Page 11 of Protective Assignment (Warrior Peak Sanctuary #1)

River rolled down the window as they pulled away from the lodge.

It was a cool, clear day, the sky was blue above them, and the air smelled fresh and clean from the recent rain.

She stuck her hand out of the opening and swam it in the air as they made their way down the winding road that led to the town at the bottom of the mountain.

A smile spread over her face as she tipped it up toward the sun.

Even though her time at the lodge was just beginning, she was starting to actually believe she had something good here. A safe place to stay, new friends, a job of her own where she’d make her own money. It almost felt like a dream.

“You sleep well?” His voice suddenly broke their peaceful ride.

She glanced toward him and nodded. “Actually, I did.”

It was the truth. For the first time in a while, she had actually slept through the night instead of jumping up every five minutes to check that nobody was following her or she wasn’t being watched.

And she had actually slept in the bed instead of sitting on the edge of it, dozing off clutching her knife in her hand.

She wasn’t sure how much longer this newfound confidence was going to last, but she wanted to enjoy every moment of it while she could.

“Good, that’s good,” he murmured, and she glanced over at him. He had one arm leaning on the window, and his eyes on the road, but she could tell his attention was on her. “Speaking of that, there’s something we need to discuss. I actually just found out this morning.”

River couldn’t help but tense a little at his odd-sounding tone and clench her fingers in her lap. Did something happen concerning her? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know, but the mood in the truck suddenly shifted. Instead of asking, she waited silently for Cade to continue.

“So, apparently, there’s going to be some sort of event happening at the lodge and it’s booked out to capacity.” He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, suddenly nervous. “I, ah, was told that we’re going to be sharing my cabin for a while.”

“Oh.” River couldn’t help the anxious energy that washed over her at his words.

She wasn’t sure what else to say. She was hoping to have her own space and sharing with Cade certainly wasn’t ideal—but she didn’t mind too much.

She was really curious what he thought of them sharing space but she wasn’t sure how to approach the subject.

“Yeah, ah, Hannah brought your backpack over this morning and thought it’d be easier if we discussed it rather than having a go-between.

” He turned to look at her for a moment before concentrating back on the road.

“If it’s really uncomfortable for you, I’m sure Xavier can work something else out.

She mentioned them holding a couple of other cabins for overfills, but I’m sure they’d consider one for you if it was an issue… ”

He sounded about as nervous as she felt.

She didn’t know if it was because he didn’t want to room with her or if it was something else.

“So, roommates, then.” River darted another glance in his direction before looking down at her lap.

So much for her newfound confidence. She was out of her league here.

The thought of being alone with this man…

No, she wasn’t going there. She’d find a way to make do.

Stay away from the cabin as much as possible, if she had to.

“I’m sorry to inconvenience you like this.

I’ll try to be as quiet as possible. You won’t even know I’m there. ”

“I don’t know about that,” she heard him mutter under his breath.

Clearing his throat he replied, “Don’t worry about it.

I just hope it’s not too uncomfortable for you, what with me basically being a stranger and all.

I promise you’re safe with me, though.” River felt a rush a warmth spread through her body as Cade’s steady gaze shifted again to her before turning back to the road.

“You think we’ll be able to find what I need in town?” she asked again, trying to change the subject to a safer topic.

She still wasn’t totally sure about showing her face in Blue Ridge, but with Cade there as well, at least she had someone she could hide behind.

It was hard to believe anyone would think to look for her here, and she just had to hope the locals weren’t interested in who she was or why she had showed up there out of the blue.

“I think so,” he replied with a nod. “A lot of people around here take care of their own clothes like you do. There’s a craft store that sells pretty much everything you could need.”

“You know this place pretty well, then?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Yeah, I stayed here for a while before I moved up to the lodge,” he explained. “I started off in the city when I was recovering, but I came down here to be closer to my brother and his work.”

“What’s it like?” she asked curiously.

“Well, everyone knows everyone,” he said with a smile. “At least, during the off season. In the summer, they get a lot of tourists through here, which is how the town makes most of its money. Mostly hikers looking to hit the trails. But the rest of the time, it’s pretty quiet.”

He filled her in on the town a little more, and she nodded as she took it in, watching the road outside as it wound down into the town.

She hadn’t had a good look at it the first time she had been out here, but it was really pretty in the sunlight.

The leaves on the trees that lined the road were turning gold and red and brown, and a few floated down on to the road as they drove.

They reached the outskirts of the town, which wasn’t much more than a few streets wrapped around a small central square.

Cade pulled the truck to a stop next to the square, which was framed by perfectly manicured bushes on each side.

He climbed out and rounded the hood, and this time, she allowed him to open the door for her instead of flinging it off its hinges herself.

He offered her a hand to jump out, and she slipped her fingers onto his palm for a moment.

There was something about touching him that seemed to make the whole world slow down around her for a split second, something she couldn’t quite put into words. He smiled at her, and she just looked at him, the moment freezing and burning itself into her head.

She hopped out of the truck and forced her mind back to reality.

It was nothing. It was such a long time since she had actually felt safe with someone.

That’s why she was reacting this way to him.

She wasn’t falling for him or anything. She wasn’t even sure she would know what that felt like, if she was being honest. She could admit, though, that she did enjoy having him around.

If it wasn’t for him, she would probably be out on the freezing roads again, trying her luck with whatever driver would pull over and pick her up.

“The craft store’s just over there,” he said, pointing down the street to a quaint little shop called Thread the Needle with seasonal decorations in the window—pumpkins with carved-out faces, plastic skeletons and fake cobwebs dangling from every corner.

“I have a few errands to run afterward, so maybe we can explore some more?” he suggested.

She nodded. “I’d really like that. I’d like to see about getting a few things for myself, if possible. Xavier gave me a little advance to grab some stuff.”

He held the door open when they got to the store. A bell over the door announced their arrival, and an older woman behind the counter looked up and smiled when she saw them come in.

“Oh, hello there, Cade! It’s been a while,” she greeted them brightly. “And who’s this? I don’t think we’ve met, sweetie.”

“This is River. We’ve come down from the lodge to get some supplies,” Cade said, hooking a thumb in her direction.

River lifted her hand in an awkward wave and gave the woman a small smile that she hoped didn’t look too nervous.

The woman’s eyes darted over her dress, taking it in. “I’m Mary. Mary Cinder.” After introducing herself, she stepped around the counter and planted her hands on her hips. “Did you make that dress yourself?” she asked.

River tensed, but nodded.

“It’s wonderful,” she said, shaking her head as she looked it up and down. “Totally unique. I love the design you’ve used for the bodice and the sleeves…so rare for a young woman like you to take an interest in sewing like that.”

“Thank you,” she replied softly, smiling bigger this time.

It had been a long time since anyone had complimented anything she had done, and she would be lying if she said it didn’t feel a little strange. But the woman, Mary, seemed totally sincere, so she tried to brush off the doubts in the back of her mind.

“Of course, dear,” Mary replied. “It’s a lost art, and it’s people like you who are going to keep it alive for the next generation. Do you quilt, too?”

“Um, I’ve done a little in the past, but not much.”

“You should join our quilting group,” Mary told her firmly, as though she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “We meet bimonthly, it’s a lovely group of ladies. I bet you could teach them a thing or two, based on this dress, anyway.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“Do you mind if I take a closer look at your stitching on the collar?” Mary asked, taking a step toward River. River hesitated for a moment, not sure if this was a good idea, but she forced herself to nod.

“Sure. Go ahead,” she replied, and Mary examined the back of her dress, chatting away to her about the skills she’d have needed to make it. River didn’t tell her the truth of how she’d learned those skills—their necessity for survival—but she appreciated her kindness.

“Give me your list, River, and I’ll start getting the stuff while you ladies chat.” Cade made his way around the store, picking up everything on her list, and by the time Mary was done looking at her dress, he was ready to check out.