Rocky Mountain Secrets: Rocky Mountain Sabotage ; Rocky Mountain Pursuit

by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

He took her hands in his. “I’m sorry I shut you out earlier. Seeing Abby again, learning about the dreadful things she’d done, well, it shook me. It even made me have doubts about what I know is real, like what I feel for you. Not anymore.” He looked into her eyes. “I know it’s too soon. You’ve been through so much and your head has to be spinning with everything. I know you’re still grieving over Eddie. You need time. But I love you, Reyna, and I don’t want to let you go. I want to marry you.”

  A tiny sob escaped as tears filled her eyes. “I don’t want to let you go, either...and I love you, too, but you’re right. It is too soon.”

  It hurt to hear her say she wasn’t ready, but he understood.

  “I have to settle things here.” She pointed to her head. “I know what I feel in my heart, and I do love you, Jase, but I have to find a way to let Eddie go. When I do, will you ask me again?”

  The pain he felt at hearing those words was hard to swallow, but he’d give her all the time in the world. He wanted a chance at happiness with her.

  He kissed her sweetly and then let her go. “Yes. When you’re ready I will ask you again. I’ll be right here at my home on Defiance Mountain waiting for you. I hope you’ll want to make it your home, as well.”

  Her tears spilled over and he dragged her into his arms and held her tight.

  “Just tell me when you’re ready.”

  EPILOGUE

  Her hands shook on the steering wheel as she drove the familiar road up Defiance Mountain. Reyna couldn’t help but compare how different this trip was from the other.

  Back then, fear was her constant companion. Now there was only hope and the promise he’d given to her.

  Spring was everywhere on the mountain. The meadows arrayed in pinks, purples and yellows. Her heart soared at the sight of them. At the possibility of the future with Jase.

  He had told her he wanted her to be sure. He said when she was ready she would know and he would be right here waiting for her. She was counting on it.

  Over the six months that passed since she’d seen Jase, she’d gone through an array of feelings, none of them fear. It was gone, due to the hard emotional work she’d done for herself.

  When she left Colorado, she’d gone straight to Eddie’s father and told him the people responsible for his son’s death were in custody, thanks to Eddie’s determination and Jase’s bravery. Ed Sr. couldn’t wait to meet the man who’d saved her life.

  And he would soon.

  Jase had arranged for Eddie to receive the Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the CIA’s highest decoration. She and Ed Sr. attended the ceremony and saw Eddie’s name inscribed on the Memorial Wall at Langley. She’d looked for Jase but he was standing true to his word about giving her space. He told her when she was ready he’d be waiting for her.

  Reyna parked the truck and got out. Gone were all the uncertainties. Even the house looked as if it had shaken its gloomy trappings. The air was filled with the clean mountain air she’d fallen in love with. She could see living here with him. Raising their family together. She hadn’t returned to Stevens. She’d extended her leave of absence. But Reyna realized she missed medicine. She’d noticed on her last time at Defiance that there was no medical facility close by. She planned to open one soon. Maybe specialize in pediatric medicine.

  Right now she was ready. Ready for love. Ready for Jase. She took out her phone and typed the message she hoped he was still waiting to hear.

  * * *

  I’m ready...

  Jase had been sitting inside his office staring out a perfect spring day when her text message came in.

  He almost dropped the phone. He’d waited through some of the worst six months of his life to hear those words. Yet, through it all, he hadn’t once given up hope, trusting God and Reyna. He’d stepped out on the faith that she would return his love one day and he’d found his mother’s wedding ring. Jase kept it on his desk to remind him of what waited for him.

  There was more to life than dealing with the dark depths of the human heart. The team had made great strides in finding and eliminating some of the routes the Fox used to transport his weapons from Afghanistan. They’d posted photos of the man they believed to be the Fox everywhere with a reward for his capture. There had been thousands of leads. So far, none had produced the terrorist but the Fox was on the run and Jase was hopeful. With the information Eddie had provided, he believed it was only a matter of time before they broke the backbone of the Fox’s organization.

  Jase had spent a horrific three months of his life trying to break Abby and her team. In the end, they were more afraid of the Fox’s vengeance than charges of treason. Kyle had arranged the transfer to bring them to Langley. The chopper never made it. The Fox’s reach had been long, indeed. They’d discovered too late that the Fox implanted tracking chips in all his soldiers. Abby hadn’t been any different. When she didn’t show up with the laptop, the Fox had begun searching for her. He probably suspected she’d been captured by her former employer. Because of the signal-blocking system Kyle had put in place at Jase’s house, he hadn’t been able to locate her until they were in public airspace. Then he’d eliminated her and her men.

  For the longest time, Jase couldn’t have been more discouraged. He felt as if he’d somehow let Abby down, but as Kyle was quick to point out, she had chosen her own path in life. Her death lay squarely at her own feet.

  On the bright side, Aaron had signed on to assist with the training and had suggested they move the training camp to Don and Linda’s place. Jase was surprised but as it turned out the older couple was thrilled at the prospect of being able to stay in the home they loved and at having young people around once more.

  Now, all of Jase’s worries evaporated. There was more to life than death. There was Reyna and the future.

  Where are you? he texted. He so desperately wanted to see her.

  Look in your driveway...

  She was here in Defiance. He tucked the ring into his pocket and hurried toward the front of the house. He threw open the door and there she was, standing next to a U-Haul. He laughed as he imagined this petite woman driving such a huge truck.

  Jase descended the steps as if he floated over them, until he stood next to her.

  “Hi,” she said, and she was smiling. His heart soared. She was so beautiful standing there with a tremulous smile on her lovely face. Her long, golden-brown hair was ruffled by the wind. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but he needed to be sure. Needed her to be, too. “Does this mean...?”

  “I’m ready. To move to Defiance.” His heart plummeted and she saw it. “And to marry you. I want to marry you, Jase. Now...well, as soon as we can arrange it. I want to move forward. I want—” She didn’t get the chance to finish because he took her in his arms and kissed her as he’d dreamed of for so long. She melted against him, returning his passionate kiss with all her heart.

  He wanted the kiss to go on forever. He’d missed her so much, but she pulled away and he let her go. He stared down at her face. She’d suddenly gone serious.

  “You were right. As hard as it was to hear, you were right. I wasn’t ready. I was still holding on to the past. Eddie. The life we had once shared.” She smiled up at him. “I’m ready now.”

  Thank You, God, he recited to himself. God had granted him the desires of his heart and he’d be eternally grateful.

  He stroked her cheek. “I’m so glad.”

  She stared off at the distant mountain peak still covered in snow. “I was holding on to my grief like a lifeline. I still have Eddie’s ashes,” she confessed, and looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction. “I guess I thought as long as I had them I could keep him close. He wouldn’t want that. I brought him here with me. Eddie always wanted to see Colorado. I’m hoping you can help me find the right place to scatter them.”

  Tears had filled her eyes. He realized how hard letting go of
Eddie was for her.

  “Of course. I have the perfect spot.” And he did. A little meadow at the base of the mountain. It was private, and close enough that they could both go there to visit Eddie any time they wanted. Right now it would be covered it wildflowers. He believed it would do Eddie justice.

  “There’s something else you should know,” she said, and the strain in her tone caught his attention. Was she still having doubts?

  “Please tell me you’re not having second thoughts.” His heart thudded against his chest. He wanted her, but he wanted all of her.

  “No,” she rushed to assure him. “Of course not.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and drew him closer. He looked into her eyes and saw that was true. “No, Jase. I want you. I want to be your wife. I want to have your children.”

  He buried his face against his neck. He could smell the fragrance of her skin as she held him tight. “Thank you.”

  When his heart stopped throbbing in his chest, he remembered there was more to say and so he let her go. “Sorry, it’s just that I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long.”

  She smiled through her tears. “Me, too. What I wanted to tell you was that I’ve bought a house in Defiance.”

  This was the last thing he expected. He’d been so wrapped up in trying to determine the Fox’s next move without the much-needed intel from Abby that he and his team had been locked away on this mountain for months. He hadn’t so much as gone into town for a cup of coffee and to catch up on the local news at Maggie’s.

  “Why?” he asked in surprise.

  At his baffled expression, she added, “I plan to live there until we’re married and then I’m giving the house to Eddie’s father. I want him close. He’s my family and he needs me.”

  Relief threatened to collapse his legs. He respected her loyalty to Eddie’s father.

  “He’ll love you, Jase. I’ve told him everything about you. How you helped bring Eddie’s killers to justice. He’s anxious to meet you.”

  Jase was honored to have the man as part of their family. There was just one thing left to do. She was a special woman and she needed a proper proposal. He wanted to do this right.

  He took the ring from his pocket and dropped to one knee and held it out to her. A sob escaped when she saw it and she covered her mouth with her hands, staring at him in wonderment.

  “Reyna Peterson, I love you with every breath I take. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  As her tears fell from her eyes, she somehow managed a nod.

  He slipped the ring onto her finger and smiled at her happiness. “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes, oh yes,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful, Jase.”

  “It belonged to my mom. It’s been in our family for years. It suits you,” he said, and then wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her close.

  She kissed the top of his head before drawing him to his feet. “I love that it’s part of your family’s history. I love you. And I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Smoky Mountain Investigation by Annslee Urban.

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  Smoky Mountain Investigation

  by Annslee Urban

  ONE

  Kylie Harper pressed the cell phone to her ear, her heart thumping against her chest. Had she heard the man right?

  Standing outside the airport terminal, she took a moment to gather her composure. Angry clouds hovered low over Asheville, quickly turning the evening into night.

  She took a much-needed breath. “Who is this?”

  “Murderer.” He spoke slowly this time. More precisely. “Because of you, an innocent person died.”

  Kylie stiffened and swallowed. A sick joke. Crazed folks enjoy taunting journalists, her rational self reminded her. “I don’t know who you are, what you want or even if you have the right number—”

  “Ten years ago.” The slow, mumbled drawl bled through the phone line. “I was there.”

  Clutching the cell in a death grip, Kylie smashed it harder to her ear. Her battered heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. “What do you want?” She tried to sound calm.

  A raspy chuckle tore at her eardrums. “Dear Kylie, you do remember what happened ten years ago?”

  Silence as her heart now ceased to beat. She pulled the phone from her ear, checked the display. Restricted number glared back.

  She pressed the phone to her other ear. “Is this about Camp Golden Rock?” The words stuck in her throat.

  A bark of laughter replaced the chuckle. “How many incidents are hidden in your past, Kylie? Could I be talking about anything else?”

  Kylie gasped, breath caught in her throat.

  “I know I’ve been negligent,” the man continued, “not staying in touch. But for this anniversary I planned something special.”

  Struggling to even breathe, Kylie blocked the memories from her thoughts. So many times she’d relived that May night, haunted by the what-ifs and if-onlys. By God’s grace, she’d finally moved on. Put that nightmare behind her.

  “Why are you doing this?” she ground out.

  “You know how important memories are. Especially the ones that involve death.”

  Memories. Anniversaries. Her ten-year class reunion was coming up. As cruel as it seemed, only one explanation made sense: this had to be a prank. A hidden cameraman from some shock-reality show had to be hiding somewhere. Kylie jerked her gaze around the area.

  “You won’t find me, Kylie.”

  She froze. She was being watched.

  “The baggage claim, Kylie. My gift is there. And remember, sweet girl, I’ll never be more than a heartbeat away,” the man calmly whispered. The phone went dead.

  Panic jolted every nerve ending in Kylie’s body. Turning on her heel, she rushed back into the terminal and started down the concourse, praying this was a bad joke, but somehow knowing it wasn’t.

  Leaving caution behind, she bounded down the escalator two steps at a time, her bulky purse banging against her side. On the bottom level and out of breath, she dashed around the corner and into the main baggage claim. She quickly scanned the area. Empty except for the two rental-car agents chatting behind a counter at the opposite end of the building.

  She shifted her attention to the flight-status monitor on the wall. Her nerves settled a bit. The last plane for the evening had landed, but the carousel number had yet to be listed. She breathed easier. Nothing. Thank You, Lord.

  She’d seen this before. Some lonely per
son fascinated with unsolved murders and too much time on their hands. Why not rouse speculation and gain a little notoriety at the same time? And who better to harass than someone who’d been at the camp, a journalist no less? She shook her head.

  A screech, thud and a chime resounded, then carousel A’s conveyor belt churned to life.

  Kylie turned just in time to see a limp male figure roll down the chute and onto the moving belt.

  No, dear Lord, not again.

  Instantly, the chill returned. Her extremities turned icy about a second before a curdling cry tore from her throat.

  * * *

  Former Delta Force captain Nick Bentley barely roused as the aircraft’s front wheels made contact with the runway. The plane bounced, rose in the air and touched down hard again. The final jolt of the impact sent ripples along his spine.

  Nick’s eyes flew open. He gripped the metal armrests.

  Lights flickered on overhead. The thunder of the outside engines assailed his ears.

  As he stiffened against the seat back, Nick’s adrenaline surged, his mind stumbling to keep up. What mission are we on? What destination?

  “Welcome to Asheville. The local time is seven thirty-eight,” crackled through the commuter’s speakers.

  North Carolina. Nick exhaled heavily as relief swept over him. The nightmare was over.

  No more watching over his shoulder.

  No more blistering desert heat.

  No more death.

  Or? Tension grabbed at his gut. Was another nightmare about to begin? He was coming home—something he’d vowed he’d never do.

  He glanced out the oval window to his left. Runway lights lent an eerie glow against the passing landscape. An outline of rugged mountains. The evergreen beauty was lost in the darkness and fog, but he could picture it still. Lofty hardwoods and bristly pines. Dense forest he used to love.

  The plane rolled to a stop. He hung back, waiting for the few other passengers to deplane, then hefted his army-issued duffel bag onto his shoulder and stepped down the steep aircraft stairs and onto the tarmac. The terminal in front of him was lit brightly, surprisingly welcoming. Small and quaint. No bustling crowds to contend with.