Hiding Out At The Circle C

Chapter 4

Haley tossed and turned a good part of the night, then awoke in a bad mood. For hours, she'd been locked in the conflicting and disturbing memories of South America, then of the sweet comforting feel of a man's warm, hard body against hers. Cameron's body.

She showered and yanked on Nellie's clothes, wishing she could buy her own things. She had money. Lots of it, actually. Lloyd had been a generous man and she'd rarely spent a dime. But the simple truth was, she was afraid to be found. It was far safer to remain a pauper for now.

Breakfast was fairly easy. All she had to do was repeat yesterday's magical performance. God help her when they tired of eggs, because she had absolutely no idea how to cook anything else.

But even knowing what she was doing, she went about the omelet and potatoes slowly and meticulously, whispering each step to herself to ensure success. Turning away from the stove, a pan of eggs in one hand, a spatula in the other, she stopped short, startled.

At the table sat Jason, Zach and Cameron, each waiting with a smiling, expectant face. Max sat on the floor, his little tail going a mile a minute. She had to laugh in embarrassed amazement. "I didn't even hear you guys come in."

"That's because you concentrate so hard," Jason said, watching as she put down the pan to fill plates up. She dropped bread into the toaster. "Jeez, I've never seen anyone cook so intently before."

She must have looked startled because Zach hurried to say, "Not that we care how you do it, Haley. Just that it tastes as good as yesterday."

Jason nodded, looking hopeful. Haley turned to glance at Cameron, who sat perfectly still with his hands in his lap. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for his comment, but he just grinned.

"Following your strict orders from yesterday morning, ma'am," he said with an exaggerated drawl, saluting her with his fork. "I'm not saying a word. I'm just hoping for a handout, is all."

She was busy trying to hide her laugh when Nellie waddled in, holding her back. Jason jumped up to pull out her chair, giving her a quick, smacking kiss. "Hey, Nel, just in time."

"Ahh." She sighed loudly as she sat. "No, Haley, honey, you don't have to serve me," she protested as Haley hurried to bring her some orange juice. "We'll get our own plates, I just want to sit a minute."

"I'll get it," Haley insisted as she took down another plate, worried about Nellie's pallor. "Stay. You look beat already."

"I am."

"Well, if you'd keep your hands off me, baby, you wouldn't be so tired," Jason joked.

"You guys are going to have to move that bed away from the wall," Cam said with a straight face. "It squeaks."

Nellie giggled guiltily and Jason leaned in for a long, passionate kiss. Haley hovered between being embarrassed and touched, but Zach just appeared disgusted.

"Oh, please," Zach said, pushing away his plate. "Not at the table."

Cam laughed and slathered his toast with butter. "Zach, if you'd just ask Thea out, you could get it whenever you wanted, too. Has anyone seen how she looks at him?"

"With stars in her eyes," Jason quipped, lifting his lips from his wife's. "That poor woman, Zach. She wants you bad."

Zach closed his eyes and bore the moment. "She's the librarian."

Jason grinned. "Ask her out, man. Then she wouldn't have to drive all the way out here on the pretense of retrieving your library books."

"'Oh, Zach!'" Cam squealed in a falsetto. "'You owe me twenty-five cents, Zach.'"

Zach growled and stood. Cam blinked at him, the picture of innocence.

Jason hooted. "Do us all a favor, Zach. Just kill him."

A wrestle would have ensued then, but Nellie shut them all up when she gasped and held her stomach, grimacing.

Utter silence, then everyone spoke at once.

"Nel? What's the matter, baby?" Jason leaped to her side. Cam stood too, then moved behind her to rub her shoulders, his face tense and worried. Zach reached for the phone, swearing up a storm.

"Stop," Nellie said quietly, raising a hand. She let out a slow, controlled breath. "I'm fine, really. Just a twinge." Then she laughed a little, as they all stared at her with wide, terrified eyes. "Stop it, I'm fine."

With a collective sigh, the men sat beck down. From where she stood by the sink, Haley glanced at Nellie, sick with worry. Nellie winked, and Haley stared at her, flabbergasted. She'd faked that contraction. Just to make peace. And in the process, she'd tamed three huge beasts. Struggling with a huge smile, Haley turned away. But her humor faded quickly enough.

Breakfast, or any meal with these people, was far more than just the sharing of food. And they were much more than merely related by blood. Zach's quiet voice telling a story everyone listened to, Jason and Cam's merciless teasing of Nellie, Nellie getting them all back with a mere batting of her eyelashes. They fought, they laughed, they loved. And dammit, just watching them caused a lump in her throat that couldn't be swallowed away.

Haley shoved dirty pans into the sink, and stared at the greasy water. What was it like to belong with people like this? People who accepted you just for who you were. Nothing more, nothing less. For years, the only meals she'd bothered with had been wolfed down between long periods of quiet study and work. As a child, she'd been forced into silence at a table full of other, equally bright, and equally terrified children, watched over by hard, ungiving caretakers. Meals had been stifling and lifeless, nothing like the lively exchange that even at this moment was going on behind her.

She made herself get over it and moved back to the table, juggling three full plates. She placed one before Nellie and Jason, then Zach.

Cam looked at her.

She held his gaze evenly.

With a sigh, he pushed back his chair to get his own plate. He'd just started to rise when she plopped down yet another full plate in front of him, biting back her smile.

A heavenly scent wafted up from it, mixing with the rising steam. Cam took a second to appreciate that, then smiled, slow and wide. She'd served him. He looked up. Haley's straight, unwavering gaze had an instant liquid warmth swimming through him.

"Thanks," he said.

She nodded, and when she turned away her arm brushed against his shoulder. He physically jolted as if she'd cattle-prodded him, and it was the strangest thing. If he closed his eyes, he'd feel her slight body in his arms, just like last night. But he didn't close his eyes because they were glued to the soft swaying of her hips as she walked gracefully back to the sink. She had the most squeezable little-

"Cam?"

He scowled and looked at Jason. "Yeah?"

"Take a picture, it lasts longer."

Zach choked on his toast Nellie smacked Zach on the back, then elbowed Jason, while shooting Cam a dirty look.

Haley glanced over her shoulder, frowning. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Cam said quickly.

"Then why," she slowly asked, putting her hands on her hips and looking at each of them in turn, "is everyone staring at me?"

Cam looked to the others at the table for support, but he shouldn't have bothered. Immediately, three pairs of eyes lowered and food was shoved into three very busy mouths. So much for "thick and thin" and all that crap. His family had bailed ship. "Because you're so pretty?" Cam smiled innocently at Haley, laying on the charm.

Haley's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she moved back to the counter.

"Aren't you going to eat?" he asked when he realized she had no intention of sitting with them.

"No," she said, not looking at him, her hands busy with dishes. "I'm fine, thanks."

"Haley," Nellie said around a full bite, "please, come sit with us. We don't expect you to serve us like this. It's not right. We want you to eat with us, as part of the family."

"But I'm not," she said softly. "Excuse me." She left the room.

Haley went directly into the den, where she'd set her purse down earlier as she'd come inside to cook breakfast. Her beeper was vibrating and this time there was no message, just a phone number that she knew to be South American. Not only South American, but for her old apartment.

Where the murders had taken place.

She stared long and hard at Cam's desk. On it was a cellular phone that Nellie's mother in L.A. had insisted her daughter take home with her to that "wild place." A cell phone, based and billed out of L.A., in a different name from whose house she was in, couldn't be easily traced, could it? God, she didn't know, but she had to take the chance.

She dialed the number on the pager and stood rooted when she recognized Alda's cool calm voice giving a greeting.

"Alda?"

"Haley! My God. Where are you?"

Suspicion gripped Haley, though she couldn't explain it. How long did it take for a trace to take hold and locate her? Was Alda capable of such a thing? She had no idea, and was taking no chances. "Alda, what is happening?" she asked quickly, watching the clock on the desk. She'd stay on for a maximum of sixty seconds.

"Exactly what it looks like!" Alda drew in a sharp breath. "We need help, Haley. Who have you told about the system?"

"Wait." She tried to think. Why would Alda care? "Are the authorities looking for me?"

"Yes. Where-"

"Am I the only suspect? Are they questioning you?"

Alda hesitated. "What are you saying?" Her voice had chilled.

"Where's Bob?" Haley asked, ignoring Alda's question and giving in to a terrible foreboding. "Alda, where's Bob?"

When Alda hesitated again, Haley lowered the phone and gently disconnected. Her head was spinning, her heart heavy with grief, betrayal. Fear.

She had to risk another call on the cell phone, to the USGS. She set her purse on the desk and called Information.

Then, with shaky fingers, she dialed. But she'd no sooner heard the greeting on the line, when Cam strode into the room.

He smiled at her and she felt herself freeze, phone in hand. She knew enough about him to know he'd never sit idly back and let her deal with this alone. Nope, dammit. The cowboy would get himself killed.

"Hello," he said easily, just as the USGS receptionist repeated her greeting a little impatiently. Cam walked over to the desk, moving papers around, obviously looking for something. He didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, or to notice that Haley desperately wanted him to.

Damn it.

Carefully, she lowered the phone from her ear and flipped it off, disconnecting the now annoyed receptionist. "I'm sorry, I know I should have asked to use this phone first-"

"Don't be silly, Nellie won't mind. And don't hang up on my account," he said, glancing at her with a soft smile. "I'll be out in a sec."

Did his smile have to be so devastating? "No matter," she said lamely. "It's… not important."

He dropped his papers to the desk. His eyes never left hers as he came around to stand before her, but they went cold. "Not important? Then why are you chewing your nails?"

She dropped her hand from her mouth with a small oath and turned from him. Why did he have to probe so deeply? Why did he have to look at her like it mattered?

She glanced down at the phone, desperate to make the call. To get this nightmare over with so she could go on with her life.

She felt Cam's hands on her hips, gently turning her to face him. In his usual unhurried and graceful manner, he slid those hands around her waist, slowly drawing her close. She had a terrific urge to plunge her hands into his hair, and surprised herself when she gave in to it. She knew she shouldn't have, but it felt so good to be held, wanted. To be alive.

"You've avoided me," he said in a deep, husky voice, leaning forward to bring his lips to her hair.

How could she explain? "I've been busy." Against her better judgment, she tipped her head back, allowing him access to her neck, then nearly moaned as his mouth moved over her skin. "Very busy," she repeated weakly.

"Mmm, I've noticed. The house looks great." He teased her ear with flirty little passes of his tongue, and her knees went weak. "Make your call, Haley. I'll wait."

Her eyes fluttered closed. "I don't have to make a call."

Feeling him stiffen, she pulled back and opened her eyes. He dropped his arms and his pleasant smile, and stared at something on his desk. With his jaw tight, he picked up the little piece of paper she'd scribbled USGS's phone number on. "This is the number you were calling?"

"Yes," she said, misunderstanding his cause for concern. "I know, it's long-distance. I'll pay-"

"If you're going to offer to reimburse me, you'd better stop right there, or you'll really make me mad." He turned on her, his brows knitted tightly together. "USGS?"

"United States Geological Survey. I… have connections there."

"Connections?"

"I'm sort of…" Damn. "I'm a geologist."

"I'm paying a geologist to keep my house?" He perched a hip on the desk, crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her. "Why don't you tell me the rest, Haley?"

She had to tread carefully, she reminded herself as her temper flared. Very carefully. This man might move slowly and not have much drive when it came to worldly ambition, but he had a mind as sharp as a tack, and right now it was aimed directly at her.

If she was in danger, though, so was he. For his own protection, she had to make it good. Very good. "I was just calling to check on a friend."

"Actually, I'm still stuck on the fact you're a geologist."

"It's no big deal."

Turning her head away so he couldn't read the self-disgust in her face, she moved toward the door. She had to be alone. God, she'd lied with an ease that made her sick. Since when had she gotten so good at that?

Since her life, and that of everyone she cared about, was on the line.

"Haley, wait." He cursed when she didn't. "Just-" He swore again, and at the sound of a thump, Haley turned. She'd forgotten her purse, and Cam had just inadvertently dumped it to the floor, scattering its contents.

"I'm sorry," he said, lithely dropping down to pick up the loose items.

From the door, she could see what would happen, and was powerless to stop it. Her heart slammed against her ribs as Cam's hand stilled in midair.

On the floor lay her two bottles of pills. Eyes narrowed, he lifted them and scanned the labels.

Haley stood there, feeling stripped bare as he touched everything personal she owned. Finding her feet, and her voice, she squatted beside him and yanked up the purse. She extended her hand for the bottles, but he held them out of reach and looked at her.

"What are these?"

She almost didn't recognize his voice, it sounded so low and gravelly… and urgent. "They're mine," she said.

"This one is for ulcers," he said, sounding horrified. "And this other… sleeping pills? My God, Haley."

Her throat burned, her face flamed with humiliation. She knew what her failings were, but to have him know, too, was worse than she could have imagined. Snatching the bottles from his hand, she put them in her purse, keeping her head averted. "Get away from me."

Still kneeling next to her on the floor, she heard him make a wordless sound of regret and concern. With a gentleness she couldn't face, he took her shoulders in his hands, turning her toward him. "You're sick."

"No." She dropped her gaze and noticed the T-shirt he wore had slightly frayed sleeves where they stretched over his biceps. His chest seemed impossibly wide. It should he illegal, she thought a little wildly, for a man to look so good in an old shirt.

"You said you wouldn't lie," he accused, almost roughly, his fingers digging in to her. "But you keep on doing it, dammit."

"I'm not sick now," she said carefully. She sat back on her heels. "I haven't taken any of those pills since I got here."

"But your stomach has hurt." He waited a beat. "That's what the problem is, isn't it? You have an ulcer."

Ulcers, she almost corrected.

"And you can't sleep. What's the insomnia from, Haley? South America?" He leaned close to see her face. "You won't tell me," he said softly, his eyes hard and glittering. "Or you'll make up more lies. Won't you, Haley?"

"I don't know," she answered as honestly as she could, with one hundred and eighty pounds of male frustration staring at her. "It's complicated."

His mouth tightened at that. "Your passport is there." He nodded toward the things she'd shifted back to her purse. "Do I have to steal it so you won't run?"

"You promised me that first night, remember, Cam?" There was no controlling the catch in her voice. "No questions."

His fingers tightened on her. "That was before I realized you were going to turn out to be a liar."

"I can't tell you more!" she cried, wishing she could explain.

"You mean you won't."

"It's-"

"Complicated?" he offered with mock patience.

"Yes! Damn it, yes. It's complicated. It's-" She choked it off before she added and dangerous. Deadly. Fear for him and the others made her speak harshly. "Stay out of it, Cameron. You've got to stay out of it."

"What if I won't?"

"I'll leave." The thought was enough to make her heart drop slowly to the floor, but she knew she would. She'd have to.

A veil came down over his eyes. "You know, I just realized something." He stood. "I'm nagging at you." He stretched his shoulders as if his neck ached, and even Haley, who was completely inexperienced in such things, could read the hurt he barely managed to mask.

He moved toward the door. "Use the phone, Haley. I won't bother you again."

"You're not bothering me."

He stopped with one hand on the door. The look he gave her didn't bear close analysis. "You want to be real sure about that, Haley."

"Of course I am." Couldn't he see how difficult this was? She didn't want to keep secrets, she had to. "I-I like being with yon, Cam."

"How do I know I can believe that?"

"It's the truth."

"Is it? Then promise me one thing. Don't lie to me anymore. It turns me into someone I don't like very much." He shut the door quietly behind him before she could soothe his feelings, or even make that promise.

Which was just as well. She'd be lying again.

Without giving herself a moment to think, she dialed the USGS again, silently apologizing to Nellie's mother, who would no doubt get this bill.

She didn't use her real name, and she didn't state the purpose of her call. Since both Bob and Alda had once worked there, Haley simply asked for them, using their full names, as if she expected them to be there.

The answer she received had her sinking to the floor in shock. Dr. Bob Herntz couldn't be reached because two days ago he'd been killed in an unfortunate car bombing in South America. Then she got her answer on Alda, and a new grief mingled with her rage. Dr. Alda Jones, also known to the USGS because she was not only Bob's significant other, but because she'd written numerous textbooks on geology, could not be reached, either.

She'd disappeared.

Dear God. Could it be true? Could it be Alda?

Sometime later, when Haley had immersed herself in chores, her pager vibrated again. Without looking, still horrified, she reached for her hip and shut it off.

She didn't want to know.

Haley was attacking the upstairs with a vacuum cleaner when Cam found her the next morning. She didn't hear him coming, which gave him a minute to watch as she stared sightlessly ahead, obviously troubled.

It reminded him how little he knew about her, which bothered him. Doubt and suspicion had spread like a disease the day before, driving him crazy all night. Damn, but his past had a nasty way of keeping up with him. Firmly, he pushed the unhappy memories away. The truth was, he'd come down hard on Haley, after promising not to, and he felt badly. "Haley?"

She just kept vacuuming, her eyes glazed with such emotion that for a moment he could only stand there, overwhelmed. What was going on inside her pretty head?

"Haley." He touched her shoulder and she jerked back, eyes wide, until she saw him. The way she sucked in her fear both fascinated and infuriated him. He reached over and switched off the vacuum. "You never ate breakfast," he said inanely. Never ate? Who was he, her mother?

"I'm not hungry." Leaning forward, she reached again for the vacuum, but he stopped her.

"It's hard to talk with that on."

Without a sign of the smile he'd hoped for, she said, "I know."

"Are you all right?"

"Of course." But she avoided his gaze as they wrestled over the vacuum. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, but I wish you could tell me." She chewed her lip, silent, and he tried another tactic. "I'm going into town. Come with me?"

"I have work."

"It'll wait."

"I don't think so," she said quietly. "Thanks."

So polite, so distant. So hurt. He turned her toward him, aching a little at the turmoil he sensed just beneath her surface. Surprised at the surge of tenderness and protectiveness she somehow invoked, he found he couldn't let go of her. "Haley, we need to talk."

She'd stiffened at his touch. "About?"

Start slow, he warned himself. Real slow. "Your salary and hours, for one. We never discussed it."

"It doesn't matter."

"It should. What you're doing here is important to us, and we want to make sure you get compensated. And I don't want you working all hours of the day."

She looked at him then. "What I meant was, I'd work here for free."

Touched, he reached up and caressed her jaw. "We're that great, huh?"

She shook her head, a little noise of wordless amazement escaping her. "You have no idea what you have here, do you?"

"What do you mean?" His hand slid to her lovely neck.

"Your family," she said, closing her eyes when his thumb played with the sensitive spot at the base of her neck. Her pulse fluttered wildly, flattering him. "You take them for granted," she whispered. "You shouldn't. They are… wonderful."

"Yes, they are." Because he couldn't help himself, he bent his head to the spot he'd touched and tasted her. Her hands came up to grip his shoulders hard, but she didn't push him away. He took his time, cruising his mouth over her jaw. When he looked at her again, those incredibly blue eyes had turned cloudy with confusion, and with what he hoped was arousal.

"You're a part of this family now," he said, meaning it. "We want you to be."

"You don't even know me."

"I know," he admitted, sliding his lips softly across hers once. The touch electrified him, and her, too, if that husky catch of breath was any indication. "But I want to. Let me know you, Haley. Trust me."

She shook her head but still didn't draw back. "I'm not ready for that. Please…"

"Please what?" He kissed her softly again, biting back his moan at her incredible sweetness.

"I think," she said shakily, stepping away, "we should go to town now."

He smiled past the ache of her inability to trust him, relieved she'd agreed to come. "On the way you can tell me how much you want in wages."

She looked uncomfortable. "I told you. I don't care about that. You're already giving me room and board."

"You must need money, Haley," he said gently. "Come on, you can think about it while I drive."

"Fine. But I'm only going with you because there're some things I need," she warned. "So don't get any ideas." She pushed him aside lightly.

"What kind of ideas?" he asked, all sorts of wicked ones dancing in his head before he could stop himself.

She blushed. "Oh, just forget it."

They were in his truck before she spoke again. "Since you insist on paying me," she said in that haughty, sexy voice he loved, "I think you should know-I don't come cheap."

He threw back his head and laughed. "I never thought so, Ms. Williams. I never thought so."

After that, he let her sit quietly, as she seemed to want to do on the long drive into Colorado Springs. Once there, she refused to accept his company, insisting that he drop her off at a minimall while he went on to the lumber store. Though it roused his suspicions again, he really had no choice. She was entitled to her privacy and distance.

He needed his distance, as well. He had no idea what was happening to him, but it had to stop. There could be nothing between him and Haley. Nothing. At least not until he knew what she was hiding.

Haley glanced longingly at the cash machine outside the grocery store, wishing she could get the money she needed. But fear was a heavy motivation.

It would lead them-Alda?-straight to her.

Alda. Haley struggled to remember a sane world, and the kind, caring woman Alda had always seemed. But that led to worry about what she should do next, and since she hadn't a clue, she gave up. She had to stay hidden or she'd find herself as dead as Bob. Or worse, rotting away in a South American jail cell. If she could just stay safe until Alda made a mistake. If only she hadn't panicked on the USGS call, she might have learned more. If, if, if.

With a heavy sigh, Haley turned around, trying to decide how far the twenty dollars she had would take her. There were some things she needed she just couldn't bring herself to ask Nellie for. As she moved toward the automatic doors of the store, her wandering gaze collided abruptly with a medium-build, dark-haired man who stood across the way. He leaned against a pole, staring at her.

No big deal. Just a curious stranger. Absolutely nothing to worry about. But he watched her intently, and her heart pumped triple time. This as ridiculous, she told herself, even as she dashed into the store and decked behind one of the newspaper stands, shaking. Ridiculous, she repeated to herself. But she made herself walk down two long aisles before venturing back out again.

The man had disappeared.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Haley studied the minimall carefully and spotted a bakery. Surely she deserved a doughnut after that scare. Heading down the walk toward the bakery, she stopped to admire the delicious, flaky-looking croissants in the display case. She was hungry. And she'd forgotten to eat, again. No wonder her head and stomach hurt. Yep, she was going to splurge and buy herself-

A shadow fell across her, blocking out the sun. Reflected in the window, and standing directly behind her, was the same stranger.

With a strangled gasp, Haley moved quickly, racing down the walk and slamming into the first store she came to.

A video store.

Haley dashed down an aisle of videos. Trembling behind a life-size cardboard cutout of Tom Cruise, she looked around. What should she do? What if he came in here and grabbed her? She'd scream like hell, that was what!

No one came. Huddled behind the huge poster, she began to feel relieved. Then incredibly foolish. Of course, no one came-because no one was after her.

She had to stop these panic attacks. They did nothing but annoy her ulcer and make her head ache. Her fear was totally unfounded. She'd left no clue, no trace. And who could possibly guess that Dr. Haley Whitfield, head of EVS's team of geologists, was now doing duty as a housekeeper on some ranch in Colorado? No one. Encouraged by that, she straightened and left the store. The man had disappeared.

Eager to be on her way, Haley slipped into the bakery, almost desperate now for food. Her head throbbed, her stomach grumbled and hurt. Nothing like panic to stir an appetite.

"I'll have one of those croissants," she said politely, bending over the display and pointing.

"Sure thing, ma'am."

Haley raised her gaze and froze. Behind the counter was her stranger. The man who'd been following her. Their eyes met-his cold, hard and knowing-and she whirled.

Running, blinded by fear, Haley expected to be grabbed any moment. Or shot. Her skin crawled. Her breath escaped her in sobs as she fumbled with the door, and for a second, she thought she couldn't get out, that he'd caught up with her and was holding it shut. As she fought and clawed at the handle, her heart slammed each beat, but finally the door opened. Without looking back, she took off. The prickly feeling at the base of her neck increased. She was being followed. Oh, God. Her feet pounded the cement walk, and as she got to the front of the grocery store, she chanced a glance over her shoulder, still running full speed.

Then, with a sickening thud, she crashed into something as hard and ungiving as a steel pole, and it knocked the sense right out of her.

Cam's first thought from flat on his back, with Haley stretched out over him, was Ouch! But he tightened his grip on her as she began to struggle, wincing when he got a knee uncomfortably close to his groin. "Lie still a minute, Haley."

She reared back, her eyes wide, her face so pale it looked translucent. "Cameron? Oh, God, he's right behind me."

Cam managed to pull his wits together after the bone-shaking collision to look over Haley's shoulder, but both the walkway and the parking lot were empty. He held her arms. "Who?"

Haley glanced around, but when she saw no one, she sagged over him. "He's gone. Again." Then she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

Concerned, he sat up, cradling her in his lap right there on the sidewalk. "Haley?" He pushed the hair from her face, but she only shook her head and burrowed tighter against him. Her arms, still clamped around his neck, trembled, and his alarm grew. "What happened?"

She shivered.

He looked around them, prepared for anything. An older woman got out of a station wagon, went into the dry cleaners. A teenager came out of the grocery store. Somewhere, a truck started and rumbled away.

Nothing out of the ordinary. "Haley?" He stroked her chilled arms. "Who's gone?" She just held him, so he sighed and pulled her closer. "I'm here now," he whispered in her ear, soothing her as best he could. If anyone thought it strange to see a man and a woman embracing on the sidewalk, no one said a word. "Come on," he said after a minute. "Let's get you back to the truck."

"I'm okay." Her voice, muffled against his shirt, sounded embarrassed. But she pushed out of his arms, sniffled once, and avoided his gaze.

He knelt before her. "Haley, can you tell me-" He stopped abruptly as she went even paler, and her pupils shrank into twin pinpoints of shock. Swearing, he pushed her head between her knees. "Take a deep breath," he demanded, sick with worry. "There you go. No, damn it, don't try to get up yet. You'll faint. Come on now, another one. That's the way, darlin', do it again."

When she'd done as he said, and when her color looked slightly better, he yanked her back into his arms. Too skinny, he thought, rocking her slowly. Too damn skinny. He hadn't seen her eat enough to sustain a bird, and he cursed himself now, noticing how light and fragile she felt in his arms.

"Haley, tell me what frightened you."

After a hesitation, she shook her head. "Nothing. I'm sorry. It was nothing."

The slow anger he'd kept buried for years surfaced. Another liar, his brain screamed. But this fabrication wasn't over an outrageous credit-card bill. Or whom she'd lunched with. No, this was much more serious. Cupping the back of Haley's head, Cam looked into her eyes. They darted nervously from his. The rage built, but strangely enough, not at her. Someone had indeed frightened her, and he didn't like it. "Haley-"

"Please," she begged softly. "Let it go."

Memories assaulted him, of another woman. Dammit. He wouldn't push yet another to trust him. He wouldn't. "No. I won't let it go."

"I'm fine," she repeated. "Really."

"Right." Cam stood, and just managed not to groan at his aches and pain from having been slammed to the concrete. He reached down and, despite her protests, scooped her up, then marched to the truck.

"I can walk!"

She might not weigh enough, but she did feel good against his chest. "Humor me."

Huffing a little, she settled against him. "This isn't a movie, Cameron. You're not some cowboy hero."

Without a word, he settled her in his truck, removing his hands from her with some reluctance, which only annoyed him all the more. "When was the last time you ate?"

She looked away, a habit that was quickly becoming irritating. "Haley, dammit."

She scowled. "I don't know. Yesterday. I think."

He swore ripely, the temper he rarely acknowledged simmering a slow burn. "You little fool." He slammed her door, then leaned down to look at her through the open window. "I'm going to the bakery to get you something to eat. Don't move."

"No! Not in there," she said quickly.

"Why not?" He glanced back over his shoulder, saw nothing. But when he looked at her again, she'd collected herself, even if she was as pale as a ghost. At this point, he refused to speculate, just reacted with the fear she'd instilled in him. "One more time. What in the hell's going on?"

"Nothing."

He took a deep breath. Resting his elbows against the door, he gave her a long look. "Haley, darlin', you were running like hell when I found you."

Again, she looked away. He brought her face back, keeping his voice low with difficulty. "You jumped me."

Still no answer.

"Oh, I know," he said conversationally, his eyes sharp on her, waiting for a reaction. "You missed me." He watched the emotions war within her; the humiliation of having misled him to think she missed him, against her need to keep her reasons to herself.

"Yes, I missed you," she eventually agreed, the words coming from between clenched teeth. "Hope I didn't hurt you in my excitement."

She still didn't trust him enough to let him help her, and that got to him good. Her pallor hadn't changed. The realization that she was convinced whoever she'd run from would, and could, come get her, sobered him. The urge to protect was amazingly strong, made all the more difficult for him because he was still furious with her. Changing his mind about the bakery, he straightened, walked around to get back into his truck.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We're going to a drive-through." He thrust the truck in gear. "And while we're doing it, you can explain things to me."

He quickly pulled into the first fast-food place he came to and ordered just about everything on the menu. Then he looked at her, only to find her staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What? Did I forget something?"

"You ordered enough food for ten people."

Nerves, he wanted to tell her. And he hadn't felt them in a good long time.

"Why did you come back so soon?"

"I missed you, too, darlin'." Pulling forward, he paid the lady in the bird hat at window two and took the food.

"You couldn't have gotten your lumber so soon."

"Observant as well as intelligent," he murmured, feeling a little nasty and more than willing to take it out on her. "Eat."

She pulled out a chicken sandwich and took a token bite. Then she shoved that aside, searching through the bag past the salad, past the bread, past the corn on the cob. With a faint smile, she took out the french fries and dug in with gusto.

Cam watched in amazement. "That's the least healthy thing in there."

"I know." She ate another. And another. Then poured catsup all over them and dug in again. Her color came back.

"Eat the other stuff," he protested. "Something good for you."

"I like this," she said stubbornly. "Now tell me why you really came back."

She was stalling, but at least she didn't have that trapped-doe look in her eyes anymore. "I realized that I hadn't given you any money-"

She tensed, then wiped her fingers and shoved the food away. "I don't need your money."

The woman had enough pride to fill his gas tank. "You can't be done eating already." Her scowl deepened and he realized something horrifying-he was nagging again, just like his mother would have. "I just wanted to give you what I owed you for the work you've done."

"I never did get to the store," she said softly.

He pulled back into the lot of the minimall and turned off the engine. "Eat first, while it's hot."

When she had, he came around for her and took her hand as she alighted. He tugged gently until she looked at him. "We're going to talk, Haley. When you're done in here."

"I don't feel much like talking."

"Tough." He nodded toward the store, struggling to rein in all he was feeling. "Let's go."

"You can wait here."

"No way," he said, rubbing his sore and bruised backside. "I can't take another tackle to the pavement."

Heat flooded her face. "I don't need a guard."

He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Something scared you here, you can't deny that." He put a finger to her lips when she would have done just that. "Maybe I forgot to tell you I really dislike being lied to. And I'm not leaving you alone, so forget it."

She sighed and entered the automated doors, not looking to see if he followed.

Since it seemed to be so important to her, he pretended not to notice what she threw into the shopping cart, knowing by the lovely shade of pink on her cheeks that she was embarrassed. Halfway down one aisle, he caught her giving the lipsticks a longing glance.

She protested when he stopped. "Come on, I'm done," she said, trying to tug him along.

"Hmm." He touched a fire-engine-red lipstick. "Nice color."

She rolled her eyes.

"Much as I'd love to see this on you, I don't want to have to fight off Zach."

"Don't," she mumbled, still trying to pull him away. "Just forget it."

But he was locked on the image of her in the red lipstick, with matching fingernails and toenails to boot. He caught her horrified gaze and laughed. "Okay, maybe not. But this would be pretty." He held out a light rose-colored gloss. "And I bet it tastes good, too."

At his suggestive leer, she let out a little laugh, making him realize she didn't make that pretty sound nearly often enough.

"Fine." She capitulated, grabbing it from him and tossing it in the cart. "But don't think you're ever going to taste it."

"Uh-oh." He pushed the cart toward the checkout. "Another challenge."

She just shook her head, some of the haunted look fading from her eyes.

Cam bided his time, waiting until they were back in the truck before turning to her. "I'm going to ask you again, Haley. What happened to you today?"

She fiddled with her purse, put on her seat belt, and looked everywhere but at him. "I thought someone was following me, but I was wrong. I panicked over nothing."

One of his hands was on the headrest above her. He touched her cheek softly with his other until she looked at him. God, those eyes, he thought. So clear, so absolutely full of mysteries. "Is someone following you?"

Her mouth tightened. "I don't think so. No. No one's following me."

"But it's a possibility?" he prompted.

She dragged her lip across her teeth and dropped her gaze. "Okay, look. I had trouble on my last job. One of my… coworkers sort of lost it."

"Lost it?"

"You know… went crazy."

His throat closed. His anger drained instantly to be replaced with concern. "Did he hurt you, Haley?"

"N-n-no." Again she bit her lip. "And it's a she. But either way, I don't think that's a problem because no one knows where I am. I just panicked there for a second. I'm sorry."

"Didn't you tell your boss? What kind of job was this?"

"My boss… couldn't do anything about it. Complicated policies, I guess."

Could she be more vague? "You can't be too safe. Let's call the cops."

"No!" She lowered her voice instantly. "It's not necessary. Really. She can't find me here."

He wished she'd look at him, because every instinct he had was screaming. Another damn lie. And yet… he still wanted her. Her hand rested on her thigh. He reached for it, frowning at its iciness. Bringing it up to his mouth, he ran his lips over her knuckles.

"You shouldn't do that." Her voice sounded light, whispery. And he knew how she felt because his own throat had gone dry.

"I shouldn't do a lot of things," he said, unhooking her seat belt and drawing her stiff body close. His fingers slid into her short, silky hair. "You have a way, darlin', of knotting me up inside." He bent to kiss her cheek, her jaw. And then because she smelled so good, tasted so delicious, he kissed her ear, her neck, then her jaw again.

She shivered when he skimmed his lips over hers, but kept her hands at her sides. "You really shouldn't… do that."

He smiled against her neck. "Why? You like it." Her hands moved then, to his shoulders, and he expected to be pushed away.

"I think we should go now," she whispered instead, still holding him.

"You think too much." But he gave her one last quick hug. "You'd feel better if you talked about it. Maybe your head and stomach wouldn't hurt so much."

She ducked her face as if the pain was a weakness to be embarrassed about.

"I don't like to think of you in pain."

"I'm-"

"I know," he said with a little laugh directed at himself. Idiot. "You're fine." He wanted to kiss her, had to kiss her. Watching her, being this close, he felt the urgency grow inside him until he was tense with the need of it. He wanted to plunder, dive in until neither of them knew their name, but the gentleness so deeply ingrained in him wouldn't allow it. So he glided his arms around her again and started with her chin, nipping it between his teeth, gradually moving along her face, leisurely drawing out their pleasure. He was rewarded when her body softened and leaned against his.

Her first sigh, the glorious feeling of her arms slipping around him in feminine surrender, stirred his blood. Taming the need was worth it, he decided in hazy delight, and with tormenting slowness he brought his lips back to hers. This time they parted immediately beneath his. Her shy tongue met his, and his last coherent thought was that this kiss wasn't going to be enough. He felt her clinging to him, heard her helpless moan… and he craved more.

A kiss wasn't supposed to devastate, he thought in confusion; it was supposed to satisfy. A kiss wasn't supposed to make the blood roar in his ears, or make his head swim; it should bring simple pleasure. But there was nothing simple about this. Oh, the pleasure seeped through him, but he sure as hell wasn't supposed to tremble just because she sighed his name in that low, sexy voice.

Being with a woman should be easy. Not rip a hole through his heart and leave him bleeding, helpless and needy. Carefully, purposefully, he drew away and stared at her, his world rocked by that one "simple" kiss.

Haley's eyes fluttered open, glazed and cloudy. "I think," she said on a very shaky breath, scooting back a little, "it would be best if we didn't do that often."

"I was thinking the opposite." Her lips were wet and swollen and he wanted to taste them again.

She straightened and tucked her legs beneath her in a defensive gesture that stopped him from reaching for her. "Things are mixed up enough. Cam. I…" She looked out the window and sighed. "Too mixed up to add this complication."

He wondered if she realized it was the first time she'd used his nickname. "That was some kiss, Haley. You should know. It left me wanting more."

"I can't give you more." Desperation crept into her voice.

He struggled with the patience that usually came so naturally, and didn't find it. "Why? Dammit, why?"

"Because I'm trouble, Cam. With a capital T."

For two days, Haley cringed at the memory of that day. She'd never forget the almost-comic, stunned surprise on Cam's face as she'd plowed him to the ground. She'd never tackled a boss before. Nor, she thought a little ruefully, had she ever kissed one.

She'd avoided him, but he'd done the same right back, even as he made sure that someone was always near enough that she never felt alone. She knew her lies and innate wariness had gotten to him, but she didn't know what to do. She couldn't tell him the truth-could she?

Sometimes she thought she should; then she remembered how many had died and decided against it.

She stood in the large living room of the ranch house, dusting. She'd discovered the Crock-Pot the day before, and the large recipe book inside it, so dinner should be a snap.

She hoped.

She'd dropped potatoes and carrots into it exactly according to the recipe. Then a large roast. She expected to need a miracle, but to her utter surprise, when she'd checked the pot an hour ago, a delicious aroma had arisen. And it actually looked good, though personally, she'd prefer a greasy burger and fries.

Cameron had left strict instructions. She could cook breakfast and dinner, but everyone had to fix their own lunch. Yet something strange had happened to Haley-something unexpected. She found she enjoyed the kitchen activities so much, she'd actually connived to be in there when everyone wandered in around noon. So it became natural for her to make the sandwiches-which even she could do well.

Haley didn't like to think about how attached to everyone she'd become. Or how much Nellie seemed to enjoy having her. Or how much she enjoyed bantering like old friends with Zach and Jason.

Then there was Cameron.

She'd never danced in the rain before. She'd never shared a laugh over a cow. And she'd certainly never been kissed by a man the way he'd kissed her.

Well aware that such a thing could go nowhere, she couldn't keep her heart from giving a little leap whenever she saw him. For two long nights now, she'd lain awake, torn between fear for her uncertain future, and a longing so fierce she couldn't ease the ache.

She longed-oh, how she longed-yet she couldn't put a name to it. Her life had been pathetically short on romance, and most of that was by choice. Men didn't understand her, and most seemed intimidated by her. It would be laughable if she'd had a friend to laugh with. But she'd been pathetic in that department, too. Maybe because she'd always been around people much older than herself, maybe because while her brain was overly developed, she'd ignored her social skills… She didn't know.

But she'd read plenty, and her deepest, most secret fantasy was to have a romance. A real, true romance, just like in the books she loved. Last night, with nothing to read, she'd actually started a journal. She'd kept a record of her life before, plenty of times. But those had always been careful notes of her studies or projects, never anything personal. This time, and for the first time, she'd outlined her feelings in detail, purposely steering away from anything technical. Just feelings. And she'd been shocked by what she'd discovered.

She was infatuated with her new boss.

Confused and a little frightened by the depth of her unexpected feelings, she put a little too much "oomph" into dusting the top of the mantel, and two picture frames slid down. Reaching for the first one, she slid her rag over the dusty top of it, then went still.

The snapshot showed Cameron, maybe several years ago, dressed in a suit and tie. But the surprising elegance of his dress wasn't what shocked her, or even how good he looked-it was the possessive way his arm was wrapped around a tall, beautiful and very pregnant woman.

"That was my wife," he said quietly, from behind her.