by Anne Marsh
She hated prudent.
The good thing, though, was that Thad Hill clearly thought he had her all figured out—and that she’d go quietly. Dragging her heels, sure, but he didn’t expect her to pull in anyone else. Not really. If he had, he’d have knocked her unconscious or figured out a different exit strategy.
Before she could change her mind, she opened her mouth and bellowed for Dade.
“Dade Johnson, get your ass over here now.” Demanding, not asking, but close enough.
“Fu—” Thad turned to her, clapping a hand over her mouth and picking up his pace. Driving her heels into the gravel, she went limp—and bit his hand. Hard.
Dade heard Sarah Jo scream his name like a drill sergeant barking orders, and he had never been so glad to hear her voice. Her cabin was empty, and he had a damned explosion flaming out on the edge of camp. Right now, all he wanted was to know that she was safe.
Unfortunately, if she’d bothered to holler for him, she was probably neck deep in trouble.
Breaking into a sprint, he ran toward the parking lot, fielding strange looks and curses from the guys on his team. Who were all running the other way, toward the fire that needed putting out A.S.A.P. Something smaller went up, lending another snap, crackle, and boom to the night and drowning out whatever Sarah Jo’s follow-up demand might have been.
Three hundred yards. Two. There.
Thad Hill had paid a return visit, the son-of-a-bitch. He should have followed up and made sure that Hill’s superiors knew exactly what their deputy had been up to, but he hadn’t. Sarah Jo clearly hadn’t wanted the attention that kind of complaint would get, and Dade had gone along with her wishes. That was a mistake he wouldn’t be making again.
Thad grabbed at Sarah Jo, trying to open his car door and keep her under control, but she was putting up a fight. Good girl.
Dade launched himself at Thad, fists flying. Thad apparently hadn’t seen him coming, between Sarah Jo’s bucking and kicking and the chaos unfolding back there in camp. Dade’s fist connected with Thad’s jaw, the other man’s head snapping back with a satisfying crack.
Thad bounced right back, however. He dropped Sarah Jo—a plus, because she scrambled out of the way. That was when the gun came up, however. Hell. Guns always made things messy.
Five feet between them, and the business end of the gun was pointed straight at his stomach. Yeah. Thad Hill wouldn’t miss this close. Question was, did he really want to pull the trigger? Dade didn’t know how far the other man was prepared to go, but he was taking no chances with Sarah Jo’s safety. His gut clenched just seeing her close to this asshole.
“Maybe we should try talking this through,” he said carefully.
Thad shook his head. “I’m voting I get in the car and take Sarah Jo with me.”
“I can’t let you do that.” Keeping his hands relaxed on his thighs, he assessed the situation. Sarah Jo was too close to Thad. Hell, there was nothing good about this.
“I don’t see how you’re stopping me.” A mean smile cracked Hill’s face. “Seeing as how I have the gun and you don’t.”
There was that. Problem was, Dade never had learned how to give up. He’d spent years fighting fires that were bigger, stronger, and far more stubborn than he was. And he’d won. Even when he’d had to step back and let the fire burn for a bit, that fire had always, always gone out. The same way Hill here was going down.
He slid his feet forward an inch, watching for Hill’s reaction. How close would the other man let him get? Not too close was the answer, because Hill shook his head.
“Uh-uh. Stay right where you are.”
That was a Glock in Hill’s hand, if Dade wasn’t mistaken. Which meant there was no safety standing between him and the first shot. If Hill had a full chamber, there would be multiple opportunities for someone here to get hurt.
“No worries.”
“Sarah Jo—” Thad didn’t take his eyes off Dade, which was too bad. “You get your ass in that car now. We’re out of here. You move again, hotshot, and I’ll drop you.”
He had an armed asshole who was clearly itching to pull the trigger, and he had Sarah Jo at risk.
“No,” she said. Dade fought the urge to close his eyes. He’d paddle her ass. That wasn’t the right answer when someone had a gun out and was threatening to use it. Plus, he wanted her inside the car. Those patrol cars had bulletproof glass, and, even if the door stayed open, she’d have far more cover there.
Thad’s problem was that he couldn’t cover both of them. Not with Sarah Jo behind him and Dade facing him down from the front. Apparently, Sarah Jo had done that math, too, because she sprang into action. Her leg swept out in a real nice roundhouse and nailed Thad in the back of his knees. Thad staggered, the gun waving wildly, but he didn’t go down. Dade was already moving, though, shifting out of the line of fire.
“Bitch,” Thad screamed, and the gun in his hand swung around, pointed right toward Sarah Jo. Dade slapped his hand up, slamming his palm into the barrel and pushing up. That put the first shot up into the trees.
He hugged Thad’s arm tight, throwing all his weight into it as he brought his knee up and his head forward. His head smashed into Hill’s forehead, while his knee drove into the other man’s crotch. What followed next was a whole lot of screaming as he put the other man on the ground, twisting his wrist and taking possession of the gun.
“Told you, you wanted to be talking.” He removed the chamber and pocketed it, tossing the gun behind him.
He wasn’t prepared for the primitive emotions flooding him. Hell, he was headed straight for caveman territory because all he could think about right now was Sarah Jo and his fierce need to see her safe. She wasn’t one for any protect-and-defend crap, however, so he needed to dial the caveman back.
He scanned the area looking for her, and found her fast enough. She looked pissed, so maybe she was over being scared. Although she was definitely mussed up some, and Thad had zip-tied her hands behind her back, that seemed to be the extent of the external damage. He didn’t bother to hide the relief sweeping through him. She’d have to accept that much.
“You okay?”
She didn’t answer right away, so he flipped Hill over, giving him a taste of his own medicine. A knee to the back while he rummaged through the pouches on Hill’s utility belt, where he found more plastic zip-ties that he put to good use, securing Hill’s wrists.
“Sarah Jo?” he prompted.
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“I’m holding you to that.” That was his Sarah Jo. Christ, she was a fighter. He wanted to say something else, wanted to pull her into his arms and cut those ties that bound her, but the noise behind them said backup had arrived.
The smoke jumping team from Strong had peeled off from the firefighting contingency and headed Dade’s way to check out the commotion in the parking lot. The jumpers were big-ass, mean sons-of-bitches. Anyone who’d throw himself out of a plane from four thousand feet down into a raging forest fire had Dade’s respect.
“You need a hand?” Rio’s gaze moved from Hill to Sarah Jo and then back to Dade. “Ma’am.” He didn’t question why Dade had an officer of the law pinned and cuffed.
That was just one more reason Dade liked this man.
“I’m betting Hill here is responsible for our latest fire.”
“You think?” Rio moved in casually. The hard look in his eyes didn’t bode well for Hill. Whatever Hill knew, he’d be spilling.
Sarah Jo was trying to edge away. Dade didn’t think it was because all this testosterone made her nervous, either. No, his honey was pulling her usual stunt. Running.
“Let’s play twenty questions,” Rio suggested. A subtle flick of his wrist, and the rest of his jump team surrounded Hill.
Thad panted, clearly outnumbered. Still, he managed to sneer, and Dade’s knuckles itched to be re-introduced to the other man’s face. Unfortunately, he couldn’t justify hitting him when he was clearly contained. Too bad.
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“You can’t do this,” Thad panted.
“Looks like I can.” Rio stepped in closer, conveniently blocking Sarah Jo’s view. Yeah. Dade definitely liked the man, although he was starting to wonder just where Rio had worked before he’d taken up smoke jumping.
“You stole from an old lady,” Dade drawled. He’d take a stab at this one.
“Prove it.” Thad stared up at him defiantly.
“Not sure I have to. When we all go back to Auburn and turn your sorry ass in for stalking and kidnapping, you don’t think the good folks there are going to ask why you went after Sarah Jo? They’re going to turn you inside out, Hill. Wherever you hid the shit you stole, they’ll find it.”
“Will not.” Hill’s eyes flickered.
“Let me give you a couple of tips about confessing,” Rio offered, leaning down. He got his mouth real near Hill’s ear and whispered something that had the other man turning pale.
“You can’t do that.”
“Try me.” Rio shrugged and then he smiled. A slow, cold smile that was one hundred percent mean. Dade was suddenly damned glad he wasn’t the one on his knees. “But you should know I’ve had some practice. Extensive practice. You wouldn’t be my first.”
“That old lady didn’t need that stuff,” Hill protested. He tried to struggle up, but the jumpers pressed in and he went down again.
“You did this just for the money?” Sarah Jo’s voice shook, and then she got it under control. That was his girl. “That was her home, and you torched it.”
“That true, Hill?” Dade moved in. “You add arson to your résumé?”
Hill sneered. “You boys would know all about that, right? I know for a fact that some of you aren’t lily white when it comes to flicking a Bic and starting a few flames.”
The Donovan brothers. They’d had a bad incident recently, when one of their hired ground crew had taken it on himself to start a few wildland fires. From what Dade had heard, the guy had been young and definitely wet behind the ears. He’d wanted the glory and the dollars. Unfortunately for him, the Donovan brothers ran a tight team, and they didn’t tolerate that kind of shit. They’d investigated, and the firefighter in question was waiting for his trial.
“Don’t bring my boys into this,” Rio said, his voice lethally quiet. “We’re discussing your business here.”
“It was just a house.” Hill cursed. “And it wasn’t like she needed that stuff. I did.”
Dade could only imagine how Sarah Jo felt hearing this. That was her vindication, right there, but she cared for her client. He’d heard the concern and affection in her voice, and he knew how his elderly aunties and mother would have felt about having a houseful of memories burned down around their ears. Violated wouldn’t cover it, nor would pissed off. Hill was going to get what was coming to him.
“You hear that?” Rio looked around.
“Uh-huh. That’s ten to twenty right there, for attempted kidnapping. And we’ve got ourselves an arson.”
That was one problem sorted.
Dade turned to look for Sarah Jo, and damned if she wasn’t making a break for it.
Chapter Eight
Hooking a thumb in her zip-ties, he gently swung her to a halt.
She stopped, feet still pointing away. Yeah. Take Hill out of the equation, and she was still all get-out-of-Dodge. His heart fell. The odds of her sticking out the summer seemed lower than ever. Sarah didn’t stick. She’d made that perfectly clear.
She glared down at the point where he held her. “What?”
“You don’t think we should talk now? Or maybe you should offer up a thank-you?”
“Fine.” She glanced up at him, and she didn’t look happy. Of course, she’d just had herself one hell of a half hour. He was no psychologist, but getting assaulted in your bedroom and then forcibly dragged away had to leave a mark. She looked okay, but that was Sarah Jo. She generally acted like showing any kind of vulnerability was a crime.
“Thank you,” she continued in a prissy voice that had him longing to kiss her. Or paddle her ass. Honestly, choosing between the two right now was difficult. “Cut me loose.”
She offered her wrists to him, and he discovered he had a mean side all right.
“Mmmm,” he said. “I don’t think so. Not yet.”
“Dade—”
“No,” he repeated. He ran his hand down her arm.
She looked put out, but she wasn’t scared. He figured that was an improvement. “Is that the only word you know tonight?”
“Probably not.” He couldn’t hold back the smile tugging at his mouth. Based on her answering glare, that was just fuel for the fire as far as she was concerned. “I’d like to hear that you’re okay. Maybe you could tell me that.”
She started walking, and he fell into step beside her. The boys didn’t need his help babysitting Hill while they waited for a bona fide law enforcement official to show up.
“I’d be better if you untied me.”
Yeah. She really didn’t like those ties. He’d bet she was running options in her head. In another two minutes, she’d have a Plan A, a Plan B, and possibly a Plan C for getting those ties off. He’d have to act fast.
“Maybe.” He threw an arm around her, pulling her into his side.
She gave, just a little. “I’m okay.”
“I’d like to see that for myself, honey.”
When her feet slowed down, because her stubborn side was clearly kicking in again, he swung her up into his arms. That felt right, having her cozied up against his chest. The way she wriggled, though, she clearly didn’t share the same opinion. He tightened his hold.
“Put me down,” she ordered.
“Not a chance in hell,” he responded. “You know how many years you took off my life tonight, Sarah Jo? When I heard you hollering, all I could think was that maybe I’d be too late. That maybe I wouldn’t get there in time.”
“Believe me, I had the same concern.”
“And that’s another problem,” he continued, his arms tightening briefly. “I’ll always come when you need me, but you don’t believe that. You want to handle everything on your own. What’s wrong with letting someone else have your back?”
“I like standing on my own two feet.”
“You don’t trust me,” he countered.
She shook her head. “That’s not it.”
“Really?” He looked down at her and her pretty, stubborn face. “Because I practically had to pull the details about Hill from you.”
“He wasn’t your problem.”
That’s what she thought.
“Anyhow, Hill won’t be back,” he said. “You don’t have to run or hide anymore.”
She bit her lip, but she didn’t deny it. She’d leave. Now that she wasn’t starring front and center on the most wanted list, she’d pack up and go.
And take his heart with her.
He thought about that while he carried her to his RV. When they reached the trailer, he shifted her in his arms, reached for the door. Hesitated.
“I should tell you something.” He could almost see her eyes roll, but he plowed on. Sometimes, all a man could do was dig a line in the ground and hope like hell the fire didn’t jump it. “I think I might love you.”
She gasped, and that feminine sound promised he was in a world of trouble. “You think? You don’t know for certain?”
Hell yeah, he did.
“Why don’t I take you inside and show you?” He suggested. Damn. He was holding his breath, waiting for her response. That was an answer right there. Just standing here on the steps to his RV, holding her tight in his arms, was about as close to heaven as he figured he would ever get.
She chewed on her lower lip. “You don’t want to talk?”
“Sure,” he said easily, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “If you’re ready to listen to me.”
She looked at the closed door. “Take me inside,” was all she said. That wasn’t a yes—but it wasn’t a no, either. He’d
take what he could get.
He carried her inside the RV and kicked the door shut behind him. It was pitch-black inside, but he knew where the bed was. He’d walked that path hundreds of times, half-dead on his feet after days in the field. He set her down carefully in the center of the mattress and flipped on a light.
She rolled over, shoving her wrists up at him. “Now untie me.”
Christ. She was sprawled on his bed, on her knees, hands bound behind her. He had a dirty mind all right, because that mussed-up, trussed-up look was the most erotic sight he’d ever seen. She was all long legs, her shorts riding up her ass and her hair tumbled around her face. She looked like she’d just got out of bed, and it was a good look for her.
“Give me a minute,” he said hoarsely. “You don’t think you could enjoy this some?”
She wiggled her wrists at him. “Now.”
Something made him shake his head. “Uh-uh. I think you could. I think we both could, honey.”
She glared at him. “Dade—”
“Shhh.” He reached out and ran his thumb over her lips. “I’m thinking here.”
“About what?” she demanded. “This isn’t complicated.”
He gently pressed her down on her stomach. “Guess not,” he said. “Although I think you’re making it damned hard.”
“Excuse me?” Full of feminine outrage, she tried to struggle up again. He leaned against her back, giving her a taste of his weight. The move trapped her wrists between them, and her fingers brushed first his stomach and then his erection as she wriggled in protest. He hadn’t heard no, not yet, and that was interesting.
“See,” he explained, “I tell you that I have feelings for you, and you all but run, Sarah Jo. You’re always running, and I’m asking myself why. Why can’t you stay put for a while and give this thing between us a chance?”