And rightly so.
“Try not to worry. I know that’s easier to say than it is to do, but everything is going to be all right.” He flashed a confident smile. “I promise.” He wasn’t sure exactly how he was going to keep that promise, but somehow he had to make it happen.
Reece headed out of town toward the Cascade Mountains. He spotted his pursuer, but now the car was staying back and tailing him rather than trying to catch him. A self-satisfied grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. Whoever was driving had just made a major mistake. The sedan was no match on the muddy back roads for his four-wheel drive SUV. He took a sharp turn onto a narrow, winding mountain road.
Brandi took a deep breath and held it for several seconds. Her heart jumped into her throat and her pulse raced. She looked out the side window. The edge of the road dropped off into a steep canyon. She closed her eyes. If the end was about to hit her, she didn’t want to see it coming. Sharp curves threw her body first one way against the car door, then in the other direction. She tightened the shoulder strap on her seat belt. Then another sharp turn and the sound of gravel. They had left the paved road. They bumped and bounced on the dirt road, occasionally spinning a tire in the mud. A bit of relief settled inside her. Their four-wheel drive would take them places their pursuer couldn’t go. She kept her eyes closed as the minutes ticked away.
The sharp curves and the frantic ride calmed down. She could tell from the sound and the feel that they were back on a paved road. She opened her eyes, first one and finally both of them. She recognized their location. They were on the road leading into the area where his cabin was. About ten minutes later they turned onto the fire road, then pulled into his carport. She took a deep breath, held it a few seconds, then slowly exhaled.
“Are you all right?” His voice broke the silence. It was the first either of them had spoken since turning onto the mountain road. “Or perhaps a better question might be to ask if your nerves have settled down yet.” A slight grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. “At least you have your eyes open again.”
She slowly shook her head as she unfastened her seat belt. “If I don’t end up with some bruises from this seat belt, I’ll be surprised. There’s not a roller coaster in the world that can equal the ride we just took. I can truthfully say I was terrified.”
“We definitely lost whoever was following us. And it’s just possible that right now he’s mired down in the mud or he might even have torn out the undercarriage of his car on some rocks. Either way, I’d say he’s on foot and isn’t even sure of where he is, which is going to make it difficult for him to call someone on his cell phone and give them directions for picking him up.”
She was finally able to muster a smile in an attempt to project a confident manner. If only she actually felt that calm. “Assuming he can even get a signal for his cell phone.”
They climbed out of the car and hurried inside the cabin. Reece locked the cabin door, then pulled off his boots and hung his jacket on the coat hook. He caught the hint of uneasiness that crossed Brandi’s face as she shrugged out of the rain jacket he had given her to wear. He took it from her and hung it next to his as she took off her muddy shoes.
“Are you all right?” Perhaps he had misjudged the situation. She might have been more shaken than he realized. “I have to admit that it was a pretty wild ride over the back roads, but we lost whoever was following us.”
She looked up at him, a hint of apprehension lingering on her features. “Are you sure?”
He tentatively pulled her into his arms, as much an attempt to comfort her as it was a desire to hold her. “Absolutely.”
His confident manner provided a sense of calm for her rattled nerves. “I’m fine.” She mustered a slight smile. “It was a bit of a harrowing experience, but certainly not compared to being abducted.”
He was more than aware that she had not made any attempt to step back from his embrace. Did he dare push for more? The last thing he wanted to do was make her uneasy about being alone with him in the cabin all night. Then he felt her arms circle around his waist. He cradled her head against his shoulder, aware of her trembling body pressed against his.
They stood entwined in each other’s arms, savoring the closeness—two people, each dealing with a personal inner turmoil and tentatively reaching out for comfort. It was finally Brandi who intruded into the rapidly escalating emotional intimacy of the moment. She stepped back from him, a hint of embarrassment darting across her face.
Reece quickly recovered his composure, turning the reality to the business at hand. “We’ve made some headway. We know for sure that Frank James is involved and apparently whatever is going on is somehow connected to those pictures you took—the missing negatives and prints.”
Brandi didn’t know whether she felt relief or disappointment at his businesslike attitude. “If I sit down with my appointment book and PDA, I can probably determine exactly where I was on which days. I’ve been trying to spend a couple of days each week on photography for my book rather than taking pictures several days in a row, so I should be able to figure out where I was on the last day I took pictures before the stalking started.”
Her voice dropped off to a near whisper. “Assuming it was that day’s photography that prompted the stalking.”
“Is there any way those specific pictures can be re produced? You said negatives and prints, so obviously they weren’t digital and downloaded into your computer.”
He studied her face. His goal was Frank James, but he could not deny his intense attraction to Brandi. He wanted to hold her in his arms again, to comfort her obvious fears. However, he didn’t want her to get the wrong impression and become fearful of the circumstances that had them hidden in his cabin. “I don’t suppose there’s any possibility that you might have scanned them into your computer?”
“No, but that’s a good suggestion for the future as a backup.”
“Did you show the pictures to anyone? Did you make additional copies of any of those pictures and give them to someone?”
She took a couple of steps back from him in an effort to put some distance between her and the sensual pull of his masculinity. She flashed on the moment in the car when he had protectively covered her body with his and the sensation of being wrapped in the comfort and security of his strong arms.
A curious look of contemplation covered her features. “A couple of weeks ago I printed a random sampling and sent them to my agent to show her the type of pictures I had in mind, but I don’t recall exactly which ones I sent…or precisely which day I sent them. I would have referenced the negative number on my file copy of the letter, but without the individual negatives I couldn’t be sure which ones they were, although the reference number would have included the date that the picture was taken. That would, at least, tell me if any of the pictures I sent her were among those I took a month ago.”
“Okay, here’s what I want you to do right now.”
He noticed the way she tried to stifle a yawn. He glanced at his watch and noted that it was almost three o’clock in the morning. “Correction. Make that first thing after we’ve gotten some sleep.”
It had been a long day for him, and for her it had been both long and harrowing, starting off with being abducted. In addition to being physically tired, she had to be emotionally drained. A moment of anxiety darted through him. It couldn’t be put off any longer. They both needed to get some sleep.
He awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He had been doing his best to maintain a safe distance from her. Other than a couple of slips, he had been doing an admirable job of it, considering how much her nearness pulled and tugged at his desires. How much longer would the burning desire continue to churn inside him?
And how much longer would he be able to ignore it?
“I…uh, I think we should go to bed. And you haven’t had an opportunity to take that shower yet.” Reece nervously cleared his throat. “I want you to know…well, I think you’ll ag
ree that it would be best if you stayed here tonight rather than us venturing out again to find you a motel room somewhere. Whoever was following us might still be searching the main roads in hopes of spotting my car. Besides, we have lots of work to do. We can’t afford the time it takes to travel back and forth.”
The nervous tension churned in the pit of his stomach. It was a fine line between doing what he knew was best for all concerned and wanting to kiss her again—this time with all the passion coursing through his body.
It was more than just sex, more than the need to fulfill his pent-up urges. It had been a long time since he had held a woman—stroked her hair, caressed her shoulders, felt the texture of her skin, tasted the sweetness of her mouth. All the little nuances that enhanced sex with someone special. And it wasn’t just that it had been a long time since he had been with a woman. Brandi wasn’t just some woman who had happened across his path.
There was truly something very special about her, something he wanted to know much better. Then a more pragmatic thought shoved the others aside. Once again he found himself up against Frank James. Was this Cindy Thatcher all over again? Was he allowing himself to be led down the garden path with disaster waiting just around the bend?
He saw the vulnerability etched into her features and it pulled at his emotions. She needed his help. He brushed his fingertips against her cheek, then pulled her into his embrace. He held her, but not too tightly. The last thing he wanted to do was make her fearful of what the night would bring or cause her any unwarranted anxiety due to their unusual circumstances. He felt her hesitation, then she slipped her arms around his waist as she had done before.
He threaded his fingers through the silky strands of her hair, then cradled her head against his shoulder. The calm flowed through his body, the type of calm he hadn’t experienced in a long time. She felt so good in his arms, as if she belonged there. He pressed his lips to her forehead and continued to hold her. Neither of them said anything for several seconds. Then he placed his fingertips beneath her chin and lifted until her face turned up toward his. He wasn’t sure what he saw in her eyes, but he knew it wasn’t fear or trepidation. He lowered his head, hesitated, then brought his mouth down on hers.
It was a kiss as much of tenderness and concern as it was one of heated passion. His kiss deepened. He tightened his embrace, pulling her body closer to him. He caressed her shoulders and back. Her response, at first tentative, increased in fervor as the kiss continued.
Brandi wasn’t sure exactly what to do. The situation was, to say the least, very unusual. She felt sure that if she asked he would drive her to a motel. She also knew it was not the most expedient thing for them to do. Reece had been correct. Whoever had tried to follow them from her house could easily spot them if they ventured out onto the main road into an area populated enough to have a motel.
And the bottom line was that she didn’t want to leave.
She may have known what she didn’t want, but she wasn’t at all sure exactly what she did want. But somewhere in that confusion she knew she would find Reece Covington. Then all her thoughts stopped the moment his tongue probed between her lips.
Her pulse raced and her heart pounded. Only this time it wasn’t fear. She welcomed his tongue as it twined with hers. The excitement rippled through her body. The fog began to lift from her confusion, revealing what she had been trying to deny. It was Reece Covington she wanted. But here and now? The prospect frightened her.
It was too much and was definitely too soon.
She broke off the kiss. A nervous anxiety jittered through her reality. Her words came out as a breathless whisper. “This is too fast. I don’t really know you.” She shook her head. It was more an involuntary gesture than a conscious act. “These circumstances…”
Disappointment flooded through him, but he knew she was right. He released her from his embrace. He took a steadying breath in an attempt to quell his uneasiness. Had he acted too rashly? Pushed her too far, especially considering the circumstances? He didn’t know.
“Give me a few minutes to get some clean clothes along with a pillow and blankets, then you can have the bedroom for the night. You’ll find clean towels and washcloths in the bathroom cupboard.”
“I feel guilty taking your bedroom away from you. I can sleep on the sofa.”
“No. I insist that you take the bedroom. The door doesn’t lock, but you can prop a chair under the doorknob if it will make you feel more comfortable…” A tremor of anxiety attached itself to his words. “More secure.”
One final look of desire passed between them before they went their separate ways to get ready for bed.
Chapter Five
Morning was half over before Reece woke. The bedroom door was still closed. He took a quick shower, shaved, dressed, then went to the kitchen and made coffee. He stared at the contents of the refrigerator, trying to decide what to do about breakfast. He finally grabbed a bottle of orange juice and set it on the counter.
“That coffee sure smells good.”
He whirled around and saw Brandi framed in the kitchen door. He hadn’t seen her between the time she’d showered, then disappeared into the bedroom. The sight nearly took his breath away. Her short blond hair feathered softly around her face. The scratches on her face were less noticeable than they had been the day before when they had been fresh. In fact, her skin almost glowed. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen—a natural beauty that didn’t need any enhancement.
It took a moment before he finally found his voice. “Good morning. Did you sleep well? You look rested.”
A slight flush of embarrassment covered her cheeks. “Yes, I feel much better. I appreciate you giving up your bedroom for me.”
“No problem. The sofa bed is comfortable enough.”
He grabbed two coffee mugs, filled them and handed one of them to her. “Do you need cream or sugar?”
“No, this is fine just the way it is.” Idle, polite chitchat. She didn’t know whether to categorize it as mindless conversation that covered her uncertainty or an awkward embarrassment over what could very easily have happened last night. And if truth be known, to which she wouldn’t have put forth much of an objection had he chosen to pursue it.
“I was just wondering what to do about breakfast, especially since it’s after ten o’clock. I got as far as coffee and orange juice. What would you like? I can fix some bacon and eggs. I also have cereal if you’d rather have that.”
“Please, don’t go to any trouble for me. Some juice and maybe a piece of toast will be fine. I’m not much of a cereal person.”
“Then bacon and eggs it is. That should hold us until dinnertime. Will scrambled be okay?”
She sipped her coffee and watched as he prepared breakfast. He seemed to have stepped into the role of both her protector and caretaker. She didn’t really want a protector, per se. She wanted…she needed…someone to help her, but she didn’t want someone to fight her battle for her or take care of her as if she were some helpless little waif. But she’d felt so safe in the security of his embrace. She shook away the unwanted thought.
“Let me help you with that.” She busied herself setting the table.
They ate quickly, then turned their attention to the business at hand.
“I want you to call your agent and have her scan the pictures into her computer, then e-mail them as a zip file attachment. She should e-mail them to you, not me. You can access your e-mail from my computer. Then I want you to sit down with your appointment book and PDA and figure out exactly where you were taking pictures just before the stalking began. In fact, see if you can pinpoint the locations for the two weeks prior to the onset of the stalking. And while you’re doing that, I’m going to make a couple of phone calls and see if I can get us some outside help.”
“Outside help? From whom? We can’t trust any of the local police, especially anyone in Rocky Shores. We have no way of knowing who might be working with Frank James. Do you think it wil
l be safe to talk to someone at the state level?”
“I had someone a little higher up in mind—an FBI agent who owes me a couple of favors, not the least of which is that I saved his life when I was involved in a case he was working on a few years ago.”
“Do you trust him?”
“Enough to contact him, but I won’t be giving him full details. I won’t reveal your identity or the exact nature of the problem.”
Reece took his two cell phones off the chargers where they had been overnight. “I noticed that you don’t have a cell phone.”
“I do, but it’s in my car. I had placed it on the passenger seat just before I was abducted.”
Reece furrowed his brow into a slight frown. “We should have grabbed it when we were there last night.”
“Do we dare go back to get it?”
“Hmm…now that I’m thinking about it, it’s just as well that we don’t have it. I’m sure Frank has already obtained your cell phone number and is monitoring any possible use. I have two cell phones. There’s the one I use most of the time and a second one I reserve for special circumstances. As with the cabin and my car, registration of the numbers is hidden behind a barrage of obstacles that will make it very difficult to trace the location of this cabin through my cell phone numbers.”
He handed her one of the cell phones. “Here. Use this to call your agent with the instructions for sending us the pictures. But first I want to get you a photograph of Frank James.” He turned on his laptop computer. After a couple of minutes he had the personnel files of the Rocky Shores Police Department on the screen.
Brandi looked over his shoulder. “That’s not their Web site. Did you hack into their computer system?”
He shot her a sly look and a wink. “Don’t be ridiculous. That would be illegal.”
He pulled up the department ID picture of Frank James. “Is this the man who abducted you?”
A cold tremor shuddered through her body as she stared at the face. “Yes, that’s the man. I’m sure of it.”
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? Page 7