Sound of Summer

by Annette Broadrick

  The men seemed rather hostile to be government people, but maybe they were trained to be intimidating and antisocial.

  Either she was getting in better condition or she was learning the way. In any event, they reached the roadway in much less time than she'd ever made the hike before. A late model Buick sat there idling with a man behind the wheel.

  "Get in."

  Adam stepped back and helped Selena into the back seat of the car. The other three got in and they started down the mountain.

  When they turned into a side road several miles later, Selena realized that Adam had been right. Whatever was going on had something to do with her missing her turn and following a dead-end road. They drove for several miles until they reached the end of the road. Several cars were there, as well as her Ford Bronco.

  "My truck!"

  Was the government so hard up these days they had to steal taxpayers' cars? Under the present circumstances, she decided to wait and take it up with her Representative. These men didn't act as though they cared to debate the issue.

  The car stopped and she was helped out by the driver. Adam stepped out immediately behind her and dropped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close.

  "Would you like to explain why you've brought us here?"

  His question was ignored.

  Selena looked around the clearing. The tractor-trailer rig was pulled in alongside the trees and she realized it couldn't be seen from the air. A small trailer was almost hidden in the underbrush, and it was there the man motioned for them to go.

  He opened the door and she stepped inside. There was almost no furniture in the front room and kitchen; only a couple of folding chairs and a card table stood in the bare area.

  "All the comforts of home," Selena quipped, then wished once again she had better control of her tongue.

  She heard the door close behind her and whirled around. She and Adam were the only ones in the room. "What's going on here?"

  "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?''

  "I suppose you have."

  "Well, let me put it this way. I don't believe we're being held while they verify your identification."

  "No?"

  "No. You will notice that no one bothered to ask our names, nor did they feel the need to introduce themselves, but at least we didn't give them any trouble. Maybe they feel the deception was useful."

  "What makes you think it's a deception? They seem perfectly straightforward to me. They had nothing to do with your tires being slashed or someone trying to carry me off."

  Adam glanced around at her. "Is that what you think?"

  "Sure. I'm certain it's just a case of accidently stumbling over a secret installation that might prove to be an embarrassment if the general public learned of it."

  "You really believe these people are representatives of our government?"

  "Certainly. Don't you?"

  Adam didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to the picture window and peered out. After several minutes of silence, Selena's curiosity got the best of her.

  "See anything interesting?"

  "Too much. At least I understand why they wanted you here."

  "Great. How about explaining it to me."

  "The equipment on that truck is Soviet made and no doubt Soviet manned, which makes it illegal as hell in this country. They're risking a great deal having it here—so its use must be damned important."

  "Soviet. How do you know?"

  "I just do," he said flatly.

  Selena pondered this new information for a few minutes. She didn't know why, but she felt certain Adam knew what he was talking about. A feeling of unease slipped over her.

  "What do you suppose they're going to do with us?"

  "Since you don't like my imaginative ideas, why don't you tell me?"

  "Surely they wouldn't hurt us."

  "On what vital piece of information are you basing that assumption?"

  "We're innocent bystanders. They can't call us spies when we're in our own country. They have no reason to hurt us."

  "Your naiveté is refreshing, but I wouldn't count on it being accurate."

  Selena tentatively sat down on one of the chairs. "This is ridiculous. All I wanted to do was to get away from spy fiction for a few weeks. So what do I do? Stumble onto a nest of them."

  "I didn't exactly choose to retire here in order to find some spies myself."

  "If you hadn't told them that ridiculous lie that we were married, you wouldn't even be here." She glanced up at him. "Why did you say that, anyway?"

  "I lost my head. Your kiss inflamed me, your body taunted me, your—''

  "Oh, shut up. You just wanted some excitement in your life and decided to horn in on mine."

  "Could be. You're much more fun than Duke. At least you talk back."

  "I wonder how Duke's going to get along by himself?"

  "He won't be by himself for long."

  "Oh, now that you know what's happening, you're going to just walk out of the place, is that it?"

  "Something like that."

  She shook her head. "Now I know why you live up here. If you tried to function in society, they'd have you locked away within days."

  "You have a point there. Anyway, do you want to stay here or come with me?"

  "You mean I have a choice?"

  "Yes. I need to know what to plan. If I'm going by myself, I'll leave in a few minutes. With you along, I'll have to wait until dark."

  "And then what? Are you going to grab my truck and run?"

  He looked at her with a quick smile. "Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. However, I doubt they were obliging enough to leave the keys in it."

  "Even if they didn't, I know where another one is. I keep a spare hidden on the truck."

  He looked at her with new respect. "Not only a beautiful face, but a brilliant brain to go with it."

  "You know, Adam, I could grow to dislike you with almost no effort at all."

  "And I thought we had such a great marriage going for us."

  "With no effort at all," she repeated.

  Adam opened the door on the other side of the kitchen and peered into the adjoining room. "Why don't you stretch out in here and rest? We may have a hard night ahead of us."

  She eyed him with suspicion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "If we can't get our hands on your truck, we're going to have a few miles to hike."

  Selena followed him into the other room. A single bed and a chair were the only pieces of furniture. Remembering how early they'd gotten up and how tired she was, Selena stretched out on the bed with a blissful sigh. "All right. I'll take my nap first and get that out of the way." She determinedly closed her eyes to the sound of his soft chuckle.

  He was really a most exasperating man. With obvious delusions of grandeur, he must see himself as some ace secret agent—Derringer Drake in the flesh. She reminded herself to make Clay tone down some of his tales. Some of his readers could get themselves hurt trying to five like his hero.

  She fell asleep with that resolve firmly in mind.

  She woke up in Adam's arms, her head tucked under his chin. Both of his arms held her close to his lean, muscular body. Stirring slightly, she pulled away from him until she could focus on his face.

  The light from the small bedroom window was dim. Either it was clouding up to rain again, or she'd slept the entire day away. Neither idea appealed to her. Here she was locked up with a man she barely knew, surrounded by several men who were less than trustworthy, and she could peacefully sleep through the tension and turmoil. Obviously her nerves were in worse shape than she'd realized.

  She studied Adam's face and discovered to her dismay that she continued to find him quite attractive. Reluctantly she admitted to herself that she found many things appealing about him—his crazy sense of humor, his instinctive kindness, his protective instinct that had brought him there with her.

  But I have no intention of getting involved with anyone. She
meant that. Selena had never gone in for meaningless relationships. She didn't care for the game playing and constant social maneuvering for status in the tinsel world she lived in. Although she enjoyed acting, she was often dismayed at the life-style that was expected of her.

  She knew there were many people who erroneously assumed she'd been sleeping with Clay in order to get the part in the series. She'd grown tired of denying it. In truth, the reason their friendship had flourished was that neither of them wanted to take part in the fast-paced bed hopping that appeared so prevalent.

  Clay had been honest with her from the beginning, and she had appreciated his honesty. Having one good friend was worth it. She had never regretted letting her guard down with Clay, and after he and Carolyn married, Selena felt accepted by them both.

  She wondered why Clay had never mentioned Adam. But then Clay knew many people from his travels. All of his books were authentically researched, which was one reason for their popularity.

  Selena was distracted from her thoughts by the slow, steady stroking of Adam's hand along her spine. Once again, electrical charges danced up and down her back—everywhere he touched her. She glanced up at him. His eyes were still closed but there was no denying he was awake.

  She could feel a slight tremor in his hand and wondered at the possible effect she could be having on him. After all, he'd lived alone for some time. Sharing a bed with a woman, no matter how innocent the occasion, could have an adverse effect on him.

  When she tried to pull away, his hold tightened, effectively locking her against him. She raised her head to demand that he let go of her and his mouth came down on hers in a passionate claim of possession.

  None of his kisses had prepared her for the sweeping sensation of belonging to him that rose within her. Being in his arms felt so natural, so right. Her arms crept around his neck and she gave h"erself to the overwhelming rush of desire he caused to flow deep within her.

  The sound of the front door being unlocked interrupted the mood of the moment. Adam's muttered imprecations struck her as amusing under the circumstances. "What did you think you were doing just now, anyway?" she asked.

  "Practicing my married role, of course."

  "Of course. Frankly, I don't think you need any practice." She sat up and ran her hand over her hair. Long wisps were hanging down, and with some impatience she pulled the hairpins out of the golden mass, allowing it to tumble to her shoulders.

  He ran his hand through her hair. "Oh, but I do."

  She stood up. "Then you're going to have to find someone else to practice on."

  The bedroom door opened and their captor stood there watching them with a smirk on his face. It took little effort to guess that he was convinced he'd interrupted something. She glanced around and saw that Adam was fostering the impression by reluctantly sitting up beside her with a frustrated frown on his face.

  Men! She resented their captor's assumptions, but even more, she resented the effect Adam had on her.

  "I've brought you something to eat," the man in the doorway said.

  "When are you going to let us go?" Selena asked, getting up from the bed.

  The man smiled—an oily smirk that infuriated her. "Soon. Probably before dark tomorrow."

  "Tomorrow! You can't keep us here overnight!"

  He looked around the room. "Why not? Aren't you comfortable here?" He glanced at the single bed. "I realize the bed is a little small, but as long as you're friendly, there shouldn't be a problem."

  Adam saw that an eruption of Selena's temper was imminent, and he decided he'd better try to sidetrack her. "What is the purpose of our being held here?"

  "This is a restricted area. Your wife was seen driving in here the other evening. We can't take any chances at the moment. A very delicate surveillance system is being tested, but the test should be through in the next twenty-four hours."

  Adam wondered if Selena was buying that ridiculous story and almost hoped she was. Their situation could become a little strained if the man discovered he was someone other than the innocent husband of the woman who'd accidentally stumbled on their little setup.

  "You know, Selena, it really doesn't matter whether we're here or at the cabin—we're on vacation so we might as well relax and enjoy it." His smile was warm and teasing.

  She stared at him as though he'd lost his mind. Being locked up in a small area with him was nothing like the vacation she had envisaged, but she hesitated to say so in front of the stranger. If she were honest, she would have to admit that his presence made the whole mess a little easier to accept. If they knew he was only an acquaintance, the chances were good that she'd find herself alone.

  Which was worse? Being alone and frightened by her captors, or being with him and frightened by her reactions to him. For some reason, neither choice sounded particularly safe.

  The man turned away and disappeared down the hall. They heard him say, "I left you some sandwiches and soft drinks here in the kitchen area. See you in the morning."

  The door banged closed and they stared at each other while they listened to the sounds of his key in the lock.

  "I'm not staying here with you tonight."

  "I didn't ask you to."

  "Maybe you didn't, but I don't intend to carry the deception any further."

  "I told you I plan to leave here as soon as it's dark. Do you want to go with me or wait here until I can go for help?"

  She stared at him in disbelief. He was still talking like some adventure hero in a book. "Just how do you intend to get out of here, crawl out one of the louvered windows?"

  "You didn't answer my question."

  Adam no longer looked like the man who'd rested so peacefully beside her only a short time before. He looked dangerous. She could think of no other word for it. There was something quietly lethal about the way he'd made the statement that she'd missed at first.

  "Can you get us both away from here?"

  "Yes."

  She believed him. Despite what she felt about him, she had a hunch he wouldn't make a definite statement unless he was sure. He sounded very sure.

  She smiled. "I'll go with you. Maybe I can give Clay some technical pointers for the next escape scene he has to write for Derringer and me." Looking out at the darkening sky, she asked, "When do we go?"

  "When it's completely dark—and you've changed into your other clothes."

  She'd forgotten that she'd stuffed a change of clothing into her handbag. Adam walked out of the room but returned a moment later with her bag. "Why don't you go ahead and get ready and I'll see about setting out our food. We'll need to eat."

  Selena pulled out her black jeans and black turtleneck sweater. A sudden excitement shot through her. She was going to be living one of the scenes she'd spent three years portraying. With Adam. Adrenaline coursed through her.

  Whatever happened, she knew she was ready to follow his lead, even if she couldn't fully understand why.

  Chapter Five

  "Can you see anything?" Selena whispered.

  "No." Adam stood by the front window, looking intently at the clearing in front of them. He'd turned off the lights in the trailer so that their eyes would adjust to the darkness.

  "I wonder why there aren't any lights out there?"

  "They don't want to alert anyone that they're here."

  "Oh." She remembered their supper a few hours earlier. "I wonder where they got the food?"

  "My guess is that someone is bringing it to whoever is up here. We know there are at least four of them. I would imagine there are more."

  "It's eerie to think so many people are nearby and we can't see or hear them."

  "Yes."

  She rubbed her hands up and down her forearms. The waiting was getting to her. "How can you be so calm?" she finally blurted out.

  "I'm used to it. You learn to develop patience."

  Silence filled the room. Too late Adam realized what he'd said. He tried to explain. "Living by yourself teaches you not to
get impatient."

  Selena wasn't buying it, but she knew it would do her no good to ask questions. He would tell her only what he thought she needed to hear.

  Adam moved away from the window in a silent step that succeeded in making her even more nervous. "We need to wait a while yet. I'm going to try to get your truck. There's no reason to have to hike out of here when it's sitting over there waiting for us." She didn't say anything. "But we'll need to wait a few more hours to try that."

  "Who are you, Adam?"

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I don't even know your last name...."

  "Conroy."

  "And I don't believe you learned your skills living in a cabin on a mountainside."

  Adam ran his hand through his hair. "All right. You deserve some explanations, and I'll give them to you. But let's get away from here first." He slid his hand to the nape of her neck and began to massage the area in slow, even strokes. "Why don't you go rest for a while."

  "I might as well. This conversation isn't getting us very far."

  She spun on her heel and strode down the hallway.

  Even in the darkened room, Adam could see her lithe shape and haughty back and knew she was furious with him. If he could trust these characters, he would leave her here until he could get back tomorrow. But he didn't dare take the chance. He hoped she got over her anger before they needed to leave.

  She was quite a woman. He allowed himself the luxury of a grin while he remembered her response to his kiss earlier. Talk about fiery— and passionate—and beautiful— He'd better get his mind on another subject before he followed her back into the bedroom for more.

  Later Selena couldn't believe how easy it was for them to leave. She didn't know what

  Adam had done to the door, but when he came to get her, he'd managed to get the door open.

  The night sounds of the forest were reassuring. Adam had told her to follow closely behind him. They skirted around the clearing and, staying in the shadows of the trees, followed the road for what seemed like miles. Finally, Adam stopped.