Out of Time Read online

  Normally she wouldn’t encourage someone to use a cell phone while driving, but the two-lane highway they were on was deserted—and breaking cell phone laws was the least of their problems.

  “It’s after midnight.”

  “She won’t care.”

  He must have agreed because he made the call. Natalie tried to keep up with his half of the conversation, but it was clear that Colt hadn’t passed on Scott’s message. It was also clear that Kate wouldn’t say why, and Scott’s “What the hell did he do to you?” summed up what he assumed happened.

  It was also clear that Kate wasn’t talking. She shut down his protective-brother instincts so fast Natalie wished she could have heard how she’d done it. With guys like Scott who were used to giving orders and having them followed, that was a useful tool to have in the toolbox.

  Natalie wasn’t exactly pretending not to listen to his conversation, but her ears really perked up when—after explaining what had happened and assuring Kate that he was fine (no, his shoulder hadn’t opened up again)—he told her that he needed a place to hole up for a while.

  Hole up? Startled, Natalie’s gaze shot over to him. But he didn’t notice. He was concentrating on the road and on his sister. Whatever Kate’s response was to his request, it was clear he didn’t like it. His expression got that stony look that Natalie hated, and his flexed jaw was about as yielding as El Capitan.

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a safe house,” he said.

  Safe house? He wasn’t taking her in?

  There was a long silence on his end. Kate obviously had a lot to say. It must have been effective. By the end of the conversation, Scott had agreed to whatever she’d suggested even though he didn’t look happy about it. Swallowing nails about summed up his expression.

  Natalie hoped she had a chance to meet Kate at some point; she could obviously teach Natalie a few things.

  “Fine,” he said. “You win, but it won’t change anything.”

  Another long silence while Kate talked.

  “Yeah, I know.” He glanced over at Natalie, who was pretending not to be hanging on every word. “I’ve heard it before. But for the record so are you.” Natalie suspected he was talking about being stubborn—which she agreed with. “Fix this thing with Colt or don’t, but don’t let him hurt you again. I have enough problems right now without a homicide charge—even if it is justifiable.”

  Natalie waited a few minutes after he hung up to ask if Kate was all right.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “She sounded pretty wrung out.”

  “Are she and her ex trying to patch things up?”

  Scott shrugged. “Some things are beyond patching.”

  Natalie sucked in her breath. Was he talking about them?

  As there were no pointed looks, he didn’t seem to be. She relaxed—a little. “I thought you were taking me in.”

  He shot her a chastising look as if she should know better. “I won’t risk it until we figure out what is going on.”

  Natalie couldn’t believe he would do this for her. She tried to breathe evenly, but the sudden swelling in her chest had created a logjam for air. “Where are we going?”

  His mouth tightened again, and she almost regretted asking. “Fort Knox until Kate can find someplace else.”

  From his tone, she knew that was all he was going to say on the subject. “Get some sleep, Nat.”

  “I’m not tired.”

  But a few minutes later, her eyes closed.

  * * *

  • • •

  Natalie woke as Scott was pulling out of the drive-through and back onto the highway. She was surprised that it was light out, and after a quick glance at the clock, even more surprised to see that it was almost eight in the morning. So much for not being tired.

  But it was the smell emanating from the fast-food bag that was her biggest surprise.

  “Doughnuts?” she said with only slightly exaggerated shock. “Surely fried rings of dough dipped in sugar aren’t part of the Scott Taylor dietary regime. What were you saying about filling your body with poison?”

  He gave her a forbidding SEAL-officer frown. “They have surprisingly good coffee.” She let out a sound that showed how much she believed that. “And I got them for you.”

  “Perfect,” she said, taking the bag and digging in. “These are delicious.”

  He held out about a minute, which was pretty good given that they smelled like ambrosia (they tasted even better) and that she’d already eaten two in quick succession.

  “Mostly for you.” He grabbed the bag from her before she could take another. “But I wouldn’t want you to get sick eating all that crap.”

  “How thoughtful of you,” she said wryly, as he practically inhaled the last two.

  He had sugar on the edge of his top lip when he smiled back at her. For a moment all she could think about was leaning over and kissing—licking—it off. She might have made a movement toward him before she collected herself.

  She tried to cover her embarrassment. “It’s nice to know you aren’t perfect and that Mr. Discipline has a few weaknesses.”

  His mouth quirked. “Maybe one or two,” he conceded with a suggestive look at her that hinted at what the second might be. “But I’m pretty perfect otherwise.”

  She laughed and slugged him in the arm. It was like punching steel. She was the one who said “ow.” “You are horrible,” she added, rubbing her sore hand. “And arrogant.”

  He grinned and for a moment Natalie forgot where they were and that what had happened had changed everything between them.

  It felt like old times, and it was . . . wonderful.

  She finished off the last doughnut and sipped the coffee he’d ordered for her.

  “I’m afraid no almond milk,” he apologized teasingly; he thought any order other than black was ridiculous for coffee. “With the baby, I wasn’t sure whether caffeine was all right so I got decaf.”

  She felt her cheeks heat. It felt strange talking about the baby with him. Strange, but also nice. “That was thoughtful. Thanks. This is perfect.”

  She had been avoiding caffeine.

  He nodded.

  Figuring the subject might be strange for him, too, she asked, “How much longer before we arrive?”

  “A few hours. We should be there by lunchtime. It wouldn’t have taken this long, but I wanted to avoid the interstates.”

  Wherever “there” was, it was clear he still wasn’t going to tell her.

  “You must be exhausted,” she said.

  She knew he didn’t sleep much, but driving all night like that couldn’t have been easy.

  “I’m fine. I’m used to it.”

  She bit her lip. She should have stayed awake to keep him company. “I didn’t mean to sleep so long.”

  “You needed it,” he said firmly. “And if I was in any danger of falling asleep I would have woken you up.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Besides, I was able to listen to some good music.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Are you maligning my taste in music?”

  He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  “Scott!”

  He grinned unrepentantly. “The angry-chick music isn’t so bad though.”

  She lifted one brow with a smirk. “I’m glad you like it as I’m sure you hear it a lot. And ‘angry-chick music’ is demeaning.”

  He just laughed.

  The next few hours flew by so quickly that when Scott pulled off the highway, she was shocked to realize that it was almost noon and they must be near their destination.

  They’d entered Virginia a while back and had been on the highway headed toward Fredericksburg. But he’d exited before that in a town called Warrenton.

  “Is this it?” she asked. It seemed to be a charmin