Page 2 of Mountain Rescue
His gaze slid over her body, those hazel eyes heating. “I have some ideas if you’re interested in hearing them.”
She had the distinct feeling that he was amused. Not at all how a man Robert would have sent would be acting. Also, that heated stare reminded her that she was wearing nothing but an almost transparent white T-shirt and purple panties. She grabbed the corner of the quilt and pulled it over her. Certain it would take at least a week for Robert to find her, and she planned to be long gone by then, she’d worn her favorite sleep shirt to bed. She should have slept fully dressed, and she wouldn’t make that mistake again.
He laughed. “Too late.” He pointed to his head. “Pretty in purple is already imprinted in here.”
Best to ignore that comment. “Did Robert send you?”
“Who’s Robert?”
It was weird, but she wasn’t feeling threatened by him anymore...well, still a little, but not like when he’d first walked into the room in the dark. It was her first night here, and used to the night noises of LA, she’d been unsettled by the silence. It hadn’t bothered her when she’d stayed here while attending Nichole and Jack’s wedding, but she hadn’t been someone’s target then. This time, every creak the cabin made shot her nerves through the roof.
When she’d heard footsteps coming down the hallway, she’d thought her heart was going to stop. She hadn’t known how Robert had found her so fast, but she wasn’t going to go easy. That was what she’d thought, anyway, but in seconds, the man had shown her how unprepared and helpless she’d been.
His answer penetrated her mind. “Robert. The man who sent you.”
“I don’t know a Robert, and no one sent me.”
“Who are you?”
He lifted his brows. “Who are you, and what are you doing in Jack’s cabin?”
“You know Jack?”
“The question is, do you?” He glanced around. “You needed a place to stay...” Shrewd eyes landed back on her. “Maybe a place to hide out from this Robert person, so you broke in?”
“I did not break in,” she said, affronted. Well, she kind of had, but not in the way he was insinuating. “Tell me something about Jack that proves you know him.”
“Easy. He has a dog, Dakota. Jack was his team’s dog handler until he and Dakota were hurt by a roadside bomb.”
That was true. She supposed Robert could have found that out, but there would be no reason to pass that particular information on to his men. She still wasn’t going to turn her back on this man, but she no longer believed he was here to hurt her.
“Now, back to you. If I call Jack and ask if he knows...what did you say your name was again?”
“Nice try, cowboy.” There was that amusement again. Why? Because she’d called him a cowboy? He did make her think of one with those cowboy boots and that belt buckle with a bucking horse on it.
“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“That’s fair, I guess, but only first names. I’m Rachel.”
He tipped an imaginary hat. “Dallas at your service, Miss Rachel.”
Jeez, the man even had a sexy cowboy name. “Okay, Dallas, if Robert didn’t send you, why are you here?”And please don’t say you’re planning to stay.
“Same game. I’ll tell you why if you reciprocate.” Dallas sighed when she pressed her lips together, clearly having no intention of sharing.
He didn’t know what to make of the woman. She was obviously afraid of this Robert person. An abusive boyfriend maybe, and that didn’t sit well. She’d also obviously broken into Jack’s cabin, but he wouldn’t kick her out in the middle of the night or report her to Jack...at least, not yet. Tomorrow, he’d figure out what to do about her.
What he didn’t appreciate was that the image of her in those purple panties and a T-shirt so thin that he could see the outline of her nipples was imprinted in his mind. Long legs, honey-blond hair, and golden-brown eyes the color of Macallan—his favorite whiskey—did nothing to dim the desire that had shot through him as his gaze had roamed over her.
The intent had been to unnerve her, but the joke was on him. Purple might be his new favorite color, and that pissed him off. He didn’t need an irresistible wildcat in his life, not now. He eyed the king bed she’d claimed, then sighed and turned to leave. It appeared it was going to be a twin for him.
“Where are you going?” she said.
“To the other room, unless you want to invite me to get in that nice big king with you.”
She snorted. “Dream on.”
“Was afraid you’d say that.” He should have brought his cowboy hat on this trip so he could tip it to her. She had no clue she’d nailed it calling him cowboy. He tipped a nonexistent one. “Good night, wildcat.”
