around, soapy water from her
hands leaving a trail on the floor. “What do you mean be back this afternoon?
What about us? I need to get to town and pick up tires for my SUV.”
Murphy shook his head. “You aren’t going
to town. I am. I’ll take care of the tires. Then I’ll come back for you and
drive you to your vehicle. It’s safer if you stay here.”
He was protecting her. The realization
settled heavily in Sara’s heart. She turned away so he didn’t see her emotions.
No one had ever protected her and it felt too damn good. It made her realize
how easy it would be to let Murphy take care of her, but she’d sworn when she
left she wouldn’t let a man take care of her again. The last time had
been disastrous.
Dipping her hands into the dishwater,
Sara said, “I’ll pay you for the tires and your time.”
“No, you won’t. Where are your keys?”
Sara blinked back tears of relief and
gratitude as she retrieved her keys. He didn’t know it, but he had just given
her the means to leave town. She could spend the money she’d saved for tires on
repairs for the cabin and use the rest to fill the gas tank and get out of
town. She would worry about what to do next after they were far away from
Stephen. With a shimmer of hope, she handed her keys to Murphy, who waited in
front of the door with Abby tugging on his pant leg.
“She thinks you’re going for a walk.”
She dropped the keys into his hand and picked Abby up. “One of our favorite
things to do is go for walks and look at birds. We have journals in the SUV
filled with drawings from our adventures. It was the only…never mind. Sorry,
I’m sure you’re in a hurry.”
The way Murphy studied her made her want
to bristle. She always said too much around him.
“You’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“Apologizing for things you shouldn’t.
What did he do to you, Sara?” he murmured. Then, as if realizing he’d said the
thought aloud, turned and walked out the door.
Sara stared at the closed door for a good
long minute, waiting for her heart to slow down to a normal pace. She couldn’t
explain why Murphy’s softly spoken question made her heart pound and her mouth
go dry. Maybe because he rarely showed a softer side, and it touched her
deeply. A compassionate man lay beneath the scowls and gruff attitude. If she
hadn’t been so close to leaving him behind, she would have enjoyed discovering
that man.
With a heavy heart and sadness she
hadn’t felt since her mother passed away, Sara hugged Abby and walked into the
bedroom to pack their things. All the while trying to tell herself the sorrow
she felt wasn’t because she was falling for the taciturn man who had saved her
daughter’s life.
Chapter 8
Murphy parked in front of Al’s Garage in
the small, sleepy town at the base of the mountain. He had met Al, the owner,
when he’d needed a winch for his SUV and knew he would use discretion.
He climbed out of his truck, made a
quick scan of the garage and strode toward the double doors and the two
vehicles Al was working on.
The balding man looked up when Murphy
walked inside, nodded and pulled a greasy rag out of the pocket of his overalls
to wipe his hands. “What can I do for you?”
“I need a tow truck and four tires put
on a Jeep Cherokee. Pick up at this address. After dark.” Murphy pressed a wad
of bills and a slip of paper into the man’s grease stained hand. “And for you
to forget I was here.”
Al nodded, tucking the cash into his
breast pocket. “Jeep Cherokee, huh? Let me make sure I have them.”
Murphy waited while Al checked on the
tires, his thoughts straying to the woman at his cabin. Damned if his thoughts
didn’t turn in her direction. She had stumbled into his life and turned it
upside down. Her and Abby both. The little girl had grown on him with her honey
colored curls, big blue eyes and sunny smile. The spitting image of her mother.
Dammit, why did he long for their company?
Although he
hands leaving a trail on the floor. “What do you mean be back this afternoon?
What about us? I need to get to town and pick up tires for my SUV.”
Murphy shook his head. “You aren’t going
to town. I am. I’ll take care of the tires. Then I’ll come back for you and
drive you to your vehicle. It’s safer if you stay here.”
He was protecting her. The realization
settled heavily in Sara’s heart. She turned away so he didn’t see her emotions.
No one had ever protected her and it felt too damn good. It made her realize
how easy it would be to let Murphy take care of her, but she’d sworn when she
left she wouldn’t let a man take care of her again. The last time had
been disastrous.
Dipping her hands into the dishwater,
Sara said, “I’ll pay you for the tires and your time.”
“No, you won’t. Where are your keys?”
Sara blinked back tears of relief and
gratitude as she retrieved her keys. He didn’t know it, but he had just given
her the means to leave town. She could spend the money she’d saved for tires on
repairs for the cabin and use the rest to fill the gas tank and get out of
town. She would worry about what to do next after they were far away from
Stephen. With a shimmer of hope, she handed her keys to Murphy, who waited in
front of the door with Abby tugging on his pant leg.
“She thinks you’re going for a walk.”
She dropped the keys into his hand and picked Abby up. “One of our favorite
things to do is go for walks and look at birds. We have journals in the SUV
filled with drawings from our adventures. It was the only…never mind. Sorry,
I’m sure you’re in a hurry.”
The way Murphy studied her made her want
to bristle. She always said too much around him.
“You’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“Apologizing for things you shouldn’t.
What did he do to you, Sara?” he murmured. Then, as if realizing he’d said the
thought aloud, turned and walked out the door.
Sara stared at the closed door for a good
long minute, waiting for her heart to slow down to a normal pace. She couldn’t
explain why Murphy’s softly spoken question made her heart pound and her mouth
go dry. Maybe because he rarely showed a softer side, and it touched her
deeply. A compassionate man lay beneath the scowls and gruff attitude. If she
hadn’t been so close to leaving him behind, she would have enjoyed discovering
that man.
With a heavy heart and sadness she
hadn’t felt since her mother passed away, Sara hugged Abby and walked into the
bedroom to pack their things. All the while trying to tell herself the sorrow
she felt wasn’t because she was falling for the taciturn man who had saved her
daughter’s life.
Chapter 8
Murphy parked in front of Al’s Garage in
the small, sleepy town at the base of the mountain. He had met Al, the owner,
when he’d needed a winch for his SUV and knew he would use discretion.
He climbed out of his truck, made a
quick scan of the garage and strode toward the double doors and the two
vehicles Al was working on.
The balding man looked up when Murphy
walked inside, nodded and pulled a greasy rag out of the pocket of his overalls
to wipe his hands. “What can I do for you?”
“I need a tow truck and four tires put
on a Jeep Cherokee. Pick up at this address. After dark.” Murphy pressed a wad
of bills and a slip of paper into the man’s grease stained hand. “And for you
to forget I was here.”
Al nodded, tucking the cash into his
breast pocket. “Jeep Cherokee, huh? Let me make sure I have them.”
Murphy waited while Al checked on the
tires, his thoughts straying to the woman at his cabin. Damned if his thoughts
didn’t turn in her direction. She had stumbled into his life and turned it
upside down. Her and Abby both. The little girl had grown on him with her honey
colored curls, big blue eyes and sunny smile. The spitting image of her mother.
Dammit, why did he long for their company?
Although he
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