Waking the Beast(8)

He took the lead, using his broad body to hide hers, forming a shield to protect her. She’d imagined him often as her protector, but never in a situation like this, never with her actually in danger.

“Stay behind me. No matter what you hear. Stay behind me.” He led them around the corner and up the stairs, moving much quieter in his bare feet than she did in her boots.#p#分页标题#e#

How was she going to hide an almost naked Utah when they stepped out of wherever they were? A fully dressed Utah would draw attention. In nothing but his tight black boxers? Anyone remotely close by would be drawn to look at him.

“Stay here.” He pressed her against the wall when they reached the top of the stairs and the closed door. He looked at her for a moment then bent and kissed her softly on the lips. He didn’t say anything else as he crouched down and slowly eased the door open. Her lips were still tingling from the brush of his when he disappeared.

She counted to a hundred, twice, then twice more as she strained to hear. She wasn’t sure what to listen for, running footsteps, the angry retort of a gun, a primal roar? She didn’t know what she feared most, but nothing reached her, only the sound of her blood beating fast thudded in her ears. Where was he? Was he okay?

She was just debating the necessity of following Utah through the door when it jerked open, and he was there. She barely held back her shriek of surprise as her heart beat impossibly faster.

“Calm down,” he soothed, rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm. His gaze dropped to her breasts, and she mourned the loss of her sweatshirt. It’d been one of her favorites. “We’re safe for now.”

He’d found his clothes, and the feminine parts of her mourned that as well, though Utah looked just as sexy in his jeans and black T-shirt. He wore black boots now as well. So why hadn’t she heard him coming toward her? At six five and…?

“How much do you weigh?” The question spilled from her brain, off the tip of her tongue and into the air around them.

His hand automatically fell to his flat stomach as if she were calling him fat. “Two-forty-five.”

And it was all muscle. There’d been no missing that fact as he’d walked around in his underwear.

“Why?” he asked.

“I didn’t hear you coming.”

He grinned, and if she didn’t know better, she’d actually believe he might be flirting with her.

“I promise you, honey, next time I come, you’ll hear me.”

She nodded her head. It was probably due to the stress she was under. She needed to calm down her heart rate and breathing. She didn’t want anyone else to sneak up on them without her knowing. “Are they here?”

He gave her a strange look, as if he were expecting her to say something else.

“What?” she asked. “Are they here?” she asked again. “We need to go.”

He smiled and shook his head, lifting a finger to brush softly against her cheek. “We’ll come back to this conversation later, when we have more time.”

“What? Why?” Abby was almost choking on the terror someone would come in and find them. Harlan and Whiney with more men and weapons. Or maybe the cops who would lock them away when they found Southy downstairs. She couldn’t focus on anything else.

“Nothing.” He held his hand out to her, and she took it like the lifeline it felt like. “My bike’s out there. Bastards must have stolen it. I still can’t remember anything past leaving the bar last night after closing. I remember stepping out the back door and…nothing.”

“I remember sitting at home in my favorite chair and closing my eyes. Then waking up here, in that cell with you.”

“We’ve got a lot to talk about, Abby. First we need to get out of here. We’ll head to my place first. We can call the police from there. My phone wasn’t with my stuff.” He glanced down at her as he led them quickly through the building. Now she knew why it’d taken him so long to get back to her. He’d not only dressed but explored as well. He never faltered as he led her to the exit.#p#分页标题#e#

“I don’t have my phone on me either,” she finally managed to answer. She’d have to convince him not to call the police when they got to his place. Not when Utah would be the one arrested for murder. She had little doubt Harlan would wiggle out of this with no blame.

Utah blocked her against the wall again, as he slid the outside door open and glanced around the frame. “It’s clear. Let’s go.” He pulled her after him into an alley, where his big black bike sat ominously next to a huge green industrial trash bin.