“No, just the mountain’s unofficial grumpy mountain man. This is Sebastian Johansson. He lives about a mile up the mountain. He was in our unit for a couple of years but was the first to retire since he’s so much older than the rest of us.” Kane sidestepped Baz’ as he tried to smack Kane in the back of the head.
Brushing imaginary dust off my knees, I scanned Kane and noticed that his gun had mysteriously disappeared as fast as it had appeared, leaving me wondering again where he’d hidden it. Huh, Johansson? “Are you related to Kelee and Slade? I went to high school with them.”
“Cousins.” One word, that’s all the answer I got. Kinda fit the vibe he was giving off.
“Well, small world. Or small-town life, huh?” This time, nothing. One more try. “Anyway, she’s great. Living in Cedar Ridge now, right?”
“So I hear.”
Well, at least I tried. Kane shrugged his shoulders and then focused his attention back on me. And once again, my blood pressure took a hit. Would I ever get used to having Kane’s striking coal black gaze focused solely on me?
“And anyway, Baz, was up at the lodge when your brother received a call from the local PD and he volunteered to deliver the message, since you know no cell service.”
“Wait, what?”Yeah, the sarcasm had a mind of its own.But seriously, what kind of social media influencer would I be if Ididn’t complain a little about not having access to the freaking internet while being “protected.”
“They may have a location narrowed down. Somewhere in the Middle East. But, and this is a big but, it could be a false IP, but it’s the first positive lead they’ve come up with. Meaning, at least this person isn’t local.”
Not local. Could I be that lucky? Did this mean I could go home?
“And no, you’re not going home. Not until we’re sure, and the authorities are sure, that the threat isn’t local and won’t be. As long as this person doesn’t have any travel plans, once they narrow it down, we’ll know more.” Kane had a “don’t argue with me” look in his eyes, which only made me want to argue and push his buttons. God, I hated not having control of my life.
“But—”
“No.” Kane wouldn’t be swayed.
“How about?—”
“No.”
“You don’t know what I was going to say?” Hands on hips, I ignored Baz’ interested stare and stood as tall as I could make myself, which at five foot six, wasn’t near tall enough to look Kane in the eye.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“But you’re my bodyguard. You’d protect me wherever I go, right?”
“Right. But since you’re staying right here, where the danger level is zero to point zero—zero—two…” Kane paused and gave Baz the stink eye.
“Not my fault, man. You over-reacted. I made a ton of noise, giving you plenty of advance warning that I was ‘a friendly.’” Baz reached out again, and this time scored a head slap.
Before Kane could pay him back, Baz was halfway to the front door and tossed out, “Later.”
“Try much later. Like maybe next year.” Kane yelled back then sighed as the grumpy, Santa-ish looking man slammed the door behind him.
A crack of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up the darkening room. When had dusk fallen? This would be my first mountain storm, and I loved rainstorms. Well, at least this was something to look forward to. There was just something about the energy-filled air that boosted my mood.
A sudden quiet shrunk the space between us, and the rush of adrenaline I thought I’d tamed after the initial fear of being discovered, picked up again and turned from a wave of gratitude to anticipation.
We were locked in a charged stare-off that rivaled the electricity Mother Nature was providing. Who made the first move hung between unspoken and I almost jumped out of my skin when he started speaking.
“What are we doing here, Chas? Is this happening despite Finn or to spite him?” Kane’s tone held an edge I’d yet to hear from him. And it felt as if we were at a point of no return after what, maybe, twenty-four hours of knowing each other. He’d also kept shortening my name and made thessound like a z, and I liked it. Really liked it.
“First, I’d never use another person to get back at my brother. Second, I have no problem owning my feelings and my choices. He may think because our father wasn’t much of a role model that he needed to step into that role, and I’m sure he may have warned you away from me. But we’re adults, and unless you have a wife tucked away somewhere or you’re hiding up here because you have a stack of outstanding warrants, then it’s no one’s damn business what happens between us.”
"How about a fire?" Kane cleared his throat and, without waiting for an answer, he stepped around me.
If this was his idea of foreplay, I think I'd need a peek into his script. Especially since he told me he writes his own.
"Um, yes, that uh sounds…cozy." Lame, oh so lame Chassie.
