Page 115 of The Search

“Can you blame her? I’m surprised she doesn’t want to cut my throat. I had to tell her about Kai Chi or she would have gone off on her own after Rudzak.”

“True.” Galen turned back to the stove. “But I’d stop brooding about how she feels and go in there and see what she’s doing. If she says she’s making plans, I don’t think you want any of them to surprise you.” He looked down at the gravy congealing in the frypan. “Pity. The two of you have spoiled everything. It was going to be a masterpiece of a breakfast.”

“What are you doing?”

Sarah looked up to see Logan standing in the doorway. “What does it look like?” She threw a load of underwear into the duffel she had set on the bed. “I’m packing. I want to be ready when Bassett is ready.”

“We won’t have to walk out the door the minute he does.”

“I know.” She tossed a cardigan and two pairs of jeans into the duffel. “But I’ll go crazy if I don’t do something. You and Rudzak may have all the patience in the world, but I don’t. This isn’t some kind of contest to me.”

“It’s not to me either. You’re not being fair, Sarah.”

“Maybe not. Ask me if I care.”

“You care. That’s the problem. You care too much.” He crossed the room and stood next to her. “It’s playing hell with my plans, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He was too close. She could feel the heat of his body. She took a step away and went back to the bureau. “I care about those people at Dodsworth. Not about you.”

“I never meant anything else,” he said quietly. “I know I’m not in your good books right now. It will be different once this is over. I’ll make it different.”

She didn’t answer.

“We have to work together, Sarah. You can’t let your feelings get in the way.”

That was exactly what she was trying to prevent. She had to keep him at a distance. She couldn’t let the way she felt about him cloud her judgment. Not with all those lives in the balance. “I’ll work with you.” She met his gaze across the room. “But don’t expect anything else from me. I can’t give it to you.”

“You will. As you said, I can be very patient.”

“By the time this is over, you may have changed your mind.”

“I won’t change my mind.”

Her hand closed tightly on the knob of the bureau drawer as he walked out and closed the door behind him. Finish packing. Don’t think about him. Don’t let him be important to you. Even if he seems to care about you now, how long can it last? You’re too different from him.

And that’s okay. She didn’t want to change. She didn’t want to be anyone but herself. She was a woman who could make decisions and run her own life to suit herself.

Don’t think about him. Think about Rudzak and how to protect Dodsworth.

“You want me to come there?” Eve repeated. “Why?”

“Maggie. She’s much better, but I need someone to take care of her while I’m gone.”

“I thought it was a joke when you said you needed Jane to nurse your wolf.”

“It was at the time. But not now. I need your help. Can you come?”

“Do you have to ask? You came when I needed you; you found my daughter. I’ll be there on the next plane.”

“Thank you. Will you have your mother take care of Jane and bring Joe?”

“I’ll see if he can get away. But why should I bring Joe?”

“I’d feel better. I don’t think there’s any danger for you as long as we’re not here, but I’d like to know Joe is with you.”

“We? Who’s with you?”

“Logan.”