Suddenly she was jerked back, and Sam was there, pushing her away from the hole, keeping his body between her and the weapons. She tripped, and he picked her up and kept moving her away.
“Sam. What are you doing?”
“It’s not safe,” he said. “The bomb squad is on the way. We think it might still be rigged to blow.”
Her breath caught. “Seriously?” Who did that?
“Yeah.” He stopped and squeezed her tightly. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I scared you?” She shoved him away. “I’m not the one who opened a booby-trapped weapons cache with absolutely no protection.”
He was unapologetic. “I have the skills to do it,” he said. “You looked as if you were going to reach in and grab something.”
Though his words were sharp, the tone harsh, his hand shook as he ran it through his hair.
Unable to resist, she stepped closer and pulled him into her arms. “We’re both OK,” she soothed. “We’re safe.” She rubbed his back, and he relaxed against her, almost crushing her as he hugged her.
Penelope peered up at him and his lips crashed against hers, stealing her breath and kissing her with a passion brought about by fear and relief.
She kissed him back, equally relieved.
Perhaps it was the circumstances—first her panic attack, then this bomb threat, which brought them closer together, but she wanted this man in a way she’d never wanted anyone.
A piercing whistle cut through her haze. She stepped back in time to see Sam give Brandon the finger. Heat flooded her cheeks as she realised she’d been making out in front of everyone. She’d forgotten they were even there.
Sam slipped his hand into hers. “Let’s go.”
They walked to the police car where the others smirked at them. Awkward.
“Ready to go?” Amy asked.
Penelope nodded.
“We’ll be in touch,” Dot said.
“We can swap notes,” Brandon answered. The look which passed between them all was telling.
“What have you planned?” Amy asked.
Brandon smiled. “I’ll tell you later.”
Both Dot and Nhiari scowled but said nothing as they walked them back to the car. Amy got the backpack and sunshade out of the tray. “I figured you could use some refreshments and shade while you wait.”
Dot smiled for the first time. “Thanks, Ames. We appreciate it.”
Brandon and Sam set up the shade and seats and then joined the others in the car.
By the time they got home, Darcy was brushing his horse in the horse yard and the other horses were already nibbling on hay. They gathered inside for a debrief and Sam explained about the bag on top of the weapons.
“You think it was a trap for us?” Darcy asked.
“We won’t know until the bomb squad confirms whether a trigger is sitting under the bag,” Brandon replied.
“How long will that take?” Matt pulled Georgie closer, as if he couldn’t bear for her to be so far away.
“Perhaps by the end of the day,” Sam answered.
It was a terrifying thought.
