Coming to Colorado (9 page)

“You know Davis is older than us,” Mike said.

“Yeah, but we have Ranch years on our side. That makes us older.”

Mike chuckled, glad that they were finding something to laugh about and lighten the mood. There was a time for being serious and a time to let the stress go. They needed to have a clear head and be ready for anything once they found Davis. He knew that when they arrived at their destination, they’d be all business.

Roger and Mike packed away their computers and headed to the rental car. The drive took them almost to the North End of Boston. The place was deserted. It was late and people were headed to bed. Mike sat back in his seat, watching for any movement. Minutes ticked by, leaving him wondering if they’d found the right area.

“How the fuck are we going to find Davis? We need to have the guys pull his credit card history. We have to find out if he’s staying near here.”

“Agreed,” Roger said as he whipped out his phone to place the call. “Hey, Duff, we need Davis’s credit card activity.”

Few people were out, and Mike was getting tired of just sitting around. Craig was taunting them by terrorizing their loved ones. He guessed they all needed to connect with their families and make sure they were safe. They should have taken care of Craig when he was on the mountain, because dealing with him now sucked.

*~*~*

Davis swung around, finding Ryan close, but on the other side of the street. Ryan headed straight to the building Davis had been watching. For some strange reason, the guy put Davis at ease. It was stupid to go on his gut feel, but his gut had kept him alive and gotten him out of more than one sticky situation. When he’d been in the Army, his gut had kept him from being another casualty of an IED. His feelings hadn’t steered him wrong yet, and he had faith that they wouldn’t this time.

After a minute, Davis followed Ryan, afraid of what he’d find, but more afraid of what would find him if he didn’t get off the streets.

The door opened easily and he slid in, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He was on high alert, expecting something to happen when he heard the click of a tongue.

“Ryan?”

“Yeah, is that you?”

“It’s Davis.”

“Nice name.”

“Thanks.” Davis had forgotten that he hadn’t told Ryan his real name.

“I stuck around at the restaurant for another ten minutes. The guy didn’t move, and after about five minutes he started getting antsy. Eight minutes in he was intently looking at his phone. It looked like he was searching for something. The guy didn’t come in to the restaurant, and when I left the building, he didn’t follow me. I made sure by tracking back and looping around the blocks a few times. I think we’re good here.”

“Why are you helping me?” Davis was curious. This guy had done more for him than he could possibly ask.

“No clue, but I’ve—that’s a lie, and I said I wouldn’t lie to you. Not that long ago a guy in my unit killed fifty men who were our brothers in arms. He detonated bombs, shot my friends in cold blood, and otherwise tried to destroy a peace we were working hard on creating in the Middle East. It was the worst thing I’d ever been through. Anyway, I saw a look on your face back in that bar, and I knew that look. I’d lived it, wallowed in it, and it almost destroyed me. You can’t trust anyone you know, can you?”

“No, sir,” Davis said. He felt humbled that this guy was helping him.

“You don’t have to sir me.”

Davis wanted to say that he would keep saying sir but he held back. He was desperate and upset. Nothing was going the way he thought it should. Somehow, they had to figure out what was going on, and unfortunately that meant he’d have to get his computer back.

He felt like shit too. His head was fuzzy, his body exhausted. It made no sense. He worked out, ate right, took care of his body, and didn’t do drugs, but it felt like he’d taken something the night before.

Ryan turned on a small light, illuminating the area. It wasn’t much, but it allowed him to see Ryan’s face. The guy was beautiful with just enough character to be interesting.

“Hey, what’s up? You look disturbed,” Ryan said.

“I don’t know. I was wondering how anyone could have gotten my phone or computer.”

“What did you do last night?” Ryan asked.

“I flew in yesterday, ate room service, and stayed in my room. I woke up, ate breakfast, and then got ready for my job.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. It had to be a setup. Someone fired on me. Had I not ducked, I would be dead.”

Ryan shook his head. “Damn, and now someone’s chasing you.”

“Yeah, now they’re chasing me, and I don’t know who it is.”

Davis moved closer to a set of chairs and slumped down in one, hoping Ryan had a plan because he was too exhausted to know what to do next. He needed to tell Ryan that they had to go back for his computer, but he wanted a minute to think. Staying calm would help him more than rushing off half-cocked.

“We can rest here for a few hours, but we need to head out before the guys come in for work,” Ryan said.

Davis nodded and closed his eyes. After a short moment, where he might have drifted off, he snapped his eyes open. “I think we need to go get my computer.”

“It will be risky.”

“I agree, but I need to know how deep this goes.”

Ryan sat beside him and bumped his knee. “Twenty minutes then we’ll head out.”

“Sounds good.”

Davis dropped to the floor and stretched out. It was the first time he’d relaxed all day. Maybe hiding on his dad’s ranch would be best. But if this was an inside job, they’d look at his dad’s place. Hell, maybe he should just get lost in the middle of the country. He knew how to make a new identity and had the supplies to go through with it. If only there were easy answers, but there were none. He’d learned that a long time ago.

Chapter Ten

They needed to move. Ryan turned his head to look at Davis. The man’s features were relaxed in sleep. He felt bad about waking him, but if they stayed here too long, someone might find them. Soon, people would start showing up for work, the sun would be up, and with the sun more people would be on the streets. Those people would allow the person following Davis to hide. They’d be screwed if they went back for the computer then. The guy had shot at Davis in open daylight and probably wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

There was more going on here than Davis was admitting. Maybe he should walk away and stay out of this man’s business, but Ryan couldn’t leave it alone. He needed to help him and wouldn’t back down.

Memories of the past rose and he had to force them from his mind. He couldn’t dwell on what had happened in Afghanistan. Ibrahim had screwed him over, but he didn’t think Davis would, and for some crazy reason, he didn’t like the idea of anyone taking advantage of Davis.

“Hey,” Davis whispered, his voice rough with sleep.

“We need to get moving.” Ryan sat up, breathing in slowly as he adjusted, his heart rate increasing.

“How long did we sleep?”

“Four hours.”

“Shit. I didn’t mean to pass out like that.”

“It’s okay.” Ryan stood then held out a hand to Davis. The first touch was like any other, but as he tugged Davis to standing, he made a mistake and tugged too hard, pulling Davis into the circle of his arms. They were too close. Their chests touched, and Ryan ducked his head, drawing in a quick breath. Davis turned so their breaths were mingling, heating the space between them.

He thought Davis was going to step away, instead he swayed closer. Ryan’s pulse increased, and he contemplated what he was going to do. Kissing Davis in this situation would be wrong. He needed to focus, not start up an intimate encounter with a total stranger who was proving to be full of drama. But, God, the feel of this man in his arms was heaven. The touch fed the fantasies drifting through his mind. Lust pounded through him and he wanted like he’d never wanted before.

Ryan was ready to move away from Davis when he felt the soft feather of Davis’s hand over his waist. The touch was gentle, hopeful almost. Ryan’s shoulders rolled forward as he drew closer. Warm breath on his neck felt amazing, and the scratch of Davis’s stubble sent a ripple of desire through Ryan. He moaned and pressed in closer.

“Fuck, you are so sexy,” Ryan moaned.

Davis answered by skimming his lips over the flesh right under Ryan’s earlobe. He sucked in a breath as his dick came to life. They didn’t have the time they needed to explore this attraction between them. It wasn’t real. The heat he felt was just the excitement of the evening mixed with the danger of running through the city with a madman on their tail.

“We should...” Ryan trailed off as Davis moved closer, his hands insistent on Ryan’s hips, tugging him nearer.

“Yeah, we should,” Davis said just before his mouth claimed Ryan’s, his lips pressing in hard, enticing him.

Ryan opened, allowing Davis’s tongue to dip in and taste him. He moaned as his head tilted back, giving Davis better access. Normally, he was the aggressor, but having Davis kiss him like this turned him on.

He twisted his fingers into the material of Davis’s shirt, holding him close. His common sense seemed to spin away as Davis kept up with the kiss, moving even closer. The warm body next to his felt good, and he stopped worrying about everything else going on outside the doors of the boathouse.

A horn sounded on the streets, and they both jumped away from each other, Davis staring at him with wide eyes as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. At first, Ryan thought Davis was wiping his mouth in disgust, then Davis’s lips curved up in a lopsided grin.

“Later, once we figure a few things out, we’ll do something about that,” Davis said.

“What?” Ryan whispered.

Davis stepped close again and reached between them, his fingers sliding over the hardened length in Ryan’s pants. They both shivered.

“I promise, I’m not a tease, but we don’t have time right now.”

Ryan shook his head. “No, we don’t.”

“Let’s go back to the restaurant.”

“Sure.” Ryan gave his head a quick shake, focusing on what they needed to do instead of paying attention to his dick. He wanted Davis and had since the moment he’d first seen him. Maybe that was the real reason he was helping the guy. He rolled his eyes and followed, hoping that wasn’t the truth. Sex was great, but he wasn’t shallow enough to risk his life for a little dick. Ryan’s gaze slid over Davis’s shoulders and down his back to his trim hips and over his ass. Fuck, at the moment he didn’t care if he was shallow or not, he wanted Davis.

“What’s the fastest way over to the restaurant?”

Ryan pulled out his phone and checked the time. “It’s only a bit after three. The green line isn’t running yet. Best bet, catch a cab, worst, we run.”

“Okay, let’s get a move on. About how long will it take?” Davis asked.

“Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. We need to lay low and check out the area. You know, make sure no one is watching the place.”

Davis opened the door they’d entered from and slipped outside. Ryan followed, hoping he wasn’t getting himself in too deep. He was exhausted and needed some sleep. In that moment when he’d first thought helping Davis would be a good idea, he’d acted rashly, not considering the consequences, and now he was stuck and didn’t know how to get out, or even if he wanted to. That kiss had made his brain short circuit and left him feeling fuzzy. Maybe he should walk away, but he was in too deep to leave.

The streets were empty, with almost no foot traffic and few cars. They moved quickly, running when they didn’t think it would attract attention. When they were close to the restaurant, he put his hand on Davis’s shoulder. They both stopped and ducked into an alley. It was completely dark, not like on the street where lamps lit their way, and he couldn’t see Davis’s face. For some crazy reason, he wanted Davis to want him. He wasn’t needy, normally. This new level of feeling and need were unsettling.

Davis slid his hand down Ryan’s back, curling his fingers around Ryan’s waist. “You don’t have to go any further. This is bound to get dangerous.”

“I’m fine with dangerous,” Ryan whispered.

“I don’t know who is after me. So far, they don’t know that you’re helping me. If they have someone watching the building, waiting for me to come back, they’ll see you.”

Ryan stepped forward, closing the distance between them. “We’ll be very careful.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt. You should stay here.”

“Hey.” Ryan wrapped his arms around Davis’s waist, pulling him close. “I want to help you. We’ll get your computer, find a coffee shop—one will be open soon—and we’ll figure this out.”

Davis leaned his forehead against Ryan’s shoulder and blew out a breath. “Thank you. I’ve felt so alone since yesterday. I appreciate having you with me.”

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s go get that computer and then some coffee. I really want some coffee.”

“Me too.” The hug ended, and he longed to have Davis’s arms around him. Once this was all over, they could spend some time getting to know each other. Hell, he just wanted some time in bed with Davis. His dick was doing the talking, the planning, and the decision making, which was a huge mistake, but he didn’t want to step away, not with the promise of Davis in his bed an option.

*~*~*

The area was quiet and Davis didn’t see anyone on the streets. He guessed someone could be surveilling the area from above, but there wasn’t any obvious curtain movement in any of the windows. They’d watched for a long time in the alley before making their way down the street and around to the back of the restaurant. A cat hissed at them from the dumpster and another cat ran deeper into the shadows. There was the possibility that someone could be hiding in the dark, waiting for them to show their faces, but he didn’t feel that weird sensation that usually told him something bad was about to happen. He froze, adjusting while he listened for any noise, any indication that someone was lurking in the dark, waiting for him to make a move. Nothing happened.

“I hope they don’t have an alarm,” Davis whispered.