Utah, p.6
Utah, page 6
Remembering the bullet holes in the truck she’d driven off the road, Utah was amazed she’d made it out alive. It had to have taken a huge amount of courage to make a run for it.
As she turned toward the building, Liza looked up at the sign and read the words “Lucky Lady Lodge.” She snorted softly. “What are the chances my luck has changed?”
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Utah said. “It has to be better than where you were.”
She nodded. “I hope so.”
Utah led the way to a side entrance with a porch light shining down on the stoop. Clutching Tayla in one arm, he rummaged in his back pocket for his wallet and the key card inside. He caught the corner of his wallet, pulled it from his pocket and immediately dropped it on the ground.
Liza bent to retrieve it. When she straightened, she tried to hand the wallet to him.
“Grab the key card,” Utah said. “It’s the bright green one with a big clover on it.”
Liza riffled through his wallet, extracted the green key card and ran it through the reader on the door lock. A little green light blinked on. She quickly turned the handle and held the door open.
Utah entered, carrying the little child. He noted that Liza no longer had her hand in the pocket with the gun. It was a small step toward trust. He’d take it as a win.
Once they were both inside, Utah led the way through the corridors to the one where he and his teammates had been housed for the duration of the renovations.
Two of the team had moved out of the lodge and in with their fiancées. Though Grimm had found his own lady love, Dezi Thomas, she too lived at the lodge and worked as the restaurant’s chef. He’d spent more time in her room than his.
After the wedding, Murdock would move in with his wife in Eagle Rock, where she had a thriving mobile veterinarian business.
Utah wasn’t worried about waking anyone because the guys were still in Bozeman, sleeping off the effects of Murdock’s bachelor party. From what he’d heard, the women had planned a sleepover at the bride Gabbie Myer’s place.
With the renovation still in progress, the owners, Molly and Parker Bailey, had limited the number of guests. Most of the guests staying that night were wedding guests, there for Murdock and Gabbie’s nuptials. They were in the newly remodeled rooms in another corridor.
Utah stopped in front of his door and nodded toward the card reader.
Liza ran the card through the locking mechanism and pushed the door open.
“Excuse the clutter. It’s been a busy week getting ready for the wedding.”
“How long have they been planning for it?” Liza stood to the side.
Utah carried Tayla through the door, a crooked smile on his lips. “This week.”
“One week?” Liza shook her head. “That’s not enough time to plan a wedding.”
“Tell me about it,” he said as he laid Tayla on the bed and unwrapped his coat from her around like peeling the tortilla off a burrito.
Her arms were so small and thin. “How did such a tiny creature survive in your camp?”
“She might be little, but she’s fierce.”
He looked up at Liza. “Like her mother.”
Liza shrugged. “We did what we had to do to survive.”
“Mommy?” Tayla’s eyes blinked open.
“Hey, sweetie.” Liza smiled at her daughter. “It’s nighttime. Go to sleep, baby.”
Tayla looked up at her mother with droopy eyes. “Where’s Daisy, Mommy?”
“Oh, baby,” Liza said, her eyes sad. “I’m so sorry. Daisy’s gone.”
The little girl’s eyes clouded, and a tear slipped down her cheek. “I loved Daisy.”
“Me, too, baby,” Liza said. “We’ll get you another Daisy soon. I promise.”
A second tear slipped down Tayla’s cheeks. She closed her eyes. Her breathing grew deeper. Tayla slept.
“Who’s Daisy?” Utah asked.
“Tayla’s imaginary puppy. It was a pinecone on a string.” Liza brushed a tear from her own cheek. “She loved Daisy. And now Daisy is at the bottom of a cliff in the truck.”
“A pinecone? I don’t get it.” Utah shook his head and stepped back. “This is your thing. Let me get a few things, and then I’ll leave you two alone to get some sleep.”
Liza stepped up to the bed and removed Tayla’s worn shoes, laying them on the floor in front of the nightstand. She brushed a strand of hair back from her daughter’s face and rubbed at a spot of dirt on her cheek.
Utah couldn’t look away. The tenderness with which Liza touched her daughter tugged at his heart. She’d risked so much to get the two of them out of a terrible situation.
“She needs a bath,” Liza glanced up, her gaze meeting his.
Utah realized he’d been staring. “Don’t worry about the sheets. I can get them changed with fresh ones after the wedding.” He turned toward the other door in the room and pushed it open. He waved a hand toward the adjoining bathroom within. “You’ll find fresh towels in the cabinet below the sink and spare toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste and a comb.” He grabbed his sleeping bag from the far corner of the room and headed toward the hall.
Liza followed, a frown pulling her eyebrows into a V. “Where will you be?”
He shrugged. “I’ll find a sofa in the lobby.”
Her frown deepened. “Can’t you get another room?”
Utah shook his head. “I don’t want to bother anyone. Besides, I think all the available rooms are filled with wedding guests.” He could have camped in one of his teammate’s rooms, but he didn’t have their keys and didn’t want to bother the night clerk and have him ask questions.
Liza shook her head. “We can’t kick you out of your room. Tayla and I can sleep in your truck.”
Utah tipped his chin toward the sleeping three-year-old. “It gets cold outside at night in the Crazy Mountains. I couldn’t sleep in my warm bed knowing you two could die of exposure.” He gave her a brief smile. “A sofa will be great compared to some places I’ve had to sleep while on a maneuver.” He stepped through the door. “Sleep well. The chef has a special breakfast planned for the guests staying at the lodge. You can join them, or I’ll bring a tray for you and Tayla.”
Liza clasped her hands together. “You’ve already done so much for us.”
He nodded. “I’ll bring a tray. Sleep in. I’ll be up and moving around early. I’ll come by and check on you around seven if that’s not too soon.”
“Seven would be fine. I doubt I’ll sleep.”
“You should be safe here,” Utah said. “Even if they have a tracker on that truck, no one knows who picked you up or where you were taken.” He pointed to the cap on her head. “The cameras wouldn’t have picked up your face beneath the bill of that cap. I think you’re good for the night.”
Though Liza nodded, Utah could tell she wasn’t convinced.
“I’ll be close by in case anything happens,” he added.
“You’ll be in the lobby?” she asked.
He nodded and pointed to his right. “It’s at the end of this corridor. You can’t get lost. Goodnight, Liza. Maybe tomorrow you can tell me your last name.”
As he pulled the door close, he heard her whisper, “Gray.”
Utah stood for a moment with his hand on the doorknob, going over all that had happened since he’d left the bar in Bozeman. Everything centered on one young woman’s daring bid for freedom.
Liza Gray.
He listened for sounds of movement inside his room. The door was an original, made of solid wood, an effective sound insulator. After a full minute, Utah released his hold on the knob and stepped back.
With only a few short hours until the vendors arrived, he was strangely reluctant to find that sofa in the lobby to catch some much-needed sleep. He didn’t want to leave Liza and Tayla alone.
Which made no sense.
They were safely locked inside. Like he’d said, no one knew he’d brought them there. It wasn’t like he’d be very far away in the lobby.
Tucking his sleeping bag under his arm, he forced himself to walk to the end of the hallway, emerging into the lobby with the high ceilings, welcoming furniture and massive stone fireplace. The fire had been tamped down for the night and the next day’s festivities.
Murdock and Gabbie had chosen the lodge lobby for the location of the wedding ceremony. The reception would be held in the lodge dining room, where the lodge’s chef, Dezi Thomas, would provide the meal with one of her signature culinary masterpieces. Gabbie had left it up to Dezi to “surprise” them.
It didn’t matter what Dezi prepared; it would be amazing.
Utah had gained a few pounds since the pretty brunette had started work at the lodge. And he’d never seen Grimm happier. Love had taken the hard edge off his teammate. Not that he was any less effective as a Delta Force operator. He was just more in touch with his feelings where Dezi was concerned.
Utah wondered how that felt. He’d had several relationships over the years. None of them had inspired in him the level of commitment he’d witnessed from the members of his team, who’d found their women since they’d been in Montana.
He tossed his sleeping bag on the couch closest to the fireplace. Embers still glowed beneath the ash, still providing heat. It would be nice to share the warmth with someone else. How long had it been since he’d been on a date?
Utah shook his head. Too long. Not one woman he’d met since his return from Afghanistan had sparked his interest. None of them could relate to him, his time in the Marine Corps, the years he’d spent in foreign countries, defending his country. Most women, who’d never been in the military or gone to war, were more concerned about what clothes they wore or where they should get their nails done.
In the countries where he’d fought, the people there worried about where they’d get their next meal or where the next bomb would explode. They weren’t juggling an office job and taking their kids to baseball practice. They were walking miles to get to fresh water, afraid to let their children run and play for fear of them stepping into a minefield.
Since coming back to the States, Utah had been a little lost. He hadn’t felt like he fit in his own country—until Hank Patterson had contacted him, asking if he’d be interested in joining his organization, the Brotherhood Protectors. He’d explained that the men he hired were prior military, like him, men who’d trained as elite special forces—Army Rangers and Delta Force operatives, Navy SEALs, Marine Force Reconnaissance and members of Air Force Pararescue teams.
They brought their hard-earned experience to the civilian world, providing protection, rescuing kidnap victims and anything else where their skills were needed.
Utah had listened with interest. He’d missed the comradery of the Marine Corps and had been tempted to accept Hank’s offer. But when it had come right down to it, he realized he was tired of fighting. He wanted a job where he could see the fruits of his labors. A job where he could build things, not kill.
Hank, a Navy SEAL in his past life, had understood and had known of just the job for him in his hometown. That’s how Utah had come to work at the Lucky Lady Lodge, where he’d reunited with men he’d crossed paths with while on active duty. Soldiers and sailors he’d fought alongside, who understood and embraced the comradery that had been missing since they’d left active duty. He’d found his people and hope for a brighter future.
His thoughts went to the woman down the hallway. A brave woman who’d run the gauntlet of gunfire to free herself and her daughter from captivity.
She’d find it difficult to assimilate into society after what she’d been through. And she didn’t have the shared experience Utah had lived with his brothers in arms or a Hank Patterson to help her find her way in a world where she no longer belonged.
Utah glanced toward the reception desk. The night clerk had locked the lobby doors after ten and would be in the office behind the desk. If guests needed anything, they had only to ring the bell on the counter to get his attention.
Not wanting to disturb the young man, Utah walked quietly past the front desk to the dining room. Gabbie always left food in the commercial refrigerator for those who wanted to make a late-night snack.
Utah entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to find a plastic container filled with slices of ham. His stomach rumbled as he set the container on the counter and rummaged in the crisper for lettuce and tomatoes.
Minutes later, he’d built two huge ham sandwiches with thick slices of homemade bread slathered with mayonnaise and mustard.
He placed them on plates and the plates on a tray. Filled two glasses with ice and poured fresh-squeezed lemonade into them.
Holding the tray with both hands, he carried it through the dining room, the lobby and down the corridor, stopping in front of his room.
He shifted the tray, balancing it on one hand and knocked lightly on the door. If she didn’t answer on the first knock, he’d walk away, assuming she was already asleep.
He waited, straining to hear even the slightest noise. Moments passed.
Figuring she’d gone to sleep, Utah turned away with his tray set for two and headed toward the lobby.
He had gone two steps when the click of a lock disengaging brought him to a halt. As he turned back, the door opened.
Liza poked her towel-wrapped head out. “Sorry, I’d just stepped out of the shower when I heard you knock. It took me a moment to find something to wear.” Her eyes widened when she spotted the sandwiches.
“I thought you might be hungry,” he said.
“We ate before we left the compound, but wow.” She licked her lips. “Those look amazing. Is that ham?”
He nodded. “It is.”
“Do you want to bring it in here?”
Utah grinned. “Or we could have a picnic in the hall…”
She shook her head. “I’d rather eat at the table in here.” Stepping back, she held the door open for him to enter.
Once he cleared the doorway, Liza hurried ahead of him and moved his books and a backpack from the table’s surface and pulled two chairs closer.
Utah couldn’t help but notice her bare legs beneath an oversized T-shirt that hung past her thighs.
His eyes narrowed. Was it one of his shirts?
“I hope you don’t mind. I borrowed one of your shirts. I washed my clothes in the shower and hung them to dry, but they were too wet to put back on.” She turned to face him, her cheeks pink.
His groin tightened at the thought of his shirt covering her naked body. “That’s fine. Help yourself to whatever you need.” He set one of the plates and a glass of lemonade on the surface, then hesitated. It might not be a good idea to stay in the same room with her, especially if he was thinking about her naked body beneath his shirt.
The right thing to do would be to leave her food and beat a hasty retreat to the lobby, where he could eat his sandwich alone. Away from her and her legs.
For a man who usually did the right thing, Utah wasn’t operating in his right mind. He hesitated. That was his downfall.
Chapter 6
Liza looked at him expectantly. “Aren’t you going to stay and eat with me?”
Inside, he warred with his conscience. “Is that what you want?”
Her clean cheeks flushed a deeper pink. “Please. You went to all the trouble, and…well…I kind of got used to having you around.”
He chuckled. “Does that mean you trust me?”
Her brow twisted. “I wouldn’t go that far. But you haven’t tried to hurt Tayla or me.”
“There is that.” His conscience lost. Utah laid the second plate across from the first and his glass of lemonade beside it. He leaned the tray against the wall and held out one of the seats.
Liza hesitated. “I’ll be right back.” She turned and ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
“Too long,” he muttered.
“What did you say?” she called out from the other side of the door.
“It’s been too long since I’ve had a good ham sandwich,” he replied, willing his rising desire to abate. Otherwise, he’d be highly uncomfortable sitting across the tiny table from the woman stirring his loins.
He turned toward the bed where Tayla lay sleeping.
Bright blond hair spilled across the pillow. Her cheeks had been washed clean, and the comforter had been pulled up to her chin.
Utah couldn’t tell if she was breathing. The blanket didn’t rise and fall enough to reassure him. A little anxious for proof of life, he leaned closer until he finally registered the barest of movement.
He straightened, releasing the breath he hadn’t known he was holding.
The door behind him opened with a creak.
Utah turned as Liza emerged.
She’d removed the towel from her hair and combed the long strands straight, letting them hang down to the middle of her back.
Her lips twisted in a wry grin as she crossed the short distance and slid into the seat he’d held for her earlier, the T-shirt rising up her thigh, exposing more of her smooth skin. “You didn’t have to wait. I just didn’t want to eat with a towel on my head. I’d have been done before you arrived with the sandwiches, but the hot shower felt too good. I didn’t want to get out.” She sighed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a hot shower. When the water’s cold, you don’t linger.”
Utah could imagine her life over the past ten months. He’d been in places where a shower, even a cold one, was a luxury.
She reached down to her ankle and removed what looked like a small piece of tissue and tossed it into the trashcan beside her with a grimace. “I cut myself shaving. You’d think I’d forgotten how after ten months.” She glanced up. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be this excited about a shower, but…I am.”
He sank into the seat in front of her, thankful the tabletop hid her legs from his gaze. He’d have been fine if he hadn’t seen those silky, smooth legs. Now, they were all he could think about.
