Hell Or High Water (Lost and Found, Inc.)
Page 16
A question slapped him across the face. Was he an old itch she was scratching? Getting him out of her system before returning to her regular life? Maybe she really did want temporary.
He pushed their tattered relationship out of his mind and called Marcus. Nate hated to wake Marcus after only a few minutes of rest, but had to update him on the phone call and upcoming meeting in Oklahoma. Then Nate asked about access to a big rig that included a loading ramp.
“I have a friend who came off the road last night. He’ll let me drive it, but he’s not putting his livelihood on the line for free.”
Nate moved down the hall out of Kaycie’s earshot. “I’ll cover the charge. We have to be able to get a car and my bike in and out with ease.”
“Fuck, man, this is really going down.” Marcus sounded more enthusiastic than he had in days. He’d gone from sounding sleepy and groggy to full-on Army badass. “When do we need it?”
“Kaycie has to be outside the Dairy Dream in Madill by nine in the morning.”
“Don’t make it too easy on me.” Marcus chuckled. “If I’m going to pull an eighteen-wheeler out of my ass, I’d better get busy.”
“How does meeting right outside Tyrell’s apartment sound? At oh-three-hundred. You can park on the shoulder and drop the ramp.”
“That’ll work.”
“I’ll ride with Kaycie until outside Madill. Then I’ll join you and Tyrell. We’ll go into town first, and the truck can break down. Shit ...” Nate closed his eyes for a second. No doubt the bastard Kaycie was meeting would be there early, too. “Won’t work. Three men our size in the cab would be too obvious.”
“Naw. This rig has sleeping quarters. One of you can crawl back there. I’m driving.”
“Tyrell will fit just fine.”
Nate walked back to the living room, parked in the monster easy chair, and made the second call. Tyrell answered on the first ring. Tyrell was about to turn rabid. Waiting had never been either one of their strong suits. The decision to end the surveillance on Hank was hard, but if the shit got nasty, having Tyrell or Marcus to help cover Kaycie was a smart thing.
Nate hit end and then dropped his cell on the table. He scrubbed his hands over his face, battling exhaustion. He and Kaycie needed sleep. Rest upped the odds on their side.
She wrapped her arms around her waist and rocked, her eyelids drooping. Worry lines bracketed her mouth. He just might kill the motherfucker who’d caused her this anguish and despair.
“Go to bed.” The words “before I pull you into my arms” clung to the tip of his tongue unspoken.
“Is that an invitation?” she asked.
“No. You need rest.” He finished the beer he’d opened earlier. He could tell by the determination on her face, she was building toward arguing that she couldn’t sleep. “Count sheep. Do whatever relaxation techniques you can to slow down your brain. You have to be sharper than any of us tomorrow. Go.”
She’d made it plain he was only passing through. If that’s the way she wanted things, temporary would be over tomorrow.
“What about you? You laying down with me?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll grab a shower and stretch out on the couch.” He didn’t wait for a response. Another round of temporary with her and he’d be screwed. He grabbed his bag from her room and hit the shower
****
“Stop staring at me.” Even in the dark, Holly’s eyes on Johnny’s face warmed his skin. Her voice poured over him like a blanket, soft and warm.
Why he’d given into her pitiful cries was a mystery. He didn’t like puzzles. He had too many of them in his life already.
“You’re not a bad person, Johnny. I know that in my heart.”
The pain over his right ear seemed to ease at the sound of her voice. “You know nothing. Shut up, or I’ll toss you back in the trunk.”
A soft whimper drifted across the open space between them. “Please don’t.”
“You haven’t eaten since lunch. I can’t trust you in a drive-thru. If you get hungry ...”
“No food,” she said quickly. “Really. I’m fine. Can you tell me where we’re going?”
He saw no reason to keep their destination a secret. She was never leaving the property anyway.
“The boss has an isolated cabin. Sounds like a good place to make the swap. I want to get there early enough to do reconnaissance. I need an alternate way out in case things go bad.”
“That’s a military term, isn’t it? Recon. What branch were you in?”
Was he in the military? Hell if he knew. He ran his hand over his chin and concentrated. Nope. Nothing.
“Johnny?” She spoke so softly he almost didn’t hear.
A small cold hand gripped his bicep, startling him and causing him to jerk out of her grasp. The noise she made didn’t sound human. Shit, he’d scared her again.
“Sorry, you surprised me.” He hoped she’d say his name again. She didn’t. “Did you want something?”
“What happened to you?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” The pain over his ear heightened.
“People don’t get up one morning and decide they’re capable of killing on command. Do they? Why else would you be involved in this?”
“I’m good at what I do. Orders are easy for me to follow.”
“So if I order you to stop the car and let me out, you’d do it?”
“It’s not quite that simple.” He allowed a smile to creep up his cheeks. He huffed out a breath. No reason she shouldn’t know his story. It wasn’t like she’d ever tell anyone.
“Help me understand,” she persisted.
“When Mr. A found me, I was living under a bridge, filthy, and starving. He gave me a job. Gave me the clothes on my back. Hell, he gave me my name.”
“You didn’t know who you were?”
“Correction. I don’t know who I am.”
****
Kaycie’s couch wasn’t all that uncomfortable, but Nate had been up and down. His brain refused to shut down. Too bad this wasn’t the military, where you rescued the hostage, killed your enemy, and never looked back.
Kaycie kept creeping into his thoughts. He moved to the oversized chair, hit the lever, stretched out, and forced his eyes to close. He ran the different options, including one where he asked her for a second chance, through his head. She didn’t trust him, and he wasn’t sure how to restore her faith.
The hair on his arms rose. Without moving, he opened his eyes to confirm what he already knew. Kaycie had entered the room. A full moon streamed through the bank of windows, casting an ethereal light over her. His throat closed. His chest hurt. Jesus, she was beautiful.
He wanted to feel her skin pressed against his. Needed to bury himself inside her and give her pleasure.
His heart thumped a staccato rhythm against his rib cage. Even though she was on the other side of the room, he hardened and throbbed inside his Jockeys. He remained silent, barely breathing. She passed the empty couch, headed straight toward the chair.
In one motion, her T-shirt went flying. A second had her panties sliding down her hips to the floor. Had he fallen asleep and this was a dream? He prayed not to wake.
No dream. His muscles contracted as her slim, warm, naked body climbed on top of his, enveloping him with a warm and velvety sensuality. He breathed in. Images of clean, fresh sea air crashed his senses.
She settled one knee on either side of his hips and lowered herself over his erection, swiveling until he rested in the juncture between her thighs. Nothing separated them save for his cotton skivvies.
She leaned down. Her warm breath brushed across his cheek seconds before she captured his lips. Her tongue swept inside his mouth, stroking and stoking the fire building.
His hands traced her back muscles and down to her heart-shaped bottom. Smoothing and memorizing before he reached around to cup her luscious breasts. She lifted her head and shoulders, positioning a nipple over his mouth.
Eager to taste, he pulled her in and rolled his tongue around the tip. Her back bowed, forcing herself deeper.
He slid his hand between her thighs and found her hot and wet. “You’re awesome.”
He slipped a finger inside her moist heat, his heart folding like a piece of paper when she mewed like a kitten. Her legs spread, giving him better access as she pressed down on his hand. Her muscles tightened, and he recognized the signs. She needed release, and he’d give it to her.
“No,” she gasped, jerking her hips away from him. “Inside me. I need you to love me. Now.”
Need controlled him. Shut out all worries. There was nothing in his life but the woman whose eyes begged him to make love to her. Damn underwear. Off they came, and before he could recover, she’d taken him inside her body.
“Yes,” she whispered, sliding down his full length. Her satin flesh gripped him, tugged him deeper.
He’d never been inside of her body without a condom separating them. The sensation almost made him come on the spot. He clamped his hands over her hips to stop her, but she bucked out of his grip, pressed down, moving back and forth.
“Oh, God. Sweetheart. You feel incredible.” He lifted his hips to meet hers, reveling in the skin-against-skin sensation, wishing he could stay buried in her forever. “Stop. Condom.”
“No,” she cried out. “Don’t stop.” She swiveled her hips, sparking wild charges through his groin. “I want to feel you. You and me.”
Her delicious breast brushed against his lips. She raised her body slightly then drove herself down, grinding against him. He knew better than to continue but couldn’t deny her. Couldn’t deny himself. Couldn’t pull out. She dropped her hands to his chest, braced herself, and rode him hard. Pushed him to the brink. Struggling to keep from losing control, he hung on with every molecule of determination he could muster.
“Let go, Kaycie. Look at me and let go.”
She cried out, moving faster, driving harder. She detonated around him. Her tight inner muscles contracted. Unable to resist the vice-like grip, he erupted in a series of explosions. She collapsed on him, their bodies damp with sweat.
He shifted to his side, pulling her close to him in the big chair. He stroked her cheek, moved her disheveled hair off her face, and kissed her forehead.
“Sleep now.” He held her in the quiet of the night, loving the sated expression on her face. Well, not loving. Right? He liked the sated expression on her face.
“Nate?” Her tone sounded sleepy and thick. “I’m on the pill, if that’s worrying you.”
He swallowed. Hard. “I’m not. Doesn’t matter. If you got pregnant, I’d be there with you every step of the way. I’d be a good dad.” And he would. A child with her didn’t scare him like it had ten years ago, and that surprised the shit out of him.
She rose up on her elbow and opened her mouth. Oops. He’d said too much.
“Shh.” He silenced her by resting his finger against her lips. Then he added, “Now’s not the time.”
Chapter 23
“You can’t go with me, and I can’t leave you here free to wander off.” Johnny bit the words out, refusing to allow Holly to plead against being handcuffed to the bed.
“Johnny,” she said softly. His skin burned when she gripped his arm. “Where would I go? What would I find if I ran into the woods? Acres of trees, underbrush, and God knows what.”
Why did she argue? The sparsely furnished one-room cabin had a bed, a table with two chairs, and a couch. A hot plate, motel-sized coffeepot, and small apartment refrigerator lined one wall. It was handcuff her to either the rusty metal headboard or the bathroom plumbing.
“Ever heard of Stockholm syndrome?”
She jerked her hand from his bicep as if she’d been electrocuted. Stepping back, her blue eyes reflected shock. “You think I’m falling in love with you?”
“It crossed my mind.”
“Well,” she huffed, “you did save me from that dickhead, Hank. But rest assured, I don’t love you. I do however, think you need help.”
“And you can get it for me. Right? A prison cell with a top-notch shrink to make me all better? Get real.” His temple throbbed, and he wanted to pound the side of his head until it stopped. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and led her to the far wall of the small cabin. “Sit,” he commanded. She meekly complied, not uttering a sound while he secured her to the rail on the headboard.
“I don’t believe you’ll kill me.”
He turned his back to her, needed to walk away. “Today.”
“You can’t.”
Just like turning off the radio, he tuned her out.
The size of the isolated deer-hunter’s cabin allowed him to get outside with a minimum of strides. He breathed the fresh air in the pitch-black darkness.
His headache progressively got worse, and disappointment filled his gut. He’d been wrong. The pain didn’t lessen when he was around her. How fucking stupid he was to have ever believed such an idiotic idea.
Shitty luck. Not a star or sliver of moon was out to illuminate the area. Good thing he’d brought two flashlights.
The cabin sat at the back of the property a couple miles off the nearest dirt road. The lean-to the boss called a barn barely provided shelter for the tractor. If it didn’t start, Hank could hand-dig the graves. The idea of killing Holly turned his stomach over.
Maybe he’d add Hank’s body to the count. Accidents happened.
Johnny moved further away from the cabin. The heavy tree line behind the house offered good coverage. It helped him but also provided protection to whomever the Taylor woman brought with her. And she was too smart to come alone. The trick would be losing her hired gun.
An alternative exit still had to be identified, and Johnny would scout again at dawn, but daylight was still a few hours away.
Damn Holly and her offer to get him help. Was he supposed to believe she wouldn’t cut his throat if given the chance? Nobody took care of him. To survive, he’d take care of himself.
He didn’t need her or anyone else.
****
Wrapped around Nate’s warm body, Kay rested her cheek on his bare chest. She’d never understood why she bought such a big recliner. Now she silently thanked the sales clerk who’d talked her into purchasing the space hog.
Nate’s heartbeat was slow and steady, beautiful music in her ear. Could’ve been angels singing, and the gentle rhythm gave her great pleasure. These few precious hours could be her last with him. Her heart clutched, tempting her to wrap her arms around her rib cage. The pain of losing him a second time would be much worse than the first.
The chair creaked, and his lips brushed the top of her head. “You think too much. Go to sleep. Even an hour will help.”
“Hmm,” she said on a sigh. Cuddling closer, she rested her leg across his body. “Hmm,” she repeated with more enthusiasm. “Somebody’s not too sleepy.”
His chuckle vibrated under her cheek. “Somebody can’t get enough of you. I get hard when you walk in the room. Don’t expect less when your naked body is draped across mine.”
“You talk prettier than you did ten years ago.”
“I was a stupid, scared-shitless kid. And I behaved like one.”
“Stupid? Maybe. But you’ve never been afraid of anything.” She lowered her hand, trailed down the narrow line of soft hair that led to his silky erection.
“I was afraid of you. Of marriage, kids, responsibility. Afraid I’d be thinking about you and walk into a trap. Or worse, lead my men to their deaths. Afraid I’d let you and my country down.”
Relief washed over her, warming her soul. He might be leaving soon, but once upon a time, he’d loved her.
“I didn’t know.” She turned her head to kiss his chest. “I was caught up in what I wanted and didn’t realize you were struggling too.”
His hips lifted, brushing his erection against her fingers. She understood. He was through talking about the ten-year-old subject.
“Oh. Jesus. I really did die and go to heaven.” His hands wound through her hair.
His words inspired her. Regardless of what tomorrow brought, she’d make sure he never forgot tonight.
****
Nate preferred to stay in bed. His fingers stroked Kaycie’s hair, which was currently spread across his chest. She’d given him a special gift last night. Her mouth had almost driven him out of his mind.
Afterward, he’d promptly scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed.
He wasn’t a saint. He’d had his share of sex over the years. But the woman in his arms brought out a need in him that burned its way to the very core of his soul. At times, he was sure his life’s breath depended on being inside her body.
She’d fallen into a deep sleep. With her at peace, he’d closed his eyes for a few minutes. An hour’s rest was plenty for him, but she’d need more than caffeine to keep going.
With a quick kiss to her forehead, he reluctantly eased her head onto a pillow. His feet hit the floor, and her hand brushed across his back, stopping him. Damn. He’d disturbed her.
“Time to go?” she asked, her voice soft and drowsy.
“Soon. I’ll fix coffee. Madill’s over a two-hour drive, and we have to get my bike first. Then I’ll follow you to Tyrell’s.”
“I’m up.” She rose and stretched her arms over her head.
“There’s time for you to rest a while longer.”
“Coffee sounds good.” She slipped on a T-shirt and tossed him a smile as she strolled from the room.
Pride swelled inside his chest. She had more guts and stamina than a few of the men he’d gone into battle with. He respected her strength and devotion to her friends. Loved her for the woman she’d become.
No. Not love. She’d made it clear he was supposed to go away when this was over. Falling in love with her would be as smart as intentionally stepping on a land mine.