Page 50 of Wind Valley

Even though she was already completely ready for him, he took his time, stroking her and caressing her until she was a throbbing mess of nerve endings. He touched her like an explorer, like someone who treated everything that came his way with wonder. She loved that about him, in and out of the bedroom.

Then, finally, he sheathed himself and spread her thighs open. She brought her legs up around him, loving the feel of his strong body poised over her, taut and eager. His green eyes hazed over as he eased inside her. Ah God…how could it feel so good? And then, after another shattering release…how could they do this again as soon as humanly possible?

One more reason to go with him to Fairbanks. The best reason of all, she thought dreamily. When you stumbled across something this good, you didn’t let it slip through your fingers without a fight.

27

Just after dark, they met Molly and Sam Coburn behind The Fang, where they hopped into the backseat of Sam’s F-150. As they’d discussed during those three hours of waiting-slash-lovemaking, Maura insisted on explaining to them why she was in need of an emergency ride out of Firelight Ridge. She couldn’t allow anyone to take risks on her behalf without knowing what they were getting into.

The pair listened as Maura gave a thumbnail sketch of the last eight months of her life.

“Did you ever talk to a lawyer?” Molly asked right away, when she was done.

“I did. I was told that I needed more evidence. I didn’t have much in the way of backup witnesses. Small town, everyone’s afraid of the police chief. The lawyer told me my chances of success were low, and then he told me his hourly rate. That was the end of that.”

“I get it,” Molly said sympathetically. “And obviously I’m not licensed in Colorado, but I am here in Alaska, so keep that in mind. I’m here if you need me.”

“Thank you,” said Maura gratefully. “That means a lot. It’s been hard to trust the law-and-order system lately.”

Lachlan knew that Molly was fierce, brilliant, caring type of lawyer, and he hoped that Maura would trust her. But he wasn’t going to push her. He was just happy that she trusted him enough to get smuggled out of Firelight Ridge together.

“What did you tell Pinky?” he asked her once they were airborne and the drone of the single-prop Beechcraft provided cover. She’d met Pinky at the back door of The Fang and held a private convo with him before Sam and Molly had shown up.

“I told him that if anyone asked about me, to go into one of his rants about aliens or something. Basically, be normal.”

He chuckled, having been on the receiving end of Pinky’s conspiracy theories many times during his shifts behind the bar. “That should do the trick. Did he ask any questions?”

“Not really, there wasn’t time. He just wanted to know if I was coming back.” Her wistful tone made his heart squeeze. “Am I coming back?”

“I hope so.”

But he didn’t know, to be perfectly honest. If SS learned that Maura was in Firelight Ridge, or had been there, he might show up looking for her himself. If Maura’s goal was to stay one step ahead of him, she’d be better off almost anywhere else.

On the other hand, if the investigator reported back that she could never find Maura, and that she’d probably moved on, maybe SS would cross Firelight Ridge off his list and search elsewhere.

He couldn’t be sure of any of it because he didn’t understand how a stalker’s mind worked. What was his ultimate goal? Did he mean Maura harm? Why would he hurt someone he claimed to love? There was an element of twisted psychology there that Lachlan had no experience with.

Maybe he should consult some members of the psychology department while he was in Fairbanks. He’d see a wolf expert and a people expert, since he was dealing with both animals and people behaving badly.

Outside the little aircraft, the darkness was broken only by the blinking lights at the tips of the wings. He couldn’t even see stars, since a layer of overcast hovered just above them. As they cruised over the mountains, updrafts of air made the plane tremble and shake.

Flying through the night in a tiny metal canister after lying to a private investigator…life had taken some strange twists since he’d met Maura. And it was all worth it.

He glanced over at her, snuggled in the fur-lined parka that Lila had lent her. He could barely see her face, but the sight of her profile in the blinking light gave him comfort. She was still here. With him. They were in this together.

The landing was so bumpy that Maura grabbed for his hand. He let her squeeze it as hard as she needed to until the bouncing and the squeal of the tires stopped.

“Phew,” said Sam. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t apologize for a safe landing,” said Maura, though she was still breathless. “Thank you, Sam. Are you flying back tonight?”

“Yes. There will be fewer questions if the plane is right where it’s expected to be tomorrow at daylight. Besides, Molly’s waiting at the airstrip. She has a cover story all ready. Legal emergency with one of the Chilkoot kids she’s working with. It’s always hard to verify Chilkoot stories.”

Lachlan’s heart swelled at the way Sam and Molly were going so far out of their way to help Maura. So were Lila and Bear, for that matter. They’d accepted his request for a few days off without blinking, as well as promising to let everyone know he was under the weather and shouldn’t be bothered.

Gil knew the basics of Maura’s story, too. He and Ani had gotten back to the house just as Lachlan and Maura were leaving. After hearing Maura’s account, Gil offered to keep tabs on the investigator while they were gone. “Is it okay if I bring Nick into this as needed?” he’d asked Maura.

After a quick glance at Lachlan, she’d nodded. “I trust your judgment on that. Also, there’s a chance that this guy might show up here. Keep an eye out and watch your back. He’s unpredictable.”

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