the counter and pulled out a twenty.
She didn’t want to owe him more than she already did. “I’ll pay you back when I get my purse.”
“This is my treat.”
A tingle charged up her spine at the thought he considered this a date. Once again, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted it to be or not. “Okay.”
She stepped toward the door, and he grabbed her hand before she’d taken two steps. “Wait, wait.” His grasp had the solidness of steel but was gentle enough not to hurt. “I need to write Betty a note.”
How considerate of him. She stepped next to him, shoulder to shoulder, ready to help if need be. He picked up the pen on the counter and wrote on the back of an old receipt, penning carefully chosen words, almost as if what he said held more meaning than just a list of items he bought. He then placed the pen back in the plastic cup.
“Are we ready now?” Not that she was impatient or anything, but the prospect of spending a night under the stars with Kane Cornell excited her—almost like enjoying her last birthday with her parents, before the accident.
“Very ready.” God, what the smile did to her.
Once they doused the lights and returned the key, he gently, but firmly wrapped an arm around her waist. As he led her back to the RV, s
he relaxed against him, enjoying how his hipbone nestled snuggly against her waist.
At the door to the camper, he squeezed her side then let go. “Wait here while I pick up some blankets and wine glasses.”
For one night, she wanted to put aside the car wreck and the abductions. “Bring a big flashlight too.”
“You afraid of the dark?” His voice held a chuckle.
“No. It’s so I don’t knock anything over, funny man.”
“Here, take the small light.”
Kane’s personal light. “I’ll wait by the fire pit, which is behind those bushes, next to the picnic tables.” With the quarter moon and the small Maglite to guide her, she set up while Kane retrieved the items from the RV. To her delight, someone had left a stack of logs, ready to use. When Kane arrived, he placed a blanket on a large rock, along with the rest of the gear.
“You want me to find a stick to roast the marshmallows?” she asked.
“Sure.”
“Do you have a knife?”
“Always.” He dug into his hip pocket, slipped out a small Swiss Army knife, and opened the blade. “Here, you whittle and I’ll start the fire.”
He really was a team type of guy, despite professing to be a loner. She stepped over to a tree. After she found the perfect stick, Sky whittled one end and then waited on the bench, marveling at his ability to light a fire on the first try while enjoying the view of his hot backside. “You’re very good.”
She was amazed by a lot more than his skill at making a campfire. She bet he was just as good at making love, going all night, keeping her happy with one escapade after another.
Stop it.
“Have to be. Sometimes lives depend on it.”
The fire crackled, and the smell of the smoking wood brought back many good family memories. She needed to do things like this more often. Mother Nature had a way of drawing out the best in her.
Kane dragged a large log near the warm fire. “Let’s sit down here. It will be easier to burn our marshmallows.”