Feisty Heroines Romance Collection of Shorts

by D. F. Jones

  When he finally ran out of words, he asked about her life. Where she was from, how long she’d been in Montana and did she like working for the Williams family?

  Instead of answering, she surprised him by taking his hand. “Let me show you something,” was all she said. Her hand was warm and tempting in his. They left their beers on the step, and she led him around the side of the cabin to a small lean-to. Taking the flashlight he’d used earlier, she shined it on a big, black motorcycle, hunkered inside.

  “This is my life,” she said. “Me and my motorcycle. We go wherever calls to us next.”

  “Nice,” he breathed, running a hand over the sleek black gas tank. “So, you live a life on the road, huh?” A few more of the puzzle pieces that went together to make up Cat slotted into place in Levi’s mind. It was obviously her way of escaping from things. Escaping from life if it got too hard.

  “She’s beautiful, don’t you think?” Cat hadn’t let go of his other hand, and she came and stood next to him, resting her fingers on the handlebars. He could feel the heat of her body, she was so close. Closer than she should be. If he turned his head…

  Their faces were mere centimeters apart. He was trapped by her blue eyes, so dark and mysterious in the flashlight. Cat licked her lips, dragging his gaze downwards, to her luscious mouth.

  “Yes, she’s beautiful.” But he wasn’t talking about the bike.

  He wanted to kiss her. The impulse thrummed through him, and all of a sudden it was all he could think about. Would she kiss him back?

  He let his lips meet hers, tantalizing, tasting, seeking approval. And she gave it by pushing her lithe body up against his as her hand snaked around the back of his neck, pulling his mouth down harder onto hers. She was everything he’d imagined. There was a hint of smoke in her kiss as she invited him in with her tongue. There was no hesitation, she knew what she wanted and was taking it. They melded together, closer and closer, as if one, the bike forgotten—everything else forgotten except each other.

  Finally, she drew back, panting slightly as she stared into his face.

  “I think I should go. I need to get some sleep.” And just like that, she was gone, and he was left on his own, standing in the small shed.

  That kiss had blown his mind. It took a few minutes to compose himself and head back down the hill to the homestead.

  Levi spent the rest of the night in his car. Watching over Cat’s cabin. She would hate it if she knew he was there. But he needed to know she was safe.

  Chapter 5

  CAT

  * * *

  The rumble of the motorcycle engine felt good between her knees. Her headlight cut a swath down the dark road, the fir trees crowded in on each side, tall, lurking shadows, almost as if she were riding down a long tunnel.

  Freedom, that’s what she needed. A fresh start, someplace no one knew her. It was way past time she left Bitteroot Valley and Stargazer Ranch. It’d already sunk its claws in too deep. Soon it’d be impossible to leave. Especially now that a man with brooding brown eyes the color of the earth kept intruding into her thoughts.

  And that kiss… She dare not even go there. That’d been two days ago, and she could still feel his lips on hers.

  Darkened houses began to appear on each side of the road as she came to the outskirts of Stevensville, the town still slumbering in the early hours before dawn. She slowed the bike and tried to hold her impatience in check. Once she was through the town, she could open up the throttle and let the bike go, take her wherever the road led next. The note she’d left for Dean sat, white and pristine on her kitchen table. It explained everything, that she had to go, that she was sorry she was leaving him short-handed, but to say goodbye to Big Tom and Emily for her.

  Cat avoided Main Street, winding her way through the back roads instead, not wanting to announce her leaving. Nothing moved out here in the outskirts of town; it was dark and quiet. Suddenly, it struck her. Going this way would take her close to Levi’s house. He’d told her where he lived the other night as they’d talked, proud he was able to afford his own rental property, even run down and old as it was. The same night he’d spent in his car, watching over her like some kind of personal bodyguard. That was one more reason she had to leave.

  Was it her subconscious driving her towards him, even when all she wanted was to run away? She almost changed direction. But that would be silly, she was nearly through town. No, she would ride right past and keep on going.

  Cat kept her eyes fixed on the bright spot in the road in front, ignoring the hulking shapes of the houses as she passed. But she couldn’t help herself. It was as if her hand had a mind of its own, and she loosened her grip on the throttle, letting the bike slow. Levi’s house was somewhere at the end of the street. She pulled over and came to a stop a hundred meters or so from where she thought it might be. What was she doing? She should be running away from this guy, not toward him. He stirred something deep inside her, but it was something she didn’t want to think about.

  Not wanting to disturb the neighbors, she flicked off her headlight and sat there, contemplating her next move.

  Drive right by. That’s what she needed to do. There was absolutely no way she should stop in and say goodbye.

  The sound of an engine starting in the distance had her lifting her head sharply. Then a car came flying out of a driveway up ahead with no headlights on. There was a thunk, like metal on metal. Had the car hit something? It headed away from her, turning the corner at the end of the road, taking it too fast, making the tires squeal on the tarmac. Bloody idiot. What were they thinking, driving like a maniac in the dark? It was lucky she’d stopped when she had, or they might’ve hit her, driving so recklessly. The car was big, the size of a large pickup. But that’s all she could tell in the dark.

  A flicker of light caught her eye.

  What was that?

  Another flicker.

  Then an orange glow came through the trees. Was that a fire?

  Her heart suddenly lurched in her chest.

  Levi’s house.

  She kicked the bike back into life and hurtled down the road, stopping at the driveway where she’d seen the glow. It was too dark to see the number on the letterbox, but she had no doubt this was where Levi lived. She remembered him telling her it was an old clapboard house with a high gable roof, made of timber. It would burn easily.

  Now she was level with the house, she could see it clearly. The front porch and part of the lean-to garage was alight, hungry flames spreading up the outside of the house, even as she stopped and stared.

  Levi.

  Was he still inside?

  She had to check. Dragging her helmet off, she left her bike on its kickstand and ran towards the burning building.

  “Levi,” she shouted. “Are you in there?”

  There was no answer.

  Shit. She pulled out her phone, dialing 9-1-1 while she looked for a way to get around the back of the house as she hurriedly conveyed her details to the dispatcher. Long weeds and overgrown bushes blocked her path. Squeezing past an old, rickety gate, she found a path down the side and raced to find a back door.

  But when she bounded up the steps, the back door was locked. She pounded her fist, banging loudly and calling his name.

  Again, there was no answer.

  Time was running out. She could see the flames rising above the roof at the front of the house. Greedy, hungry flames, eating the house alive. It was going up like a tinder box. How many times was she going to have to rush into a burning building this week?

  There was a window to the left of the porch, and she looked around for something to smash it with. The shape of an old lawn chair caught her eye in the gloom, and she picked it up with a grunt of exertion, carrying it over her head, then launching it at the window. She covered her face as pieces of glass rained down on her. Then smoke poured out, escaping through the hole. Pulling her red bandana up over her nose and mouth, she drew in a deep breath of clean air. At least s
he had on her leather biker’s jacket and gloves to give her protection.

  The window was high, and she had to pull herself up and swing a leg over the windowsill, sweeping the remaining glass shards out of the way as she did so.

  It was pitch black when she finally landed inside. This time she was at a major disadvantage as she had no knowledge of the house or where she might start looking for Levi.

  “Levi,” she screamed. “Are you in here?”

  A sudden glow showed her a doorway to her right and she headed for it. Cat decided it must be his spare room, feeling her way around a mound of boxes still filled with all his unpacked belongings. He’d mentioned he hadn’t had much time since moving in to get things sorted.

  Through the doorway she turned down a long corridor, and she could see the flames hungrily licking up through what must be the front door. They were already setting the ceiling alight. Surprisingly, there was less smoke out here, and thanks to the flames she could see clearly.

  Was that a pair of feet poking out of a doorway close to the end of the corridor?

  Levi.

  Why was he lying on the ground?

  The flames had caught properly and were eating their way across the ceiling, like an upside-down flowing river of fire. Right above those feet.

  Cat ducked down and crawled along the wooden floorboards, skidding a little as she hit the floor runner rug, the heat radiating down on her from above.

  She reached the booted feet and rounded the corner, to see Levi stretched out on the floor, unconscious.

  Shit. How was she going to get him out of here?

  “Levi, wake up.” Cat shook his shoulder violently but got no reaction. He was definitely out cold. Going back to his feet, she began tugging, pulling him out of the doorway and into the corridor. But he was heavy. Really heavy. Now she understood the meaning of dead weight.

  She pushed and shoved but it seemed to take ages to get him out of the room. The idea of picking him up and throwing him over her shoulder in a fireman’s lift skittered through her brain, but there was no way she was strong enough to do that.

  Think, Cat, think.

  The hallway runner. It’d slipped on the wooden floor beneath her as she’d crawled in.

  Levi was already half-way onto the rug, so she rolled him over, and he landed with a thud on his back. She winced as his head hit the floor, but at least he was on the rug now. The heat pulsing down from the ceiling was becoming unbearable, and it was hard to breathe, the hot air burned her lungs every time she took a breath. Flames had also begun to slide along the right-hand wall of the hallway, and even down near the floor, the smoke was thick and black. But there was no way she was leaving Levi.

  Placing her hands on his shoulders, she braced her feet against the floor and pushed with all her might. He moved. She heaved again, and again he moved down the hall, much farther this time.

  The heat was so intense on the back of her head, she had to resist the urge to put a hand up and feel her hair, to make sure it wasn’t on fire. Not much farther. The back door was getting closer with every heave. There was a loud crash and a whoosh of boiling air flashed past her. But Cat didn’t dare look around. If the house was collapsing around her, she didn’t want to know.

  Concentrating on pushing with all her might, she sucked in deep, smoky breaths. Her legs were beginning to shake with exertion, and sweat ran freely down her face and back.

  Suddenly, she stopped abruptly, not able to push Levi any farther. She looked up, sweat and smoke stinging her eyes. They’d reached the back door; his feet were shoved up against the wooden frame. Not daring to stand up as the flames shot overhead, she crawled to the door and turned the latch and the door swung miraculously outwards.

  “Help me,” she croaked, tugging at Levi’s feet, trying to drag him over the threshold and down the back steps. Then someone was there, helping her pull Levi, gentle hands lifting him down the steps and carrying him away from the burning building, toward the edge of the back yard.

  Cat sat down in the long grass next to him, laying Levi’s head in her lap and breathed, in and out. In and out.

  The sound of sirens rang out around the house, and people milled in the yard, probably neighbors coming to see if they could help. Someone passed her a bottle of water and she took it gratefully, draining it nearly dry.

  Using her bandana, she wet one corner and rubbed it over Levi’s face. He groaned at her touch. She’d never been gladder to hear anyone utter a sound in her life.

  Chapter 6

  LEVI

  * * *

  Levi held the icepack to the side of his head. It throbbed like a thousand hammers were beating inside his brain. And it hurt to breathe, his throat was so dry and raspy.

  But he was alive.

  Thanks to Cat.

  He glanced sideways and caught her staring at his smoking ruin of a house. They both had their backs propped against the fence, sitting in the long grass, watching the mayhem in his back yard. Firefighters hosed down the last of the dying embers. White smoke filled the early dawn sky above them, blocking out the rising sun. The local sheriff, Hank, and his deputy were talking to some of his neighbors from across the road. At least he thought they were his neighbors. Only having lived here for a little over a week, he’d hardly had time to meet anyone. More people were standing around, gawking. But here by the fence, it was like he and Cat were in their own little isolated bubble, while the hustle and bustle went on all around.

  A shaft of morning light broke through the smoke and lit up Cat’s face. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone more beautiful. Her short, blonde hair was spiked up at all angles, but it gave her face an even more angelic look. Eyes so blue they were like a piece of fine sea glass, so light they were almost translucent. And that long, slender neck had his lips itching to kiss the soft skin in the hollow beneath her collar bone.

  His mind wandered back to two nights ago. When they’d kissed. He wanted to kiss her again. Badly.

  She glanced over and caught him staring. The corner of her mouth twitched up in a half-smile. “Now we’re even.”

  It took him a second to figure out what she meant.

  “I didn’t need rescuing. I was fine,” he retorted, trying to keep a straight face. But he couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his lips as she glared at him.

  “You were not bloody fine,” she blustered. “You were unconscious. You would’ve died if it weren’t for me.”

  She was right, of course. But he wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. Not right now. Later, he’d tell her he owed her his life. But he was enjoying throwing her own words back in her face.

  “I was fine,” he repeated. “Just like you were fine in that burning cabin.”

  She opened her mouth to snap out a feisty retort, but then something flickered in her eyes and she shut it again. He loved that smart mouth of hers. But he also loved that he’d rendered her speechless.

  “All right, I’ll admit it. Perhaps I did need your help the other day.” Her voice was low and quiet, and she sounded like a sulky child, but he’d take any kind of apology from her. “But don’t you dare tell anyone I said that.” She glared at him. God, she was even beautiful when she was mad.

  “Then perhaps I should thank you for rescuing me, too.”

  He looked into her eyes and found he couldn’t look away. The icepack dropped from his hand, his fingers instead gently brushing her cheek. She stilled beneath his touch. Suddenly his pounding head was the last thing on his mind.

  This time he didn’t ask for permission, his lips found hers, soft at first, tasting the smoke still lingering on her skin. His other hand snaked around the waistband of her jeans, pulling her closer. Hell, he wanted to pull her into his lap and lose himself in her for hours. If only his back yard weren’t full of people. At that thought, he drew back slightly, watching as her tongue came out to taste where his lips had been.

  Then she seemed to remember all the people as well and moved to l
ean against the fence once more.

  “Did you get a look at the person who did this?” she asked.

  He grimaced. “Yes, I did.” Should he tell her? It was going to get out soon enough anyway. “I’m sorry, Cat, but it was Clayton.”

  She narrowed her eyes, her lips thinning. “Are you sure?”

  Levi nodded. “He was going to hit me from behind, but something made me turn around. I saw him, looked him right in the eye a split second before he hit me with a baseball bat.”

  Her eyes flicked to the large lump visible along his hairline and she winced. “I’m sorry. It’s a damn good thing you’ve got a hard head.”

  “Yes, it is,” he laughed. But there was more she needed to know. The sheriff had spoken to him a little while ago, and when Levi told him who had hit him, he’d given him some interesting news. “Hank said one of his deputies called in a wrecked truck, left abandoned over on Hillsborough Road.”

  “Let me guess,” Cat said slowly. “The truck belongs to Clayton.”

  “Got it in one. But he’s nowhere to be found.”

  “Well, he’d better not come anywhere near me,” Cat growled. “Because I don’t take kindly to traitorous bastards.”

  Levi had to smile at the menacing tone in her voice. But this was serious. Clayton had tried to kill him, and he was out there somewhere, on the loose. He had no idea why he’d been targeted. There must be a connection to the fires over at Stargazer Ranch, and he was going to have a chat with Dean as soon as he could. And he was also going to make damn sure he kept a close eye on Cat, as well. Cat wouldn’t like the extra protection he had in mind.