“I borrowed them without permission, but I left money to cover what I took.” He pointed down at the ground. “I brought you some hiking boots, too. They might not be your exact size, but they should fit better than those floppy tennis shoes you’re wearing. I got you another pair of jeans and another shirt, too. They’re in the saddlebag.”
Jessica squealed in delight and grabbed the boots. They were only a half size larger than what she normally wore. She grinned, so pathetically pleased that she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ryan full on the mouth.
He stiffened and she immediately pulled back, her face heating with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I wasn’t thinking.” She hugged the clothes to her chest and wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
“I’ll give you a minute to change.” Ryan’s voice was oddly strained. He turned and disappeared into the trees.
Jessica plopped down on the forest floor, mortified. Twice now she’d made a fool of herself over Ryan. First, brushing up against him in the bathroom. And just now, kissing him. What was she thinking? She wasn’t thinking. That was the point. She was still exhausted in spite of her nap, and her brain wasn’t working like it should.
She changed quickly, briefly worrying about the fact that she didn’t have a bra to wear beneath the T-shirt, which stretched across her breasts like a second skin. Well, it shouldn’t matter, not really, not when she’d have her coat on most of the time. And Ryan obviously didn’t think about her that way. She could probably walk around naked in front of him and he wouldn’t even notice.
She tugged her bulky jacket on. The fact that the coat was too big didn’t bother her at all like the clothes had. That extra material made her toasty warm, an important concession when the cold wind whipped against her on the motorcycle.
A fallen tree became her chair as she tugged on the boots and tied the laces with quick jerks. When Ryan returned, he was pushing the motorcycle. She ignored the hand he held out to help her to her feet, preferring not to feel him stiffen in disgust again when she touched him. She could only take so much humiliation in one day.
“Did you see anyone following us?” she asked, trying to pretend the stupid kiss had never happened.
“We’re safe, for now. We’ll ride deeper into the mountain range, away from the Appalachian trail so we don’t meet up with any hikers.”
Ryan handed her the helmet and hopped on the bike. Jessica started to get on behind him but he shook his head.
“I can’t risk you falling asleep again and falling off the bike. You’re sitting up here.” He leaned to the side and lifted her up onto the seat in front of him before she could protest.
She barely had enough time to register how warm his arm felt around her waist, even through the jacket, before he gunned the engine, throwing her back against him. Her thighs molded to his, and her bottom rested in a very warm spot. She wiggled, trying to scoot forward, and she heard his sharp intake of breath.
“Be still, woman,” Ryan warned her over the sound of the engine.
She froze, worried that she might have hurt him. Then she felt the unmistakable pressure of his growing erection. That must be his body’s automatic reaction from her accidentally rubbing against him. It certainly wasn’t because he desired her.
She didn’t move, didn’t say a word. If Ryan could ignore the fact that his erection was hardening against her, so could she. And the fact that her toes curled in response, well, she’d just have to ignore that, too.
* * *
RYAN GRITTED HIS teeth when the bike bumped over a tree branch and Jessica’s warm bottom rubbed against him. If he was going to keep her alive, he had to focus. Because what he hadn’t told her was that, right before he climbed down to go get her clothes, he had seen someone following them. A lone man dressed all in black with a rifle slung over his shoulder.
The gunman was several miles away, but he was coming up fast, too fast to see any animal tracks in the dirt. He wasn’t hunting deer.
He was hunting Jessica.
Chapter Nine
Jessica didn’t know how Ryan continued to function without any sleep. Despite her earlier nap, she was so tired she wanted to collapse and have a good cry.
They’d bounced around on the horrible motorcycle for what felt like forever, stopping for a few minutes at a time for a quick meal of energy bars, or a necessary private moment behind a tree, or—as was becoming his habit—for Ryan to climb up a tree with his binoculars and scan the trails below.
Every time he came back down out of a tree, his face was lined with tension and he’d urge her to get back on the bike and keep going. He was constantly turning the bike onto harder, rougher terrain instead of following the easier paths. When Jessica asked him why, he told her it helped conceal the bike’s tracks. And when she’d asked him if she should be worried, he simply told her he would protect her, no matter what.
His cryptic answers weren’t exactly comforting, but she didn’t have much choice other than to trust him that everything was okay. Maybe he was always this tense when he was in his Witness Protection mode.
A blast of cold wind had Jessica shivering and Ryan pulling her closer against him. His protectiveness was so automatic that she doubted he even thought about what he was doing. But every time he tightened his arm around her waist or he spoke next to her ear to ask if she was okay, a little thrill shot through her.
She recognized it for what it was—lust, pure and simple—which was surprising since she’d never considered herself to be all that passionate. She craved the feel of his hot skin sliding against hers, his firm lips pressed against her mouth, his tongue thrusting in rhythm with his body as he made slow, sweet love to her.
She shivered again.
“Do you need a blanket?” Ryan raised his voice so she could hear him.
Jessica shook her head. “Aren’t you ready to pass out by now? You haven’t slept at all.”
“I’m okay. A few more hours. Then we’ll stop for the night.”
Apparently, former army rangers-turned U.S. Marshals weren’t capable of telling time. Ryan’s few more hours ended up being far longer. As the sun sank lower in the sky, Jessica’s thigh muscles began to cramp. Was Ryan purposely trying to torture her?
* * *
“I AM NOT torturing you.”
Jessica blinked up at Ryan, surprised to find herself being carried in his arms. She must have fallen asleep when he’d climbed a ridge to scout the trail again. Being in his arms felt far too wonderful for her to tell him to put her down.
“What did you say?” She raised her arms around his neck as he stepped over a fallen tree branch.
“You were talking in your sleep. Apparently you think I forced you to ride all day just to make you miserable.”
She talked in her sleep? Great. What else had she said? She hoped she hadn’t told him how appealing he was, physically, anyway. Personality-wise, he was far too bossy.
Most of the time.
“We’re here.” He released her legs and steadied her on her feet.
She blinked again as she realized exactly where here was. She’d obviously been far too preoccupied staring up at him to notice her surroundings.
She was noticing them now.
“A cave, Ryan?”
“You were expecting the Hyatt, city girl?”
She aimed her best glare at him. “I was hoping for something better than Motel 6.”
The corner of his mouth tilted up in a grin.
“Why do you call me city girl when you’re from New York, just like me?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“I don’t live in that concrete jungle,” he said. “I only go into the city when I have to, like the day of the mistrial.” He glanced around the cave. “You’ll be warmer in here than outside. And there aren’t any bears in here.”
She narrowed her eyes, letting him know she didn’t appreciate his latest jab.
Ryan crossed to the far wall and shrugged off
the backpack. After dropping it to the ground, he turned and headed back toward the cave entrance. Jessica’s stomach jumped and she rushed after him.
“Where are you going?” She halted, cringing at the note of panic in her voice.
His brows drew down in a dark slash as he turned around. “I’ll be right back. Why do you always assume I’m going to abandon you?”
The tightness in Jessica’s chest eased. “No reason. I’m just tired. Go on. I’ll be fine.” She smiled, feeling like a fool.
He closed the distance between them and reached out, brushing her bangs back from her eyes.
“You’re shaking.” His voice mirrored his surprise. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
Jessica stiffened, but when he didn’t release her, or call her city girl, she clutched the front of his jacket and sank into his warmth, resting her head against his chest. Several minutes passed, and when he didn’t let her go, she realized he was still waiting for an explanation.
“It’s stupid,” she whispered. “I was a little girl. It was such a long time ago.”
“Tell me.” His voice was a deep whisper in the silence of the cave, a comforting rumble beneath her ear.
She squeezed her eyes shut against the memories. “I don’t remember much, just...impressions. My dad, driving me to the grocery store, telling me to wait for him, that he’d be right back. I waited, and waited. Finally, the store manager took me to his office and called the police.”
Ryan tensed against her. “Your father left you at a store? He never came back?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
“What about your mother? Didn’t she come looking for you?”
The unwelcome pity in his voice had her shoving out of his arms. She laughed without humor. “I don’t want to talk about this. It doesn’t matter, really it doesn’t. I barely even remember my parents. Sometimes, I just...I get a little nervous, that’s all, when I’m alone. I overreact, I know that. I just...” She hugged her arms around her waist. “Go on, do whatever you were doing. I’ll...” She looked around the tiny cave. “I’ll unpack the supplies we’ll need for the night.”
She crossed the cave and got down on her knees in front of the pack.
“Jessica.”
She tugged on the zipper and reached inside.
“Jessica.”
The command laced in his voice had her frowning up at him. The man really was far too bossy.
“It does matter,” he said. “I’ll never abandon you. If I leave, I’ll always come back. Got that?”
She smiled bitterly. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Everyone leaves eventually.”
Ryan frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, but apparently thought better of it. He snapped his mouth shut and turned away, disappearing around the curved entrance of the cave.
* * *
WHEN RYAN STEPPED back inside the cave, pulling a pile of pine tree branches behind him, his expression was wary—as if he thought Jessica might lapse into some other crazy phobia.
She sighed, wishing she could take back her earlier confession. She’d certainly never intended to share something so personal with Ryan.
“What are you doing?” she asked, as he stacked some of the smaller branches in a ladder-like pattern on the ground next to the back cave wall.
“Making a bed.”
He reached into the backpack and pulled out what appeared to be a sleeping bag, except that it was incredibly thin. He laid it on top of the branches before tossing the small blanket on top, the same blanket he’d used earlier this morning to fashion a pillow for Jessica.
“That so-called bed doesn’t look comfortable,” Jessica said.
“It’s softer than the floor. And the pine needles act as a natural bug repellant so they won’t crawl all over you while you sleep.”
She crossed her arms at that nonsense. Did he think that, because she was a woman, she was afraid of bugs? Never mind that she was afraid of bugs. He didn’t need to know that. “Don’t you need more branches for the other bed?”
“One sleeping bag, one bed.”
She eyed the bed dubiously and opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a brow in challenge.
“Don’t waste your time arguing,” he said. “In another hour the sun will set and the temperatures will plummet. The only way to stay warm is by sharing body heat.”
“Couldn’t you start a fire? Don’t you have a lighter in that bottomless pack of yours?”
He gifted her with a sexy, lopsided grin. “The pack is far from bottomless. I didn’t have time to grab everything we’d need for an extended camping trip. I do have a lighter, but we can’t risk starting a fire at night. The light could be seen for miles around. That’s another reason we had to stop for the night. I can’t risk the motorcycle’s headlights being seen.”
She noted the tension in his face again. “Someone’s following us, aren’t they?”
He looked like he was about to deny it, but then he said, “One man, that I’ve seen. Don’t worry, he’s miles away. We’re safe here for the night.”
“You’re sure?”
“As sure as I can be.” He reached into one of the side pockets in the backpack. “There’s a stream nearby. We can bathe in the morning, but for now, this should make you feel better.” He pulled out a hairbrush, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Jessica gasped with delight and grabbed them from him. “What are we waiting for?”
He laughed and pulled her to her feet.
A few minutes later, after cleaning herself as best she could in the freezing stream, and scrubbing her teeth, Jessica felt human again. She’d never thought of a toothbrush as a luxury, but she’d never take one for granted again.
When they were back in the cave, Ryan blocked the entrance with the pile of pine tree branches. He took off his jacket and lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes, looking perfectly content. Jessica followed his lead, shrugging out of her jacket.
When she glanced over at Ryan, she realized his eyes were open again, and he wasn’t looking at her face. His heated gaze was focused several inches lower. Jessica followed his gaze, then gasped and crossed her arms over her chest. She’d forgotten how tight and thin the T-shirt was.
Unapologetic, Ryan shrugged and raised the blanket. Jessica hesitated, then slid in beside him, lying on her back, staring at the ceiling.
Tension coiled inside her. Had she imagined the heat in Ryan’s gaze? Probably. She certainly didn’t have to imagine the answering heat inside her. Desperate for a distraction that didn’t involve her crawling all over him and making a fool of herself, she blurted out, “Ryan?”
“Um?” His voice sounded sleepy.
“Tell me about yourself. All I know is that you protect people for a living, you’re extremely comfortable with guns and you ride motorcycles.”
He laughed, the deep sound curling through Jessica and making her ache to move closer to him.
So much for distracting herself by talking.
“You make me sound like a Hell’s Angel,” he said. “Or maybe a Jackie Chan wannabe.”
She frowned. “Jackie Chan?”
Silence met her question. She turned her head to look at him, barely able to see him in the rapidly darkening cave. His face was only a few inches from hers and he was staring at her with a stunned expression.
“You don’t know who Jackie Chan is?”
“Sorry,” she said, trying not to watch his handsome mouth as it moved. “Afraid not.”
“I thought everyone knew about Jackie Chan. He’s a modern-day Bruce Lee.”
“Bruce Lee?” she teased, knowing full well who Bruce Lee was.
Ryan groaned as if she’d mortally wounded him. “That’s just wrong. Please tell me you at least know who John Wayne is.”
“Well, of course I know who he is. He’s that guy who does those shows in Vegas.”
Dead silence filled the cave, which was so dark now that she couldn’t see hi
s face anymore.
“Jessica?”
“Yes, Ryan?”
“Are you teasing me?”
“Maybe.”
“I jump into a burning building for her and this is how she repays me. Denigrating my heroes. It’s a sad world we live in.”
The reminder of the house fire was like a bucket of ice water, sobering her and washing away her earlier amusement. She flipped on her side to face him. The darkness gave her courage. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his shoulder, and followed his sleeve down to his hand, entwining her fingers with his.
“Jessica,” he said, his voice oddly strained. “What are you doing?”
“I’ve never really thanked you for saving me. I know I wouldn’t have gotten out of my house alive if it weren’t for you. I still can’t believe you jumped through that fire for someone like me.” She squeezed his hand and followed the line of his arm back up until she touched his cheek. She was so tired now that she didn’t care if he stiffened against her or not. Leaning forward, she pressed a quick, soft kiss to his lips.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He didn’t stiffen or pull away, but it was a long time before he spoke. “You’re welcome.” His voice sounded deeper than usual, but there was genuine warmth in his words, no condemnation or disgust this time.
The tension in Jessica’s shoulders eased. “Will you tell me more about yourself?” she asked.
“Like what? My service number?”
“Tell me that later, when I have a pen.”
He chuckled. “Short bio. I grew up on a horse ranch in Colorado with three brothers and a sister. I was in the army for ten years, got out a few months ago and became a marshal. Never been married, no kids.”
“Why would you quit the army to become a marshal?”
“Tradition. Most everyone in my family goes into law enforcement eventually, in some capacity. I wanted to serve my country first, but then, after...”
The Marshal's Witness Page 8