Cowboy Command

by Olivia Jaymes

  They’d slept late again, both of them bleary-eyed this morning. Seth had declared a short driving day and they’d stopped just south of Nashville, too tired to continue. The RV park was pleasant and clean and the weather not as bitterly cold as the day before. Presley grabbed her iPod and started for the door, only to be stopped by Seth.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  His jaw was set but she was even more determined to get some fresh air and exercise. They’d been stuck in the RV for two damn days and she was going stir crazy.

  “I’m going for a walk. I need to get outside and stretch my legs.”

  He shook his head. “No way. I can’t let you go alone.”

  She loved spoiling Seth but she wasn’t giving in to him this time. “I need to get out of here for my mental health, Seth. I can’t stay cooped up like this. Tanner and Logan said no one was tailing us and you haven’t seen a sign of anyone following us, have you?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have company. I said I’d keep you safe and dammit, Presley, I will.” He wrapped his hand around her upper arm as she started toward the door again.

  She was tired and stressed. Her temper frayed at his dictatorial words. “Then come with me!”

  “Do you want to die? Is that it?” His face was red and she realized they were taking things out on each other. She didn’t want things to be this way with him. He’d given up everything to protect her, asking nothing in return for himself.

  She placed her hands on his chest to calm him. “No, I don’t want to die. I want to live very much.” She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Seth, I’m getting cabin fever. Will you please walk with me so I can get some fresh air? I would very much appreciate that.” She kept her tone even and friendly.

  He ran his fingers through his blond hair. “I’m sorry. I guess I’ve got cabin fever as well. I think a walk is a good idea. Let me get my coat.”

  He didn’t just get his coat. He put his shoulder holster with his gun underneath it, apparently wanting to be prepared for any eventuality. They locked the door behind them and headed toward the small lake, the sun starting to dip below the trees.

  “We’ll need to be back at the RV before the sun goes down,” he warned.

  “Okay, I don’t need a long walk. It’s warmer here, but still cold.”

  They walked in silence, smiling and waving at some of the other campers, but not stopping to engage in conversation. Presley was naturally friendly so it went against the grain to walk by but she understood they needed to keep a low profile. When they reached the lake, they sat down at a picnic table to watch the ducks swim in the icy water. Seth’s pocket vibrated and she jumped. His phone hadn’t gone off once the entire trip. From the look on his face as he scanned the text message, it probably wasn’t good news.

  “Griffin wants me to call him.” Seth punched a few buttons and had Griffin on the line in less than a minute. “What’s up?”

  Seth listened, his expression grower darker. “Are you sure?” He flicked a glance at Presley, shaking his head. He listened some more before ending the call. “Okay, thanks for letting me know. If you hear anything else, give me a call.”

  Seth pressed the End button, a muscle working in his jaw. “I take it that wasn’t a social call? Griffin wasn’t inquiring into our health?”

  Seth shoved the phone back into his pocket with a curse word. “You would be correct. He has contacts in the Marshal Service. Seems they’ve figured out you’ve disappeared and are none too happy about it. They’ve put out a BOLO nationwide. Shit. Shit. Shit.”

  Seth hopped to his feet, pacing in front of her. She reached out and grabbed his hand. “Do they know what we’re driving? Do they know where we are?”

  “No. Luckily, all they have is our physical descriptions, although they might guess we’re headed to Tampa. They know you were shot at.”

  Presley chewed on her lip. “Should you call Evan? He’s a good man. I don’t want him to worry. He was really nice to me.”

  “If he knows you’re with me, and Griffin says they do, then he knows I’ll protect you. I’ll think about whether we should call him. I’m not ready to say yes or no yet. I trust him. I don’t trust anyone else in the Bureau.” Seth looked up at the sky, the sun moving lower. “We need to get back to the RV, eat dinner, and get some real sleep tonight. Maybe in the morning we’ll call Evan. I’ll think clearer if I’m rested.”

  He pulled her up from the bench and they headed back to the RV, the temperature dropping as the sun set lower in the sky. By the time they reached the motor home and locked the door behind them, Presley was ready for some food and television time. Trying to keep things as normal as possible, she headed to the kitchenette to start dinner.

  “How about a frozen pizza? Or I could make some chicken and veggies?”

  Seth shrugged out of his coat but didn’t remove the shoulder holster, even when he settled down to watch television. “Don’t go to any trouble. Pizza’s fine. Do we still have ice cream?”

  “We do, and some of those ready-made cakes.” Seth had a sweet tooth and liked his desserts.

  “That sounds good. Since you’re making dinner, I’ll make breakfast.” He grinned and she laughed as she warmed up the oven. He made terrific bacon and eggs. She was going to get fat at this rate, or at the very least have a cholesterol problem.

  As she prepared dinner, she studied him as he watched the news. Even at rest, his body was tense, constantly alert. There would be no tranquility for him in the foreseeable future. Now there were more than just killers after her. Now the federal government had joined in.

  She wasn’t sure it was fair to ask one man to keep her safe and hidden from all of them. Maybe she should disappear on her own and let Seth go home to his life and his family. If she loved him, she should let him go. It was the right thing to do. He didn’t ask for this and he didn’t deserve it.

  * * * * *

  Presley pulled her coat and gloves on, trying not to make a sound. It was five in the morning and she’d managed to dress and pack a small bag all without waking Seth. She really wanted to take a shower and brush her teeth but she’d make too much noise. She tiptoed to the leather pouch where Seth carried most of the cash and, using only a small penlight from her purse, carefully counted out five hundred dollars. She wouldn’t take much but she did need enough to get a bus ticket to Tampa, food, and a cheap motel.

  She’d thought about it all night and came to the painful decision they would both be better off if they were separated. Whoever was looking for them was looking for both of them. Together. If they were apart, then it would be harder to identify them. Presley also planned to cut and dye her hair at the first opportunity.

  She dug deeper into the leather pouch and pulled out the extra handgun. She didn’t know how to use it but she was a quick learner and she might need it. She wrapped it in her scarf and shoved it to the bottom of her handbag. She hoped it was loaded but if it wasn’t she was shit out of luck. She didn’t have a clue of how to accomplish that task and she wouldn’t have access to any You Tube videos to show her how.

  Her hand hovered over one of the pre-paid phones they were carrying. It would be a lifeline to Seth and the other men but she’d heard them say cell phones could be tracked with GPS. If they knew where she was, they would feel honor-bound to find her and protect her, and that was something she was trying to avoid.

  She was in love with Seth. She hadn’t planned it but there it was. Despite the fact he was a little uptight and sometimes had a big stick up his butt, he was the man she loved. A truly good man. One she could lean on and trust. A man who deserved to live.

  When she hadn’t known him very well, it hadn’t seemed normal for a stranger to vow to protect her with his own life. Now he wasn’t a stranger and it felt very wrong. She loved him more than she loved herself. She wouldn’t let him be killed trying to save her. He had a family who loved him, people who depended on him. What did she have? Not much in
comparison. Everybody already thought she was dead. For them, nothing would change.

  She shook her head and left the cell phones in the leather pouch. She walked slowly toward the door, her eyes now adjusted to the dim light of pre-dawn, jumping only once when the floor creaked. She pushed the door open and shut it quickly behind her, trying not to let the cold in to the RV. That would wake Seth up for sure. As it was, her heart was thumping so loudly it sounded like a rock band was playing inside the motor home.

  She hiked her purse and bag up on her shoulder and zipped her jacket up as far as it would go, pulling the hood over her ears. When the sun came up, it would be warm into the forties, but for now it was downright freezing. She trudged through the park toward the main road. It was a long walk to the nearest bus station, but hopefully she could catch a city bus to the center of Nashville and from there a Greyhound to Tampa.

  She was almost out of the park when she saw an older couple packing up their camp in preparation to leave. Her instinct was to smile and wave but she was a fugitive as of about fifteen minutes ago, so instead she ducked her head and plowed forward.

  “Goodness, it’s early to be out walking, isn’t it?” The woman’s voice seemed to boom in the silence. Presley inwardly groaned. She’d been so close. Her heart accelerated and she felt the clamminess of sweat under her jacket. She stopped and turned to find a smiling grandmother type and her equally happy grandfatherly husband.

  “Are you one of those exercise people?” the older man asked. “I see them out in the morning in our hometown.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Harry Porter and this is my wife, Doris. We’re from Green Bay, heading to Huntsville to visit our daughter and our grandchildren. How about you? We saw you last night arriving with your husband. Does he get up this early too?”

  Presley had no choice but to shake their hands, glad she was wearing gloves so they wouldn’t feel her sweaty palms. “Missy Rodell. Nice to meet you. No, he doesn’t get up this early.”

  She hoped they’d accept her abbreviated answer. She would be polite and perhaps they might give her a ride into the city or at least to a bus stop. The only problem would be thinking of a valid excuse to need a ride. Currently, she was so cold and scared her mind was a blank.

  Harry looked over her shoulder and grinned. “Looks like he does get up early. There’s your husband now.”

  She whirled around, her body stiffening as Seth, looking wide awake and dangerously pissed, strode up to them. A muscle was working in his jaw but he smiled charmingly to the Porters before turning to give her a brief kiss. He leaned down so he was whispering in her ear. “You are in so much trouble.”

  He straightened and held out his hand to Harry. “Pumpkin, have you made a couple of friends? Hi, I’m Steve Rodell and it looks like you’ve already met my lovely wife, Missy.”

  Harry pumped Seth’s hand. “I’m Harry Porter and this is my wife, Doris. Yes, we just met your wife while she was out for her morning walk.”

  Seth put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. His body was tense and stiff and she could feel the anger radiating from him. Luckily, the Porters appeared to be oblivious. Seth smiled down at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You should have woken me up, pumpkin. You know I love to walk in the early morning.”

  His hand squeezed her shoulder and she licked her dry lips. Seth was in a dangerous mood. “I wanted to let you sleep in, sweetheart.” She congratulated herself that her voice was more than a croak. “You looked too peaceful to wake.”

  Seth’s teeth were gritted together. “Always thinking of my wellbeing.” He beamed at Harry. “I’m a lucky man.”

  The Porters smiled and linked hands. “You’ll be celebrating forty years together before you know it,” Harry declared. Doris shivered and looked up at the sky, the sun starting to peek through the trees.

  “We need to get this campsite packed up and get on the road before the traffic gets bad. It was so nice meeting a young couple in love. Are you on your honeymoon?”

  Seth nuzzled against her temple. “Not really but every day feels like a honeymoon with Missy.”

  She was going to kick him straight in the balls when they were alone if he didn’t turn her over his knee and spank her first. She looked up at him, making cow eyes. “That’s so sweet. I feel the same way, babe.”

  Harry winked at Seth. “You both have a safe trip wherever you’re heading. Nice meeting you.”

  Harry and Doris bustled back to their RV to finish making preparations to leave. Seth none too gently grasped Presley’s arm and firmly led her back toward their own motor home. The tension between them was almost unbearable. Seth didn’t say a word, his mouth pressed into a grim line. She didn’t say a word either, not sure what to say or how to explain what she was doing. He was clearly furious, although she had been doing it for his own good. He probably wasn’t going to be too appreciative of that fact, though.

  * * * * *

  Seth needed to control the white-hot rage and fear tightening his belly. When he’d woken up alone in bed, he’d heard her moving around, and foolishly thought she was trying to start the coffee without waking him. One glance at the clock told him a different story. Presley wasn’t a big fan of mornings and she didn’t get up at five without a good reason. She was up to something. He listened as she rifled through his things and then snuck out of the RV.

  He’d quickly pulled on his clothes and followed her. She had her purse and a small bag and, despite the Porter’s declaration she was going for her morning constitutional, she was clearly flying the coop.

  What was she thinking?

  The sheer lunacy of what she’d done floored him. He’d busted his ass, risked everything to keep her safe, and she’d decided to leave him while he slept. He couldn’t begin to wrap his mind around her logic. Was she that tired of him? Was he that difficult to be around?

  He marched her into the motor home and pointed to the couch. Her lips were in a mutinous line but she slumped against the cushions, defeated. As always, Presley was a walking contradiction.

  He shrugged off his coat and tried to calm himself. Yelling wasn’t going to solve anything and might just make her cry. Her tears never failed to fell him to his knees, and now was the time to stay firmly in command.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why were you leaving?”

  Her full lips trembled and her color was high. “I thought you’d be safer if I was gone.”

  Of all the things he expected her to say, those words weren’t it. He sat down next to her on the couch, but not touching her. He was still mad as hell.

  “Please explain your thinking to me,” he said evenly. He congratulated himself on not pulling her over his knee and spanking her ass to a bright red color.

  She plucked at the zipper of her coat. She was probably baking in that thing, but Seth wasn’t in the mood to make her more comfortable. She should be sweating this interrogation out. In fact, if he had a set of spotlights, he’d turn them on her face.

  She blinked rapidly, probably trying to hold back tears. Shit.

  “I thought if I left you could go back to Harper and be safe. I don’t want you to die because of me. Your family will be really upset if you die. My family already thinks I’m dead.”

  She fell silent but her fingers still played with the tab of the zipper. She hadn’t looked him in the eye yet. He captured her chin and turned her to face him. Her eyes were dark and troubled.

  “So you want to die then?” He challenged.

  She shook her head. “They’re looking for a man and a woman. If we split up, then we would be harder to spot.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “As soon as I had a chance I was going to cut and dye my hair.”

  “How could you possibly take care of yourself?” Seth released her chin and rubbed his aching temple.

  Her eyes shifted downward. “I took five hundred dollars and the other gun.”

  He jumped up from the couch. “I don’t care about the money but a gun? Fu
ck, Presley, you could have really hurt yourself. That gun is loaded. Where did you put it?” He scanned her up and down and didn’t see where she could have hidden it.

  “I put it in my purse.” She dug into her bag and pulled out something wrapped in her scarf, holding it out to him. “If you’re really mad, you can just shoot me with it so we can be done with this.”

  Her little chin was lifted and she looked gloriously rebellious.

  He carefully took it from her, unwrapped it, and inspected it for damage. “Don’t tempt me, honey.” He slid the gun back in the leather pouch and took a deep breath. “I don’t even know what to say or do about this. Do you have any idea how worried I would have been if you had succeeded? I would have had to call all of the guys down here to help me look for you. I would have gone crazy wondering if you were lying dead in a ditch somewhere, for fuck’s sake.”

  He hated playing the guilt card but he didn’t have an ace up his sleeve. He would have had a stroke if she’d left. Period.

  Her lips started trembling again and her eyes were bright with unshed tears. “I don’t want you to get hurt or killed.” Tears spilled and ran unheeded down her cheeks. “I love you.”

  He scraped a hand down his face. “Aw, fuck.” He sat back down beside her and tugged her into his arms, rocking her while she cried. It looked like she’d been as scared as he was. He patted her back and stroked her hair. “I love you too, honey. That’s why you have to let me protect you. If I lost you, well, everything would go to shit. Got it?”

  She sniffled and scrubbed at her cheeks. “We weren’t supposed to fall in love.”

  He sighed and rubbed his chin on her silky hair. He couldn’t argue with her. “That’s true, we weren’t. But we did. Now we’re a team and we need to stay together to be safe. We’re stronger together, Presley, than we are apart.”