Beyond Duty

by Stanalei Fletcher

  ****

  Riley raced to the spot where he’d seen Chip veer into the forest. He caught a glimpse of her rider-less horse breaking through the brush a few yards away, before it trotted off toward the resort. An unfamiliar panic clenched his gut, as he feared the worst.

  He slowed his horse, following a trail of broken twigs and hoof prints. He spied Chip’s hat and stopped to retrieve it.

  “Chip!” he called after climbing back into the saddle. “Where are you? Are you okay?”

  “Over here!” The shout was off to his left.

  He followed her voice toward a streambed. What he saw eased his panic, but brought forth a slew of protective instincts.

  Chip sat upright against a tree, poking at a hole in her pants where it was tinged with blood.

  “Are you hurt?” He slid from his mount and moved closer.

  Chip looked up. “Only my pride.”

  Riley smiled at the sound of her bruised ego. It probably hurt more than the fall. “What happened? Why’d you gallop off like that?”

  She stared at him. “You think that was my idea? The horse was spooked by something. A snake, maybe. I’m not sure.”

  “A snake would spook even the most docile of horses.” He smiled again, taking in the picture she made. “You’re a mess.”

  “Trying to get on my good side, O’Neal?” She pushed hair away from her face, smearing mud across her cheek.

  Another wave of protectiveness washed over him, joining the attraction he’d been wrestling. That was how she’d looked when he’d last seen her as the runaway, Mary. How could he come to terms with the woman/child in front of him? Mary was don’t touch. Chip was touch and get burned. A no-win situation.

  “Are you going to stand there or help me up?”

  “Maybe you should wait, to make sure adrenaline isn’t masking an injury.” He was suddenly afraid to touch her—afraid of his reaction if he got too close.

  “I did that when I crawled out of the water. Besides, we need to get to the resort as fast as we can.” She started to stand.

  “Wait.” Riley knelt and checked her arms and legs, maintaining a clinical approach as best he could. She’d have bruises that would take a few days to heal, but overall she looked to have escaped with just minor scratches.

  “See, I’m fine.” She held out a hand and he helped her stand.

  “It could’ve been a lot worse.”

  “But it wasn’t.” She pulled the shirttail from her pants, revealing firm flesh above her belt as she wiped mud from her face.

  He watched with clenched fists, itching to help her, and knowing if he touched her again, any semblance of control would be lost. He struggled with the chaos churning in his chest and forced his gaze away from her bare stomach and back to her face.

  Most of the mud had come off, but there were streaks across her cheeks hiding a few of those freckles. He was amazed at how different she looked from the woman he’d been with last night. Every time she did something to remind him of the runaway, confusion bubbled to the surface and crashed against a craving for her he couldn’t explain.

  Once she finished cleaning away the last of the mud, she brushed off the ends of her shirt and tucked it back inside her pants. Without a word, she turned toward the trail.

  Riley snapped out of his musings. “Where are you going?”

  She looked over at him. The transformation was complete. The runaway was gone. In her place was First Lt. Chip Anderson. “To find my horse.”

  “She’s gone. I saw her race through the brush and head back toward the resort.”

  “Oh.” She looked confused.

  “You’ll have to ride back with me.”

  ****

  Reluctantly, Chip limped to Riley’s horse. He mounted first, and then removed his foot from the stirrup. He offered an arm, and with a powerful lift, hoisted her onto the horse’s back. She winced as she landed behind the saddle, finding a sore spot where her adventure had left a mark.

  He released her and she grabbed the sides of the saddle seat.

  After handing the ball cap over to her, he said. “Hold on to me.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “We don’t have time for you to fall off again.” He reached behind him and pulled her hands forward, placing them around his middle.

  She felt his six-pack abdomen under his shirt. Her touch confirmed what she’d seen last night—the man was in great shape, without an ounce of spare flesh.

  He nudged the horse and guided it through the brush. Chip was surprised that it took several minutes before they reacquired the trail and headed toward the stables. “Thanks for following me. I had no idea how far off the path I’d gone.”

  He shrugged. “We’re partners. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t leave you out here to fend for yourself.”

  “I’ll bet you were tempted.”

  “A little, maybe.” Riley chuckled, his shoulders shaking.

  The sensation sent a jolt of awareness through her. She’d been joking, but Riley seemed to think she was flirting. She’d been so conditioned by both her army and police training to avoid any hint of sexual innuendo, she simply had no real response.

  Even though Riley pushed the horse to a faster pace, the trail seemed longer than she remembered because of the torturous physical contact of holding onto him. Warmth radiated through his shirt. Strange how the fabric hadn’t looked so thin earlier this morning.

  She tried to move her hands to the sides of the saddle.

  He reacted instantly, grabbing her whenever her grip loosened. “Don’t let go.”

  His touch seared her skin and it took discipline not to yank free. She endured the sensation because he was right; they didn’t have time for her to fall again. But she’d be damned if she’d admit it out loud.

  ****

  Riley was in agony. Chip’s body swayed with the movements of the horse, her breasts brushing softly, temptingly, against his back, and making certain body parts ache. Whether she was the lieutenant or the runaway, his reaction was wholly unprofessional. And confusing. As Mary, she was someone who was clearly hands-off. But Chip was a woman, with adult desires—free to be loved. Or at least lusted over.

  He couldn’t deny that what he felt was more than lust. But it couldn’t be love, could it?

  The ride out to Pomeroy’s property had altered their relationship. Even though he barely knew Chip, they’d worked well in tandem, and seemed to have developed a strong sense of each other. Now, he wasn’t sure he trusted those feelings. He didn’t know who this woman was—didn’t know how he was supposed to feel.

  What started as a purposeful morning adventure had turned into a tension-filled battle of emotional control. An uneasy silence stretched between them. He searched his mind for a subject to distract himself.

  Just before the stables came into view, Chip spoke. “Riley, what if we’re too late?”

  The question was so far from where his thoughts had been that it caught him off guard. He took a moment to answer. “What do you mean, too late? Too late to find Fiona? You’re giving up?”

  “No.” She shifted, and more agonizing sensations roiled through his body. “Never. I refuse to give up on saving Fiona.”

  “Then what are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know. I’m surprised Byron and the general sent those troops in without better information. That military raid placed Fiona in more danger.”

  “They didn’t know the women had been separated. If Pomeroy gave his permission to enter his property to clear his involvement, then there wasn’t any choice but to raid the place. And Lorraine was there. We need to figure out how Pomeroy is involved.” He nodded ahead. “We’re almost at the resort. I’ll take care of the horse while you clean up. We’ll leave for the hospital as soon as you’re ready.”

  “I don’t need to clean up.” She jerked her hands out of his grasp. “Give me the keys when we stop. I’ll bring the car around so we don’t lose more time.”

  At t
hat moment, the horse picked up the pace as they approached the stables, ending further conversation. Good, Riley thought. His focus on the assignment had taken a backseat to all the turmoil rolling through him and he needed to get back on track.

  A couple of stable hands rushed from the barn to meet them, talking over each other, concerned about the return of the rider-less horse, and anxious about their guest’s safety. They’d even started forming a search party.

  Chip took Riley’s arm and slid to the ground. She stepped back from the horse so he could dismount. He’d been a bit high-handed insisting she hang on to him during the ride back. She’d proven quite capable to this point in the investigation and didn’t need babysitting, so he couldn’t exactly explain his actions, even to himself.

  He was sure after twisting her ankle, the wild ride, and the fall, she’d want a nice long soak. But they had duty first and as she held out a hand for the keys, he was reminded of how important it was to keep this assignment from diverting into anything personal.

  He fished the keys from his pocket, but instead of handing them over, he pulled her into a hug—for show. She stiffened, until he spoke quietly in her ear. “Hurry back. We’re going to talk to Lorraine.” He looked at her. “And we’ll do everything in our power to find Fiona.

  The mask was gone and a look of gratitude, and something else he couldn’t name, filled her face. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Riley pulled her to him again, then he kissed her.

  Chapter Ten

  Riley hadn’t intended to kiss Chip right there by the stables. But she looked so…vulnerable, so out-of-character lost, that he couldn’t resist pulling her to him. What should have been a brief moment of comfort, shifted in a heartbeat to something more.

  She stiffened at first, then relaxed.

  Good girl, he thought. It’s for show. Just for show. Except the thought didn’t stop the searing shaft of sunlight that shot straight through him, until he remembered—partners are off-limits. He drew back, his lungs struggling for oxygen. Seconds passed before he trusted his voice.

  Chip’s breathing was labored too. Without speaking, without even looking at him, she took the keys out of his hand and headed toward the cabin.

  One of the stable staff touched Riley on the shoulder, pulling his attention away from Chip’s rapidly retreating form.

  “Mrs. O’Neal,” he said with a slight accent. “She’s okay?”

  “Who?” Riley stared at the man, not quite understanding whom he referred to. He was still trying to wrap his head around that kiss. “Oh, my wife. Yes, she’s fine.” At least he hoped she was. She seemed to have recovered from that kiss much faster than he had.

  “That is good. We were worried.”

  “I was too. More than I realized,” Riley murmured under his breath as he turned and followed the man into the barn to discuss why Chip’s horse had returned without her.

  Five minutes later, Chip returned in the SUV. As he walked from the barn, she stepped out of the car with the engine running. “You drive.” She gestured at her ankle. “You’ll get us there faster.”

  Riley paused at the open driver’s-side door. “Are you okay? You told me you were fine back on the trail.”

  “My ankle’s still a little sore. I think I twisted it again when I fell off the horse.” She climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door. “I’ll keep my weight off it as much as I can. It’ll be fine.”

  He slid into the driver’s side and snapped his seatbelt. “Since we’re going to a hospital, you should get it looked at to be sure there isn’t something seriously wrong.”

  “We don’t have time.”

  Riley stared at her, wondering if she had any inkling of the turmoil he was in. “We’ll take whatever time we need to make sure you’re in shape to continue this assignment.” He put the car in gear, headed out of the resort gates, and turned onto the highway toward Los Alamos.

  Once on the road, he cleared his throat. “About what happened back at the stables…”

  “Nothing happened,” Chip interrupted. “It was a simple kiss to maintain our cover, right?”

  There was nothing simple about that kiss. “Right. I…uh…just didn’t want to…uh want you to…”

  “Misunderstand? Mistake it for something more?”

  “Right.”

  “I know my role. I hope I didn’t disappoint.”

  You have no idea. Riley was annoyed at her comment. He turned his attention to the road.

  Even going above the speed limit, the drive took almost an hour. Chip directed the way to the hospital in Los Alamos where the rescue team had taken Lorraine Voras. She provided a running update on Lorraine’s status via the text messages she was trading with Allison back at the lab. A perk of having a U.S. Senator on their side was pulling strings quickly. The hospital had had a doctor waiting when Lorraine arrived and she was already being examined.

  As Riley pulled into the parking lot, Chip put her phone away. They entered the emergency room together. “We’re here to see Lorraine Voras,” Riley said as they approached the counter.

  “Are you family?” the aide behind the counter asked.

  “We’re close associates.” Riley pulled an ID card out of his wallet. “I’m sure you’ve received instructions to let us see her.”

  The aide studied the card and handed it back, then she checked her chart. “The doctor hasn’t completed his examination. We’ll come and get you when he okays visitors.”

  Chip looked ready to argue, but Riley squeezed her arm. He turned back to the aide. “My par—wife also twisted her ankle. Is there another doctor who can examine her?”

  “Have a seat over there and we’ll check her in.”

  Chip stood her ground. “I’m fine, Riley. It’s hardly bothering me.”

  “Don’t force me to make it an order.” He lowered his voice. “Once we’ve learned what we can from Lorraine, we’ll be on the move again to find Fiona. If you’re not in tip-top shape, you’re on the first plane back to D.C.” His tone left no room for argument, even though he could see how much she wanted to. “And don’t forget to use O’Neal as your last name.”

  “Fine.” She sat down and gave her information to the aide, explaining that they were recently married and all her identification was in her maiden name. Riley was so impressed at how well she handled the deception, he almost believed it himself. When she was finished, they walked into the waiting area.

  “If my examination delays us in any way, we’re not staying.” She leaned closer to whisper to him. “As soon as we get permission, we need to talk to Lorraine.”

  “I can talk to her, if the doctor is still working on you. I promise, I won’t leave without you.” Riley was grateful to have found a way to avoid another dispute. It seemed every time he suggested something, she countered.

  The nurse called Chip back and Riley stood to follow.

  “I don’t need a babysitter.” She limped ahead of him.

  “It’s okay.” The nurse gave an indulgent smile. “Your husband is welcome to come.”

  “Would love to.” Riley took Chip’s arm on her lame side to help her to the examination room.

  “Looks like you’ve had quite a day.” The nurse took Chip’s vitals.

  “A horse threw her off.”

  “He was spooked.” Chip excused the horse’s actions.

  “Anything hurt besides the ankle?” The nurse continued to fill out paperwork.

  “No.” Chip shook her head.

  “We’ll make sure.” The nurse handed a gown to Chip. “Why don’t you disrobe and we’ll clean up some of these cuts while we wait for the doctor.”

  Chip’s gaze flew to Riley. He didn’t want to leave her, but she looked at him with soft gray eyes. “Please, dear? A little privacy?”

  How could he argue with that? He wasn’t a tyrant. He stepped on the other side of the curtain and drew it shut. It didn’t stop him from wincing when he heard Chip groan.

  Thirty
minutes later, the doctor had declared Chip’s ankle a mild sprain and advised that, with caution, she could use it without making it worse. He’d cleaned and bandaged the scratch where the branch tore her pant leg. She didn’t need stitches. The bruises on her back and legs would be sore for a few days, but would heal without any side effects. She was one tough woman. And Riley was finding it more and more difficult to ignore that fact.

  As it turned out, Chip’s examination was over before they were allowed to see Lorraine. They’d been back in the waiting room for another thirty minutes when Lorraine’s doctor, a tall, dark-haired man in green surgical scrubs and white lab coat appeared in the waiting room. They both stood as he approached.

  “The two of you are waiting for Ms.Voras?”

  “Yes.” Riley held out his hand to the doctor.

  “I’m Dr. Taylor.” He shook hands with Riley and then turned to Chip. “I’ve been attending to your friend.”

  “How is Lorraine?” Chip asked.

  “Physically, Ms. Voras is fine. A little dehydrated—we’re taking care of that with IV fluids.”

  “What do you mean, physically?” Riley stared at the doctor as though he’d done something to their only witness. “Is something else wrong with her?”

  The doctor’s mouth tightened. “It’s hard to tell until we get the blood work back, but she may have been given a drug known to induce short-term amnesia. She can’t seem to remember very much about the past few days.”

  “She and another woman were abducted two nights ago,” Chip said. “We have proof of the kidnapping on a video. The other woman wasn’t with Lorraine when she was rescued. We need to know what happened.”

  “I was told there were extenuating circumstances.” The doctor sighed. “But this type of condition is tricky and can take time. Ms. Voras may get some, or even all of her memory back about the events. Or she may never remember anything.”

  “It’s important that we talk to her.” Riley refused to back down. “Even if she doesn’t remember the kidnapping, she may remember details leading up to that night that could help us.”