Robin waited patiently. It made him feel worse that she completely trusted him in this instant.
How stupid of me. He couldn’t believe he made a mistake that could cost them their lives. One day he was going to have to tell Robin everything if they had a chance of being together. Immediately, however, his years of training kicked in to deal with the task at hand. He had to stay in control and in command if they were going to make it out alive. Now more than ever he knew someone was toying with them, waiting for the right second to strike.
“No, it’s not out of gas. I need you to trust me and do as I say without question. We’re going to get out and walk to the next town. It’s just a couple of miles away, on the other side of those woods. Let’s move.”
He grabbed his handgun from under the driver’s seat and ran around to her side. They quickly made their way along the path in the grove of trees; Grayson with his gun at the ready. He chose the way with the most cover, but that might not be enough.
“Grayson, I—”
Shots rang out; the crackling sound originated from a source not far away.
Grayson pushed Robin to the ground, covered her and returned fire in an instant. He discerned the location of the shooter and shielded Robin from that direction. His mind raced, thinking of routes out of the woods.
Silence fell again. The shooter might be trying for a better position. In the heavy brush, Grayson knew they were almost invisible, especially since they weren’t moving.
As he scanned the area, movement caught his eye coming in from the side. He watched and saw a familiar face—his sister! They hadn’t been alone after all. He waited and she spotted him. He gave the slightest of nods and turned his hand to point uphill at the shooter’s location.
She gave a signal in another direction to her back up.
Seconds later, gunfire rang out again.
On cue, he pulled Robin to her feet, still shielding her, and pushed her into motion. “Run!” he hissed just loud enough for her to hear.
Robin was clearly in a state of shock but she listened and followed his directions through the woods. They moved at a good pace while he listened to the gun fight behind them.
A few seconds later the woods were silent.
Chapter Nine
A car waited for them when they broke free of the woods.
“Jump in!” he ordered.
Robin could only trust that he’d seen the driver and knew it was safe. She climbed in with him right behind her and the car took off.
No one spoke.
Grayson watched out the windows as they sped down the mountain. Half an hour later, they reached a small town and the driver stopped at a hotel.
“Room five. They’re waiting.”
“Thank you,” Grayson said before he motioned for her to get out. He led the way to Room 5 and opened the door. Two men were waiting inside. One was listening to his cell phone while the other simply sat and waited. They were dressed like loggers or construction workers: warm clothes for the outdoors. Nothing fancy.
The taller of the two ended his call and nodded at his partner. To her he said, “Hi, Robin. I’m Hinks. This is Finley.”
“Did everyone get out safely?” Grayson asked.
She didn’t miss the look the two men shared and knew they didn’t have good news. Grayson sank down onto the bed, preparing himself it seemed.
“Arianna.” That was all Hinks said.
Grayson groaned, folding over. Robin went to him and sat down beside him, resting her arm around him.
After several heart-wrenching moments, Hinks sat down in a chair. “She took out the shooter, but he fired at the same time. It struck her in the temple, killing her instantly. At least it was quick.”
Finley finally spoke in a low voice that matched his blue collar clothes. “We know the gunman was, in fact, assigned to murder you, Grayson.”
“I don’t understand any of this,” Robin said. But, in fact, she was putting pieces together. Hadn’t Grayson said his sister was an agent? She couldn’t remember if he had said her name or not…
“Robin, you’re completely safe now. We’ve made sure of that. You’ll be staying here tonight and then we’re all heading back into Portland.”
Hinks and Finley briefed Grayson before they left, going to the room next door to stay the night. In the quiet after they left, Robin asked him, “Was that your sister?”
He sat up, rubbing his face. “I would have never expected her to be present during an extraction. Hinks said she insisted on being at the scene to help me.”
“I’m so sorry.”
When he could finally speak, Grayson began telling her about his sister. He needed someone to know what she’d done and sacrificed for her job and their country. Arianna was one of the Agency’s most skilled agents. Much of her career success was due to her youthful appearance and petite frame; her ability to pass for a teenager or very young woman enabled the Agency to use her successfully in the most top secret Intel operations.
On Christmas Day, she and a partner were assigned to escort Grayson safely back to the United States with Intel from his mission. It was Arianna’s partner that first spotted the danger. It was the man Grayson thought he saw on the plane.
It’d been Arianna who arranged for the SUV when they escaped the airport. She organized their extraction from the woods, insisting that she come along with the two best sharp shooters in the agency.
“Why?” Robin asked. She didn’t understand why everyone risked their lives.
His answer was simple. “I put you in danger. We put in you in danger. We had to fix it.”
His eyes were bloodshot from the stress of the day. She pulled him closer, wanting to comfort him, and hoping that would be enough for now. Robin couldn’t imagine his pain…and in a way, it had been for her. Arianna had given her life to keep Robin alive. With that on her mind, they sat entwined on the bed for a long time.
“Is it really over now?” she asked later.
“It’s all over.”
“All?”
“I want to tell you some things.” He propped up the pillows at the head of the bed and they settled in together. She laid her head on his chest and listened through the night as he told her about the past fifteen years of his life as a foreign clandestine agent. Without providing too much detail, he told her how the Agency had sent him all over the world on dangerous and secret assignments.
“It was work,” he said, “that I enjoyed and I had become very skilled over the years. But I’ve wanted a normal life for some time now. When we met on the plane, I was coming home from my last assignment.”
Robin lifted her head to look at him. “And now?”
“And now I’ve found you… I just lost my little sister. I don’t want any more loss in my life. I want you, Robin.”
Chapter Ten
Several months later, Grayson was debriefed by the Agency. Early spring flowers were just starting to poke their heads through the ground. Robin looked happier every day, blooming in their love. He tried not to let that go to his head, but he made her happy.
While he was released from active service, he knew that for the rest of his life he would be under the Agency’s watch and protection. He and Robin agreed to live quietly under the radar with new identities as husband and wife.
*****
On Christmas night, one year later, Mr. and Mrs. Lane shared a special and warm look as they stood in front of the crib. Three month old Arianna slept soundly, her strawberry blond hair curling on the top and her little fists lying thrown out on each side.
“She’s so beautiful, just like her mother,” Grayson whispered. It was something he said all the time. He cooed and gooed over little Arianna, melting Robin’s heart more each day.
The cabin was now an idyllic little piece of heaven for their small family. Grayson was remodeling the structure, of course, to include more rooms and electricity. It turned out he was rather skilled at building and seemed to enjoy it. Robin enjoyed decor
ating it; especially for their first family Christmas. The place looked like a country postcard, complete with twinkling lights and a lovely Christmas tree by the fireplace with handpicked ornaments decorating it. Two ornaments in particular touched Robin’s heart. Grayson had handcrafted a small wooden crib decorated with the words, “Baby’s First Christmas.” The second ornament was a small cabin with the words “Our Second Christmas together.”
Grayson pulled her closer and looked at her with a familiar gleam in his eye.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he says mischievously. It took a second but then she gasped, remembering those had been his first words to her on the airplane.
“Of course not!”
He leaned close to kiss her. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Lane. I love you more than words can say.”
And once again, like so many happy nights, the crackling fireplace became the soundtrack to their love and desire.
About The Author
Kristen James loves writing romances set in Oregon with dreaming heroes that will melt your heart. She enjoys the outdoors and watching wildlife in her yard and on the river by her house. Besides reading and writing, she loves traveling, cycling, hiking, berry picking, canoeing, fishing, and camping, especially doing these with her family. Life should be an adventure!
Visit www.writerkristenjames.com to learn more and read her blog. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WriterKristenJames and Twitter at @writerkristenj. She loves to interact with readers.
Amazon author page at
http://amazon.com/author/kristenjames
Other Novels by Kristen James:
Embers of Hope, Book 1, Second Gift Series
More Than a Promise, Book 2, Second Gift Series
More Than Memories
A Cowboy For Christmas
The Enemy’s Son
The River People
The Fairy and her Giant
Other Novels by Kristen James:
A Cowboy For Christmas – Can they put aside their differences and past hurts to save the struggling ranch?
http://amzn.to/ACowboyForChristmas
Available in print and Kindle ebook
Available in Spanish!
Un vaquero para naviad
http://amzn.com/B009JMRHFQ
“A Cowboy for Christmas is a great romance for the holidays or anytime you like. A bit fun and flirty read that will not disappoint.” --Coffee Time Romance
“Kristen James has done it again with another romance novel to warm your heart. [A Cowboy for Christmas] She has created truly down to earth and likable characters with Missy and Brent. The story is perfect for the holidays! Not too long, not too short, I finished the book in about a day. Like her other book, More Than Memories, you become immersed in the story, the plot and the descriptive scenery.” --reader review
http://amzn.com/B00A5TAVXM
Book 2: More Than a Promise
Cassie’s Story
Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast to cope with the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s starting to dream about her future again and possibly romance. A safe romance, that is, where people don’t die. She runs into Ethan Caldwell, the cute boy who teased her through grade school. He sure grew up – into a man who’d catch anyone’s eyes. Now he’s a single dad to nine year old Isabel, who talks about her parents getting back together…as soon as her mom is out of rehab. Then maybe her mom can watch her while her dad goes on his work trips. Apparently Ethan has some kind of dangerous, secretive government job. This isn’t at all what Cassie is looking for! So why is she running full speed into another broken heart?
More Than Memories – Can she love him again if she can’t remember him?
http://amzn.to/MoreThanMemories
Available in print and Kindle ebook
“I just loved this book [More Than Memories]! Primarily because Ms. James’ equation for the plot kept me guessing the entire time.” --Big Al’s Books and Pals, 5 Stars
“James has a great way with words and builds very realistic characters. I really enjoyed this story and although I usually do not go for romance, the relationship between Trent and Molly held my attention as they searched through their past to piece together the detail of Molly’s mysterious disappearance.” --reader review of More Than Memories, also rated 5 stars by The Fictional Bookshelf and Big Al’s Books n Pals.
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