“Are you telling me that you didn’t grow up with wealthy parents? And are you telling me your parents never gave you anything you didn’t want?” She rolled her eyes, which of course, was the answer he was waiting for. “My point, exactly. You are a spoiled little rich girl. In fact, I’m willing to bet that this whole time you’ve been in college, you haven’t had to work to pay the bills or put food on your table. Correct?”
Riley’s head spun toward him. Once again, fire nearly shot out of her angry glare.
“You are so wrong! I did have a part time job, and if my roommate and I didn’t have money for food, we lived off Top Ramen noodles. If we didn’t have money for gas, we either walked to the college or we asked our friends for a ride.”
Just now, he realized something. She was as beautiful happy and smiling as she was furious and scowling. Her hazel eyes were greener when she was angry. He swore under his breath. Why had he even thought of that? He had to put that thought way back into his head and never go to that corner again.
Another thing he realized was how proud he was of her. It was refreshing to meet a girl with wealthy parents actually living without her parents funds.
He offered her a genuine smile. “Then forgive me for assuming incorrectly. I’m relieved to know you had to work for what you got just like most of the people in America.”
Slowly, her scowl disappeared. She straightened her shoulders and gave him a small smile. “You are forgiven. Just don’t let your judgmental side show again.”
Laughing, he turned back toward the fish and flipped them over. “Deal.”
“Now, Kurt…are you going to tell me what my mother said?”
He peeked at her before looking back at the stove. “I think you probably know.”
Sighing heavily, her whole body drooped. “It’s because she still thinks Mark’s cousins are trying to get back at her for sentencing his brothers to ten years in prison.”
He nodded. “See, you did already know.”
“I wish I knew how to convince her she’s wrong.” Her voice was soft again. She stared at the potatoes without stirring them. “Mark is a wonderful man. If only she’d get to know him, she’d see.”
He held his breath, debating whether or not to tell her what he thought of Mark. Even though Kurt hadn’t met the man, he’d formed his own opinion just by listening to Riley. When he was a police detective, he spoke his mind all the time, but since coming here and living a slower life without all the drama, he hadn’t had the opportunity. Part of him wanted to take that chance now. Besides, what would it hurt? She was already upset at him.
Kurt turned off the stove and then grabbed two plates before placing the fish on them. “Tell me, what kind of man are you looking for?” He met her stare and lifted a finger. “But I want you to not think of Mark. I want you to tell me the aspirations you’d had as a girl on what you wanted your future husband to be like.”
Riley took her pan off the stove and turned it off before following him to the table. She sat, and remained silent as he finished setting the table. When he finally joined her, he studied her face. She appeared to be deep in thought. It was his plan to try to instill in her that Mark was not the right man for her.
He took a bite of his fish, and inwardly sighed with satisfaction. Once again, he cooked a trout to perfection.
“Well, I suppose the first thing I’d want in a husband is a man who treats me like a queen.”
He nodded. “Naturally. But, explain how that would be? What would he have to do in order for you to feel like a queen?”
She took a bite of her fish. She paused in her chewing as her eyes widened. “This fish is amazing. I’ve never tasted anything so wonderful.”
“Thank you.” He smiled wide before taking a bite out of her potatoes. “And let me say how delicious the potatoes are, too.”
Chuckling, she pushed his arm. “That’s only because you told me how to cook them.”
“No. You could have burned them, but you didn’t. They are perfect.” He gave her a wink.
She tasted the dish and nodded. “Very tasty.”
They ate in silence for a few more minutes, before she leaned back in her chair.
“I want a man to talk to me as if I’m important to him. I want him to take an interest in the things I like, instead of expecting me to do everything he likes. When I’m having a bad day, I want him to cheer me up, or at least listen to what I have to say.”
“Very good. It sounds like you know what you want.”
She smiled, and her eyes twinkled. Inwardly, he cussed. Why did she have to look at him this way?
“You know,” he said, pointing his fork toward her, “I’d think you’d also want a man to treat you with respect. He should consider you an equal instead of treating you like a child who has to be told what they can do and who they can be friends with. You want a man who will ruin your lipstick, not your mascara…if you know what I mean.”
Her smile stretched and her body even straightened. “You’re exactly right.”
“Trust is also a key factor in a good relationship, don’t you think?” he added.
“Oh, definitely.”
He shook his head. “I just hate it when they question everything we do, or they think we’re lying to them all the time.”
He watched her closely for signs of recognition, since this was how Mark treated her…from what he’d gathered when she told him about her boyfriend during the drive. Slowly, her pleasant expression waned, and her gaze dropped to her plate. She moved her food around with the fork, but didn’t put anything in her mouth. He’d definitely hit a nerve now, but he couldn’t stop. He needed to make her realize how wrong Mark was for her.
“I had a girlfriend once,” he quickly continued, “that would act like a Drill Sergeant every time I came home from work. If I had arrested a prostitute, my girlfriend would ask what woman I’d been with because she smelled someone else’s perfume. If I received a phone call or text from my partner, she’d want details about why I was talking to my partner after work.”
He kept from looking at her as he finished eating. She didn’t say anything, but he could tell by her expression, that she pondered this subject. She ate, but very little.
From outside, the roar of a truck’s engine disturbed the silence. Pausing, he listened closer. It wasn’t just one engine, but several.
“Is my mother here?” Riley asked, jumping up.
An unsettling feeling crept upon him. He moved away from the table and to the window, but stood away from view as he peeked outside. The sun was setting, bringing with it shadows to hide their visitors.
“Stay back.” He motioned his hand toward Riley. “I don’t think it’s your mother.”
As he studied the three trucks driving toward the log cabin, he tried to get a good look at the people inside. It appeared that three people sat in each truck, holding an oblong object that looked like… He didn’t like this one bit, and a good cop acted on his gut instinct.
“Is it my mom?” she asked again.
Without answering her, he darted away from the window, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her toward the bedroom. A good cop was always prepared for the worst, too, and he had his weapons ready, as well as a bag of clothes and food for an emergency…which he felt this was the time to use them.
“Grab that blanket,” he nodded toward the floor of his closet where he’d kept the supplies. He loaded the guns into another bag, as well as the bullets. Then he slipped on his shoulder holster and checked his glock before shoving it inside the belt’s pocket. Lastly, he slipped his arms into his black, leather, jacket.
“Kurt? What’s going on?” Her voice shook.
“I don’t know, but I don’t feel good about it.”
“Is my mom here?”
“No, your mom isn’t with the men who are here.”
She sucked in a breath and swung her head toward the front room. “Maybe it’s Mark coming to save me.”
“If that�
�s the case, he has several friends with them who are carrying rifles.” He took hold of her wrist again. “And I’m not about to stand around and wait for one of them with an itchy trigger finger, to shoot me.”
She opened her mouth and started to scream. He quickly placed his hand over her mouth, pulling her closer to his body.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t alert them to your presence. I don’t know if it’s Mark, or if it’s one of the criminals I put away who got out and is seeking revenge. Either way, it’s best we both are quiet. Do you understand?”
Nodding, she stared at him with frightened eyes. Fear pumped through him, as well, but he knew they had to get out of here. And fast.
He closed the bedroom door, and then hurried through the adjoining room, which he used as a study. From there, it had a door leading outside toward the thick forest. Kurt didn’t know where the men were at this moment, but he prayed they were still in the front of the house.
Lifting his glock out of his holster, he cautiously opened the back door and peeked out. He heard voices, but thankfully, they were still up front by the vehicles. Riley clutched the emergency bag and blanket as if it was a floating device and she was afraid to drown. He grasped her wrist, and gently pulled her behind him. Taking careful steps, he followed the trail into the forest. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his four-wheeler. This would get them away from the bad guys, especially since where he planned on going was someplace that a normal vehicle couldn’t follow.
“Climb on.” He pointed toward the four-wheeler.
On shaky legs, she did as he requested. Once he’d gotten her situated, he climbed behind her. The only reason he did this was because he didn’t trust her to jump off once he started the ATV. Plus, if their uninvited visitors decided to shoot at them, he didn’t want her taking the bullet.
“Hold on tight,” he whispered in her ear. He started the ATV, and quickly shoved it into gear. As he made his way up the slope, he zig-zagged. His arms bracketed her, but she bounced on the seat in front of him. A few times he glanced over his shoulder, but couldn’t see anyone following. They’d follow. He just knew it.
FIVE
Riley squeezed her eyes closed. Terror ran rapid through her, making it hard to breath. Her whole body ached. Of course, it was probably because she hadn’t been on a four-wheeler since she was a kid, and she’d forgotten how the recreational vehicle jumped around so much. If it wasn’t for Kurt’s arms holding her in place, she would have bounced right off the vehicle within the first ten minutes.
Kurt didn’t stop them, either. He wasn’t going to let whoever was after them, win.
Her jaw hurt for holding it so tight, and her eyes stung with the tears she wanted to shed. Mark was the one after her. She just knew it. All he was doing was trying to take back his bride. Why did Kurt act as if that was a crime?
Riley didn’t take her eyes off the trees as he moved around one to the other. Several times she thought for sure he would hit a tree, but thankfully, he didn’t. Kurt seemed to be driving like a madman, but she couldn’t figure out why he was doing this.
With him sitting so close behind her, she could feel his heartbeat against her back. It was palpitating in the same rhythm as hers. This certainly wasn’t a game to him.
The climb up the mountain became steeper, but he pushed the ATV. She wanted to scream at him to stop, but she didn’t dare. He had a gun…several of them, in fact. But she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. He was a sheriff, so he would protect her. She just wished he wouldn’t think of Mark as the bad guy.
Finally, he brought the four-wheeler to a stop. Fear continued to tremble through her body, but so did exhaustion from clenching her muscles during the ride. He expelled a heavy breath, blowing it across her neck. The warmth caused her to shiver.
“Are you all right?” he asked with a tender voice as he rubbed his palms up and down her arms.
“Y-y-yes.”
He turned off the ATV and climbed off. It was nearly dark now, and being in the woods—with wild animals all around—scared the crap out of her. They should find some place to camp for the night, and yet, knowing Kurt, he probably wouldn’t build a fire just in case Mark and his cousins were trying to find them.
“Here, let me see that bag.”
Bag? She couldn’t remember holding the bag until Kurt snatched it out of her hands. He unzipped the duffle bag, and his hand searched inside. When he pulled out an object, he clicked it, and light shone around them. She breathed a little easier, now. At least they’d be able to see the wild animals before they were attacked.
She tried to move off the ATV, but because of her weak limbs, she stumbled. Kurt’s arms reached out and wrapped around her before she hit the ground. For a brief moment, she experienced the joy of being protected by a vigorous man. However, when she felt her heart starting to soften, she quickly became angry. This was all his fault! The reason she was so weak and achy—and frightened to death—was because of Kurt trying to play superhero.
“I’m fine,” she snapped and pushed him away.
“I think we’ll camp here for the night.”
“Seriously?” She shook her head. “You want to stay out in the woods, in plain sight for all the wild animals to see?”
He arched an eyebrow. “My dear, buttercup, if I tried to find us a cave, I’m positive we’d be sharing it with a bear. Is that something you want, because I know I’d rather not make a bear upset right now.”
Huffing, she folded her arms and sank down to sit beside the back wheels of the ATV. “Are you going to at least make a fire?”
“Sorry, honey.” He pointed to the wool covering still in her arms. “That’s why we brought the blanket.”
Groaning, she placed the blanket next to her, brought up her legs and rested her forehead against her bent knees. This can’t be happening! She could have been Mrs. Reynolds by now, and the newlyweds would have been registering at the Big Sky Resort for their honeymoon suite. She frowned and fought back the tears that tried to leak forth. Not only that, but this would have been her wedding night! How dare this man—who was her mother’s friend—try to wreck her plans.
Kurt seemed to be searching for something as he slowly walked the close perimeter around them, using his flashlight to watch the ground. She just let him be. She didn’t want to talk to him, anyway. She was sure she’d be biting his head off, instead.
He released a heavy sigh before moving back over to her and sitting down. He draped his arms over his bent knees, his hands dangling down. “I didn’t see any animal tracks, so I think we’re good.”
She gritted her teeth as frustration expanded inside her. Even though she didn’t want to waste her breath, she just couldn’t hold it in any longer. “What were you thinking to bring us up here?”
He gasped and stared at her with wide eyes. “Are you kidding me? You honestly don’t know what I was thinking?”
“I have no clue what goes on inside that puny brain of yours, but it for certain, doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“Puny? Did you actually just say puny?”
She rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, your hearing is not working, either.”
He fisted his hands, and even in the shadows, she could tell his body had tightened as well. But she was tired, and she wanted to go home. She wanted her life back the way it was.
“Listen, little missy, I don’t know if you realized this, but whoever those men were back there, they had intended to shoot somebody. All of them had a rifle. I’m quite sure you’ve not been in any shootouts, so let me enlighten you. Everyone usually takes a bullet, even if the bad guys aren’t aiming for you. Bullets have a way of ricocheting off other things and planting themselves deep into our skin, no matter how hard we try to stop it.” He growled and stood, glaring down at her. “Whether you know it or not, I’ve been trying to save your cute little butt. That’s why I rode in back of you on the ATV. And that’s why I kidnapped you from going to your wedding.”
“But Ma
rk isn’t dangerous like my mom told you.”
He knelt in front of her until his face was nearly touching hers. “And what if you’re wrong? You’ve only known him a month. Your mother has been putting criminals away for many years. I’ve been arresting criminals for many years. I’d think we would be able to tell by now if we see a criminal.”
His breathing came fast and ragged. He frightened her, but she didn’t know why. Being this close to him made her uncomfortable in a different kind of way, and she couldn’t quite figure out why. She swallowed hard, not knowing what to say.
“So whether my puny brain makes any sense to you, I know what I’m doing. If you can’t trust me, then our little adventure is not going to be very fun. In fact, I might even think it’s not worth the money your mother is paying me.” He tilted his head. “Then where will you be when Mark decides to show his true self to you and you realize he’s not the man you thought?”
He stared at her for a few nerve-racking moments before he stood and marched away from her, walking into the night’s shadows. At least he left her the flashlight.
A chill ran through her and she shivered. With the sun already down behind the mountain, the air had turned cool. A light breeze blew through the trees, making her that much colder. She opened the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Listening to the sounds in the forest, the crickets were loud. A few times, she thought she heard a bird or two. Was that an owl? As long as she didn’t hear any coyotes, she’d be fine. Or bears. Did rattlesnakes come out at night?
Another chill ran through her, but it had nothing to do with the night air. Where was Kurt? He wouldn’t have left her, would he? He had mentioned that maybe she wasn’t worth the money her mother paid him, so…
Shaking her head, she shook off the thought. Kurt didn’t seem like that kind of man. Although she didn’t know him that well, she still knew he wouldn’t do that to her. He’d been a police officer for many years. Cops cared about people, and helped them. So where was he now? Well, she wouldn’t call for him. She’d let him think she didn’t need him.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar (Your Every Day Hero Book 2) Page 4
