Her Cowboy Distraction(33)

"It's over, Lizzy," Daniel said as if he'd read her thoughts. He pulled  her into a full embrace and she clung to him. He might have killed a  man … a friend, for her. He might have been killed himself in trying to  rescue her.

"I'll see you two at the office in a few minutes," Cameron said as he left the cabin.

Lizzy didn't move from Daniel's arms. She had never needed anyone in her  life as she needed him then, just to hold her, to assure her with the  strength of his arms, the solid beat of his heart, that everything was  fine.

"When you didn't come back to the table after going to the bathroom, I  sent Mary in to see what was taking so long. When she came back and told  me you weren't in there, I panicked." His words whispered against her  neck with the heat of emotion. "I was so afraid I'd lost you. I thought  I'd made you mad and made you run to danger, just like the night of  Janice's death."

She raised her head to look up at him and saw the deep torment in his  beautiful gray eyes. "Oh, Daniel, you didn't make me mad. I didn't run  out of here angry. I was forced out. I had every intention of coming  back to the table to argue with you if I needed to."

His gaze held hers for a long moment. "I don't want to argue with you,  Lizzy. I've showed you my hand, my heart, and now the next play is  yours." He dropped his arms from around her. "And now we better get down  to the sheriff's office and put this terrible night and craziness  behind us."                       
       
           



       

As he led her to his truck, she was vaguely aware of a crowd gathered at  the back of the café. But, all she could focus on was what he'd said,  that he'd shown her all his cards and now it was her turn to play.





Chapter 13

Lizzy awoke with the late-afternoon sun drifting in through the guest  bedroom window at Daniel's place. They hadn't gotten home until just  after dawn. It had taken forever at the sheriff's office to finally wrap  things up.

Sam had gone through surgery for the gunshot wound to his thigh. Before  going in he'd made a full confession to Cameron about the attacks on  Lizzy, but he had remained adamant that he'd had nothing to do with  Candy's death.

It would take months before a trial, and in the meantime Cameron  believed what Sam needed most was some psychological work. Still, he  would remain in jail and eventually stand trial for his crimes against  Lizzy, the most serious charge one of attempted murder.

She turned over in the bed and stared at the sunbeams dancing across the  bottom of the pink comforter, her mind drifting back to the night  before. By the time she and Daniel had driven home there had been  nothing left to say between them. Both were exhausted, and he'd gone to  his room to sleep, and she'd undressed and fallen into bed in this room  and slept without dreams.

Daniel had been devastated by Sam's betrayal. Cameron had been upset  that he hadn't been able to clear up Candy's murder, and Adam had been  distraught to realize how mentally ill his brother had become. Lizzy had  felt as if she were on an emotional roller coaster.

It had been a night of high emotions, and by the time it was all over  everyone had been wrung dry. Lizzy still felt wrung dry … numb by  everything that had happened both before and after Sam had taken her  into the cabin.

The conversation she and Daniel had been having before she'd gone to the  restroom had been both wonderful and troubling. He loved her. He'd not  only said the words out loud, but he'd also shown her through his  actions not just last night but also during the past week that they'd  spent together.

He'd been a terrific nursemaid while she'd been healing from her  beating. He'd anticipated her every need and had been by her side for  comfort and support.

Still, she didn't believe his assessment of her, that it was somehow  fear that had kept her out of relationships in the past and fear that  would take her away from him.

It was just the wrong time in her life for love. She had things to do,  places to see and a promise to keep. She got out of bed and headed next  door to the bathroom for a hot shower, hoping some clarity would make  itself known as she stood beneath a hot spray of water.

By the time she left the bathroom dressed and ready to face the day, she  knew the card she was going to play. It took her only fifteen minutes  or so to pack her suitcases. She carried them down the stairs and placed  them by the front door and then went in search of Daniel.

She found him seated at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front  of him. Her heart swelled at the sight of him, and she consciously  tamped down any emotion that might try to take hold of her.

"You look almost as tired this afternoon as you did this morning when we  went to bed," she said to him as she walked over to the coffeepot to  pour herself a cup of the fragrant brew.

"Yeah, it took me forever to get to sleep when we got home." He offered  her a tired smile as she sat across from him at the table.

"I still can't believe it was Sam who attacked you," he said, his eyes  sad as he spoke of the man who had once been his friend. "I never sensed  the rage inside him. I never had a clue that he harbored so much  resentment against me." He took a sip of his coffee and then smiled at  her once again. "But, you look well rested."

"I guess there's nothing quite so good for sleep as knowing the psycho  who attacked you is finally behind bars. I slept like a baby."

"Cameron still has his hands full with the investigation into Candy's death."

"He's a smart man. I'm sure he'll have it figured out. Everyone still  thinks it's Kevin, and I believe like Cameron does that it's just a  matter of time before Kevin tells somebody and the case against him  blows wide open."

"I hope so. Somebody needs to pay for that young woman's death." He  turned his gaze out the window, and for several long moments an awkward  silence prevailed.

She studied his face as he continued to look out the window. She loved  the strength that radiated in his features and the softer edge of  sensuality that clung to the curve of his mouth.                       
       
           



       

She loved the way his eyes lit when he smiled, transforming them from a  battleship gray to a lighter shade. He had the heart of a warrior, proud  and strong, yet protective of the people he loved.

And he loved her.

Her chest tightened as emotion rose up inside her. But, was what he felt  for her real love? Could she really depend on that love? Or was it that  she'd been the first woman after his tragedy with Janice to come along  and he was mistaking his feelings for her?

Maybe he was right about her. Maybe she was just too afraid to trust in  any man enough to bind her heart to his. All she really knew was that  she needed to leave … and she needed to leave now.

He turned his head and his gaze captured hers, and the sadness in his  eyes ached inside her heart, inside her soul. "I heard you carry your  suitcases downstairs. I guess that means you've made up your mind to  move on."

"Don't look so sad, Daniel," she said, surprised to feel the press of tears at her eyes.

"I am sad, but I think maybe I'm more sad for you than I am for myself,"  he replied. "You've opened up my eyes to life again, Lizzy. You've  touched my life in such a positive way." His eyes grew darker. "Don't  get me wrong. I love you and I don't want you to go. I can't tell you  how much it's going to hurt not to have you in my life, but I'm not  going to beg you to stay."

Each and every word he spoke cut a gash in her heart that she knew would take a long time to heal. "It's just that I … "

"I know, you have this bucket list thing," he said, interrupting her. "I  just hope that when you've finished your bucket list and many  adventures and are ready to settle down, you'll find a man who will love  you as deeply, as completely as I love you now."

Run. The word flew through her head as tears tumbled from her lashes.  "This wasn't supposed to happen," she said, her voice thick with  suppressed tears.

"I guess it just proves that you can't dictate when love will enter your  life." His gaze held hers for another achingly long moment, and then he  abruptly rose from the table and walked over to the sink, where he  placed his cup.

She didn't look at him. Run. The word whispered in her head once again.  She downed the coffee, the hot liquid burning the back of her throat.  She set down her cup and finally got the courage to meet his gaze once  again.

"I figured if I left right away I'd be able to get to Kansas City before nightfall."