The Temptation of Dr. Colton

by Karen Whiddon

  “Maybe it’s still there.” Grabbing his clothes off the floor, he began getting dressed. A split second later, she did, too.

  “Come on.” Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the room and down the hallway toward the elevator.

  They were the only two people in the elevator, which was good since that meant they wouldn’t have to stop at any other floors. If time hadn’t been of the essence, Kara thought she would have liked to steal a few kisses, but for now she tabled that thought.

  Once the elevator reached the first floor, they hustled through the casino, heading for the exit. As soon as they stepped outside, they started running.

  When she reached the trash can where she’d tossed the phone, she saw immediately that it had been emptied. “It’s only about a third full,” she said, trying to catch her breath. “It was overflowing earlier.” She pointed to a foot-long stick lying on the ground. “I had to use that stick to push the phone down deep.”

  Eric didn’t seem nearly as winded. “Okay, that’s fine. We needed to buy some more clothing anyway. We’ll pick up a phone, too.”

  Her stomach growled and she eyed the bus-station restaurant. “Do you think we could get something to eat while we’re here? I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

  “Sure.” He took her arm. “I’m kind of hungry myself.”

  After filling up on scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits and gravy, not to mention several cups of strong coffee, Kara felt ready to face the rest of the day.

  They headed back to the hotel and rode the elevator back to their room.

  She stood back and waited while he went to open the door. But when he inserted the key, the light didn’t turn green.

  “The key won’t work.” Eric tried once more. “Come on, let’s go check with the front desk.”

  “Okay.” When he grabbed her hand and tugged her down the hall, she beamed. Sappy as it might be, she loved being part of a couple with him. She’d been a fool to think she could give this up. Eric knew how to defend himself. Together, they’d keep safe until she could testify.

  And then? Thinking of a future once Samboliono had been put away for good made her giddy. She pushed the thought from her mind, not wanting to jinx anything. For now, she and Eric needed to concentrate on staying alive long enough for her to get to the trial.

  She waited while Eric went to talk to one of the desk clerks. After a moment, he returned, frowning.

  “We missed checkout time, and they assumed we’d left,” he told her. “But that’s not the biggest issue. Someone tried to leave a message for us while we were gone. Since they believed we’d checked out, they didn’t get the name or the message, just that whoever called said it was urgent.”

  Trying not to worry, she glanced around. “Maybe it was Ryan?”

  “That’s possible, but he has my cell number. Even if I didn’t answer, he’d just leave a message or text me. Also, I didn’t tell him where we’re staying. There are several hotels with casinos here. I doubt he called each and every one and left a message for me.”

  Resisting the urge to immediately scope out their surroundings, she kept her gaze locked on his. “If you think we’re in danger, let’s get out of here. We can buy a bus ticket and start making our way east, since I have to be in New York in less than a week anyway.”

  But he shook his head. “No bus. If they know we’re here, they’ll be checking the bus station, too. I’m going to call a cab and we’ll find a used car lot and purchase the cheapest car we can find.”

  “We only have about thirteen hundred left,” she pointed out. “Unless you use plastic or something.”

  He considered. “That’s a thought, too, especially if they’ve already figured out we are here. Let’s see what we can find. I’m hoping someone will have an old beater we can get for less than a thousand dollars.”

  “We have to make sure it’s good enough to get us to New York. That’s quite a drive.”

  “I know.” Smiling, he gave her a quick kiss. “Let’s get out of here and see what we can find. On the way there, I’ll have him stop at a store so I can buy a cell phone, and I’ll check in with Ryan.”

  Though she had her doubts, his enthusiasm was contagious. “I’d like a change of clothes, too,” she said.

  They hailed a cab in front of the hotel and asked the driver to take them to the nearest store where they could buy a cell phone. He agreed and they were off.

  A few minutes later he pulled up in front of a shabby-looking convenience store in what could only be called a disreputable neighborhood.

  “Here you go,” the cab driver said, smiling. “My cousin owns this place. He’ll give you a good deal.”

  Kara and Eric exchanged a glance. Finally, Eric shrugged. “Be right back,” he told her.

  This idea made her nervous. For all they knew, the cab driver could be working for Samboliono. Paranoid? Maybe. But why take a chance?

  “I want to go with you.” She slid out of the backseat after him. He grabbed her hand, which made her ridiculously happy, and they went inside. Twenty dollars later and they were the proud owners of an untraceable cell phone. The shop owner had been adamant about that last fact.

  Once back in the cab, Eric asked the driver if he had any friends or relatives who sold used cars.

  Though Kara wouldn’t have thought it possible, the man’s grin grew even wider. “Yes! I will take you there now!”

  While they drove, Eric punched Ryan’s number into his phone. She listened while Eric greeted his brother, and then hardly got a word in after that.

  Finally, Ryan apparently wound down. Eric asked a few questions, thanked his brother and told him he’d check back in later.

  When he turned to face Kara, his green eyes gleamed with excitement. “You’re not going to believe what Ryan told me,” he began.

  “Here we are,” the cab driver announced, interrupting. As they coasted to a stop, he jumped out and opened the back door. “Come on, you two. Let me introduce you to my friend Tyrone. He owns this lot and I’m sure he can fix you up with something.”

  Eric nodded. “Let me settle up with you first.” He glanced at the meter and gave the driver two twenties. “Keep the change.”

  Curious, as soon as they were out of the cab, Kara tugged at his arm. “What were you about to tell me?”

  “Ryan just found out—” he began.

  “Good afternoon, sir and madam,” a voice boomed.

  Both Kara and Ryan turned and looked up. And up. The man smiling at them appeared to be nearly seven feet tall. His lined dark skin placed him in his late fifties or early sixties.

  “That’s right,” he said. “I’m tall. My name’s Tyrone Templeton. I used to play pro basketball a few decades ago. I just told you that to keep you from asking. Everybody asks. Now, what can I interest you in today?”

  Frustrated, Kara followed the two men as they went to look at a pickup truck. As they walked off, the cab driver waved and left.

  While Eric and Tyrone haggled over the price, she wandered the lot and checked out the other vehicles. A bright red Camaro caught her eye. “Eric,” she called out, impulsively. “I really like this one.”

  Both Eric and Tyrone came over to see.

  “That’s pretty new,” Tyrone said. “I think it’s a 2012.”

  Which meant it would be a lot more than Eric had to spend.

  “Never mind,” she told the men, struggling to hide her disappointment. When all this was over, she planned to get her own car. Especially if she was going to stay in Oklahoma.

  When the walked into the small office to finalize their deal, she continued checking out the red car.

  “Are you ready?” Eric asked, emerging with car keys and a manila envelope. “We’re all done.”

  Casting one last longing look
at the Camaro, she turned to follow Eric to the pickup. Instead, he gave her that confident, sexy grin and held up a remote key fob. “Here,” he said, tossing it to her. “Unlock the doors.”

  She caught it, wondering, but pressed the unlock icon anyway. To her surprise, the bright red sports car’s lights flashed as the doors unlocked.

  Stunned, she looked from the car to Eric and back again. “You bought this one?”

  “Yep. You’re going to need your own car and since you liked it so much...”

  “But I know this cost more than a thousand dollars. How?”

  The heart-rending tenderness in his gaze made her breath catch. “Just get in and drive. I’ll tell you all about it once we get on the road.”

  So she did. When she turned the key, the engine started with a satisfying roar. “I’m not sure of what direction to take,” she said. “You’ll have to tell me.”

  He laughed. “I had to ask before we left. But I’m pretty sure I can remember it.”

  Concentrating on handling the car, she followed the directions he gave her, turning left, then right, until finally she saw an entrance ramp to a freeway up ahead.

  “Now, are you going to fill me in on what Ryan said? And how you managed to buy this car?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, following up his teasing tone with a devastatingly sexy grin. “How are you at driving when you’re excited?”

  “Now you really have me intrigued.”

  “Well, for starters, you don’t have to testify,” he said.

  “What?” she yelped, swerving a little—just enough to hit the raised pavement markers separating the lanes.

  He sighed. “Pull over. Take the next exit and we’ll park. I should have told you before we left the car lot.”

  Not sure whether or not he was joking, she exited and parked at a McDonald’s. Leaving the engine running, she turned in her seat to face him. “What do you mean, I don’t have to testify?” she asked carefully. “Don’t tell me Samboliono escaped or managed to reach some sort of plea bargain agreement.”

  “Nope. Ryan said Samboliono is dead, killed in prison awaiting trial. Apparently one of his nephews decided to stage a coup and had him murdered.”

  “What?” She gaped at him. “I’m really glad you had me pull over. He’s dead?”

  “Yep. And as a result, the US Marshals don’t feel you need protection. No trial, no witness.” He watched her closely. “That’s how I was able to buy the car. I have a high-limit credit card or two, so I used one of those.”

  Stunned, she sat back in her seat, completely at a loss for words.

  “Now you can resume your normal life,” he continued. “Go back to New York City if you want. Or...”

  When he didn’t finish, she met his gaze. “Or what?”

  The amused look disappeared from his green eyes, replaced by one of tenderness. “Or you can stay in Tulsa and open your own restaurant.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. Struggling to hide her disappointment, she nodded. “That’s one possibility,” she said, wondering if she’d been a fool to hope for more.

  “Of course, if you do that, you’ll have to agree to marry me.” His expression fierce, he leaned over and kissed her. “I don’t have a ring, but we can take care of that once we get back to Tulsa. I love you, Kara. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  With a glad cry, she launched herself at him, her heart singing with happiness. Or at least she tried to, but her seat belt stopped her short. Hands trembling, she managed to unlock it.

  “Yes,” she said, kissing him, letting her joy bubble up in her laugh. “I will.”

  He kissed her back with so much passion he made desire sing in her blood. When he released her his eyes smoldered. “If we weren’t sitting in a fast-food restaurant parking lot, I’d show you how much I love you,” he declared. “But since we are, that’ll have to wait until later.”

  And later, that’s exactly what he did.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss the next book in

  THE COLTONS OF OKLAHOMA series,

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE

  by Elle James,

  available September 2015

  from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

  And if you loved this novel, don’t miss other suspenseful titles by Karen Whiddon:

  THE RANCHER’S RETURN

  A SECRET COLTON BABY

  TEXAS SECRETS, LOVERS’ LIES

  THE MILLIONAIRE COWBOY’S SECRET

  Available now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE by Elle James.

  http://www.harlequin.com/harlequinexperience

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Romantic Suspense title.

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  SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

  ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

  Can this Colton cowboy save his wife—and his beloved ranch—when a killer threatens everything they hold dear?

  Read on for a sneak preview of

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE

  by New York Times bestselling author Elle James,

  the fourth book in the

  2015 COLTONS OF WYOMING continuity.

  “Why don’t we get married?”

  Even though she’d known it was coming, it still hit her square in the chest. The air rushed from her lungs and a tsunami of feelings washed over her. A surge of joy made her heart beat so fast she felt faint. She crested that wave and slid into the undertow of reality. “A marriage of convenience?”

  “Exactly.” Daniel reached for her hands.

  When she hid them behind her back, he dropped his arms. “It wouldn’t have to be forever. Just long enough to satisfy the stipulations of your grandmother’s will and save your horses, and that would help me get past the Kennedy gauntlet. We could leave tomorrow, spend a night in Vegas, find a chapel and it would be over in less than five minutes.”

  With her heart smarting, Megan forced a shaky smile. “Way to sweep a girl off her feet.”

  He waved his hand and Halo tossed her head. “If you want, I can make an official announcement in front of my family.”

  Megan shook her head. “No.”

  “No, you won’t marry me?”

  “No.” She pushed past him to pace down the center of the barn. “Your plan is insane.”

  “Do you have a better one?” he asked. “I’m all ears.”

  The plan was the same as the one she’d been thinking of before Daniel had woken up. Only when she’d dreamed it up, it didn’t sound as cold and impersonal as Daniel’s proposal. Somewhere in the back of her mind she’d hoped that marriage to Daniel would be something more than one of convenience.

  After yesterday’s kiss, she wasn’t sure she could be around Daniel for long periods of time without wanting another. And another.

  Don’t miss

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE

  by New York Times bestselling author Elle James,

  Available September 2015

  www.Harlequin.com

  Copyright ©2015 by Harlequin Books, S.A.

  ISBN-13: 9781460387900

  The Temptation of Dr. Co
lton

  Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.

  Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Karen Whiddon for her contribution to the Coltons of Oklahoma miniseries.

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