by Susan Stoker
An hour later, Slade turned onto the ET Highway and grimaced. He was suddenly very glad he’d let the gas station attendant talk him into the extra four gallons strapped to the seat behind him. The weather was chilly, but he knew he’d actually lucked out. It could be a lot worse, and he hoped the weather would hold out until he made it to Rachel and, if he was lucky, found Dakota.
The chatty gas station attendant had told him all about how Rachel was the only town along the ET Highway, and they didn’t have any services there, only a bar, which seemed wrong to Slade, but nobody asked him. This long desert road wasn’t the place to be driving drunk, that was for sure. Not only would it be extremely easy to drive right off the road, it was actually active grazing land for hundreds of cows. The attendant took great delight in telling him two gory stories about motorists who’d hit cows that were standing in the road, minding their own business in the middle of the night.
Taking a deep breath, Slade gave the Harley some throttle as he continued down the long stretch of highway. The faster he found Dakota and got her to safety, the better.
Dakota grimaced when the bell over the door to the bar tinkled. She was tired and ready to get out of there. She’d been playing bartender for a while now. Doug and Alex, two brothers who worked at the Tonopah Test Range, had come in at the tail end of the day and asked for a couple of beers. They’d said they didn’t want any food as they’d grabbed sandwiches at home before heading up to the bar. That had been hours ago, and they weren’t acting like they wanted to leave anytime soon.
It was Dakota’s responsibility to make sure people got what they wanted to drink, paid, and to try to talk them out of driving if they were out-of-towners. She’d shot the shit with the brothers for a while, but she was bored, tired, and wanted nothing more than to head to the open room in one of the trailers for the night. Luckily, there had been a cancelation that day, which meant she got to sleep in a real bed.
The stress of constantly being on the lookout was getting to her. It was definitely time to head out and find a new place to settle for a while. One more populated than Rachel this time. She’d talk to Pat and Connie tomorrow and let them know she would be moving on.
She smiled in the direction of the doorway—and froze when she saw the man who’d just walked in. He was probably a couple years older than she was. His black hair was graying, but instead of making him look old, it only made him sexier. He had a short beard that was well trimmed and brought attention to his full lips. He had on a leather jacket and an old, worn pair of jeans with black boots. His nose looked like it’d been broken at least once and his cheeks were rosy from the cold, dry air.
He was tall, really tall, at least half a foot taller than her own five-eight. He wasn’t skinny, but he wasn’t fat either. He was…built. Muscular.
She should’ve been scared. He could easily overpower and hurt her, but somehow, she knew he wouldn’t. How she knew that, Dakota had no idea, but for just a moment, the thought that she knew him flashed through her mind.
That was crazy. She’d never seen this man before in her life, she would’ve remembered if she had. But the spark of recognition was there, nevertheless.
The man lifted his chin at her in greeting, and Dakota’s knees wobbled. How in the hell he could make her want him with a mere chin lift she had no idea, but suddenly, having a wild fling with a stranger sounded like the best idea she’d ever had. It had been a long time since she’d had any sexual feelings about anyone, especially in the last couple of months, but all her worries seemed to drain away simply by looking into his dark eyes.
“Welcome to the Little A’Le’Inn,” she said automatically. Business was business, and she didn’t want to be the reason the bar got a bad review online. “Grill’s closed, but we’ve got snacks and liquid refreshments. Although if you’re continuing on your way to Tonopah, I don’t recommend drinking anything alcoholic. It’d be dangerous.” Dakota smiled as she said the last, wanting to seem friendly instead of preachy. It would be an absolute shame for this man to come to any harm, that was for sure.
The man’s eyes seemed to pierce right into her soul, as if with one look he knew all her secrets. The scariest thing was that it wasn’t an altogether unpleasant thought. She’d never had someone she could lean on to help with troubles in her life. She’d been okay with that, modern woman and all, but in that moment, all she could think was that this man would keep her safe. He’d never let anyone do her harm.
Dakota turned her back on him, pretending to wipe off the counter to try to regain her equilibrium.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man saunter into the dimly lit building and gaze around. She’d seen many reactions from tourists who’d wandered into the eclectic bar, but this man had absolutely no reaction whatsoever. It was…odd.
“Nice place,” he said, and Dakota’s toes curled in her sneakers. His voice was low and growly and she felt it all the way to her tummy. She had no idea why she was reacting to this man’s obvious maleness, but she was.
“Yeah. The owners have worked hard to make it…unique.”
“Slade,” the man said, holding his hand out to her in greeting.
“Oh…uh…I’m Dallas,” Dakota said shakily, almost forgetting her fake name, and tentatively put her hand in his own.
She was half afraid he’d crush hers with his brute strength, but he merely smiled and grasped her palm with a firm, but not bruising grip and said, “It’s good to meet you.”
Dakota gave him a half smile. “You too.”
They stood still for a beat, each looking at the other without blinking, before Dakota reluctantly pulled her hand back. He let go without complaint, but she swore she could feel his touch long after they’d dropped their hands. He had calluses, which made her think about what his hands would feel like on her bare skin. Damn, she had to get it together.
“So, what’s it gonna be?” Dakota asked.
“Just a Coke, I think,” Slade said.
“What kind?”
“What kind of Coke?”
Dakota chuckled and shook her head in self-deprecation. “Sorry. Habit. I call all soda, ‘Coke.’ I use it generically. I can get you one,” she finished quickly, knowing she was beat red with embarrassment.
“So if someone asks for a Coke, you ask what kind, and they say a Pepsi. Or Dr. Pepper, or something else?” Slade asked with a friendly smile. He leaned his forearms on the scratched wooden bar top in front of him.
For a moment, Dakota wished that it was summer and Slade was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt. She’d pay just about any amount of money to see his biceps and forearms. She’d bet they were muscular as hell. When he tipped his head and raised his eyebrows as she continued to stare at him, she blushed even harder. “Sorry. Yeah, that’s how it works. So you really do want a Coke, right?”
“Yes, please. If it’s not too much trouble,” Slade said with a smile.
“Of course not. It’s my job,” Dakota told him, glad to have a reason to go into the back room for a moment. There were a few cans under the bar, but she wanted to get him a cold drink from the refrigerator in the back.
She used the few moments alone to give herself a stern talk. He’s just passing through, Dakota. The last thing you need right now is to get involved with a guy, even if it’s only for the night. No matter how sexy he is and how badly you want him. Get ahold of yourself.
Satisfied that she had her head on straight, Dakota went back into the bar area with a smile on her face and held up the can. “Got it!” Instead of drooling over the fine specimen of a man who was sitting at the bar, she got busy grabbing a glass and filling it with ice. She poured the cola into the glass, concentrating so hard on what she was doing, she jumped when Doug pounded on the bar top down by the cash register.
“We’re gonna get out of your hair, Dallas.”
Dakota looked up and nodded, putting down the half-empty can because her hands were shaking too hard to finish. She glanced around and met Slade�
�s concerned eyes.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Dakota nodded quickly and pushed the glass and can of soda over to him. “Here ya go. Excuse me.”
He nodded and she took the few steps to the register. She made small talk with Doug and Alex while she rang up their drinks. After they left, the room seemed to shrink. Being alone with Slade made her extremely nervous for some reason. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and smiled awkwardly at him.
“You worked here long?” he asked.
Dakota shrugged. She’d learned to keep her answers vague. “Not really.”
“It’s a long way from civilization, isn’t it?”
She shrugged again. “It is what it is. I’ve met some of the nicest people around. You on your way north or south?”
It was his turn to shrug. “I came up from Crystal Springs, but I’m not sure if I’m going to go back that way or carry on. Anything worth looking at if I go up to Tonopah?”
“Depends on what you like to look at,” Dakota told him. “I’ve heard Goldfield is really interesting, with the history of being haunted and all, but there’s not much out here in either direction, if I’m being honest.”
“Hmmm. Any place to stay the night around here?” Slade asked.
Dakota swallowed hard. Damn. There went her bed for the night. But she smiled brightly and told him the truth. “You’re in luck. There was a cancelation tonight so there’s a room available. It’s not fancy, you actually share a trailer with another couple, but they checked in about an hour ago and I think they’re planning on being up early, so they won’t be a bother. The middle is a common space, and the two bedrooms are on either side and have locking doors. It really is private.”
Dakota knew she was babbling, but couldn’t stop. “It’s only forty-five bucks for the night, which is a really great deal. There’s hot water and you can use the wi-fi here at the restaurant for free. Breakfast is included. Nothing gourmet, just cinnamon rolls and juice, but again, it’s safer to stay than to try to make it all the way up to Tonopah in the dark.”
Slade chuckled, and Dakota’s womanly parts spasmed at the sound. Jesus, he was beautiful.
“I’ll take it. How could I not after that wonderful sales pitch?”
“Sorry. People just tend to turn up their noses because it’s a trailer and they have to share it, but I promise it’s clean, safe, and totally worth the money.”
Slade tipped his head back and chugged the rest of the Coke in the glass. He pulled out a five-dollar bill and slid it over to her. “Sounds good. I’m beat.”
“Let me get your change.”
Slade waved her off. “Keep it.”
“Oh, okay, thanks. If you’re ready, I can walk you over to your room.”
He looked at his watch. “You’re closing?”
Dakota nodded. “Yeah, we’re not expecting anyone else tonight and it’s dark. The locals know we close up around now.”
“Don’t want any aliens to wander in when the sun goes down, huh?” Slade joked.
Dakota chuckled even though she’d heard it before. “Yeah, something like that. If you want, I’ll meet you outside in five minutes or so? I need to finish up in here.” Actually, she needed to give herself another talking to, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Sure. I’ll be out by my bike.”
Dakota nodded. Her eyes were glued to his ass as he walked out the door. He was definitely a fine specimen of a man. And it figured he’d have a motorcycle, just to amp up the sexiness. She’d never ridden on one, but once upon a time, before she’d gotten old enough to have given up on many of her dreams, she’d imagined what it would be like to sit behind a man, her arms wrapped around him, her chin on his shoulder as the wind blew in her hair and they flew down the highway.
Shaking her head in disgust at herself, she mumbled, “Get ahold of yourself. Jesus, you’d think you weren’t on the run from a psycho crazy terrorist or something. You’ve got no time for mooning over a man. No matter how sexy he is or how much you want to know if his beard is soft or scratchy.”
Satisfied with her pep talk, Dakota quickly washed the dirty glasses and locked the ancient cash register. There wasn’t a bank in Rachel to take the cash to, and besides, most people paid by credit card anyway.
She hung up her apron and smoothed her hair, securing it back into a bun at the nape of her neck, and walked out the door.
Slade was leaning against his Harley with one ankle resting on the other. His arms were crossed on his chest and he was frowning. Dakota quickly turned and locked the door, making sure the closed sign was clearly visible to anyone who might pull up later. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Slade. “Everything okay?”
He shook his head. “There’s no cell service.”
“Yeah, sorry. Once upon a time the residents petitioned the big phone companies to put a tower out here, but it wasn’t worth the money. And if you ask me, the government put the kibosh on that as well. It’s in their best interest to keep things on the down low out here, if you know what I mean. Area 51 and all. If it’s any consolation, once you get up to Warm Springs and past the big mountain up there, you’ll be in range again. If you really need to get ahold of someone, I could ask Pat—she owns this place with her daughter—if she’ll call someone for you. There are a few residents who have satellite phones out here.”
Slade shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I can wait. I was just hoping to get ahold of my friend and let him know I made it safely and that I’d be spending the night.”
“Sorry,” Dakota apologized again. “You could probably send him an email later if you wanted. I’ll make sure you have the password for the wi-fi. Ready to see where you’ll be staying?”
“Don’t I need to pay for the room?” he asked.
She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it. You can pay Pat or Connie in the morning. They man the restaurant until I come on in the afternoon.”
“Trusting,” Slade observed.
Dakota smiled at that. “Yes, they are. Come on, it’s around back.”
He straightened and turned to grab the handlebars of his motorcycle. He pushed the bike as they walked silently around the front of the iconic restaurant, past the giant metal spaceship announcing to anyone who passed by that they’d reached the A’Le’Inn, to one of the trailers off to the side of the parking lot.
“Here it is. And I know it doesn’t look like much, but I promise it’s clean.”
“I believe you,” Slade told her, holding out his hand for the key Dakota had been playing with.
“Oh yeah, here ya go.” She inhaled when her fingertips brushed Slade’s palm. He was warm, and she was quickly getting chilly in the desert air. “Right, so there’s the entrance, just turn to the right when you enter and that’s your room. Sleep well.”
“See you later,” Slade said as he nodded at her.
“Yeah, okay,” Dakota mumbled, knowing he wouldn’t. She did her best to avoid the restaurant in the mornings, not wanting to interact with the people who stayed the night, and needing the time to herself. Connie let her use her computer in the mornings, and Dakota used the time to search the Internet for mentions of her name, and to try to see if she could figure out the name of the asshole who was following her. So far, she hadn’t had any luck, but it didn’t really matter. She knew she was in trouble; the guy had practically told her straight up she would be his. She shuddered at the memory.
Turning and heading for her car, which was behind Pat’s trailer, Dakota mentally reminded herself once more to talk to the other woman soon. It was time to go.
Three hours later, Slade walked silently past the trailers that were rented out to tourists and headed for where he’d last seen Dakota. She looked exactly like her picture, right down to the bun at the back of her head. At least she’d altered her name a bit; it wasn’t much, but it was something. She hadn’t tried to disguise herself at all.
But then again, why would she think anyone would f
ollow her to Rachel, Nevada?
The town seemed like it was at the end of the world. Strangers stood out like sore thumbs and she knew exactly who was sleeping where each night. Slade had used the wi-fi to kill time and find out more information on the small town. He knew Dakota wasn’t going anywhere, she didn’t seem to be suspicious of him at all.
And if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d been struck by the same thing he had when she’d lain eyes on him the first time. Slade recognized the look of interest and lust in her eyes, because he knew it was the same look on his face when he’d first seen her photo. And as he thought she would be, she was even more beautiful in person. She was curvy, and he estimated her to be around five-eight or nine; her head came to about his chin. Slade knew she’d fit against him perfectly.
She was funny and endearing when she got nervous. He could absolutely see her as an elementary school teacher and principal. It was the uncertainty and uneasiness behind her eyes that really struck him, though. He hated that she was scared, and wanted to hold her tightly and reassure her that he’d make sure Aziz Fourati didn’t get anywhere near her. He needed to be smart, but didn’t have the luxury of time to let her get comfortable with him. He needed to talk to her about her situation, get her to trust him, and get the hell out of Rachel, Nevada.
The bottom line was that Dakota James was no longer merely a face on a piece of paper. She was a flesh-and-blood woman, and Slade wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. But he wanted to keep her safe more than he wanted, or needed, to have her under him…for now.
He’d been planning to break out the bribe he’d picked up for her in Vegas when they’d been alone at the bar, but she’d seemed too uneasy around him. And he was afraid she’d bolt if he spooked her. So, he was biding his time, and he’d catch up with her in the morning.