Page 67 of Second Chance Savior

On the Protectors chat, I already had a message waiting from Trace. He sounded mildly concerned, to say the least, wondering why I was now Colorado’s Most Wanted.

Trace:

You didn’t really kidnap the Lt Governor, right?

Me:

Kidnap is a strong word. I’m going with no.

So I don’t need to disavow your existence?

Not just yet. What’s happening in Hartley?

My buddy filled me in. Apparently, Owen’s office had been getting calls from every law enforcement agency in the state. Troopers had shown up at my apartment with a search warrant a couple of hours ago. They wouldn’t find anything because I hadn’t left anything interesting behind. State policehad also been knocking on doors, questioning my friends about my whereabouts. Also no big deal. Even if they had known my location, they’d never reveal it.

But it was only a matter of time until state police or even the FBI turned up at Last Refuge. That was more upsetting. We had several protectees staying on the property at the moment. But Trace assured me that he and Aiden could manage Last Refuge, and Owen was handling the influx of outside law enforcement. I should remain focused on Charlie and myself.

I glanced at her just as she emerged from the bathroom, and my heart clenched. Yeah, it was impossible for menotto focus on her.

“You doing all right?” I asked. “Hungry?”

“I’m too wired to be hungry.”

“Want to check the news?”

“No. I can’t think about that right now. I’m going to take a walk. Do you think that’s safe?”

“Sure. I own about forty acres of the surrounding land, and the cabin is smack dab in the middle. Beyond that is national forest.” One of the features I loved about this spot. The isolation. “I’d prefer if you stay within an acre of the cabin though. Want me to come with you?”

She hesitated. “I think some space between us would be good.”

Ouch. But she had a point. I should be focused on defending her against Stillwater right now.

Charlie didn’t look at me on her way out.

I sent off a few more messages, including to Cerberus, asking him to check on Jud Hale’s recent activity. Next, I would need to set up safe access to Charlie’s phone. I wanted to know why Jud had tried to contact her just before the attack at the fundraiser.

But just as I was pulling items from my work shelves in the kitchen, the door to the cabin burst open again. Charlie stood there, looking grumpy and directing her eyes anywhere but at me.

“I changed my mind. Would you walk with me? I don’t want to be alone.”

Protectiveness heated my blood. Possessiveness too. That kiss had amped up my testosterone, and it wasn’t going away. “If you want me with you, who am I to say no?”

She pointed a finger. “You’re not allowed to be smug about this, though.”

“Me? Never.” I followed Charlie outside.

We made a circuit around the cabin, and I pointed out the landmarks. I had a small farm of solar panels feeding a storage battery, which I used for my electrical needs. There was a shed for various outdoor equipment. I’d planned to camp in the nearby mountains at some point, though I hadn’t been able to swing that yet. Too much going on in Hartley with the Protectors.

I had a quick flash of an image. Charlie and me, bundled together in a sleeping bag under the stars. A pang of longing twisted in my stomach.

Leave it, man, I told myself.You’re lucky you got a kiss. Nothing else was going to happen.

We walked to a spot where the trees thinned out, and you could see across the valley to the nearest mountains. “Do you recognize the view?”

She studied it. “Am I supposed to? I know Colorado well, but I don’t have all of it memorized.”

I stepped in behind her. I’d been trying to give her the space she wanted, but I simply couldn’t stop myself from touching her shoulders. Turning her slightly.

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