If You Only Knew

by Dixie Lee Brown

  Rayna reached down to pat the dog. “He’s not mangy.”

  “Right. I forgot. So . . . is that a yes on the sharing? Because if it’s no, I’ll just take this blanket up to my room and . . .”

  “Yes . . . I’ll share, Tyler Whitlock. Sometimes you are so annoying.”

  Ty grinned and produced the pillow from beneath the comforter. “Admit it. I have some redeeming qualities.”

  Her eyes widened, and a lazy smile made his heart ache as she grabbed the pillow. He quickly sat on the cushioned swing, guided the pillow to his lap, and spread the comforter over her. She snuggled close to him, her chilled body shocking to the touch, but he didn’t move away. Her gaze met his with a hooded question in their depths, and she remained quiet for the longest time.

  Finally, her lips pursed, and frustration drew her brows together. “Damn you, Ty. We’re supposed to be on the same side.”

  He wanted to wrap his arms around her and capture her pouty lips, but he couldn’t—not and make everything right with her. He was destined to be her friend, and he was going to be the best damn friend she ever had.

  Pulling her hand to his lips, he kissed it lingeringly before placing it on her stomach and tucking the blanket securely around her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  * * *

  RAYNA SWISHED HER hand in the direction of the wet tongue that slurped across her cheek and jerked her head back from the intrusion into her sleep. Her head cracked into something hard behind her.

  “Ouch!” A muttered curse followed. Ty removed the warmth of his hand from her hip.

  “Oh crap.” Rayna craned over her shoulder, the early light of dawn barely revealing Ty’s face.

  He pinched the sides of his nose.

  She went still for fear of jabbing him with an elbow next. “Is it broken?”

  Ty groaned. “Why the hell did you do that?”

  She sneaked another peek. The impact of her head had brought tears to his eyes, and she’d been there before. Nothing could incapacitate a person quicker than a blow to the nose. Joe had taught her that.

  Suddenly, she became super-aware of how close they lay. Ty pressed against the back of the swing and she spooned him, every inch of her body enjoying the warmth of his touch. She should have moved away, but desire fluttered in the pit of her stomach and cast out any good sense she might have otherwise had. The heat of his body held her, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted his arms around her too. Their ridiculous disagreement over Bree be damned. He was still her Ty, and she cared about him.

  Rayna shifted around until she lay facing him. She trailed her finger gently down the side of his face. He watched her suspiciously, and she hid the smile that tried to escape. Did he think she’d smacked heads with him on purpose?

  “I could kiss it and make it better.” She barely trailed her lips across the bridge of his nose, kissed his closed eyes, and tasted the corner of his mouth.

  He tensed for a moment before his arms slid around her, drawing her even closer as he took possession of her lips . . . for two seconds. Then he gripped her shoulders and shoved her away. Something close to panic flared in his eyes as he struggled free of the comforter and finally slid overtop of her to stand beside the swing.

  Confused, Rayna rolled over, but he wouldn’t look in her eyes, turning his back to her instead. “Ty, are you all right?”

  “Fine. I . . . uh . . . just remembered I told Joe I’d meet with him this morning.”

  She studied the sky. “At dawn?”

  He started to turn, then stopped. “You know how early Joe gets up.”

  “I suppose.” She shrugged and propped her head on her elbow. “Thanks for sharing your blanket with me.”

  She didn’t try to hide her disappointment and, for a heartbeat, there was something in his eyes that told her he didn’t want to leave, either. Ty was up to something, and whatever pulled him away was apparently stronger than the feelings he had for her. The fact he wasn’t inclined to share it with her gave her a pretty good indication what it was about. When he glanced over his shoulder, a maze of emotions tumbled across his face. Was he meeting with Joe to convince him not to let her help in the search for Andre? He’d made it clear he’d do exactly that. Luckily, she’d gotten in a few words with Joe before dinner last night. He’d agreed she could stay for the time being. If they went after Andre, Joe would decide then what her part, if any, would be.

  She smiled innocently. Ty’s meeting with Joe was sure to be disappointing.

  “Listen, sweetheart . . . I mean . . . Rayna. Let’s go for a walk later, if there’s time before Joe wants to leave. Nate’s uncle had an old barn and some gardens not too far from here.”

  “I’d like that . . . if we have time.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later.” He held her gaze for a moment longer before he strode toward the back door.

  When he was gone, Rayna reached to scratch Ribs under his chin. “That was strange. What do you think, boy?” The dog’s tail whapped against the deck, and she took that to mean Ribs didn’t understand Ty any better than she did.

  The dog leaned against her hand. She wrinkled her nose. Ribs smelled like a mixture of wet dog sweat and manure. A bath was definitely in order, especially if she had any hope of getting Nate’s okay for Ribs to sleep in her room tonight. Although, last night hadn’t been all that bad. If she could get Ty to join her on the swing again, sleeping outdoors might be all right. She could certainly get used to waking up tucked against his hard chest.

  Rayna shook her head to dislodge the images that thought evoked and swung her feet to the floor. She gathered Ty’s comforter and pillow, left the blanket under Ribs, and headed upstairs.

  The shower refreshed her, and Rayna dressed in the same clothes she’d worn yesterday, brushed her teeth, and grimaced at the riotous wet curls that seemed shorter and even more unruly today. She shook her head and let the waves fall as they pleased, then turned her back on the mirror and hurried downstairs.

  The low murmur of voices led her to the kitchen, but they cut off abruptly when she crossed the threshold, a sure sign the conversation had been about her. Four sets of eyes studied her. Ty frowned and averted his gaze, which could only mean one thing—Joe had told him she was staying, and he wasn’t taking the news well. Tension settled in the room like a chunk of concrete.

  “Hey, kid.” Joe broke the awkward silence, crossed to her, and threw his arm around her shoulders.

  She forced a smile. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “Not at all.” Joe glanced toward Ty, then slid his gaze back to her. “Walker was just saying he was heading into town. Why don’t you give him a list of what you need?”

  “I was hoping to ride along.” She sought out Walker where he sat at the table working on a cup of coffee. “Men are useless at picking out certain things.” Her gaze flickered over Nate in the chair beside Walker.

  Nate choked on his coffee, turned red, and suddenly developed an intense interest in the salt and pepper shakers in the center of the table.

  With an effort, Rayna kept from laughing.

  Ty’s chair scraped along the floor. He rose abruptly and stalked from the room. “Damn it, Rayna.” Joe’s eyes narrowed as his disapproving frown settled on her. “Could you please take this seriously? Ty’s worried about you, and, frankly, so am I. If it was Cara in that bastard’s crosshairs, I’d be going crazy just like Ty. This isn’t a game. Hell no, you can’t take a little ride with Walker into town, or anything else that could put you in front of that creep. That kind of reckless behavior will get you sent home so fast you won’t even see it coming.”

  His voice never raised, just took on a deadly chill, as did the rest of the room. Joe seldom lost his cool. Walker watched her, his expression completely closed. She knew what he was thinking, and there was a time not that long ago when she would have broken the cardinal rule and challenged Joe’s authority over her. Even now, her first reaction had been righteous anger that stiffened her spin
e and boiled hot in her blood.

  Joe walked his cup to the sink as Nate stood, obviously uncomfortable, and began pulling food from the refrigerator. Walker leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and stretched his legs in front of him.

  “Give Walker your list.” Joe’s command brooked no argument, nor did his hard features. “And take this with you if you leave the house.” He brought a two-tone Sig forty-five from beneath his jacket and laid it on the counter in front of her. A second later, he strode from the room.

  Rayna fumed as humiliation broke out in a sheen of sweat beneath her clothes. It was so unlike Joe to castigate someone like that, especially her and in front of other team members. He wouldn’t have done it if he wasn’t worried about her. Or was he upset with her because Ty was leaving?

  Walker’s gaze swept over her, and a frown announced his annoyance. “He’ll get over it. They both will. But Joe is right. This isn’t the time to be stupid.” He flashed the devil-made-me-do-it grin she’d come to know so well. “That’s why I’m here.”

  A short laugh escaped even though she didn’t feel amused. Walker could always make her laugh.

  “Now, what do you need?” He took a notebook from his pocket.

  She gave him a list of necessities for herself and added dog food for Ribs, picked up the gun Joe left for her, and excused herself just as the aroma of frying bacon and eggs wrapped around her. No way would she sit at a table with Ty and Joe and battle their disapproval while she tried to eat.

  Maybe it was a mistake to insist on staying. These guys, with the exception of Nate, were the closest thing she had to family, and she’d come to trust and respect each of them, but if they didn’t stop protecting her soon, she was going to suffocate. She needed to get away from the house for a while. The walk with Ty was no doubt off now, so why not take one by herself?

  Rayna returned to her room, threw on her shoes, then went downstairs and let herself out the front door. She made her way around back. Ribs still lay on the blanket Ty had given him. Her heart softened a bit, remembering Ty’s act of kindness toward the dog. Why did he have to be so pigheaded where she was concerned?

  Ribs rose to follow her as she crossed the yard, went through the gate, and continued along the cobblestone path that led away from the house into a stand of trees. The early morning air chilled her, and she picked up the pace to warm herself. The sun had just risen above the mountains to the east. The sky was a pristine blue. The cobblestones ended, and the ground beside the dirt road she now followed was thick with vegetation. Deciduous trees dripped with dew, and wet fern fronds carpeted the ground beneath them. Except for the incessant chirping of birds, it was quiet and peaceful.

  This place was a fortress, Ty had said. Completely fenced with alarms, monitors, and cameras, Nate had told her. It should be safe enough for her to take a walk without Ty having a coronary. Besides, she had Ribs . . . and she was armed.

  Rayna drew the fragrant, moist air into her lungs and some of her frustration left with her exhale. Ribs picked up the scent of something and trotted on ahead.

  A stab of loneliness knifed through her. Lord, she missed Ty already . . . and hated him being upset with her. He didn’t want her anywhere near Andre again. She could understand that. She’d feel exactly the same way if the situation was reversed. Was it really so important that she have a hand in bringing Andre down? It would certainly go a long ways toward repairing her damaged ego, but was it worth destroying her relationship with Ty, whatever was left of it?

  It could very well be too late to salvage their friendship. Would he forgive her for going to Joe? It was only by chance she’d gotten to him first. If Ty had talked to him first and convinced him to send her home, would she have forgiven him? So much lay between them.

  One thing was certain. If she didn’t at least try to fix things, the man she loved was going to walk away and never look back. Maybe he’d leave anyway, but better he go knowing where she stood.

  The trees thinned as the dirt road straightened out, and a spectacular meadow spread out before her. Wildflowers of every kind formed a brilliant carpet of color, bringing with it a floral bouquet of aromas. Inhaling the sweet fragrance and feeling a little like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, she had to resist the impulse to skip.

  At the far edge of the meadow, a huge old wooden barn sat partially shadowed by a towering rock cliff. She meandered toward it. This was no doubt Uncle Leo’s barn that Ty had offered to show her. The paint had long ago peeled and disappeared. Old and weathered, the wood practically shone in the sun. The open loft spoke of times past when this structure was used to store hay, and Rayna could almost smell the fresh bales. Sliding doors stood partially open, creating a picturesque and inviting scene.

  She’d lost track of Ribs, so his sudden frenzied barking from inside the barn startled her and made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. The dog’s bark was deep and menacing. Rayna quickened her pace to a jog, picturing the pit bull with a feral cat cornered in the barn.

  “Ribs! Come, boy!” He couldn’t possibly have heard her, so serious was his incessant barking. She stopped, one hand on the thick door, open far enough for her to slip through. A column of sunlight fell across the center of the straw- and dirt-covered floor, fading into shadows wherever the sun couldn’t reach. Hay was stacked against the back wall. A few bales were crisscrossed by sunlight before the rest of the stack disappeared into gloom. Ribs faced away from her, growling ferociously toward something unseen at the rear of the barn.

  A tingle of dread sent a shiver coursing through her. It was unnerving with so much of the interior draped in shadow, but she couldn’t dismiss the unmistakable feeling that someone, or something, watched her. Suddenly, she was very sure she didn’t want to be there. Moving slowly, she drew the Sig from her waistband.

  “Ribs! What’s up?” When the dog glanced back as though just noticing she was there, she breathed a sigh of relief and took a step toward him.

  The next instant, a low snarl rattled through the barn. The hair stood up on Ribs’s back as he resumed his threatening growl.

  Rayna’s breath caught in her throat and she froze. She’d heard the sound many times before outside the compound in Montana. No scared feral cat hid in the darkness. Rather, a cougar, and it wasn’t displaying any of the natural fear of man it should have. Of course, if the silly dog wasn’t challenging it, perhaps it wouldn’t be quite so angry.

  “Ribs, let’s go and leave the kitty alone.” It was hopeless to think the dog would turn his back on the cougar and come to her, but she couldn’t leave without him. She crept another two steps forward before the cat screamed again and stole from the shadows into the light. The size of the animal brought her up short. The cougar easily had a hundred pounds on the square, stocky pit bull.

  “Ribs! Seriously, we have to go . . . now!” Fear bordered on frantic as the cougar slowly advanced. She raised her weapon, prepared to fire if that became the only option. Amazingly, Ribs backed toward her, and when he was close enough to touch, she fell in beside him and they moved together toward the opening at their backs.

  No sound reached her ears, but something sent chills down her spine, and she spun around. Her heart dropped like a stone when a smaller cougar suddenly filled the doorway, hissing menacingly.

  Ribs whirled toward the new threat. From the corner of her eye, Rayna caught the streak of tan as the first cat launched itself toward her. She swung to face it, stumbled back a step, and trained her gun on the leaping animal. Ribs spun toward the attacker and, with a primal snarl, barely recognizable, accepted the challenge, racing into her line of fire.

  When the big cat landed a half-dozen strides from her, Ribs met it with a body slam that jarred them both and sent the cougar rolling. The dog, moving more quickly than Rayna thought possible, was on top of the cat in a heartbeat and locked his jaws around its throat.

  For the moment, Ribs had the upper hand, but it couldn’t last. He was outweighed and outnumbered. Sooner o
r later, the cougar would shake him loose and then one swipe of a massive paw would finish him. Rayna had to do something.

  The noise rose to a nerve-racking crescendo. A soft sound behind her dragged her attention back to the second cougar. Only a few feet away now, the animal crouched and sprang. Rayna brought the Sig up and squeezed the trigger twice. The impact of each bullet jerked the cat’s body in midair, and Rayna stumbled backward as it landed where she’d originally been standing, its mouth still open in a soundless snarl.

  A glance at Ribs confirmed he was losing the fight. Any second, the cougar would be free. Rayna couldn’t fire as long as they were locked in battle. Even an expert marksman couldn’t second-guess unexpected movements by the target, and she wasn’t about to take a chance of hitting Ribs.

  The dog’s pained yip tore at her heart, and she watched helplessly as the big cat shook him off against the wall. Ribs crumpled like a broken toy. The cat lunged toward him, a piercing snarl erupting from it.

  “No!” Rayna screamed the word as she rushed toward the two animals. The cougar stopped, and intelligent feline eyes turned to regard her. “No, you won’t hurt him. Come and get me.” She was surprised at the calmness in her voice.

  The sound of someone calling her name teased the edges of her mind, but she must have imagined it. The cougar had circled once around the dog, still motionless near the wall, and then turned back to her. A snarl rippled from its throat as he seemed to study and then dismiss her pitiful weapon. With graceful movements, he started toward her.

  “Rayna, get back!”

  This time she was aware Ty had spoken, but her concentration was focused on the battle in front of her. As soon as the cat moved away from Ribs, Rayna fired. Simultaneously, two shots cracked and echoed from behind her. The cougar dropped abruptly, and Rayna gasped, realizing she’d been holding her breath.

  Suddenly, Ty was beside her, his arm around her shoulders. She flung herself at him and buried her face in his chest so he wouldn’t see the tears that slid so easily down her cheeks. What was wrong with her? She’d been in battles before. Danger wasn’t new to her, but here she was, trembling like a rookie.