His calls would have to wait because he had to worry about his grumpy companion.
At the register, he paid and strolled back outside, arms laden with snacks, looking around the nearly empty lot. A grey-haired woman who could barely see out the passenger side window waved at him from the car that was parked close. He nodded in greeting and deposited the items in the passenger seat of the Jeep.
Cox looked at the closed restroom door and sipped at the coffee that burnt his tongue, as well as his insides. Turning to watch a man walk to the car to join the lady who waved, Cox sighed. What was taking Hazel so long?
Going to the door of the women’s bathroom, he leaned against the scratchy wall of the building, tapping his toe in impatience. How long did it take a woman to use the restroom? He could run a marathon quicker. Knocking on the metal door, he said, “Hey, you about done?”
No answer.
“I’m not joking with you. Let’s get going.”
Still no answer.
And then a loud scream sounded from inside. He dropped the coffee at his feet. “Hazel? You okay?”
Wasting no time, he drew back his foot and kicked the wobbly knob, knocking it to the ground. With another good kick, the door went flying open, slamming hard against the cement wall as the crash mingled with another scream. He glanced across the toilet paper cluttered floor, to the doorless stall where he found Hazel jumping up and down, her hands scrubbing through her hair, her pants still at her ankles. The cute beanie was abandoned on the floor.
Now that he could see she wasn’t in any danger, he asked, “What the hell are you doing?”
She stopped moving, her hands paused in her mass of satin curls, and her eyes were as wide as half dollars. When her gaze came to him, she screamed again. “A spider. In my hair! It came down from the ceiling.”
If he didn’t dislike her so much he might have found her silly little dance in the purple polka dotted panties funny, but because he did find her annoying, and the small fact that her pants were still down at her ankles showing off long, toned legs only pissed him off more.
Just as quickly, she realized she was half dressed and he was in the bathroom with her.
“Get out!” she ordered.
“As you wish.” He stepped across what was left of the door, cursing all the way back into the station where he handed the teenage boy a couple hundred for repairs, and another shitty coffee, and a flash of his badge. Cox had a feeling the money would find its way into the young man’s pocket but all the same, Cox needed to make sure he’d made restitution for the damage to the door.
He also had a feeling he should start an expense list to be compensated later by the Congressman.
By the time he made it back out to the Jeep, Hazel was sitting in the driver’s seat, staring through the front window, her cheeks pink and her bottom lip slightly puckered.
“We will not tell anyone about this,” she warned when he climbed into the passenger seat.
“You mean that we’ve been gone from Cheyenne less than an hour and you’ve already gone against your agreement to keep your clothes on?” He laughed. Couldn’t help himself. She turned to look at him with her eyes blazing and her cheeks flushed. The lady was adorable, even if he didn’t like her. Then he saw something and his throat constricted. “Oh shit. Don’t move.”
“Why?” Her brows scrunched.
“The spider. It’s in your hair.”
One thin brow lifted. “I bet you think you’re real funny, don’t you?” she pushed through clenched lips.
“Hazel, I’m serious.” He wouldn’t joke about creepy crawlies. He shivered at the mere thought of having one on his person.
Terror raced across her features. She jerked, knocked the coffee out of his hand, splashing it all over his shirt and jeans, then she jumped out of the driver’s side like a mad woman. He watched her bang her head through the air.
Cursing under his breath, while feeling a scorching sensation in his lap, he pushed through it and went to help her. “Stop moving. Let me get the damn thing.”
With a muttered cry, she stopped bouncing. “Get it! Now. Can you get it?” She was almost in tears.
Biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing, he sifted through her strands of hair, trying his best to ignore how soft the mass was and how good it smelled. “There. I found it.”
“You found it? Oh my. Please get it fast.”
Thankfully, the spider wasn’t moving any longer and probably begged for its death after being ridden on a crazy train. Cox retrieved the small black spider and deposited him on the sidewalk. “I’m not sure about mentally, but physically you’re fine,” he muttered. “This was my best shirt.” He looked down at the coffee stains on the white cotton. At least his skin no longer burned.
“Sorry. I’m sure it’s hard to find another white cotton T-shirt that has holes.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll go and grab you another coffee.”
“No thanks. I think we should just get the hell away from this gas station before we end up dead,” he grumbled. “I need to grab a clean shirt from my bag.”
Shaking his head, he strolled to the back of the Jeep when across the lot he saw the elderly couple watching in shocked curiosity from their car. He waved and they continued to stare. Hazel unlocked the back and the lid opened on its own. Rummaging through his bag, he grabbed the first thing he came to and switched shirts. Goosebumps raised on his arms. The temperature had dropped.
Closing the gate, he hurried to the passenger side and slid in. “Better now?” he asked Hazel. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks flooded with pink and her eyes glossy as she started the engine.
“Peachy. Breathe one word of this to anyone and you’re dead meat.” They were back on the main road.
“If it makes you feel any better, I like polka dots.” He couldn’t help but encourage her anger. It didn’t hurt to find humor in a less than happy occasion.
“Ah, I’m glad to hear that.”
“Are you?”
“No. I don’t care that you like polka dots. Let’s get something straight. I don’t like you anymore than you like me. Thankfully the cabin at Pitchfork is big enough that we don’t have to be close.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
“However, I do owe you a thank you.”
“For?” He was a bit taken back that she was actually speaking to him without the disgusted tone.
“Not only saving me from a spider, but I’ve never had anyone bust down a door to save me.”
He glanced across the seat, seeing her tongue roll along the fullness of that pink pillow bottom lip. He had to shift to ease the tension in his jeans. “That’s my job.” The snow came down even faster and she slowed the Jeep to accommodate. “I’m curious, why did you agree to do this?”
“It was you or my mother. I chose you.”
“So your mom doesn’t like you either?” Did he see the corner of her mouth jerk with a smile? Maybe she did have a soul.
“My mom likes me just fine, but I swear she pegged the term helicopter mom. If you look it up in the dictionary, I’m sure her picture is there for an example.” She relaxed some in the seat. Her knuckles weren’t as white.
“After seeing your response to spiders maybe she has reason to be the helicopter mom,” he teased, tearing the plastic wrapper off one of the beef sticks. “Want one?” He held up an unopened stick, waving it in her face.
“No, thank you. There’s enough MSGs in there to give me a stroke.” She wrinkled her nose and waved her hand through the air as if the smell made her sick.
“So, you’re one of those people, huh?” He bit into the beef, chewing, savoring the flavor.
“One of those people? And what people are you referring to?” She shot him a quick glance then turned on the wipers to full blast.
“Eat a celery stick and say they’re full.”
“If I’m part of that group then you must be part of the group who defends their unhealthy eating by putting down health conscious
people. If it makes any difference, I do eat. Plenty. I’m just interested in what I put into my body. I don’t eat meat.”
“That explains it,” he scoffed.
“Explains what?”
“Iron deficiency causes people to become unusually irritable.”
“Is that so, Dr. Landon? Along with that gun, do you also carry a stethoscope? Please, tell me something else that you’ve theorized in your narrow mind.”
“Okay.” He popped the last bite of the beef into his mouth. “I think you’ve met a few assholes along the way who’ve made you pissed at the entire male species.”
“You really do think you know it all, don’t you?” She reached in, took out a lip balm from her purse and applied it.
“I’d rather you didn’t bother with beauty treatments while you’re driving. The roads are getting slicker the higher we get on the mountain. I’d rather not end up in the ravine.”
“I’m a safe driver. I don’t need a back-seat driver.”
“I’m only trying to help.” He eased into the leather seat. By now the roads, as well as everything else, was buried underneath a blanket of snow. “I know these mountains like they are my backyard. They get pretty damn slick with even a sprinkling of snow.”
“Believe it or not, I know my way around the mountains too. This isn’t the first rodeo for me. I’ve spent a lot of time up here.” Looking at her face she didn’t give any sign that she was worried, but her white knuckled hold on the steering wheel told him she realized how unsafe the roads could get with snowfall. Most people who lived in the vicinity put away their vehicles and took out their snow mobiles. And then there were some that didn’t even bother. Mountain folk always made sure to have stocked pantries and supplies during the winter months.
“By the way, I have met some assholes along the way, but I choose to be single because I like it.”
“I bet it’d be difficult for a man to wiggle through that barricade your family has built around you.”
He heard her gasp. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Come on, we’re all friends here. From what little I know, you hate working for your uncle’s campaign and he treats you like you’re a teenager. And you act like one too.” He swiped a hand down his thick whiskers. “I bet you’re not even a republican, are you?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Ah, so I’m right. It has a lot to do with it. Why are you working for someone, related or not, who you don’t agree with?”
She was quiet for a good five heartbeats. “He needed help—”
“Oh please!” he moaned. “We both know better than that. Did the dog sitting business fall through and you needed a job?”
“I’ll let you know I was damn good at taking care of dogs until some man-bear complained about the barking,” she snapped.
“Hell, I love dogs, but after working three days without any sleep then hearing not one, but ten dogs barking at once, it can make a man crazy.” He honestly felt a little bad that she stopped dog sitting because he’d complained a couple of times. Growing up, he had dogs. If he didn’t work all the time, he’d have one now.
“Just so we’re clear, ten dogs weren’t barking. It was two. Reclaim and Dixie didn’t get along and would go into spells of yapping at each other. You just happened to be trying to sleep during those times. It’s not my fault the walls at that building were thin. I had plenty to complain about myself.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. For instance, one of your after-midnight visitors wouldn’t stop praying to God at the top of her lungs. How disgusting.”
He chuckled. He remembered that night. That was the first and last time he’d had Mikayla at his apartment. In his head he did the math and cringed. Had it really been that long since he’d held a sweet, warm body? No wonder he’d been as angry as a bear these days. He might have to take care of that problem when he got back to Cheyenne, but, for now, the horse would stay in the stall and his hands to himself. “Have you ever heard of ear plugs?”
“Yeah. Have you?”
“Something tells me although you like sitting dogs, it isn’t your dream job either.”
“Wow, you’re a genius.”
“So what do you want to do?” He found himself liking the fact that they could talk without the arguing, although she still had a spark of sarcasm.
“I’m in the process of figuring that out.”
He laughed which rewarded him with a scowl from her. “Maybe if you’d quit having people tell you what to do, you’d have a chance to figure things out for yourself.”
“So what do you know? You have no clue about my life.”
“I’ve been near you for less than a few hours and I think I’m pretty good at guessing what makes you click. You’re pissed off at your uncle and want out of the campaign business so you lied about the murder.”
She kept her gaze steady on the road ahead, but the tight expression returned. “Whatever you think. I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone.” There was a hitch to her voice that couldn’t be overlooked. It was like she’d lost some of her spunk.
They both became quiet.
The Jeep stayed steady on the winding, narrow road that was sandwiched between rock and ravine. The only tracks through the snow were the ones they left behind. Cox was grateful people weren’t out traveling in the mess.
Hazel took the road slow, and the tires of the Jeep crunched the icy snow.
The wipers worked furiously, but as hard as they worked, they still couldn’t see five feet ahead through the thick snowflakes that fell increasingly. They’d gone from an inch to four inches of snow in less than an hour.
“Be careful. There’s a sharp S curve up ahead,” he warned.
“Cox, I’ve got this.”
That was the first time she’d used his first name. Did that mean she’d finally loosened up some?
Her cell buzzed from the console.
“Don’t answer that.”
“I wasn’t going to. You’re back seat driving is pushing my—” her words trailed off as they rounded the curve and the back tires slipped. They made it through only to hit another slick spot and the back wheels shimmied. She expertly controlled the steering wheel and the Jeep eased back onto the road, but through the sheet of falling snow they saw a silhouette that warned them they weren’t alone on what should have been a deserted road.
A deer dashed in front of them.
Hazel must have slammed on the brake because Cox felt the Jeep jolt, then heard the crunching of ice underneath the tires as they slid. The back of the vehicle swerved sideways. He heard her groan as they missed hitting the deer that had darted into safety while they continued to turn and slide on the sheet of ice. They were out of control and the rock came closer and closer until the passenger side slammed against the mountain. The crunching of metal and the breaking of glass mingled with her scream.
It took him ten seconds to gain his bearings, but once he did, he assessed the situation. He moved and shatters of broken glass rolled off his arms and shirt, but he was okay, although his leg felt like it’d been stomped on by a bull from where he’d knocked up against the dashboard. A loud popping sound shot through the air as steam rolled up from the busted radiator.
He heard a moaning sound.
Hazel!
Looking over at her, thankfully her eyes were open and directed at him.
“Are you okay?” He leaned forward, pushing his fingers through her curls to get a better look at her face. After quick examination he didn’t see any cuts or blood. That was a good sign. The air bag had deployed.
“Yes—yes, I’m fine. Just shook up a bit. Are you okay?” She still had a white knuckled hold on the steering wheel.
“I’m okay.” The whistling of the radiator finally stopped. “Shit!” he pushed out through clenched teeth. “Wish I could say the same about the Jeep. We’re not going anywhere in this.”
“Did I hit the deer?” She turne
d frantically sideways in the seat, peering through the windows although probably not seeing much considering they were fogged.
“No, you didn’t hit the damn deer.”
“Thank God.”
He felt pain radiate down his leg. This would hurt like a sum’bitch later. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to swerve to miss an animal?” He cursed and rubbed his forehead.
“I didn’t know it was a deer until we passed it. It could have easily been a person standing in the road.”
“Yeah, because it’s likely someone would be standing in the middle of the road in a snowstorm.” Realizing how rough his words sounded even to his own ears, he forced his muscles in his face to relax. At least they weren’t hurt, at least enough that deemed the aid of first responders. “It could have been worse. We’re okay. That’s what matters. You are truly okay, right?” Considering she hadn’t moved yet and her grip was still on the wheel he needed to be sure.
“I believe so.” She finally dropped her hands into her lap. “I can’t believe I wrecked my uncle’s Jeep.”
“Don’t worry. He can afford another. Anyway, he’ll be glad you’re safe and sound.”
She dragged the key from the ignition then reached into the back seat to grab her jacket. “I guess we both know what happens now.” Opening the door, she slid out.
“Now where in the hell are you going?” His words were cut off by the slamming of the driver’s door.
“Damn that woman!” He slid out of the passenger seat, feeling a jagged ache in his bum leg but forgotten from the arctic breeze against his face. Testing weight on his leg, he was glad it wasn’t broken. Dealing with the old injury wasn’t something he needed at the moment—not ever. He heaved in a deep, agitated breath, reminding himself that anyone could have had an accident in the blizzard conditions.
He limped around to the back of the Jeep where Hazel had stopped to stare through the falling snow. “Let me take a closer look at you.”
Tormented by the Lawman (Mountain Force Book 3) Page 7
