“No worries there,” he whispered.
Ashley reluctantly backed away and hurried to her room to check on Little Blade. The music from the bar followed her. She was concerned that the puppy would be restless in the carrier and want out. Little Blade whined pitifully as soon as she opened the door.
“Oh sweetie,” she whispered, her fears realized. Kneeling on the floor next to her open suitcase, she released the door to his small carrier and brought him out. Without invitation he climbed into her lap and stretched upward in order to lick her face. “You’re adorable and you know it, don’t you?”
She brought Little Blade back down to her lap and petted him and tickled his stomach. “Are you hungry?” Ashley remembered the treats she’d picked up while they were at Walmart and found the sack, sorting through the supplies until she found what she was looking for. She tore open the package and handed him a small bone-shaped goodie, which Little Blade immediately jumped on.
She heard the announcer in the far-off room call out the number for the next singer. Casually, Ashley glanced at the number in her pocket, convinced there must be three or four others ahead of her.
As soon as she realized it was her, she leaped to her feet. “That’s me. Oh my goodness…” Without thought, she raced out of the room. This was her moment to shine in front of Dash. Her hope was that he’d be so overwhelmed by her extraordinary talent that he wouldn’t be able to contain himself.
“I’m here. I’m here,” she called out, as she rushed back into the bar.
She made her way to the front and found the disc jockey. “Am I too late?” she asked, placing her hand over her pounding heart. She didn’t know she could move that fast.
“You’re fine,” he assured her, and handed her the microphone.
Ashley climbed the two steps to the small stage and waited for the music to cue up. Her gaze searched the room until she found Dash. She smiled at him and he smiled back and then winked, taking a sip of his beer. She’d had only the one small taste of her own drink, and she grew nervous. A drink usually helped, but one sip wasn’t nearly enough and she wanted this song to wow him.
The music started, and with her eyes holding Dash’s, she whispered in a husky voice, “Santa, baby…”
A small commotion started in the back of the room. Ashley did her best to ignore it. But then the noise and laughter moved forward and several people started to point down toward the floor.
It took only a couple of moments for Ashley to realize the source of their amusement.
Little Blade had followed her into the bar. In her rush she must have left the door partially open. The puppy had escaped and brought something with him.
And it wasn’t the bone she’d given him just a few minutes earlier.
Instead, Little Blade happily trotted toward the front of the stage dragging her bra with him.
Ashley was mortified. She leaped down from the stage in order to catch Little Blade, but before she could reach him, a middle-aged man in the audience snagged the bra. As soon as he wrestled it away from Little Blade, he swung it in wide circles above his head like a victory flag.
Ashley was convinced her face had turned purple with humiliation. She managed to grab hold of Little Blade and turned to see Dash standing eye to eye with the man swinging her bra. Dash said something to the other man that caused him to take a step back. Whatever Dash said was effective, because the smile left the other man’s face and he willingly handed over Ashley’s bra.
With her underwear in hand, Dash joined her. “Are you ready to leave now?” he asked, as if the question was even necessary. Ashley couldn’t get out of that lounge fast enough.
“Please.” She tucked Little Blade under her arm, and with her head lowered, she nearly ran toward their rooms. As soon as they were out of earshot, she mumbled, “I have never been so embarrassed in my life.”
If Dash so much as smiled or cracked a joke, she didn’t know what she’d do. “Could I please have my bra back?” she asked, as soon as they turned down the corridor that led to their side-by-side rooms.
He held out her bra, but she could see that he was trying not to laugh.
He might think this was funny, but she definitely didn’t. “Don’t you dare,” she threatened.
“Sorry. If you could have seen the look on your face.”
She snatched the bra out of his hand and grabbed her key card, eager to disappear and bury her sorrows in a package of M&M’S from the minibar. This was what she got for her attempt to look sexy and sultry for Dash.
Little Blade squirmed in her arms as she struggled to hold on to him and manage the key card. Not that she needed it, seeing that her door was halfway open.
“Let me help,” Dash offered, reaching for Little Blade.
“You’ve already been enough help, thank you very much.”
“Hey, what did I do?”
She hesitated, knowing he was right. Dash didn’t deserve to have her frustration taken on out him, especially when he’d basically saved her from having to ask a stranger to return her underwear. “You didn’t do anything.”
His eyes revealed the first sign of sympathy.
“Apparently, in my rush to get back to sing I didn’t close the door all the way. It’s my fault.” While that was true, she did feel he was partially responsible. She refused to meet his eyes. “However, you aren’t blameless.”
“How’s that?”
It was probably a mistake to admit this. “I wanted to show you my sexy side.”
He grinned and rubbed his hand down the side of his face. “You don’t need to work hard at that, Ash. I find you plenty attractive already.”
Her gaze shot up and a warm feeling chased away some of the embarrassment. “You do?”
“Surprisingly so.”
“Surprisingly?” How was it the man could compliment and insult her in the same breath?
“Given the fact you tried my patience to the nth degree most of the day, yes, surprisingly.”
“I tried your patience?” She found that pretty cheeky, all things considered.
“You do. Plus, I find you distracting.” He moved closer so that her back was against the wall.
“Oh?” It was hard to speak with him standing so close, especially when his gaze was focused on her lips. As he brought his face closer she held her breath in anticipation. He didn’t disappoint her. Tilting his head to one side, he pressed his mouth to hers. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he edged her even closer. His mouth was warm and pliable; he tasted slightly of beer, but his lengthy and exploratory kiss was what intoxicated her. A sigh rattled through him as he reluctantly dragged his mouth from hers.
Ashley kept her eyes closed as Little Blade squirmed in her arms.
“Good night, Ash.”
“Night,” she returned, and nearly stumbled as she stepped through the doorway. As soon as she was in the room, Ashley set Little Blade on the floor. From the mess of clothes on the floor it was clear Little Blade had had a fun time rooting through her suitcase. Unwilling to leave Dash just yet, she turned back to thank him again.
He noticed she’d peeked her head out. “I want to get an early start in the morning.”
“Okay.”
He frowned and glared at her as if he expected her to argue or make an unreasonable demand.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. It’s just that I get worried when you’re overly accommodating.”
For him to say that was insulting. “Why would you kiss me one minute and then glare at me the next?”
“Maybe because I find myself liking you far too much.”
She enjoyed the sound of that. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It could be.”
“How’s that?” she pressed.
“Well, for one thing, you’re living in California and I’m likely to get this job in Seattle. I’ve done long-distance relationships before and they don’t work.”
At least she knew where she stood. A
nd he’d told her before that a relationship wasn’t high on his priority list. Still, she’d hoped maybe that had been starting to change. “I’ve got enough on my plate as it is,” she added, so he’d know she wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, either. “I’ve got to get through graduate school.”
“Besides, we hardly know each other.”
“One day…not even a full twenty-four hours,” she said, although it did seem so much longer.
“Right.” Even as he objected, Dash shortened the space between them.
Ashley didn’t complain when he slipped his hand around her neck, easing her toward him for another intense, mindless kiss. He sighed heavily and pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay,” she murmured, keeping her eyes closed as she hung on to the feelings he so easily evoked in her.
“I’ll wake you at four.”
“Four,” she repeated, eyes shooting open. “With coffee, right?”
“With coffee.”
“I don’t function well without coffee.” And that was putting it mildly.
“I’ll see to it,” he promised.
“Night,” she whispered.
“Night,” he repeated.
Ashley let herself into the room to find Little Blade asleep on top of her open suitcase. Scooping him up in her arms, she set him inside the carrier and closed the door.
Yawning, she changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and climbed into bed, exhausted from the events of the day.
—
The next thing she heard was someone pounding incessantly against her door. Tossing aside the covers, Ashley stumbled toward the noise. “Coming.” She checked the peephole to find Dash standing in the hallway, holding a disposable cup of coffee.
“Is it that time already?” she protested, unlatching the door.
“Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”
She gratefully accepted the coffee and inhaled the scent of the brew. “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”
His look was skeptical. “Okay. I’ll have the car warmed up by the time you’re dressed.”
Determined not to keep Dash waiting, Ashley threw her clothes on and brought Little Blade out of the carrier and set him outside. He did his business quickly, most likely to escape the cold. The snow had stopped falling, leaving a good five or six inches on the ground.
Ashley tucked the puppy back into the carrier and met Dash in the lobby. He took Little Blade from her and she returned to her room for her suitcase. They left their key cards at the front desk and were on their way.
True to his word, Dash had the car warmed up and the windows scraped clear of frost and snow.
As soon as she was settled, Dash reiterated the importance of his arrival in Seattle that day. “The interview is this afternoon.”
“I know. No unnecessary stops,” she promised him.
“I’d appreciate it.” He pulled out of the parking lot and they headed back to the freeway.
The car was warm and comfortable. “Did you sleep well?” he asked, after a few minutes.
“Yes. You?”
“Not so much.”
“Why not?” she asked, sipping her coffee.
He didn’t answer. “I had stuff on my mind.”
“Are you worried about the interview?” She knew getting this job was important to him.
“No.” His face darkened. “Actually, I was thinking about you and wishing things hadn’t taken the turn they did last night. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed those kisses, but now you’re in my head and I can barely think of anything else.”
“Really?”
“Ash, I have an important interview this afternoon and I need to focus on that. I don’t need a distraction, and you’re a big distraction.”
“Wow.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Sorry, too late. Might I remind you that you’re the one who kissed me?”
“I know. Trust me, I know.”
She could barely hide her delight. “No worries, Dash. I’ll do my best to keep you focused on your interview. Is there anything I can do to help you prepare?”
“Yeah. Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like…that,” he muttered.
“Okay, whatever you say. Today is a clean slate.”
He glanced at her. “You think you can quit being so adorable?”
Ashley thought she would melt into a puddle at his feet. “You can’t say that to me and expect not to get a response. No one’s ever called me adorable, at least not since I was two or three.”
In an effort to help him stay focused, they rode in silence for the next hour. Ashley kept her gaze straight ahead as the miles sped by. Thankfully, the freeway was clear and the weather had improved.
It was still dark when they started over the pass into Oregon. Ashley noticed several large trucks with their taillights flashing driving on the side of the road on the steeper parts of the pass. But Dash was an excellent driver and gave the eight- and twelve-wheelers plenty of room, passing only when necessary.
As they entered Oregon, Dash looked in the rearview mirror and cursed under his breath.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I’m getting pulled over.”
Ashley twisted around, and sure enough, the Oregon State Patrol had its lights flashing. Dash pulled over to the side of the freeway and waited for the officer to approach.
He rolled down the window and had his driver’s license out. “Is there a problem?” he asked.
The officer leaned into the car and looked at Dash, Ashley, and Little Blade. “You’re driving with expired license tabs.”
“Impossible,” Dash insisted. “This is a rental car.” He leaned over Ashley, opened the glove box, and retrieved the rental agreement papers, which he handed to the patrolman.
The officer read over the sheet. “Where are you headed?” he asked.
“Seattle,” Dash explained, tight-lipped.
“It looks like someone exchanged your plates. It’s becoming a real problem. You’ll need to report this to the rental agency when you return the car.”
Dash nodded. “I’ll make sure I do.”
The officer returned the rental agreement and Dash’s license. “Drive carefully, and remember to follow the speed limit.”
“I will,” Dash said.
Ashley leaned forward to smile at the officer. “Merry Christmas.”
He touched the rim of his hat and smiled back. “Drive carefully, now.”
Ashley waited until the officer was back in his vehicle. “I bet I know when this happened.”
Dash was more concerned about getting back on the freeway and blending in with the traffic. “When?”
“Remember that kid who wanted to recite his lines in the parking lot last night?”
Dash whistled through his teeth. “His friend who joined him seemed nervous, now that I think about it.”
“He looked guilty. Like he knew he was doing something wrong.”
“He did,” Dash agreed, frowning.
“They looked like such good kids, too.” She remembered how clean cut both of them were. “Why do you think they’d do something like that?”
Dash answered with a question of his own. “Why does anyone do stuff like that?”
“Well, all I can say is what goes around comes around. That’s what my dad used to tell me. I just wish I could be there to see it happen for those two kids.”
Agent Jordan Wilkes ended his phone conversation and turned to Agent Buckley, who was driving ten miles above the speed limit. Wilkes had spent a restless night mostly without sleep, reviewing what information they had with the hope that they were on the right track with Ashley Davison. Again and again his mind turned over the relationship between the woman and the former army intelligence officer and their possible connection.
Although they had little to go on, Wilkes continued to travel nort
h. His gut told him they were close to capturing Davison and making an arrest. As he neared the end of his career, capturing Ashley Davison would cap his long years of service.
His phone beeped. He answered, listened, and then triumphantly told Agent Buckley, “We got a hit.” He knew he was close. He’d felt it, and after the last two years of hitting one dead end after another, he could taste victory.
“Where?” Buckley asked.
“About twenty miles ahead. I’ll contact the local authorities and get a chopper to keep track of the vehicle.”
Buckley waited until Wilkes had made the arrangements, which involved three different government agencies. “I won’t make the mistake of underestimating Ashley Davison again,” the older, more experienced agent insisted. “This time I’m calling in every agency available for reinforcements. We have her now and I’m going to trap her in so tight there’s no possible way she’ll escape.”
“You ordered a helicopter?”
“Yes. It’s important we take every precaution. The woman and the situation are dangerous. She’s got a hostage, and she’ll use whatever means is available to escape capture. God only knows what she wants from Dash Sutherland and how much she’s already been able to get out of him. It would be a shame for him to escape injury in Afghanistan only to be killed by a homegrown American terrorist.”
“A shame for sure,” Agent Buckley agreed.
His cell rang again and he answered. “Wilkes.”
The conversation was brief, and he noticed that the other agent was keenly interested. “I told you Davison was clever,” he said once he’d disconnected. “I swear the woman has a sixth sense. The ’copter has the car in sight. She’s left the freeway and is driving side roads. It’s like she can smell us closing in on her.” He checked his weapon. While he didn’t want to use it, if the situation called for gunfire, Wilkes wouldn’t hesitate.
“The local authorities have been told to stay back. We don’t want to give Davison any indication that she’s been detected and is being followed.”
“What about the chopper?”