by Unknown
"So this place your mom has… why did your boss laugh about it?"
"It's best for you to wait and see it for yourself. There's isn't a good way to describe it."
"Does she belong to a cult or something?"
"What on Earth would make you say something like that?"
"I don't know. I mean, she lives on a mountain, out of the public eye."
"She doesn't belong to a cult although she does belong to a special kind of club." Kaiden reached for his bottle of water and took a long drink.
"She's a biker?"
Water sprayed all over the steering wheel and windshield. His mom on a motorcycle? "A biker?"
"Well, what other kinds of clubs are there?"
"I think you should relax and enjoy the ride. Don't worry about Ma, she's going to love you and you are going to love her."
"You're hiding something."
"You sound so sure." Kaiden kept his eyes on the road as he fought back another round of laughter.
Katie threw her hands in the air. "Why must men always be so damned infuriating?"
"My mother would blame it on genetics. She always said the y chromosome was broken since it was so small."
"Broken chromosome? Ha! I like your mother already. The lady knows what she is talking about."
"Do you remember her well from the hospital?"
"I guess. We never really talked about anything other than your injury."
"Well, I am sure you will have plenty to talk about when we get there. Ma's an interesting lady."
"Will you tell her we are coming?"
"Nope."
"It's okay for us to show up unannounced?"
"I'm her son. I can go home anytime I want."
"Shouldn't you let her know you have a house guest with you?"
"Nope. She won't mind."
"Are you going to tell me anything at all?"
"I bet you peeked at all your gifts before Christmas, didn't you?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Katie demanded.
"Nothing," Kaiden replied, holding back another round of laughter. Whenever Katie was near he felt downright giddy. Everything she did endeared her to him even more. "How about some music? What do you like?"
"Eighties rock, country. That's about it."
"I can do with a little country. Why don't you see what's on the radio?"
Katie fell silent while she flipped through the stations. Kaiden concentrated on the road. The further they got from Virginia Beach the more he relaxed. Catching up with Nathan Marks would be a piece of cake. He just had to drop into the Marks family retreat and let him know the gig was up. Once he got Nathan into custody, Katie would be off the hook and he would be free to convince her she couldn't live without him.
A commitment?
He had sworn off women after Cara left but was more than willing to break that promise for Katie. The two women were nothing alike. At least he thought they weren't.
What do you actually know about Katie, except for her poor choice in potential marriage partners?
Forcing the voice—and the doubt—out of his mind, he thought instead about the way Katie made him laugh and how she felt pressed up against him in the elevator and the bathroom that morning. His body hummed remembering the kiss they shared in the bathroom. There was no way she wasn't interested. She had told him as much. The timing was simply off. But not for long. They had this lead on Nathan Marks. Once he was scooped up and sent off to federal prison, Kaiden would be free to explore whatever it was that was happening with Katie.
He glanced over to see her leaned against the passenger door with her eyes closed. The past twenty four hours had been beyond exhausting. An old Garth Brooks tune played over the speakers and Kaiden found himself humming along. This was exactly how life should be. A good pickup truck, classic tunes, and the woman he loved by his side.
Whoa there, James! Who said anything about love?
There went that voice again. He tried once more to ignore it, but seriously, how could he be in love with a woman he hardly knew? Lust and love were a long way apart.
Kaiden didn't believe in love at first sight.
Of course, first sight would have been last year when they met in the hospital. That's a lot of time for fantasy to weave itself around his heart. Maybe it was the idea of Katie he was in love with and not the actual woman?
Not the way her presence assaulted his senses. He couldn't be near her without wanting to touch her, smell her, and—his personal favorite—taste her. Katie's kisses stoked long cold ashes into burning flames inside him. He felt euphoric when she looked at him, as though she saw straight into his soul. That had to be a hell of a lot more than fantasy and lust. But could it be love so soon?
As she slept, her hand fell off her lap and dangled beside the seat. He reached over and took it, settling both their hands on his thigh. Katie stirred but didn't waken. Driving toward his mother's compound, holding Katie's hand felt right. His world seemed to right itself just a little bit in that moment. If he could close this case and get rid of all reminders of her past, they might stand a real chance.
Piece of cake.
Years of experience in law enforcement told him that nothing was as simple as it seemed. A million things could go wrong. Look what had happened to his cousin Logan and Angelina. They had stumbled into each other's lives only to instantly be on the run when someone in her old life discovered she was still alive. Logan almost lost Angie more than once in those few days. Hell, Kaiden himself had taken a bullet in the last firefight at his mother's place.
It would have been a whole lot smarter for Logan to turn Angelina over to the local authorities and gotten on with his life. A whole lot smarter, but definitely not better. Angie had changed his wayward cousin from a lost soul to a man in love. Logan had totally changed and if Kaiden were being honest, he harbored a bit of jealousy at the happiness Logan now had.
Of course, if Logan hadn't met Angie then he probably would never have met Katie. He wasn't so jealous of his cousin right then. Nope, the jealousy was replaced with peace. He checked his watch, only a couple of hours to Staunton and then another forty five minutes to his mother's place. Then there would be food—Clara James loved to feed guests—followed by questions and explanations. It would be hours before they would be alone again.
Maybe he should pull the truck off the interstate and get them a room somewhere for the night.
Knowing Hunter expected him to call that evening and that his job was involved, Kaiden sighed as he dismissed the thought. Besides, he had no right to assume Katie would want to spend the night alone with him in a hotel.
***
Katie felt Kaiden take her hand. For a moment she thought about pulling it away but instead she left it inside his larger, warm one. His hold made her feel safe. When Nathan left her, Katie thought her last chance at love had gone with him. Finding Kaiden again, despite the circumstances, gave her hope once more. After this mess with Nathan got resolved she definitely wanted to pursue that hope.
Kaiden suddenly dropped her hand. The truck jerked as the tires squealed and Katie flew forward, her seat belt tightening against the side of her neck. She braced herself against the dash as best she could as the back end of the truck swung out and spun them in a complete circle right in the middle of the interstate. Cars swerved around them, drivers honking and offering them the middle finger on their way by.
"Wha… what happened?"
Kaiden hit the gas and started moving forward again as though nothing had happened. "Deer."
"You nearly killed us so you wouldn't hit a deer?"
She could see Kaiden grinning as he stared straight ahead, both hands on the wheel. "I couldn't risk killing one of God's amazing creatures. Not to mention the fact that this truck is nearly brand new and some jerk has already messed up the back bumper."
"Are you kidding me?" Katie snapped as she removed her seatbelt and readjusted it so that it no longer pulled against her so tightly.
>
"I had everything under control. We're fine."
"Fine? We nearly died!"
"No, we didn't. I am good like that. It is my job to keep people safe."
"Safe. Ha! We just did a three sixty in the middle of Interstate 64. Those other drivers looked pretty angry."
"Who cares about them? We are fine, my truck is fine, and that cute little Bambi is fine also. All is good."
Katie threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "You can be absolutely infuriating."
"I know." Kaiden laughed and Katie cursed him under her breath, using a word she rarely touched but it seemed to fit in this instance.
"Ms. McCoy, I had no idea you felt that way. We should be in Staunton within the hour, shall I look for a hotel?" She could see he grinned even bigger than before.
"Of all the agents in Homeland Security I had to get stuck with you! How did I let myself get talked into this trip?"
"My charm and boyish good looks?"
"I think it had to be your modesty," she tossed back, her anger dissipating as they bantered. It seemed impossible for her to remain annoyed at Kaiden for any length of time, yet she had held a grudge against Nathan for days.
"I am known to be quite understated in certain circles."
"Which circles would those be?"
"You know, the ones where everyone else is married and has a life and I live alone with a goldfish and a couple of snails. Which reminds me—I forgot to the feed the fish before we left. Looks like I will only be living with a couple of snails now."
He tried to mask the sadness in his comment with the joke about the fish but Katie wasn't fooled. Curiosity nearly overwhelmed her. What had happened to his marriage? Maybe she should consider that given the amount of physical attraction between them. What if Kaiden had strange fetishes in the bedroom? Or he could be abusive.
She couldn't imagine him abusing anyone. Especially after he nearly rolled them off the highway trying to avoid a baby deer. Still, she had to know.
"What happened with your ex-wife?"
"What do you mean? We got divorced a few years ago. Irreconcilable differences—just like the papers say."
"What sort of irreconcilable differences? I mean, I know you said she cheated on you…"
"I don't know. What does it matter?" His jaw tensed. She could see a muscle that ran down his neck start to twitch as his knuckles turned white where they grasped the steering wheel.
"It matters to me. It obviously hurt you."
He slapped the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. "She hurt me."
They fell silent except for the quiet tones of a love song on the radio. Kaiden reached over and snapped it off. Katie watched him for a while but he seemed far away. Before she could ask another question he spoke again.
"I told you I thought maybe she cheated on me. Fact of the matter is she couldn't handle the job. When we met, I was an officer in the Coast Guard doing rescue work. I enjoyed it but I wanted more. Something on dry land for starters. Cara wanted an officer and not the law enforcement type. She claimed I abandoned her when I took this job because I was away a lot. I was away a lot more when I was in the Coast Guard. That was only an excuse—she found her new lover and kicked me to the curb."
"It broke your heart, didn't it?"
"Yes. I thought we'd be together forever. I wanted children and a home with a fenced in yard and a damned minivan. I wanted to coach soccer and little league and do all the things my dad never got to do with us."
"I'm so sorry, Kaiden," she spoke softly as she reached over and rubbed the top of his thigh. "I can't imagine what it must have been like. I mean, Nathan and I were never married and it hurt like hell when he left me for someone else. I can't imagine investing my life in someone just to have it all thrown back at me like that."
"Being with a guy like me isn't easy. Law enforcement is a different kind of job. No matter what agency a guy represents there are a lot of sacrifices that his spouse has to make. It's not for the faint of heart as my mom used to say. Logan got lucky, his wife is a cop like him. They take home to work and work to home. It is right for them. My ex couldn't deal with not being the center of attention every minute of every day. I should have been more like my brother. Keegan is determined to stay a bachelor for the rest of his life."
"I forgot you had a brother. You all are twins, right?"
"Yeah. But apparently he is a lot smarter than me. He didn't make the mistakes I've made."
"So, you want to be alone the rest of your life?" She hoped he didn't hear the heavy disappointment she felt.
He reached down and picked up her hand from where she had let it rest on his leg. Pressing his lips against her fingers in a gentle kiss he then replied. "No. That's what makes Keegan different from me. I am willing to put myself out there—with the right woman."
Kaiden didn’t even try to hide his intent. His voice had grown husky, his hold on her hand firm.
The sun began to set, casting an orange-red glow over the cab of the truck. Katie watched the streaks of color paint the evening sky. Neither one of them spoke. Katie had no idea how to reply. She couldn’t deny she felt something for him. She felt like the heroine in one of those romance novels she secretly read late at night. Could she possibly get her own happy ever after?
With Kaiden as the hero in this love story it delighted her to be the maiden in distress. Katie relaxed against the seat, smiling. They didn't speak any more but Kaiden never let go of her hand as they rode off into the sunset.
Chapter Eleven
About a mile from the base of the mountain where his mother had her home, Kaiden glanced over and saw that Katie had fallen back to sleep. He was a little nervous about bringing Katie to his mother's place. Clara James could be a bit overwhelming at the first meeting on a good day. This would be different than in the hospital. Clara was a different woman on her mountain.
He really hoped she didn't greet them with a shotgun the way she had when Logan brought Angelina there for the first time. He chuckled quietly. The story of Angie's first meeting with Clara had become a bit of a family legend. Angie had hit the ground when Clara came out waving that shotgun. Maybe he should call his mom and tell her to do the same to Katie so Angie would have someone to commiserate with over the experience.
He reached the base of his mother's mountain and started up the rough, dirt road. The truck bounced as it hit rocks and holes but Katie didn't stir. She had to be exhausted and who could blame her? The past twenty four hours had been chock full of action—enough to keep any government agent on their toes, not to mention a civilian like Katie.
The truck dropped into a pot hole with a loud slam. The woman beside him stirred and peered out the window at the tall pine trees illuminated by the headlights that they were passing through. "Where are we?"
"Almost to my mother's place."
"She really lives on a mountain."
"Yes, ma'am. Wait until you see the view from behind her house. Absolutely gorgeous."
"When are we going after Nathan?"
"Not until at least tomorrow. Best to do that sort of thing in the daylight. You can stay with my mom while I get with local law enforcement and arrange to pick him up."
"I want to be there when you bring him in. I need to see him one last time."
Kaiden ignored the taste of jealousy in his mouth. "I'm not sure that is a very good idea."
"Nathan isn't dangerous. He has other people do his dirty work for him."
"Still, it might compromise the case."
"Compromise your case? You and your agency have compromised my life!"
"There's rules…"
"I don't give a damn about the government and its rules."
"I'll tell you what, I'll consider it. But I can't make any promises."
"Fine. How much longer till we get there?"
"It's just around the next bend actually."
As he turned the wheel onto the lane that led to the James compound, he watched Katie from
the corner of his eye. She was agitated. A real change from how peaceful she had been before her nap. Kaiden let out a sigh. It seemed they were destined to constantly be at odds.
The truck emerged from the dark lane into a well-lit clearing. He heard Katie suck in a breath. Everyone had the same response when they saw the compound for the first time.
"You mother has a windmill? And… and her own water tower? How many people live here? It's like Jonestown or something."
"Just Ma and whichever one of us boys happen to be passing through." He laughed. "Ma doesn't serve Kool-Aid so you have nothing to worry about here."
He parked the truck and jumped down from the driver's seat. By the time he made it to where Katie sat, she had already let herself out and leaned against the side of the vehicle. He reached for her but she stuck both of her hands in the pockets of her jeans. Okay, if that's how she wanted to play this he could follow her lead. He turned toward his mother's house and smiled.
Clara peered out the door, squinting at him. "That you, Kaiden?" she called out.
"It's me, Ma! You got your glasses on?"
"You know I hate those things, boy. Besides, don't need glasses to see that monstrosity of a vehicle of yours. Didn't know I raised a boy with such self-confidence issues."
"Come on, Ma, you know I just like big trucks."
"You know what they say about a man with a big truck… he's compensating for other smaller things."
"Ma!"
Clara opened the door and stepped through, toting her favorite shot gun over her shoulder. "Come here, boy, and give your mother a hug."
With a glance at Katie, Kaiden jogged over to his mother and grabbed her up in a bear hug, spinning her around before setting her back on the ground. Clara giggled like a little girl. "Just like your daddy, you really know how to sweep a girl off her feet!"
"Only you, Ma. I don't seem to have that touch with the rest of the ladies."
Clara looked past him at where Katie still stood. "Well, now, look what the cat dragged in. I can't believe Kaiden found you again. I was pretty certain he was going to be pining after you for a lifetime. Dumb fool left the hospital without even getting your number!"