Chapter Three
Scott tried to distance himself from her, to build walls between them. But this time it seemed harder than before. His body fought against him, his shaft stiffening. He wanted to reach out and touch her. What he wanted and what he needed were two different things, and he wasn’t sure which would win out in the end.
Against his better judgment, he laid his hand over hers, cupping it closer to his cheek. “I could never hate you.”
“Then let me help you.”
“Even if I needed your help, which I don’t, it wouldn’t be a very good idea.” He looked down at her, hating the sadness in her eyes. It made him want to kiss her, to tell her that he was still in love with her. Instead he kept his mouth shut and slipped his hand away. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve already told them I was retiring, they’ve known for a few months and were one of the first I told.”
“You think they’ll let you walk away with the secrets you know and that will be it? I’ve read the FBI file on them. People have been killed for less things.”
No, they have enough on me that if I were to say anything to anyone, they’d pull me down with them. But he couldn’t tell her that. “It’s a chance that must been taken, but I’ve been told that as long as the lawyer who has taken over the practice continues to work for them, there will be no problems. Well, that and I don’t say anything about my dealings with them.”
“I never thought you could be so naïve.” She stepped back until she was pressed against the counter that separated the kitchen and living room.
“Not naïve, just hopeful that I’ll be able to have some kind of life again. It’s why I’m leaving the city. I’ve considered moving out of the state and just before J.R. alerted me that you were in need I had been considering staying here. Maybe teaching at the community college. Either way, I’m leaving the city.”
“You think this is far enough from their reach?”
“No. It’s several hours from the city but if they wanted to come after me they’d find me no matter where I went. I won’t live in fear. I’ve done my job for them and that’s as far as things go. I’m done practicing law, city life, and everything else. I just want some peace and quiet.”
She tipped her head sideways and looked at him. “You’d really give up the city, your fast paced career, and everything to move here? You always complained that this town was too small for you and that there was nothing here for you.”
“Let’s just say in the last several years I’ve learned there’s more to life than go-go-go. I’ve been coming up here more and more over the years, it seems like maybe this is where I’m supposed to be after all.” He polished off his beer before he pushed himself off the counter to stand upright. He didn’t care that there was still a few hours until midnight, all he wanted was to get some distance between them. “I think we both need some rest. I’ll set my alarm to wake me up every two hours so I can check on you.”
“That isn’t necessary.”
“It is. You hit your head and you were unconscious. It’s likely you have a concussion.” He tossed the beer bottle in the trash. “I’m sure you remember where the guest room is. I’ve laid out some dry clothes for you. They aren’t going to fit very well but it’s the best I can do.”
She looked down at her clothes, as if realizing for the first time that everything she had in the car had gone off the mountain. She’d been aware of that, but now she was finally wondering what to do about it. No clothes, toothbrush, nothing. Just the damn purse with her laptop she’d slung over her shoulder as she climbed out the back of the car. “Thanks.”
“Goodnight.” Needing a quick escape, he slipped past her and headed toward the back of the cabin where the only two bedrooms were.
In the safety of what could be consider the master bedroom, except without the extra space most master suites had, he leaned against the closed door and took a deep breath. How he was going to get through the next two days of this storm before they could even think about getting out was beyond him. He sucked in a deep breath as he realized midnight would be upon them soon. They were stuck together for what was supposed to be one of the most romantic holidays of the year. At that moment he’d rather have faced the whole mafia with guns blazing than have to spend New Year’s with her.
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