Hunting April (10 page)

Can't help himself."

April watched Daniel scout the area as if he was evaluating defense fortifications.

This guy doesn't miss a trick, that's for damn sure
.

Daniel nodded, apparently satisfied. "Extraordinary."

Glennon used the keypad at the front door to disable the lodge's alarm system.

April brought up the rear as the men carried luggage from truck to foyer.

She stopped in the entryway, mouth opened, in awe of the surroundings. The lodge was fabulous. Walls of honey-colored wood, high ceilings with skylights and simple, wrought iron chandeliers, a huge working hearth, half a dozen seating areas with color-coordinated leather furniture and tasteful Oriental carpets. She moved to the center of the great room. A balcony rail outlined the gallery floor with multilevel staircases at each end. She counted seven doors, so she assumed there were seven rooms on the second floor.

The kitchen décor consisted of whitewashed bead board cupboards and wainscoting, black granite countertops, and large, industrial-looking, stainless steel appliances. Being female, April opened the refrigerator, looking for something cold to drink.

"Oh wow." Fresh dairy, produce, and meats in clear wrap sat, neatly organized, on shelves and in bins. A note written in a firm hand, taped to the jug of milk, read

"Welcome."

April heard the men and turned. "Glennon, didn't you say your friends have been away? There's a fridge full of fresh food."

"Probably the sheriff, MacBride. He stays over and watches the place whenever Adam and Lucian are out of town. The guys must have called ahead."

Daniel's expression was not friendly. "Called ahead? Who else knows we were due?"

"Calm down. MacBride needed to know so he wouldn't take pot shots at us if we appeared without warning. He cleared out and went back to town, gave us privacy, didn't ask awkward questions. Former SEAL. One of the good guys."

April felt like she was watching a ping-pong match, glancing from one man to the other.

"Hey, fellas, not to complain, but I'm kinda hungry."

Glennon clapped his hands, as if getting the attention of preschoolers. "Rooms first, get unpacked. Then we'll whip up something for supper. Come with me."

Once in the great room, Glennon pointed to the doors on the second floor gallery.

"Left to right. Adam, empty, empty, Lorelei, my room, com center, Lucian. At least, that's where I stay when I'm here. That leaves the two rooms between Adam and Lorelei. All the rooms have king or queen beds, private baths, huge windows, skylights.

Great views of the gardens, lawns, and the woods."

Daniel folded his heavy arms across his wide chest. April felt goose bumps crawl over her skin at the sight of all that muscle.
Whoa, what is that all about?
She hurried up the multi-landing steps to the two available rooms, peeked in the doors.

"Okay, I'll take the maroon room. Daniel, you get the olive room." She ran back down to grab her duffle, shoulder bag, and laptop bag, and left the rolling luggage for the guys to sort out. A nice cool shower beckoned.

* * * * *

Daniel admitted to himself, and only to himself, that Garrett did a bang-up job.

True to his word, after everyone reappeared, showered and refreshed, Glennon whipped up a quick meal of rib eye steaks and a hearty salad of mushrooms, tomato, and spinach, topped with orange vinaigrette.

Afterward, April cleared the table. She lifted an eyebrow and looked askance as Daniel began to load the dishwasher.

"Hey, I do know my way around the kitchen, y'know. I don't have anyone waiting on me. I can cook, and it's not all haggis for us Scots."

Glennon outlined his plans.

"I'll check the perimeter alarms, then call Lucian. He needs to talk me through the tweaks he's done to my systems. Due to the heavy forest cover, we're protected only to about a thousand feet out from the farthest building, which I believe is the end of the row of cabins. None of the par course trails or exercise stations are included, nor the Crucible training stations. Be extra vigilant."

Daniel spoke up. "One of us should be with April whenever she leaves the lodge proper." He pointed at Glennon. "You and I don't leave the lodge or the property at the same time. Someone always stays with April."

Daniel saw the look on her face, cut her off before she could argue. "We're not on holiday—a very nasty bugger wants you back. Or wants you dead. Either way, we can't give him the opportunity."

"We're in
omigod Maine
, Daniel."

"Miss April, no place is far enough away for you to get overconfident, or for us to become cocky."

Glennon raised an eyebrow. "
Miss April
?"

Daniel barely held back a snarl. "She was the mistress of the house. It is a term of respect. Do you know anything about respect, Garrett? Shall I explain the concept?"

He caught April's startled look in the arc of his peripheral vision as he reined himself in.
Damn, it won't take much for fun and games to escalate into fisticuffs. Where the
hell did this possessiveness come from? Not the time or place for a pissing contest. She already
seems to have an issue with Garrett.

April jumped in with both arms stretched out, as if separating prizefighters.

"Daniel, since I need a babysitter, would you walk with me around the gardens before it gets too dark to see? It's so beautiful up here."

Without waiting for a yea or nay, she linked her slender arm through his and allowed him to escort her out the wide French-style front doors. Actually, she more or less dragged him out and away from the lodge.

As satisfying as it would be to plant a fist against Garrett's jaw, just once, Daniel was more reluctant to move away from April's light hold on his arm. So small next to his large body, she still made the perfect walking companion. She conversed easily and knowledgably about the gardens and plantings, stayed close enough to stroke his biceps as they meandered.

Taking his sense of responsibility to the limit, Daniel escorted April to her room.

Before he could stop himself, he brushed the top of her hair with his lips. She turned and smiled at him, her smooth hand almost caressing his forearm. "Thank you for everything. Good night."

And she gently closed the door behind her.

When Daniel glanced down into the great room, Glennon was staring back. It wasn't a friendly look.

Turning to his own room, Daniel considered the interesting woman behind the closed door. He'd not seen April act demonstrative toward his boss, her fiancé. Not once. Not ever. She'd always stood at least an arm's length away. Yet, tactile gestures seemed to be a natural part of her. And her hands were constantly in play when she spoke, the gentle gestures as controlled as a trained geisha's.

Tuesday

A distance runner, April loved the feeling of freedom that exercise gave her, more so after being cooped up at Angelo's, again at Glennon's, and then during the nine-hour drive to the lodge.

Her mother had observed that little April-Boo-Bear, from the time she'd learned to toddle on chubby, unsteady legs, would never walk when she could run. April made daily use of the training room at the lodge, as she had at the GMG facility. B.A.—Before Angelo—she'd used the local fitness club's indoor track near her apartment. For a California kid accustomed to the sun and breeze of the great outdoors, none of those places held a candle to traipsing the length and breadth of farm roads, trails, and occasionally along the shoreline of the Pacific.

"I don't need a babysitter. Who's going to see us, rabbits and squirrels?" All her defiance came to naught. The men decided one of them would accompany April every time she set foot outside the lodge. The decision was apparently not open to debate.

That morning, Glennon drew duty as her bodyguard.

After discovering the stable of ATVs, Daniel took different machines out when he wasn't on duty, cruising the acreage and the perimeter of the property, getting a feel for the lay of the land.

Usually light-footed, April pounded along the par course trail; her lack of technique reflected her frustration. She missed her lovely little apartment, missed her private time, missed the ability to come and go as the mood struck. Being forced to endure Glennon's morose company didn't help.

"April, ease up."

What did he do, read my flippin' mind?
"Why? You wanna stop? Are you winded already?"

"Dammit, just stop for a moment, will ya?"

Putting on the brakes without warning, she came to an abrupt standstill, spun to face him. He nearly collided with her.

"So, what is it now? More rules?"

"No. We need to talk. Alone."

"About what?" Her frustration was escalating to anger.
This is not the time, fella
.

I'm so not in the mood. Just
walk your sorry ass away.

He shifted his feet, looking uncomfortable. "About us."

Oh, no, you did not just open that door!
"About
us
? There is no
us
—you made that perfectly clear."
You had your chance, bucko. I don't need to be told twice
.

"April, you didn't let me explain."

"Your response appeared quite clear and concise." Hands on hips, she knew her posture radiated total belligerence
. C'mon, fella, take me on
.

"It's not what you think. There are . . . issues . . . ." He blew out a deep sigh, then dropped his folded arms to his sides. "It wasn't you."

"Oh, I see.
Issues
. How comforting. How original. It's the old 'it's not me, it's you'

brush off. What sort of issues? Where you wounded in battle, can't perform to your satisfaction?"
Oh shit, where did that come from? Girl, you'd better back off and go on running.

You're getting nasty. Mom would not be happy with you right now.

His expression grew hard. "I perform just fine."

"Well, then, let's follow the logic. It
must
be me."

"Look, I didn't want to hurt you."

"Y'know, I'm
really
freakin' tired of macho men making decisions about me without asking my opinion. Here's a head's-up: I
am
capable of functioning, I
am
capable of dealing with, shall we say, unpleasant situations—or haven't you noticed?"

And why must you look so damned good, muscles all glistening with sweat . . . ah, fuck this
noise.

"Glennon, this conversation is
so
over."

Stepping around him before he saw the tears she felt coming on, she kicked into stride and headed down slope. Away from him and his damned issues. Away from the confines of the lodge, as lovely as it was. A prison, regardless of how attractive, is still a prison. She discovered that little bit of wisdom at Martone's.

"April?"

She didn't look back.

Glennon didn't follow.

April continued along the two-mile circuit of the par course trail and finished her run. One of the rustic picnic tables in the grove by the cabins seemed like the place to stop. She needed to marshal her thoughts. Sitting hunched over, she was unwilling to return to the lodge and hit the shower. She sniffled. Sans tissues, the hem of her shirt came in handy.
That's definitely classy—thank goodness Mom's not watching.
The thought of how much she missed her mother worsened her mood.
Mom would know what to do.

She
always
knows what to do.

Her eyes got all squinty as she watched Daniel stroll from the direction of the path that meandered from the rear door of the lodge, his hands sunk deep in the front pockets of his jeans.

Oh, great, now what? Can't you guys leave me in peace?

"
April, what's with you and Garrett? He's developed the personality of a gargoyle, then he bailed out after he made sure you were safe. He's down in the training center, pounding the piss out of the heavy bag. Did he try something? Did he come on too strong? Is that why you bolted?"

She lowered her head. "Daniel, please. I'd really rather not get into this."

"Dear girl, something spooked you badly enough to break cover in Jersey. You're not stupid. You had to know it wasn't safe to hit the streets again. This isn't for curiosity's sake, or because I'm exceedingly fond of gossip. I cannot do my job unless I know the details."

Despite puffy, reddened eyes, her expression turned hard. "
Your
job? I didn't hire you—and I can't honestly think of one stellar reason the two of you are involved.
Dear
girl
? Buddy, I'm nobody's
dear girl
. Glennon got sucked in by a cruel twist of fate and should have bailed out. But you? You know Angelo better than most, so you're totally aware of what that homicidal, sadistic megalomaniac is capable. You don't need any of this. It's not your freakin' fight."

She sniffled again. "What I wouldn't give for a pair of ruby slippers right now.

There's
no
place like home, there's
no
place like home . . . ."

"Sorry, home is not an option at the moment. It looks like you're in harness with us. At least with me. I don't know what Garrett's game is." Daniel moved closer. "Don't get me wrong—the bloke is number one in his field, top shelf under his job description.

I can't quite sort out his deal at the moment."

April felt the strength and comfort radiating from Daniel's big body, fought the urge to move closer. Much closer.

"Look, Daniel, I'm definitely not Glennon's type, if that's what you're angling to know. Truth? I don't know why he's putting himself out. I imagine he called in a humongous favor for us to be here."

He spoke softly. "If it matters—you're my type."

She blinked. "Sorry?"

"That didn't come out properly. I don't have a type
. You
attract me."

"Daniel, I—"

"Why do you think I stayed on with Martone? He's a tosser. A nasty piece of work with a monumental ego. Not the sort with whom I usually work. I was about to terminate my contract—then he brought you to the house for the first time."