It was edging close to noon by the time they made their way back toward her property. Cassie's leg was throbbing horrifically and all she wanted was to go to bed. However, she didn't think sleep would be fast in coming. All she could think about was the truck bearing down on her and then what Officer Underwood had said. Someone was looking for her. Damn it. For once, she thought she'd managed to get away. She'd been there long enough to close on her little piece of land and hadn't heard so much as a peep.
The brunette sighed heavily and laid her head against Mark's back. It was all too much to think about.
"Hey, where are you going?" Cassie called up to him over the sound of the wind. "You passed my driveway."
"And we ain't goin there either." He yelled back. "Look." Mark gestured backward with his head. Confused, Cassie turned slightly in the saddle.
"Holy shit." She muttered. Her stomach dropped and the pain in her leg went suddenly numb. The pick up was parked behind some stunted trees just north of her driveway.
"I think this guy's been following you darlin." Mark's voice was tinged with apprehension. "He knows where you live."
"What am I going to do?" She was breathing harder against Mark's back. "All my stuff is there! I can't get to any of my stuff!"
Mark reached back and laid one hand gently on her thigh, comforting her as he took a turn to the left.
"I'll tell you exactly what you're gonna do." He began. "I'm takin you back to my place."
"WHAT?" She blurted. "There's no way!" Mark shook his helmeted head in front of her.
"Trust me darlin. There's no place safer for you." He reached back to her leg again but Cassie slapped his hand away.
"I know what you're trying to do! Let me off this bike!" She was screaming and pounding on his back.
"I'm not trying anything!" He argued. "Do you have a better idea?" Cassie opened her mouth to protest that yes, she did have something better in mind but the realization that she didn't stopped her like a brick to the face. She didn't have anywhere else to go. For as much time as she'd been in Texas she'd more or less kept to herself. The only people she could claim as acquaintances, not even friends, were Mark and Denny the bartender.
"Damn it!" She barked and fell back against Mark's back. "Damn it! Damn it! You win."
"Good. We're here."
Mark slowed and turned toward a large wrought iron gate. Cassie leaned over his shoulder in astonishment as he pulled what appeared to be a credit card out of his vest and jammed it into a slot just to the left of the gate. On the panel, a little light went from red to green and the gate began to slide open.
"Isn't that a bit much?"
"I'd think you'd be happy to see it with that psycho following you." He glanced over his shoulder at her and reaching into his vest again, produced his cell phone. "Call the good Sheriff and tell him about that truck, would you?" Cassie did as she was told and by the time she hung up they'd made their way up his long driveway. The brunette's eyes were as big as saucers as she looked around her.
Mark's property was everything she'd always wanted. The house stood up on a slight hill and appeared to ramble on in both directions forever without so much as giving the impression of disturbing the land around it. Wildflowers grew in clumps near big trees that had look like they had been there before the house or anything.
"Mark…This is beautiful." She managed as he helped her off the bike and steadied her on her feet.
"I thank ya. I can't exactly take credit for it though. My ex-wife did most of the decorating. I've been meaning to change it for…" He shrugged and turned his head slightly away from her.
"I take it the break up wasn't your idea." The big man shook his head.
"Come on, I'll get you set up in one of the guest rooms." He said. His voice was tight. Cassie wanted to do something to take that edge out of it but what could she do? Her first instinct was to tell him how stupid she must have been for leaving but what if she wasn't? From what she could tell, Mark liked to drink, ride his bike, and he was never home. What woman in their right mind would put up with that for any length of time?
As they entered the foyer, Cassie's thoughts were stopped again. The inside was almost as beautiful as the outside. The walls and ceiling were a deep honey wood and the floors were just a bit darker. Here and there big Native American rugs laid taking away from the rustic cabin feel. The furniture was sort of sparse but it seemed to fit the place. She could see into the living room and the dark brown suede of the couch looked entirely too inviting. The whole place felt expensive and well kept but comfortable.
"I'll give you the grand tour." Mark smiled back at her as he led the way down a short hallway. "Here's the living room." He waved his arms dismissively. "Over there is the kitchen and the garage is on the other side of that." He turned and started down another hallway to the left. "Down there is my room, my office, and the two guest rooms. If you go out the glass doors in the living room you'll find the deck and the barn is down a ways out back."
"Barn?" Cassie gasped.
"I've gotta have somewhere to keep the horses don't I?" Mark said grinning like a six year old on Christmas morning then ushered her back through the living room and out the door wall.
"How's your leg feelin darlin?" He asked as Cassie limped her way down the five steps that led off the deck and into the back yard. Yard however, was a stretch.
"How far does your property go?" Cassie asked accepting his arm as they walked toward a barn.
"Well, there's about ten acres back there. I don't see much of it anymore. Not with my schedule the way it is, but it's there. If you take the four-wheeler in the garage back eventually you'll hit a fence."
"Wow." Mark glanced down at her with one pale eyebrow raised.
"Wow what?" Cassie didn't know why exactly but she felt herself blushing.
"It's…it's just that this is just about the perfect place for me I think. If I had the time to set up for good I'd build something just like this for myself."
"Yeah, it's pretty nice out here. There's no one around for miles." His voice took on a contented sound as he slid open the big barn door.
"Hola Mark!" A small Hispanic man called from the hayloft. The big man at her side waved back congenially.
"Manny. Que tal?"
"The horses are all taken care of. I just fed them and brushed them down." Manny informed them in a thick Spanish accent as he hopped down off of a ladder and walked over to them, shaking Mark's hand and smiling. "Who's your friend?" His contagious white grin was focused on Cassie as he took her hand and bowed to it theatrically before planting a playful kiss on her knuckles.
"Manuel Alvieda this is Cassandra Light." Mark said and put his arm over her shoulders.
"It is an honor to meet a beautiful woman in my barn…er…his barn." He chuckled and jerked a thumb toward Mark.
"Hell Manny, why don't you cut the crap?" Mark was laughing too.
"Now, now…I thought he was doing just fine." Cassie chided as she glanced up at the big man. "Don't stop him while he's ahead." Mark sighed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he walked toward one of the stalls to his right. "Pleased to meet you." She said to Manny. The darker skinned man inclined his head good naturedly to the side and wandered over to Mark.
"How's Thanatos doing? He seems kinda sullen." Mark was frowning.
"Thanatos?" Cassie asked hobbling over to join them.
"Yeah, that's this big guy's name." Mark smiled and gave the big black stallion a rub on the nose. "And that pretty gray over there is Cronos."
"The Master of death and the Master of time. Very nice." Cassie nodded appreciatively and gimped over to greet the other horse.
"I'm impressed." Mark chuckled without taking his attention away from the horse in front of him.
"Anyway, I'm off." Manny began walking over to pat Cronos on the nose one last time. "Don't worry about Thanatos; he's just mad because I won't let him chew the stall door anymore." The smaller man smiled and wandered over to shake Mark's hand. "Have a good trip alright? I'll see you when you get back next week."
"Sure thing Manny. I'll make sure you get paid on Friday. Don't worry about a thing." He said.
"I never do." Manny said as he headed for the door. "It was nice to meet you Miss Cassandra." Cassie looked up from the animal in front of her and smiled waving. "Don't let big and scary get to you. Once you get to know him, he's a big pushover." Before Cassie could respond, he was gone.
"He's a great guy." Mark started as he came up beside her. "Got a real way with horses."
"He seems very nice." Cassie was still intent on Cronos. "As a matter of fact, everyone you know seems nice."
"You've met two people who have made my acquaintance. That's not much to base a hypothesis on." Mark chuckled.
"Three." Cassie corrected him. "There was the good Officer Underwood." The big man nodded sagely and smiled.
"I forgot about him. Some friend I am." Mark's southern accent was really thick suddenly. He shook his head and shrugged. Cassie turned to walk toward him but stumbled when she put weight on her banged up leg. "Whoa darlin', let me help you."
"No, its okay, I've got it…" The brunette protested even as Mark insinuated himself under her arm.
"Oh stop it kid." He muttered and to add insult to injury he hoisted her up into his arms. "Let's get you somewhere you can take your weight off that leg."
Cassie was too dumbfounded to speak. He'd picked her up like she weighed nothing. Part of her couldn't help being embarrassed. She'd never been petite by any means but she'd taken good care of herself. She worked out whenever she got around to it but they say muscle weighs more than fat…
"Look, this is really unnecessary. I can walk on my own." She finally sputtered.
"Yeah, I could see that with the way you almost fell back in there."
"I…tripped on…something." She muttered. Mark burst out laughing.
"Just to be safe kiddo, just to be safe."
"Stop calling me kid." It was a lame come back but there was no way this guy was getting the last word.
"Well, you are a kid compared to me." So much for the last word.
Cassie managed to keep her mouth shut for the remainder of her ride back to the living room. Once inside the glass doors, Mark set her gently down on her feet. Cassie limped forward a couple of steps and pronounced herself well enough to go back and play with the horses. The big man shook his head and nudged her back toward the bedrooms.
"So uh…" She muttered. "Which one's yours again?"
"The last door on the left side is my room. The last door on the right is my office. This door here…" He pushed it open for her. "…will be your room for as long as you need it."
Cassie looked up at him skeptically but hobbled inside. This was a guest room? It had a sitting room for the love of Pete! The brunette turned slowly in a circle, her mouth hanging open.
"This is bigger than the entire apartment I grew up in." Mark shrugged.
"So I take it, it'll do?" Cassie nodded then shook her head.
"Look Mark, you don't have to go through all this trouble, really." She was getting way too caught up in this. Mark seemed to be a truly nice guy and all but she had just met him. She didn't know if he was an axe wielding homicidal maniac or Martha Stewart in drag. For all she knew he could have been a Scientologist! She couldn't help but shudder. "I think once Officer Underwood calls back and gives me the all clear to go back home, I'm going to go." She nearly regretted it once she spoke. Mark maintained a good poker face but his eyes seemed to darken slightly.
"Of course. I just figured that since that asshole was camping out outside your place that you'd want a more secure place to be. I'm sure the good officer will take care of him for you…Then you can go back home." Cassie nodded.
"Yeah. Of course I can go back home." Why were her cheeks heating? "But thank you so much for everything today…and last night." She added belatedly.
"Hey no problem." At least he was smiling again. "Don't forget when I get back into town you owe me another date." Suddenly, that smile became a leer and the playful sparkle was back in his eyes.
"Dinner?" She squeaked teasingly. "With you? Again?"
"That was the plan wasn't it, little girl?" His voice had gone soft as he gingerly ran a hand down her cheek. Cassie couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah, I think it was." Then her smile wilted slightly. "That's right, you're leaving aren't you?"
"I've gotta. Duty calls." The big man glanced down at his wrist. "Holy…" He sputtered. "As a matter of fact, I've got to leave. I should have left half an hour ago. I'm gonna miss my flight."
Without a thought in her head, Cassie leaned up and kissed him quickly on the cheek. When she pulled back and leaned against the door frame she had to laugh. Mark stood in front of her, his mouth agape and his face just a bit redder than necessary.
"Well uh…have a safe flight." She muttered even as she questioned her motives for the kiss. It must be gratitude. What more did she have to offer him short of buying him a beer when he got home?
"Yeah…" He began then seemed to shake himself back into the moment. "I'll give you a call when I get to Seattle and check on you. You'll still be here tonight right?" Cassie nodded and gave him a playful shove on the arm.
"At least tell me you're packed already." She teased. Seeing a man that big stumble all over himself was starting to make her nervous.
"Hell darlin', I never unpack." He chuckled and reached into his jacket. "Here's my card. If you need anything or have any questions, call my cell number there. All right?" Cassie nodded again. "Good. Now, make yourself at home and change your dressing like the good doctor told you to. I've got to get my old ass to the airport."
Cassie watched as he turned and sauntered down the long hallway toward the rooms he'd indicated as his own. It was all she could do not to sigh audibly. Mark was wearing a lovely pair of faded blue jeans and fit very nicely across his hips. For a moment, she wished for a rewind button just so she could see him walk down the hallway again.
"Hey Mark?" She finally blurted. Her heart started to pound a little too hard inside her chest as he turned and laid those big green eyes on her. Wrangling her libido, she spoke. "Thank you for everything. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't decided to follow this morning." There. It was said, and it was as honest as a girl could get.
"Don't worry baby girl." His voice seemed to flow over her from the other end of the hallway and she loved the way his accent twisted the word 'baby'. "I was happy to do it. I only wish I could've gotten there before that bastard made you wreck your bike." Before Cassie could get out another word, he'd turned into his room and disappeared from sight.
The brunette sagged against the door frame for a moment before turning and limping further into her room. It was beautiful! The floor was a dark amber wood lacquered to a mirror shine just like the rest of the house. Against the far wall was an entertainment stand that almost matched full of more electronic equipment than she knew existed. To the side was a rack of DVDs taller than she was.
Further to the right was a doorway. Cassie took a deep breath and hobbled over to it. She had to shake her head to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Dominating the far wall was a bed that had to be larger than a king. The head and foot boards were rough logs and the sheets and comforters were dark red and black to match the Native American rug at its foot. The dresser across from it seemed to match so she could only assume it was a set.
"Everything okay in here?" Mark's voice made her jump as she ran her hand along the top of the dresser.
"Oh uh…yeah. This is great. I can't believe you call this a guest room." She chuckled hiding her discomfiture as best she could.
"Well, I don't use it much. The only time it ever gets used is on the off chance my brother comes to town." He shook his head smiling. "I'm off. Don't forget to call if you need anything."
Cassie nodded at a loss for what to say. He'd been so great. "Alright kid. Go knock somebody's head off." Mark raised an eyebrow.
"Kid?" He muttered. "Again with the 'kid'." The playful twinkle was working its way into his eyes as he spoke. "Come here."
Cassie's stomach jumped but her feet seemed to close the gap between them without her knowledge. The next thing she knew she was standing in front of the big man, looking up into his green, green eyes. The brunette opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, wrapping his huge arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground so they were eye to eye. She went to speak again but he silenced her a second time, pressing his lips firmly to hers. It seemed like the world dropped out of existence for the few seconds the kiss lasted. Cassie found herself reveling in the softness of his lips and the roughness of his goatee.
Then, just as soon as it began, she was standing on her own two feet again, swaying minutely, and looking up at him.
"Mark…" She breathed and placed her hand on his chest to steady herself. The big man lifted her hand to his lips and laid another quick kiss on it.
"I'll see you when I get home, right?" He whispered without lifting his lips from her knuckles. Cassie nodded and tried to force down the goofy grin that seemed to have manifested on her face. It wasn't working. "Good. I can't wait." And with that, he was gone.
Shaking herself out of her revelry, Cassie hurried down the hall in time to watch him swing his big leg over his bike, rev the engine, and tear off down the driveway.
Abruptly alone in a strange house, Cassie felt the beginnings of panic festering in her gut. It went well with the throbbing agony that was the side of her knee. She could leave, she thought. No harm in that. Surely the truck had had a visit from Officer Underwood or one of his guys. It wouldn't still be there. Would it?
She sighed heavily and lumbered over to the big suede couch. Yep, it was as comfy as it looked. Settling in to it, she started formulating a plan. She could go back to her place, take a look, see if everything was a-ok, and if it was, she could stay. Or, if that wasn't maybe she could snatch some of her stuff and come back. Who was to say the freak wouldn't come back? Could they arrest him for sitting on the side of the road? No. But they could arrest him for sitting on private property and that's exactly what he was doing!
The plan fresh in her mind, Cassie hoisted herself reluctantly off the couch.
"Now…" She muttered to herself. "Where'd he hide my prescriptions?" Cassie made a mental backtrack and followed it. Yep, they were still sitting on the table by the door. She popped the top and swallowed one dry before opening the door and hopping down the steps on her good leg.
"Shit." She yelled and was surprised when it echoed back. "How the hell am I supposed to get there?" Mark had taken his bike and hers was more than likely in some guy named Ray's shop. "Not that it was running anyway…" She grumbled and made her way back toward the house…slowly. The ache in her leg had gotten infinitely worse since she left the hospital. All of a sudden, a thought hit her and she angled toward the garage.
The door on the side wasn't locked but that didn't much surprise her. They were pretty well in the middle of nowhere. The only indications that there was even a house there was the huge gate and the mailbox sitting out next to the road.
"Son of a…" She muttered walking in and flipping on the lights. "I'd lock it anyway." The garage was almost half the length of the house and packed full with shiny toys, both four wheeled and two wheeled.
Cassie made her way down a row of motorcycles of all makes and models. She ran her hands along their silky paint jobs and couldn't stop herself from laughing. There were Fat boys and Dynaglides and Sportsters sitting next to Triumphs and customs. Some, Cassie would have given her entire life savings for they were so rare.
"I think I may have just died and gone to heaven." She giggled and ran her hand over a beautiful flamed tank. The emblem said Titan. She'd never heard of it.
Finally, she found what she was looking for. Past the rows of motorcycles were the four-wheeled toys.
"This will do nicely." She grinned and slowly hoisted herself up into a big black Dodge Ram. "Now…keys…" Where would he hide the keys to this many vehicles? Cassie thought to herself as she rummaged through the glove box. They weren't there. Frowning, she sat up and folded down the visor; still no keys.
With a heavy sigh, Cassie let her head fall against the steering wheel.
"It's not like he gave me the code for the gate anyway." She muttered chuckling softly and threw open the door, lowering herself gingerly back to the floor. With one last look around, she hobbled toward the door leading to the kitchen.
"Maybe after a nap." She said yawning as she made her way past the counters and through the living room. The painkillers were making her sleepy suddenly. "Then I'll call Mark and see if he'll give me the code."
Cassie limped into her room and stifling a yawn, fell onto the massive bed. Before long, she was asleep.
