“Yup. Don’t want you to think I’m a liar. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Since he’d already made the purchase via text message, it took no time to pick up his new pet and proudly bring it out to the Mercedes.
Lisa burst out laughing again. “A turtle?”
“A painted tortoise, if you don’t mind. They don’t like to be called turtles.”
“Really? How do you know?”
“We’ve already started to bond. We have a lot in common. We both like feisty brunette nurses.”
She peered at the small creature in the carrier. “What’s wrong with his leg?”
“He’s a rescue turtle. His bandages will need changing every couple of days for the next few weeks.”
Her gaze skidded back up to meet his. “Oh, that’s low. You chose an injured turtle on purpose.”
“Of course I did, Nurse Badass with the Soft Heart. I told you I was starting to figure you out.” He grinned at her. “I dare you to walk away from the poor little guy.”
“He’s a turtle. He’s slow. Even slower than slow because he’s injured. He’d never catch up with me.”
“Because you won’t have the heart to leave him.”
“You are going to pay for this.” But her voice had gone soft. She inserted her finger through the wire mesh and touched the turtle’s shell. He cocked his head at her with a bright, inquisitive look.
Finn did a silent air punch of triumph.
After that, they drove back to the campground.
With her hands still clamped onto the steering wheel, she jerked the car to a stop. She stared at the spot where her motorhome had been. What had been an idyllic grove of pines now looked like a bomb had dropped. A scorched skeleton of a picnic table stood to one side of the pile of smoldering metal wreckage. Her whole body started to shake. “Oh my God. It’s real. Someone literally tried to kill me.”
“We don’t know that for sure yet.” Finn extracted his arm from around the tortoise’s cage and touched her shoulder.
“You don’t understand. I do know. And he tried to kill you too, just because you happened to be with me. Holy shit, Finn. This is insane. Oh my God, oh my God!” She reached over and punched the locks on the door, as if that would stop any bad guys nearby. She shrank back into the seat, wrapping her arms around herself.
“He?” Finn stared at her. “You say that like you know who it is.”
“No. I don’t. Not really.” She shuddered, her entire body shaking.
“Lisa. Listen to me.” He put both hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her eyes refused to meet his. She scanned the campground, the woods, the backseat. Anything except him. “Take a deep breath. You need some oxygen. Passing out isn’t going to help anything.”
“I’m not going to pass out,” she snapped. “And telling someone to take a deep breath is just so annoying. Why are you so calm? You shouldn’t be calm. He almost killed you too!”
“I’m calm because I have a plan. Several plans, in fact.”
“Plans. Plans? It’s not your job to think of plans for me. I can do that myself. I’ve been doing it since I left Houston. And before that. I’m an independent, self-sufficient woman. Damn it all.”
“Of course you are. You’re amazing. But you don’t have to do everything alone. You have friends here. People you can trust. You have me. Here.” He grabbed a t-shirt from Suzanne’s bag of clothes and handed it to her. She used it to blot the tears on the upper curves of her cheeks.
“This is crazy. I’m usually the calm and collected one. You should see me in the ER. I never lose control. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“I do.” He pushed her hair away from her face. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience. Your home burned down. And now you have a pet tortoise. Of course you’re upset.”
She gave a shaky smile, then rested her head against his hand, giving its entire weight into his keeping. It was such a trusting gesture that his heart skipped several beats.
They stayed like that until his wrist started to cramp. But he’d rather chop it off than make her move.
Finally, she shook herself and sat up. “Let’s go see what’s left of my glamorous life.”
17
Lisa felt as if she were moving in slow motion as she got out of her car and walked toward her former haven. She’d been avoiding this moment all day. Her original plan had been to get up early, take Finn to his Tahoe, keep her promise to Will Knight, then drive like a bat out of hell in the general direction of Canada.
Why Canada? Why not? It had always stuck her as a safe kind of country.
But Finn had changed that plan just by walking into the kitchen that morning, all tousle-haired and stubbly and irresistible. She’d never forget the way he’d rescued her from the fire yesterday. Now she felt anchored to him. Tethered, like a kite on a string. As if he was the only thing keeping her from floating off into panic.
Driving around Jupiter Point with him, picking up clothes and toothbrushes and turtles, made it even harder to separate from him. She found herself sticking close to his side as they approached the wreckage.
Finn squatted down and poked through the cinders with a stick. He found a few window handles and a cracked mug, and then, like a miracle, her panini maker. He used the sleeve of his hoodie to pick it up.
Completely unharmed.
“Looks like lunch is on me.” By some miracle, she actually managed a joke.
Finn shot her a proud smile. “You really are a badass, aren’t you?”
She didn’t want to admit what an act it all was. Sure, in the ER she knew what she was doing. But she wasn’t equipped for this kind of situation. Ever since she realized that her home was on fire, she’d been shaking like a leaf on the inside, where no one could see. “Not nearly as tough as this panini maker. I wonder if it still works?”
He hefted it in one hand and examined it. “It’s a stovetop version, right? Just a hunk of metal. I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. Grilled cheese and ham, that’s my vote.” He put the panini maker down and sifted through more smoking, formless debris.
Her heart expanded as she watched. Was Finn skipping his training today so he could help her out? She’d never even asked. He’d dropped everything to help her without a second thought. And that was after he’d rescued her from a burning vehicle. He’d offered his home, he’d gotten a pet for her. Finn was a rock-solid man.
She could trust him.
“I helped a friend escape her abusive husband,” she said abruptly. “He’s a prominent politician in Houston. That’s why I left. I was afraid he’d send someone after me because he’s very well connected. She kept coming into the ER, and I kept reporting what I saw, but nothing was done. The police never even questioned her, even when she finally agreed to call them. I had to break about a dozen hospital rules but I knew there was no other way she’d ever be able to leave him.”
He set his butt on the ground, resting his elbows on his knees. She fixed her gaze on the panini maker next to him, its familiar stainless-steel casing grounding her.
“Start at the beginning,” he said softly. “So I make sure I understand.”
“I knew Maria in high school. I saw her on the news over the years so I knew she’d married an up-and-coming politician. But I wasn’t really in touch with her. Then she came into the ER one night for a sprained wrist. She used her maiden name, which was a red flag right there. She refused to tell me anything, so I followed protocol and wrote up my notes. She kept coming in with new injuries every other month for about a year. I worked the night shift, so I saw her a lot. Every time I’d write my notes, but nothing would happen. It was like my reports were disappearing into nowhere.”
Finn frowned, making his scars stand out even more. “Was someone making them disappear, do you think?”
“I don’t know. I talked to my supervisor but still nothing changed. Finally, she came in with a broken arm, and I was like, you can’t keep doing this. By
then we’d gotten to be really close friends. She asked me to help her. I didn’t have any expertise in that kind of thing.”
It felt so good to finally share this story with someone. Now that she’d started, she didn’t want to stop. She wanted to share every detail, although she knew that would be a mistake. No last names, that was her red line in the sand. Everything else, she could tell him.
“I switched her paperwork with someone else’s, then snuck her out of the hospital to my car. We just drove off. I told my family I was taking an extended vacation. Maria had family in Mexico, so I drove her across the border. Then I headed to California because it seemed like a good place to lose myself. In San Luis Obispo, I saw a notice in the newspaper about the Forest Service looking for volunteer spotters. It seemed like the perfect way to be useful but hard to find. I didn’t know if her husband would be looking for me, but better safe than sorry.”
He watched her with dark eyes that didn’t miss a thing. “You left everything, just like that? For your friend?”
“It wasn’t just for her. I was so stressed out, losing weight, not sleeping. I needed a break. I didn’t trust anyone at the hospital because it seemed like something fishy was going on. I figured I’d take a little time off, do some traveling, and go home when things had died down.” Tears started in her eyes, but she blinked them back. “I didn’t think anyone was going to search for me, but if they did, they’d never look in a motorhome. Or so I thought.” Sadly, she kicked at a piece of scorched metal. “Or a lookout tower, for that matter.”
He frowned, as if working through her whole story, trying to make sense of it. “Did you ever get any hint that someone was looking for you?”
“No. At first I was nervous about that, of course. That’s why I chose the job in the tower, because I could see all the way around me, three hundred and sixty degrees, all directions. There was no way anyone was going to sneak up on me. But no one ever tried.”
“Well…” He pulled a rueful face. “There was that one time…”
She knelt down on the ground next to him. His dark eyes tracked every move. She touched his hair, the soft thick waves like velvet. “I’m so sorry about that. Where did he hit you?”
He shook his head impatiently. “Nowhere. It’s not important.”
“It is to me.” She slid her fingers over his scalp. “If you think about it, you were protecting me before you even met me.”
He laughed. “I got knocked on my ass. How do you figure that?”
“I heard the whole story from Molly. You stepped between Merry and the gunman. Okay, so you weren’t technically protecting me. But I’m going to count it anyway. If I had still been there, you would have stopped him. With your head.”
He tilted his head under her touch. What started as the kind of gesture she’d use with a patient quickly morphed into something else. Something more electric.
“I really had no idea it had happened. I feel terrible that you and Merry got hurt because of me.” She touched the scar on his face, his neck. His eyes darkened.
“You can’t take the blame for that. Christ, Lisa. You have to tell Knight everything you just told me. And Chief Becker. They’re both smart, I trust them. They can protect you.”
She didn’t answer. As much as she wished that were true, she didn’t really believe it. The only way she could be totally safe would be to leave Jupiter Point and disappear. Saskatchewan. Winnipeg. One of those weird, cold Canadian provinces that were too far away from Houston for anyone to bother.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Finn said. He stood up, pulling her with him. “Running isn’t the answer. If they found you here, they can find you anywhere.”
“You know, the funny thing is, I don’t even know what they want with me. I assume Maria’s husband is behind this, but I don’t know where she is now. We agreed to not communicate. And why would he want to kill me? It just doesn’t make sense.”
He cupped his hands around her face. “This is exactly why you should stay. Let Deputy Knight and Chief Becker do their jobs. Tell them everything and let them investigate. Find out what’s really going on. In the meantime, stay with me. You have people who care about you here. That’s important.”
“I do?” A shot of pleasure ripped through her.
“You know you do.” He scowled at her. “Isn’t it obvious by now? I don’t want you to leave. What do you think that damn turtle is all about? I care about you. Open your eyes, Lisa. Let me in.”
Let Finn in… She was doing that already, by telling him about Maria, by staying at his house, by dreaming about their kisses, wanting more, wanting him…
“Let’s go back.” She stepped close to him, pressing the length of her body against that solid wall of Finn-ness. “To your place.” She tilted her head and gazed up at him, knowing her desire must be clear in her eyes.
No matter what he said, leaving town was the best course of action. But before she did, she wanted one night with Finn first. Just one. Not enough time to get attached, just enough time to explore the chemistry that sparkled between them.
“One condition,” he told her in a husky voice. “You should refer to it as your place. You’re the one who’s going to be staying there. Rollo’s expecting you to. He’s one thousand percent behind the idea. He’s retired from the crew so he’ll be around more than I will. And he’s Rollo—you’ve seen him. He’s huge and intimidating and more than happy to take on anyone who looks sketchy. It’s the perfect place for you while I’m gone. Please. Say yes.”
“Yes, I’ll come home with you.”
He squinted one eye at her. “That’s not exactly what I asked. Say yes that you’ll stay.”
Instead of a “yes,” she rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. Instant heat seared between them. Oh my God. Her head swam and stars danced across her vision. She must have swayed, because his arms wrapped around her, keeping her upright. Her knees quivered as desire thundered through her veins.
And then they were back in her Mercedes, he was at the wheel, and they were racing out of the campground.
“Your car!”
“Fuck my car,” he growled. “This is more important.”
His urgency amped her lust even higher. She wanted to touch him, put her hand on his thigh, feel the bulge surging between his legs. Was this the feeling that had propelled her mother into all those marriages? She’d never felt anything like it. She thought she might be going crazy.
Why was she thinking about marriage anyway? This wasn’t about marriage. This was a one-time surrender to attraction, end of story. One single night. She’d probably leave tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. Soon, anyway. As soon as she could find someone for Molly, and as soon as she told the full story to Will, and said goodbye to Suzanne and Brianna and Evie and Merry. Maybe she could give Merry an exclusive or something.
Finn reached over and laced his fingers through hers. “Don’t think,” he murmured. “It’s going to be all right. I promise.”
She held on to his hand as if it were a towline in a stormy sea. Finn was right. Everything would be okay, as long as they were together and they were touching and the road wound through the starry night to the top of the hill, where heaven on earth awaited.
18
Finally…finally…that was all Finn could think as they tumbled through the door of the little guesthouse. Finally he could touch Lisa the way he wanted, without holding back any of his wild lust for her. As soon as the door thudded shut behind them, he whirled against the wall and kissed her with the intensity of a tornado. He ran his hands down her sides, reveling in the feel of every sweet curve.
He cupped his hands around her ass, digging his fingers into her firm flesh. God, she felt good. Better than he’d even imagined all those nights. He pulled her legs around his waist, bracing his thighs to hold her up.
The sound of her rapid panting in his ear made his pulse rev even higher. “God, I’ve been craving this moment for so long,” he groaned. “I have no
control over myself. I want to just touch you everywhere. All at once.”
A tremor ran through her body. “Me too. My God. This is insane.” Surprising him, she wriggled from his grasp. “You can’t hold me up like this. What about your scars?”
“Don’t even feel ’em. What do you think all that training’s for?” He helped himself to a handful of her long hair. It slid through his fingers in a silky waterfall. “But that’s fine, I can adjust. Come on. Bedroom. Let’s go.” He tugged her hair back, gratified to see her eyes haze over with the same lust raging through his system.
“Make me,” she murmured.
“Is that a challenge?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be.”
He walked her backwards in the direction of the bedroom. All day long he’d been thinking about the fact that she’d slept in his bedroom. He’d pictured her naked body against his sheets, her hair spread out on his pillows, her skin flushed with sleep. “I think it’s an invitation. I think it’s you wanting me as much as I want you.”
“Maybe even more,” she teased, gliding her hand down to his crotch. He groaned loudly, the sheer pleasure of her touch almost too much to bear. She ran one finger under the waistband of his jeans. “Why don’t you check and see?”
He did as she said, sliding his hand between her leggings and her soft, sweet pussy. “Oh my God. No underwear.”
“I haven’t had a chance to open my new undies yet.”
He maneuvered her through the open door of his bedroom. “It’s too late now.”
Her legs hit the edge of the bed. She sat down abruptly, then lay back. He bent over her, lifting her legs as if she were a doll. He peeled off her leggings then tossed them over his shoulder. He gazed down at her bare legs and the soft nest of hair at the juncture of her thighs, so dark against her pale skin.
She laughed self-consciously. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“You do?”
“You’re thinking ‘there’s no way she comes from Texas. She must be the palest person in the Southwest. Everyone always laughs at me.”
Setting Off Sparks (Jupiter Point Book 4) Page 12