by Stacey Wilk
She placed a cold hand against her heated cheek. “I don’t know, bud. I’m sure we’ll see him around.”
“I hope he comes to dinner again.”
“Me too.”
****
A snow storm threatened. The weather reports talked about it. They were probably wrong. At least Chase hoped they were. The storm was more than a week out. He’d offer Raine and Landon his place to stay during it. He had a generator.
The lunch shift was over, and the General sparkled like a new toy. Jim locked the front door. “Why don’t you kids get on out of here?”
Mandy counted out the tips and handed the whole wad of cash to Raine. “You earned it, honey.”
“I can’t take all of this.” She shoved the money back.
Mandy pushed her hand away. “Keep it. I’m covered.” She shot a quick glance at Jim and pressed her lips together.
That old dog. Chase shook his head. He hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to Raine during her shift. The lunch crowd had been a steady stream of people. He had been hoping for a chance to slip her a quick kiss, and to talk to her about something, but they were never alone.
She shoved her arms into her coat. Now or never. “Hey, do you have a minute?”
Her face lit up. “Sure.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“’Night folks. Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do.” Mandy cackled at her own joke.
The sky was filled with heavy, gray clouds. The barren trees blended into the overcast day giving the parking lot behind the General Store a desolate feeling. Damp air seeped through his coat. He pulled the zipper up higher.
Raine shivered beside her car. “I can’t get used to this weather. I swear I’m in a damp, musty basement on days like this. If it’s going to snow, I wish it would do it already.”
“It doesn’t snow where you’re from?” He wanted her to tell him something about herself that might clue him in as to who she was.
“Not in a very long time. When I need my snow fix, I go skiing.”
“Where is your favorite place to ski?” He leaned against the Camry. He could wait to talk to her about his idea. He wanted her to keep going so he could watch the sparkle in her eye.
“Utah. Do you ski?”
“Me? Never. I’m too big and awkward for that. I prefer hiking and mountain biking to trying to make two little sticks carry me down a mountain covered in snow.”
“In other words, you don’t like the feeling when you’re rushing down the slopes and the wind races back to meet you? You probably like mountain climbing with all its gear, and rules.”
She summed him up with ease and seemed to be enjoying it if the smug look on her face was any indication. He inched closer to her. “You think you have me all figured out?”
“I wouldn’t even try to figure you out. I’d need more time for that.” Her voice became husky, and she looked up at him through her long eyelashes.
He stifled a growl in his throat. He wanted to grab her right there and kiss her until she begged him for more. “Are you free for the next few hours?”
Her mouth formed a little circle, but she held her ground and kept her chin up. “I might be. What did you have in mind?”
He had a lot of things in mind, but those would have to wait. “Follow me.” He jumped into his truck and waited until she pulled up behind him. He turned onto Main Street. People moved about. Some were at the gas station, people were in the parking lot of the hair salon and the liquor store. He searched for Man-Bun, but no sign of him. He hadn’t heard back yet from the park ranger. Another call would be in order.
He led Raine out of town and to the highway. She stayed behind him the whole time never once questioning where they were going. He pulled into the parking lot of what looked like an industrial complex but was really a firing range. She parked alongside his truck and hopped out.
“Where are we?” She took in the square, cream-colored building.
“You asked me if I could show you how to shoot a gun.” He swung his arm wide to take in the plain scenery. “Ready?”
****
Raine stared at him. His lips tugged up in a smile, and he rocked on his heels. He was serious. “Did you bring a gun?” Had he kept a gun in his truck all morning while he worked?
“We rent them. If you don’t want to go in, we don’t have to.”
“No. No. This is great. Thank you for taking my request seriously.” This man was full of surprises, and a good kisser. Probably better not to think about his kissing when she was about to fire a gun. Would he help her get a gun? That might be the more important question.
He slid his hand into hers and they crossed the parking lot. His hand was warm, and strong around hers. Being beside his large frame, and confident stride made her shoulders relax a little. She could put the burden of her life up on a shelf for the next few hours.
The inside was set up as a retail store with guns locked in glass cases like diamond rings. Accessories hung on walls and one room was dedicated to black gun safes the size of standup freezers.
A tall woman with short dark hair, and the perfect slim figure Raine would never have, smiled as she and Chase approached the counter.
“Hey, Chase.” Her gold name tag read Amanda.
“This is my friend, Raine. The one I told you about.”
Amanda stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you. I have everything ready for you. Raine, you’ll have to watch a safety video first. That’s the rule even though I know Chase is one of the best shots I’ve ever seen. You have yourself a fantastic teacher. And sign these for me.” She handed over some papers and a pen.
Chase took her to an area in the back where she signed away without really reading and sat through a ten minute video on how to shoot and be safe. Her heart hammered in her chest, a little from fear and a lot of excitement.
“Wear these.” He handed her protective eyewear and placed what looked like large headphones over her ears instantly drowning out the noise around them. Her head seemed to become too heavy for her neck.
He pushed open a door that led to the shooting area. Six ports were divided by black walls. Only three stations were occupied. They turned into number six. He rested a gun case on the small shelf attached to the port wall and snapped open the latches. A black pistol was tucked into foam inside the case.
He tapped the side of her headphone ear protector and indicated she should slide it back. “I need to explain a few things and I want you to be able to hear me.” Gun shots went off, and she jumped.
“It’s loud in here.”
He smiled making the blue in his eyes darken. Her low belly sat up and took notice. “The magazine holds fifteen bullets. That’s the most allowed in New Jersey. We’re using blanks for target practice.”
“How come you don’t carry a gun? Can’t retired police or private investigators do that kind of thing?”
“I’m neither of those. Now pay attention.” But he smiled again sprinkling his words with amusement. The heat moved down from her low belly to the spot she thought had stopped working a long time ago.
He showed her where the safety catch was. “Leave the safety on at all times unless you’re going to shoot.”
He loaded the magazine. “Pull back on the slide to put a bullet in the chamber. You’re too tiny to use only your hand. You’ve got to get your pec into it. Let me show you.” He turned the gun to face down the range and away from them.
He yanked back on the slide with his powerful hands, and sure enough his pec muscle jumped in his shirt. She thought she might melt into a puddle of hot liquid.
He shot off a few bullets to show her how to aim and stand. His jeans stretched across his tight butt, and solid thighs. His shoulders were broad, and his arms toned. He hit the center of the target every time.
“You are really good at this.”
“I’ve had practice, and that’s what you’ll need in order to hit something. You try. Remember what you have to check for?�
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“Make sure the gun isn’t pointing at anything I don’t intend to shoot.” How would she handle the gun when it pointed at something she intended to shoot besides that paper target at the other end of the range? “There’s no bullet in the chamber.” She loaded the magazine and pointed it toward the paper target.
She fired off her first round. Her hands jumped back, but not enough to throw her off balance. She took a deep breath and tried again. Neither time hitting the target. She used up the entire magazine and hit nothing.
“I’m pretty bad at this.”
“Takes time. How about one more?”
Her pride told her to call it quits, but she followed the instructions, and took her stance. This time Chase came up behind her. His hips resting lightly against her low back. His legs were on either side of hers. From behind, he took her hands in his so together they held the gun. He kept his face near her ear.
“Drop your aim a little. Right there. That’s it. Perfect. Take a slow breath, and then let out half of it before you shoot.” The heat of his breath against her cheek sent chills across her skin. She might drop the gun if he continued to give her directions that way.
He stayed pressed against her as she fired off each round. By the end, sweat trickled between her breasts. The desire to feel his hands all over her had rippled through every nerve ending in her body. The magazine was empty, and he stepped back. The chill of the air cooled her heated skin, but she wanted him near her again, and had to look away worried desire showed in her eyes.
“Nice job. You hit the target several times.”
“I can’t believe it.” Her heart did a little skip. “Once you showed me how to hold my arms, and the breathing thing really helped. Thank you.” She hadn’t enjoyed anything besides Landon in more time than she wanted to think about. This man with his stoic face, and secrets gave her pleasure she didn’t think she deserved.
He packed up the gun, led her back to the store area and returned everything to Amanda. “We can come back again if you’d like.” He held the door to the parking lot open for her.
Snow flurries danced in the air, but didn’t seem to hit the ground, as if they were enjoying the afternoon too. Her voice had tangled up in her throat. She didn’t trust herself to speak. She might proposition him in the parking lot. She really needed to get herself under control.
“You didn’t like shooting, did you?” He narrowed his eyes at her.
“What? Oh, no. That wasn’t it at all. Holding a gun gives you a sense of power.”
“Use that power wisely. Would you like another lesson?”
Would she ever. “How soon can we come back?” She had time each day after work before Landon was done with school. She didn’t want to be too pushy and ask him to take her again tomorrow. She’d wait for the invitation.
“After work on Saturday?”
She tried to hide the disappointment filling up her chest. “I have Landon. I don’t think he should come here.”
“Fair enough. I’m busy tomorrow. We’ll have to wait until Monday then when he’s at school.”
Monday seemed like a lifetime away. “Can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you know where I can get a gun?”
He cocked his head as if he didn’t hear her correctly. “They had hundreds of guns inside. I can help you pick one out or you can buy the one you used today if you like it.”
She opened her mouth to tell him, but she snapped it shut. He would go running if he knew, and at the very least he’d encourage her to tell the police which would never happen. She didn’t want him going away just yet. She was starting to enjoy his company. What would it hurt to hold onto that for a little while longer? If Silent Water didn’t work out, she and Landon would be gone, and he could forget about her.
“Yes, you’re right. Of course, I can purchase a gun inside. I’m not sure what I was thinking. On Monday then, you can help me pick one out.”
“You’ll need to file for the proper permits first. You can’t take the gun home until then.”
She fumbled for her keys in her purse trying to keep her gaze away from his intense stare. “I’ll take care of that part. We’ll just window shop until then.”
“Is everything all right?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“The color has drained from your face.” He placed his hand against her jaw and rubbed his thumb back and forth.
She gripped his hand and slid her fingers through his. “The flu is going around. Maybe I’m coming down with something.” Yeah, it was a case of the run for your life and tell lies to a man you’re falling for.
“Let’s get you back then. Follow me.”
Gladly.
Chapter Ten
Chase couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Raine pressed against him at the firing range had his mind racing. Her earthy scent had lingered on his clothes. Even a cold shower couldn’t make the thought of drinking that scent in go away. He threw back the covers and went to check on Elmer.
“Hey buddy. You couldn’t sleep either?” Elmer hopped around his cage and wiggled his whiskers at him. “I’ve got a woman on my mind. Be glad you aren’t interested in the ladies anymore. Be real glad.”
The office might give him a place to go. At least he could check out the cameras again. Raine had felt so good leaning into him. He didn’t want to let her go, but figured he’d look like a real prick if he didn’t release her hands when the gun was empty.
What was she doing now? Was she thinking about him too? Would she let him kiss her and touch her, and make her cry out for him? He needed to stop thinking about her underneath him. He’d end up with a hard-on that would require emergency medical care.
He pulled up the security feed. All was quiet. The phone on the desk rang. He swiped it off the cradle. “Shepherd.”
“It’s me,” Deke said. “Sorry to call so late. I took a chance you couldn’t sleep. You never could.”
“Like you.” He laughed. How many all night stake outs had they done together? Only Max would nod off like a baby and have to be shaken awake.
“I ran that missing persons you wanted. I can’t find any reports of a missing woman in her late thirties accompanied by a nine-year-old boy. It’s one or the other, but not both. Sorry, man.”
He hoped for any kind of lead to tell him more about what Raine was running from. He couldn’t help her if he didn’t know what he was up against. If her troubles were too big for him, he’d get Deke and Max to take care of her. His feelings were picking up speed and running off the track. He barely knew her and he wanted to keep her safe. He rubbed a hand over his face.
“Can you do a check on someone for me?”
“The whole works?”
“Yeah, just don’t get caught doing it.”
“You know me better than that. I run everything from my home stuff. I’m not stupid enough to use company equipment and info for personal reasons. I’m thinking about following in your footsteps. The team isn’t the same without you. I’m getting tired of the job. I want a life and a woman waiting home for me.”
The late hour made Deke sentimental. “You want to talk about it?” They had shared a lot of stories on those late night stake outs while Max slept. He’d told Deke about his wife leaving and taking their daughter. That night was the closest he ever came to crying. Not because Denise didn’t love him, but because she waited to leave until he was on a job and disappeared without so much as a warning. He had had only two hours before he needed to get on a plane for another assignment. He couldn’t chase them down, and when he did Denise made it clear he was no longer Jenna’s father. Deke sat there and listened, never mentioned it again, and never rubbed his nose in it.
“Nothing more to talk about. Who do you want the check on? I’ll start it now and maybe have something for you by tomorrow night when we get there.”
He took a deep breath. No going back after this. If she ever found out what he did, she’d hate him. She had
her secrets and she wanted them quiet. “Raine Kennedy.” He spelled her first name out.
“I’m on it.” Deke ended the call.
He stared at his phone instead of going back to bed, but he knew sleep wouldn’t come. He dialed Raine’s number and waited for her to answer. “Are you sleeping?”
“You can’t sleep either?” Her voice drifted to him like a song.
His core heated up. “Meet me on your front porch?”
“Already there.”
He raced down the steps, shoved his feet into his boots, and yanked his coat off the hook. Sure enough, she stood on her porch this time in her coat, and a knit hat with a fluffy pom-pom pulled over her ears. She looked so damn cute, and when she turned at the sound of his footsteps against the frozen ground her smile stretched wide. His heart nearly stopped.
“Hey,” he managed because he didn’t trust himself to say much more.
“The house was closing in on me. I needed some air.” She banged her booted feet on the cement. “What was keeping you up?”
Thoughts of her wrapped around him. “I’ve never been much of a sleeper. I’m lucky if I get three or four hours.”
She tilted her chin up at him. “What’s going on between us, Chase?”
“You like getting right to the point.”
“Tell me I’m wrong. That you don’t feel what I feel when you’re inches from me.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from pulling her toward him. “You’re not wrong.”
“I can’t get serious with anyone. I have Landon to think about, and I’m not sure Silent Water is our last stop. I like it here, and I like knowing my neighbors.” She looked up at him. Even in the dim light of the front porch he could see the red bloom up her neck and onto her cheek. “But what I want doesn’t always factor in.”
“You can set the pace to friendship if that’s all you want.” He still couldn’t quite get his head around the fact this woman had turned his attention. Plenty of women had crossed his path, and some he’d taken to bed, but no one had his pulse racing the way this woman did. He’d settle for friendship if that was all she was giving, but he wouldn’t like it.