Throat suddenly dry, Summer couldn’t form a response. It was something that had always made her nervous—the thought of someone breaking in when she was asleep and defenseless. The fear had probably been born of too many late-night fright movies, but it was the subject of her infrequent but recurring nightmares. And no matter how often she’d chided herself that they were simply dreams, each had shaken her deeply.
“I won’t be long,” Jack continued. “If you want to take a shower, go ahead. Just put Danny in the playpen. And don’t be surprised if I’m already sacked out when you’re through.”
Still distracted, she managed to nod, watching Jack leave.
Automatically Summer unbuckled Danny’s car seat as he thrashed to get free. Reaching for a blanket they’d brought along, she stretched it over the worn carpet, not certain how clean the floor covering was.
A quick inspection of the room made it clear they were completely vulnerable. A weak lock, easily opened windows and no rear exit all spelled disaster. It was the setting from her nightmare come to life.
Beads of perspiration popped out, dampening the V between her breasts and running a similar moist line down her back. “Oh, Danny, what are we going to do?”
But the baby was more interested in the phone cord than a response. Quickly retrieving the phone before it fell on his head, she searched for and found his favorite toy—a ball that jingled merrily when he rolled it.
“As soon as you finish crawling around the room, it’s bath time,” she told Danny, guessing his little legs might not be too clean after he finished exploring.
Having been fed along the way, the toddler was content to roam for a while. As he did, Summer thought of the danger they were fleeing, what she’d left behind...and what Jack had sacrificed to do the right thing. How must it feel to know he could never pick up the phone and call his parents? She couldn’t begin to imagine how bereft that made him feel.
The door opened suddenly, and Summer was relieved to see Jack.
“I thought you two would be dead to the world by now,” he said by way of greeting.
“Actually I was just going to give Danny a bath.” Since she could see that Jack was practically asleep on his feet, she took pity on him. “But we could play for a while if you’d like to shower first.”
“Actually I think I’ll just sit down for a few minutes.”
“Why don’t you stretch out?” she suggested. “Danny and I don’t mind a bit.”
Jack reached down to pat Danny’s diaper-padded bottom. “Maybe just for a minute.” He couldn’t prevent a longing glance toward the bed, and Summer smothered a grin.
Scooping up Danny, she headed with him toward the bathroom, guessing Jack would be out in moments. But after driving nonstop for hours on end, she thought it was a wonder he’d hung together so long, staying in control. “Okay, little man, it’s bath time.”
Danny squealed when she produced a bright orange-and-green rubber dinosaur. Although she was tired, Summer let Danny splash in the bathwater she’d drawn until it began to cool. Wrapping him in a big towel, she held his wriggling body and made a game of the powdering, diapering and dressing process before carrying him back into the bedroom.
As she had suspected, Jack had fallen asleep. The even rise and fall of his chest told her it was a deep sleep. Quietly she cuddled Danny after positioning a chair near the window. If someone spotted them, she didn’t intend to be caught completely unaware.
From her vantage point, she could see the truck as well as the corridor to the office. Just glancing in that direction made her picture the clerk’s weaselly face. Repressing a shudder, she didn’t doubt for a microsecond that the man would relish turning them in, reward money or not. She suspected he was the sort who would enjoy torturing small animals.
Drawing her knees up a bit, she gently rocked Danny, amusing him with a distracted game of this-little-piggy. Within a short time, Summer gave him a bottle and although Danny fought it, sleep overcame him.
Despite the gritty fatigue that made her reddened eyes scratchy and her limbs ache, Summer forced her eyelids to remain open. For a long time, she held Danny as she kept watch, her gaze drifting down to study his sweet baby face. Long, dark eyelashes feathered over his cheeks, shuttering blue eyes that keenly resembled his father’s. Small pink lips eased open as his sleep deepened. He was so vulnerable, so trusting. Tracing the curve of his plump cheek, Summer felt a fierce surge of maternal protectiveness. Nothing could happen to this precious child.
What was it about these tiny people that could so completely and overwhelmingly capture a person’s heart? How could she have known the completeness, the rightness of bonding with a child? Had there always been a place in her heart reserved for a little one?
Summer’s hands sifted through his dark, silky hair, and she felt her eyes moisten at the flood of feeling. Suddenly she understood what her mother meant, what other women had always tried to convey. But it was something a person had to experience, Summer now knew.
When she realized Danny would be more comfortable in his portable crib, regretfully she laid him down. He sighed, then settled back into baby dreams.
Summer resumed her vigil, leaving her post only to check occasionally on Danny. As the day wore on, she didn’t spot anything suspicious, but she refused to give up her watch. She didn’t intend to let anything happen to her little one. Although that thought ricocheted through her brain, shocking her with its truth, Summer didn’t try to convince herself it wasn’t true. In her mind, she now had a vested interest in the child.
Her eyes drifted toward Jack, and unconsciously she rubbed her lips, remembering the kiss they’d exchanged for the clerk’s benefit. Yes, her interests were now entwined with this child. Even though his father didn’t have an interest in her.
Dusk was sneaking across the sky, displacing the day. It was a pleasant dream, one in which he was warm, comfortable and rested. But the conscious nudged aside the subconscious, and Jack’s eyes popped open. Heart pounding, he twisted to leap from the bed.
Spotting Summer in a chair by the window, he halted just as suddenly. One rapid glance across the room assured him that Danny was safe.
“Summer?” he questioned quietly.
She twisted around. “You’re awake.”
He pushed one hand through disheveled hair. “How long have you been sitting there?”
She shrugged. “Do you feel rested?”
Although Jack was still waking up, his gaze sharpened, focusing on her. “You did sleep, didn’t you?”
“I’m not the one who drove all night.”
Shocked, he stared at her. “But didn’t you sleep? I know it’s difficult to sleep during the day, but we don’t have any choice. Or if you’re uncomfortable about the bed, you could have wakened me, or simply pushed me off. I can sleep anywhere.”
“It’s not that.”
Summer’s face was closed, and he found it difficult to read what she was hiding. “Then what?”
But she only shrugged.
Rising from the bed, he crossed the room to stand by the chair. Stooping over, he followed her line of vision as she looked out the window. Suddenly it struck him. “Were you doing sentry duty?”
“Something like that.”
Astonished, he turned to face her. “Then why didn’t you wake me? You didn’t intend to stand guard all night, did you?”
She glanced up at him. “If necessary.”
Jack squatted, bringing his face to her level. “Summer, you’re astounding. But you didn’t need to do this. I’m a light sleeper. I’ve kept one eye open while I’ve slept ever since I got into the program.” He paused, studying her face. “What if I’d slept all night, as well?”
“Then I’d have kept watching,” she replied simply.
Jack reached out to touch her cheek. “You truly are amazing.” Meeting her sober yet elusive eyes, he wondered again about this woman. Eyes an intriguing mix of green and gold, hair tawny and untamed, she again remind
ed him of a lioness—proud, fierce and beautiful.
“You would do the same,” she replied.
“But this is my battle.”
“I guess somewhere along the way, I forgot that.” Summer’s gaze wandered over to settle on Danny. “I didn’t intend to let someone sneak up on us while he slept.”
He reached out to take Summer’s hands, searching her face, seeing the deep shadows beneath her eyes, the worry etched across her features. While she was fiercely protective, at the same time he could see her vulnerability, the concern that had extended to embrace his son. It occurred to him that she needed someone to protect her ... perhaps even cherish her.
The thought sent a shiver of fear through him that was far worse than the threat of Fisher and Wilcox. Abruptly he stood and moved away. “I think it’s time to figure out how to get you home.”
She stared at him. “I agreed to help you get Danny to safety. I’m not going back on that promise.”
Frustrated, he passed a hand over his forehead. “Summer, this isn’t what I meant when I asked for your help. I only hoped you could help us establish a new identity. I think we’ve done that.”
Stung, Summer stuttered, then glared. “If you think I’m deserting that child, you’re crazy!”
Jack steeled his voice, purposely ignoring the spurt of gratitude her words caused. “That’s not your choice.”
“You’re forgetting something, aren’t you?” Her eyes narrowed.
Jack didn’t like the look. “What’s that?”
“Money. The fact that I can get my hands on more and you can’t.”
For a moment, he cursed the situation that had turned the tables on him. His ego dented, then sprang back to shape. “I didn’t ask for your money.”
“But you need it. Without it, you and Danny won’t make it to D.C.”
“That’s not your concern.” Jack turned away, wishing she hadn’t brought up such a valid argument.
“I’m just supposed to hit the road and forget about the fact that two thugs are after you?”
Frustration was a lethal acid in his gut. “I think you should just forget about Danny and me, period.”
He could see her throat working, the hurt that flashed across her face, the unexpected betrayal that sprang to her eyes, darkening them so that the gold disappeared into their emerald depths.
“I’m not made of stone,” she finally uttered, nearly choking on the words. “Do you think I could walk away, knowing the danger that you bo—that Danny is in?”
Jack felt guilt and the need to wipe away the hurt he’d inflicted. Both obliterated his initial fright that she’d grown too important. That was his handicap. It wasn’t right to hurt Summer because of it. “I haven’t thanked you.”
Cautiously Summer raised her head. “For what?”
“Keeping watch over us.”
Her eyes met his, searching, as the trembling of her lips eased. “You’re welcome.”
Jack started to reach out to her, but his hand fell to one side. Restraint was a recalcitrant companion, difficult to control—even harder to understand. Glancing down into her eyes, Jack could see her confusion...and knew it didn’t even begin to match his.
Chapter 9
Despite the relative seclusion of the Hideaway Lodge, Jack wasn’t comfortable staying any longer. Both he and Summer were uneasy about the clerk’s prying questions and suspicious looks. As soon as darkness completely settled over the highway, they loaded their belongings in the truck and left.
Again the night was their friend, providing camouflage and security against predators. Jack pushed hard, risking attention by speeding as fast as the old truck would go. Uncomfortably he realized that wasn’t very fast, certainly not fast enough to elude pursuers in a high-speed chase.
“I’ll feel better when we’ve put that place far behind us,” he commented.
Summer nodded in agreement, then realized he couldn’t see the motion in the darkness. “Me, too.”
He glanced across at her. “Why don’t you sack out? You must be dead tired.”
“I’m okay,” she insisted.
Jack didn’t argue the point, but in a few minutes he could see her head wobble as she tried to remain upright. Despite his better judgment, he reached out and pulled Summer close, nestling her head against his shoulder.
Summer stiffened for the briefest of moments, then relaxed against him, her warm body a welcome distraction. A short time later, he heard her whispery sigh. As the minutes passed, he sensed her sleep deepening.
She tried so hard to be independent, strong, self-sufficient. It was rare that Summer allowed any unguarded moments. Like now.
Taking advantage of the respite, he inhaled her unique scent—that distinctive aroma of sunshine and roses. She moved her head, sending a shaft of silky hair across his arm.
The headlights from an oncoming car illuminated the cab of the truck. In the dim light, he could see the soft curves of her face, the open vulnerability she so rarely displayed.
As the truck ate up the miles. Jack’s thoughts drifted... and his heart ached a bit. For the tomorrows that wouldn’t be...for the future he wasn’t certain he would have.
Suddenly, bright lights loomed in the rearview mirror. His fingers gripped the steering wheel. The car behind him approached, drawing closer...and closer. Adrenaline flowed, and he cast a protective glance over Summer and Danny.
The headlights of the pursuing vehicle seemed to flood the interior of the cab as the car closed the distance between them. With every warrior instinct engaged, Jack’s control remained steady. Just as he prepared to accelerate and shoot ahead, the other car pulled out and into the lane beside him.
Deciding an offensive move would be suicide at that point, Jack switched to defensive mode. But even as he was changing tactics, the car sped up, continued past him, then swung into his lane ahead of him.
As the car sped ahead and out of sight, Jack slowly unclenched his death grip on the steering wheel, realizing that if the car had been driven by Fisher and Wilcox, they would be riding into a death trap. One without escape.
Summer came awake slowly, aware that her neck was kinked and that her body felt incredibly warm. Pale, early-morning sun highlighted the dewy grass along the roadside. The sky was still that gray-blue shade of first light.
“Morning,” Jack greeted her.
Slowly she straightened up, belatedly realizing what that wonderful source of warmth was. Some of that heat traveled into her cheeks. “Hi.”
But Jack didn’t seem at all fazed “I’m about ready for some coffee. How about you?”
“Sure.” Summer pushed at her hair, wondering what it must look like after a night sleeping in the truck. She wished she hadn’t been asleep. She would have enjoyed knowingly experiencing so many hours nestled at Jack’s side. “Where are we?”
“Not far from where I was headed.”
She blinked. “D.C.?”
Jack laughed. “Afraid not. We just crossed the state line to West Virginia. We’re headed to a safe place—a job I had in the program.”
“One like Bart’s?” she questioned dubiously. Any more safe havens like that and they would be toast.
“No. Different sort of place, different sort of people. I didn’t know Bart very well... should have picked up on how he was acting. But we won’t have that problem to deal with here.”
Summer digested this, wishing she had the coffee he’d mentioned to swallow it with. “You’re the expert.”
“Let’s hope you keep thinking that way.” Jack pulled off the highway and onto a farm road. After a few miles, they approached a large, gated road.
Summer spotted a sign proclaiming it to be the Appleton Horse Ranch. “Horses?”
He nodded. “This is the safe house.”
Struck by mixed feelings, Summer looked around as they neared the ranch house. The isolation could prove just what they needed...or a ticket straight into Wilcox’s and Fisher’s hands. If they were caught in su
ch a secluded area, she and Jack could be easily eliminated without witnesses. Nervously she glanced around, but everything appeared normal.
Pulling into the circular driveway at the house, Jack climbed out of the truck, then held open the door for Summer when a voice rang out.
“Jack Anderson! As I live and breathe, I can’t believe it’s you!” A dark-haired woman ran out the front door and down the three wide steps to the truck and flung herself at Jack.
Summer, heart in her throat, moved to slide out of the truck to help him. But he’d picked up the tall, leggy brunette, and was twirling her around.
Jack beamed down at the woman, the sort of easy, open smile Summer had never seen on him. Unexpectedly a fist of envy punched her squarely. Especially when she realized the woman was gorgeous. Not just Barbie-doll pretty, but out-and-out stunning, drop-dead gorgeous.
Summer wondered suddenly if this woman was the reason Jack had tried to talk her out of continuing on with him. A wave of hurt and embarrassment assailed her. Had Jack reluctantly allowed her to tag along simply because he couldn’t find a way to shake her?
Jack returned to hold open the driver’s-side door so that Summer could slide out without crawling over Danny. “Cyndi, I’d like you to meet Summer.”
Staring directly into the other woman’s model-perfect face, Summer wanted to take her mussed hair, wrinkled clothes and crumpled self and sink out of sight.
But Cyndi was already holding out her hand expectantly.
Gamely Summer stepped out of the truck. “Hello.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” Cyndi told her with another wide smile. “Let’s go inside and have some coffee. Have you two eaten breakfast? Probably not, it’s so early.”
“That sounds great,” Summer managed to say.
Jack unbuckled Danny’s car seat and lifted the still sleepy child. “Cyndi, look at how my boy has grown.”
Cyndi’s eyes widened, and a look of pure delight transfused her beautiful face. “He’s adorable. You’re right, he has grown. He was so tiny when you were here before. Now he’s more like a real person.” Long, slender fingers with manicured nails reached out to gently caress the baby’s plump leg.
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