Buckskin nickered, and she patted the horse. “I’d be crazy to fall for a guy like that.” Buckskin nickered again. “Was that a ‘you’re right or you’re wrong’ in horse language?” Her tail flicked and caught Sam on the cheek. “I mean seriously, guys like him love action. Love the hunt. He’s on R&R playing cowboy right now, but the need to run like a wild stallion is ingrained in all these guys. No matter what he became, he wouldn’t be faithful.”
She swallowed deeply. “Would he?”
Chapter Seven
Driving back to the ranch, Sam couldn’t hack the silence and Cory wasn’t helping. He knew he was driving her crazy by not spilling what Dee-Dee had pitched.
“Well, tell me.”
He gave a casual turn of his head. “Tell you what?”
She hauled off and punched him in the arm. He laughed, seeing her all messed up with frustration.
“Tell me what Dee-Dee said.”
“Why? You want to compete to be my agent?”
“I hate you.”
He laughed harder. “No, you don’t. You think I’m perfect.”
“You’re such a shit.”
Man, he was loving this. “Well, if ya want to call me names, I’m not telling ya a thing.”
“Fine, don’t. I’m just thinking of this from a business sense. I mean, if you’re not going to be ranching, then I need to fill your position.”
“I see,” he said, trying to mirror her tone which was still full of shit. He took a long pause for effect. “She wanted to see me naked.”
“What?” Sam screeched. “Get out?”
“Truth.” He bobbed his head as the landscape slipped by. The rolling hills amazing with spring flowers popping their heads through lush green grass.
“Did you?”
“No, told her you’d have to be present.”
“You did what?” She broke out laughing.
He liked hearing the throaty rich tones. Loved Sam’s smile. Loved the cadence of her voice. Her intelligence and quick wit. Yeah, he admired a lot about the intriguing woman sitting beside him.
They drove the curves, heading toward the deep incline into the valley where the Bluebell Ranch nestled between the foothills of the Crazy Mountains. The woman liked to drive a little on the fast side, but he trusted her.
“You hurt my feelings. I’m beginning to think you wouldn’t want to see me buck naked. Not to mention rock hard and prepared to make you moan.”
Sam coughed and threw a look across her shoulder while her foot stepped on the brake. Her brows twitched, and she put her attention back on the road. The truck didn’t slow down when she put more force on the pedal.
He sat up in his seat. “Sam?”
She pumped the brake now, putting all her weight into it. “Cory!”
“Hand brake,” he ordered. She pulled up slowly with no goddamn effect. A sweeping turn sat at the bottom of the hill, and they were gaining speed.
“Oh God,” Sam squeaked.
“Easy now.” He searched the road ahead for options, they were already going too fast to make the turn. They’d roll the truck. “When I tell you, steer to the right. We’re gonna punch through the guardrail and use the hillside to stop.”
Her lips seamed in a tight response and she nodded sharply.
He waited. They’d picked up a lot of speed. Too much damn speed. “Now.”
Cory helped her, not wanting her to crank the wheel too hard. Metal grinding on metal screeched in their ears as they hit the guardrail, and then he turned the wheel to the left, and a quick right before the curve. The truck careened sideways, sliding on the gravel, and broke through the barrier.
Sam’s sharp gasp stung his heart. The truck bucked, leaped over a shallow sway in the gulley and ran straight up the hill, slowing them down. But what goes up, must come down, and they rolled backwards, unable to slow their descent and came to a neck snapping stop back in the gulley.
“Ohhh.” A gust of air escaped Sam, then she leaned forward, gripping the steering wheel.
He unlocked her seat belt and his.
Pretty sure she wasn’t hurt, Cory touched her arm because he needed to be certain. “You okay?”
“Yes. You?”
“Let’s get out.” He cracked the door, surveying the healthy four foot drop to the ground. He jumped, then scrambled up the slope and around the truck. The rain had turned the surface soil to mud. He slipped then crawled to reach the driver’s side.
Sam slid out carefully into his arms. She dug her cell phone from her back pocket once he’d helped her to the ground. “There’s no service until we reach the ranch, about a two mile walk.”
“Let’s get to the road.”
He gripped her hand as they scrambled up the embankment. Following Sam, Cory gave her a push on that glorious ass of hers when she slid backwards. Covered in mud by the time they reached the pavement, twilight passed and darkness descended on the hills. Clouds shielded the half-moon from view.
She panted and leaned over, hands pressed to her thighs. “How’s your leg?”
“No problems. Had a good nurse taking care of me. You ready to move?”
She nodded and they started walking.
“Cory, what are the chances those brakes just suddenly failed?”
“Little to none,” he said and grasped her hand, glad that she let him.
“Ya think it was done at the film location?”
“Don’t want to guess,” he answered truthfully. “We’ll know more when we get the truck inspected. If they knew what they were doing, they could partially sever the line and eventually it would break.”
“Does this mean they’re after me in particular? I mean, why me? If it isn’t Mack, then who?”
Cory stopped and turned Sam, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “I still haven’t taken him off the list. But it doesn’t matter who.”
“If you weren’t with me just now, I don’t think things would have turned out so well.”
The sound of a car approaching put him on alert.
“What’s wrong?”
“Get on the other side of the guardrail. Now.”
She jumped over the rail.
“Down,” he ordered, and she squatted.
Headlights of an approaching car lit the hillside. He raised his arms and waved until the beams hit him, but the car wasn’t slowing down.
“Hey. Stop!” he yelled, waving and walking backwards.
Closer.
Closer.
Too close! He dove over the rail. The car swiped the metal barrier sending sparks flying and kept going. Cory rolled for ten feet with his momentum, then came to a muddy, sliding stop.
“Cory!”
“You okay, Sam?” He rolled onto his stomach, his fingers sinking into mucky earth as he pushed off the ground. Whoever wanted to cause trouble had upped his or her game. But why? He clambered up the hill and squatted beside Sam, whose eyes were big enough to reflect what little light they had. “We’re going to make it back to the ranch in one piece, but we’re going cross country.”
“You think he’ll come back for another try?”
“Don’t know, but I’m not risking your life on a guess. Let’s head for low ground.”
They slid down the incline until they reached the gulley and a slim level path probably made by animals. The truck sat stranded about fifty yards behind them. With his eyes accustomed to the darkness, he could see more and led the way, but he’d give his eyeteeth for a set of night vision goggles. Slowly, they trudged in the direction of the ranch. He could make out shapes, but not always when the ground dipped under their feet and they both stumbled.
Cory glanced at his watch. They’d been walking for thirty minutes. The sound of fast moving water up ahead concerned him. She slowed and then stopped when they reached a stream redirected under the road and across their path. Water gushed from the culvert tall enough for two men to stand on each other’s shoulders.
Sam eyed the water with doubt. “I don�
�t think we can cross that.”
“Don’t think we want to.” He put his finger to his lips then pointed.
Sam took a step back, even though the turbulent water separated them from the bear.
“Is that a grizzly?” he asked.
She nodded jerkily. “Worse.”
Then he saw them too.
“A momma grizzly and two cubs,” she whispered.
She was a big momma and pushed her snout in the air. Sniffing them, she swayed on her feet.
“Ever see the movie Revenant?” Sam whispered.
“Don’t remind me.” He took a step back himself and gauged whether or not she’d cross the wide stream. Isis warriors, Taliban, and religious wackjobs he could handle. A mother grizzly protecting her cubs—not a hope.
“We’re in trouble if she comes across.”
“This day is getting better and better,” he said, watching the bear take a few steps along the stream’s edge. The incline on both sides of them rose too sharply to climb without rope. Doubling back to where they could clamber to the road wasn’t an option. If she came across that river, they were in big shit.
“What do we do?” Sam whispered.
“Get on my shoulders.”
“What? She hissed. “Why?”
“Bigger is better,” he said and knelt down. “Get on. Quick.” Sam threw one leg over his shoulder and palmed the top of his head while she threw the other leg over. He rose to his full height. “Put your arms up.”
“They’re up.”
Momma bear tossed her head and pawed the water.
“Oh, God, I’m gonna pee my pants,” Sam said.
“You tell me this now?” he spit back with her hot crotch against the back of his neck.
“Shut up.” She choked back a nervous laugh. “Do you hear that? It’s a car on the road.”
He’d started backing up, hoping their retreat would show momma bear she had nothing to worry about.
“Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam. Coryyyyyyyyyyyyy.”
“Tania. Tania!” Sam yelled back. “Here. We’re down here. Hurry!”
The yelling excited the bear, and she stood on her hind quarters. The sound of two vehicles slid to a stop, doors opened and closed. Flashlights flickered against the floor of the ravine and the rock walls.
“Rope,” Cory yelled.
“Rome, is that a fucking grizzly?” Bear yelled over the edge.
“Does it look like your fucking cousin?” he yelled back. “Get the goddamn rope. She’s coming across.”
And she was. The bear dropped to all fours and stepped into the creek.
Hank yelled down, “We got you covered. Here.”
A rope uncoiled down the hillside and Cory didn’t waste time. “Slide down my back and hang on.”
Sam clung to him as he started pulling with all his strength. Hand over hand, digging his heels into the moist rocky soil, it gave way. He heard the splash of the bear as she crossed the water, but didn’t look behind him. Relying on his upper arm strength, he hauled them up the steep slope.
“Faster,” Sam said. “Oh, shit. She’s coming.”
Three quarters of the way up the hill, adrenaline torqued him to maximum output. Digging his feet in, he climbed fast, even with Sam’s extra weight clinging to his back.
“Faster,” Bear shouted.
Momma bear was across the river. “Jesus, Bear, shoot the goddamn thing.”
“No,” Sam yelled. “Don’t kill her, she’s got cubs.”
“Goddammit, woman, you rather she take a chunk outta my ass?” He panted, almost at the top.
Arms reached over the rail and helped pull them up. Bear fired. The shot meant to scare the grizzly, and she stopped her pursuit.
Cory bent over breathing hard, and Bear patted him on the back. “Not bad, Rome, think you clocked a record.
He panted out a chuckle.
Tania suddenly screamed and Sam tripped, trying to back up. The guys all jumped, too, when the bear stuck her head over the guardrail and roared.
“Jesus, scatter!” Hank yelled, and they all jumped into the trucks.
Cory pushed Sam into Hank’s truck and slammed the rear passenger door. Bear jumped in the other door, sandwiching Sam between them. Hank didn’t waste any time stepping on the gas, and neither did Sheriff Barron behind them. Sam let out a deep breath and succumbed to the headrest.
“What happened?” Tania turned in the front seat.
A lopsided grin cocked Sam’s lips. “Well, somebody cut the brakes on the truck. We ran off the road, broke through a guardrail and ended up in a gulley. Then a car took out more guardrail trying to kill Cory. We played Delta Force and slogged through mud for a mile until we faced off with a grizzly bear.” She tilted her head sideways and grinned at Cory. “Hardly exciting.”
He broke into a laugh and curled his arm around her shoulders and drew her to his chest. “Barely moved the needle on the Richter scale,” he added.
“Oh!” Sam sat up. “I almost forgot. Cory’s going to be a supermodel.”
All four heads in the truck turned toward them.
Bear let out a big laugh. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me, Rome.”
Sam nudged Bear and sat back, looking satisfied with herself. “Why do you call him that? Was that his team name?”
Cory quickly shook his head at Bear.
Bear saw his opportunity for payback and chuckled again. “Yeah, it’s short for Rom-e-o.”
He grumbled and lay back in his seat. “Thanks, buddy!”
A deep rumble emitted from Bear’s chest. “Any time, brother.”
“I knew it,” Sam sputtered. “You’re a man-whore.”
Cory rolled his eyes and they landed on her. “I don’t see angel wings on your back, little lady.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m starving to death, but first a shower,” she said as Hank turned into the Bluebell Ranch.
Cory thought that would be the perfect end to a crap day. Having all these people disappear, and taking a long, slow, seductive shower with Sam. The thought had his pants getting tighter by the second. Instead, he could look forward to a short shower and debrief with Hank and Bear. He threw the door open and considered his lot in life.
He’d survived ten years with Delta Force to find himself in the tiny nowhere town of Eagle Rock, having wet dreams every night for the past three weeks for a nurse who once was in love with his team member. And now, somebody wanted her out of operation. Tack on Dee-Dee the Wonder Agent, presenting pipedreams about New York and Paris, which seemed about as stupid and not-his-thing as it could be. But if he did take Dee-Dee up on the offer and make the money she laid on the table, he could live anywhere he damned well pleased.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Sam asked, before getting out of the truck. The rest of the gang had abandoned ship. She reached over and rubbed his cheek. “Got a little mud on you.” She smiled at him.
He wanted to draw her closer. Wanted her to straddle his lap so he could kiss the hell out of her, but thanks to Bear, he was back at the starting gate.
“Even though today had its moments, I liked spending them all with you,” he admitted.
“Stop flirting with the boss.”
“Go ahead and fire me.”
“Can’t. You have this great way of saving my life.”
“Then kiss me.”
“Stop.” She laughed and kept him at arm’s length with her hand on his chest. “Besides, I’m covered in mud.”
“Don’t care,” he whispered, wrapping a hand around her wrist and gently pushing it away to get a few inches closer.
She drew back. “Seriously, Romeo, I’m not going to be part of your list of conquests.”
“Ahem!” Bear stood by the open door. “Tania wants to know if she should put steaks on for everyone.”
Great timing. Bear interrupted his chance to appeal his case.
“Sounds good to me,” he said.
“As you were.” Bear saluted and headed back to the house.
“Time for a shower.” Sam slid out her door.
“Since your tanks have been cleaned out, a shower sounds good, but don’t you think we should conserve water?”
“Give it up D-cup!” She ran ahead, but he caught her on the stairs.
“Thought nurses were supposed to be all about giving a man relief.” She made a tsking sound and he stepped in front of the screen door. “Samantha, we both have a past, but don’t hold mine against me.”
She shook her head and offered a sympathetic smile. “I’m not. Just not interested in no-strings attached sex anymore.” She motioned him out of the way.
“I don’t blame you for thinking that, but are you going to deny there’s something connecting us? It’s hungry. It’s raw and it’s eating me alive.”
She snorted. “Sure, but sexual desire evaporates as soon as it’s expended. The mystery is gone and so is the guy. Let’s keep things real, okay?”
The teasing air around them stilled.
“I want real.” The words tumbled from his mouth before he thought about it, but once they were out, he had no reason to take them back.
Her brow wrinkled as if confused. “I’ll leave you some warm water.”
She bent her leg and pulled off a muddy boot, then the other. Leaving him a little bewildered, she slipped inside.
In the kitchen, Tania wrapped potatoes in foil while Bear seasoned the steaks. Sam escaped his come-on’s to go upstairs. The sheriff and Hank sat at the table. Cory left his boots in the utility room and joined them. As soon as he was seated, Tania plopped a beer down in front of him.
“Thank you.”
Sitting with the men, Cory recapped what happened.
Sheriff Barron listened and then said, “This is sounding more and more like a vendetta against Sam than the ranch.”
Tania stood at the counter making a salad. “Sam is the ranch. Least, after I get married. But we don’t have any enemies that I know of.”
“Somebody wants to throw a wrench into the Bluebell,” the sheriff said. “I put a call out to my deputies to watch for the late model black Taurus as you described, Cory. If the driver did that much damage, they’re going to want to get it fixed.”
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