A Stranger on Her Doorstep

by Julie Miller

  He reluctantly loosened his hold, though he didn’t push her away. “Why is it scarier to watch you do something dangerous than for me to do it myself?”

  Her cheeks were flushed, and she was slightly breathless when she turned to face him, although whether her reaction was from the exertion of her climb or the momentary embrace, he couldn’t tell. At least she wasn’t lecturing him about this growing need to touch her. Then again, maybe she was just excited about whatever she’d discovered that she was eager to share. “I didn’t see anything on this side of the highway.” She pulled out her phone and brought up the pictures she’d taken. “There were tire tracks on the far side of the road. The grass in the ditch had been weed-whacked, but only a section of it. The highway department would have mowed everything along the shoulder. If you look closer, you can see the bottom of the stalks have been crushed.”

  “Like something heavy plowed through the ditch.”

  She nodded. “And then I saw this.”

  Ava swiped to a photo of a light-colored patch of unweathered rock that had been gouged out of the granite on the far side of the ditch. He spotted what she must have. “Something hit those rocks pretty hard.”

  “Like an out of control SUV?”

  “They tapped my bumper and I spun out. I glanced off the rocks and flipped the SUV. Came to a stop on this side of the road.” He remembered smacking his head against the window, then tumbling and tumbling. “They dragged me to the edge of the road.”

  “They? There was more than one man who attacked you?”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting to remember. There were no faces, only words.

  It’s not on him.

  Grab his ID. I don’t want anyone to link the body to us.

  Nothing personal, Captain. Orders are orders.

  Then the bullets and the falling.

  Soft fingers brushed against his forearm. “Luke?”

  His eyes snapped open. “Yeah. I’m okay.” A big, furry weight leaned against his thigh, and he suddenly understood the power of Maxie’s healing touch. He gazed down into Ava’s deep blue eyes even as he scrubbed his fingers around Maxie’s ears. “You called me Luke.”

  “I called you Larkin first. You didn’t answer.” She reached over to pet the dog, too. “You went away from us.”

  “I was remembering yesterday morning. Parts of it. I’m Luke...” Even without the initials on his key chain or any ID, the name finally fell into place. His chest expanded in a deep, unfettered breath as clarity returned. “I’m Luke Broughton. I remember!”

  He barely heard her startled gasp as he picked her up and swung her around, celebrating the breakthrough he’d been half-afraid was never going to happen.

  “I’m Luke Broughton. I remember now. Lucas Howard Broughton, Captain, United States Marine Corps, Retired. Honorable discharge due to chronic injury. Howard was my dad’s name. I’m Luke...” He stopped when he realized he was staring straight into those cobalt eyes. A gust of warm breath whispered across his cheek as he assessed every inch of body contact between them. Although Ava’s left hand was braced against his chest, their hips were cinched tightly enough to feel where hard lines ended and soft curves began. He’d latched on to one of those enticing curves with a possessive grasp of her bottom. Her other hand was still anchored at the back of his neck as he slowly set her on her feet. He held his hands out to either side of her, praying that what had felt so natural for him hadn’t felt like confinement to her. “I’m sorry. I forgot the three-second rule.”

  “It’s okay. Recognizing your name again is something worth celebrating.” She pulled her hand from behind his neck, stroking it across his beard as she retreated. He looked for signs of panic or fear, but her eyes were following the path of her fingertips through the short hair of his beard. He saw curiosity. No, interest. No. Desire.

  She touched a finger to the curve of his lip, but quickly pulled away as if she’d felt that same jolt of electricity arcing between them that he did. Damn, he wanted to kiss her. “Ava...”

  She reached out to Maxie, and he grudgingly let the dog offer the grounding comfort she didn’t want from him. “What about the men who tried to kill you?”

  Luke shook his head. “I don’t have faces yet. And I don’t know the why.” He patted his stomach. “Except they were looking for this. But I’ve got no clue what’s on it.”

  “Let’s focus on what we do know.” She polished off her bottle of water and packed supplies back in Maxie’s saddlebags, perhaps giving him time to cool his jets so another embrace like that wouldn’t happen again. “You’re Luke Broughton. We could look you up online or check military databases. Maybe I could ask Detective Charles to run a background check—if you were in military law enforcement, there’s probably some sort of interagency cooperation he can tap into.”

  “Let’s hold off on that. If the person who’s after me is the one who hacked into Charles’s computer, then a search like that would put him on alert. I don’t want them to connect you to me in any other way beyond giving me a ride to the hospital yesterday.”

  “All right. What else do we know?”

  “The chief of security at Bell Design Systems is looking for me. My car was sabotaged and run off the road where someone shot me.”

  “And to save yourself, you dove over the edge of a cliff and showed up on my doorstep.” She pointed to the top of the cliff. “To hide their tracks, someone cleaned up where the accident ended. But they didn’t do as good a job cleaning up where it began.”

  He handed her his water bottle to stow away so that they wouldn’t leave any trash or trail. “If I only had the vehicle to match these tire treads to. I could trace the VIN back to BDS...or to Luke Broughton if I’m the owner. I’d be able to get an address at least.”

  “Want to bet the SUV that was destroyed in Scott Harold’s junkyard was the one you were driving?”

  He wouldn’t take that bet. “Someone went to a lot of effort to clean up any evidence of the crime. Either I’m a big threat to BDS or I did something really bad.”

  “If my instincts aren’t as rusty as I think they are, I’d vote for being a big threat. I’m the one who insisted on getting involved with this. You tried to walk away when you found out about my...history. You’ve gone out of your way to help me, not hurt me.”

  “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Ava. Not even me,” he promised.

  She studied him for a moment, then nodded. “I believe you.”

  Nothing humbling about that. Man, he wanted to be worthy of this woman. He wanted to be her partner, her protector. He wanted to see where a future with her might lead. But first, he had to resolve his past.

  “So, we’ll assume I’m a good guy. Even if my tactics don’t always make that apparent.” Although there were still some key gaps in his memory, enough of it was coming back that he remembered how to piece together clues and solve a crime. “I’d like to get that bullet Doc Russell took out of my shoulder and turn it and the casings you collected over to the authorities. Would you be offended if I said I want to give them to the state police and not your buddy Sheriff Stout?”

  Her lips curled into a wry half smile. “I get it. Brandon thinks you intend to hurt me or use me, so he wouldn’t be very sympathetic.” She picked up her discarded blouse and shook off the dirt and pine needles that stuck to the cotton. “In the meantime, you and that secret information in your stomach are the only evidence that BDS or some individual at BDS has left to get rid of.” She slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves. “But evidence of what? Any ideas yet about what’s on that flash drive you ate?”

  “We won’t know for a few hours yet. My memory is coming back in bits and pieces, so we’re still at a disadvantage. Hopefully, the flash drive will tell us everything else we need to know.” He picked up her backpack and held it out to her. “All the more reason to get away from the road and back into
the seclusion of the forest for a while longer. You said you had an idea for an escape plan if we need one?”

  She thanked him for the pack. “I can show you if you want. How are you holding up? There’s a direct route back to the cabin if you need to get home.”

  “I’ve been following that beautiful backside of yours all afternoon. I’m not about to stop now.”

  Her cheeks turned that adorable shade of pink.

  “Not the worst thing a man’s ever said to me.” He loved that she was clever enough to throw his teasing words back at him. She shrugged into her backpack. Even with all those curves and skin camouflaged, he couldn’t look away. “Do you want me to call you Luke now? Or stick with Larkin?”

  “As long as you keep talking to me, I’m good.”

  “So am I.” Those were the words he needed to hear. Ava was okay. They—whatever they were—were okay. She picked up her walking stick and whistled for Maxie. She nodded toward his injured leg. “Come on, Limpy. I promise this will be an easier hike.”

  Chapter Ten

  A half hour later, they turned away from the creek they’d been following. Although Ava had been true to her word about this being an easier hike, Luke was feeling how hard he’d been pushing himself today.

  “Are we there yet?” he teased, pretending his hip and knee weren’t throbbing with every step.

  She wasn’t fooled. “You’re really limping now. We need to take a break.” Ava pointed to the thick grove of statuesque pine trees. “Fortunately, we’re here. The trees camouflage it from the path. But if you climb up onto that first ledge, you’ll see it.”

  “See what?” He followed her off the trail, climbing the easy footholds in the rocks. Once they’d cleared the granite ledge, a shallow, wide-mouthed cave opened up at waist level ahead of them. Luke blew out a long, awestruck whistle behind her. “The fortress at Stormhaven.”

  Ava smiled and gave Maxie a boost up to reach the next platform of rock that formed the floor of the cave. “You really are a fan of the Chronicles.”

  Although it was only about a five-foot rise, the rock face was steeper here. But Ava had discovered the best roots and safest crevices to grab to climb up into the cave. Luke followed the same path. Maxie was already sniffing around, looking for any little critters she needed to chase out.

  “Can you make it okay?” By the time she turned to offer him a hand, he was pulling himself up into the cave beside her. He reached up to touch the roof of the cave and measure the head clearance he had to have to remain standing before turning to take in the view over the tops of the trees. “I see your inspiration. Granite walls. Hidden entrance. A view of the entire kingdom.”

  She grinned and shook her head. “Or the Hoback River Basin between the Wyoming and Wind River mountain ranges.”

  “I see rocks and trees and a river when I look out there. You see the Dragon Lands and Larkin’s village.” He followed her to a dented metal trunk tucked away against the cave wall several feet from the opening. Although the rivets at every joint showed signs of rust, the padlock she slid a key into was shiny and new. He helped her drag it away from the rocks so that the lid would open fully. Inside, he saw a folded camp chair, two blankets in plastic bags, a stash of metal bottles he assumed were filled with water and a faded blue metal tackle box. “The larder is stocked, I see. You could hide out here overnight if you had to.”

  “If the weather isn’t too cold,” she agreed. “Grandpa helped me set this up when I was fifteen. He’s the only other person who’s ever been here.”

  “Not even Sheriff Touchy-Feely? You said you two were close growing up.”

  “Nope. Even Grandma never ventured out here. She said a teenager needed her privacy, and as along as Grandpa thought it was safe, she approved.”

  “I’m honored to make the short list of guests.”

  Ava pulled out the camp chair and he set it up. Meanwhile, she tossed one of the blankets out, which Maxie immediately scratched at before circling around several times and lying down on it. “I don’t keep perishables here because of scavengers. Just some basic supplies in case I misjudge the length of a hike and need to rest, or I need a place to get away.” More secluded than her cabin? This woman really did find security in being alone. Next, she opened up the tackle box to reveal her stash. “Flashlight and batteries. Matches. Pocketknife.”

  He pulled out a weathered journal and box of pencils. “Something to record your inspirations? Or a secret diary?”

  Ava snatched it away and tucked it back inside the bottom of the tackle box.

  Luke laughed. “Ah. Secret diary. The lovestruck ramblings of a teenage girl?”

  She swatted his arm. “There are things in that journal that will never see the light of day. I do write out here sometimes. But I’ll put my computer notebook in my backpack and enjoy the fresh air for a few hours.” She gestured to the camp chair for Luke, then closed the trunk. “Have a seat. I’m afraid you’re overdoing it.”

  “I’m fine. I’ll take an energy bar and one of those bottles of water Maxie is carrying, though, if she’ll share.”

  “Sure.” Ava pulled her lips tight against her teeth and let out a shrill whistle. The Great Pyrenees immediately popped up and trotted over to her mistress.

  “The dragon summoning that Willow uses. You’ve whistled for her before.”

  Ava pulled out snacks and a bottle of water for them both. “Not everything in my life is part of my books.” She removed the saddlebags and gave the dog’s back and flanks a vigorous petting before urging the dog to curl up on her blanket again. Then Ava sat on the corner of the trunk, and they all took a few minutes to relax and recoup their energy. “How did you become a Bonecrusher fan?”

  “A buddy introduced me to the series on a deployment. When I was in the hospital at Landstuhl, I reread through every one of them. It was a distraction from the pain and the loss. And yeah, I fantasized about gettin’ busy with Willow.” He hoped the color warming her skin meant she was flattered by his subtle compliments. And yes, now that he’d put a face to the heroine, he’d fantasized about the real thing, too. He washed down a bite of the bar with a drink of water and leaned back in the nylon canvas seat to take in the mountain scenery. He understood how this place could feel like a haven, isolated in some of the most gorgeous country he’d ever seen. “Mostly I related to that sense of having a quest, a mission to fulfill. There was a purpose to what your characters were doing. Just like the Corps. Just like my efforts to heal and make it through rehab. And the team in your books, the bonds they share, it felt like my unit. We weren’t dealing with sorcerers and hundred-year-old curses, but the feeling was the same. Hell, I miss those guys.” He stuffed the last of the bar into his mouth and took another drink. “So, what’s stopping you from finishing the next Chronicle? Speaking strictly as a fan, you kind of left us hangin’.”

  “You, too, huh?” She dabbed at the crumbs clinging to her lips, and he silently warned that most interested part of his anatomy to keep things casual. “I think I took a left turn in the last book by introducing Lord Zeville, and I’m not sure how to come back from it.” Nope. Putting her lips around the bottle for another drink wasn’t helping his lower half remember to mind its manners. Luke had to shift to a more comfortable position and look away from the temptation. “Plus, there’s the whole Larkin/Willow thing. I swear if those two don’t get together, I’m going to lose half my readers. The other half can’t get enough of the sexual tension, and fear it will go away if those two ever come out and say the three magic words, and—like you said—get busy. It would be such a big moment in the series. I don’t know if I could get the details right.”

  “Are you kidding?” Did she not feel the sexual tension filling up this cave? Whether she believed it or not, the woman got every detail right, as far as he was concerned. “That make-out session in the dungeon in the last book was pretty hot. I was certain
they were going to seal the deal then. If the rebels hadn’t chosen that moment to rescue them...” Luke could have sworn his own skin was heating beneath his beard. “I have to tell you I got a lot of mileage from that scene. I finished it a dozen different ways in my imagination. That’s vivid, compelling writing.”

  “Thanks.” Her smile thanked him for the praise, but the stroke of her knuckles along her scarred cheek revealed the uncertainty within her. “I think because of what happened to me, I’m afraid to let go the way I’d need to in order to create that kind of closeness again. How am I supposed to get Larkin and Willow to kiss or touch, much less make love, when I can’t even do it myself?”

  “You let me touch you. For three seconds. For more than three seconds a little while ago.” She laughed at the reminder, but it was a sad, self-deprecating sound.

  He remembered something one of his doctors had said to him when he’d despaired about ever being whole enough to be useful to the Corps again. “Turn your shortcomings into an advantage. If you can’t be as physical as you once were, then be more mental.” Although he’d made a joke that being mental was the problem, the doctor hadn’t laughed. “Be smarter, Captain Broughton. Use your brains if your body fails you. A good investigator has to be smarter than the bad guy, not faster.”

  Could that philosophy work for Ava, too? “Maybe you shouldn’t try to be the same writer you were before your kidnapping. Embrace who you are now. Let those emotions work for you. You’ve changed. Maybe Willow needs to change, too.”

  Her blue eyes were dark like midnight in the shadows of the cave. But he knew she was searching his expression, considering his suggestion, wanting to believe it could work. “How do you mean? It’s hard enough to talk about the kidnapping. I don’t think I could write about it and share it with the world.”