Witness on the Run

by Susan Cliff

  “We can’t,” she said.

  He stared at her mouth intently. “Why not?”

  “You need to rest.”

  “I need you more.”

  She kissed him again, biting his lower lip. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “If you do, I’ll give the stop signal.”

  She laughed at his eagerness. “No, Cam. Not tonight.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow,” she promised.

  She snuggled against his chest. He grasped her hand. They fell asleep like that, fingers entwined and limbs entangled. Just the two of them against the world, united by love, unbroken and unstoppable.

  Chapter 24

  Big Sky, MT

  45N

  21 degrees

  Three weeks later.

  Cam’s recovery went well.

  He wasn’t great at resting, but he tried to relax as much as possible. They lounged around the hotel for almost a week. Tala took care of his every need and then some. She even indulged him with exercise. He spent many quality hours underneath her. He thought he’d get bored with reclining positions, but he didn’t. She had a knack for being on top, and he loved watching her. He loved every inch of her sweet body, sliding all over him.

  While they were in Fairbanks, they did a few other things besides making love. Cam submitted his resignation to Northern Lights Trucking Company, on their request. They weren’t pleased about his unapproved passenger or the melee on the Dalton. They launched an insurance investigation, with predictable results. Cam had broken the rules of his contract, so he was liable for all the damages.

  Cam could pay for his own hospital bills, but his rig was unrepairable. He had to sell it for parts. His ice-road trucker days were over. A month ago, he’d have been devastated by this turn of events. In his current state of sexual bliss, it was hardly a blip. He’d already decided to move on with Tala.

  They’d hired a lawyer to help Tala with her legal issues. Although Duane hadn’t caused any more trouble in Fairbanks, he hadn’t taken the initiative to confess to the assault at the rally. Tala’s attorney had to send him a letter of encouragement, along with the divorce papers. Duane responded by hiring his own defense. In the end, he’d cooperated with investigators. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

  This outcome frustrated Cam, because it felt like another travesty of justice. Duane was a menace to society, a coward and an abuser of women. But instead of a stiff punishment, he’d gotten a slap on the wrist. Cam had to let it go, however. In addition to clearing her name, Duane had signed the divorce papers.

  Tala was a free woman.

  When Cam was cleared to travel, he rented an SUV and headed south. Driving was still uncomfortable for him, so Tala took the wheel. They visited Denali National Park. He was an expert on his crutches after the first week. After Denali, they passed through Willow. She visited Walt at the diner. He’d managed to sleep through the excitement and remain unscathed.

  For Christmas, they flew to Tacoma and spent several days on the farm. She didn’t really warm up to Mason, but she hit it off with his parents. Tala enjoyed cooking and was genuinely interested in the land. They loved her.

  Before they left, his mother pulled him aside and said, “Marry her.”

  “I’m working on it,” Cam replied.

  Their next stop was Billings, Montana. Although Tala hadn’t seen her family in years, and her younger brothers hardly knew her, they accepted her with open arms. Her older stepbrother, the one she’d had a crush on, was now a sheriff’s deputy in Great Falls. When Tala mentioned Cam’s previous profession, Bear gave him a curious look.

  Later, Bear approached Cam for a private talk. Cam thought he was going to get grilled about his intentions toward Tala. Instead, Bear told him about an employment opportunity in Big Sky. They’d offered Bear the position, but he didn’t want to relocate to a sleepy mountain town. The sheriff there needed a deputy, and not some wet-eared rookie. He was looking for someone with enough experience and education to train for the sheriff’s position. The current sheriff planned to retire in another year.

  “I didn’t mention it in front of Tala because I don’t know how serious you are about her,” Bear said.

  Cam smiled at the brotherly comment. “I want to marry her.”

  “What does she want?”

  “To finish school and be near her family.”

  “So you’re staying in Montana?”

  Cam nodded. “I told her I’d look for work here.”

  Bear seemed satisfied by his answers. “If you’re interested in the deputy job, I’ll put in a good word.”

  Cam thanked him with a handshake. He was interested—very interested. A sleepy mountain town sounded perfect after what he’d been through. He’d had enough excitement to last a lifetime. Now he wanted to settle down in a peaceful place.

  He mailed in an application, listing his credentials with the Seattle PD and adding Bear Klamath as a reference. He didn’t tell Tala about the opportunity. Big Sky was more than a hundred miles from Billings and he wasn’t sure how she’d feel about living there. If he got an offer, he’d ask her to come with him.

  They spent the next few days touring Yellowstone National Park, which was nearby. Cam had never been there, and Tala hadn’t visited in winter. It was a snow-covered wonderland. He didn’t need his crutches anymore, but he still had to wear the medical boot. He couldn’t wait to take it off.

  While they were at the Yellowstone Lodge, Cam received a message from Sheriff Dugan in Big Sky. It was a request for a FaceTime interview. Cam waited until Tala was in the shower to step outside and return the call.

  Sheriff Dugan was a no-nonsense lawman in his late sixties. He explained that the job was physical, the weather was challenging and the terrain was rugged. He needed someone with patience, fortitude and stamina.

  Cam liked the sound of the job. He told Dugan about his nine years on highway patrol and his recent stint as an ice-road trucker.

  “Ice roads, huh? You must have nerves of steel.”

  Cam didn’t agree or disagree.

  “You’re not afraid of extreme conditions.”

  “No, sir.”

  “How do you know Bear?”

  “He’s my girlfriend’s stepbrother.”

  “Well, you look healthy enough to do the work and you have the right background. A degree in sociology is better suited to this position than criminal justice. You’ll be keeping the peace more than investigating.”

  Cam wanted to pump his fist in triumph. “Yes, sir.”

  “We get tourists all year round. Summertime’s the busiest. Lost hikers and vehicular accidents are common. It’s mostly quiet, though.”

  “I like quiet.”

  “Good,” Dugan said. “There’s a cabin by the old sawmill that comes with the job. Drive out there and take a look before you decide. Bring your girlfriend.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  Cam jotted down the address for the cabin. Dugan needed an answer within a few days. It was a great opportunity, but he had to discuss the details with Tala. He checked the directions to Big Sky on his phone. It was only an hour away from the lodge.

  When Tala was ready to go, her hair blow-dried and bags packed, he drove them north. Big Sky was off the beaten path a little, about ten miles from a major highway. He suggested they have lunch there. Tala shrugged her agreement, nose in a book. He continued through the rustic little town, with its snow-covered roofs and chimneys chugging. There was a busy café with a Help Wanted sign in the window.

  Tala perked up when she saw it. “We could eat there.”

  “We’ll come back to it,” he said, continuing past the café. A few minutes later he found the cabin on Sawmill Road.

  “Are we lost?” Tala asked.

  “No,” Cam said. “I wanted
to surprise you.”

  He got out and opened the passenger door for her. She followed him toward the cabin. The key was under the mat, as promised. He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

  It was a well-built cabin. The fireplace in the living room promised cozy nights. There was a small kitchen with modern appliances, a full bath and a single bedroom. Good lighting and sturdy hardwood floors. With some furniture and rugs and stuff, it could be transformed from an empty space into a quaint little home.

  He glanced at Tala. “What do you think?”

  “Is it for rent?”

  “I got a job offer here in Big Sky. This place comes with it.”

  “A job offer? To do what?”

  “Sheriff’s deputy. I’d train to take over as sheriff.”

  She blinked at him in surprise. “I didn’t know you’d applied for any jobs.”

  “Your stepbrother told me about the opening. It seemed too good to pass up.”

  “It is,” she said, twirling around in a slow circle. Her attorney had arranged for her belongings to be packed and shipped from Duane’s house to her mother’s. Tala had told him about her grandmother’s furs and other cherished items. She could keep them here. She could decorate however she liked.

  “I don’t have to take the offer,” he said. “I came to Montana to be with you. If you don’t want to live here, we won’t.”

  She inspected the bathroom. “How far away is Bozeman?”

  “Thirty miles.”

  “Montana State University is in Bozeman. I could go there.”

  “You would do that?”

  She returned to his side and twined her arms around his neck. “As long as we’re together, I’ll be happy.”

  Relief and love overwhelmed him. “So will I.”

  “This is a beautiful town.”

  “It’s two hours away from Billings. Ten hours from Tacoma.”

  “Some distance from family is good. Especially from your brother.”

  He laughed, hugging her closer.

  “Maybe I’ll apply to that café.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “I want to.”

  He lowered his head to kiss her. She kissed him back sweetly, threading her fingers through his hair. He couldn’t believe his luck. A month ago, he’d been completely numb. Tala had thawed him from the inside out.

  “Will this be exciting enough for you?” she asked.

  “You’re all I need for excitement.”

  “You said your fantasy was a cozy cabin.”

  “And yours was freedom.”

  “We got both.”

  “We did, didn’t we?”

  On impulse, he lifted her into his arms and carried her over the threshold into the bedroom. She laughed at his romantic gesture, which was no easy task with a healing foot. He set her down by the window. There were no furnishings, and it wasn’t warm enough to get intimate, but he kissed her until they were both breathless.

  “I love you,” he said, his heart full.

  “I love you, too.”

  “Always?”

  “Always,” she agreed, and kissed him again.

  * * *

  Read on for an exclusive sneak peek at

  Fatal Invasion, the next sizzling book in

  the Fatal series from New York Times

  bestselling author Marie Force...

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  Fatal Invasion

  by Marie Force

  ONE

  “THIS IS A classic case of be careful what you wish for.” Nick placed a stack of folded dress shirts in a suitcase that already held socks, underwear, workout clothes and several pairs of jeans. Only Nick would start packing seven days before his scheduled departure for Europe next Sunday, the day after Freddie and Elin’s wedding. “That’s the lesson learned here.”

  “Only anal-retentive freakazoids pack a week before a trip.” Sam sat at the foot of the bed and watched him pack with a growing sense of dread. “Three freaking weeks. The last time you were gone that long, I nearly lost my mind, and I don’t have much of a mind left to lose.”

  “Come with me,” he said for the hundredth time since the president asked him to make the diplomatic trip, representing the administration on a visit with some of the country’s closest allies. Since President Nelson was still recovering—in more ways than one—from his son’s criminal activities, several of the allies had requested he send his popular vice president in his stead.

  Sam flopped on the bed. “I can’t. I have work and Scotty, and Freddie is going on his honeymoon for two weeks and... I can’t.” No Nick at home to entertain her. No Freddie at work to entertain her. The next few weeks were going to totally suck monkey balls.

  “Actually, you can.” Nick hovered above her, propped on arms ripped with muscles, his splendid chest on full display. “You have more vacation time saved up than you can use in a lifetime, and you have the right to actually use it. Scotty will be fine with Shelby, your dad and Celia, your sisters, and the Secret Service here to entertain him. We could even ask Mrs. Littlefield to come up for the weekends.”

  Their son’s former guardian would love the chance to spend time with him, but Sam didn’t feel right about leaving him for so long. However, the thought of being without Nick for three endless weeks made her sick. His trip to Iran earlier in the year had been pure torture, especially since it kept getting extended.

  “Why’d you have to tell Nelson you wanted to be more than a figurehead vice president?” She play-punched his chest. “Everything was fine when he was ignoring you.”

  He kissed her lips and then her neck. “You’re so, so cute when you pout.”

  “Badass cops do not pout.”

  “Mine does when she doesn’t get her own way, and it’s truly adorable.”

  She scowled at him. “Badass cops are not adorable.”

  “Mine is.” Leaving a trail of hot kisses on her neck, he said, “Come with me, Samantha. London, Paris, Rome, the Vatican, Amsterdam, Brussels, The Hague. Come see the world with me.”

  Sam had never been to Europe and had always wanted to go, so she was sorely tempted to say to hell with her responsibilities.

  “Come on.” He rolled her earlobe between his teeth and pressed against her suggestively. “Three whole weeks together away from the madness of DC. You know you want to go. Gonzo could cover for you at work, and things have been slow anyway.”

  There hadn’t been a homicide in more than a week, which meant they were due, and that was another reason to stay home. “Don’t say that and put a jinx on us.”

  “Come away with me. Scotty will be fine. We’ll FaceTime with him every day and bring him presen
ts. He’ll be well cared for by everyone else who loves him.” He kissed her neck as he unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it aside. “You’d get to meet the Queen of England.”

  Sam moaned. She loved the queen—speaking of a badass female.

  “And the Pope. Plus, you’ll need some clothes—and shoes. Lots of shoes.”

  “Stop it.” She turned her face to avoid his kiss. “You’re fighting dirty.”

  “Because I want my wife to come with me on the trip of a lifetime? I need you, Samantha.”

  As he well knew, she could deny him nothing when he said he needed her. “Fine, I’ll go! But only if it’s okay with Scotty and if I can swing it at work.”

  “Yes,” her husband said on a long exhale. “We’ll have so much fun.”

  “Will we actually get to see anything?”

  He pushed himself up to continue packing. “I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Um, excuse me.”

  “What’s up?”

  “My temperature after your attempts at persuasion.”

  A slow, lazy smile spread across his face, making him the sexiest man in this universe—and the next. “Is my baby feeling a little needy?”

  She pulled her shirt off and released the front clasp on her bra. “More than a little.”

  “We can’t have that.” Stepping to the foot of the bed, he grasped the legs of her yoga pants and yanked them off.

  “Lock the door.”

  “Scotty’s asleep.”

  “Lock the door, or this isn’t happening.” With Secret Service agents all over their house, Sam couldn’t relax if the door wasn’t locked.

  “This is definitely happening, but if it’ll make you happy, I’ll lock the door.”

  “It’ll make me happy, which will, in turn, make you happy.” She splayed her legs wide open to give him a show as he returned from locking the door, and was rewarded with gorgeous hazel eyes that heated with desire when he saw her waiting for him.