CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The sun streamed in through the seams in the drapes, glancing along her bare skin. Noah had woken up about an hour ago. He’d had no nightmares and slept like a baby. He couldn’t remember having such a good night. Now he got to watch sun drops appear on her beautiful body. He’d carefully pulled the blanket from her, so he could study every inch of her. Lovely wasn’t even a good enough word for the way this woman was put together.
He traced her spine with his finger and noted she had a sweet little blue butterfly tat on her hip. He noticed it before but had been too busy ravishing her to take in any detail. This whole snuggling and spooning with a woman till morning was new to him. He usually lit out way before dawn. To say he’d never slept with a woman before would be accurate. He had with them sex, then with them passed out in a dream state, he would put his clothes on and leave.
Could he really keep her? He let out a breath. He wanted to so badly, but would it be fair to her? He would have to hide out until he found who had set his team up. Then he would have to take that person out. He had no choice. Going through channels wasn’t an option, not when there was no official channel for him and his team. He needed to avenge them as well. It’d been all he’d thought about while up here, until Ridge showed up.
Ridge. Yes, he knew her name was Riley, but he only knew her as his Ridge.
He sat upright and listened. His senses just picked up on something. Was it a sound? He eased out of bed and pulled his briefs on. Quietly, he slid his night stand drawer open and pulled out his Ruger. Checking the clip, he knew it was loaded. Glancing to the wall control pad, he saw no flashing light. Not the perimeter. So what was it?
Easing out into the hall, he could feel someone was there. He lightly stepped into the living room.
A man sat at the bar with his back to him, tipping back a tumbler of whiskey.
Noah tightened his grip on the trigger. How the fuck did he get in here?
“Not fair shooting a man in the back, Harris,” the man said.
His eyes widened. Noah knew that voice.
Swiveling the stool around, the man grinned at him.
“Tanner?” he asked. Noting he looked a bit leaner and had a thin scar running down from his forehead to his eye.
“Yeah, Harris.” He raised his lip in a half grin. “I see you still walk around in almost nothing while its 15 god damn degrees outside.”
“I-I thought you were dead?”
“At first, I was and I didn’t know you were alive either.”
Noah looked around and shook his head. “You pulled each perimeter plug when you passed through right?”
Tanner shrugged. “I’m the one who set them up, of course I did.”
“Where have you been?” Noah asked.
“In hiding, well I was held captive for a month.”
Noah winced at this. They all knew what might happen if they got captured in the Middle East.
“It was mostly starvation in a hovel. No torture really.”
Noah heard rustling from the room behind him. Oh, shit. He needed to explain this situation quick. “Look, Tanner. Someone came up the mountain 6 days ago.”
Tanner raised his brows. “The ones who did this to us?”
“No. Well, someone was following her, hit men and they tried to kill her.”
“Her?” Tanner pulled his head back.
Noah flinched as he heard Ridge coming down the hall. “Yes, she’s your—”
“Harris?” Her voice reached him as he stared at Tanner’s face.
The man stared over Noah’s shoulder and joy flickered in his eyes for a second then his gaze went up and down as if he was looking at her body. Then he swung a glare to Noah.
Noah sighed as he engaged the safety on the Ruger and tossed the gun toward the kitchen. He knew what was coming. “Now, listen Tanner—”
Shouting with a roar, Tanner dove into him and they both landed on the floor. Tanner pelted him with his fists.
Noah could have fought back but he wouldn’t. The man had every right to beat him down and he knew it.
“STOP!” Ridge shouted. “Stop it!” she screamed.
Suddenly, Tanner got heavier on top of him and in between blows, Noah could see Ridge was on his back attempting to grab her brother’s hands.
“Walker! You have to stop!”
At hearing his real name from her, Tanner stopped in mid punch.
“Please? Don’t hurt him, he saved my life!”
Tanner released an angry breath and eased her off his back. Turning, he grabbed her up and pulled her tight. “I never thought I would see you again.”
Ridge had tears on her cheeks as she gazed down over his shoulder to look at Noah.
Noah slowly sat up.
Ridge fought Tanner’s grasp and pushed away. “He’s bleeding!” She crawled over to Noah.
“Yes, he is and he needs to bleed a lot fucking more.” Tanner seethed.
Ridge huffed. “He saved me, took care of me—”
“And you thanked him with sex?” Tanner interjected.
Ridge swiped the blood away from a cut below Noah’s eye with the end of the sheet she had wrapped around her.
Noah gazed up at her. Yes, she just had to come out in a dammed sheet.
Angry, she stood up. “I am a full grown woman, Walker.”
“Yes, and you…” Tanner halted as if he knew he would regret his next words. He pushed his fingers through his dark hair. “Why are you here, Riley?”
Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know.”
Tanner looked confused and swung his gaze over to Noah.
Noah rose up and swiped the blood from his nose. “She was headed here. Two hitmen were behind her, shooting at her. Then an avalanche took them out.”
She turned to Walker. “Then he found me, digging me out of the snow.”
“She suffered a concussion. Had no memory, no name.”
Tanner looked furious as he sneered at Noah. “And you took advantage of that?”
Ridge stepped in front of her brother. “I remembered a lot b-before we…” She stomped her foot. “I went after him, Walker. So stop blaming him!”
Tanner let out a cold laugh. “This man is notorious for womanizing Riley! No way did you have to GO after him.”
“I did! I never let him take a breath without hitting on him.”
Noah shook his head. Well, almost true, but he’d wanted her just as badly.
Tanner’s eyes widened. “But why?”
She threw her hands up in the air. “WHY? Just take a damn look at him! God! Why?” she scoffed as if here were dumb.
Tanner pursed his lips.
“You may not like it, but that’s the way it is!” She crossed her arms over her sheet covered chest.
“He’s right, Ridge.” Noah stepped up beside her. “I knew better. I shouldn’t have.”
She looked hopping mad. “Well, you finally gave in and Tanner will just have to suck it up!”
Tanner looked troubled as he changed the subject, “Why did you come up here?”
“I-I don’t know. I told you that.”
He tilted his head at her. “Was it for a story?”
Her brows furrowed. “A-a story?”
He sighed as he shook his head.
Noah was curious now. “What do you mean a story?”
Tanner laughed. “Riley Page Sweetwater… Gets the first page spread every time. She’s a journalist.”
Ridge gasped. “What?”
“Yes.” Tanner nodded. “And I imagine my unexplained disappearance was just too much for you to accept.”
“I don’t remember anything about being a journalist.” She shrugged.
Noah stared at her. “Yes, that fits. “
Her gaze swung over to him. “What fits?”
“The way you pick up on things. The way you snoop, ask questions nonstop and never let go of an idea you get in your head.”
“Well, damn. You did get to know her, Harris!” Tanner laughed though his eyes still held a glint. “But my little sister man?” He looked pained.
Noah glared at him. “If you will just take a real look at her, you’ll note there’s nothing little about her. Well, except for that cute little nose and her height.”
“HELLO?” Ridge was fuming. “Standing right here while you talk about me!”
Noah gave her a half grin then headed for the kitchen.
“Where are you going?” Both brother and sister shouted at the same time.
“I need to clean up in the sink.” He turned the water on and gingerly washed the blood off his face.