“Christ, Mutt. What the hell are you doing here?” Chase’s arm dropped to point his gun at the floor. “I thought you were in Juneau.”
The man who resembled a gray-haired grizzly in a checkered lumber jacket shrugged a beefy shoulder. “Nah, too many people in Alaska.” He smiled broadly, showing off brilliant white teeth, his grin transforming his bearded face.
Relieved they were dealing with a friend, Gray found herself grinning back at the rumpled stranger despite the unnerving sight of the rifle held in the crook of his arm.
“When did you get back?” Chase asked, and the painful pressure against her bruised hip made her realize she still clung to him like he was her favorite slab of rock.
She released her grip. He didn’t move. She shoved against his back. He didn’t budge an inch.
“About a minute and a half ago. Wasn’t expecting to find a welcoming party.” Mutt inclined his head in their direction and cocked a brow. “Or a pistol pointed at my head.”
“Sorry,” Chase replied, continuing to ignore her finger-poking attempts to get his attention. On the bright side, he put off heat like a high-efficiency furnace, and his warmth had penetrated her skin. “Been dealing with a bit of a situation. Any chance you caught sight of anyone nosing around?”
Mutt shook his head and patted his scope. “Nobody around for miles.” His bearing straight as a pin, he made his way to the cot, the dog accompanying him hard on his heels. Leaning his rifle against the bedframe, he picked up the blanket and carried it across the room, holding it high and wide when he reached them. “For you, miss.”
As the man and dog disappeared behind the makeshift curtain, the pressure against her eased. Free at last, she elbowed her self-appointed bodyguard in the ribs before turning her back to wrap the proffered blanket around her shoulders.
Up to her neck in dark blue wool, she turned and extended her hand through the crack in the middle. “Thank you. My name is Gray, by the way.”
He embraced her hand warmly, both of his covering hers completely. Work-roughened skin and knobby knuckles notwithstanding, his hands were strong and steady.
He bowed his head before releasing his hold. “Murtaugh Keenan. My friends call me Mutt. This is Jeff,” he said with a grin and a pat on the head for the dog sitting beside him, hind leg sticking straight out from his fat body.
Gray snorted. She couldn’t be blamed, really. “Mutt and Jeff. You’re kidding me? Right?”
He winked. “Wasn’t me who named him, but it’s a good story. One for the next time we meet. But for now, if I’m reading the situation right, you need to get dressed and go.” He dipped his head again before setting off to retrieve his rifle. Jeff mirrored the roundabout journey to the cabin door, where he paused with his master. “And you.” Mutt pointed a finger from Chase to the door. “Outside.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
An hourafter loading Gray and their gear into the Jeep, Chase turned onto the main highway heading west toward the coast. He had the Cessna stashed at an airfield near Everett, and already behind schedule, he needed to get them in the air—fast.
He wanted her under the protection of the JTT.
The sooner, the better.
Holly would be disappointed. His parents more so. But Chase couldn’t risk stopping in Seattle to take care of his personal affairs. Not now. Not with Bodak’s men after Gray. Not with Wright still on the loose.
At this point, she was the only connection to the terrorist they had and getting her to safety had to be priority one. Quiet since leaving the cabin, she had her gaze set out the passenger window, and he wondered what she might be thinking.
They’d had a rough night. An even rougher morning.
More importantly, he’d kissed her.
Jesus. He shouldn’t have done it. Pressed his lips to hers. But the thought he might never have another opportunity had flashed through his head, and he couldn’t have stopped himself if he wanted to.
Adrenaline rushing, he’d planted his mouth against hers, hard and fast, and for one brief moment, it was just the two of them. Nothing else mattered. There was only Grace Emerson, and she was his for the span of a heartbeat.
Not long enough. Not for him.
“Where’re we going?” she asked, her question aimed at the trees blurring by her window.
“A landing strip near Seattle. We’ll be flying to Texas from there.”
“What’s in Texas?”
“My team.”
He glanced her way and caught her frown as she dropped her gaze to her lap. “You’re part of a special ops group, right?”
