by Robin Perini
He lifted his head, his hazel eyes blazing with gold. He tugged off the heavy sweater in one motion. She tried to unbutton his shirt, but her hands shook. She couldn't catch hold, and he groaned in frustration.
He struggled with the top button, and for the first time, she realized his hands were shaking, too. He finally worked the button through the hole and drew the flannel over his head. He tossed it to the floor with a grunt and rubbed his hair-roughed chest against her sensitive breasts.
She shivered under him, relishing the feel. Each movement of his body tugged at her insides. Her thighs relaxed and parted. Even with their jeans separating their bare bodies, she could feel the hardness of him pressing against her, begging for entrance.
She caressed his back and tugged him closer, moving against him, trying to ease the ache building higher and higher. The strong muscles rippled beneath her touch. As she clutched at him, his chest vibrated with a low moan.
More than anything Amanda needed his strength, needed those strong arms to hold her close. She wanted, for a brief moment, to feel as if he would never let her go.
Blake lifted his body away, his eyes hooded, his gaze predatory. "If you don't want this, tell me now," he said.
With a trembling hand she touched his lips with her finger. He drew in the digit and bit the tip gently. "You're mine."
He shoved her jeans down her legs, then shucked out of his pants, but not before he snagged a foil packet from his back pocket. "A man has to hope," he said, shooting her an embarrassed smile.
Without giving her time to question or doubt, he rose over her, his entire body shaking with want and need. Blake didn't hide; he accepted his need. When had anyone been willing to show how much he wanted her? With his every touch, he evoked more and more sensation until finally she couldn't feel herself anymore. It was only them.
"Please," she panted as he nestled between her parted thighs. "Now."
"With pleasure." He prepared himself then sank inside her. His body shuddered. "You are beautiful."
She was whole. For the first time. She wrapped her arms and legs around him. He settled into a rhythm that took her spinning outside of herself. Everything he gave she returned until her body tightened. His pace quickened. With a groan of completion he sagged against her just as she fell over into an abyss of pleasure.
They were one, and she would never be the same again.
She didn't know how much time passed before he kissed her shoulder and slowly moved to her side. For a moment, his absence chilled her, then he tucked her against his shoulder. "You're amazing."
Her body shook from more than the passion as his warmth seeped into her. Her heart clung to him, trusted him. She'd given him more than her body. He owned a piece of her soul.
What had she done?
She shivered in his arms as he comforted her, whispered to her. How could she ever leave after that? But how could she not? She cared too much to see him hurt.
His touch lightened as Amanda feigned sleep.
She'd made everything worse. Before this moment, she'd only imagined what Blake could mean to her.
Now she knew.
* * *
DAWN'S LIGHT FILTERED through the window slats. Blake had tried to sleep. He failed. He didn't know how long he'd lain there with Amanda's body pressed against his. She'd pretended to fall asleep. He'd let her.
Finally, she hadn't been able to fight any longer. She'd drifted off, but he'd stared endlessly at the ceiling. She'd stunned him.
Every kiss, every caress last night had melted away his frozen heart. She'd tugged at something deep within him he'd thought long dead. He'd wanted to wrap her and hold her tight, but she'd pulled inside herself even as he'd held her in his arms.
Now her body shifted away. He wanted to tug her back against him, to make her forget. For a few moments of bliss, she'd been all his. She'd given him everything.
He'd never had a more generous lover.
Until the fog of passion had rolled away with the light of day.
"You're just going and leave me lying here?"
She sat on the edge of the mattress reaching for her clothes, and her back tensed. "I need to check on Ethan."
She slipped on the sweatshirt, protecting herself from his gaze. The move shouldn't hurt, but it did. He dragged her down and settled her on his hardening body.
"What's that dangerous mind of yours planning, Amanda?"
He pushed aside the wild hair, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. He settled her hips against his and her eyes widened.
"Yeah, I want you again, but not before you tell me what you're thinking."
Her body softened. He could make her purr, but he'd realized he didn't want just a woman who melted in his arms. He wanted a woman who trusted him, who was willing to admit she needed him as much as he needed her.
God, he was falling for her.
And if he said one word, he worried she might bolt out of his arms and out of his life. He couldn't allow that to happen. No matter what. Not until she and her son were safe.
He cupped her face. "Tell me. I can take care of you."
"That's just it. You're not my prince charming, Blake. I don't want you to be. I had enough of that from my ex."
"I'm nothing like Carl." The idea that she'd compare him to that low-life criminal...
"No, you're not. He promised a lot, but when push came to shove, my prince had feet of clay. He hurt Ethan."
Blake's heart tightened. "He hit his son?"
"He ignored him. He hasn't seen Ethan in almost two years."
"What has that got to do with me?"
"He promised me the world. I believed him. I let him take over." She stared down at him. "If I stay and we fight this, if I trust you, you have to trust me, too. No more secret plans with Logan. Vince was my brother. I knew him better than anyone. I can help."
She'd turned the tables on him. The spark in her cobalt eyes made his body leap in response.
"Fair," he said, tugging her to him and tumbling her back on top of him. He pressed her hips against his hardening body.
"How about we seal this deal?"
She straddled his hips, leaning over him.
"Mommy?" Her son's voice and a tentative knock filtered from the hallway.
She sagged over him. "I'll be right there, Ethan," she called through the door.
Blake leaned up and kissed her hard. "We will continue this. Later."
She swallowed and her gaze softened. "Later." She slipped into her clothes and gave him one last look. "Partners?"
"Partners." He shrugged into his shirt as Ethan called out again. "You'd better check on him. I'm going out to the barn. I have a few chores to take care of." He slipped on his jeans just as she opened the door. "Amanda--"
She turned back, and he crossed the room. He pushed her curls from her face. "Thank you for believing. I know it wasn't easy, but we're doing the right thing."
Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. He recognized the doubt, and it stung. Seconds later, it was gone, though, and she smiled. "Right. We'll find the evidence Vince hid. We have to."
She opened the door.
"I'm hungry, Mommy. Why did you sleep so long?"
She led Ethan off to the kitchen, and Blake shoved his feet into his boots. If he was going to live up to his promise, he needed to track down the dragon boots.
He shrugged into his coat and grabbed the phone Logan had given him. He powered it on and walked to the barn. A text message flashed. Call.
Blake dialed the number.
"You safe?" Logan asked.
"For the moment."
"Blake, these guys mean business. They've mired me in threats and paperwork. They're searching everywhere, including the cabin. Parris took your mother to an alternate location. Didn't even tell me where."
"But she's safe?"
"As protected as she'll be around Parris." Logan chuckled.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Let's just say th
e heat between those two rivals what's sparking between you and that pretty redhead of yours."
"You're imagining things," Blake said.
"I don't think so. I recognize the symptoms," Logan said. "I also recognize the danger signs."
"I'm handling it," Blake said, even though his lips still tasted of Amanda's sweetness. "Why did you really call?"
"Received a message from Shaun O'Connor. He wants to talk."
"I know him. Thought he was a good cop. But I thought Vince was a good cop, too."
"He says there's some bad stuff coming down. That he has information."
Blake's hair stood up on the back of his neck. Could this be a break? "What do you think? He on the right side?"
"My sources say he's straight. Then again, my sources don't know who the mastermind is."
Blake scratched his chin. He didn't want to get Amanda's hopes up. If the lead panned out, he might be able to end this without causing her more disappointment. He looked back toward the house. "How secure is this phone, Logan?"
"My technogeek expert guaranteed it can't be traced. Except by him."
"Is he that good?"
"I hired him."
"Give me his number. I'll set up a meet."
Chapter Ten
Ethan tugged on Amanda's shirt as she slipped bread in the toaster. "Where's Sheriff Blake going?"
She ruffled her son's head and scanned him up and down. "Don't even think about heading to that barn. It's cold and I see your bare toes."
He wiggled his feet and clutched the dog's fur. "Leo doesn't have shoes."
"He always has a coat. Now scoot. Get dressed, and by the time you get back I'll have breakfast."
"What if I--"
"The sheriff is doing important work."
She rifled through the freezer and found some sliced ham, defrosted it and set the meat on to cook. If they stayed here much longer, they'd have to make a run for supplies.
With a quick flip, their breakfast started to sizzle. Amanda shifted the kitchen curtains aside. Blake had left the barn door slightly open, but she couldn't see him.
If he did chores, wouldn't the teenager the Maddoxes paid notice? She bit her lip. Blake had been so careful keeping them hidden.
As she considered going outside, Ethan scurried into the kitchen, dressed and hungry, Leo at his heels. After she'd fed him, she took another look out the window.
"Can I go outside?" Ethan pleaded.
She sighed. "Sorry, little man. How about we set up a fort in your room?"
"Will you play with me?"
"For a while."
Amanda helped Ethan make the tent, and soon her son and Leo were defending the world against the bad guys.
She knelt beside the draped blanket. "You promise not to go outside unless you tell me?"
Ethan looked up at her and nodded while he tied a sheet around Leo's neck, turning the patient dog into a superhero.
"Okay, then. I'll be in the other room."
He didn't answer, and Amanda closed the door behind her. Blake hadn't come back. With a sigh she veered to the kitchen to grab some coffee, then paused by Maddox's office. A computer sat on the desk.
She stopped and stared at the machine. Had Vince sent her clues in the emails over the last few months that she hadn't recognized? They were few and far between, but maybe, just maybe.
Blake hadn't come back from the barn, but partners didn't sit around and wait. She had to prove to Blake she could help. She settled in front of the keyboard, booted up the machine and typed in the web-mail address that Vince had set up for her when she moved in.
She scanned the emails. Tons of junk mail. Typical.
Then Vince's name popped up. Her heart twisted, flashing on her last memory of him. Lying in a pool of blood. She shook away the image.
"Oh, Vince. Help me. Please."
She did a double take. The email was unread. She glanced at the time. Just one day before he'd been killed.
With a shuddering breath she opened the message.
I love you, Sis. Tell Blake I'm sorry.
And a link.
Her heart thudding, she clicked on it. A dialogue box popped up requesting a password.
She entered the only one she had--her email password.
A large warning message flashed on the screen.
You have entered an incorrect password. After three attempts, this file will be destroyed.
Amanda stared at the words. If Vince hadn't used that password, what could he have used? She was no computer expert. And she'd used up one attempt. Blake would be furious. They were supposed to work together.
After a quick check on Ethan, who now had the long-suffering dog in a makeshift jail, she grabbed her coat and trudged into the freezing cold to the barn.
As she slipped through the open door, she caught sight of Blake's backside, and his broad shoulders covered by the shearling coat. She knew what was under his clothes. He looked better without them.
Blake slapped a harness hanging on the wall. "If I bring her and the boy in, what guarantee do I have?"
The words punched Amanda in the gut. No. It wasn't possible. Blake couldn't be arranging to turn them in. She'd believed him. She'd bought every line he'd sold. She'd made love with him. She rushed over and grabbed the phone, quickly ending the call. "What are you doing? What happened to partners? You lied to me?"
He winced at the accusation but didn't deny it. "I was trying to find a way to keep you safe."
She sagged back onto a bale of hay. "I can't believe you did this." Amanda couldn't find the energy to be angry. The disappointment froze her insides. "I thought I could trust you. You were supposed to trust me."
Blake's lips thinned, but he didn't respond. What could he say?
She let out a shuddering breath and slipped the phone into her pocket. "Who were you talking to?"
"Shaun O'Connor."
At least he didn't try to prevaricate. She rolled the name around in her head. "I know him. From Austin?"
"He's Internal Affairs. He says he's been investigating the precinct for almost a year."
"Before you--"
"Yeah. Needless to say I was very interested."
"What if he's involved? What if he's just trying to find us?"
"Do you really believe I'd put you at risk?" Blake slapped his Stetson against his thigh, punctuating his frustration. "Shaun called Logan. He says he's close to identifying the person responsible. He wants our help."
"I don't know."
Blake sank down beside her on the hay. He folded her hands in his. "Putting you in protective custody gets you out of the crossfire. It keeps you safe while I investigate more. If we have someone on the inside, we have a better chance of catching them."
"What if he's working for the killer?"
The sound of whipping rotor blades roared above them. Blake ran out of the barn. Amanda followed and stared up into the sky, stunned.
Blake shoved her back inside and pulled a rifle off the barn wall. He loaded a cartridge. "Stay behind me."
"How did they find us?" Her stomach clenched. "Ethan! This can't be happening again."
"Listen to me, Amanda. That's a civilian chopper."
She gave him a blank look.
"No bulletproof glass. I can take her down with a .22. If I do it right, we can question the men inside."
Blake gripped the stock of the rifle and stepped into the open.
"Come on. Come back toward me," he muttered.
As if listening to his voice, the chopper circled the ranch house then turned toward the barn. She could see two men through the glass. Blake took aim. Amanda covered her ears.
Just as the chopper veered sharply, the shot echoed through the cold. The pilot slumped over. Frantic, the man beside him tried to grab the controls. Amanda watched in horror as the helicopter tipped and headed for the ground. It plunged with a crash and exploded into flames.
A string of curses erupted from Blake. He raced toward the burning
pile of twisted metal, but there was nothing to be done. The men inside couldn't have survived.
He turned back to Amanda. "Go get Ethan. Our location has been compromised. We're leaving."
Before she could go, he reached into her pocket and tossed the cell phone into the flames. "That's it. We can't trust the police at all."
* * *
AMANDA PEEKED THROUGH the window of the SUV as Blake strode into the old motel's front office. Ethan sat on the floor in the backseat with Leo, clinging to the dog's fur.
Within minutes he was back. He opened the door and slid behind the steering wheel.
"Room 8."
"Should I even ask if we'll be safe?" Amanda said, studying the run-down hotel with a skeptical eye. It looked like a strong punch could break down any of the doors.
Blake winced. "They let me pay cash and they don't require a credit card. That's as safe as we can be right now."
Blake pulled the SUV around the back, out of sight of the road. "Let's go," he said.
Amanda grasped Ethan's hand and they entered the room. Shabby furniture, but at least it was clean.
One bed.
"I'll get a cot or rollaway or something," he said. "You and Ethan take the bed." He snagged the ice bucket and left the room.
Amanda shivered in the chilled air and strode to the radiator. She knew the type. She'd fought with it in one of the crummy apartments she and Carl had rented. Within a few minutes, she had the ancient piece of equipment working. Blake returned with a load of bedding.
"No rollaway, but we'll make do."
Amanda grabbed a blanket from the top of the stack and wrapped it around Ethan. She sank into the oversoft mattress and rubbed her arms. "How do you think they found us?"
"Electronics are the only way, so I guess it had to be the cell. Even though Logan said the phone couldn't be tracked, maybe O'Connor has a technogeek who can do it. I can't think of any other way."
Amanda flashed on the time she spent at the keyboard and swallowed. "I used the Maddoxes' computer to get on the internet."
Blake whirled around.
"What?" She glared at him. "I thought I could help."
"When did you turn it on?"
"Right after you went out to the barn. I was on for a while."
"The internet can be like a pointer if you know what you're doing. What were you thinking, Amanda?"
