Austin’s eyes slowly opened, already searching for Cassidy. He no longer felt like he was dying, so that was an improvement. She sat on the edge of his bed and smiled. He could get used to waking up to her beautiful face especially when she was looking at him like she was right now. “You look better,” she said.

“I feel better. Where’s David?”

“He went to say morning prayers with The Community.”

He lowered his voice. “Did he believe you?”

“I think so, at least for now. But I think he was upset I brought you here. Brother Lucas is coming soon to take me on a tour of the ranch.”

“I’m coming too.”

“You weren’t exactly invited.”

“We’re in this together. You need to find your friend and I need to bring you back home safely to your mom and pops. We stay together.”

“Fine. You weasel yourself an invitation and you’re welcome to come. The way David looked at you, I don’t think he’ll take too kindly to me asking you to join Lucas and me.”

“No problem.” He swung his legs off the side of the bed, clenching his teeth at the wave of dizziness that followed.

She rushed to his side. “You're still dealing with the toxicity of the nettle. Your thick skull isn't going to get your body through this one.”

He rubbed his forehead. “How long have I been out?”

“Five hours.”

“Damn it. That’s longer than anticipated. Did you find your satellite phone?”

“No. It’s not where I left it. The rest of my things are there so I’m sure it was taken.”

“Any other problems?” He stood and the room spun, knocking him backwards onto the bed.

“Nope. I just stayed here with you and played nursemaid.”

He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “We’ll have to try that again sometime when we’re out of this place.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe with a little nurse’s outfit and a hat?”

“And a stethoscope. Nothing turns me on like a stethoscope.”

She laughed and looked at her hands. “Thank you for doing this for me.”

“You’re welcome. But I’m not doing it for free.”

“No?”

“I’m going to call in the debt when we get out of this place. I figure you owe me another chance.”

“What kind of chance?”

The bedroom door opened, framing David, who looked from Austin to Cassidy and back again. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “You seem to have made a speedy recovery.”

“I'm feeling much better. He held out his hand and introduced himself.

“I hear I owe you my thanks for helping bring Sister Cassidy back to us,” said David.

Austin smiled. “She was just telling me she’s going on a tour this morning. I’d love to take a look around this beautiful ranch of yours. Mind if I go with her?”

David nodded. “Of course. And then you’ll join us for a fine hearty meal before you head on your way. Lucas will be ready momentarily. He’ll meet you downstairs.”

“Great, I appreciate that very much.”

David left the room and Austin turned to Cassidy. “A fine hearty meal before I head on my way. And don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.”

She stood and crossed to him. “What kind of chance, Austin?”

If they were anywhere but here, he’d answer her with a kiss, maybe more. “For you and me. To see if this can work for real.”

The kiss would have been easier. She was staring into his eyes, her expression unreadable, and he was back in her parents’ house listening to her tell him all the reasons it wouldn’t work.

He had to show her right then that she was wrong, remind her how good they were together. He closed the distance between them, slipped his hand behind her neck to hold her in place and kissed her.

She jerked away from him, her cheeks flushed. “He could walk back in at any moment.”

He stared at her lips, red from his touch. “You should answer me now, then.”

“We can talk about it when we get out of here.”

“Why not talk about it now?”

“Austin, what we have together is incredible. But all the reasons it didn’t work the first time are still there.”

He frowned. “It didn’t work the first time because you thought you were too good for me.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Hell yes, it’s true. You and your Mommy and Daddy all agreed. I was okay for a little summer fun, but that’s where it needed to stay.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I was there, remember? I got to be on the receiving end of your goodbye speech. Let’s not pretend now that’s not how it happened.”

Two spots of color appeared on her cheeks. “As I remember it, you thought I was something special in the sack, as long as I didn’t expect anything from you outside of it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You wanted to fuck me as long as I didn’t actually have feelings for you.”

Whoa. What the hell were they talking about here?

Cassidy was acting like the injured party, as if she’d wanted more from the relationship than he’d been ready to give. He tried to think back to who he was then, try to remember what it was he had wanted, but time had distorted reality too much for him to answer that question.

All that mattered now was how she felt today.

“Did you have feelings for me?”

She took a step backwards. “It doesn’t matter. That’s not the point. The point is you never wanted a real relationship from me, so you don’t get to say it was my fault we didn’t have one.”

“You’re the one who broke it off.”

“Yes. I was.” She put her hands on her hips. “We should go downstairs. Lucas will be waiting for us.”

“This is David’s house, right?”

She nodded.

“I’m going to look around for a way to contact HERO Force. There must be a phone line or a computer or something. Maybe I’ll find your satellite phone.”

“I’ll stay here in case someone comes. His office is right across the hall.”

Austin was much less sturdy on his feet than he expected, and he leaned heavily on the wall when he walked. David’s office had an ancient computer, but he couldn’t get it to turn on and from the dust on top of it, it could have been sitting here untouched for years.

He went through the desk drawers, hitting pay dirt in the fourth one he tried. A satellite phone, likely Cassidy’s. It was even charged up and he dialed the number for HERO Force from memory, unable to remember the cell numbers for the individual men.

“Give me Leo Wilson, quick. It’s Austin Dixon.”

While he waited to be connected he noticed a large street-level map of Seattle on the wall, about twenty red tacks marking different locations. He stood and leaned in more closely.

The Space Needle.

Pike Place Market.

The Great Wheel and the Art Museum.

“What the fuck?” he whispered. These locations were some of the biggest tourist attractions in the state.

Locations crowded with people.

He got Cowboy’s voicemail and he cursed the idiot switchboard operator. “I’m all right. I found Cassidy. She insisted on going back to find Julianne; Cassidy doesn’t believe she’s dead like the senator said. I found a map of Seattle, Washington with about a dozen major locations highlighted. He’s either planning a terrorist attack or the vacation of a lifetime. Send reinforcements.”