Emma scrambled out of the tub, cheeks burning. She thrust her arms into a fluffy white guest robe and belted it tight at the waist. Wow! Damn he’s hot! She hadn’t expected that! Kai was even better looking than she’d imagined. Dark haired, blue eyed and hot! He was also enormous; he had to be about seven feet tall if he was an inch. No wonder he lifted her as if she weighed nothing. Thick muscles corded his arms and shoulders. His broad-shouldered build tapered to a narrower trunk and lean hips and soft, faded jeans showcased muscular thighs and legs. The overall package of the man was amazing—intimidating, exceptional and downright gorgeous. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice. He was beautiful. What was he talking about when he said he was old? He was anything but. At worst he might be in his late twenties or early thirties. Emma was almost twenty-two herself, so the age gap wasn’t as big as he seemed to think. Maybe ten years at most. No big deal.
She opened the door into the bedroom to find Kai zipping a large black duffel bag. He glanced up when she entered the room and because he still believed she couldn’t see, he failed to mask the raw hunger right away. He caught himself and averted his gaze. The glance was so fleeting Emma wondered if she’d seen it at all.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“We’re going somewhere.”
“We are? Why?” He opened drawers to check for missed items. “Do we have to leave right now?”
“Yes, we do. I’ve already arranged for a rental car, it’ll be here in a few minutes. Let’s get your things from the bathroom.”
“I can gather my stuff. And why are we leaving?”
Kai kept walking to the bathroom. “Since you can’t see, it’s quicker and easier for me to pack. I’ve got everything else ready.” He moved the bags close to the door.
“I can see,” she stopped him in his tracks. “Ever since I woke up.” Emma smiled, happy to finally share her good news with him.
Kai’s head whipped around and he looked in her eyes. “That’s great!” His heart-stopping smile caused twin indentations to appear on either side of his mouth and her knees wobbled. He has a great smile. He should smile more often.
“Everything is a little blurry, but I think that might have more to do with this pounding headache.”
Kai took her hands in his. “I’m glad you have your sight back.” Even through the smile, Emma saw a shadow of concern. “Do you need something for the pain?”
“Yes, some Tylenol if you have it. I looked for some earlier, but couldn’t find any.” Now that he was distracted, Emma thought she might get an answer. “Why do we have to leave right now?”
“I bumped into someone I want to avoid right now. I’ll catch up with him later when I’m ready to see him.”
“That doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to rush out in the middle of the night.”
“It’s not the middle of the night. Will you please trust me? Okay?”
“I am trusting you. It just seems odd.”
“If you knew him you wouldn’t think so.” Bitterness edged his words. “Look, I don’t want a run in with him while you’re with me and still recovering. Okay?”
“Oh.” She knew it and he finally admitted she’d been a burden to him. “Well, why didn’t you say so? You can take me home and I won’t be a problem anymore. I feel better now and I can see again. There’s no longer a reason for you to feel responsible for me.”
“That’s not what I meant at all. I’m afraid it’s more complicated than that.”
“No, it’s not,” she said matter-of-factly. “You drop me off. You leave and go about your business. Look, I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but it’s time I take care of myself again. I’ve been doing it for a long time.”
“I’m sure you have. I know you’re tougher than you look, but I’m not leaving you unprotected right now.”
“You got rid of those guys, right? They’re no longer a problem. So there’s no need for you to baby me.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” he hedged. “I know I’ll feel better if you stay with me a while longer. Just to make sure. Then my conscience will be clear”
“It isn’t necessary. I have to say no. I’m fine now.”
“I think it is necessary.” Kai wasn’t gonna budge. Instead he changed the subject, “Do you still want me to find something for your pain?” She knew what he was doing but her head really hurt. At her nod, he grabbed a bottle from a worn brown leather satchel and dropped a couple of white tablets into his hand. He filled a glass with water and handed both to Emma. “Here, these will help.”
“Thank you.” She flashed a grateful smile and reached out to take the medication. A drop of water spilled onto her chin. She caught it and wiped it away. “I’m done being an imposition to you. You’ve done more than most people would and I couldn’t be more grateful. But it’s time for me to go home and get back to the real world. I have school and a job, or at least I hope I still have one. They’ll understand once I explain. Right? Anyway, I don’t want to monopolize any more of your time.”
“Let me worry about me and my time, okay? Why don’t you get your stuff and we’ll discuss this in the car. Deal?”
“Okay, but my mind is made up. I’m ready to go home, and if you won’t take me there, I’ll go by myself.”
Emma grabbed her only pair of clean underwear from the bag, as well as a bra, a light pink t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans before heading to the bathroom to change. When she came out, Kai stood by the door handing an attendant some bills. The bellboy took their bags to the lobby.
“All set?” Kai asked.
“Yeah, I think so. Take me home so I can go to sleep again. I’m starting to fade fast.”
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Within minutes of leaving the suite, Kai helped a sleepy Emma into his rental car. Her eyes fluttered closed as soon as her head came in contact with the headrest. He leaned over her to buckle her in. Kai brushed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered, “Please forgive me.” Emma’s breathing already settled in the steady rhythm of sleep. Her eyelids didn’t as much as flicker, nor did she hear the whispered plea.
Guilt niggled Kai’s conscience as he came around the hood of the rented black sedan. He ducked his head and lowered himself into the car, sinking into the low-slung leather seat. A quick shoulder check showed no oncoming traffic. He threw the car into gear and pulled away from the curb. Several minutes later he was speeding past the city limits toward the mountains and his own personal refuge.
Emma had every right to be furious when she woke up. He hadn’t lied about the pills. They’d definitely help with her headache. He just hadn’t told her they’d also knock her out for a few hours. But she could rage at him later, after he’d gotten her out of the city and as far away from Garrick as possible.
Shit! She’s gonna be pissed. And I’ve sunk to a new low. He’d just kidnapped her. For a good reason, of course, but somehow he doubted she’d see it that way. Nothing less than the full truth would convince Emma of that, and even if he told her the whole truth, she might not believe him.
With nothing but time to think as he drove, Kai’s thoughts wavered between his longstanding feud and his newfound fascination with a beautiful, spunky waif. Garrick had plucked saurians and other shifters from across the veil to do his dirty work. Not the brightest creatures, they were easily controlled and they were exceptionally dangerous. That was a big problem. And Emma, somehow she’d found herself mixed up in a war between two worlds. Don’t think about it. It’s too late now. Kai's hands tightened on the steering wheel.
After speeding down the highway for a couple hours, Kai slowed the car to a crawl, knowing he was close to a hidden turn off in the mountains. He checked all directions and made sure nobody followed them before he eased the car through the sharp corner and down the winding gravel road. Kai wasn’t paranoid. He just wasn’t a fool. Through a break in the tree-line he saw the small rustic A-frame cabin. Kai parked in front of the cabin and turned in his seat to watch Emma sleep. Her chest still rose in a gentle rhythmic motion. He hated to disturb her, she looked so peaceful. Besides, he wasn’t looking forward to the explosive conversation he knew they’d be having when she woke up.
Somehow over the past few hours, he’d convinced himself that after this was all over and her safety was secured, he wanted to keep Emma with him as long as she’d let hm. And there was no question, no matter what; he’d do whatever necessary to protect her.
Kai slid from behind the wheel and inhaled the fresh scent of the mountains. There was nothing like the crisp, clean smell of cedar and pine. It felt good to be back. It had been far too long. He opened Emma’s door. Careful not to wake her, he removed her seatbelt, slipped his arms beneath her and lifted her from the car. Her head lolled against his chest in an increasingly familiar way. He shifted her up in his arms and tucked her head under his chin to a more comfortable position. If she slept another few hours, he’d have time to set up the cabin’s security and find some supplies.
Kai walked inside the cabin and looked around. Nothing appeared out of place. The only thing changed since his last visit was an undisturbed layer of dust that had settled over the open room during his absence, which was reassuring. It had been ages since he’d last used the cabin. He strode to the narrow steps that led to the loft.
The stairs weren’t much more than a glorified ladder. It was difficult to maneuver with any sort of grace with the sleeping girl in his arms as he made his way up, but he managed. He eased down on his knees to place her on the soft mattress lying on the floor. The bed lay lengthwise across the triangle of the darkened upper level. A curtained window provided some light in the loft as did the light filtering up from the windows on the ground floor. He picked up the multicolored afghan draped across the foot of the simple bed, leaned over her, brushed her forehead with a kiss and pulled the cover over her.
Kai looked around the simple cabin and hoped Emma didn’t mind roughing it a bit. He’d never brought anyone else here. The cabin was rustic. At first glance, it looked as though there were no conveniences at all. There were no light fixtures or lamps. The cabin didn’t have electricity or a furnace, but it did have running water, courtesy of a primitive pump handle system. At least he didn’t have to carry water from the stream and there was a bathroom instead of an outhouse. He’d never thought much about it. Modern conveniences had never mattered much to him. He liked them, they beat the hell out of his more primitive start in life but his cabin served a different purpose. It was a refuge of sorts. An escape. Emma might have a different opinion. He left Emma in the loft and returned to the car for their belongings. After that, he’d build a fire.