CHAPTER 8 #2
“I would have given you one, but I have only morphine, and you’re allergic to it.”
“Oh, shit. I knew that would come back to haunt me.”
“Just a couple more.”
Actually, it was three more before she was able to rebandage the wound. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked as she pulled up his jeans and fastened them.
“It wasn’t good.” He opened his eyes. “But since most of it was my fault, I guess I can’t complain. Could I have that coffee now? I need it.”
“Sure.” She moved toward the counter. “I could use a cup myself.”
“I can see how you would. It’s been a difficult night for you.”
She poured the coffee, gave him a cup, and then sat down on the hassock with her own. “And for you. And it wasn’t your fault that you broke open those stitches. You were trying to help Monty and then the wolf. If anyone’s at fault, it’s me.”
He shook his head. “No, my responsibility.”
“You said that before. You’re big on responsibility.”
“It’s one of the few codes I never break. Whatever I do, I shoulder the responsibility for my actions.”
She took a sip of coffee and was silent a moment. “Why did you come here, Logan?”
“Why do you think I came?”
“I don’t know. I thought it might be the medication that caused you to stumble here from a sickbed. But I can’t see you being that woozy even under drugs. So it was something else.”
“Go on.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m enjoying watching you work it out. Did I ever tell you how much I admire that fine brain of yours?”
“Don’t flatter me, Logan.”
“I wouldn’t presume. We may have had our differences, but I’ve never underestimated you.”
“Just used me.”
“That’s done. I’ll never use you again, Sarah.”
She studied his expression.
“Believe me.”
She did believe him. “If that’s true, then it narrows down the reasons you’d show up here. You made me a promise about Madden, but you wouldn’t have thought it necessary to drag yourself here to keep it.”
“I would if you’d told me you wanted it done immediately.”
“But I didn’t tell you that.” She tilted her head, thinking. “And you were more scared than I was when Monty ran out of here tonight. You were afraid something would happen to him.”
He was silent, waiting.
“Responsibility.” She met his gaze. “You were afraid someone would hurt Monty.”
“Or you. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you took off running. I knew I’d never catch you with this bum leg.”
Her eyes widened. “Rudzak? Why?”
“He had to have seen you when you jumped out of the helicopter after Monty.”
“And that’s enough to target me?”
“More than enough. You helped me, and no one believes more in revenge than Rudzak. He’ll regard his defeat as a humiliation, and you both participated in and witnessed that humiliation.”
Her hands clenched into fists. “I thought I was out of it.”
“Will you come back to Phoenix with me?”
“No, I think you’re off base about any threat to me, but if there is, I’ll take care of myself.”
“I thought that would be your response. I told Galen to get some security out here, but it would be much easier if you go back to Phoenix.”
“I want my life back. I don’t want to make it easy for you.”
“Then if you’re going to stay here, let me stay too. I’ll be chief cook and bottle washer. You have your hands full with the wolf and Monty.”
“I told you I don’t want you here.”
“Just imagine me humble and at your beck and call. Doesn’t the picture appeal to you?”
“Like a dream come true. But you’d probably break open the stitches again and I’d be waiting on you too.”
“I trust your stitches.” He grimaced. “They hurt too much not to be tight as a drum.”
“And you’d be more danger to me here than behind those gates in Phoenix. Rudzak would probably crawl up to my cabin and blow it up just to get you.”
“No, my presence will actually make you safer. Rudzak doesn’t want me dead yet. He wants me to suffer first.”
“What the hell did you do to him?”
“I took away fifteen years of his life. I should have killed him, but things didn’t work out.
” The words were cold and the tone without feeling.
Then he smiled. “But that’s the past. We have to worry about the future.
Just let me stay until you get the wolf in shape.
Maybe by that time we’ll have located Rudzak.
And I have some strings I can pull to get the IRS to persuade the ranchers not to go after the wolf again. ”
“I wouldn’t sic the IRS on my worst enemy.”
“Just a mild attack? To save the wolf?”
“Maybe.” She stood up. “I’ve got to check on her.”
“Don’t you think we should give her a name? Something exotic, perhaps. Ivana or Dest—”
“I hate cutesy names.” She headed for the porch door. “Her name is Maggie.”
“Margaret will be flattered . . . I think.”
“It’s not about her. I just like the name.”
“Sarah.”
She glanced over her shoulder.
“I’m making sense,” he said soberly. “I know Santo Camaro seems far away and unreal. But it’s not. Believe me, Sarah.”
He was right. The threat from Rudzak did seem completely unreal to her. “You could be wrong.”
“I’m not wrong. Let me stay. Let me help you. I promise I won’t be a disturbance.” He made a face. “And just think how you’ll love ordering me around.”
“It might almost be worth it.”
“Then think about it.”
She was silent a moment. “I will.”
He watched her disappear to the porch. Had he been persuasive enough?
He had laid the facts out before her with complete honesty; anything else would have been the height of idiocy.
She would never accept deception in herself or anyone else.
She had a directness he had seen in very few women and a passionate caring for the helpless he had never experienced.
She had worked over that wolf as if it were her child, stroking it, talking to it, soothing even though the animal couldn’t hear her.
There had been something beautiful about Sarah Patrick in those moments.
Fine-boned hands that were gentle as well as deft, tousled hair that she’d had him push back once so she could better see what she was doing.
Strong shoulders, breasts lifting and falling with the intensity of her emotion . . .
Oh, shit. He didn’t need this physical response right now. He certainly didn’t need it in connection with Sarah Patrick.
Then forget it, block it out.
Easier said than done. Every time he looked at her, he’d remember how he’d felt at that moment.
Nothing was easy. Do it. Forget how she’d looked in that simple white bra.
Remember only what he had to do to keep her alive.
Monty was stretched out next to the sleeping wolf, almost nose to nose.
He didn’t lift his head when Sarah walked into the room.
Good. She was glad she had a moment to herself.
Too much had happened that night and she was upset and off balance.
Logan had thrown her another curve and now she had to deal with it.
This cabin was her haven; she didn’t want anyone here. Particularly a presence as strong as Logan. He had said he wouldn’t disturb her, but there was no way a personality that forceful wouldn’t prove a disturbance.
Yet he hadn’t exerted that strength when he helped her with the wolf. He took a backseat, ready to help but not interfere, same as in Taiwan.