She snorted. “How am I doing so far?”
“You’re doing great. It’s a huge success just to climb the pole the first time. You should be proud, whether you decide to stop right here for today or go on and finish the course. I’ll warn you, though, we’ll be back up here tomorrow, and the next day, and for however long it takes you to conquer your fear and recognize your capabilities.”
Cara groaned. “Do I have to cross that?” She glanced anxiously at the log that spanned the distance between her platform and the next.
“Sooner or later. I’ll help you when you’re ready.”
Why was she frozen in fear? She’d always been a tomboy growing up. The first one up a tree, the only girl on her neighborhood baseball team, and in high school she bought a beat-up old Harley and rebuilt the engine. She’d never been afraid to try anything. Her gaze settled on Joe. He smiled encouragingly.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, I’m ready… I think.”
He laughed. “When you know you’re ready, let go of the pole, grab the ropes on your harness, and step down on the log. Your carabiners will slide along the cable as you move. I’ll go in front of you and if you panic, you can grab on to me. Ready?”
She concentrated on her feet, making sure she didn’t look beyond them to the ground thirty feet below as she lowered herself onto the log and made her way step by small step across to the next platform.
“I did it.” She grinned as she pulled herself up next to Joe. It probably seemed like a small accomplishment to him, but she was elated.
“I never doubted you.”
“What’s next?”
“That’s it for today, except for getting down.” A smile lingered on his face.
“Wait a minute. What aren’t you telling me? How do we get down?”
“Zip line.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll show you, but first we have to cross this bridge to get to that platform over there.”
She looked where he was pointing and saw a narrow bridge with wide gaps between the boards. Her gaze jerked back to him. “That’s it for today, huh? You lied! I will get even, you know.”
“I’ll go first.” He chuckled.
“Are you sure there’s no way down from right here?”
“You can do this.” He transferred to the next cable. “Take it slow, just like the log.” He watched to make sure she transferred safely as she followed him down onto the bridge. He made it look easy, but watching him didn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach or eliminate the dizziness every time she glimpsed the ground below.
He reached the other side. “Your turn.”
She took a deep breath and jumped to the first board, teetering precariously as she tried to regain her balance. The next jump was a little easier. Soon she got the hang of it and her confidence grew, reaching the other side much quicker than she had on the last obstacle. She smiled, right up until Joe hooked the zip line rigging to her harness and told her to jump off the platform.
“Are you crazy? I can’t do that!”
“Yes, you can.”
She looked again at the edge of the platform and envisioned herself jumping off. Her mind recoiled, and a sick feeling swirled in her stomach. She leaned back against the pole. “You go. Maybe if I see you do it, I’ll be able to jump.”
“You can’t stay up here by yourself.”
She groaned again, and her stomach churned. “Isn’t there any other way down?”
“Trust me. This is the safest way.”
Everything required trust with him. So, did she trust him? If she ever got back on the ground, she might be able to answer that question. She looked over the edge of the platform. There’s no way!
“Take your time. Go when you’re ready… unless you want me to give you a little push.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” She wrapped her arms around the pole.
“You really don’t trust me, do you?” He laughed.
“I was starting to, before you said the word push.”
“There’s hope then? If I choose my words more carefully?”
“Maybe… if I ever get down from here.”
“Let’s sit for a minute. Things will look different from that perspective.” He sat, dangling his long legs over the side. Cara positioned herself beside him, her hands nervously flexing on the rope that joined her to the zip line.
“Jumping doesn’t seem any more reasonable from here.” Too bad, since sitting close enough to rub shoulders with him made her nearly as uncomfortable as the stupid zip line.
“We’ll just hang out and talk for a while then. That okay?” He gripped the edge of the platform and leaned forward, turning to look at her.
“The last time we talked, it ended badly.”
“Now we know which subjects to stay away from.”
“Yeah, anything to do with either of our private lives.”
“I think it was your ex-husband and my desire to protect you from him that got us crossways with each other.”
Cara glanced sideways at him, He was looking at her. Their eyes met. The strangest emotions coursed through her. Somehow, it didn’t sound so bad when he said it like that. Who didn’t want a knight in shining armor? She was afraid for Joe, but he sounded so confident he could protect her, and himself, she almost believed it. Recognizing the danger in that, she tore her eyes away from his.
“We’re making progress. You didn’t rip into me that time.” A grin came through in his voice.
“It doesn’t do any good to try talking sense into you.” She tried to sound serious, but her heart was no longer in it. She forced her mind back to the task at hand, considering the likelihood she’d ever be able to zip off this ledge. What was the worst that could happen? The cable could break and she’d plummet thirty feet to the ground. End all of her problems. More likely, it would be a gradual descent, with the jump from the platform the only really exciting part. She could do this.
“We’ve got unfinished business, you know. We might as well take care of it while we’re sitting here.”
“What’s that?”
“I almost had you talked into dinner that night we met.”
“You weren’t even close.”
“I think you were as intrigued with the idea as I was.” He grinned. “I also think we stood a good chance of ending the evening with a kiss.”
“That’s a stretch. You’re making the same mistake you made that night. Going from confident to arrogant in about two seconds flat. There was no chance in hell you were going to get a kiss.” Cara smiled at his wounded look.
“Will my chances ever improve?” His eyes met hers again.
She’d forgotten what a good-looking guy he was. The same mesmerizing pull she’d experienced the night she met him overcame her better judgment now. For a moment she wondered what it would feel like, his lips on hers, his arms holding her close, while they lost themselves in each other.
Cara drew herself up short. Was she completely crazy? She was barely free from one dangerous man. Why would she get involved with another? There was an attraction between them she couldn’t deny, but nothing could ever come of it.
“Maybe.” The word slipped out, almost on its own. Her gaze flew to his, hoping he hadn’t noticed her moment of weakness. He was watching her with his little-boy grin. A smile slowly and deliberately spread across her face. Surprise flickered in his eyes, and something much more intense darkened them. He lowered his head toward hers. When their lips nearly touched, she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed herself off the platform, letting the zip line shoot her out away from the ropes course, the ground rushing up toward her, the wind in her face highlighting the freedom of the moment, until she finally slowed and came to a stop.
Tyler was there to help her out of the rigging. “Looks like you enjoyed yourself.”
“You have no idea.” She couldn’t stop smiling.
Chapter Eleven
* * *
Sunday, 9
:24 am
A TWINGE OF regret tugged at Joe’s emotions, even though her reaction had been exactly what he’d expected. He smiled unremorsefully as he jumped over the side and rappelled to the ground. At least he’d gotten her down off that platform.
Her gaze met his as she walked toward him, and a smile played across her lips. He searched her face for a hint of anything other than relief, but all he saw was humor dancing in her eyes as she and Tyler laughed about something. It was just as well. Charlie asked him to protect her, not seduce her.
“So, there is another way down.”
“I didn’t say there wasn’t. I said the zip line was the safest.”
“You make that look easy. Will you teach me to rappel?”
“When you’re ready.”
Tyler secured the belay line and walked away to return her harness to the small shed at the base of the course.
“What if I really couldn’t do it?” She eyed the platform above her head.
“I knew you could, given the proper motivation.” Amusement softened his tone.
“You knew I wouldn’t kiss you. That was just a game you were playing.”
“I thought I might have a slim chance.” Glancing at her, he caught the surprise that registered fleetingly. He laughed softly. “Anyway, it was a win-win situation.”
“Come to think of it, you were only doing your job that night at the casino. You were probably glad you didn’t get stuck having dinner with me.”
“Not necessarily.” His voice held more frustration than he’d intended, but she didn’t turn away. His gaze slid to the curve of her soft lips and her neck where the blood pulsed in rhythm with her heart.
Tyler returned from the equipment shed and cleared his throat. “Boss, Murphy called, said it was important.”
Joe hesitated, wanting to continue the conversation she’d started and see where it took them.
Anger flashed in her eyes. “I’ve accepted your terms. I won’t run off. Don’t worry.”
Realizing he’d given her the impression he didn’t trust her, Joe frowned. Probably not a good idea to tell her what was really on his mind. He tore his eyes away, handed his harness and gear to Tyler, and walked back to the house, sure her angry stare followed him most of the way.
“What have you got for me?” Joe asked as soon as Murphy picked up.
“The news could be better, I’m afraid. The good news is Sinclair is still in Lincoln City. No sign he knows, or even cares, where his sister is.”
“I have an idea it’s the bad news you called about. Let’s have it.”
“Dennelli is fueling up his jet. He filed a flight plan for Missoula tonight and reserved a chopper on the other end. Looks like he’s only bringing a handful of men, though. He’s either got more waiting for him on the ground, or he doesn’t have a clue what he’s up against.”
“How the hell does he know where she is… and why now? He’s been out of her life for six months. Why get involved again now? This is way too coincidental, Murphy. Did you check out the connection between him and Sinclair?”
“We’re still working on it, but right now it looks like there is no connection.”
“Keep me posted. This doesn’t feel right,” Joe said.
“How’s it going with her?”
“About like I expected. This was a lousy idea, and it’s about to get worse.” There was no sense explaining to Murphy the terror she experienced at the mention of Dennelli’s name. Or that she thought he was invincible and no one could protect her from him. There wouldn’t be a ten-foot section of fence on the whole ranch that could keep her in once she knew he was coming.
After the call, Joe left the house in search of Cara. He’d given her such a nice speech about being honest and letting her have a part in the decision-making. He’d meant it, too, but he hadn’t counted on this, at least not so soon. He didn’t like what he was going to do, but he had no choice. If she found out, she’d react in a way that would endanger herself and possibly everyone on the ranch, but if he didn’t tell her, she would likely never trust him again. Neither of those alternatives was good, but he opted for the one that would at least keep her alive.
Sunday, 9:40 am
SHE HELPED TYLER carry Joe’s harness and ropes to the shed where he stowed them all neatly. Then he turned to her with a self-conscious grin. “Uh… none of my business, but there seems to be a lot of friction between the two of you. I’ve known Joe a long time, under some pretty ugly conditions. I can tell you one thing—if he says he’s going to do something, you can bank on it. He’s had my back for the last six years. Money can’t buy that. You can trust him, Cara.”
“Nice speech. Did he pay you to say that?”
Tyler smiled. “Nope. Came up with that one myself. By the way, I’m sorry I lied to you about taking you to town.”
“Forget it. No hard feelings.”
“Good.” He beamed. “I have to get back to work. Rayna’s at the gym.” He indicated a low building to the east. “You might want to stay away until Joe gets back.”
She nodded, appreciating his advice. It wasn’t until he was out of sight she thought to ask him why Rayna hated her.
Across the yard, a German shepherd paced the confines of his kennel. Animals weren’t as complicated as people. She could relate to them. As she approached the kennel, however, the dog growled and ran back and forth the length of his enclosure. She resisted the urge to speak to him or make eye contact. When she was within five feet of the dog, she sat down on the ground with her back to the kennel and waited quietly. At first, he continued his nervous pacing, but within a few minutes he flopped down on the ground, though he kept sniffing at the air.
It was peaceful in the compound. Occasionally, she caught a glimpse of someone going from one building to another, but most of the men were apparently busy indoors, doing God knows what as part of their training. A light breeze kicked up and she wished she’d grabbed a jacket on the way out of the house. Autumn was in full swing, and she appreciated days like this when the sun shone brilliantly, showcasing the snowcapped mountains beyond the lake.
When the dog jumped to his feet and started whining, Cara looked up.
Joe was coming toward her. “Trying to tame the beast?”
“What’s his name?”
“Dillon.” He opened the kennel and let the dog out. Dillon bounced around Joe’s legs for a few seconds before trotting off to investigate other smells. He no longer seemed threatened by her presence. Joe regarded her with a curious expression. “What did you do to my guard dog?”
“I was just commiserating with him about being locked away in his kennel.” At that moment, Dillon came back and plopped down between them.
Joe knelt and scratched the dog’s ears. “I thought we’d made peace, at least on that issue.”
“Peace might be a strong term, but I did agree to go along with your… request, for the time being.”
“Are you planning to let me know when my time is up?”
“You’ll know.” Dillon eyed her hopefully and she stroked his smooth coat. When she stopped, he got up and moved to the grass a few feet away.
“I could lock you in your room so the end of your cooperation doesn’t catch me off guard.”
Cara stiffened. Had she pushed him too far?
“But I won’t because I trust you. I know, under that stubborn exterior, you’re honest and smart and you care about people. Hell, you even came to my rescue that night on the beach. I think you’ll keep your word. Am I wrong?”
“No, damn it. You’re right. I gave you my word, and I won’t go back on it.” She frowned. There was more to it than that. She wasn’t even sure when it happened, but she’d let him get too close. She trusted him. God, she was starting to hate that word. To his credit, he didn’t gloat at her admission.
“What did Murphy want?” She leaned back, propping herself on her arms.
Joe shook his head and looked away, but not before she caught the shadow of worry i
n his eyes. “This dog doesn’t usually like anyone. I think there’s more to you than meets the eye, Cara Dennelli.”
She froze, her gaze flying to his. She recognized the assessing look he gave her. He was baiting her. Why? He knew how much she hated that name. Without a word, she rose to her feet and walked away. Dillon got up to follow.
“Wait, Cara.”
“What?” She stopped but didn’t turn.
“There’s something I need to show you.”
“What?”
“How to defend yourself against him, if it ever comes to that again.”
She laughed bitterly. “I tried.”
“But you just made him mad, right?”
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to close out the images burned into her soul.
“Let me teach you. I’ll show you how to put him down hard, so you’ve got time to run or find a gun and kill the bastard. I know which way I’d go, but you’ll have to make your own choice.”
Dangerously close to tears, she turned and stared at him. “I’ve made my choice.”
“Good.” He got to his feet. “Let’s get started then.” He walked away, leaving her and Dillon to follow.
He led her to the building Tyler had pointed out as the gym. Inside, there were six stations with thick mats on the floor, all but one currently occupied by opponents practicing various forms of hand-to-hand combat. The heavy smell of sweat hung in the air, and the sounds of blows landing, men grunting, and bodies hitting the mats held her spellbound as she trailed behind Joe. Some of the combatants looked so dangerous. They could easily have been trying to kill each other. Joe went to the center of the unoccupied mat and turned to face her. Dillon lay down outside the fight area, where everyone who passed made a wide berth around him.
She glanced around for Rayna, spotting her on the opposite side engaged in some kind of sparring match with a man half again as big as her. Cara should have known the girl would be kicking ass.
“Okay, show me what you tried on him,” Joe said.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel Page 9
