12. Evan #2
A firm hand on my shoulder dragged my attention away from Val. “Got a minute?” The serious tone in Scotty’s voice immediately put me on edge.
I glanced at Ma, who hadn’t missed the interaction. “Let’s go for a walk.”
As we walked out the back and into the warm evening air, the buzz of cicadas mirrored the swarming thoughts in my head.
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s not good. They definitely know you’re alive. My source also said that the organization is distributing pictures of you and Gemma and ...” Scott dragged a hand across the stubble at his jaw.
“And what?” I urged.
“Val.”
My stomach swooped low at the mention of her name. My heartbeat clawed up my throat as panic raced through me. “Val? What’s she got to do with anything?”
He only raised an eyebrow, as we both knew Val was connected to the whole thing. She was there that night and not only saw Gemma and I, but the other men as well.
“When she was in Chicago, they could keep an eye on her. Someone got nervous when she disappeared.”
“Do they know where we are?” Protective rage simmered just below the surface, vying to be unleashed. I flexed my fist, wishing I could drive it through something.
“No.” His hand clamped on my shoulder. “But you may want to consider requesting a transfer. I don’t feel good about you all being here together.”
“Gemma and I stay together. There’s no other option.”
He nodded. “You’ve been here a while. You’re doing everything right. But maybe we talk with Ma and see if it’s really smart to have Val here too. She’s a liability.”
I was sickened at the thought of Val leaving the ranch. I knew my time with her was already limited, but the thought of cutting it shorter was unbearable. And her being transferred to god knew where without any sort of protection? Over my dead fucking body.
“No. She’s safer here. We’re surrounded by nothing but mountains and valleys. There are federal agents here. Plus, I can hold my own.”
At that, Scott laughed. “I know you can. Just be smart. Don’t do anything to force Ma’s hand.”
Scotty shook my hand and looked me in the eye.
I knew he meant sleeping with Val. All connections to my previous life were supposed to be severed—that included her.
I had already determined that we should just be friends, but with every touch and smile, it was getting harder and harder to see why I shouldn’t risk everything to be with her.
I stared out into the open valley beyond the main house.
Why couldn’t things be different?
Why couldn’t I have been born Evan Walker, cattle rancher, and met Val Rivera? Then nothing would stand in the way of learning everything about her—every secret, every curve.
I let out an exhausted sigh and moped my way back into the house. Dinner was winding down, and dishes were being cleared. I caught sight of Val pouring a few cups of coffee, and she tipped one toward me in salute.
The tension in my shoulders dissolved as I took in her happy, radiant face.
Gemma walked passed, placed her hand on my arm, and whispered, “I think you liiiiike her ...”
“Shut it, Gem.”
Her gentle laugh echoed down the hall as she left out the back door.
Val smiled up at me, holding two steaming paper cups. “Feeling up for a walk?”
My guts twisted and rearranged. There wasn’t much I wouldn’t do to feel the warmth of her smile. “’Course.”
I led the way out the back door and around the house. We headed down a winding path toward a pond at the back of the main house. The trees stood tall above the path, towering over us and slanting early evening light across the planes of Val’s beautiful face.
She talked about her day, and we laughed. After making a loop around the lake, she walked to the end of the dock and swung her legs beneath her like a kid. We barely fit at the end of the dock, but I settled in close to her.
We watched the sun shrink down over the tops of the pines. Her even breathing blanketed me with calm. I turned my head to find her, eyes closed and face tipped toward the fading light. Everything about her was perfection. Strength wrapped in softness.
I was looking at the plush pink of her mouth when she caught me.
“What are you thinking about?”
My voice was thick. His eyes flicked across her face and back to her mouth. “The same thing I’ve been thinking about since the pasture. ”
Val sucked in a breath, and I wanted nothing more than to gather her in my arms. My cock strained painfully against the zipper in my jeans. “You said that was a bad idea.”
“It is a bad idea. We’re not supposed to have connections to our old life for good reason. Ma would do anything to protect this place. That’s why she has rules.”
“The rules are stupid.” Val’s voice had gotten quiet, breathy.
“You’re a cop. You’re supposed to live and die by rules.”
Val chuckled softly and leaned back on her arms, pushing her perfect breasts torturously into my view. “So we’re going to be, what? Friends?”
I ground my teeth together, hating the idea. I sighed in resignation and held out my hand. “So, Valerie Rivera. My new best friend.”
She slipped her hand in mine and laughed as she took in our hands. “Valor.”
I paused to consider her. “No shit?”
“In Spanish, it means courage, value, or worth.” She shrugged as if that name didn’t suit her perfectly. “Also, my mom was really into Robin Hood. Knights and medieval romances and all that. She could have picked something sweet and feminine, like Marian or Guinevere. But no. I got Valor.”
My thumb stroked the back of her rich, tan skin as she rolled her eyes and smiled. I looked at her, willing her to see the affection I held there. “I think it’s perfect.”