Page 62 of Recurve Ridge

And that made Robe’s ridgeline home less of a safe place when a haven full of mountain men and friends was what topped my needs right now. Because harboring a spy sure as hell didn’t seem to be the safest thing to do—at least not in the circles I suspected we all traveled in.

With a bunch of criminals. In the middle of the woods.

Running from the man who’d stripped me of my entire world in a country I didn’t yet call home, though it was fast feeling that way. IwantedRobe’s mountain to feel that way.

Tears prickled the corners of my eyes as I stared at Alan’s back. Squeezing my emotions back into their tight compartments, I slipped inside Robe’s bedroom. A dark hole burned somewhere around my nape when I turned my back to close the door with a final sort of click. Even though the conversation seemed to have dissipated outside, the amount of attention on me intensified the moment the door shut.

I pivoted on my heel to face the two men who seemed to be either dead set on removing me from the house or keeping me in it. I didn’t know if I should expect to be stabbed in the ribs or some other creative way of removing me from the house—and life in general.

A few weeks ago, I would have curled into a ball and let them do it. Now….

Though it shouldn’t have been a surprise after the time I’d spent in the house, the scene before me looked nothing like what I expected. Miller perched cross-legged on the bed, the tension slipped from his frame as he lounged in Robe’s space while Alan played tea party below him.

I slid to the hardwood floor, my back to the bed with its solid, comforting presence, and clutched the steaming cup Alan had given me. The dark ambrosia that had been the cause of my morning drama glided down my throat in a searing stream. I sighed my thanks, smiling with my eyes closed. Fingers brushed over the top of my head, smoothing the bird’s nest there until all the strands were to his liking, petting me in a familiar way that soothed away my spiraling fears and unsettled emotions back to their place. The massage continued soft and gentle, and I leaned into his touch, wishing we were alone so I could cry.

I finished my coffee, sipping with my eyes closed until I’d drained the cup. Somewhere behind me, Miller’s phone buzzed. I opened my eyes, tilting my head up in time to see him scooting back on the bed.

He scanned the message and jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s go.”

I stared as he stalked from the room, leaving the door open. It wasn’t until he disappeared that I realized Alan hadn’t moved from his place across from me.

Which meant he couldn’t have played with my hair. The lithe dancer wasn’tthatfast or silent. Right?

Alan’s knowing smile lit a small fire in my belly. “Tricky little bastard, isn’t he?”

Still lost in the memory of Miller’s hand in my hair, I clutched my elbows tight around myself. “I didn’t think you guys used terms likebastardormuppetorbloody wanker,” I commented, nudging my empty coffee cup with my bare toe.

Alan snorted. “We don’t. I’m trying to be more British on your behalf. Make you feel at home.” He watched me with that same secret knowledge brightening his blue eyes. “Is it working?” His take on my accent bordered on abominable—and was apparently exactly what I needed.

I laughed, helping him clean up our tea—coffee?—party. “Yup. Sure is.” I didn’t try an American accent to mirror his British showcase, knowing I’d be worse than offensive. “Guess I’m free to leave.”

The open door that I’d wanted to run through earlier now seemed a hell of a distance away. I sat without moving.

“I promise I’ll protect you from all the bears out there,” Alan whispered in my ear. He grinned roguishly and took my hand in a firm grip. “If they’re going to bite, I’ll make sure they target my rump first.” He popped a hip and sashayed to the door.

Sucking my lip between my teeth, I let him lead me from the room. His eyes tracked over my face, lingering on my mouth. Invisible fingertips worked their way along my spine in a silent caress that broke when Alan fixed his attention on the living area the moment we stepped into it.

“I’ll hold you to that,” I whispered.

Alan grinned, dropping my hand and disappearing behind the tall bar for a moment. Robe and Jon stood talking to Miller in soft voices near the door, each of them glancing at me at intervals. No one said a word about Will’s absence that mirrored Alan’s before.

“Robe—” I started, only to be shushed by an extended hand.

Even Alan shot me a quick look, shaking his head. “Wait for him, Mari.”

“I really think I?—”

“For fuck’s sake. Shut her up.” Miller turned to glare at me one more time, and my patience broke.

“He’s right, you know. Your friend. A bounty on your head is a danger to everyone you—” I pursed my lips. I almost saidlove, but that precluded me and cast a wider geographical net than I intended. “To everyone here.”

“You think so, do you?”’ Robe’s face was wiped clean of emotion as he gave me his full attention. “What else do you know about my life?”

Then Miller of all people backed me up. “Don’t be stupid. She’s right.”

“I am?” I stared, mouth agape.

That’s an attractive look.

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