Oregon Outback (27 page)

She sighed into his shirt.
If he hadn’t been there today. Hadn’t come when he had …

Lucas rubbed her back like he sensed she needed his comfort, though the day had to be harrowing for him, too. Easing herself from his protective embrace, she stepped back.

He wore a light blue, long-sleeved, collared shirt and new-looking jeans. “Well, look at you. Cooking dinner, a beautiful table display, and now”—she reached up and pushed a few strands of dark hair from his forehead—“you’re dressed to the nines.”

He laughed. “Hardly.”

“You took a few bruises on your face. I hope it doesn’t hurt too much.”

“Not too much.”

“Dressed like that, you’re quite the catch. How did all those women you dated let you get away?” She smiled up at him.

He was an absolutely gorgeous man. His masculine cologne enveloped her and she relished it. Avery had tried to guard her heart. She’d gone from a treasured friendship, to being wary of imminent heartbreak these last few days, and now she was flirting with the man. She had no plans to stop.

He’d worked hard on her behalf tonight. She would do her best to forget today, except for his heroism. Still, niggling at the edges of her thoughts was the fact that any day now someone would call to offer her a job she really wanted. Or did she?

With a flourish, Lucas pulled out a chair for her to sit. She enjoyed this side of him, she had to admit.

“A girl could get used to this,” she said, smiling. But shouldn’t she be discouraging him? This couldn’t end well.

Insane. She was certifiably insane. Avery was crazy about Lucas.

But why was he doing this? He was only prolonging their inevitable parting. She’d fooled herself into thinking that if anyone’s heart got broken, it would be his, but that was a bald-faced lie.

Lucas brought her a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce, then returned again with sliced garlic bread. Finally, he sat down to join her and said grace.

Today, when Avery didn’t know if she would live or die, all she wanted was to survive. To see Lucas again. Look into his eyes that pooled with the depth of the ocean. She’d made it and she was here. Her uncertainty of their future together didn’t matter. For this moment in time, she would enjoy their relationship.

He was a good cook, too. Over dinner, he told stories of his childhood—the four brothers on the ranch and their escapades. Love, laughter, and plenty of smiles. It seemed that like her, Lucas cherished this moment they had together, shoving aside concern for the future.

With the meal finished, Lucas scooped up the dishes and rinsed them all in the sink. Avery protested, but he insisted on cleaning up the kitchen.

Good man.

There weren’t many like him around. At last, Lucas joined her on the sofa. He had to be tired, too, after today’s events, but he beamed at her, his energy boundless.

Avery exhaled slowly.

Lucas’s smile fell. “Avery …” He reached up and touched her hair like it was fine china.

“I was afraid today. But being with you over the summer, you taught me how to face all my fears.” All except one. She appreciated his attentiveness, but …

Hating the thought swirling in her head, she almost wished he would leave. If he wasn’t going to say something about them, then he should just go.

“How was your interview?” he asked.

So now they were down to the talk that would make or break them. Avery stared at him. The furrows between his brows belied his smile.

“It went well, actually. Someone should call me by the end of this week.” She toyed with the pillow. Telling a man that she loved him, a man who was reputed to leave a trail of broken hearts behind him, wasn’t in her DNA.

“Are you going to take the job?” he asked.

Something in the tenor of his voice—maybe the way it almost cracked—told her that he wanted her to stay. She needed more from him than that, and she needed him to say it. She wouldn’t beg. It killed her not to tell him how she felt, and it was more than just pride. It was self-respect. If Lucas placed any value on her, on their relationship, he would man up and say it.

“If the offer is good, yes, I think I will.”

“I see.” He stood and paced the room, scratching his jaw, weaving his hands through his hair.

Lucas drew up his chin and with a forced smile, said, “I should let you get some rest. You shouldn’t worry about coming back to work tomorrow, considering today. Take as much time as you need. Let me know when you’re sure about leaving.”

Avery didn’t answer, but continued toying with the tassel on the pillow. Lucas walked out the door.

Tears slid down her cheeks. How she hated them, and she swiped at them in a fury. Dark disappointment flooded her soul. She pressed her face into the pillow and sobbed.

Lucas didn’t love her back.

Avery drifted to sleep on the sofa, stirring when an hour or more later, someone knocked on the door. She roused herself, wondering if Katy wanted a rundown of her day. Probably heard about it on the news.

But when she opened the door, Lucas filled her doorway. A tenuous grin replaced his usual double-dimpled smile.

The man had the power to stop her heart, but she managed to speak. “Did you forget something?”

“No. I didn’t forget. I just hadn’t worked up my nerve yet.”

Avery’s pulse thrummed in her neck.

“I always thought my life wouldn’t be the same without the thrill, without the risk involved. Now I see it wouldn’t be the same without you. You are my thrill now, and you are so worth the risk. You know how to make good smells.” His grin was adorable. “I love you, Avery. I’ve loved you since the moment we met. I’m sorry that the one thing I was afraid of has kept us apart. I’m sorry that I didn’t—”

Avery threw herself into his arms and planted a kiss on his welcoming lips. “I love you, too.”

When their kiss subsided, Lucas lowered her to the ground, and put his forehead against hers. “This means we’re getting married, doesn’t it? I mean, you love someone, you marry them, right?”

“Only when asked. Are you asking?”

“I am.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“Avery Summers, will you give up your job prospect in Portland and marry me?”

She couldn’t help the joyous laugh that escaped. “Lucas Love, there’s no place I’d rather be than with you, my fearless hero.”

H
e’d found the Judas…

The person betrayed now turned traitor. The person willing to tell him where to find the skip. And that was the first step to locating the fugitive. Usually, the information came from a scorned girlfriend, or rather, ex-girlfriend. A drug dealer. Sometimes close relatives, even parents.

This time it came from the wife.

According to her, he’d headed to Oregon—a state where Justin Love wouldn’t be welcome. Standing in line with a dozen others on the blustery tarmac, he scraped his hand over his face and squinted in the midday Nevada sun. The high-decibel whine of the waiting prop plane accosted his ears. Though it sat only a few yards away, it was taking an eternity for him to board.

Justin slid his sunglasses over his eyes. By the look of things, he’d be here for a while. He hated the feeling he got when he wasn’t making any headway. But this time, whether he stood here waiting, or sat on the puddle jumper to Nowhere, Oregon, the feeling would be the same.

He was still trying to figure out why he’d taken this job when he finally stepped into the tight fuselage and made his way behind a few sluggish commuters to row ten. A pretty young brunette sat in the aisle seat. His seat. He knew that because he always requested the aisle. She smiled up at him like she hadn’t a clue.

“Excuse me, but you’re in my seat.” He tried to sound pleasant but he was out of practice.

Her bright smile slipped. “Oh? I’m so sorry …”

She stood and searched through pockets in her bag.

Justin preferred she simply slide over. He grappled for the ticket stub in his pocket to save them both some time.

“I’ve got it.” She beamed at him and looked at the stub. “Oh good. I thought I’d made a mistake. I’m in the aisle, after all.” She showed him her proof.

Justin looked at the row number and seat letter glaring back at him in defiance and frowned. Aware that everyone on the small flight was seated and watching him, he nodded at the woman. “My mistake.”

It wasn’t the first of his mistakes. This trip had been a mistake. He’d known it in his gut and yet here he was. He folded his body into the window seat and stared out, letting his row mate know he didn’t feel like talking. She had that posture about her that told him she was bubbly and energetic, and would jabber all the way to Oregon. She’d want to know about his life. What he did for a living. Where he grew up. Things Justin would rather forget.

He’d decided a long time ago that his job as a bounty hunter, though Justin preferred the term recovery agent, suited him well. Considering he’d been called a restless spirit more times than he cared to admit, traveling the country to locate and apprehend individuals who’d skipped bail kept him on the move.

If he stayed in one place too long, he might have too much time on his hands. Time to think about his past. Better to run from it.

And that was the real problem with this skip he was after. Hunting the man brought Justin far too close to home.

An hour and a half later, Justin landed at Paisley State Airport, rented a vehicle, and now stood at the top of Winter Ridge, the western-most border of the Oregon Outback. The high desert was remote and secluded in places, arid and barren as well. But the region had its redeeming qualities.

Justin hoped for as much himself. That’s what this trip was all about.

But returning to the region made him itch for a long hike in the secluded mountains. He missed that.

Winter Ridge hung over Summer Lake and, to the north, the town by the same name. Behind him, the Freemont National Forest—2.3 million acres of wilderness for Benson Reed to get lost. But not before Reed stopped off to see his sister, and Justin would be there waiting. If he arrested the man, he’d get charged with kidnapping himself. This time, Justin had something else in mind. He climbed back into the Tahoe and made the drive down the winding narrow road into the valley below.

He parked at the Ridgecrest Lodge near the lake where he’d wait for Reed. Sooner or later, the fugitive would turn up here. Lifting his duffel bag from the Tahoe, Justin felt the hint of winter in the gusty late-autumn wind blasting his face.

Shrugging off the chill that swept over him, he trudged into the main lodge to register for a room. A fire blazed beneath the large rock-hewn hearth. Considering there didn’t appear to be anyone around to enjoy it, Justin thought it a waste. Most likely, he’d walked in during a lull in the afternoon.

This was big game hunting season. Deer, elk, and black bear. Cougars were hunted year-round.

And hunting fugitives? Well, that was against the law in Oregon.

A twenty-something woman, her hair the color of spun gold and secured at the nape of her neck, stood alone at the counter. She didn’t notice as he approached, her attention completely focused on the magazine in front of her.

She wore a pale-yellow flowered blouse, a stark contradiction to the outdoorsy fixtures of the lodge. Looking at the top of her head, he could see her long lashes blinking and he followed her gaze to the image in the magazine. An ornate, lavish wedding dress emphasized the slender curves of an airbrushed, perfect model.

The chill that had swept over him outside burrowed deep into his bones now. Too bad the flames licking the hearth behind him would make no difference.