Then she pulled away, gently, as if she had wanted this and was reluctant to stop, but that this was enough for now.
“That… was to say I’m sorry for hurting you and to thank you for all that you’ve done for me,” she said, looking into his eyes, hers wearing the faintest shimmer of tears.
Instantly, concerned she was upset about the whole business again, he hurriedly said, “No problem, Shannon. We’re good. Feel free to think of this as your home for as long as you like.”
She still had her arms around his waist and their kissing and her continued touch had made his body aroused for her and craving more. Not that he would go that far even if she wanted to. Well, maybe if she really insisted. Probably even if she barely insisted.
Then he frowned and said, “You’re not going to kiss Dan like that for hurting him, too, are you?” He didn’t know why he even said it.
She grinned broadly and then brushed a tear rolling down her cheek and then another quickly away. She shook her head. “Night.” She released him and headed for the bedroom.
Hell, his blood was on fire just from that one tantalizingly hot kiss, but he was glad that she had been amused by his comment.
Watching her, he began to wonder what the kiss had really been about and his stomach was bunching into knots with worry. He hated over thinking this, but he couldn’t help it when it came to her. She seemed so vulnerable and she needed someone “You’re not planning on leaving, are you? That wasn’t a goodbye kiss, was it?”
She shook her head, but didn’t say anything and continued to the bedroom. She was crying softly, trying not to in front of him, he thought. Ah, hell. He was in too deep already. He stalked after her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, stopping her.
“Come on. Let’s watch a movie. Why don’t you see if there’s something you might like.” He didn’t want her to be alone in the room crying. He still feared she would try to slip off in the middle of the night if she didn’t feel entirely comfortable or safe here. He felt they’d made somewhat of a connection, and that she was beginning to trust him. “Come on,” he put his arm around her shoulders in a comforting way and led her back down the hall toward the couch. “When I’m feeling blue, watching movies helps me to feel better.”
She glanced up at him, her eyes full of tears and her face was streaked with tiny rivulets.
He felt bad for her, wishing there was more that he could do to make her feel better. “Yeah, I hate to admit it, but it’s true. Sometimes I feel like my whole world has come unglued. I usually get something to drink, and then watch a movie.”
“Wine?” she asked.
He smiled a little. “Yeah, I’ve got some of that.” He wasn’t certain that she was feeling any better about anything, but his whole outlook brightened. He took her into the kitchen, not wanting to let go of her, and wanting to comfort her.
He opened a cabinet and handed her a couple of wine glasses. Then he grabbed a bottle and an opener. He put his arm around her shoulders and guided her into the living room. Once they were seated, he poured the drinks, then he showed her the selection of movies he had.
She was beautiful, her dark hair shiny, her lips a natural red, full and appealing. He meant to give her some room, but he sat close to her, his leg brushing against hers, their arms touching, and he fished out the movies to show her all of them as if he needed to be this close.
"The first one looks good," she said.
He started the fantasy adventure movie.
Risking rejection, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hoping she wouldn’t mind the intimacy, but in the worse way, he wanted to make her feel secure and reassured. She leaned her head against his shoulder, but soon lay her head in his lap… and fell asleep.
Satisfaction filled him with the knowledge that he had helped her to feel safe enough to sleep. He wondered just how long she’d been running as a cougar, wary, barely able to sleep, constantly on the alert for danger.
His right leg began falling asleep, but he didn't want to disturb her. So he watched the rest of the movie, listening to her steady heartbeat, the way she softly breathed as he stroked her silky hair, and told himself that this couldn't go any further. That whatever mess she was in could be resolved or not, and she may never be able to stay here and start a new life. Though he was already hopeful she would. And he knew how crazy that sounded without knowing anything about her. Still, here, she could find a life where others of their kind lived, helped each other out, cared about one another. And he sure hoped she could stay. He didn’t want to feel that he was the law and she was wanted, in a criminal sort of way.
When the movie ended, he turned off the TV and carried her to bed. She was warm and soft against him, her eyes closed in sleep and in that instant, she looked so innocent and sweet. Which made him smile, considering the way she had snarled at him with her cougar canines when he’d pounced on her in his cat form yesterday.
After covering her with the comforter, he glanced at the armoire sitting in front of the window, his jaw hanging for a second. Hell, that thing was heavy. He thought he’d get a hernia moving it. He couldn’t believe she did so on her own. It reminded him just how much she feared for her life. He closed the bedroom door, then returned to the living room, grabbed the wine glasses, and put them in the dishwasher.
He had really enjoyed watching the movie with Shannon. Not that she had watched it much as she’d fallen asleep fairly quickly, but he liked that she had finally relaxed at his place and with him. Cuddling with her had been so unexpected, and… nice. He had thought that being alone suited him fine, but now… Hell, even the thought that she wouldn’t be here in the morning, or sharing another night like this with him tomorrow bothered him. If it helped her to feel comfortable here, he was all for continuing with the movie nights.
He sat on the couch and called Dan. “Have you got any… nonviolent movies lying about your place?”
“What?” Then Dan asked, “Are you kidding?”
Chase figured as much. “I just thought maybe you had something that was more suitable for Shannon to watch.”
Dan didn’t say anything for a minute. Chase knew he was coming to some conclusions of his own as to why Chase would be doing all that he could to make Shannon feel welcome—and it didn’t have all to do with wanting to ensure she stayed here so she’d be safe.
“No. I’ll ask Dottie. Anything else you might need?” Dan asked, sounding a little amused.
“Hairbrush, hairdryer. I can pick those up later.”
“What is she doing? Did she talk to you? Tell you anything we can go by?”
“She’s asleep. Exhausted. I don’t blame her.”
“Do you want some company?”
“Sure, come on up. Are you feeling good enough to drive?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few.”
Chase checked the news on his cell phone, but didn’t see anything that featured a woman wanted by the law that had hit national news, anyway.
Twenty minutes later, Dan was at his door with a handful of movies. “I borrowed them from Dottie. She said that Shannon might like them if she doesn’t want to watch the kind of movies you’ve got. She also had a spare hairdryer she had for trips that she’s not using and a hairbrush that she bought for her daughter that she hasn’t used yet. She’ll get another.”
“Tell her thanks.” Chase looked through the movies. “Romances.”
“Yep.” Dan chuckled.
Chase set them on the coffee table, then went into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers. "You know, in all the years I've done the rough stuff, I've never had a woman nearly knock me unconscious. You either."
"Don't tell me that's why you're interested in her." Dan shook his head and took a swallow of his beer then took a seat on the couch in the living room.
"I'm not interested in her."
Dan raised a brow that said he didn't believe it for a minute.
"Okay, so yeah, she appeals." It was a damn good thing she had
n’t been wearing lipstick when they’d kissed. "I mean, hell, she's tough, living alone in the wild, and nearly knocked me out. I have to admit there is some appeal to that."
Dan chuckled. "I want someone warm, soft, and cuddly, and nurturing. Not someone who nearly kills me, then forces me to chase after her for miles while I’m suffering from a head injury to get her concession just to save her ass."
Chase grinned at his friend. "Like hell, you wouldn't. You're just wishing you hadn't sent me to search for the she-cat and located her first." Although she was warm, soft, and cuddly, too. And nurturing—when it came to her saving the boy’s life and warming him overnight.
"Yeah, right. I'm serious. Watch yourself with her. She's in trouble and she's reluctant to say why. Has she told you anything?"
"She’s running scared. I'll ask her again tomorrow when she's had some time to rest up though."
"You think she'll still be here tomorrow? That she won’t sleep some and then when she feels she’s had enough rest, she’ll slip out while you’re still dead to the world?"
Chase shrugged. He hoped she’d still be here, but if she wouldn't let them help her, there wasn't a whole hell of a lot he or anyone else could do about it. Even though he knew that if she took off, he’d be hunting her down again.
"I want to know what we could be up against." Dan tossed back the rest of the beer. "Have you got anything of hers that she’s touched that I can run fingerprints on?”
Chase should have known this wasn’t just a social call. And if he wasn’t already getting in over his head on this, he would have already bagged something she’d used. Instead, he’d put the dishes away and hadn’t given it a thought.
Or maybe subconsciously he had—and hadn’t wanted to learn anything bad about her.
“In… the dishwasher.” Chase led him into the kitchen. He glanced at the silverware basket, but it was full and he had no idea which of the utensils she had used. He pointed out the two wine glasses. “She used one of those, but I don’t remember whose was whose.”
“And you handled both, or did she put the glasses in the dishwasher?”
Feeling a little defensive, Chase let out his breath and folded his arms. “I did. She had already gone to bed.”
Dan smiled a little and shook his head. “You’re already way over your head on this one, buddy.” He bagged the wine glasses separately. “I'm calling it a night. If you have any trouble, anything at all, call me. And I’ll let you know if we lift any prints off these---besides yours—and find a match in the database."
Chase saw him out to his vehicle.
“Oh, and I almost forgot. We have an invitation for dinner tomorrow night at the Muellers' home. You know them,” Dan said. “As soon as they heard of her plight, they began looking into it. It's better for everyone concerned if we know the truth sooner than later. So it was their idea, but I'm in total agreement. Just ask her."
"All right," Chase said gloomily. He knew Dan was right and in truth, he wanted to know what was going on, too, and soonest. But he didn't want to pretend to Shannon that this was all just a friendly get together, when it wasn't. Not that the Muellers weren't friendly, but they just had a hidden agenda. And Chase was still trying to earn Shannon's trust. “If she's feeling too exhausted, we'll have to make it another time."
"Give us enough notification, will you, if she says no. All right?"
"Yeah, sure." Chase wanted to tell Shannon what the Muellers' former occupation was, but what if she decided to run? He didn't want to put her life in jeopardy by scaring her into running, either. Nor did he want to have to hunt her down again.
Dan glanced at the guestroom window. “Looks like the light’s on in the guestroom. Are you sure she’s asleep?”
Chase considered the curtains covering the window, the dark object—the armoire sitting in the center—and a scant light on either side showing. “Maybe we woke her. I’ll check on her. Thank Dottie for the movies and everything else."
“Will do. Night, Chase.”
Chase watched as Dan drove off. Again, he studied the curtains in the window where Shannon was supposed to be sleeping and shook his head. Would Dan discover a long rap sheet on the lady? Chase sure hoped he wouldn’t find anything. At least nothing bad.
***
As soon as Shannon heard men’s voices in the living room, she’d awakened. Fear had sliced through her, and she had quickly climbed out of bed and pressed her ear against the door. Then she’d heard Chase and Dan speaking low about movies that Dottie had loaned to Chase. Shannon was relieved to know it was just Dan and not someone else who was looking for her.
Their voices had dropped lower and she was certain they were discussing her. But no one was coming to arrest her, so she thought they still didn’t have a clue as to who she was. She gave up on listening, tired, not able to hear anything anyway, then turned on the light, not wanting to be surrounded by the dark.
Sure, she could see in semi-dark like her fully cougar cousins, but she felt comforted here in Chase’s cabin with the light on in her room. She climbed under the big fluffy comforter on the guest bed, needing to sleep.
But now that she wasn’t trying to find a safe haven for the night, her thoughts turned to Hennessey and how he might find her at any time and she’d be dead—unless she could kill him first.
Chapter 8
Chase took a warm shower, but when he left the bathroom, he heard the curtains moving in the living room and found Shannon wearing her gray sweats now, peeking out through the drapes at the dark night.
Had she heard something—someone? He cleared his throat so as not to startle her. “Can’t you sleep? I saw the light on in your room.”
She jumped a little and turned quickly to face him. “I was dozing,” she said, her voice a little anxious. “I thought…” She shook her head.
“Is the light disturbing you too much? Would you prefer a night light?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine, really. I just… I just heard something. I thought it was… a bear outside and I… I had to check it out. But I didn’t see any.”
He wondered if she worried it was something else. Maybe someone who had been chasing her. “All right. Do you want anything? Some milk? More hot chocolate? Would that help?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be all right. Thanks.”
Chase pointed at the oak coffee table. "Dan brought some movies up for us to watch that you might like better. Compliments of Dottie. She also sent a spare hairbrush and hair dryer. Dan also asked if we would like to have dinner with a couple in town tomorrow night."
Shannon eyed Chase a little warily.
"We don't have to go if you don't want. It was just an offer, but we're under no obligation."
"All right," she said. “We can go.”
He thought his saying they were under no obligation to go was what made her agree. He would have to remember that if they got any more invitations, and knowing everyone like he did, he suspected they might.
***
Now this was awkward. Chase was waiting for Shannon to return to her room, but he stood near enough to her door that when she opened it, he would see that she’d rearranged the furniture. She didn’t want him to believe it was because she was scared. When she just stood there, hoping he’d move along to his own bedroom, he finally reached around her and opened the door to her room for her.
He paused for a moment, considering her, not the room, and then he suddenly said, “Wait, let me get you something.” He stalked off down the hall to his bedroom.
When she saw the cell phone in his hand, she was hopeful that she could look up the news on the Internet.
“I want you to take my cell phone. I’ve got another that Dan assigned to me for police work. My number is listed under contacts in my phone. When I’m out working on the cabins or anytime you want to call me, feel free.”
He had no intention of monitoring her every move? She felt a sense of liberation in that instance and she really appreciated him for
that. Though she was a little surprised he really was giving her free rein to do as she pleased. “Thanks,” she said, “for everything.”
He glanced at the armoire she’d had a devil of a time moving against the window. The bedside table was next to the door, so he might have assumed she had shoved it against the only door to the room before she went to sleep. Which made her seem paranoid.
“Good night. If you need anything at all, just come get me. For breakfast, I’ll fix us some ham and cheese omelets.”
She was grateful he didn’t mention anything about her moving furniture when she had really expected him to. But then she realized that he must have carried her to bed earlier and already seen that she’d moved the furniture!
Then he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. She couldn’t figure him out. He was so good to her when he didn’t know her at all.
“Did… you want to sleep with me instead?” he asked. When her jaw dropped a little, he quickly added, “If you thought you could sleep better because you felt safer.”
Then she laughed. “Yeah, right.”
He gave her one of his charming, dimpled smiles, and he looked absolutely delighted that he’d made her laugh. “Are you sure? If you’re having nightmares—“
“Thanks, I think I’ll be safer in my own bed. But I really appreciate the offer.” She smiled a little and stepped into the room. He closed the door for her. She had to admit she would have felt safer in his arms, at least as far as worrying about anyone breaking into his place and trying to kill her. But on a purely physical level, sleeping with Chase would not be safe.