On the other side, the Hummer’s front wheels were hanging over the edge, the back tires squealing against the ground, trying to reverse the heavy truck fully onto the solid land as it teetered dangerously.
The decent human being in her hoped they could right the vehicle. The fallen fugitive in her, sick and tired of being chased, beaten, and shot at, really didn’t care whether they succeeded.
Peeling her fingers from her death grip on the handles, she turned to look at Rome, rubbing the circulation back into her stiff wet hands. He appeared stunned and invigorated all at once. Just like her.
He leaned forward to pull her into his shaking arms, giving her a hard and deep kiss. Primal. Natural. Full of adrenaline. She kissed him back, tasting sweat and blood and the sexy tang that was all Rome.
They broke apart and stared at each other for a long moment, just glad to be alive and in one piece.
“Let’s get back to the Bug.” His low suggestion severed the charged air. She nodded in agreement.
As the adrenaline of their thrill ride started to wear off, reality set in and the aches and pains came in droves. She realized that they did need to get back. Back to the Bug and back to work.
Harper grabbed control of the bike and started off in the direction Rome pointed. It would be a longer drive now, but at least they were alone.
And once they were back to relative safety, they could assess their wounds. And the information they’d overheard. She just didn’t know which was going to hurt more.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Rome straightened his aching body as Harper pulled the Bug into a tree-shaded space behind a mercifully remote log cabin.
Before they’d left that morning, he’d paid up their cheap motel room for a few more days. And added extra to pay for privacy. The front desk attendant/owner of the motel had simply pocketed the money, saying something sleazy about Harper that almost earned him a broken nose.
As Rome glanced at her long fingers turning the keys to kill the engine and her other hand reaching down to pull the lever to pop the hood, he was enormously glad they had decided to move locations. For many reasons. Mostly, he didn’t need leering assholes ogling her. Plus their situation seemed to be only getting worse, so he’d told Harper it would be best to not stay in one place for too long.
But right now they were about to hole up in a very nice and very private log cabin. The owner had four rental cabins that were spread out over acres and acres of family land. This particular cabin sat enclosed by the majestic woods, with a swift-moving creek just steps from the front door. One simple phone call from Rome had secured the heavenly place.
He’d had to hide away here several times before, both professionally and personally. After a long history being acquainted, Rome trusted the owner understood the meaning of “discreet.”
His most recent trip to the reclusive spot had been just after the loss of his team two years ago. The serene retreat possessed a cleansing spirit. The simple joy of fusing with nature had helped him send some of his demons to their lair and pacify the rest of them just enough so he could return to his job.
The slamming of the driver-side door broke into his thoughts, and he watched as Harper closed the door again. And again. The door clicked shut for good on the third try, and he couldn’t help smiling at her fresh familiarity with the old car he loved so much.
She disappeared from his sight around the front of the car as she lifted the hood. He guessed he’d better get out of the car and find the key the owner would have stashed under the wooden porch. He hauled himself out of the car and had to shut his passenger door several times before the latch caught, as well.
He sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, the crisp air from his mouth fogging as he tilted his head back to glance at the bloated dark clouds. It definitely looked like a hard rain was in the forecast.
“I’ll get the key,” he said to Harper, walking gingerly toward the porch, his boots clomping against the damp, hard-packed dirt. A wave of exhaustion tingled through his body as he reached the wooden stairs.
He was surprised Harper didn’t look ready to drop, too. Clearly she’d been through hell in their escape from the facility. He’d been so proud and admittedly a little surprised at the way she had fought alongside him. And even more surprised at how right it felt. Whatever fear she must have had, she’d masked it with a fury and resilience he’d never seen. She was a damn trouper, that was for sure.
Case in point: She had decided to jump the gorge. It had been a lot bigger than it had appeared on the map. He thought she’d been kidding around. But the woman had guts of steel. He’d instantly realized that jumping the gorge had been their only real chance at survival. He didn’t kid himself when it came to a fight. And that fight was one they couldn’t have won.
The only thing he could do was hold on and trust her. And one risk later, they were safe. A pure ecstasy beyond any he’d ever experienced had filled him then, almost to the point of bursting. He’d kissed her, trying to convey all that she was to him.
Life with Harper was going to be one wild ride. And he suddenly realized he wanted it to last forever.
But they didn’t have forever. Harper’s life was a ticking time bomb. Plus, though they’d been through a lot, he wasn’t sure he’d regained her trust.
Rome shook the unsettling thought away. They had more immediate problems. Such as their damn injuries. So Rome figured he’d better get their asses inside to start the mending in order to find a way to make forever happen.
He bent to one knee, briefly wondering whether he’d be able to get back up, and fished through the weeds and cobwebs to pull out a little metal box. He retrieved the old brass key, then put the box back under the stairs.
It took all his remaining strength just to stand. The muscles in his legs cried out in protest at the motion. He was losing it. Fast.
Turning around to check on Harper, he saw her standing there quietly, waiting for him with a quirky smile. He nearly swooned at the sight of her, partly because of his fatigue, more so because she looked like a sexy battleworn goddess surrounded by mighty Mother Nature.
Her T-shirt was covered with dark stains of blood, sweat, and dirt under her unzipped coat. Angry scrapes and splotches marred her weary face, and her blonde locks were mussed like a pile of strewn hay.
But she’d never looked better. He’d known her only a short time, but he was sure he’d seen her at her worst. And that didn’t even compare to anyone else’s best. The raw energy and natural essence of Harper were thrilling in a way he’d never experienced.
“Can we go in?” she asked with her eyebrows raised. She held their duffel bags, one in each hand.
Rome realized he was staring like an idiot and blinked to snap out of his haze. Rubbing a weary hand over his face, he nodded and waved her forward.
Every one of the four wooden stairs was like a mountain hike. Reaching the door, he heard the creak of the weathered wood of the porch, and then felt the comforting warmth of Harper’s body beside his.
He slipped the key into the sturdy lock and twisted the knob to push the door wide-open. He cautiously peered inside the shadowy room, the only light coming from the windows and the open door. Everything was just how he remembered it.
The cabin was basically one large room, built of hearty cedar planks from the forest outside. In fact, the founding trees that built the cabin had stood in the same spot, providing a sheltered and natural aura.
A sturdy kitchen to the left was outfitted with stainless steel appliances and white tiled countertops. An island sat in the middle of the kitchen area with wooden stools standing on the open side.