Secret Refuge by Dana Mentink

Author:Dana Mentink
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

Keeley awoke as they pulled into her driveway, disoriented to find she had been asleep on Mick’s shoulder. She jerked upright so fast her vision swam.

“Oh. Sorry, I must have drifted off.” She pushed her hair out of her face and her warm cheeks signaled she was blushing madly. “Really sorry.”

She saw the glimmer of a small smile.

“Don’t be. You were tired. Only got six hours last night.”

Her heart still beat erratically. “So why don’t you look tired? Never mind. I forgot you don’t need sleep.”

“I do, just not as much as you.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost midnight.”

Mick greeted Mason, who walked from his police car to the pickup. “Evening. Have a nice trip?”

Keeley thought nice was not the word she’d use for encountering Charlie and Bruce twice and losing Ginny. “We need to talk to Chief Uttley. Can you call him?”

Mason licked his lips. “He got a phone message. Had to take care of some business.”

Keeley’s heart skipped. “Who’s watching Junie?”

He raised a calming hand. “Got two cops assigned there now. They just reported in. All’s quiet. Don’t worry. Rivendale’s not going to come anywhere near her.”

Keeley tried to relax. “All right. Can you please tell Chief Uttley we need to talk to him right away?”

“Sure.” Mason walked back to his car, a shade too abruptly, she thought.

Mick got out and headed for the passenger door to open it for her, but Keeley hopped out before he got there. Bad enough she was sleeping on the man’s shoulder, for goodness’ sake. When had she grown so comfortable with Mick Hudson?

He followed her to the door and waited for her to unlock it.

“Mick, you aren’t going to sleep in the truck again, are you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s ridiculous. Come inside and sleep on the couch, at least.”

“Truck’s fine.”

She stood in the doorway as the moonlight painted the strong planes of his face. In that light, he did not look anything like an ungainly condor, nor a hard-as-nails marine. Seeing how tenderly he’d treated his father and sister had softened her view of him. She reached out and put a hand on his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart under her palm. He looked at her hand for a moment, then, slowly, covered her fingers with his.

“Please,” she said quietly. “I am grateful that you’re here. I don’t want to be. I want to take care of it all by myself and be the whole world to Junie without help from anyone, but I can’t. I—I need you. Junie and I need you to help us out of this mess.”

He traced his fingers, rough and calloused over hers, igniting prickles along her arms.

“That was hard to say,” he said, voice low and husky.

“Yes.” She blinked back unexpected tears. “I’ve been very conscientious about shutting people out even when God opens the door and lets them in.”

He looked at her then, eyes glimmering pools of deepest shadow. “You have so much courage. More than any soldier I ever met.”

She took a deep breath and let go of a portion of her pride.

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