Damn it.
He had to fix things. Even if she was leaving in the morning, never for him to lay eyes on again, he had to clear the air between them.
Pulling open the door, he set his shoulders and his resolve, then strode down the hall in search of Sara. He didn’t have to look far. She sat cuddled into the corner of the couch with a blanket across her lap, staring at the fire. If she heard him, she didn’t pay him any attention as he wandered into the kitchen, scrounged around for what he hoped would help, then went back to the living room.
When he sat on the couch beside her, he handed her a glass of red wine and a bar of milk chocolate. “It’s not flowers and a card that says I’m sorry, but it’s the best I can do, and I am.”
“Thank you,” she said, accepting his offering. When she did, a picture of Tasha slipped off her lap. He grabbed it before it could fall to the ground and stared at it, his thumb brushing over the surface.
She’d looked so pretty in that picture. It had been taken down by the lake on a sunny afternoon after swimming and a cookout; she’d been so alive. It was still hard for him to believe she was really gone.
“I shouldn’t have touched your picture. I just like looking at her. She reminds me of my sister Sue and my brother Josh. I miss them so much right now. I can’t imagine how this must feel for you.”
“I’ve been better. But it could always be worse.”
“I’m not sure how. The power is out. Communication systems are down. And last we heard, a pandemic had sprung up from nowhere. Seems pretty awful to me.”
He drank his wine and broke off a piece of the chocolate, savoring the taste. Who knew when they’d ever get to have this again?
“I’m so scared. I hate not knowing what’s going on out there. I hate not knowing if my family is okay. I shouldn’t have taken all of my worries and fears out on you. I’m sorry.” Her voice broke on the last word as more tears ran down her cheeks.
“I’m scared too.” He hated to admit it and look like a baby, but it was true. “Neither one of us knows what’s going to happen next. We don’t know what’s going to happen when you leave and we don’t know what will happen when I stay. But tonight, we know we’re warm, and safe and fed. If nothing else, we have this moment right here, right now to enjoy.”
***
Sara sipped her wine and nibbled on another square of chocolate. He was right. Again.
They didn’t know what would happen in the future. Hell, they didn’t even know if there was a future to look forward to at this point. So why shouldn’t they enjoy the moments like this one while they could? Moments when they were safe, warm, fed, and comfortable. They might not get many more nights like this if things kept getting worse, as they seemed to be. Best to savor the time while they had it instead of squandering it away with fights.
At this point, she didn’t even know what future awaited her at the bunker. Would she live with her family for the rest of their lives, never to interact with people from the outside world again? That’s sort of what they wanted, wasn’t it? Wasn’t that why they hadn’t told anyone about the bunker, because they couldn’t trust anyone?
What if this was her last night on her own? It might be her last night to live her life however she wanted to before she had to start making group decisions with her family.
“You’re right.” She polished off the last of her wine in a big gulp. Her head already swirled with the effects of the alcohol. She’d always been a lightweight when it came to getting drunk. Tonight would be no different. Good thing she’d planned to stop at one. She had other plans for the rest of the night.
“Right about what exactly? I said a bunch of stuff.”
She put her wineglass on the floor and took his hand in hers. “You were right about enjoying this moment we have tonight since we don’t know what the future holds, or even if we have a future.”
“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” He smiled, squeezing her hand.
“Yes. And then some.”
Sara took the wineglass from his hand and set it down next to hers, then straddled his lap, resting her hands on his chest. She pressed her mouth to his, delighting in the surprise on his face.
She wasn’t a throw-caution-to-the-wind kind of girl, but for once she was going to do just that, since she didn’t know if she’d have wind to be cautious of later on. Tonight, she’d live by her feelings. Tomorrow she’d go back to surviving.
“I want to enjoy this moment, right here, right now, with you. Just for a few minutes, I want to stop being afraid and feel something else. Something good. Something happy. I want to feel that something with you.”
Sara kissed him again, harder, demanding more from him. He eagerly reciprocated, snaking his hand up her back to tangle in her hair. His other hand wrapped securely around her waist, anchoring her to his lap.
Her body settled on top of his, melting against the desire she felt hardening under her. He trailed kisses down her neck then nibbled on her shoulder for a moment before pulling the strap of her shirt and bra to the side and making his way with kisses down to the rise of her chest.
Dane cupped her breast, finding the tight bead of her nipple even through the layers of clothing. She arched into him, unable to stop the reaction of her body wanting more.
Tomorrow might never come, but they still had the night, and she wasn’t going to waste another second of it.
Climbing off his lap, she pulled him from the couch to the bedroom. He willingly followed, drawing her into his arms at the edge of the bed. She tugged at his pants roughly, barely caring if they were even undone before pushing them down his legs. As he discarded his shirt, she stroked his length, appreciating his manliness, all his naked glory.
And he was spectacular.
She’d been with a few guys before. But none of them had looked like Dane. He was a fine specimen of testosterone and muscle. She’d been telling herself to stop thinking about what it would feel like to touch him, to see him like this, to experience him.... but she didn’t have to stop herself anymore.
He groaned at her touch, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back. By learning to use different weapons, she’d felt more powerful in the last two days than she ever had before. But this moment, being in control of Dane’s pleasure, made her feel like the most powerful woman in the world.
A moment later he planted a kiss on her lips, a kiss so filled with lust and desire it took her breath. She gasped air back into her lungs when he let her go to yank her tank top over her head and her pants to the floor. He found the clasp on the back of her bra like he was an expert in the field of bra removal, and within seconds she stood before him naked, feeling exposed and completely aroused.
Dane pressed her back into the bed, covering her body with kisses, using his tongue and teeth to elicit a steady stream of murmurs from her. He kissed her everywhere, starting with her breasts, teasing her nipples into painfully tight beads before moving south. At her belly button, he dipped his tongue inside and she squirmed at the strange sensation. When he reached her center, her body quivered beneath him, unable to control the waves cresting deep in her belly.
She called his name and clawed at the bed sheets, clenching them into her fists as he pushed her over the edge of desire. He sheathed his length then settled between her legs. As he entered her, she clung to his shoulders, pulling him against her, needing to feel the weight of him bearing down as he moved. Sara kissed his neck and shoulders; skimming her hands down his back and waist, then settling on the toned, firm muscles of his rear.
Being with Dane filled her body, heart, and soul with happiness. In this moment, there was nothing in the world beyond this man, this room.
After he followed her over the edge of ecstasy, he rolled to his back and she rested her head on his chest. His heart pounded hard and fast, matching her own. His arms circled her in a tight embrace.
For the first time in days, Sara felt safe.
Chapter Nine
“My family has a
bunker a few miles west of here,” Sara said, running her fingertips over Dane’s chest and down to his washboard stomach. She wanted to remember every inch of him since after tonight she’d probably never see him again. Never experience him again, either. The thought of that made her ache in a way she hadn’t expected. This man, who’d saved her from the woods when she’d run out of gas, who’d taken her in to his home...his life, who’d protected her, who’d taught her to protect herself. This man was nothing short of amazing.
The very idea of leaving him behind, never knowing what happened to him, never seeing him again, made her feel as if her lungs had been without oxygen for years. So instead of thinking about what would come, she did something she should have done before.
Trusted him. The same way he’d trusted her.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, his hand resting on the small of her back, his fingers tracing invisible patterns across her skin.
“The place I’m going tomorrow. The one I wouldn’t tell you about before. It’s a hidden bunker.” She paused while that tidbit of information sank in. “It’s fully stocked with food, water, heat, medical supplies, and anything else we could think of.”
“Why are you telling me this now when you wouldn’t before?” he asked, not sounding mad or upset, simply curious at her sudden change of heart.
“I didn’t tell you because my family believed that we couldn’t trust anyone to know the bunker existed if we wanted the best chance to survive. They thought if we told anyone our plans or its location, then we’d be putting ourselves in danger of someone else taking everything we’d worked for. I used to believe that, too.”
“But you don’t anymore?”
She kissed his chest, then propped herself up on one elbow so she could look at him. “No. I don’t believe that. I think you can trust some people. And I trust you. I should have told you everything before, but I was afraid of selling out my family. Now I know that was never a risk with you. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough to tell you sooner.”
“You trust me now. That’s enough for me.”
She found his lips just as eager to kiss her again as she was to kiss him. It felt good to tell him the truth, finally. Trying to hide her destination had been exhausting, and she was thankful not to have to waste the energy on it anymore. She’d much rather spend her energy with Dane, in his bed.
Dane suddenly broke their kiss, sitting up. “What was that?”
Sara sat up next to him, pulling the blankets to her chest. “What? I didn’t hear anything.”
He shushed her, putting his hand up to signal for quiet.
Outside, somewhere in the woods beyond his bedroom window, a branch cracked as if it had been stepped on. Then another. And another.
Surely it was animals. A little herd of deer. Or maybe a pack of raccoons coming to scavenge through his garbage.
At the sound of male voices, Dane and Sara both jumped from the bed. He was into his clothes and had disappeared under the bed before she’d even managed to tug on jeans.
She struggled into her clothes, her limbs not working well with the shaking her nerves caused. She’d pulled on her tank top and sweater by the time Dane stood again, a large briefcase-style box in his arms.
He tossed it onto the bed, twisted a numbered dial, and popped open the top. A moment later, he pulled out a handgun and a couple of extra clips of ammo and handed everything to her.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” she asked, holding the gun away from her body as if it were a carcass of rotting meat.
“You aim it at the bad guys and pull the trigger.”
She shook her head. “No way. I can’t do that.”
He shouldered a couple of larger guns and stuffed extra rounds into his pockets then started down the hall toward the living room. “Come on.”
She followed only because she didn’t want to be left in the bedroom alone. If she was going to fight, she would do it alongside Dane, not on her own.
The fire had burned down to barely more than ashes, casting the room into darkness. Dane went to the edge of the window and peeked outside. “Fuck,” he said leaning back against the wall.
“What?” she asked, panic constricting her throat.
“You appear to have been right. They came back. And they brought their friends. But it doesn’t look like they have guns. We do, so we should be okay.”
“You don’t sound as convincing as I’d like.”
“Well, I’m working on limited information at the moment. If I could see guns, I’d know they have them, but I can’t, so I don’t.”
“How many guys are there?”
“At least a dozen. A few have knives. We can totally take them.” He sounded confident.
Her head spun as adrenaline spiked in her system. “No way. That’s too many. We need to go. Now. While we still can.”
“We have guns.”
“They might have some, too! And they have numbers. I’m a terrible shot with this and you can’t mow them all down in a sea of bullets. Let’s check the back and if it’s clear, then let’s get the hell out of here and let them take what they want.”
“No. This is my home and I’m not handing it over without a fight. If you want to leave, go ahead. I’ll cover you as best as I can from here.”
Sara’s anger spiked as she tossed her gun and ammo into the main part of her backpack and the knife into the outside pocket were she could reach it easily if needed, then shrugged it onto her shoulders. She pulled on her shoes, lacing them tight. “You’re going to stay here and fight, probably lose, and for what? Four walls and a fireplace? A bed?”
The voices outside grew louder. Closer. But as far as she could tell, all of them came from out front, which meant the back should be clear.
“Don’t be stupid, Dane. These people are dangerous. Come with me.”
“I can’t leave.”
She threw her hand up, frustrated to still be talking about this. “Why?”
“Because I don’t have anything else. This is it. This cabin is everything to me. My life, my memories of my family, everything is here. There’s nothing out there for me.”
Sara cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to focus on her. “You’ll have me. My family made me swear never to bring anyone to the bunker with me, but I don’t give a shit anymore. I can’t leave you here. Come with me. Now. You’ll have me and you’ll still have the memories of your family. You don’t need the cabin for that.”
The door handle rattled behind them. Sara pulled Dane toward the back door, away from the mob of men gathering in the front.
As they reached the kitchen, a rock crashed through the front window landing with a thud on the hardwood floor in a mess of shattered glass. The voices outside cheered as something big banged against the door.
Dane’s look of determination fell as he heard his home about to be invaded.
“Come on,” she pleaded, pulling him away from the chaos. She stopped long enough to retrieve her bucket of food supplies before continuing on to the kitchen. “We have to go now or we won’t be able to get away.”
“Where’s that pretty set of tits I met the other day? Come out, come out wherever you are.”
The voice of the tall man who’d grabbed her a couple of days before crept through the house like smoke, choking her with fear. At the sound, Dane instantly snapped out of whatever daze he’d been in. He slipped into the boots at the back door and quickly laced just the top two eyelets, knotting them. She hadn’t even noticed the backpack waiting on the table until he threw it on his back.
He handed her the bow and quiver she’d left there earlier, then grabbed his own. He peeked through the window for a second before throwing open the door and pushing her through into the night air. Dane paused, glancing back into the cabin.
Sara stood shivering in the cold as it settled around her thin sweater. Her shivers stilled at the feel of a hand grabbing her arm and her body pressing against someone big and solid.
Bile rose in Sara’s throat at his words and at his hand as it tightened on her arm. She dropped the bucket and clawed at him. Her arsenal of weapons poked into her back so hard she thought she might actually be bleeding.
“Dane!” she yelled, managing to call out before the tall man behind her clasped a hand over her mouth, pressing her even harder against him.
Anger flared to life in Dane’s eyes as he started toward her and the man holding her captive. “Let her go or so help me, I will kill you.”
“Big words coming from someone completely outnumbered,” he sneered and took a step back, dragging Sara with him.
“Didn’t I make myself clear? Let her go or you die. Simple. Make your choice because we’re leaving, one way or the other.”
Dane took his bow off his shoulder and loaded it with an arrow, aiming it at Sara and her captor. She shook uncontrollably. How could he take out the man without also hitting her? It wasn’t that she didn’t trust he was a good shot, but it was dark, tensions where high, and at any second, someone else could come and join the fight and take Dane down. She fought her nerves, calming her body until it stilled. If she couldn’t fight her way free, then at least she could attempt to make Dane’s job easier by becoming as small an obstacle as possible.
“Who knows what kind of women we’ll have left after this disease wipes out half the world. I think I’ll keep this one.”
Sara gritted her teeth together. No way. She wasn’t about to let herself become some kind of commodity that could be looted, traded, or sold.
Taking a deep breath, she stomped her heel onto his foot as hard as she could, simultaneously grabbing his fingers and wrenching them backward. He called out and staggered, relaxing his hold enough for her to wiggle out of his arms.
She froze as an arrow whooshed passed her head, lodging itself into the man’s upper chest, just below his collarbone. He looked down at the wood sticking out of his body then fell to the ground.
Then There Was You Page 6
