Finding Forever

by Nika Rhone

  “Oh God.” Amelia pointed in front of them. “Oncoming traffic.”

  “Not traffic. The cavalry.”

  Three pickup trucks whooshed past in rapid succession. As soon as the last one cleared him, Daryl dared a look in the mirror. The trucks had stopped abreast in the road, one ahead of the other two in a formation not unlike the tip of an arrow. In the bed of each truck stood one of the men from the ranch, rifle propped over the truck cab, focused on the SUVs, which sent up smoke from their tires as they braked to avoid barreling into the blockade.

  Daryl held his breath until first one then the other SUV did a quick three-point turn and headed back in the other direction. Only then did he lift his foot from the gas, slowing the truck to a more normal speed, and took another glance over at his passenger. She was still twisted in the seat, staring behind them.

  “You okay?”

  Straightening in her seat, Amelia nodded. “I think so. Yes,” she said with more conviction. “That was…intense.”

  “No, it was dangerous and damn stupid.”

  Now that the moment had passed, thoughts of what might have happened crowded his mind. Pulling up in front of the ranch house, Daryl went around and helped Amelia down, but even after her feet were on the ground, he couldn’t let go. It was the adrenaline spiking through his blood, but all he could think about was how if he’d made one single mistake over the last ten minutes, she might not be standing here in front of him.

  Daryl realized he was staring down at her without saying anything. He willed his shaking hands to let go. “Damn,” he muttered, staring into her wide eyes. “Damn,” he said again with more feeling before giving in to the urge to drop his mouth onto hers for a hard kiss. There was no softness, no finesse. Just a hard, fast connection that did little to satisfy the almost overwhelming urge that arose to conquer her mouth and claim it for his own. Claim her for his own.

  Even as he thought it, common sense returned. What the hell was he doing? He dropped his hands from her like she’d scorched him. But instead of backing away and giving him a verbal slap, or even a real one, Amelia confused the hell out of him by sliding her arms around him and burying her face against his chest, holding on tight as shaky aftershocks wracked her body. His arms automatically went around her and held on. He didn’t know which of them was shaking more.

  Only the arrival of the three ranch trucks made them step apart, and even then he had to resist the urge to snatch her back again. What the hell was wrong with him?

  Amelia thanked the men, leaving each of them bashful and grinning like idiots. Chaz, of course, was the biggest idiot in the bunch, giving her a theatrical bow like a knight before his queen. Or a jester. Only the fact that he caught Daryl’s eye after Amelia turned away and gave him a slow nod betrayed the act. Chaz knew exactly how serious the situation had become. He might play the fool, but Daryl was glad to have him at his back.

  Finally, Daryl and Amelia were alone again, but before he had to worry about how to apologize for his totally inappropriate actions, his father stepped out onto the porch. Amelia glanced between them, excused herself and went inside.

  “What happened?”

  Daryl gave him a short but detailed accounting of the incident, trying hard not to let his feelings cloud the facts, but he felt his temper rising with every word. Bad enough the bastards dared to try and take Amelia from him. But they’d put her in danger, and that was a line they should never have crossed.

  His father was just as incensed. “What the hell were they thinking, pulling a fucknuts stunt like that?”

  “They must be getting desperate,” was the only thing Daryl could offer.

  And desperate people did desperate things. After two failed attempts, how far would they be willing to go for a third?

  ****

  It took all her years of training for Amelia to hide her feelings from Kim and Winnie. They were in the kitchen where Winnie had already been dragooned into peeling potatoes for the evening meal. She wasn’t crying anymore, thank goodness, but her gaze kept straying to her phone, which was on the table in easy reach.

  Wanting nothing more than to retreat to the quiet privacy of her room—which wasn’t actually hers any longer now that Winona was home—Amelia forced herself to stay and partake in the meal preparation. If she allowed herself to think too much about what had just happened, she might drive herself crazy.

  It didn’t appear as though Winona was aware that any kind of drama had taken place. Kim, on the other hand, kept sending concerned glances Amelia’s way as though she knew something was up, just not what. Amelia left it to Hank to clue her in. She threw herself into the cooking and turned her thoughts instead to the second shocking thing that had happened that afternoon.

  Daryl had kissed her.

  And…she’d liked it. Once she’d gotten past her shock, of course, and by then the whole thing was already over. But while it had lasted…oh my. It hadn’t been anything like the chaste little peck she’d planted on him the other day. Oh, no. This had been a kiss that made a statement.

  She just didn’t know what it was supposed to say.

  It had to have been a result of the chase. An impulsive act brought on by an excess of adrenaline. He’d been shaking just like her while she hung on him like a baby lemur. That could be the only logical explanation. Because there was no other reason a man like Daryl Raintree would ever kiss a woman like her.

  But oh, how she wished there was.

  The traitorous thought wouldn’t shake loose no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many reasons she came up with for it being a horrible, terrible idea to have any kind of feelings for Daryl. It was okay to like him, and she did, she really did. He was polite and friendly and went out of his way to be nice to her. He was also handsome and sexy, and she couldn’t keep him out of her dreams, where he appeared nightly wearing nothing but that stupid towel…and sometimes not even that.

  He was way out of her league. If she allowed herself to think otherwise, she was just opening herself up to a huge disappointment.

  And, of course, there was the tiny fact that up until a week ago, she’d been planning to marry someone else. It seemed all kinds of wrong to suddenly be having hot flashes over another man. But telling herself that and getting her body to listen were very different things. She could protest all she wanted, but when she was honest with herself—something she was doing more and more these past few days—despite all the reasons why it was a bad idea, she was still attracted to Daryl.

  Wildly, ridiculously attracted.

  And she wasn’t going to do a darn thing about it. How could she?

  As she set the dishes around the table, Winona following with the silverware, Amelia reminded herself over and over that her future was still in upheaval. She’d been so focused on getting through the end of the week and past the wedding date that she hadn’t considered what came next. But whatever it was, it wouldn’t include Daryl. He deserved someone better than her. He was calm, cool, and in control, while she was just a hot mess.

  She told herself that all through dinner, but the way his leg kept bumping against hers under the table made it difficult. Every time she got her unruly hormones under control, he’d shift one of those long legs and wham! Another jolt of awareness would shock her to her core. By the time dessert was served, she was so aware of the man sitting beside her she swore she was going to come out of her skin if he touched her one more time.

  Clearing the table gave her the excuse to get away from him. She all but jumped from her chair to start collecting dishes, aware he was watching her with the same indecipherable expression he’d been wearing the entire meal. She hated that face. It made it impossible to divine what he was thinking. Was he sorry he’d kissed her? Did he even remember doing it? Could she find a way to make him do it again?

  The dish she was rinsing clattered against the sink as she pushed that last aberrant thought far, far away. Kissing Daryl again was the very last thing she should be thinking abo
ut. No. It happened. It was over. It would never be repeated.

  Unless…no. She refocused her attention on stacking the dishwasher and wiping down the counter. Never meant never. It was for the best. Really it was.

  She was grateful for the distraction from her thoughts when Winona’s phone rang. The girl pounced on it before the first chime finished playing. “Katie?”

  Amelia wiped her hands off on the towel hung by the sink and walked to where Daryl sat at the table listening to the one-sided conversation. Kim sat beside her daughter. As Winona teared up over what she was hearing, Kim put a comforting hand on her leg and waited for the call to end.

  When it did, Winona seemed too stunned to react.

  “Is Kyle going to be okay?” Kim asked gently when Winona continued to stare at the phone clutched in her hand.

  “He’s okay. He’s not going to die.” It sounded more like she was repeating the words to reassure herself than answering Kim’s question.

  “Thank God,” Amelia whispered. Someone squeezed her hand, and only then did she realize she’d placed it on Daryl’s shoulder as she stood beside him. Embarrassed by the unconscious action, she tried to pull away, but he didn’t release her, his attention focused across the table on his sister.

  “What else did Kaitlin say?”

  His question made Amelia take another look at Winona. Rather than relieved or even joyful, she still appeared as though she’d been kicked in the head by one of the horses.

  “He’s going to lose his leg.”

  The words were spoken so softly it was a second before they registered.

  “Oh, sweetheart.” Kim slipped her arm around Winona’s shoulders.

  “It’s my fault.” Winona pressed a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob. “He only took that job so he could make enough money to ask me to marry him. It’s all my fault.” She collapsed against Kim as the torrent began.

  “No, it’s not. It’s nobody’s fault.” Kim rubbed her daughter’s back as she sobbed. “It was an accident.”

  “No. I ruined his life.”

  The absolute misery in Winona’s voice gave Amelia an ache in her belly like she hadn’t felt since her plane left the ground in Connecticut. Her hand tightened on Daryl’s shoulder before she realized what she was doing.

  “He’s alive,” Kim said, raising her voice a little to be heard over Winona’s sobs. “You have to focus on that.”

  “But his leg…” Winona sucked in a shuddery breath before sobbing again.

  “Do you love him any less?”

  “W-what?” The question was enough to snap through the building hysteria and make Winona look at her mother in shock.

  “Do you love him any less,” Kim repeated, her voice brisk, “just because he’ll be missing a leg?”

  “How could you even say that?” Outrage replaced the tears. “Would you love Daddy any less if something like that happened to him?”

  A faint smile lit Kim’s face. “Of course not.”

  “Well, neither would I. I don’t care about that. But…”

  “But?”

  “He will.” Winona’s lips trembled.

  “Then you’ll just have to set him straight.”

  It took little coaxing for Kim to get Winona off to bed. Amelia sank into the chair next to Daryl, wiping away the tears she hadn’t dared shed while Winona was there to see them.

  “You’re crying for someone you’ve never even met?” He sounded surprised.

  “For him. For Winona.” She sniffled and took the napkin he handed her, dabbing at her nose. “Life is going to be so much harder for them now.”

  Daryl looked like he was going to say something before shaking his head. He got up, holding out his hand. She took it without hesitation. Standing there in the empty kitchen, her hand held loosely in his, staring up at him, Amelia felt a sudden sense of déjà vu and wondered if he was going to kiss her again.

  She was doomed to never know.

  The outside door opened and Hank came in, breaking the intimacy that had wrapped around them and sending Daryl back a step, letting her hand drop as he put more space between them. She wanted to scream at Hank for his lousy timing, then wanted to laugh at herself for being so contrary. Hadn’t she already decided that kissing Daryl again would be a bad idea?

  By the time Daryl finished bringing his father up to speed on the latest development, Kim came back into the kitchen. She went to Hank and wrapped her arms around him. She looked weary to the bone. Hank pulled her close and rested his chin on her head, rocking her gently.

  Feeling like she was intruding on an intensely private moment, Amelia slipped out of the room. She didn’t make it far before Daryl joined her. “We still have to talk about what happened this afternoon.”

  Amelia’s heart thumped faster as she skirted around him and headed for the living room. “No, we really don’t.”

  Daryl frowned at her as he followed. “Yeah, we do.”

  Heat scalded her cheeks at the mere thought of discussing that toe-curling kiss. “It happened. It’s over. Can’t we just leave it at that?”

  “No, we can’t. Will you stand still for a minute?” He sounded exasperated. “Look, I can understand you not wanting to rehash it, but it’s important we talk about this. Things have changed. This afternoon proves that.”

  “They have?” She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

  “Of course, they have. We can’t just keep going on like we were.”

  “We can’t?”

  “Amelia, the stunt they pulled today proves that they’re willing to go to extremes to try and get you back in time for the wedding. Surely, you see that?”

  “The…oh!”

  The car chase. Of course. How had she forgotten about that?

  Wishing the floor would split open and give her a convenient hole to disappear into, Amelia did her best to bluff her way through her mortification. “Of course. Yes, you’re right. It absolutely proves that.” She nodded and started walking again.

  “Where are you going now?” There was a definite sigh in his voice.

  Anywhere that’s away from you. “I, um, I thought I’d just get some fresh air on the porch before bed.” Maybe the breeze would help cool her cheeks.

  “It would be better if you stayed inside.”

  Right. The danger. She almost smacked herself. She needed to stay focused on the important issue and stop obsessing about the man who was dogging her every step and turning her into a blithering idiot. “You’re right, I wasn’t thinking.” She took a deep breath and tried to calm her hectic emotions. “What do you propose we do about it?”

  He looked at her long enough to make her want to squirm. “Nothing tonight. It’s been a long day. You should get some rest. We can talk about this in the morning and decide what we need to do then.”

  Sleep sounded like a great idea, escape even better. Until she remembered that with Winona there, she was currently without a bed. “Where am I sleeping tonight?”

  She swore she saw a flash of something wicked in Daryl’s dark eyes right before he answered. “In my bed.”

  Obviously, he didn’t mean with him, but Amelia’s body didn’t care. Just the idea sent a hum of unexpected and inconvenient desire through her. She was pretty sure Daryl recognized her reaction. He refused to touch her as they went to his room, where he briskly stripped his bed, put on fresh sheets, and offered her one of his T-shirts to sleep in so she didn’t have to disturb Winona. After grabbing a pair of sweats for himself, he told her he’d be on the sofa if she needed anything, and all but bolted from the room.

  Feeling like a fool, Amelia changed and crawled into bed. She was certain it would take hours to get past the embarrassment and fall asleep, but with the soft cotton shirt wrapping around her like a comforting hug, and the faint scent of Daryl coming from the pillow, it was only minutes before sleep dragged her under.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I have to leave.”

  The calm words froze Da
ryl as he was reaching for the coffeepot. Sleep had been elusive for the second night in a row, and not just because he’d been stuck on the sofa. No, he’d spent half the night trying to forget the look in Amelia’s eyes when he told her she’d be sleeping in his bed.

  With little success, if the morning wood he’d woken with was any indication.

  He really needed that extra cup of coffee.

  After pouring, he turned and looked at Amelia, who was sitting at the table, and lifted the pot in her direction questioningly. When she shook her head, he took his mug and sat back down. His father and the rest of the men had already left for the barn, and Kim had taken herself and Winona off to her weaving room as soon as the last dish had been cleared away.

  “Daryl, did you hear what I said? I have to leave.”

  “No.”

  “No?” She stared at him. “That’s it? Just no?”

  “Yes.” God, he was going to hell for getting such a kick out of riling her, but she looked adorable when she got steamed. It was like watching a kitten jack up its fur and try to look all mean and dangerous. Since he doubted she’d appreciate the comparison, he kept his amusement to himself.

  Fingers tapping on the tabletop, Amelia tried staring him down. After several minutes, during which Daryl finished most of his coffee without saying a word, she finally smacked both palms down on the table and stood. “My mind is made up. I’m leaving.”

  “And going where? Back to Boulder?”

  Her little chin came up. “No. Texas. My Aunt Josie will let me stay with her.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to bring this problem to her doorstep? Isn’t that why you didn’t go to her in the first place? Or to the Fordhams or Beaumonts?”

  “Things are different now.”

  “You’re damn right they are.” He pushed his chair back and stood. His greater height didn’t appear to intimidate her at all. Damn, where had the scared little mouse gone?

  “They know where I am now. It’s not safe for me to stay here any longer.”