“I’m okay.”
“Don’t want another injury to this perfect body,” he said to her.
She didn’t look at him.
“Don’t say things like that to me.”
“Just stating the truth, honey. Your body is perfect and when I get you down to the parking area, I’m going to ensure that cut doesn’t require a trip to the doctor’s office.”
She was quiet after that as they made the trek back down toward the parking area, catching a few other hikers in the distance that seemed oblivious to what occurred where Cali and Wayde were twenty minutes deeper into the woods.
“So, what’s the interest in learning how to shoot if guns scare you so much?” he asked.
She stopped short and looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. Her lips parted and she looked speechless.
“Was that too direct of a question?” he pushed.
She stopped and held on to a tree a moment, then looked down at her knee. She was bleeding through the T-shirt and his concern went up a notch that she needed some stitches.
He reached out and cupped her chin and jaw. Locking gazes with her, he licked his lower lip. “Let me guess. You had a bad experience, and were caught off guard, and now you want to be better prepared in case something happens again?”
She just stared at him. He couldn’t believe how compelled he was to kiss her. Her lips looked so inviting, and the fear combined with sadness in her eyes was too much to ignore.
“You shouldn’t have to hold a gun and learn how to shoot to make you feel empowered. You’re too sweet. Too shy and beautiful to have to deal with the violence of guns.”
He lowered closer to her. The need to taste her lips was too hard to resist. Her eyes widened and she looked scared.
He placed his hand above her shoulder, against the tree, and leaned in close. His heart hammered inside of his chest. Right before he touched her lips with his, she whispered.
“It’s too late for that, Warren. The damage is done.”
He squinted his eyes.
“Damage?”
She went to look away but then turned back as if she couldn’t get herself to deny the attraction. He reached up with his other hand and tilted her chin and jaw up toward him so she was forced to look in his eyes. He didn’t know how he could tell, but in those gorgeous, milk chocolate eyes was pain. A sight he recognized, identified with, and instantly his gut clenched. He squinted at her.
“Cali,” he said her name then pressed his lips against hers.
Warren had not expected the jolt of desire he felt. He maneuvered his thigh between hers and had her pressed up against the tree and deepening the kiss. She moaned into his mouth and he caught himself moaning, too, she was that delicious, that effective in her kisses alone.
He absorbed everything around them. The sound of the birds, the scent of trees, and her sweet perfume. When she started pushing against his chest, he reluctantly released her lips. He stared down into her eyes and then she looked away, so shy. Like his instincts warned him, she was less experienced.
“You pack one hell of a punch, Cali,” he whispered. Warren caressed her back then slowly pulled back but kept a possessive hold on her hip.
She shook her head.
“Why did you kiss me? You don’t even know me.”
He gave her an expression that had her cheeks blushing and her eyes darting everywhere but at him.
“I’m planning on getting to know you really well, honey, and something tells me, I won’t be the only Perkins interested.”
Her eyes landed back on him wide. He gave her a confident wink then held out his hand.
“Let’s keep moving. I won’t feel safe until you’re in the parking lot, inside my truck, waiting on Wayde and Culhane.”
She looked at his hand and didn’t take it. She surprised him by standing up straight, slightly cringing before she started walking along with Wesson.
Damn dog’s tail was wagging, and he was panting too the moment Cali rubbed his fur.
I know how you feel, Wesson, and I know you’ll want more of her attention just like I will.
* * * *
Warren lifted Cali up into the back bed of the truck so he could take a better look at her leg. He pulled out his cell phone. He didn’t call Cesar. He called Damon, one of Antonia’s men and a Texas Ranger. Cali heard him tell Damon what happened, and as Warren said she was okay and with him now, she couldn’t help but feel a pinch of desire to be this man’s center of attention. It was a foolish thing to consider, despite the fact he kissed her and implied it would happen again. Hell, he implied that his brothers might be interested, too. That was not going to happen. She was shocked she even let Warren kiss her.
She looked at him, muscles galore, wide shoulders, a firm, muscular jaw as he spoke to Damon. His hair was barely there, not quite bald, but dark, very short brown hair and a trim line of beard manicured perfectly. When he ripped her jeans open further, she gasped at the move, at the sight of the muscles even in his fingers and forearms, but also how sexy the man looked sporting some military-style watch. He glanced at the watch then rambled off a military time that made her heart race faster. He caressed her thigh on the other side and looked at her, giving her a reassuring smile.
“We’ll sit tight for a bit and if I don’t hear from Culhane or Wayde in the next thirty minutes, then I’ll bring Cali to Nevin’s office.” Her eyes widened at the mention of going to Nevin’s.
He looked at her cut and wiped away the blood that was oozing still. The cut did look awfully raw and was split open wider than she thought. It was also covered in dirt and could get infected.
“I think she needs a few stitches. Yeah, I’ll take some pictures.” He disconnected the call, then took some pictures of her knee before lifting the camera up and taking them of her.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking pictures to show that you got injured because someone was shooting in an undesignated area.”
“Then why of my face?”
He reached out and caressed her chin.
“Selfish reasons,” he said and winked.
Her heart pounded inside of her chest so damn hard, and the instant she parted her lips he chuckled.
“Don’t freak out. It’s a natural thing. Being so magnetically attracted to a person, but I do admit, it packs one hell of a punch. Now let me see if I can clean this up a little. I don’t have a lot of supplies. I think if we wait too long it could make cleaning it out worse at Dr. Cortland’s office.”
She looked at her knee. This was nothing compared to the gunshot wound to her shoulder and armpit, nor the broken bones and the bruising she had all over her face and body that, thank God, had left no lasting surface scars.
She felt his fingers under her chin. She locked gazes with him and he had a concerned expression on his face with his eyes squinting as he bent to really look her in the eyes. It made her nervous and her breasts swelled and her core tingled. The man was a god. He was beyond sexy.
“Don’t be scared of being alone with me. I promised you that I would protect you, didn’t I?”
“I’m not scared of you.”
Bullshit I’m not. My damn hands are shaking.
He pressed his lips to hers like it was the most natural thing to do and that he had every right to do that. When he released her lips, she pressed her hand against his chest.
“Stop doing that.”
“Why? Don’t you like it?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Sure it is.”
“No, Warren, I don’t know you. I don’t kiss strange men in the woods just because some idiot decided to take pot shots for fun.”
He reached up and ran his knuckles along her cheek. “I’m sure this was a first for you. Being shot at and scared.” She looked away from him. He touched her chin and she looked at him.
“Or maybe not,” he whispered, obviously picking up on the way she turned from his remark. Then they heard multiple
vehicles pulling up and she looked to see the park rangers, along with a state trooper truck. The trooper was Kye. One of Amber’s men.
“Are you okay?” Kye asked her as he came right over. Wesson got in his way and growled.
“Stand down, Wesson,” Warren ordered and the dog sat down in front of Warren.
Kye looked from Warren and Wesson to Cali.
“Let me get down so Wesson knows I’m okay,” she said to Warren.
“No need to. Wesson, up,” he said and Wesson backed up, then jumped up into the back of the pickup truck. He went next to Cali and in the way of Kye.
Cali petted Wesson’s fur. “Good boy,” she said and smiled, then leaned against him.
“Looks like you made a friend. So what the hell happened? Does she need medical attention on that cut? It looks bad,” Kye asked and the park ranger came over.
“I’m taking her to Nevin’s as soon as we’re done here,” Warren said and Kye looked at Cali.
“You okay with that, or do you want me to drive you back and to Nevin’s? I’m sure Carina can meet you there.”
She looked at Warren, who seemed suddenly serious. Her gut clenched.
“Wayde told me to stay with Warren and let him watch over me. Maybe he’ll be back soon and it won’t matter. I don’t think I need stitches.”
“And who do we have here?” The other officer, a park police ranger, came over and smiled at her. He was an older man and very attractive.
Kye introduced him as Stew to her. She gave a small smile and he looked her over with interest. “That cut looks pretty deep. You need stitches, I think.” He stepped closer to her, reached out, and touched her leg, which was sort of inappropriate. Wesson growled low.
Cali saw Kye smirk and look at Warren. “I’ll take good care of her, Stew, don’t you worry. So what are you going to do to try and find out who was taking pot shots at my friends?” he asked the ranger.
Just then Warren’s cell phone rang. “It’s Culhane.”
“Yeah,” he said and she watched Warren’s eyes widen and then an angry scowl form on his face. His hand was on the truck by her leg and she didn’t know why, but she covered it with her own and they locked gazes. “Are you sure? Smith got a good scent? Really? Interesting. Sure, I’ll let the park police know and yeah, Kye will call Cesar, too. I’ll bring her to Nevin’s and meet you there later. I think so. Okay. Later.”
“What did he say?” she asked him.
He squeezed her hand and he looked at Kye and Stew. “Looks like it might have been some kids. They found a bunch of candy wrappers and a bag from the store in Repose and some empty beer cans.”
“That could be from anyone,” Stew said.
“Empty casings were found near there, and fresh, too. Plus, they were found in a non-designated shooting zone. Besides that, they found a keychain with a Repose High School logo on it. Culhane said it looks like they were just hanging out waiting for someone to come along to scare.”
“They?” Stew asked.
“Culhane thinks there were three of them from the footprints. One was a smoker. They found a lit cigarette there beside the empty cans of cheap beer. Smith brought them right to the area.”
“So you think it was some local high school kids? Seriously?” Cali asked in anger.
“It happens, honey. They look to blow off some steam at the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. Their friends bet them to do stupid stuff,” Stew told her in a very pacifying style.
“She could have been shot. A state trooper, too, Stew, so I suggest you take this seriously,” Warren said to him.
“I know my job, and the law enforcement agencies will be handling it accordingly. Now I have a few questions for Cali,” Stew said, and smiled at her. She didn’t care for his attitude one bit but he was a police officer and Warren wasn’t.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened from the beginning, and then how you wound up with Warren Perkins and company,” Stew said and gave Warren the once over like he was below Stew’s level. She was immediately annoyed.
She explained about going for a hike and learning some of the cautions. Stew stood really close and seemed to be staring at her lips. Of course, thinking about her lips, she thought about the way it felt when Warren had kissed her. She couldn’t believe she’d let him.
“You should learn from someone who knows these woods in and out. I’ll give you my business card and write my ‘personal’ cell phone number on the back. Maybe we could get together and I can show you some survival skills in the woods, Cali.” In her peripheral vision, she could see Warren getting pissed off. His face was red and his cheeks caved in like he was biting his cheek. Kye grabbed ahold of him.
“I don’t think that will be necessary. I couldn’t imagine there being anyone more trained or capable of teaching me survival skills, as you call them, in the woods, than a retired Green Beret who grew up around these parts as his own back yard. Plus, Wayde is a state trooper and hunter.”
“I can assure you, some Green Beret doesn’t know the things I know.”
She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Well, to be honest, Mr. Park Police Ranger, sir—”
“Call me Stew, Cali. For now,” he said and winked.
What an asshole.
“As I was saying, Stew, I don’t think anyone will have to worry about teaching me survival skills in the woods any time soon. I’d be way too scared knowing that some teenagers were in the woods shooting at random people. In fact, as soon as I get to work at the Filling Station, I’m going to be sure to tell all my friends, and all the men and women that have been planning some summer activities in these woods. It just wouldn’t be safe for any of them to be here,” she said and laid it on thick. He immediately got serious.
“I can assure you, Cali, that I am personally going to make sure I find who these kids are and charge them. The park police have a responsibility to ensure everyone’s safety.”
“Well, I would hope so, Stew. Considering I was shot at multiple times, have this injury that may or may not need stitches, and a state trooper who was with me was nearly shot, too. That’s damn serious stuff.”
He cleared his throat and looked at Kye and Warren, then back at her.
“I’ll need your contact information in case I have further questions. Plus, I want to be sure that you’re okay. I’m taking this situation seriously and I plan on keeping you abreast of the situation.” He handed her his notebook.
She knew she needed to be careful and wished that Wayde had been here to help her with this. She had just gotten her message across to Stew and now she had to flirt a little to make him back off from asking for anything other than her phone number.
“You know what, Stew? I think you’re probably very good at your job,” she said and gave him a sexy smile. He ate it right up. “So I’m going to give you my cell phone number. If anything else is needed, then you call me and we can take it from there.” She wrote her number down, and then handed it to him. She winced as she moved her leg.
“I would drive you into Repose myself, Cali, but I want to be sure to get onto those tracks and the evidence so I can make some arrests.”
“Oh, I know you would. You seem really nice, but I have Warren to take care of me, and of course Wesson,” she said and started to move from the truck.
“Let me help you,” Warren said. He nudged Stew out of the way and lifted her by her hips as she held on to his shoulders. He held her gaze with a very serious expression and she knew he would ask her what she had been up to. He wasn’t stupid. Stew, on the other hand, was a moron who should have been more focused on finding the kids who took the shots than on flirting with her.
“I’ll give you guys a call in a little bit,” Kye said and gave her a wink. He smiled at Warren and Warren opened the passenger door, then lifted her up to place her into the passenger seat. He walked around to the driver side and Wesson hopped into the back and looked out the open window.
She looked down at her kne
e and the material of the shirt Warren had tied over it to help stop the bleeding. She didn’t want stitches. She had enough scars, and the one from the bullet would last a lifetime.
She glanced at Warren behind the wheel of the big pickup truck he drove. She liked him. She was completely attracted to him, and wondered why now? Why when she was trying to get her life back together and move on from the abduction? Was it because she was looking for some kind of deeper, more intimate connection? Her own father was avoiding her and she was certain she would never see him again. He was cutting ties with her, and she wondered why.
That caused such an ache in her heart. She barely remembered her mother and lost her at such a young age. Her father worked so much she had a better relationship with her caregiver, an aunt who passed away when Cali was in high school. Hadn’t she suffered enough abandonment and loss in her life?
She feared letting down her guard just a little, yet every instinct in her gut told her she could trust Warren. Yet, another part of her feared that the danger wasn’t behind her. She escaped from those men. She killed to get out of there and survive. She knew they had come after her because of her father and an investigation he was doing into their criminal activities. They were evil, hurtful men and they wouldn’t just forget about her and move on. She knew that, too. It wasn’t safe to get close to anyone in an intimate fashion. Not when those men could use it against her, or hurt those she cared about.
But she was tired of feeling separated from everything. She wanted connections. She wanted truth, honesty, commitment, and to feel important, hell, loved. That thought brought tears to her eyes that she immediately submerged. She was tired, and the scare from today would surely bring her one hell of a sleepless night this evening.
As they drove out of there and into town, she leaned back and exhaled in relief.
“Care to explain why you didn’t want Stew to have your full name and address?”
She looked at him with adoration. He was good looking, strong, tough, and damn sexy. He was way older than she was and she couldn’t get involved with him.
The Battlefield Series 5: Breaking Through the Pain (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7