Digitalis (20 page)

Though Piper scrambled to rationalize revealing her darkest secret, one thought plagued her: What if she told Colton everything, and her father died because of it?

A noise drew her into the living area. On the threshold, she let her gaze rake over the room. Light smeared over the large, open den, fading more with each inch as it reached toward her. What had she heard? The windows creaked under the force of the wind. She skated a glance around but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

After another perusal, she shrugged. Must’ve been the wind.

Needing to busy herself against the storms outside and within her own life, she went into the kitchen. And grunted. She’d already done the dishes. Swept and mopped the floor. Couldn’t vacuum without waking McKenna.

Laundry! Mrs.—Margaret—had been doing laundry before they left. In the mudroom, she pulled the load from the dryer and deposited them on the counter behind her. Once she switched the wet clothes from one machine to the other, she started folding.

Piper slowed when she came to one of Colton’s olive T-shirts. Stretching the sleeves out side to side, she marveled at the enormous size. The shoulder stitching started almost at her elbows. She giggled.

Creak!

Cold darted through her stomach. She snapped her gaze toward the darkened hall.

Groan. Creak
.

Someone was coming up the side steps!

Pressing herself against the wall, she chided herself for leaving McKenna—and coming in here. She was trapped. One way in and out. The alarm was set, so whoever came in had roughly ten minutes before the authorities came. At least, that’s what Mr. Neeley had promised just before he activated the alarm and left.

A peal of thunder rattled the hardwoods beneath her feet, sending the tremor up through Piper’s legs and straight into her chest. She gulped back the adrenaline. Stuck in here, she had no way to protect McKenna. She needed something—and quick—to defend herself.

Turning a slow circle, she looked for a makeshift weapon. Hanging behind the door, a broom called to her. She lunged toward it and flipped off the light. As her hand closed around the wood handle, the front door opened.

Beeping pervaded the night, drowned for a second by the angry storm outside.

Just as fast, the door closed.

Piper held her breath and gripped the broomstick like a bat. She wasn’t going to let anyone hurt this family—or her! She inched closer, trying to peer around the corner.

A strange sound like swishing reached her ears as a series of beeps interrupted the constant stream of the screeching alarm.

They were deactivating it!

She took another step—a big one—into the hall.

Colton shook the rain off his coat and froze.

A figure stood in the door to the laundry room wielding … a broomstick? He flipped on the light. And almost laughed. “Piper? You planning to use that on me?”

“Colton.” Her breath and his name rushed from her lips. Just as quick, she dropped the stick and flew into his arms.

His own shock couldn’t suppress the incredible way it felt to have her rush to him. As if it’d been instinctive to seek his protection, to hold him.

“I was so scared,” she spoke into his chest.

Slowly, he let his arms close around her waist, reveling in her warm sweetness. He’d wanted this for months. Wanted her in his arms. Even though his internal sensors buzzed, he drowned them out and buried his face in her neck. She smelled wonderful. Sweet. Like honey. The way she trembled in his arms, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly beneath the jacket as she curled into him, made everything primal in him rise up.

“I was so scared. So scared when I heard someone coming.”

“Shh.”

“With the storm, I couldn’t tell who or what—and everything, I …”

His mind whirled with her emotion and the feel of her softness.

“I was scared you wouldn’t come back to me.”

His heart hitched.
To me … Come back to me
. Was she serious? Colton drew back and studied her face. “I’m here. It’s okay.” He smoothed the strands and tears from her face.

She blinked, surprise dancing over her sultry face. “You’re hurt.”

She’d said something more—he saw her lips moving. But that was just it. Those lips, calling to him. He tilted his head. Dusted her lips with his.

He felt her draw in a silent breath, but then she wrapped her arms around him.

Colton eased into the kiss, savoring the silkiness of her hair and skin. As he tugged her closer and she melted into his arms, he deepened the kiss. Though he told himself to step off, he couldn’t. He’d wanted this—
her
—for so long. She belonged with him. They belonged together.

A sob racked through Piper, breaking the kiss. She burrowed into him, shuddering through her tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She latched onto him and kissed the side of his neck. “Please … please, don’t hate me.”

Holding her, Colton swallowed hard. Dread dumped on him the way the sky had let loose its load and quickly cooled his passion. He shouldn’t have kissed her. Shouldn’t have gotten weak and stupid. Then again …

He loved her. He knew he did. There wasn’t any other way to explain the torment and affliction of the last five weeks. “Piper …”

She stepped back but held onto his waist. “Colton, please let me explain. Listen to me.”

Reticence grabbed him by the throat. He ground his teeth. “All right.” It was the least he could do. If she wanted to offer information, he was all ears. “Let me say hello to Mickey and my parents. Then we can talk.”

“Your parents aren’t here.”

Every muscle in him knotted. They’d left her here, alone? “Where are they?”

“Your dad had an appointment in town, they went to supper, and then the storm came. They said the road had wiped out, so they wanted to stay in town until morning.”

Colton gripped his duffel and slid it down the hall, aggravated with his dad. “Road’s fine.” He turned and headed to the kitchen. “Pop just doesn’t like to drive in rain or snow. He had a bad accident a few years back.”

“Oh.” Piper seemed to weigh what he’d said. “Do you want some coffee or tea for our talk?”

Dawg. She sounded like his mom. “Reckon that’d be fine.”

She quirked her lip. “Well, which do you want? Coffee or tea?”

“I don’t drink tea.”

Piper laughed. “I know.”

Amusement swirled through his chest. She was teasing him. Reminded him of when she’d taunted him about the towels. His traitorous mind slunk back to the kiss he’d just stolen. Her willingness … her sweetness …

Aw man, maybe he should go get his parents.

“McKenna wanted to see you when you came home.”

Colton nodded and strode to the back of the house. What was he going to do about that talk she wanted to have? This wasn’t exactly what he wanted to come home to—the kiss, yes. The talk, no. Then again, he wanted absolute honestly. But he was head over heels for the beauty. What if in his weakened mental state, he bought completely whatever it was she wanted to share?

Truth be told, he was scared. Scared to find out what she had to say. What could explain her running, two attackers at her apartment … her missing identity. More dread churned in his gut as he entered Mickey’s room.

She lay sprawled on her back. Blond hair akimbo, she clutched the pink poodle Piper had given her. Colton knelt and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Her blue eyes shot open. Tiny arms locked around his neck. “Daddy! I missed you!”

With the little monkey wrapped around him, he pushed up and sat on the edge of the mattress. “I missed you, too. But I wasn’t gone so long this time.”

Mickey shook her head and yawned. “I told Piper I heard your truck.”

“You’re so smart.” He brushed the blond bangs from her face. “Now, go on back to sleep and get some shut-eye. Maybe we can go to the mall and ride the carousel tomorrow.”

She worked her way under the quilt, then looked up at him with those big blue eyes. “Can Piper come?”

“We’ll see.” He planted a kiss on her cheek. “Night, darlin’.”

“Night, Daddy.”

After a slight detour to double-check windows, doors, and rooms, Colton took his time returning to the kitchen.
Lord God, I feel like I’m facing the executioner on this relationship
. When he finally made it, he stopped, taking in the kitchen—more accurately, Piper standing at the sink, washing something. Her hair stretched down her back. Couldn’t help but remember the feel of those soft strands. How they smelled of honey and spices. He pushed his gaze to the table.

A mug of coffee and a bowl with apple pie à la mode waited for him. “Trying to sweeten me up?”

Piper spun from the sink. Flipped off the water and dried her hands. “I … your mom had it made, ready for whenever you came home.”

As he slid into the chair, he smiled. “Always does.” When he lifted the fork, only then did he realize she didn’t have anything to eat. “You eating?”

“Honestly, I’m too nervous to eat.”

Fork halfway to his mouth with that delectable first bite, Colton paused. “Honesty might be painful, but it’s always the right thing to do.” He took the bite.

She sat across from him, wariness edging out the light and sparkle he’d seen right after they kissed. “I’m not convinced it’s right, but I can’t stand the thought of what you think of me.”

“And what is that?”

“I see it in your eyes, in the way you treat me—well, before … before you came home tonight.”

He stifled the grin that tried to leak into his face as hers went crimson. “Well, I’m about done with this pie, and you haven’t even started.”

She cradled the mug of tea between both hands. “I … what I’m about to tell you could put someone I love in horrible danger.”

Colton set down his fork and shoved the plate aside. “Go on.”

“I …” Caramel eyes came to his, uncertain and afraid. He held his peace.

She shrugged. “I’m not really sure where to start.” “How about with those two men.”

“I …” Images of her father flashed through her mind. Images of what the men who’d come after her were notorious for doing to their captives.

Panic thrust its greedy fist up her stomach and clutched her throat. She couldn’t do this. Telling him
anything
meant telling him
everything
.

But she loved Colton. Promised she’d tell him the whole sordid story.

As if her heart were experiencing a great earthquake, she felt it rent in two by the seismic pressures of her conflicting loyalties.

Colton folded his arms on the table and leaned in. Didn’t he realize how commanding his presence was? How much she wanted to tell him whatever he wanted to hear, just so they could move past this? But lying and deceiving would only destroy what little trust he placed in her by agreeing to talk.

She darted him a nervous glance. “I’m trying to figure out what to say.”

“Those men at your apartment, did you know them?”

“No, not directly.”

A half-grunt pushed him back. “What do you know, indirectly?”

Each word could be her undoing, could kill her father, so she took her time formulating the correct response. “They may be connected to an organization that prides itself on being forceful and deadly, on wielding their power over … others.”

“Why were they after you?”

Slowly, she shook her head. “Perhaps they thought I had something they wanted.”

A slow nod. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure, really.” Had he rigged her to a polygraph, he’d know her heart rate was through the roof. Didn’t he know this was killing her? “They didn’t steal anything, and they didn’t hurt me.”

Colton grinned, but she saw the first tinge of disgust color his

face. “Darlin’, I could’ve told you that.”

He wasn’t buying it. She wouldn’t be able to keep this up.

On his feet, he carried his plate to the sink and set it to the side. Piper watched from her periphery, unable to face him. He wanted and deserved the truth. She wanted and yearned to give him that truth. But her father would die.

“Why were your bags packed?”

“I was going to leave.” Numb, she drew in all the tendrils of her heart that she’d wrapped around him, fearful once he knew the truth, he’d shove her away.