Page 8 of Shadow of Deceit
Sirens screamed in the background.Finally.
He gently settled her against his broad chest. His jacket scratched roughly against her skin.
Didn’t matter. Not one bit. She was out of the blazing barn. Snuggled safely against his chest.
The wall he’d freed her from groaned and shuttered as if heaving a last breath. She looked over his shoulder as flames climbed the wall not five feet from where she’d been trapped.
“That wall’s going to come down on us if we don’t move faster.” He picked up speed and crossed the grass with sure footing.
She caught sight of the nametag on his chest. Ryan Maddox.
ItwasRyan. He drew her even closer.
Umm, nice.She was safe. Truly safe. At least for now. It’d been so long since she’d felt protected like this. Not since she’d left him to go live with Wally in Atlanta.
She concentrated on drawing the improving air into her aching lungs. He stopped by a vintage pickup parked far away from the danger.
Squatting, he settled her against a rusted wheel well. “There you go. Are you hurt?”
“Thank you. If you hadn’t come along, I—” Her voice broke on a ragged cough, and she couldn’t speak. She turned her face from the flames that would be searing into her flesh if Ryan hadn’t arrived.
A screaming red truck bounced down the driveway. Several personal vehicles followed.
“Are you injured?” Ryan flipped up his visor and fixed warm blue eyes on her.
Oh, man. She’d hurt this man big time and now she owed him her life.
Keep your mind on the fire. Sort this out later.
“I’m okay.” Mostly, she was. She’d worry about her side later. “How’s Jessie doing?”
“She’s with the EMTs and should be fine. Thanks to you.”
“I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t do. I was just in the right place at the right time.”
“Not true. Many people wouldn’t go into a burning building for any reason.”
“How could they not after seeing a terrified child?” She shook her head, but dizziness assaulted her, and she stopped.
He eyed her until she wanted to squirm away from the intensity. “I know we didn’t part on the best of terms, but we have to forget that for now and talk about the fire. We have to consider that someone started it to scare you away. Or even kill you.”
“You’re jumping to conclusions.” Conclusions she’d reached but wouldn’t speak aloud. “The fire could’ve started on its own.”
“Possibly.” He crooked his thumb at the barn. “Won’t take long until we know for sure. Until then, I want you to stay away from Evergreen.”
She coughed and leaned her head against the truck. “Would you mind if we didn’t talk about this right now? I’m just thankful you came along when you did, and I’m happy to be alive.”
“Okay, but we’ll talk later.” He laid a gentle hand on her cheek. “You’re letting our breakup cloud the issue, and you’re acting reckless.”
She let his hand linger like a caress. The tender warmth felt right. Like old times, before the breakup. When she thought they’d be together forever. When she believed in the pure love of a man. When she could afford to take chances.
That had changed.
She wiggled away from his touch. “I appreciate you rescuing me. I really do, and I’ll forever be grateful, but you don’t have to worry about me.”
He lifted his helmet and ran a hand over his sweaty hair. “Forget we know each other. Listen to what my experience as a former deputy is saying. This isn’t something you mess with. We should call Russ and tell him about the letter.”
“You were a deputy?” Wally had never mentioned it. Not surprising. She’d told him she didn’t want to hear about Ryan. It hurt too much to see the life she might’ve had if only she’d stayed.
