Page 40 of Kiss Across the Universe
From far behind, Kit caught the sound of a footstep, carried on the wind. He might have missed it if the wind had been in the other direction. But it came to him, clear as a moose snort; the cracking of summer-dry leaves.
Iron Grey had to be stepping under branches to find dry leaves with his foot. He was trying to avoid the grass, which hid clear footing.
Amateur, Kit thought. The branches would slap him around, scrape him and leave resin on his skin that would itch like crazy. Better to risk uncertain footfall in the grass.
But Iron Greywasrelentless.
Kit risked slowing down enough to pull out his phone and check the reception and confirm what he suspected, that they were between towers. He had zero reception.
He put on a burst of speed and caught up with Alannah. It took a few minutes and he could feel his breath whistling in and out in a way he hadn’t experienced since training days. He didn’t tug her elbow, because that would pull her off balance. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it, then slowed down. “Take a breath,” he said very softly.
She halted and came back to where he was standing.Shewas breathing easily.
Kit let his breath ease before speaking. “Any idea what this guy wants with you? It might tell us how to play this.”
Alannah pressed her lips together. The furrow that had been between her brows on Thanksgiving weekend came back. She shook her head. “No idea at all. I’m not even supposed to be here. It was a last minute change of plans, on Thanksgiving.”
“Your folks went to Europe. Aran told me.”
She raised her brow. “We shouldn’t talk too much. He might hear us.”
“From back there?”
“He might have good hearing.Verygood hearing,” she said defensively.
“I have good hearing. And I only heard him behind us because the wind happened to blow in the right direction.”
She looked like she was ready to argue the point, then she let out her breath and shook her head a little. “Okay.”
“You know something about this guy?” Kit demanded.
She shook her head again. “I only know he’s not going to give up. He’s come this far. And we can’t go much farther. We’ll run into the lake or mountains.”
“You can go over mountains,” Kit said absently, thinking hard.
“Thesemountains?” She laughed. “These are the Rockies, the tallest chain of mountains in North America.”
“There are always passes, if you know where you’re going,” Kit replied. He stirred, his breath coming easier. Time to move on. “You’re a good runner,” he observed.
“Track and Field in high school. Orienteering in college…and later, too.” She grimaced. “When I have time for it.”
Kit was pleased and let it show. “Then I don’t have to worry about you slowing me down.”
She laughed again. Softly, as if she was afraid of being heard. But Iron Grey wouldn’t be within hearing distance yet. There were too many trees with their thick branches in the way. “Other way around, Kit McDonald,” she said.
Kit tamped down on the warmth that wanted to expand into something more. This was not the time.
He glanced back over his shoulder. Her caution was raising his. “We’re not going to shake him loose by running, and the truck is back that way.”
“And it’s a dead piece of lead,” Alannah added. “It’s not going anywhere.”
He didn’t argue with her. “There’s another way to deal with him.”
She put her hands on her hips. The thin tunic hem lifted in the breeze, revealing the waist band of her leggings and creamy white skin above it. “What’s the other way?”
Kit made himself look away from her and told her what he had in mind.
Alannah gripped her ankle, fuming. The ground was damp under her ass, and while she wasn’t running the cold dug into her flesh. It had to be less than fifty degrees by now. The shadows were growing longer. Soon the sun would disappear behind the mountains and the chill would really set in.
