by Aimée Thurlo
“My, you’re modest.”
“Don’t forget truthful,” she teased, undaunted.
They finished the second trip wire, taking special pains to conceal it, then went back and made the first one easier to spot. “This should do it for now,” Travis said, placing his hands around her waist and lifting Fox carefully over the trap.
For a brief eternity they stood face-to-face. The warmth of his touch left her feeling weak at the knees. Her heart was racing. The way his breath caressed her face, his raw sensuality—all sparked sensations that made her want to sink against him.
He leaned down as if to kiss her but then, at the last moment, brushed his lips on her forehead instead. “Let’s go,” he said brusquely.
Forcing herself to hide her disappointment, she followed him back up the hill.
Once inside the log house, Fox moved about restlessly. Then, looking for something to do, she lit the kerosene lantern and handed Travis a sandwich from the pack that Ashe had given them. Taking one herself, she sat down on the couch. At one time this lodge had seemed like a summer home to her but, now, she felt disconnected from everything—like a stranger, no matter where she went.
Travis ate his sandwich as he went back to check the other two rooms one last time before settling in for the night. Alone, Fox took Chance out of her overnight bag. The teddy bear was one of the few remaining connections she had to her past She stared at the toy, willing images to come but, once again, she drew a blank.
“Too bad you’re such a lousy conversationalist, bear,” she whispered.
Holding the worn stuffed animal close, she leaned back and shut her eyes. So many changes...so many questions... And now she was so tired. Allowing the gray mists to enshroud her, she surrendered to the peace of a dreamless sleep.
WHEN TRAVIS CAME BACK into the room, he saw Fox on the couch, fast asleep, holding Chance. She looked so young. But that was only an illusion. The little girl who’d always looked up to him for answers was long gone.
He took a blanket from the chest by the couch and draped it over her. Fox had always held a special place in his heart. She’d been the one who’d fostered his unshakable confidence. As a boy, reflected in her eyes, he’d become an unbeatable opponent and a steadfast ally. Fox had made him feel like a hero at a time when few had seen anything more in him than a kid looking for trouble. Through her belief in him, he’d learned to believe in himself.
As he adjusted the blanket around her neck, his gaze fell on the tiny locket that lay against her pale skin. Travis couldn’t remember ever seeing Fox without that locket. Was it another memento from her early childhood? He suddenly wondered whether it had a photo inside. He’d never asked, but he would tomorrow, first thing in the morning.
“Sleep tight, Fox,” he whispered, blowing out the lantern. “I’ll watch over you—like you have over me.”
Protected by the darkness, Travis stood by the window and listened to the sounds of the night. Not many things had the power to scare him, but the thought of something happening to Fox made his gut turn to ice. One way or another, he’d make sure no harm came to her. Her enemies would have to go through him to get to her, and, if they tried, they’d find him a deadly, well-trained adversary.
As Fox shifted in her sleep, Travis glanced back at her. She didn’t know it, but she was the only person who had ever made him break his one hard-and-fast rule of survival: Never surrender your heart and your mind at the same time. But his mind ruled his heart, and that was the way it had to stay.
“I won’t bind you to me, my Fox. Settling down is not for this Redhawk brother. I need new places and new challenges. I don’t want to get too attached to anyone. It just doesn’t pay. But you’re like the Earth people who need roots and stability to thrive. What I can do, and will do, is make sure that you have the chance to go after your own dreams. Your enemies won’t take that away from you, I swear it. Until the day comes when you can make your own choices without fear, I’ll be right here beside you.”
He stretched out in the chair by the window, knowing he’d be uncomfortable enough there to sleep light. As he closed his eyes, and her perfume filled his lungs, he dreamed of the only woman who’d ever made his scarred heart sing.
TRAVIS WASN’T SURE WHAT woke him, but he was alert in a heartbeat. He sprang up, feeling danger all around him. As he glanced over at Fox, he saw her sit up, listening.
Travis heard the rattle of pebbles in a can, followed by a low curse. In a flash, Fox shoved Chance and the cell phone into her overnight bag and picked up the radio. Travis grabbed the food cooler, his athletic bag, and the flashlight, and together they slipped out the door.
When they reached the carryall, a bullet suddenly shattered the driver’s-side window as gunfire erupted. One of their enemies had circled the lodge, anticipating their move this time.
Travis threw their equipment into the vehicle, pushed Fox inside, then turned and fired back twice.
Quickly, Fox crawled behind the wheel and started the engine.
As Travis scrambled in, Fox floored the gas pedal and they hurtled down the dirt track. One bullet struck the back of the carryall, but in a matter of seconds they were out of range, dropping over the steep slope of the hill.
Fox scrambled for her seat belt one-handed while Travis topped off his pistol’s clip with ammo from his athletic bag. “How could they have found us?” she asked, never slowing down. “Nobody knew we were here.”
“Someone did, unless we were followed all the way from the house by experts, and they just waited for a chance to strike.”
Over an hour went by before Travis agreed that they could stop. This time they made camp in a shallow arroyo in the foothills, the carryall, hidden from view from any road.
The September night was cool but still pleasant. “Are you okay?” he asked, helping her unroll their sleeping bags.
“I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep. My heart’s still drumming.” Fox gripped the bedding tightly.
“We got away, focus on that. It was our win this time, too, not theirs.”
“I just wish I could make some sense out of this. What do these people think I have on them? Even if I witnessed something as a child, those memories would be from the perspective of a frightened little girl. They must realize that I don’t really know anything that could be used against them, or the police would have been on their trail all along. And now, for some crazy reason, they’ve decided it’s okay to start shooting at me. Why are they changing their tactics? What are we missing, here?”
“They shot at me and the vehicle, not you. The rounds weren’t close to you. Of course, you’re right about one thing—they are obviously taking more chances around you.”
“But why? What’s changed?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re pressed for time or feeling the heat as more law-enforcement agencies get involved in the investigation.”
Fox considered his answer as she watched him pull what he needed for trip wires out of his athletic bag. “Where will you be setting those up this time?”
“One uphill and another downhill from here.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Once finished, they headed back.
“I’m still too keyed up to sleep,” Fox said, looking at the sleeping bags, then shaking her head in frustration.
“Then let’s go through the papers we brought from the house. First thing tomorrow morning we can send Ashe and Casey the information we compile.” He lifted the first box of tax papers out of the carryall and started unpacking the folders.
Time passed as they worked together searching the files slowly by flashlight. Fox was glad for the chance to be doing something other than waiting for someone else to find answers.
“Here’s something,” Travis said. “I remember Nick talking about this place. It was the first home they lived in.” He pulled out the old tax return. “Nick rented a house near Beclabito from the tribe. That was when they lived next door to Philip and Lucinda Ben.”
> “Mom spoke about them often.”
“The Bens are traditionalists, which means they normally would have avoided Anglos, but their friendship with Nick and Alice lasted through the years.”
“I understand they’re very old now. I remember Mom mentioning that their family was worried because they’d abandoned the modern house the tribe had given them in favor of the hogan they had built closer to the river.”
Travis jotted a note beside the Bens’ name on his list, then turned back to the papers. By the time they had finished the list and returned the boxes to the carryall, Travis looked beat.
“I have to get some sleep now,” he said, crawling into his sleeping bag.
“Good night, Travis.”
After a short while, she heard his breathing even. As Fox watched him sleep, she fought the impulse to move closer to him. Everything he did, everything he was, drew her, despite her efforts to resist the attraction.
With a sigh, Fox closed her eyes. Not everything she wanted was meant for her. Hearing Travis shift in his sleep, she gazed back at him, making sure he was all right. His rest was not the peaceful one she would have wished for him, but that was understandable under the circumstances. He was out here to protect her.
No one could have asked for a truer friend. But she also knew that she couldn’t allow him to continue fighting a battle that was clearly hers. Twice already, he’d shielded her body with his and she knew he’d willingly give up his life for hers. But no matter what happened, she couldn’t let that happen. She had to strike out on her own before it was too late.
Fox waited for another hour until she knew from his breathing that Travis was fast asleep. Moving silently, she slipped out of the sleeping bag and gathered her things, leaving the cell phone for him.
Fox wrote a quick note asking him to forgive her, then left it tucked beneath his boots. With one last glance at him she went to their carryall.
Knowing that the sound would wake Travis, she prayed that the vehicle would start on the first try. Fox turned the key and the engine roared to life.
Putting the vehicle in gear and pressing down on the accelerator, she sped away. Fox fought back the tears as she heard Travis yell out her name. It would be a long time before he’d understand that she’d only been protecting him. Her heart felt leaden as she raced out of the arroyo, leaving him far behind.
Chapter Five
The sound of Travis’s voice calling out her name still echoed in her mind as Fox sped along the desert track. Fighting back tears, she assured herself she’d done the right thing. This battle was clearly hers to fight, and she’d spent far too much time relying on others. She was going to take full responsibility for things from now on.
Not that she wasn’t scared; she was terrified. But she refused to sit still like a child while everyone around her took action, and risked their lives for her. It was time for her to meet the danger on her own terms. Life had forced this situation on her, but it was up to her to determine her response to it.
As she thought of Travis, Fox felt sadness and longing envelop her. He was muscular and strong, yet his touch was infinitely tender. That magical combination had woven a spell around her. There wasn’t another man in the world like Travis. No one would ever stir her emotions as deeply as he could with just a smile or a glance.
Angry about her lack of focus on the real problem, she forced her thoughts back to the present. She couldn’t worry about Travis now. He was like the wind, wild and forever untamed. He would find his way back to the highway and be fine. At the moment, that was more than she could say for herself.
Fox pressed down on the accelerator, but instead of picking up speed, the vehicle lurched and then slowed down. When she pumped the pedal, the engine stalled and the carryall coasted to a stop. Maybe she’d flooded the motor, or a wire had come loose from all the rough handling the vehicle had endured lately.
This was all she needed. She fought back her anger, grabbed the flashlight she’d dropped into her purse, then threw open the door and climbed out She didn’t know a thing about engines, but maybe there’d be something obvious she could fix if she checked carefully, like reconnecting a loose wire.
As she stood back, trying to remember if the hood unlatched from inside or outside the carryall, the acrid scent of gasoline rose up from the ground. She moved toward the smell, and aimed the beam of the flashlight down. The gleam of a liquid indicated that something was leaking from underneath the rear of the vehicle. Gasoline, or what remained of it, was dripping onto the dirt. A bullet must have hit the gas tank when they’d fled the lodge. When she left Travis behind, she’d only had whatever hadn’t already leaked out, plus what was in the fuel line and carburetor.
Frustration tore at her. Now what? She could walk—she’d have to—but it would be a long way to the Bens’ hogan from here. She’d left the cell phone with Travis, but there was still the radio. She nixed the idea almost as soon as she thought of it. If she used it now, it would only be to arrange for another vehicle. But to get that vehicle to her, she’d have to disclose her location and try to explain what had happened to Travis. Under the circumstances, that was the last thing she wanted to do.
Fox gathered up her things and tied them into a makeshift knapsack. She was only a few miles away from where Travis and she had made camp. The progress she’d hoped to make was now nothing more than just another wish that hadn’t worked out.
Knowing she had to get moving quickly or Travis would catch up to her, she began her trek across the desert, her spirits as low as her energy level. She’d wanted to face things alone but, the truth was, she missed Travis’s company, particularly now. He could be almost dictatorial, but that didn’t seem quite so bad when she remembered that he always had her best interests at heart. Even when their wills clashed, which was often, she knew that she could count on him.
Fox forced herself to maintain a slow, steady pace, uncertain how long it would take her to reach the Bens’. From there, she’d have to find herself another vehicle, too. But one problem at a time. Fox took a deep breath and let it out again, concentrating on the ground in front of her. The first thing she had to do was find the hogan.
Taking a circuitous route she didn’t think Travis would ever choose, she worked her way slowly across an exhausting, rugged stretch filled with deep arroyos and rocky, uneven ground. Finally, winded and tired after only a mile or two, she stopped and sat down, leaning back against a large outcropping of hard sandstone. It felt good to stay still and not move even one muscle.
Though her break would have to be short, she closed her eyes for a moment. A faint sound suddenly alerted her to danger. She sat up and listened carefully. Something, or someone, was running toward her, and drawing closer with each breath she took. She rose quickly, and was searching for a hiding place when Travis suddenly scrambled out of the arroyo, just a few feet ahead of her.
Anger sparked a pure fire in his eyes. “Do you have any idea how reckless you’ve been?”
“You’re a great one to talk about being reckless,” Fox countered. “You’re a Ranger. That’s reckless in and of itself.”
“Don’t try to change the subject by putting me on the defensive. It won’t work. I want an explanation, and I want it now.”
“What’s to explain? I left.”
“Why?” Travis’s voice was too controlled to be natural. She knew his patience had vanished as he’d crossed the miles at a jog, rushing after her.
There was no room for anything but the truth now. “I wanted to protect you. I’m willing to gamble with my life, but not yours. And I can’t guarantee that you’ll stay alive—no more than I can guarantee my own safety.”
“Fox,” he whispered, his voice reverberating with what seemed a lifetime of feelings. “I’m trained to survive. And the only risks I’m taking are ones I’ve chosen.”
His eyes stripped her bare and for one endless moment, the desert itself seemed to tremble. “I don’t regret what I did,” she murmured, “e
ven if you are angry with me. I’m trying to keep you alive and in one piece.”
“By forcing me to run for miles across the desert? You can be the most infuriating female—” The stubborn tilt of her chin told him he was getting nowhere. With an exasperated groan, Travis took her hand and pulled her roughly into his arms. “Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?”
Before she could gather her wits, his mouth covered hers. His tongue plunged inside, sparring with hers, seemingly insistent on taming her, even if only in the most elemental way.
Sensing it, she was determined not to surrender to the sweet fires raging inside her. Yet, when she felt the shudders that ripped through him as he held her, her resolve vanished. Desire blossomed and she gave herself over to it.
Yearnings she’d never experienced before burned through her. Her body became alive as she pressed herself against him, feeling his wildness.
When he eased his hold at last, she stepped back slowly, heart drumming. They stared at each other for one moment, their breathing harsh, their lips throbbing. She hadn’t expected it to be like this. This went beyond physical need; it touched her very soul.
Travis tore his gaze from hers, and cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry, Fox. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She glared at him. “Of all the egotistical—” She paused, took a breath, then continued in a calmer voice. “What makes you think it was all your doing?” The grin he flashed her was even more irritating, but she refused to show him that he’d gotten to her. “Understand one thing, Travis. If we choose to stay together, then we share the responsibility for everything that happens. We’re two adults. You can’t pressure me into anything.” She paused again, then added with a tiny smile, “Though I do seem to be able to pull a fast one on you from time to time.”
He glowered at her. “Are you finished now?”
“That depends. Are you going to kiss me again?”
He smiled slowly, but there was a dangerous glimmer in his eyes. “Do you want me to?”