Page 74 of Trapped

Chapter Fourteen

In the moonlight, Sophia turned to face him. She knew pride had something to do with the decisions he was making. He’d been held in hostile captivity. She and Phil had rescued him. Now he needed to prove that he was in charge of his own destiny. Yet she wasn’t going to let him shove her out of the picture.

“You are not going to walk away from me. Not after . . .” She had been about to say, “not after making love with me and getting my hopes up.” Instead she switched the comment. “Not after what we’ve been through together.”

She saw his jaw tighten.

“What are you thinking?” she demanded. “That I’m a spy? That Montgomery sent me along with you to make sure I get the information?”

“No,” he allowed.

“Well, that’s something.”

“I know you risked a lot to get me out of there. I know a man got killed in the process. But I don’t know what’s going to happen when I find Colonel Luntz.”

“Which is a good reason for me to stay with you.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“No more dangerous than what happened in the cave. Or almost getting burned up in that cabin. Or my getting caught by that guard.”

When he answered with a little nod, she swallowed hard and managed to ask. “If you had your choice, would you want me with you—or not?”

Her chest was so tight that she could hardly breathe as she waited for the answer.

“With me,” he finally said.

“Good.” It was a mild representation of what she was feeling.

She wanted to reach for him and pull him close. She needed that contact, needed to feel him respond to her. But she forced herself to stay where she was.

“Let’s find some transportation,” she suggested.

“I doubt that you’re going to charm anyone out of a car.”

“Right.”

He kept his gaze fixed on her face. “I’m planning to fall back on the skills I learned in high school. But you still have the opportunity to opt out of this expedition.”

“No.” She stood. “Let’s get it over with.”

She slowed a little, watching Cash walk. The leg had to be paining him, but he wasn’t complaining. And she knew now that he was the kind of man he was—and the kind of boy he’d been. His life had been a lot tougher than she imagined. But she’d never suspected, because he’d put up such a tough-guy front. Too bad she hadn’t known what he was going through back then. But what would she have done about it? She’d just been rich little Sophia Rhodes—not Dr. Sophia Rhodes with the professional training to give her insights into Cash Baker’s character.

The moon provided some light as they kept walking down the road, passing rural mailboxes. Cash chose a darkened lane and started up it. The house at the top of a hill wasn’t a very impressive residence. From what she could see, it looked like it was a fairly small box with a gabled room and a front stoop that was listing to one side.

Below the house, several cars were parked. Cash studied the collection, then walked to one that looked like it had been in a couple of minor accidents. The back bumper was caved in and the right front wheel barely cleared one of the fenders.

“Nobody’s gonna miss this thing,” he muttered. “If it will start.” He looked at her. “Keep watch.”

He handed her the gun.

“You don’t want me to shoot anyone, do you?” she asked, hearing the quaver in her voice.

“Use your judgment.”

“We can’t shoot. We’re in the wrong.”

“Yeah.”

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