Page 5 of Valor (Long Hot Summer: Christian Romantic Suspense #2)

CHAPTER FIVE

Emily’s kiss caught him completely off guard. He’d never imagined she’d do something like that. But he couldn’t stop himself from pulling her close and deepening their kiss. If he were honest, he’d thought about kissing her all the time during the hours she’d cared for his injury. And those feelings had not gone away.

If anything, they’d grown stronger.

He held her tight for a long minute, then forced himself to end their embrace. As much as he wanted to keep her in his arms, this—whatever this was—wasn’t fair to her. She deserved better than a guy like him.

Bear pounced on his feet, biting his boot laces. Using the puppy as a distraction, he tried to control his breathing as he scooped the pup off the ground. “We should get going.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Her voice was clipped, and glancing at her, he realized she was hurt. Feeling his gaze, she abruptly turned and headed for the truck.

There were so many things he wanted to say, but what was the point? They had no future together, which was what she deserved. He was living in the crosshairs. Whoever these guys were, they wouldn’t stop. They would keep coming after him until he was dead.

And that was a lousy legacy to give a woman as sweet, kind, and beautiful as Emily Sanders.

“You’ll be good for her, Bear,” he murmured as he carried the puppy to the car. When he left Emily behind, he’d make sure she kept the puppy too. He opened her passenger-side door, set the dog on her lap, then turned to grab the dishes. He stored them in the back, then slid in behind the wheel.

He continued heading up the mountain, keeping a wary eye on the temperature gauge. The truck wasn’t new, and he had no idea how well the engine had been maintained.

“Are we just going to keep driving for the rest of the night?”

“No, of course not.” He shot her a surprised glance. “We’ll find a place to stay. Maybe a campground of some sort.”

She frowned. “We don’t have any camping gear. Not even a sleeping bag.”

“I know.” He shrugged. “You can stretch out on the back seat. I’ll sleep sitting up.”

She didn’t look happy about that suggestion, and it took him a minute to remember he’d promised to leave her someplace safe so that her brother could pick her up. Giving himself a mental kick in the pants, he amended his plan. “Look, the truth is, I don’t know where the next town is located. It could be farther away than we realize. Depending on the distance, I may need to take a few hours to rest. Especially since I’m not sure it’s wise to drive in the mountains all night. We don’t want to hit a deer, elk, or some other wild animal.”

“Fine with me.” She avoided his gaze, stroking the puppy in her arms. “I should have considered the hazards of driving through the mountains at night.”

He didn’t answer, wishing their previous camaraderie would return. She was the one who’d kissed him.

Yet he was the one who’d kissed her as if he’d never let her go.

“I don’t know this area very well either,” she said, breaking the silence. “I haven’t been this deep into the Bighorn Mountains. I used to live in the Jackson Hole area, which is where I grew up. I’ve only been in Cody for seven months.”

He glanced at her in surprise. “I didn’t know that you recently moved to the area.”

She arched a brow. “Are you saying you wouldn’t have kidnapped me if you had known I was a newbie in Cody?”

He winced, knowing he deserved the verbal jab. “Kidnapping you wasn’t my idea, but I did go along with the plan. I knew I couldn’t go to the hospital as the staff would have called the police to report the gunshot wound.”

“I’m well aware of the rules, but you had a cop on your payroll.” She turned in her seat to face him. “I always wondered why you didn’t just take the chance and make sure the right cop came to take the report?”

“Because the right cop wasn’t on duty and wouldn’t have come alone. Cody isn’t that big, and if a formal report of a gunshot wound was made, the entire police force would have been on me.” He couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “I’m sorry you were taken against your will. That was a lousy thing to do.”

“Yeah, it was. Although I’m glad you only needed my nursing expertise.” She glanced back down at Bear. “I wonder if the Sullivan K9 ranch can help me train Bear to be a search and rescue dog.”

“I’m sure they can. From what I hear, the Sullivans are the experts in that realm.” There was no reason for him to be sad about Emily making plans for her future. One that didn’t include him. That was exactly what he wanted for her.

Right?

Right.

He steeled his resolve to get her to safety as he navigated the winding highway. The sooner he dropped her someplace where her brother could pick her up, the better. He kept an eye out for signs indicating other towns they may be approaching. There was one for a ski hill that obviously wouldn’t be in use this time of the year.

Sure enough, he didn’t see a single car as they drove past.

“I think I’d like to learn how to search for lost or missing people.” Emily’s tone was wistful. “I love being a nurse, but it would be nice to do something more fulfilling.”

More fulfilling than caring for sick people? He couldn’t imagine a more rewarding career. And wasn’t that the biggest difference between them?

He’d joined the drug trade to find the man who’d killed his brother, while she’d chosen to dedicate her life to helping others. His purpose was fueled by revenge, hers by kindness and compassion.

He struggled not to show the depth of his emotions. Going soft wouldn’t help. He needed to stay on edge long enough to make sure Emily would be safe. “You can do anything you put your mind to.”

“So can you, Owen.” Her comment struck his heart like an arrow. “You don’t have to keep running. You can work with my brother to put the real bad guys behind bars.”

“I don’t even know who they are.” His voice was harsher than he’d intended. “So no, Emily. That’s not an option for me.”

“Finding the bad guys is Doug’s area of expertise,” she insisted, undaunted by his comment. When he sighed, she threw up her hands. “Okay, fine. Just promise me one thing, Owen.”

He tensed, sensing this would not be an easy request. “What?”

“Just think about it.” Her voice softened. “Take the time to consider what you could accomplish if you weren’t working on the wrong side of the law and running from danger.”

He wanted to nod in agreement but managed to hold back. “There are things you don’t know. Things I haven’t told you. What you’re suggesting is not as easy as it sounds.”

She was quiet for a long moment. “I never said it would be easy, Owen. I know nothing about your past, how you got mixed up in all of this in the first place. The point is, you’ve been given a second chance. God spared your life for a reason. You have to think about what’s more important. Your past or your future?”

Her words hit hard. And once again, he found himself wishing he had a future. One that didn’t involve spending the next ten to twenty years in jail. Longer, if he was pinned with a first degree murder rap. Life without the possibility of parole?

No way. It was too late for him. He’d chosen this path. He would see it through to the end.

The only deviation would be to ensure Emily did not go down with him.

* * *

When Owen’s expression went from pensive to hardened resolve, Emily knew she was talking to a brick wall. Why she kept beating her head against it was beyond her.

Kissing him certainly hadn’t helped. What had she been thinking? Yet even if she could go back for a do-over, she’d probably still do the same thing. In her heart, she’d thought a kiss might change his mind.

Instead, it seemed to have cemented his determination to stay on his current path.

And when this was over, all she’d have was the memory of their hot, toe-curling kiss.

At least now she understood why she wasn’t attracted to other men. Not one of the guys she’d dated in the past few months had made her feel the way Owen had with one kiss.

Her warped mind apparently wanted something she couldn’t have.

Talk about a recipe for disaster.

Yep, it was well past time for her to see a shrink. Doug and Maya had been right all along. She needed psychological help. Some way of getting over this ridiculous fantasy that her love could turn Owen away from his life of crime.

Reality wasn’t a sappy movie on TV. The sooner she accepted that Owen preferred his life as an outlaw to being with her, the better.

“What did that sign say?” She twisted in her seat trying to read the words as they passed by. “Something about a Boulder?”

“Boulder Junction. I think it’s a small town roughly twenty miles from here.” He waved a hand. “It’s unincorporated, so I don’t think it’s very big. But I did see a sign for a Boulder Junction campground. There may be other options available too. It might be smart to stop there for the night.”

“Okay.” She wondered if Owen would be there come morning. Probably not. She stroked Bear’s fur. The puppy had woken from his nap and was climbing over her again. He nipped at her shirt, so she gave him the crushed water bottle to gnaw on. What they needed were actual chew toys made specifically for dogs.

But that would have to wait until Doug came to pick her up.

Five minutes passed when Owen pulled off to the side of the road. He shifted into park and killed the engine.

“What’s going on?” They were in the middle of nowhere as far as she could tell.

“Truck is overheating.” He sounded grim. “We need to let the engine cool off.”

Bear pawed at the window, much the way he had earlier. She pushed open her door, shoving the brush back far enough so she could get out. She carried Bear to a small clearing and set him down.

He ran round, sniffing intently for several minutes before getting down to business. As before, she lavished him with praise.

“Good boy, you’re such a good boy!” She swooped him up, kissed his head, and laughed when he licked her cheek. Then she set him down again. “Go on, play for a bit. Looks like we’re not going anywhere for a while.”

She glanced over to find Owen making his way deeper into the woods. Understanding he needed privacy, she stayed where she was, enjoying Bear’s antics.

The sun had begun its descent and was mostly hidden behind the mountain. There was enough light to see for now, but she knew they only had another hour of daylight left. Maybe less. The leafy trees overhead made it seem later.

She wouldn’t be with Owen for much longer. She knew that when they reached Boulder Junction, he’d make her stay behind.

It was for the best. For both of them.

A few minutes later, Owen returned. She’d noticed he had a water bottle in hand filled with water tinged with sentiment. “Did you find a creek?”

“Yeah.” He moved to the truck hood, placed his hand on the top, then snatched it back. “I didn’t want to waste our good water to fill the radiator.”

“What makes you think it’s leaking?” She knew nothing about cars.

“I don’t know for sure, but the engine keeps overheating.” He shrugged. “I never worked on cars the way my brother did. I was more of a construction guy.”

He was? She appreciated the insight into his past, which only made her wonder for the zillionth time why he’d gotten involved in dealing drugs. “Too bad your brother isn’t here to help us.”

“He’s dead.” Owen’s dark tone did not invite questions. “The car engine needs more time to cool down. If you need to, uh”—he waved helplessly at the woods—“have at it.”

“I’m fine.” She wondered what happened to Owen’s brother and whether his death was related to his reasons for dealing drugs. She bent to pick up a stick and tossed it for Bear. The puppy gamely chased it and tried to drag it back to her. The stick was longer than he was, but he didn’t give up easily. She let him struggle for a few minutes, then broke the stick in half and threw it again.

This time, Bear looked triumphant as he returned with the stick in his mouth. He dropped it at her feet, his tail wagging with excitement. He was so cute she could hardly stand it. Knowing that wearing him out would help him sleep, she tossed the stick again. He brought it back twice before stretching out on his belly and gnawing on the end.

Better the stick than her fingers. She had plenty of scratches on her hands from his sharp teeth.

After another few minutes, Owen lifted the truck hood to peer at the engine. Then he stripped off his shirt, using it as a hot pad to screw off the radiator cap. Her gaze raked over him, then settled on the puckered scar that marred the upper right side of his chest. The bullet wound was healed, the dark red scar tissue seemingly all that remained as a reminder of the injury. There hadn’t been an exit wound, she’d had to extract the bullet herself, dousing the wound with rubbing alcohol, then using a flashlight and tweezers. Owen hadn’t uttered a single word, but the sweat pouring off him had spoken volumes. Not to mention the way he’d passed out afterward.

The fact that he was alive and appeared to have full movement of his arm was nothing short of a miracle.

Owen dumped the creek water into the radiator. Then he replaced the cap, shook out his shirt, and pulled it back over his head. “Hopefully that worked.”

“Come, Bear,” she called. The puppy ignored her, attacking the stick with a vengeance. She took a moment to gather a few more sticks for the road, then said again, “Bear! Come.”

The puppy looked up, rolled onto his back, kicking his little legs in the air before getting to his feet and running toward her. The way the chocolate lab’s ears flapped when he ran made her laugh.

“You’re a goofball.” She swept him into her arms and kissed him again. With the sticks tucked under her armpit, she carried him back to the truck.

Owen’s gaze locked with hers for a long moment. Then he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He watched the dashboard for a second, then nodded. “We’re good to go.”

“Great.” She forced a smile, pretending she couldn’t wait to get to Boulder Junction.

She was surprised there weren’t many cars on the road as they continued toward their destination. Maybe because it was a Thursday. Tourists liked visiting the mountains in the spring, but with kids still in school this time of the year, June was a better month for that.

The next twenty minutes passed in silence. When she saw a sign for the Elk Horn Lodge that claimed to have cabins available, she glanced at Owen. “A cabin sounds better than sleeping in the truck.”

He lifted a shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. “Fine with me. If they take cash that is.”

She’d almost forgotten their need to stay off-grid. Her phone had been off for hours, and if she were honest, she didn’t miss it.

The hospital couldn’t call asking for help in covering shifts. Friends couldn’t call to invite her out in hopes of setting her up with their friend, brother, or cousin. Sure, she cared about her brother and the Sullivan family, but the way they constantly called to check on her had grown wearisome.

Their concerns were valid, though, so she made a note to do better once she was back home. If nothing else, this interlude with Owen should provide the impetus she needed to move on.

“There’s the Elk Horn Lodge.” Owen’s deep voice broke into her thoughts. “We’ll see if they have a cabin available for cash.”

“I’ll come inside with you,” she offered, forcing a smile. “We’re a couple traveling together with our new dog, right?”

There was a brief hesitation before he nodded. “Yeah. Why not?”

Pulling into the parking lot, she noticed there were only three other cars there. Hopefully that meant they had cabins available. She could see two small brown cabins tucked well behind the main lodge, but not the others.

She carried Bear with her as she and Owen stepped inside. A woman greeted them cheerfully. “Welcome to the Elk Horn Lodge. Do you have a reservation?”

“No, sorry.” Owen smiled apologetically. “We’re heading to Colorado for our honeymoon and have had some car trouble along the way. The engine keeps overheating.” She tried not to gasp out loud when Owen snaked his arm around her waist. “I don’t suppose you have a cabin available? And I’m afraid we only have cash. Another mishap with the credit card.”

The woman hesitated, then nodded. “Sure, I can do that for you. What’s your name?”

“Jim and Tina Radtke. And our puppy, Bear.”

“He’s adorable.” The woman didn’t seem concerned about the dog and quickly accepted the two hundred in cash for the night. Emily thought that was pretty steep price-wise, but Owen didn’t blink.

“Cabin 9 is way in the back of the property. Follow this road out here and you’ll find it.” The woman slid a key across the counter. “Have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too.” Owen turned and guided Emily to the door.

“Jim and Tina?” She arched a brow as they climbed back into the truck. “Where did you come up with those names? I always thought it was better to use real names so we don’t mess up by calling each other the wrong one?”

“We won’t be here long enough for it to matter.” He quickly backed up the truck and headed down the dirt road. The cabins were spaced out enough to provide privacy, which was a good thing.

Cabin 9 was tucked even farther behind the others. Had they been given this one because of Owen’s comment about being on their honeymoon? Her cheeks went warm, but thankfully, it was too dark for Owen to see.

He turned the truck around and backed it up along the right side of the cabin. She set Bear down to run around and do his business.

“We have three water bottles left.” She reached back to grab them.

Owen didn’t say anything as he used the key to unlock the cabin door. The interior was rustic as expected but decorated tastefully. Only one bed, of course, but she already knew Owen wouldn’t be staying.

“Very nice.” She set the water bottles on the table, then turned to see Bear running toward her. The puppy jumped up on her leg, wagging his tail. “Oh, I almost forgot his food and doggy dishes.”

“I’ll get them.” Owen’s expression was grim as he turned to head back out to the truck for the rest of the puppy supplies.

She buried her face in Bear’s fur, doing her best not to cry. Silly to mourn the loss of something she’d never had.

A relationship built on lies? What was wrong with her? She seriously needed to get a grip.

She pulled herself together by the time Owen returned. The cabin featured a small kitchenette, so he filled Bear’s water dish and set it down for him. Owen turned, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned back against the counter.

“I’d like you to give me some time before you call your brother.” Owen held her gaze for a long moment. “Not long, just an hour or so.”

“If you leave now, the cabin owner will think we had a fight.” She wanted to kick herself for attempting to prolong the inevitable. “But that could work to our advantage. If she asks, I’ll let her know we argued, and you needed a break.”

“Yeah. I’m sure she’ll understand something like that.” He didn’t move for so long she wondered if he’d changed his mind. Then he pushed away from the counter. “Give me a minute to use the bathroom before I hit the road. I’ll take one of the water bottles, too, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.” She walked over to the bed that was covered by a large quilt featuring a bear. Pulling out her phone, she turned it on and set it on the bedside table. The device dinged with several incoming texts and calls. With a wince, she wasn’t surprised that most of them were from Doug.

She wasn’t looking forward to talking to him. Ignoring the little red circles on the screen, she glanced back as Owen emerged from the bathroom. He snagged a water bottle, along with a granola bar, then bent down to pet Bear.

“Be a good boy,” he said in a low voice.

She had to blink the tears away when he stood and headed for the door. “Owen?”

He paused, glancing back at her.

“Be careful. And if you change your mind, uh, here. Take my phone number.” There was a pad of paper on the desk. She scribbled her number and handed it to him.

He reluctantly accepted the paper. “Be safe, Emily. But don’t expect me to change my mind.” With that, he turned and walked out.

She dropped down onto the edge of the bed. Bear tried to climb up her legs, so she brought him up into her lap. Her heart ached when she heard the truck engine start. Every cell in her body wanted to run after him, but she didn’t.

Letting Owen go was for the best.

But it was also the hardest thing she’d ever done.