by Dora Hiers
Malcolm had Regi?
The air vacated her body in a whoosh. She scanned the entire paragraph a second time. Fear pitted in her stomach and singed up and down her spine like an electrical current.
She sank back against the chair, covering her mouth with her hand. But even that couldn’t stifle the groan or the sob that followed. She rubbed a hand across her face, her eyes, then back to cover her gaping mouth.
She read the email again, her heart sinking to her toes.
Think.
Malcolm had Regi. And he’d said no cops.
No cops meant no Gunner.
But how would she accomplish that? The marshal would see right through her flimsy explanations.
And Tessa? What should she do about Tessa?
Terror squeezed her chest. Refused to loosen its grip. Tessa!
Oh, God, help me. What do I do?
Should she take Tessa with her? Or leave her here?
What if Willow never made it back? What if Malcolm killed her? What about Tessa then?
She should leave Tessa here. Yeah, that’s what she’d do. She couldn’t risk Malcolm getting his slimy hands on her daughter.
She stared at the computer screen, tugging at a frayed spot in her jeans. A patrol car drove by the house.
Malcolm had Regi.
Her breath came in short pants. Her face burned like it was on fire.
Malcolm said no cops.
If she left Tessa here, Gunner would know something was up. Regi wouldn’t stand a chance. She’d have to take Tessa. Leave her with somebody trustworthy. But, who?
Willow swiped her nose with the back of her arm and sniffled. Her fingers tapped against the desktop in tune to the beat of her slippered foot. Who?
Without a second to waste, Willow catapulted from the chair to the closet, grabbed a suitcase, and flung it across the bed. She picked up Tessa’s pile of clean clothes, slammed them into the suitcase and repeated the process with her clothes. Willow zipped them and heaved each bag off the bed. Seemed like she was packing their suitcases a lot lately. Along with not making decisions.
With trembling fingers, she reserved seats for her and Tessa on the first flight to Tampa. Eight o’clock. That left the rest of tonight and during the flight to come up with a plan.
****
Gunner tossed the takeout bag in the trash then wiped down the table. After tossing the dishrag in the sink, he snaked his arms around Mina’s waist and nibbled a smooth spot on her neck.
“Mmmm.” She moaned her pleasure and enclosed his hands with hers, even tilted her head to grant him full access to the creamy hollow of her neck. Then, a quiver started at her head and worked itself down the entire length of her body.
Oh, man.
He needed to step away before he lost his composure. Which would be entirely too easy tonight.
He kissed the top of her head and settled next to her, backing his rump against the counter. After loosening the knot from his tie, he left it dangling around his neck, trying to keep up with what she was saying while dousing the heat climbing up his limbs.
“Tampa…tomorrow.”
“Okay, Mina. We’ll leave tomorrow to go back if you want.”
Mina poured coffee, her hand shaking, and offered it to him. Nerves? Not like her. But then he’d dragged her out of her comfort zone by taking Tessa to see Mark today without her.
He took the cup she offered and pulled her into a one-armed hug. “I missed you today.”
“I missed you too.” She sniffled and pulled back, motioned for him to sit. Was that sadness rimming her eyes and etching her lips?
He sank down on the wood chair at the kitchen table to study her.
Her hand shook as she plopped a teabag in a cup of water.
He shouldn’t have left her alone today. He hadn’t felt right about it all afternoon. Missed her smile, her presence, her sweetness. Like a huge chunk of him, the best part, was missing.
“I need to get back.” Her words came out muffled. With her back to him, she placed the mug in the microwave and pushed the buttons.
“I know. Work is calling.” Gunner massaged his own shoulders, then turned his neck from one side to the other, stretching out the kinks. It had been a long day. He was whipped. All he wanted to do now was to get out of this suit, hit the shower, then feel the leather of his dad’s recliner nestled against the back of his head.
Friends of his parents had invited them to dinner to celebrate Mark’s recovery. Gunner had opted out altogether, using their car to bring Tessa home with him, along with takeout. He wanted some alone time with both his girls. But after eating, Tessa had gone upstairs to change her clothes. That left Mina…
Tapping out an impatient rhythm on the tile with her slipper while she waited for the microwave to ding. What was up with that? “Come here, Mina.”
She swiveled, her blond eyebrows arched.
He held out his hand in invitation.
When her soft hand made its way into his, he tugged her onto his lap and drew her close, her cheek and palm nestled against his heart.
He pressed his eyes closed and smothered a moan, pleasure and torture battling each other.
She felt so good in his arms. Scary good. Like she belonged there forever. Like he didn’t want to let her go, ever. God, please fill me up with what I need right now. And fast!
His silent prayer halted when her fingers cradled his cheeks. His eyelids opened to her sweet face hovering only inches from his, her expression serious, intense. Almost as if she couldn’t get enough of him.
He sucked in air, lots of it.
“Gunner, I’m going to kiss you. If you don’t want me to, you'd better tell me right now.”
He inhaled more of her vanilla and cloves scent, until his chest ached with the need to release it. He couldn’t breathe. He didn’t know what to say.
Yes, he wanted her to kiss him. He’d waited so long.
No, he didn’t want her to kiss him because he knew he couldn’t scrounge up enough self-control to stop with just one kiss tonight. Not just one, when he wanted a lifetime of them.
Her lips decided for him.
Sweet lips. Sweet Mina. His fingers caressed the silky strands of her hair and found their way to the back of her neck. He wrapped the other arm around her waist and tugged her closer, his lips tasting hers, exploring, dipping down to her neck—
The microwave dinged. Tessa scampered down the stairs, singing off-tune to her music player, obviously on her way to the kitchen.
Tessa’s footsteps kicked into his consciousness about the same time that Mina heard them. She jerked away from him and lurched unsteadily to her feet while he still gripped one of her hands. She whisked her hair back with the other hand.
“Gunner, Tessa’s coming.” Mina’s voice came out husky, making him want to pull her back on to his lap and continue what she’d started. “Gunner!” Mina tugged her hand, but he refused to release her.
He didn’t mind if Tessa saw them holding hands. Or kissing, for that matter.
She scowled, but he caught the slight rounding of her lips, the smoldering glint in her eyes. That kiss had affected her as much as him.
Okay. Maybe he could make do with a single kiss. Especially one like that. He winked at her and pressed a gentle kiss on her hand before releasing it.
“Hey, Gunner. What do we have around here for a snack?” Tessa, bless her heart for the warning and the interruption, finally made it to the kitchen.
“I don’t know, squirt. Let’s see.” Gunner stretched to his feet and joined Tessa in front of the open fridge. He opened the produce drawer. “How about some apples?”
“Only if Grandma has chocolate chips and peanut butter.”
He heard Mina’s soft intake of breath to his right. She rested her chin on his shoulder. Close enough for him to steal a kiss. Which he did.
“She likes to eat her apples the same way you do. With a side of melted chocolate chips and peanut butter.”
B
e still my heart!
Gunner found a bag of chocolate chips and a jar of peanut butter. “I think I’ll have one with you, Tessa. Do you want one, Mina?”
“No, thanks.” Mina finally sat down at the table with the cup of steaming tea.
While the peanut butter and chocolate chip mixture heated in the microwave, Gunner cut the apples. He slid everything onto a plate and handed it to his niece. “One apple with all the trimmings.”
“Thanks, Gunner. Do you mind if I take it upstairs? I want to watch television in bed.”
So much for their chaperone. Mina looked to him. He nodded, and she turned back to Tessa. “Sure, sweetie. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Take your time, Mom. I’m just a little tired from everything today.”
Gunner narrowed his eyes as Tessa sped past him with her snack, almost knocking the plate out of his hands. Tired? Nah. She wasn’t tired. Was the little imp giving them time alone on purpose? What was she up to?
When her footsteps scampered up the stairs, Gunner joined Mina at the table. “Where were we?”
Mina cleared her throat.
“Oh, right. Maybe it’s best if we don’t resume that…um, discussion.”
At her blush, he grinned and took a bite out of the apple. “So, you want to go back tomorrow. Do you want me to check out flights?”
Mina cradled the mug in her hands, head dipped so that he almost didn’t hear her mumbled words. “Already done.”
“You already checked out flights? What time are you thinking?” He took another bite.
“Tessa and I are booked on the eight a.m. flight.”
Tessa and I are booked…
He stopped chewing. Something didn’t sound right. It took a full thirty seconds for his emotionally drained brain to catch up with her words. Tessa and I. Tessa and I are booked. Why wasn’t he included in that statement?
He unclipped his phone and glanced at the screen. Yep. Just as he thought. Friday. November 29th. He still had time before he had to report to work. Surely, Mina knew he’d be going back with them, that he wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself while a lunatic was still on the prowl.
He studied her face, tried to ignore her fluttering fingers. A pit of dread welled up in his stomach. What was going on? “You booked your flights. Just you and Tessa?”
A single nod. She gulped, and tears swam in her eyes but didn’t spill over.
“Why?” he whispered. He thought they were close to a commitment. And not just a ring-on-her-finger commitment. A lifetime-together-before-God commitment. Didn’t she see that? Didn’t she feel the same way?
She closed her eyes, fighting some internal battle.
He scooted closer to her, used a forefinger and thumb to cup her chin upwards, loving the feel of her silky skin against his rough fingers. “Look at me, Mina.”
She opened her eyes and the deluge broke, making her eyes turn into blue liquid, the color of the ocean on a clear, sunny day.
Odd. Things didn’t look very clear right now. Or sunny. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
She only shook her head. Now he could see that her eyes were red and puffy, as if she’d been crying already. Hot tears dripped onto his hand. She swiped at her cheek and pushed back from the table. “I’m sorry, Gunner. I have to do this by myself. I’m sorry.”
He reached out to stop her as she stumbled from the kitchen, but she jerked past him, her chest heaving with sobs.
He could only watch her, hunched over and her hands covering her face, as she fled for the refuge of her room.
Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong.
Gunner knew it in his bones. He and Mina connected now in a way that could span a lifetime. Did he misread an important signal? Did he misinterpret that kiss? Her feelings?
No. He knew he didn’t. Mina was Mina, an open book. Her feelings always showed in her face, her eyes. Always.
Her eyes told him that she loved him. But her lips were telling him something different. What had she said?
“I have to do this by myself?”
What did that mean? What did she have to do by herself?
Mina and Tessa were both safe for the moment. Tessa, upstairs munching on a snack. Mina, somewhere crying her eyes out.
So who did that leave?
Regi.
Not good. He grabbed his phone and found Regi’s number, disconnecting after the call went straight to voicemail.
Gunner sucked in a breath, rubbed a hand across the stubble glazing his chin. Mina may think she had to do this on her own, but he knew better. He wouldn’t leave her now, not when she needed him. Not for the second time. She’d have to tell him to buzz off. And use those exact words. With enough force to make him know she meant it.
He pulled up another number, relieved when his friend answered on the first ring. “Hey, buddy. Are you busy tomorrow?”
27
Didn’t Gunner know leaving him was breaking her heart?
Willow stole a sideways glance at him as he tugged their suitcases out of the back of his truck, hoping to capture a picture to store away for future reference. Just in case.
She wanted to remember everything about him. The rumpled, black hair that looked like he just rolled out of bed, the smile creases lining his cheeks and eyes, the way he walked. Straight. Tall. Strong.
The way he loved. With passion. With compassion. How he put aside his anger at his brother’s betrayal. And how he protected her and Tessa, even knowing the truth that Tessa wasn’t his daughter.
Willow inhaled the scent that whispered Gunner’s name in her heart, his aftershave blended with the cool winter breeze.
That’s all she’d have left of him after she and Tessa boarded that plane. The picture in her head and the love in her heart.
Willow tugged her jacket tighter, the breeze drifting in with every car that darted in and out of the drop-off lane at the airport. Gunner grabbed Tessa’s hand along with the suitcase handle, leading them both over to the sidewalk next to his truck.
He crouched down eye-level with Tessa and placed hands on her shoulders. “Sweetheart, you be good for your mom.”
“I will, Gunner.”
“I know you will, sweetheart. Remember our conversation?”
Tessa cocked her head to one side and gave him that “duh” look. “Which one, Gunner? We’ve talked a lot.”
“The one about listening to your mom and being careful to obey everything exactly as she says. It’s important to do that all the time, but especially right now while that annoying goon is still out there.”
Tessa nodded. “Why aren’t you coming to Florida with us, Gunner?”
Gunner frowned, and he looked to Willow for guidance. “Uh—”
Time for her to step in, to take control of this conversation before she forgot the reason he couldn’t go with them. Regi needed her.
Right. Regi. Willow squared her shoulders, toughened her heart. She had to do this for her best friend. “Gunner has things to do before he starts his new job. And I have to get back to work, honey. My boss is having a fit.”
“But you work a lot, Mom, and this is the first time we’ve gone anywhere together.”
Ouch. That hurt. But Tessa was right. Something to think about. After she figured out what to do about Malcolm.
Gunner’s smile stopped at his lips. He glanced at his watch. Probably had a million things that he wanted to do, and they were keeping him from them.
“We’re okay, Gunner. We’ll just get through security and head straight to our gate.”
“You have your flight information?”
“Of course.”
“No, I mean, what time is your plane scheduled to land?”
“Nine-thirty. Flight 1083.” In case he was interested.
He reached for her hands and tugged her close, casually draping those long arms of his around her waist. “This isn’t goodbye, you know.” His husky voice dared her to say otherwise.
“It isn’t?” Willow’s
voice quivered. Her gaze flitted to Tessa, standing two feet away with eyes twice the size as normal.
Gunner followed Willow’s gaze and smiled, then tugged her around with him, just enough for them to be out of Tessa’s range of vision. He lowered his head, mouth hovering just out of reach of hers, teasing her.
She took a deep breath. Wishing for what she knew wasn’t possible. Was it?
“Not by a long shot, sweetheart.”
He closed his eyes, and she waited for the sweetness of his lips, like the gentle caress of a spring breeze on a sunny day. Perfect. When he pulled away, she kept her eyes closed, already missing him.
“It’s only the beginning.” His breath whispered against her lips. “You’ll see.”
Gunner cupped her arms and held her away from him, the teasing glint back in his eyes. “You'd better go. Before I change my mind about going with you.”
A huge chunk of emotion landed hard in her stomach. Everything in her heart screamed, “STAY! DON’T LEAVE!”
“Call me or text me when you land.”
“Okay.” All the words swirling through her brain and warring emotions clogging her chest and that’s the best she could come up with? Okay?
****
Didn’t Mina know she was breaking his heart by leaving?
Gunner stood on the sidewalk and watched Mina walk away from him. Disappointment hammered his heart against his chest. Why hadn’t she spilled her guts, told him what was really going on?
He’d answer that question.
Trust. It all boiled down to trust. And, apparently, he hadn’t earned it back, yet. But with God’s grace, he would.
“Mom, did Gunner just kiss you?” The awe in Tessa’s voice carried to him over a driver honking his horn, a rental-car bus whooshing by, and the brakes of a plane engaging as it landed on a nearby runway. Did he care about all that commotion? No, he only had ears for a certain young lady, peering anxiously at her mother.
He strained to hear Mina’s response, but couldn’t, only catching a glimpse of the sweet smile that landed on her daughter’s lips.
“I liked this vacation, even if my dad was in the hospital most of the time. Other kids get to go on vacations, but mostly only in the summer. I got to get out of school. Can we come visit Gunner in the summer, Mom?” Tessa’s voice continued to carry, about ten notes higher than usual. She was a live wire this morning.
