by Barb Han
“It’s a pretty good bet. We’ll jump off at the next stop. Get lost somewhere on the Katy Trail.”
The engine slowed and the light rail train stopped. They hopped off.
She didn’t want to weigh them down. His shoulder was bleeding again from carrying her. He’d never admit it, but he had to be exhausted by now. He was going on no sleep as it was. “I can make it.”
“You sure?”
Katherine nodded. They ran for a few minutes before her leg gave out. “I’m sorry. I need a rest.”
He found a small clearing and stopped to catch their breath. “Squeeze into these bushes. This should provide enough cover to hide us for now.”
Katherine was beginning to wonder if she’d ever feel secure again.
He took Max from her arms. “Better let him stretch his legs.”
Max scuttled to a nearby bush and relieved himself.
“C’mon, boy,” Caleb said, patting his leg. His breathing was hardly accelerated whereas Katherine’s lungs burned.
The sound of pounding footsteps broke the quiet.
Peering through the leaves, Katherine’s heart skittered when she saw the men in suits. They were staring at something in their hands.
Caleb backed out of the underbrush and urged her on the move again as he scooped up Max.
The men seemed to be a few feet behind everywhere they went.
“It’s no use,” she said, panting. The pain in her leg was staggering.
“Dammit. I didn’t even think about this before. It makes sense now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Give me your phone.” He held out his free hand.
She dug it out of her purse and placed it on his flat palm.
“Hold Max.”
She did.
He pulled out the battery and smashed the phone under the heel of his cowboy boot. Did the same to his own. Then picked up the pieces and tossed them.
Panic gripped her as it felt like icy fingers had closed around her chest and squeezed. All the air sucked out of her lungs in a whooshing sound. “They can’t contact me now. What have you done?”
“They can’t find us anymore, either.” He took her hand in his. “They’ve been following us using the GPS tracking in the phone. It’s the only way they could always be a step behind.”
“How can they do that unless they work for the government?”
“It’s surprisingly easy. Anyone can buy the program online.” He urged her forward as he took Max, and then ran for what seemed like half an hour before stopping. “We should be safe now.”
She hobbled a few feet and settled onto a large rock, stroking Max and fighting waves of tears from exhaustion and panic. “Any idea where we are?”
Caleb shook his head.
He sat beside her and braided their fingers together. “You don’t have to keep it together all the time.”
Yes, she did. He didn’t understand. She had to be strong for Noah. She’d had to be strong her entire life. “I have a lot of responsibility, and the last thing I can afford to do is break down.” She sniffed back a tear.
“It’s okay to cry. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Her heart skipped a beat when she realized those words comforted her far more than she should allow. She shivered and raised her gaze to meet his. Warmth spread through her body.
His chest moved up and down rhythmically, whereas her breathing was ragged. And not just because she’d outrun bullets and scary men with guns. Her pulse rose for a different reason. His body was so close she could breathe in his masculinity. Her arms were full of goose bumps. She knew the instant her body shifted from fear to awareness...
Awareness of his strong hands on her. Awareness of the unique scent of woods and outdoors and virility that belonged to him. Awareness of everything that was Caleb. A sensual shiver raced up her spine.
Being close to him, drinking in his powerful scent was a mistake. Katherine needed a clear head. Especially because she could so vividly recall the way his lips tasted. How soft they were when they moved with hers.
Katherine’s heart beat somewhere at the base of her throat, thumping wildly.
Wisps of his sandy-blond curls moved in the wind. His rich brown-gold eyes were fixed on her, blazing. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to explore the steel muscles under the cotton fabric of his T-shirt. Her hands itched to trace his jawline to the dimple in his chin.
Guilt slammed into her. How could she allow herself to become distracted? Noah was the only person who mattered. He needed her now more than ever. Nothing could ever happen between her and Caleb. Not now. Not ever. She had a family to think about, and a drop spot to get to. Refocus.
“I still can’t believe my sister would have had anything to do with a man like Kane.”
“I’ve read he has his hand on everything that crosses the borders from Canada to Mexico.”
“Which makes even less sense to me. How would my sister be connected to a man like that? She didn’t have any money. She worked at a coffee shop, for God’s sake. I know she could keep a secret, but she didn’t run in circles like that.” Katherine gripped the tree branch tighter. “Wish we could’ve had more time to check out that CD. Maybe there’s a hidden file or something? All I could see were pictures of Noah. Which would make a person think that’s all she was sending, but we both know it can’t be right.”
“Especially when she sent them ‘signature required.’” Caleb redressed one of her injuries.
“You said you got into trouble when you were young. What happened?”
He didn’t look up. He put away supplies as he finished with them and rolled them into a ball, placing them in a backpack. He patted Max on the head. “I told you. I had a few run-ins with the law when I was younger. Gave my mom a hard time. Stopped when I saw what it was doing to her. End of story.”
“Did you act out because of your father?”
He scratched behind Max’s ears. The little dog had stopped shaking and sat at Caleb’s feet.
“He’ll need to eat again soon.” The subject had been changed.
All she knew about the handsome cowboy was that he saved cats, dogs and women in trouble. Katherine wished he would open up more.
“You hungry, too?” His jaw did that tick thing again.
She figured the subject of his father was closed.
* * *
CALEB NEEDED TO find safe shelter for Katherine. He needed to protect her from everyone and everything bad more than he needed air. Help her, yes, but where had this burning need to banish all her pain come from? He could feel her anguish as if it were his own.
A crack of thunder in the distance threatened a storm.
By tying them to Ms. Ranker’s murder, everyone would be on the lookout for him and Katherine now. No place would be safe. They were wanted. Had no transportation. If they ducked their heads inside the wrong building, they’d be shot at or captured.
The police wouldn’t believe their story, so going to them was out.
He and Katherine would need to change their appearance and figure out a place to bed down tonight. But where? He could think of a dozen or so places he could hide her on the ranch.
A lone thought pounded his temples. What would Kane have to gain by getting them arrested?
Dammit. Was there a mole in the police station? A man like Kane could buy a lot of goodwill. Could he ensure they didn’t make it out of jail, too?
The DART rail system could get them as far as Plano. The hike back would be dangerous. If anyone spotted them, they would most likely call 9-1-1. How much longer could they outrun a man with Kane’s resources?
He had no idea how he’d survive this, let alone keep Katherine and Noah safe. That little boy deserved a life. He had a right t
o be loved and to have the kind of family she would provide. He deserved Katherine.
She’d be a better mother than she thought. She was risking her life for the child. That kind of dedication and love would ensure Noah had an amazing childhood.
The boy had already lost the one person he was closest to in the world. A pang of regret sliced through Caleb. He knew exactly what it was like to lose a mother. The overwhelming pain that came with realizing he was all alone in the world.
An urge to protect Noah surged so strongly inside he was completely caught off guard.
He refocused on Katherine. Watching her as she tried to be brave would wear down his resolve not to touch her. He fought like hell against the urge to take her in his arms and comfort her already. A little question mark lingered in the back of his mind. Did she want him the way he wanted her?
He could feel her body react to him every time he touched her. Yet she pulled away.
Dammit.
Under another set of circumstances, he would like to take his time to get to know her. Take her out somewhere nice for dinner. Learn about where she went to college and more about the kind of software company she worked for. Date. Like normal people.
Caleb almost laughed out loud.
His life had been anything but normal. And this impossible situation was only getting worse. The more time he spent with her, the louder his danger alarms sounded. She was already under his skin, and he wanted to get closer.
His biggest fear was that he wouldn’t be able to protect her when the time came, and he would lose her forever. They’d narrowly escaped several times in the past few hours.
Her resolve was weakening.
He could go a few more days without sleep, and his only injury came from his shoulder. He could fix it with a sterile needle and thread. Neither of those was on him at present. He was running out of options for places to hide.
He’d take her to the only place he’d ever truly felt safe, his ranch...and figure out a way to get a message to Matt. Then he’d have to find a way to keep his family safe.
Chapter Eight
Katherine’s chestnut hair had been pulled up loosely in a ponytail. Caleb’s fingers itched from wanting to feel the stray strands that framed her face. The desire to reach out, touch her, be her comfort, was an ache in his chest. But he couldn’t be her shelter now and still walk away later when this whole ordeal had passed. No use putting much stock in the emotions occupying his thoughts. He checked the area and deemed it safe. For the moment. “I need to get back to TorJake.”
“Why? Won’t they be all over the ranch?” Her violet eyes were enormous. “Isn’t that the last place we should go?”
“They’ll be watching at the very least. And we’re out of options.”
He glanced around, keeping an eye on a homeless man curled up near the underbrush. “Out here, there are too many factors outside of my control.”
“What if they’re already there waiting? With everything that’s happened so far, they will be all over the place. If the police don’t catch us first.”
“It’s a big ranch. I know a place we can hide for a while as long as we can get supplies.”
“You think they have the police in their pockets?”
Caleb scratched behind Max’s ears. “There could be an officer on Kane’s payroll, not the entire force. Rich, connected people use any means to get what they want. Doesn’t matter. He has his own personal army of security to command. I can’t watch our backs out here.”
“What if the sheriff is there? What if he’s waiting to arrest us?”
“He believes you’re being set up, too.”
Shock widened her eyes. “He said that?”
“Yes.”
“How can we be sure he’s telling the truth? I mean, he could set a trap to make us feel safe so he can arrest us. Or Kane might have gotten to him, offering cash.”
Caleb paused for a beat. “I believe the sheriff is honest. I’ve known him long enough to vouch for him.” Caleb and Coleman might have had a good relationship in the past. But that was before Caleb was wanted for questioning in a murder. It’d be risky to trust Coleman now that they were on the run and wanted for questioning, but he didn’t want to tell her that. They couldn’t risk being delayed at the station and losing time in their search for Noah. Her fingers were interlocked. “If this guy is as big as you say he is, who can really protect us? Where can we go? Even if we make it to the ranch by some miracle, how will we survive? We’ll be in hiding forever.”
“Only until we come up with a better plan. I can connect with Matt and the boys. They’ll be able to help.”
“And Noah will end up dead. I heard him wheeze on the phone. If these men are as heartless as you say, then they won’t take him to the hospital. They’ll just let him die and dump him somewhere.”
“We’ll figure out a way to get medicine to the drop. Then we have to hide. I didn’t see anything on the CD that will help us.”
She folded her arms across her chest. Her hands gripped her elbows until her knuckles went white. “They can’t contact me now, remember? Not after you trashed my cell. If I don’t show up to the drop and stay, they will kill him. There’s no other way to reach me.”
“We don’t know that. If you go, they’ll shoot you on the spot. Then what?”
She looked as though she needed a moment to digest his words. “Why do you think they went from trying to make contact with us to trying to kill us?”
“My guess is whatever Leann had over them, they think you’ve seen it.”
“Will they hurt Noah now anyway?”
“I believe they’ll keep him alive until...”
“They finish the job. Meaning, erase both of us. Then they’ll kill him.”
Caleb looked into her vivid gaze. The hurt he saw nearly did him in. He leaned toward her and rested his forehead against hers.
Her hand came up to his chin and guided his lips to hers.
Those lips, soft and slick, pushed all rational thought aside. The bulge in his jeans tightened and strained. The thought of how good she would feel naked and underneath him crashed into his thoughts like a rogue wave, making him harder. He wanted to lay her down and give her all the comfort she could handle.
Was this a bad idea? How could it be when it felt this right? She was almost too much for him. Too beautiful. Too impossible to resist. Were her emotions strapped on a roller coaster she didn’t sign up to ride? Was she afraid? Acting on primal instinct?
She needed confirmation of life. Could he hope for more? That she wanted him as badly as he wanted to feel her naked skin against his?
Her tongue dipped in his mouth, and his control obliterated. Blood rushed in his ears, overshadowing rational thought.
His body was tuned to hers. Every vibration. Every quick breath. Every sexy little moan. The thin cotton material of her shirt was the only barrier to bare skin. He slipped his hand up her shirt, sliding under her lacy bra where he found her delicate skin. Her nipple pebbled. A whoosh sounded in his ears. His muscles clenched.
He wanted her. Now. He pushed deeper into the vee of her legs. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He was so close to her sweetness, he nearly blew it right there.
She flattened her hands against his back, pulling him closer.
His chest flush with hers sent heat and impulse rocketing through him.
Much more and he couldn’t stop himself from ripping her clothes off right then and there.
She needed him to think clearly. Not like some teenager drunk on pheromones. Besides, she already wore the weight of the world on her shoulders. He didn’t need to add to her guilt.
With a shudder, he pulled back. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Oh.” Embarrassment flushed her cheeks.
He hadn’t meant for that to happen. “Believe me, I want this.”
“No. You’re right. I should definitely not have done that.” Her solemn tone of voice sent a ripple through him.
He stood to face her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. All I want to do is help.”
She stalked to a tree, putting distance between them. Her beautiful face, the pout of her lips, stirred another inappropriate sexual reaction. Didn’t she realize his restraint took Herculean effort at this point?
Dammit that he wanted nothing more than to lay her down right then and make love to her until she screamed his name aloud over and over again. It was all he could do not to think about the pink cotton panties she wore. He hadn’t dared buy her another pale blue silky pair.
Hell, the need to hold her and to protect her surged so strongly, he’d almost blown it. He was trying to be a better person and show self-discipline. Last thing he wanted was to take advantage of her vulnerability and have her regretting anything about the time they spent together.
When they made love—correction, if they made love—it would be the best damn thing either of them had ever done. She wouldn’t walk out of his life afterward. It wouldn’t be temporary. Where the hell did that come from? The admission shocked him.
What was he thinking exactly?
That he didn’t want a convenient relationship with her. Wouldn’t she leave when the heat was off and she could return to her normal life? She was used to living in a busy major metropolitan city. Life on TorJake was simple. Hard work. Long days. Lots of paperwork.
Caleb didn’t get out much. He didn’t hit the bars or see the need to sit at white-tablecloth restaurants.
He loved a hard day’s work. A cool shower. A down-home meal. And to wrap his arms around the woman he loved. Life didn’t get any better than that.
Simply put, their worlds were too different and when she got her life back—and she would get her life back—wouldn’t she walk out like the others and move on? Just like Cissy had? One look at Katherine made his heart stir. Not to mention other parts of his body.