“Always.” She cupped his face with her palm. “But you’re all ready to go. I can manage on my own.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Will I see you at breakfast?”
He shook his head. “I have to meet the guys in ten minutes. That only gives me enough time to grab a cup of coffee.” He frowned. “Are you sure you’ll be all right at the park today?”
She nodded. “I’ll be surrounded by the other ladies and the park rangers. Clay might be bold enough to attack me in front of a bunch of children who couldn’t stop him. But surely he won’t try anything in front of a bunch of adults.”
“Yes, but he might try before you leave.”
“I’ll have Brenda pick me up in front of the bed-and-breakfast.”
T-Rex nodded. “I’d like to be here to see you off.” He glanced down at his watch. Eight minutes.
“Go.” She touched his arm. “I’ll be fine.” Sierra grinned. “I’ll carry the stun gun and a big rock, if it makes you feel any better.”
He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. Then he claimed her lips in a kiss that felt like it could be their last.
Sierra wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, her breasts smashed against his chest, her belly pressing against his rising erection.
In need of air, he finally broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “So much for cold showers.”
She laughed, kissed him briefly and stepped out of his arms. “You have to go, and I need to get ready.”
“Do you have my cell phone number?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“Give me your number.” He pulled out his phone and entered her digits. Then he called it.
He could hear her phone ringing in her bedroom. “Now you’ll have mine. Call me if you have any problems whatsoever.”
“You’ll be out in the hills and canyons. The call won’t go through.”
“I’ll check my phone when I get back to town. I’ll also text the number for Hack. He’s always in the office. He can relay messages to me in the field. We’ll carry radios to communicate.”
She rested a hand on his chest. “Be careful out there.”
He captured her hand in his, raised it to his lips and pressed a kiss into her palm. “You be careful at Yellowstone. I hear the buffalo can be aggressive.”
Sierra snorted. “They are the least of my worries. I’ll have half a dozen children around my feet wanting to pet them.”
“You’ll do great. Those kids love you.”
She smiled. “I love them, too. Now, go, or we’ll be here all day.”
He turned and descended the stairs to the first floor.
Mrs. McCall held up a pot of coffee in the dining room. “Need one to go?”
“I’d love one,” he answered.
“Everything all right?” Mrs. McCall asked as she handed him an insulated disposable cup filled with steaming black coffee.
“Couldn’t be better.” He took the cup and pressed a lid onto it. “Why do you ask?”
“I just wondered if you were tired this morning. What with all the racket last night.” She didn’t meet his gaze, but her lips curled upward in a smile. “That Sierra Daniels is a sweetheart. Always good to everyone. She certainly didn’t deserve to be treated the way her ex-husband treated her.”
“No, she didn’t. And yes, she is a sweet lady.”
Mrs. McCall met his gaze, her smile gone. “Sure would hate to see her hurt again.”
T-Rex swallowed the piping-hot coffee he’d just sipped and nearly gagged on the heat burning its way down his throat. He sputtered and blew out a stream of hot air before responding to the older woman. “I’d hate to see her hurt, as well.” Then, quickly, before the woman could give him more advice about Sierra, he left the dining room and hurried out the door to his truck.
Although he’d left the bed-and-breakfast, he couldn’t seem to leave Mrs. McCall’s words behind.
Sierra Daniels deserved to be happy. Though their lovemaking had been the result of mutual consent, T-Rex suspected it would leave her hurt in the long run. He’d leave, she’d be alone and her ex-husband would still be around to harass her.
A few days ago, all T-Rex could think about was leaving Grizzly Pass. Now all he could think about was what he’d be leaving behind. He no longer had the burning desire to return to his unit and seek revenge on the faceless enemy who’d crippled Gunny and killed other members of his team.
There were people right there in the United States who needed help. Innocents like Sierra and the children she was responsible for.
T-Rex had a lot to think about while he searched the hills for the homegrown terrorists.
* * *
SIERRA SHOWERED, DRESSED in a crisp, clean pair of jeans, a long-sleeved blouse and a sweater. After being so very cold the day before, she grabbed a jacket to take along, in case the temperature dropped or they were unexpectedly delayed in their return to Grizzly Pass.
She called Brenda, who agreed to swing by and collect her before meeting the other moms who would caravan out to the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center at Yellowstone. They had arranged for a park ranger to give the children a guided tour, explaining the ecosystem and the most interesting facts about the ancient volcano simmering beneath the surface. It would be a fun, educational trip for the children, one they’d looked forward to for over a month.
Too bad Sierra didn’t feel much like going. She’d rather be out in the hills with the Safe Haven team searching for the men who’d shot down their helicopter yesterday. That wasn’t exactly the truth. She wanted to be with T-Rex, whatever he was doing in the hills.
She eventually descended the staircase and joined Mrs. McCall in the dining room. They were the only two people at the table.
“Were there no other guests in the bed-and-breakfast last night?” Sierra asked.
The older woman shook her head. “No. Just you and Mr. Trainor. I expect a couple to show up some time this afternoon. But they’re only staying the night before moving on.”
Heat rose in Sierra’s cheeks. If there were no other guests, had the establishment’s owner heard the noises coming from her room last night?
Mrs. McCall reached across the table and patted her hand. “Sierra, sweetie, I’ve known you a long time. Your foster mother and I used to be in the same quilting club. I’ve watched you grow from a little girl with pigtails into the beautiful young woman you are now.”
Sierra choked on the tea she’d been sipping and set the cup on the table. “Thank you, Mrs. McCall.” She wondered where the woman would go with the conversation.
“I can see you are falling in love with Mr. Trainor.”
Sierra gasped and shook her head. “No, Mrs. McCall. We’ve only known each other a couple of days. It would be impossible to fall in love that quickly.”
Mrs. McCall gave her a knowing smile. “Sweetie, I knew I loved my Henry the moment we met. It just took him a little longer to realize he loved me, too.”
Sierra’s eyes stung. She blinked and looked down at her hand holding the teacup. “Really, I’m not in love. Mr. Trainor isn’t going to be in Grizzly Pass for long. When his mission is complete, he’ll be on his way back to his unit.”
“Sierra, it’s not too late. You still have time to show him that he is capable of love. He doesn’t know it, but he’s halfway there now.”
Sierra raised her glance to the bed-and-breakfast owner. “It’s impossible. He’s career military. He’s leaving.”
“So?” Mrs. McCall rose from her chair and collected the empty plates. “You have nothing holding you back. I’m sure your foster parents would have wanted you to get out of this little town, spread your wings and experience more of the world.”
“If I wanted to, I could do it on my own.” Sierra stood and helped clear the table, walking into the kitchen behind the older woman. “I don’t need a man with me in order to experience the world.”
Mrs. McCall nodded. “True. But if there’s a special man, one who understands you, treats you right and loves you, isn’t the experience richer?” She set the plates in the sink and turned to take the biscuit basket from Sierra’s hand. “Think about it, will you?”
Sierra wanted to tell her she’d thought about all of those things and come back to the promise she’d made T-Rex. She wouldn’t look for commitment. What they’d done last night was supposed to be a one-night stand. The end.
But she couldn’t quite tack those two words onto what she was feeling. She couldn’t believe last night was the end. Mrs. McCall was right about one thing. She still had time. Time to be with T-Rex until he left. If he left without looking back, then she would add the two words to what they’d had and move on.
She might even decide to leave Grizzly Pass and see the world. Maybe there was a rich family looking for a nanny to travel with them. Or she could go back to school, finish her degree and find a job in another state as a teacher. The sky was the limit.
Sierra checked the clock. Brenda would be there in a few minutes, and she was still mooning over a man who’d made it clear he wasn’t sticking around, nor was he the kind of man who needed or wanted a woman to follow him from post to post.