by Angi Morgan
“Jake, I need you.” She couldn’t mean what first entered his mind.
He dropped the phone and sprinted to the bathroom, curious. The wet dog aroma hit him as soon as he entered the misty shower and he knew why she’d called for help. Bree contained a shivering Dallas next to her in the tub.
It was hard to concentrate on anything other than her creamy skin that had a dozen or so freckles. She had excellent muscle tone. Just right for a woman, proving that she worked out somewhere. Wishing that was all he could see, he focused on the squirming dog with a paw on the edge of the tub instead of the perfect derriere covered by one layer of terry cloth.
“She’s through playing, but I still need to rinse my hair. You forgot to leave extra towels.”
Bree was wrapped in one of the four that he owned. He held his hands out but was met with a vigorous shake of dog and tiny shocked squeal from Bree. He needed to act fast, before that corner holding her towel in place became unsecured and he could see more than he needed. Or should.
“Are you going to wrap her in your dirty shirt?” Her perfect lips raised in a clever smile. “You wouldn’t want her to get stinky again. Would you?”
“Just a sec.” The clean towels were still in the dryer. He grabbed them and got back in the tiny bath just as Dallas jumped from the tub and began shaking.
He dropped the towel on top of the pup and rubbed. “What’s the idea?”
“I had to set her down. My towel was slipping. Then she jumped. Watch out, she’s slippery when wet.”
Slippery tile was much easier to handle than the slippery slope that would happen if he caught a glimpse of more than bare shoulders and knees. There’s no telling where he—or they—might fall.
Bed was the most probable conclusion.
Chapter Twelve
Bree stared at Jake’s king-size bed. It looked inviting and absolutely huge. Since he’d barely let her out of his sight, she was stuck standing in the hall alternating her view between bed and bath. It was either envying Dallas, sound asleep and curled in the middle of a large mattress with soft pillows, or Jake’s jean-clad backside as he dried the tile with a washcloth since he was out of towels.
Sometimes the bath view made her forget she was in trouble or that the man on his knees had threatened to turn her in to the police. Duh, he was the police. He’d changed his dirty slacks for an old pair of work jeans. Slung low on his hips, frayed holes in both knees and, of course, no shirt.
She tightened the belt around her only garment and switched to staring at the bed. His fluffy robe was nice and warm for all of her body except her feet. Those were covered with a pair of his woolen socks that looked and felt like marine issue.
“Don’t you have a pair of sweats I could put on? You could shower and we could be on our way in fifteen minutes instead of a couple of hours waiting on clothes.”
“I told you—”
“I know, you’ve got it covered. Just be patient.” Easier said than done. “Dallas seems to love your bed.” Tired and dead on her feet, she wanted to sink onto that pillow top, dive under the heavy comforter and not move for three days. She’d go without food to just lie in one spot and not have to think about anything.
“You ready?”
She must have phased out leaning on the door frame because Jake stood in the hall holding a sofa cushion in one hand and pointing toward the bathroom with the other. “Aren’t you going to shower?”
“Yep. And if you think I’m letting you wander the apartment...forget it.” He pulled his handcuffs from his back pocket.
“Now, come on, Jake. Where do you think I can run dressed like this?”
“I turned my back on you twice and you disappeared on me. Twice. It’s not happening again. Have a seat.” He dropped the cushion in the doorway. She tried to pass and he took her left wrist gently, stroking the scratches she’d received while trying to free herself at the warehouse. “I wish I could keep it loose, Bree, but I’m afraid they don’t work that way.”
She knew and understood his dilemma. He rubbed a thumb across her pulse point, where the same handcuffs had rubbed her raw. The soothing circles of his fingers worked magic, but all too soon he put his arm around her and helped her sit. Then reaching behind her shoulders, his warm breath caressed her ear as he leaned to connect the second handcuff to the pipe under the sink.
The tickle made her tweak her neck close enough to the hero of the day she could kiss him. She wanted to. It would be the most natural thing in the world to lean just a bit forward...
Her eyes fluttered open as she caught her movement. Jake had met her halfway and their lips explored each other. Excitement mixed with longing and wonder, then an “oh, no, what am I doing” moment took over.
Their kiss was everything the connection she’d shared with him in the coffee shop had promised. And then some.
The sound of the handcuffs closing around the sink’s drain caused her to pull back too far and bump her head on the wall. How embarrassing. She’d kissed him and he’d cuffed her.
“Ah...am I supposed to cover my eyes when you undress? Don’t you feel a little awkward?” She wasn’t clear if she spoke about the upcoming shower or the rising anticipation his touch had caused. She didn’t close her eyes, keeping them completely open and noticing the day’s growth of stubble on his jaw.
The lines etched into his face—were they from smiles or worries? His closeness made her curious to know which. His nearness mixed with a simple desire to want anything other than what was actually happening to her.
“Are you kidding?” He laughed. “I’ve been showering with other people for eight years. Six of those years were in a tent in the desert. Sharing a shower with one person is super easy.”
He stood and unbuttoned the top button to his jeans as if she was another soldier. Her free hand smacked her eyes she covered them so quickly. She wanted to be casual about watching. If he weren’t so darn cute or hadn’t just kissed her and moved on like it was nothing, maybe it would be easier to watch him undress. She heard the loose jeans fall to the floor, the hamper lid as it dropped shut, the tub curtain pulled to the side and swished back into place. She was glad one of them didn’t have a problem showering in front of others and wished she’d been brave enough to peek. She dropped her hand but kept her eyes shut, leaning her head against the hard wall.
Someone calling her name brought her back from the edge of a nightmare starring Larry in his black ski mask. His knife was about to cut more than her sweater.
“You were snoozing hard and fast there. Sorry to wake you, Sleeping Beauty, but can you toss me that towel on the sink? I can get it, but I’d be in my altogether.”
Bree could see more through the opaque curtain than she’d imagined possible. The outline of his tall, lean body for one. She reached above her head for the towel and tossed it in his general direction. She’d seen his shoulders while he walked around bare chested. Well, not completely bare—it had the cutest amount of hair right where there should be.
“Thanks for taking such a quick shower.” She gulped.
“No choice. All the hot water was gone.” Behind the plain curtain, Jake shook the water from his hair, much like Dallas had earlier.
Bree admired his outline as he gingerly dabbed at the spot above his ear where he’d been shot. She was very grateful he wasn’t asking her to answer questions. She was certain she’d forgotten how to speak.
Oh, my goodness. He stepped over the side of the tub with the towel splitting open across his thigh. Her eyes had to be popping from their sockets. She couldn’t force them to close, her free hand refused to rise to her face and she was definitely no longer sleepy.
“I decided to save time and live with the stubble.” He scratched his sexy jaw with his nails, creating a sound only stubble on a man’s chin can make. She knew what his stubble a
gainst her cheek felt like, and darn it, she wanted to feel it there again.
Water droplets still clung to his tanned, hard chest. How could a man be so tan in the middle of winter? She wanted to know more about him. Why had he left the marine corps and how could he be so darn confident putting a plan into action to help her?
“I’ll be back in a sec to unlock you.”
There wasn’t much space in the doorway. As tempting as he was to look at, she shifted and practically hugged the pipe with both arms. He passed behind her and she began to relax a little.
Then his towel shot over her head, landing in the tub. She dropped her face in her hands and heard roaring laughter behind her from his bedroom. He didn’t shut the door.
Holy moly.
Chapter Thirteen
Bree expected the police or Larry and his cohort to pull up at any minute. In her opinion, they’d been at Jake’s apartment too long. They had enough money to buy anything they needed and didn’t need to waste time doing laundry.
But here she sat, nice and clean, full from a very good sandwich and cup of instant hot chocolate, waiting on her jeans and shoes to dry. An exhausted Dallas was curled on the couch cushion as her host gathered things for their trip.
Jake had finally let her call her family. She’d tried several times. No answer. Her heart pounded each time it rang, uncertain of what she’d say or how they’d take the news that she was alive.
Would they forgive her? Understand why she’d thought it was necessary to hide? And more than anything, were they okay or had Griffin’s men already harmed them? The same questions she’d been asking herself while she’d been gone. She needed to get to Amarillo, find the answers and put an end to this story.
For the umpteenth time, she counted the cars in the parking lot and on as much of the street as she could see. The newest parked were easy to spot since another snow flurry had begun. There were two cars in the lot with snow melting on their warm hoods. But she was more curious about the tire tracks next to Jake’s truck, where a car had come and gone.
Being mindful of her surroundings and if anyone followed her for any length of time was a way of life for her now. It hadn’t prevented any of the events today, but she must have seen those men at some point. Where? They must have found her location and followed her around. Otherwise, how would they have known she was supposed to work for Brenda Ellen?
Sitting here, wearing only a robe, she was vulnerable and unprepared. But finally warm. Jake brought her an ancient handmade quilt as an extra layer before he joined Dallas on the couch.
Poor little Dallas. Even at six months old she slept a lot, but she needed to run and play. Maybe it would be better to leave her behind somewhere? It would be so hard to part with her, though.
Dallas had played in the warm shower like any Labrador who loved the water. Handing her over to Jake to be dried had been strangely intimate. She still wasn’t certain which had been more embarrassing—him watching her throughout her shower or her watching him during his?
Actually, it hadn’t been too intimidating undressing in front of him for some reason. She trusted that he’d kept his eyes shut. Trusting him was actually rather easy. Jake was the one who’d gotten soaked when Dallas shook the water from her fur. A lighthearted moment before he’d pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the hamper.
But she hadn’t been laughing when he’d kissed her and handcuffed her to the pipes. Not only didn’t he trust her to stay in the apartment, he didn’t trust her to be cuffed to something comfortable in another room. And was totally avoiding any contact or repeat of their kiss.
“Does it make sense to just sit here? The longer we wait, the harder it’s going to be to get my family back. I can’t call my uncle again until I get a replacement charger since you left mine in my suitcase.” She took a deep breath before facing him, determined to stand her ground and move forward.
“You can’t panic when we’re delayed. Trust me. I made a couple of phone calls while you were in the shower. I’m not dragging my heels waiting on your clothes. I’m waiting on a marine buddy who’s bringing some equipment.
“We should be on the road in a half hour or so. Anything about the weather?” he asked.
“Sorry, I had the sound down and was watching outside.”
She tugged the belt of his terry-cloth robe tighter and hugged the collar closer to her neck. Under the robe she wore nothing. She’d chosen the hard footstool so she wouldn’t fall asleep. She should be exhausted and terrified, but relaxing when she couldn’t reach any of her family didn’t make sense. She could only leave messages for her uncle, too.
Four paws in the air, Dallas stretched, laying her head on Jake’s lap. Bree could easily be envious again. Of the soft cushions, not Jake’s lap.
“When will your department notice the money’s gone?” Bree asked as the clothes and tennis shoes tumbled dry in the background.
“They’ll probably miss the phone Monday morning, but the money? No one found it before you called. You’re lucky I hadn’t been escorted from the building. A little earlier or later and I wouldn’t have been able to help you.”
“I feel terrible that you’ve lost your job. Do you think you can get it back?” She did feel bad. But if he hadn’t been suspended, would he be helping her now? She had to count her blessings when she could.
“Maybe.” He shrugged, the white of his undershirt outlining his solid, broad shoulders. “Maybe I don’t want it saved. I haven’t decided. It’s been an awkward promotion. I’ve known from day one it wasn’t a great fit. They groomed another patrolman all last year. My military service fast-tracked me and, unfortunately, there was only one opening. It might have worked out in the long run, but it would have been a very long, lonely run to make. Enough about me, I need facts, Sabrina Watkins. You ready to tell me your story now?”
Had he just shared personal feelings with her? Was he trying to gain her confidence in spite of securing her to the bathroom floor? Does it matter? You’ve got nowhere to go and no one to ask for help.
“Do you know the guys who abducted you?” he asked. Leaning back, he stretched his neck from side to side before raising a water bottle and tossing two aspirin into his mouth.
“I can’t identify them. They kept their masks on the entire time they had me in a car and an old warehouse. But I’d recognize the one called Larry. I don’t think I’ll forget his eyes. He had the same glare of the man who told Griffin I had to be killed. I’m praying he’s not the one who has my family.”
What was she going to do? She rose to wander the room, unable to be still. There weren’t any boxes sitting in corners, but there were stacks of things that had been unpacked and just left.
“Now who’s Griffin?” he asked. “You’ve mentioned him before.”
“Is your friend ever going to get here?” She walked back to the balcony door, searching the lot again. Should she mention those tire tracks or ask him to let her in on his plan? Trust works both ways, fella.
“He’s getting our supplies. Talk.”
“Our families were friends in Silverton. Griffin Tyler is a bit older, got his veterinary license and started his own business in Amarillo. I owned a pet grooming and boarding business. Very small, but he asked me to join forces with him almost four years ago.”
“So that’s the business they took from you?”
She nodded. “They ended up setting fire to the building, after I stabbed Griffin with a scalpel.”
“In self-defense?”
“He was trying to kill me.”
He smiled. Even in the dim light from the hallway she could see the shine of his teeth. “What made you think they were trying to kill you?”
In spite of the conversation, Bree was very conscious she was undressed and couldn’t leave. As much as she wanted to avoid discussing what happened on
the day that changed her life, she couldn’t steal his keys that he’d left near the door and just go. He’d catch her as she fought to keep the robe together while running down the sidewalk.
“The gun for starters. I know a lot of long-haul truckers, my dad’s friends,” she continued. “I’d groom their dogs when they stopped in Amarillo. I usually worked two Sundays a month. That day, I finished early and decided to check on the animals we were boarding for the weekend. My assistant had gone to a wedding or baby shower and couldn’t get by until much later. That’s when I overheard them talking. The evil guy—his eyes gleamed when he spoke about killing—he was there telling Griffin what their orders were.”
“And you saw his face?”
She shivered when the image of the man popped into her mind. “I can’t forget what he looked like. The nightmares keep it fresh. I’ve never remembered things so vividly before. There was just something evil about the way he looked when he mentioned killing. I hate the nightmares.”
Jake looked as though he sympathized and understood. Did he have nightmares from his experience in the military?
“So you...” He urged her to finish while stroking Dallas gently between the ears.
She searched the titles of books stacked in the corner instead of Jake’s face. She shouldn’t wonder about his dreams or what his life was like. She had too much to think about as things stood. “I knew I needed to get out of there fast. I ran for my van, hoping they hadn’t seen me. Then I remembered the animals. If they were going to ‘torch’ the place, like they’d discussed, all the animals I was boarding would die. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Just like you couldn’t let Dallas stay at the shelter and risk no one adopting her?”
“It took three months to talk Brenda Ellen into taking her home and if I wasn’t there, they might have...” She didn’t want to think about the animals she hadn’t gotten homes for—there’d always be too many. “Why did you think I’d come back for her?”