Rapid Pulse: A Limited Edition Spicy Romance Collection

by Gina Kincade

  In the dark night, even with the streetlights, Jason watched the assailant get into a non-descript, dark colored car across the street. Slamming the window shut so hard Kathryn screamed again, he locked it back up. Of course, while they had special locks, the glass reinforced so it couldn't be broken, this guy had entered through the front door, so opening the window had been nothing from the inside. He would have to inspect the front door to ascertain the skills this guy retained that he had so easily gotten inside the specialty locks. The man was a pro with a point to make. The message given tonight, Jason had received loud and clear. The stalker hadn't wanted to hurt her this time or he would have, but there was no telling what he would do the next. Plus, he kept getting to them. He had proof now, he believed, that an internal leak had led this guy to them once again. He needed to take her, get her out of here now.

  The thought had barely entered his brain when a plan started to form. Screw policy. He'd keep her safe. He'd take her with him to his ranch. He'd tell no one where they'd gone, only tell Pete she would remain safe in an undisclosed location. They could fire him after the stalker had been caught. He'd gladly give up the job. He could check in from time to time on burner phones until they managed to catch the man, but until then they would both disappear. That is all he would tell Pete, his plan.

  But first, he had to comfort the sobbing woman trembling in his arms, snuggled into his body.

  "It's over, Kathryn. You are okay. But, you broke the rules running from the car without me and paid a horrible price. I'm taking you away from here, somewhere where I know I can keep you safe until they catch this guy. You need to grab your stuff so we can leave now. We are open targets with the front door compromised, probably unable to be locked again. I will stand here, make a phone call while you grab your stuff as fast as you can."

  He tried to stand, but she only shook her head as she continued to vibrate in his arms. She had a death grip on his sides, getting clothing and flesh, her thick, manicured nails leaving crescent shaped indentations just below his ribs.

  "Kathryn. Please. I have you. You are safe. But, sweetheart, we have to move fast before the guy comes back." Even though he didn't believe the man would dare at this point, Jason needed to scare her into understanding as he pushed her away from him, easily overpowering her death-like grip on him so he could look her in the eyes. "Can you do that for me? Can you grab just what you need?"

  She nodded, her red-rimmed eyes wide with fear.

  "Good. Do so while I make a call to my boss, tell him a brief description of my plan."

  He figured he could leave his phone here after the call. They would be completely out of touch until after he had secured them at the ranch and gone out to buy a burner and check in again. He only told Pete they were going to disappear before hanging up on the man. Next he called the head of staff at the ranch, instructing them that while he was coming there, if anyone called they were to say they had not heard from him. Then he wiped the calls from the log, did a fast factory reset, and turned off the phone purposefully tossing it on her bed. With bag in her hand, he pulled her to him again. Tucked under his side for her protection, they moved cautiously into every room, his gun aimed, held steady despite a painfully bruised hand.

  As he pulled away from the curb, her with her head down below the dashboard, he wished he could focus on the fact that somewhere Pete was cursing him up and down right now. He'd left his friend with the message to catch this bastard stalker and then he would return her home. Pete knew about the ranch, but his employees would make sure no one knew he was actually there. Kathryn and he would literally go off grid, hiding in the most obvious place due to the help of a loyal staff who had already been carefully instructed for years lest he ever need such a backup plan to disappear. They had protocol even if someone showed up in person to the ranch. When the order was given, they knew their first and most important responsibility was to keep him hidden there.

  He wished he could be concerned with Pete's anger. Instead, as he drove through the night, rushing Kathryn to safety, all he could think about were the nerve endings still awake and tingling all over him from where her body had pressed against his.

  Chapter Five

  It had been dark when they arrived at Jason's ranch yesterday, and Kathryn had been unable to get a clear vision of her surroundings, this dream home and ranch Jason had told her about on the way here. Basically, the guy had talked a mile a minute. She figured it had been his attempt to get her mind off what had just happened to her. All she really got from what he said, though, her brain still having trouble with the whole concentration thing, was the fact they were driving a few hours north of Sacramento to a horse ranch he owned. He loved the place. That came out loud and clear. He trusted his staff to hide them in such an obvious location. She understood that, too. She had to trust him.

  She appreciated his efforts to distract her, but the 'what ifs' of the whole situation kept pinging around in her brain, causing the dull ache there to grow into an actual throbbing headache. She'd been whisked through the darkness into a spare bedroom and told to sleep. While she convinced herself she never would again, her body had other ideas and she'd promptly acquiesced to a dreamless sleep after the harrowing attack at the condo. She had been beyond exhausted, and thankfully, practically asleep before her head hit the pillow and any other violent images of her wild imagination formed.

  Walking out into the bright morning sun now, though, she could see the wood and stone structures that seemed to spring from the surrounding woodland as if organic, made from them and complementing the landscapes if they'd sprung up naturally like a tree or plant. Jason had built this dream home of his on such gorgeous property. The view, unlike any she'd ever experienced before, took her breath away. The rugged landscape, the rustic buildings, it looked like the Wild West in California. It wasn't something she'd ever dreamed of seeing, a horse ranch, but standing here she realized how her pre-judgments of ranch life had led her to really miss out. She felt right at home, oddly, and she'd truly never felt that before; not in her father's huge, exquisitely decorated house, or at the stuffy and regimented boarding school.

  The canopy of trees and growth of wildflowers, barely blooming anymore at beginning of summer, along the well-worn path to the stables had kept her from seeing any of the creatures she could hear moving around her. She was extremely grateful for the dense foliage as her mind conjured up horrific critters, more like mutant animals, out to make her part of their early morning meal. Of course, not seeing them, not knowing if they were perhaps only an adorable squirrel rustling for nuts, or a colorful bird disturbing the leaves as it hopped from branch to branch in search of food for her young, may have made it worse. She had no real idea what could be out here. Wolf? Bear? What animals did live out here? The thoughts made her quicken her pace, and a flush of relief swept through her as the stables came into view. She had pictured a small building with a few horses, but instead a high-end facility teaming with activity loomed before her.

  Avoiding a few curious glances her way from other ranch hands, she covered her mouth to suffuse the smell of manure as she made her way into the barn in search of Jason. He'd left her a note saying where he was, but he'd be back to check on her before breakfast. She probably should have stayed put, waited from him in the cozy house, but curiosity had overwhelmed logic. Walking around the house, she'd decided apparently the guy did have taste after all, in spades. Even though the huge and spacious house was done in warm woods with the contrast of clean, crisp whites, things like strategically placed art and a bright red western throw brought it all together, made the place feel classy and homey at the same time. From the huge kitchen, equipped to cook for a restaurant full of people, to the library with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and the massive, fully decked out game room, the house had so much to offer. She felt like she may never want to leave before the reality of that thought struck her and she shook her head at her absurd notions, following her mounting curiosity outdoors. />
  With what she'd seen so far, she was glad she had. She just couldn't get over how comfortable she felt in a place that couldn't be more foreign to her had she travel far overseas, though she had only been driven a few hours out of the city. The stables were something. She stood on a red brick floor looking down a corridor of stalls with doors made of warm colored wood that matched the house, with black iron bars you could see the horses through. The walls and ceiling were made up of the same wood. Even the freaking stables were immaculately decorated with what appeared to be antique equipment hanging from the walls.

  Walking a few feet into the stable, despite the brief stares of stable hands, she found Jason brushing down a heavily pregnant, great black mare in one of the stalls. She stood for a moment in awe of his obviously practiced care of the animal. He stroked her flank firmly, all the while murmuring soothing sounds that seemed to be more random noises than words.

  "Hey," she spoke softly, not wanting to spook either horse or master.

  Jason visibly tensed as her voice met his ears, and he responded with a curt, "Hi. You should have stayed in the house. Jeanette was instructed to provide you anything you needed. Is there something you need even she couldn't grant?"

  Embarrassment, hot and heavy, rushed through her, a flush creeping up her face despite her, but she sighed. "No. I don't need anything, Jason. Never mind. Thank you."

  She pivoted on her boot heel and took a step back in the direction she'd come, then pulled up short when Jason's firm, calloused hand closed over her arm, spinning her back around to face him.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to come out so abrupt. Last night left me a bit out of it. Tired. Rest assured, though, I met with my staff once we arrived, and we went through the whole plan for them to hide us here. No one who calls or even shows up will be allowed to know we are actually here. Besides, Pete would assume this was the last place I would bring you. I trust my staff completely, so I hope you will too." He ran a hand through his dark hair, slicking it back with the sweat already beaded on his forehead. "You ride, or are those just for show?" He gestured to her calf-length leather boots with a half-smile softening his features.

  Kathryn's heart leapt at the sight of the smile and she grinned, "Yes, Jason, as amazing as it may seem, I actually can ride a horse," she responded flippantly. "In fact, it's one of the things I enjoyed most in my off time at school, and I've become pretty good at it. I ride English, not western, and have been trained a bit for competitive riding. But, how different could it all be, right?"

  "Then we will ride. I'll be right back." He flashed her a quick glance of his white, even teeth before he strode into the barn leading the mare.

  Watching his retreating back, his ass encased in dark jeans stretched across wide hips, she wondered if there were any angle she didn't find him drool-worthy. As he returned leading two smaller horses, one a beautiful mahogany, the other a pale white, she answered her own question. No.

  Chapter Six

  Before they set out across the acres of lush, green fields, he gave her a brief lesson in the round pen in the transition from English to Western riding. While mainly a difference in the contact of the rider and horse, she seemed willing to learn and picked it up easily. The appearance of her genuine interest intrigued him. He'd never seen her actually excited about doing anything, unless it was to shop, spa, and dine; all in places that may as well have been foreign lands speaking foreign languages to him. The way she seemed to cling to every word he said with her undivided attention did something to him, let him see a different side of her he didn't even realize existed. Maybe another side did exist within this woman other than the one her life had created. Maybe she didn't even realize it existed within her. He didn't know if he would be happy or scared to find she actually had a depth of character hidden somewhere deep within, given the physical attraction he already had for her. If she became nice, easy-going, and interested in the same things, he might just be a goner, losing any self-control her former attitude had helped him hang on to, even if only just by a thread.

  After the hasty lesson, they rode easily through trails formed only by use: the hooves of the horses, and the boots of man this far out onto his eighteen hundred acre ranch. They didn't really talk, as he more enjoyed watching her take pleasure in the ride, having an excuse to keep looking at her under the guise of making sure she was doing okay. She sat a beautiful picture on the gorgeous animal beneath her. With the backdrop of the trees, the mountains in front of them, he found it all quite breathtaking, but nothing seemed to get under his skin, pleasure his senses more than her. He was so in trouble. Maybe bringing her out here to a place where no one knew where they were wasn't the greatest idea, especially considering his urges where she was concerned, but what choice did he have? If anyone actually did call looking for him, he'd at least have time to make them disappear on the property if need be.

  He felt safe here. No one who worked for Pete knew he had this place, so no one would be able to guess where he'd taken her without doing some serious digging.

  Side by side they followed a winding creek just below the gentle rise of the land. It had been this small trickle of water that had sold him on the place, thus inspiring him to name the ranch, Major's Creek. They rode along the bubbling brook for some time before he suggested it was time they make their way back. Back through the tall, green prairie grasses, fields that only a month ago were an unending blanket of bluebonnets around the limestone outcroppings. Her smile seemed to grow larger, a glow traveling through her face until the happiness shone in her eyes as she took in the scenery. She even asked him questions about the ranch, what he did here, her true interest in his home shooting an arrow right to his heart that got that whole groin area all worked up again, too.

  They were close to the stables again, outside the covered arena, when he spotted a partially downed fence. Old, the whole thing needing replacing in this section. While the ranch hands would fix it before working out any of the horses in the space, he had an urge to handle it himself. He'd been away from the ranch too long, and with all of the lust coursing through him lately, he needed to work with his hands a bit. Pounding a nail with a hammer just sounded good. It seemed like a logical solution to the energy brimming inside him.

  "Listen, I need to get this fence fixed, so I'll take you back. One of the hands will care for the horse, and I will see you later at the house. I had someone run this morning and get us a couple of burner phones so you can get ahold of me anytime you need to. They are at the stables, set up with each other's numbers on emergency dial, so I'll make sure you get one before you go back to the house."

  "Do you mind if I just stay with you?" she asked him, shocking him with the softness of her voice. She actually asked him a question, sought his permission, rather than simply demanding him to do something or outright refusing to do what he'd asked.

  "Listen, Kathryn, I know yesterday was scary but you are safe here. No one knows where we are, not even my boss. I ditched my phone, so no one tracked us here. And my staff, whom I trust implicitly, all know as much as they need to, enough to know they need to keep their eyes peeled."

  "It's not that. I mean, yes, yesterday was terrifying, and I appreciate all you did, and all you are doing for me. It's just...I would rather stay outdoors...with you. I don't really want to sit inside the house bored to tears. I just can't get over how beautiful this land is. I would rather stay here and stare at the landscape while you fix the fence than anything I could do in the house. Besides, surely I'll have plenty of time at night to explore the library and play in the game room."

  He stood there a minute, dumbfounded, looking into her face, trying to reconcile her expression with the words that had come out of her mouth. Not whiny, not demanding, just normal, soft with a touch of husky woman tone. This whole persona switch was throwing him for a loop and he was still unsure how to handle it.

  "Uh, well, I didn't take you for the outdoorsy type."

  "Who knew," she mused wi
th a giggle, the sound of it vibrating through him, sending another spark of longing below his belt.

  "If you're sure you won't be bored, then sure, you can stay. Wait here a minute for me to go grab what I need. I'll be right back," he ordered as he noticed one of his ranch hands moving toward them, out inspecting the fence.

  He clicked his tongue and with a slight pull on the reins, he encouraged his mount to turn and shift into a fast trot, intent on stopping the guy from getting too close to Kathryn, lest she overhear he didn't actually need to fix the fence himself. His staff all listened well, and they were used to him pitching in, so he received little argument from the young hand about wanting to do the work on the fence.

  Once inside the tool and tack barn, he made short work of grabbing the gear he needed, and then found himself rushing back to be with her. He wanted to experience more of this new version of Kathryn, lest she vanish as quickly as she appeared. The ranch was a magical place. It had certainly transformed his life, so maybe it would have a positive impact on this spoiled little rich girl, too. It would make his job easier in a way, but could make keeping his distance more difficult.

  He granted her a brief smile upon his return, finding her standing beside her horse, holding the reins with one hand, absently petting the stallion with her other as she stared off in a sleepy-looking daze around her. A smile, not big, but genuine, soft and beautiful graced her features and lit up her eyes. He found he couldn't look away.

  He stopped on his horse right beside her, catching her attention again.

  "This place is amazing. You are lucky to have it," she gushed.