Montana Fire (23 page)

“The town’s small. We help each other.”

Coming from near Los Angeles, Rock Hard was small to her. “How small is small?”

“I’d say maybe four hundred residents in the summer, but only a handful in the winter.
Marie picked this place because of its name.” Max looked out his window as if the
memory was bittersweet.

Jamie could understand. “She sounds like someone I would have liked.”

Max looked back over at her. “Yeah, you would have.” The lights inside the store clicked
on. “That’s our cue. Come on.”

A shot of adrenaline coursed through her. “Are you sure you can trust him?” Had she
been the only person in the world to be fooled by others?

“I’ve known Hank for a long time. I trust him with my life.”

She hoped he didn’t have to test his faith. Max eased out then came over to her side.
Jamie had already decided to wait until Max opened the door before getting out. More
than ever, she had to remain vigilant.

He clasped her elbow to guide her down. “Watch your step.” The parking lot was mostly
gravel.

The inside of the store was bigger than what appeared from the outside. The shelving
was at least six feet tall, and the aisles were rather close together. Only half the
overhead lights were on, casting eerie shadows on the floor. Given the owner had just
unlocked the place, she didn’t expect anyone to be in hiding inside, but she studied
her surroundings nonetheless. Not only were the shelves stocked with food, there was
a section for ammunition, sporting equipment, and camping gear. It seemed to be a
one-stop shop.

“Max!” Hank rushed over to them.

The owner looked to be in his sixties. He sported a barrel chest, thick forearms,
and long, gray hair tied in a neat ponytail. The two men hugged.

Max glanced at the large man’s belly. “Hank, you old dog. Need to get some exercise.”
While he sounded cheery, his tone seemed forced, as if he didn’t want Hank to know
the severity of the situation.

His friend laughed. “That’s what the missus keeps saying. If she’d quit making her
pies and all, I wouldn’t have this problem.” He looked over at her. “Who’s this pretty
thing?”

Jamie probably looked closer to a drowned rat who’d been left outside to dry than
someone who was attractive, but she appreciated the compliment.

“This is Amelia Langford.”

The breath she’d been about to inhale never went in as her mind raced. Why give a
fake name if he trusted Hank with his life? What was going on? After giving the concept
some thought, Max must not have wanted Hank to have to lie in case anyone came looking
for her.

She relaxed, then held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” He glanced back at Max. “She part of this FBI thing?”

“She is. Do me a favor. If anyone comes here asking for me, or us, give me a shout.
I’d appreciate it if you don’t mention I’m with a woman.”

“They bad?”

“The worst. Amelia was an innocent victim, and I’m here to protect her.”

Hank held up his left palm, and placed the other on his chest. “My lips are sealed.
No one will take you by surprise. Want me to let Sheriff Duncan know?”

“Wouldn’t hurt. Tell him there was a fire in Rock Hard, and the arsonists are looking
for a way to keep the evidence from seeing the light of day. That is the truth.”

“You got it.” Hank sounded proud to be part of something important. She hoped he didn’t
ask why the FBI would be involved in a local arson case.

Max looked down at her. “I haven’t been up to the cabin in a while, so we’ll need
food. Let’s grab a cart and find what we need.”

“Thought you said you were coming up last weekend,” Hank said.

“Planned to. Got a bit delayed. The arson case kicked my butt.”

She snagged one of the three available carts, and they went up and down each aisle,
stocking up on staples. The normalcy of their actions wasn’t lost on her, and she
could almost picture herself shopping with Max all the time.

He stood in front of one of the refrigerator doors. “Do you drink milk in the morning
or orange juice?”

They’d had coffee this morning. “Orange juice.”

He grabbed a carton and moved down a few feet. “Eggs and bacon?”

“Please.” Jamie had forgotten how nice it was to be with someone again, even if it
was just for doing simple chores. She warned herself not to romanticize any of this.
Her life was in danger, and that was what was important.

“Need some ammo?” Hank called from behind a shelf.

“I can always use more,” Max answered. “How about a box of 9 mm hollow point for my
Glock, and two boxes of 12 gauge shotgun shells?”

“You got it.”

Max faced her. “I know all of this is hard.”

“I don’t like violence, but I know it’s necessary.”

He wrapped his arms around her for a second then kissed her forehead. “You’re a real
trooper.”

“It’s not like I have much choice.”

He chuckled. “Got that right.” Hank came over and handed him the ammunition. Max waved
one of the boxes at her. “If this had been a few months ago, I could have caught us
a deer or an elk for dinner.” Max smiled, and suddenly her troubles seemed more distant.

“That’s okay. Packaged food’s fine with me.” Benny wasn’t into sports or anything
else remotely manly, but Jamie liked knowing Max was so capable.

His lips quirked up. “Come on. Let’s check out. It’s getting late.”

Jamie tried to pay for half the groceries since she didn’t like being a burden, but
Max wouldn’t hear of it. “You wouldn’t have bought so much stuff if I wasn’t with
you.”

He laughed. “You eat like a bird.”

That was true, but she should still contribute. “I want to help.”

“Perfect. You can do all the cooking.”

Now he’d stepped over the line. “You want to starve?” This time, they both chuckled.

Hank helped Max stack the groceries in the back of the SUV. “Be careful, now. We’re
expecting a bad storm tonight.”

“I heard,” Max replied. “We’ll be ready.”

That might have been why he’d purchased a ton of water jugs. He must think they might
be holed up in the cabin for quite some time. In her dreams, she’d pictured being
with Max. When they’d been almost naked in his bed, when he was kissing her, and sucking
on her tits, she’d been in heaven. Jaime had never experienced anything like that
before. Max had been gentle, but aggressive at the same time. No fumbling for this
man. Now that they’d be together for days, excitement skated over her skin. Only this
time, she wanted the intimacy.

As the men said goodbye, she jumped in the SUV. Not only didn’t she want to be a target,
it was damned cold outside. Max slid in and started the engine.

Jamie ran her palms up and down her arms. “How far is it to your cabin?”

“Fifteen minutes, maybe.” He turned the heat on high. “It’ll warm up in a sec.”

In what seemed like no time, Max turned down a dirt road. Several hundred feet deep
into the woods, his headlights illuminated a cute cabin.

“Home, sweet, home,” he said with enthusiasm.

She hoped he wouldn’t insist on sitting by the window, waiting for trouble. Jamie
wanted to share in creating the meals, talking to him, and then exploring his body.

*     *     *

“Wait here while I check things out. I don’t want to assume we’re safe,” Max said.
“I’ll leave the engine running so you can keep warm.”

“Thank you.” Jamie crossed her arms over her chest and sat up straighter, as if she
expected trouble.

Damn. He probably shouldn’t have been so blunt, but when he was in protection mode,
his instincts took over, leaving his tact behind. Even though Jamie seemed to understand
the severity of the situation, he didn’t want her taking any chances.

While the padlock on the front door was still closed, a good soldier would know how
to break in without making it obvious. Not that Max thought anyone would be in the
house, but with Jamie in his care, he had to do whatever it took to make sure she
remained unharmed.

At least he didn’t have to worry about someone cutting the line to the power grid.
He wasn’t hooked up to it. He ran his house on solar energy. If the weather didn’t
cooperate, the cabin had a back-up generator.

Max unlocked the cabin door and turned on the light. So far, so good. Nothing appeared
disturbed, but that didn’t mean his location hadn’t been compromised. His rookie year,
he’d walked into a crime scene and been surprised by a thief. Max had never made that
mistake again.

He had no doubt the terrorists had figured out that Jamie was probably with him. If
they followed her to the clinic, they would have seen him pick her up every day this
week, which meant they probably had his license plate number, name, and who knew what
else.

After he checked to see the windows were still locked and that no one was hidden in
a closet, he rushed back to her. Max yanked open her car door. “All good. Go on in.
I’ll bring in the groceries.”

“I can help.”

Damn. He kept forgetting about her caregiving nature. “Great.”

From the back, he handed her the two lightest bags. Max gathered what he could and
followed right behind her. The porch lamp shed enough light on the path, so she shouldn’t
trip. When she reached the front door, Max leaned around her, pressed on the door
handle, and pushed it open. His arm brushed hers and unwanted heat shot through him.
God, but he wanted to make love with her. He had to remember that Jamie would need
time.

Seeing her house trashed then having the FBI step in, he bet she was too scared to
let go and trust someone again.

Jamie rushed inside and glanced around. “I love it. The pine walls make it so rustic.”

Until she’d squealed her delight, he hadn’t realized he’d been waiting for her approval.
“I love it here, too. The heat comes from a wood-burning stove in the corner over
there, and the appliances won’t quite be what you’re used to, but they do the trick.
About the only modern convenience I installed was the tankless water heater.”

“It’s more than I could have hoped for.”

He was thrilled she felt comfortable here. “Put the groceries on the counter while
I get your bags.”

She spun to face him. “Uh-oh. You never went home to pack your things.”

He was pleased she thought of his needs. “I have a second set of everything. I like
that I can leave at a moment’s notice. But thank you for thinking of me.”

As he jogged out to the car, he paid close attention to the sounds of the forest.
It was isolated here. Shit. Maybe coming to the cabin hadn’t been the ideal solution
he thought it would be. His only other option had been to choose a random town and
a random hotel. They’d have to move nightly in order for Jamie to have the needed
security.

Max had to go on the assumption that these men were sophisticated technologically,
and that they could trace all credit card transactions, which meant he’d have to get
cash that didn’t come from a bank. He prayed they could stay put for a few days at
least. He didn’t want to go on the run. Jamie would be looking over her shoulder at
every turn, and that was no way to live.

Christ. When they were shopping at Hank’s, he should have gotten a burner phone. Then
they could communicate without fear of detection. Damn. He wasn’t thinking straight.
Max gathered her suitcases and brought them inside. “I’ll put these in your bedroom,
then get the fire started.”

She let out a small gasp. “Can’t I sleep with you?”

Chapter Nineteen

M
ax’s cock hardened at the thought of being next to Jamie all night. He rushed over
to her. “Of course, honey. I’d like that. I wanted to give you the choice of where
to stay. That’s all. I know this is a trying time for you.”

She smiled, and relief washed through him. “Thank you, you’re a kind man.”

“Just kind? I’m hoping you can come up with a few other adjectives for me later on.”
He smiled and turned around just as he caught her eye roll. He loved trying to get
her to relax.