"Why is there a fire going in your stove?" Hagan asked, his hand suspended over the top.
Oh no. West had started a fire to burn his prison clothes. Hopefully they didn't open it and sift through the ashes. Could they tell that the ashes came from red prison-issued cotton? Just how much could CSI figure out? On TV they were practically supernatural.
"I get cold in the evenings." She folded her arms across her chest. "Especially after I'm through feeding and administering medicine. I wanted to come back to a warm cabin." Stop talking. She was going to stumble if she kept rambling.
Stohl regarded her with skepticism as if he'd like to dissect her while Hagan left the stove and started wandering through the cabin.
"Don't go in there," she hollered when he opened the door to the garage.
There was a chattering and then a squeak that she knew hadn't come from O.D. But the trooper.
"What the hell do you have in there?" Trooper Hagan jumped back and slammed the door.
"An otter. He doesn't like to be disturbed when he's sleeping. I told you this is a wildlife habitat."
Hagan peered slowly back into the garage. "Shit, Isaac, you gotta see this guy." He turned to Briar. "He sleeps with a teddy bear?"
"Do you observe a threat?" Stohl asked.
"No. Place seems clean. Really clean. Maybe too clean."
"OCD tendencies," she spoke up quickly. A little too quickly as they both stared at her. "Can't leave things lying around." Shut. Up. She ground her jaw together.
"We'd like a tour of the property." Stohl moved back toward the door.
"That's not a good idea."
"We'll keep our distance." Hagan moved to stand on the other side of her, not giving her a lot of choices.
She could refuse them. It was her right.
"We can come back with a search warrant if you'd prefer." Hagan was helpful in pointing out.
"No." She opened the door and headed out, praying she wasn't leading the troopers right to West.
Another roar rumbled on the deepening night giving the feel of impending doom. The sun had finally set, and shadows were deep and long, but there was still enough light illuminating the pathway.
How many times would she walk this path tonight?
Trooper Stohl clicked on a mag flashlight. "What's in that building?" he asked.
"Just a work shed. I keep supplies in there." She hoped West had listened to her and not decided to hide in there again.
That hadn't worked so well for him the first time.
West watched the troopers advance up the hill. Their flashlights made them targets and he could have easily picked them off. His marksmanship was legendary on the force. Eagle eye had been his nickname.
They entered the shed, and he let out a breath. Another hair-raising growl behind him elevated his blood pressure.
Alice Cooper didn't like him, and any moment West thought the lumbering bear would make a swipe for him and end this whole fucked up mess for good. But he hadn't. He just continued to bellow with that deafening roar. West had climbed up the wall of the den-like building, using the bracers in the walls as footholds. He lay in the low rafters looking through the breaks in the wooden planks as Alice Cooper paced and panted below him.
The bear was tall enough to reach him if he wanted.
Voices grew louder as Briar and the troopers drew nearer.
"Don't get too close," Briar warned.
"You obviously have dealings with the bear. Make him stand down so we can search the building," The older trooper said.
"Yeah, about that," she replied, shaking her head. "I don't get Alice Cooper to do anything he doesn’t want to. He's not a dog."
"How do you administer medicine then if he needs it?"
"Tranquilizer gun. And no, I won't tranq him so you can search his den. You want to go inside, be my guest, but I'm not responsible for what happens to you. Remember, you've interrupted his dinner."
"Uh, I'm okay with taking her word for it," the younger, greener trooper said.
"Yeah, and what if he's in there?"
Another roar erupted, and West almost yelped with surprise. His heart thudded in his chest, and adrenaline raced through his blood, making him shake. He tightened his hand on the gun not knowing if he was going to shoot a trooper, the bear, or end his own existence to save them all.
Alice Cooper was balls down the biggest threat here.
Suddenly the bear decided to leave West and lumbered out of the opening into the metal padlocked area.
"Holy Mother of God!" One of the troopers hollered. "That is the biggest goddamned bear I've ever seen. I'm good. No way McAllister's in there unless that bear has already eaten him and then he'll end up a pile of shit like he deserves.
"Seen enough?" Briar asked.
"Yeah, we've seen enough."
"Good, I'll walk you back to your vehicle." Briar headed down the path without looking back. Damn, she was doing a great job covering for him. He appreciated it, and at the same time, hated himself for putting her in this position.
West let out a breath, and the older, more jaded of the troopers turned back toward the building. He looked it over and then slowly left, taking his time.
"Look at that ass on her," the younger officer murmured to his partner. "Now that is one woman I'd like to get to know in the biblical sense, you know what I mean?"
"Seems like a lot of work to me. Too many animals."
"Yeah, but I bet she's 'wild' in the sack. Get it?"
West wanted to kill him for talking about Briar like that. But she stopped and turned, taking care of the situation herself.
"You realize I can hear you, right? My opinion of men isn't as high as the four-legged creatures I have on this place. You don't even come close to competing."
Good for you, Briar.
West slumped in the rafters as they ambled out of sight. That had been too close. Way too close.
Alice Cooper nuzzled his pant leg.
He wasn't out of the bear's den yet. Geez. And he'd thought cow tipping as a kid had been exciting.
Chapter Eight
Briar watched the troopers leave, waiting long enough for the SUV to turn around the bend and make their way down the long drive to the street before she rushed back up the path.
She opened the metal gate and walked in to the corralled area. Alice Cooper sat on his haunches, his big paws in front of him.
"You were great, Alice. Stellar performance. Oscar worthy. Nice touch with the roars too." She rubbed him behind his ears, and let him bat her around in his affectionate way.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" West lowered himself down from the rafters and dropped to the ground. Alice roared at him, making him jump.
Briar giggled.
"You could have told me he was an old softy rather than thinking he was going eat me alive."
"There wasn't a lot of time. Plus, if you got along with O.D., I knew Alice would love you. I've actually found the two nuzzled up together on occasion."
"An otter and a bear? Bedmates?"
"Neither know they are otters and bears, they just know they are wanted."
"Well, next time, give me a heads up." He rubbed the back of his neck. "God, I hope there won't be a next time."
"Hungry?" she asked.
"Starved."
He took in every inch of her. It wasn't food he wanted.
Her mouth went dry remembering the kiss they'd shared before the troopers showed. "I was...uh, talking to Alice."
"Right. What can I help you with?"
West took directions surprisingly well. Faster than she thought, they'd checked on, fed, and administered meds to the much-neglected group of animals. They accepted him without raising a warning. Even Ozzy and his wolf pack, which surprised the hell out of her. The three-legged wolf didn't like anyone. He merely tolerated her. Having West's help kept the workload light, and they were back at the cabin in record time.
Briar made a simple dinner and they sat around talking
in the dim lighting. It was all so normal, almost like they were on a date. And she wished, more than once, that she was his date instead of his hostage.
"You didn't turn me in," West stated as they cleaned up the dishes. He still didn't know why she hadn't. She'd had the perfect opportunity.
"Yeah, well." She shrugged.
"Why?"
She handed him a dish to dry. "Not sure. Just went with my gut, I guess."
His eyes fell to her middle. "I like your gut. That is..." He did like her gut, her breasts, her hips. Everything about her actually.
She blushed and sunk her hands into the soapy water searching for another dish.
They'd returned from finishing the chores, and she'd made him the best grilled cheese sandwich he'd ever tasted, heating up a can of tomato soup as an accompaniment. It was the finest comfort meal he'd had since…well, a god-awful long time.
The lighting was soft in the cabin and the room glowed. She glowed. Bloomed like the fireweed outside the cabin, tall and resilient, yet with an air of delicacy that had him captivated.
She pulled the drain and rinsed the sink, and he handed her a towel to dry her hands.
"Thank you," she said.
"No, thank you." He held her gaze feeling the overpowering urge to kiss her again. He stepped back before he gave in. He'd taken too much from her already. Asked too much.
"I'll...uh, fix up my dad's room for you to sleep in."
"No, I'm sleeping in your room. On the floor," he quickly added when her eyes widened. "There's a powerful man who wants me dead. If he somehow tracks me here...I should leave now."
"No one is crazy enough to come here after dark. I'm not going to do anything, or call anyone. You can trust me."
"It's not that. I need to be close to you in case—I don't want anything happening to you."
"Who is after you?"
"Look, what I did wasn't an escape. At least, I hadn't planned on escaping."
"What happened?"
"US Marshal Hugh Wiseman needs me silenced. If the right people listen to me, his crime network will crumble. Yesterday was a hit. I was supposed to have been killed. Instead, another man is dead. This one I killed in self-defense, not that anyone will believe me."
"I believe you."
He clenched his hands to keep from reaching for her. He'd give anything to be able to haul her into his arms. That tonight was just two people enjoying dinner and now headed to bed. Together. No prison sentence or murder charges hanging over his head, and her not his victim, which is what the authorities would now label her.
"Tomorrow will be a long day," West said, taking another step back. "We should get some sleep."
"I'll, uhm, get you a sleeping bag and a pillow."
"Would you mind if I grabbed a shower? Might be the last one I get for a while."
"Of course not. I'll find you a clean towel."
It was all so polite, Briar thought, as she gathered up items for West.
She might have had a chance of actually sleeping if West had decided to take her dad's bed. But if he was in her room, there would be no way she'd rest. Not when she wanted to touch him, have him kiss her again, feel his large body against hers, pressing her into the mattress, or her pressing him into the mattress as she rode him. She'd always wanted to be on top, but had felt self-conscious about her size. She didn't feel that way around West McAllister. If anything she knew she could be herself with him. Get wild and maybe a little demanding and he wouldn't scare off.
He looked like he was up for all kinds of wild things, and the thought of him inside her created a thrill she couldn't suppress.
He's an escaped convict.
True, but there was more to the story than what had been reported. She'd always been good at making up her own mind instead of believing what she'd read in the news.
Still, she shouldn't be thinking what she was thinking.
"Here." She handed West a clean change of clothes, a towel and washrag along with a fresh razor and a brand new toothbrush. "Do you have everything you need?"
He looked like he wanted to reach out and grab her, but he entered the bathroom instead. "This will do. Thanks, Briar." He shut the door and she didn't move until she heard the water pulse through the shower head.
The right thing to do would be to call the police and turn him in before he was hurt or heaven forbid, shot down. That thought had her heart stuck in her throat. But if she was going to turn him in, she should've done it when the troopers had shown up. It would have been the perfect time.
Time was up. She'd made her decision and would have to live with it.
She made another decision.
She wouldn't look back on tonight and regret that she didn't act.
West McAllister was a wanted man, and she wanted him like she'd never wanted a man before.
Chapter Nine
West suffered through a cold shower, hoping it would help dampen his yearning for Briar, but the minute he entered her bedroom he knew it had all been for naught.
A rolled up sleeping bag was on the floor while Briar stood next to her bed, her hair unrestrained and cascading down her shoulders in fiery waves. She wore a liquid-soft blue shift, tank top style, with the fabric ending at the top of her thighs. Her legs were amazing. Long and muscled like those of an Amazon warrior. She'd squeezed him between them earlier today, and he so badly wanted to be gripped between them again.
He reached for the sleeping bag.
"You won't be needing that," she said, her voice thick and smoky. "If you want, you can sleep in the bed."
"That probably...isn't a good idea."
"Why?"
Why? "If I get into your bed, we won't sleep."
"Good."
Good? "What are you saying, Briar?" He needed her to spell it out. Needed to know what language she spoke, because he didn't want to make any mistakes here. Not where she was concerned, and Lord knew his list of mistakes were now a matter of court record.
Slowly she walked toward him. The scent of fireweed seduced him into a state of stillness as she lifted her hand and lightly caressed his smooth-shaven jaw.
He swallowed as her hand traveled down his neck to his chest, and she began unbuttoning the shirt she'd given him to wear.
"I don't want to sleep," she whispered.
He imprisoned her hands. "Briar, have you thought this through?"
"Yes." A flicker of doubt surfaced, and she nervously wetted her lips. "I understand if you don't want—"
He silenced her with his mouth, his tongue diving deep. He released her hands and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her hips into his so that she had absolutely no doubt how much he wanted her.
She moaned, and it was the most wondrous sound he'd ever heard. A combination of purr and growl and it lit a fire in his blood. He tore his mouth free. "I haven't been with a woman in a very long time."
"That's okay. I've never been with a woman."
He choked on a laugh.
"Don't ever change." He kissed her again, wanting to drown in her. "I don't have a way to protect you, Briar."
"You don't need to. I can protect myself."
"Condoms, birth control. I don't have anything."
She blushed and suddenly turned shy, her gaze dropping to the wood floor. "That's okay, I mean, I have it covered. Well, not covered obviously, but you know."
"God, I hope so." He laughed and nuzzled her neck. Her head fell back on a gasp, and she curled into him.
"Turn off the lights and take me to bed," she whispered.
He shook his head. "I want to see you. I want to know everything about you, remember everything we do together." The way the light touched her skin and made it look almost translucent, her hair turning to flame, her body so perfectly rounded and proportioned.
He reached for the hem on the slip of her nightdress and slowly pulled it over her head. His breath caught. She had the body artists painted during the Renaissance and poets penned sonnets about. Her breasts were la
rge and soft, with dusty areoles budding with nipples the color of rosehips. Her shoulders were strong and capable, able to carry the burdens she'd chosen, yet her waist was soft and slightly rounded, with hips flaring wide.
"You are so beautiful." His voice broke and he reached for her, his mouth coming down on hers.
The feel of her in his arms was home. The embodiment of safety and shelter.
As an officer of the law, it had been his job to keep people safe, but this was the first time he'd felt shielded in a woman's arms.
He buried his lips in her neck, breathing deep of her scent. He never wanted to forget the way she smelled, wild and sweet, how perfect she felt in his arms. He wished they had forever to explore each other. Tomorrow would be here too soon and he would have to leave, run for his life. He pushed the thoughts out of his head.
Tonight was all about Briar. He'd commit everything to memory so that he could pull them out and relive how she tasted, how she gasped his name, her arms tightening around him as if she never wanted to let him go.
"Put your arms around my neck," he instructed, pleased when she did so without question. He bent and scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
"Oh, wow," she said, holding onto him tighter.
"No, the wow comes later." He laid her gently on the sheets. She'd already folded down the comforter. He fanned her curls out over the pillow until they formed a halo of fire. "God, you're stunning. Wild, striking, unforgettable."
He kissed her long and leisurely and then stood beside the bed and undressed.
She gulped when he stood bare in front of her. The bandage on his side stood out in stark relief against his naturally tanned skin. "You are the one who is beautiful." She reached out a hand to touch above where she'd cut him. "Sorry for this."
"I'm not." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. His fingers trailed over the side of her upper thigh and hip where she had a fireweed tattoo. "I like this. What's the story?"
"Mind if I share that later as it's long and involved? I'd really like you inside me right now."
A mangled curse escaped him, and his knees almost buckled under him. He loved her bluntness.
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