Smoking Hot (25 page)

“You think so?”

“Know so. I am, too.”

She looked around the room. “The Ranger?” She wanted to thank her for believing in her.

“Already gone. As soon as their job is done, they leave. Never did see one who hung around in one place very long.”

“I'm kind of tired myself,” she said.

“Go home and get some rest. I know this has been a difficult time, but it's over now.”

As she started up the patrol car and drove away, she thought about Sheriff Barnes's words. He'd said it was over. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

A week passed, then another. Grandpa and Tilly bought an RV and left with Lady on a mini vacation. Raine pretended to be happy so they wouldn't worry, but she was dying on the inside a little each day. There was still no sign of Dillon. Would she ever see him again? She milked the cow and fed the livestock, trying not to think about the future or that she might never see him again. She carried the milk inside the house. After straining it, she put it in the refrigerator. All routine. She didn't have to think, only move through the motions of living.

As she walked past the dining room table she glanced at the paper. She'd tossed it there the morning after Dwayne tried to kill most of the sheriff's department. She needed the reminder that it was all over. She had her job back and she wasn't going to prison. The front page had a picture of her knocking Dwayne out cold and the headline read: OFFICER RAINE MCCANDLESS PACKS A PUNCH! The article said she was a true heroine. She and Grandpa received medals from the mayor and there was a big ceremony. She didn't feel any different, except for not worrying about prison. Now she worried about Dillon.

“Chance!” she yelled, hoping at least his friend might hear.

She turned and ran into a hard chest. Relief sprang inside her, but it wasn't Dillon's hands that grabbed hold of her so she could regain her balance.

“Hi again.” Chance grinned.

It was okay, she told herself. He was her connection to Dillon. “You came,” she breathed.

“Dillon would have my hide if I didn't,” he said.

“He's okay?”

“Fine.” He frowned. “Sort of.”

Dillon had warned her he might get in trouble
.
Please
let
him
be
okay
. “What happened? Why hasn't he returned?”

“He can't.” Chance glanced at the newspaper, then picked it up, letting out a soft whistle. “Hell of a punch.” He looked at her with a little more respect shining in his eyes.

She needed him to stay focused! “Why can't he return?”

“Tobiah won't allow it.” He tossed the paper on the table. “Dillon has tried, but nothing works. Even my powers are blocked when it comes to helping him.”

“But I love him.”

“I'm sorry.” Sadness was etched on his face. “There's nothing I can do to help him return to you.”

She hung her head as the enormity of his words hit her. She'd finally found love, only to lose it. “We never got to say good-bye.”

How could Tobiah be so cruel as to keep them from seeing each other one last time? Was that so much to ask for? Was that…

She stilled, then met Chance's eyes.

“What are you thinking?” he cautiously asked.

“Take me to his father. Take me to Tobiah.” She trembled. If he would block his son from returning, what would he do when she met him face to face? She was nothing. A soon-to-be nuisance.

Chance shook his head. “Nope. That would be suicide.”

“I'm dying without him.”

“No way will you talk me into taking you to Tobiah.”

“Please.”

“You don't know what you're asking.”

“Yes, I do.”

“I'm sorry. I can't,” Chance insisted.

No, this couldn't be the end. She wouldn't let it be the end! “Haven't you ever loved someone so much that a piece of you died every minute you were apart?”

Chance's expression softened for a moment. She pressed forward with her argument. “Now what if you could never see them again? Not even to say good-bye?” She held her breath.

He studied her for a moment, then expelled an aggravated breath. “If Tobiah doesn't have my head on a platter, then Dillon will. Why do I let women talk me into doing crazy shit?”

She drew in a deep breath as excitement swept over her. “I think I know why Dillon likes you so much.”

“Don't talk.” He grimaced. “I might change my mind.” He opened his arms.

She knew the drill and hurried to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on. His arms tightened around her. Air whooshed past. She closed her eyes tight and wondered if she was doing the right thing. Some people said she was fearless, but she wasn't. She was scared, but never seeing Dillon again scared her even more.

As soon as her feet were on solid ground, she opened her eyes. They stood in a clearing in the woods. Was this Heaven? “Where are we?”

“I can't take you up there. They'd fry us both. I figured this was more neutral.” He glanced around. “The nephilim created this place a long time ago, before we bought the ranch. I'm not going to promise anything, but I'll see if Tobiah will meet with you.”

She nodded and he disappeared. Time passed slowly. A day, then two. Food appeared from nowhere. Once, she thought she saw someone, but wasn't sure. She might have been hallucinating because she thought she saw a lion, too. Ridiculous, of course.

There was a waterfall nearby. She bathed, then dressed.

Then she got pissed. “Are you afraid of me?” she taunted. “Why won't you at least talk to me?”

She didn't notice the bright light forming at first. She thought the sun was rising. The sun had never been that bright. She raised an arm to shield her eyes. The light drew to the center, then became a man. Except Raine was pretty sure it was an angel.

“Tobiah,” she breathed.

“No, I'm not afraid of you. Are you afraid of me?” he asked.

“Scared shitless,” she said before she thought.

He laughed. She didn't relax.

“I love him,” she blurted.

“He's an immortal.”

“I don't care.”

“You can never be together. It's not possible.”

She raised her chin. “I love him,” she said again. She saw something in his eyes and walked nearer. One step, two. “I love him.” She kept walking toward him, not stopping until she stood in front of him. “I love him as deeply as you loved his mother.”

“I couldn't be with her, either,” he said softly.

She bowed her head. “Then take me now. I don't want to live without Dillon.” She closed her eyes. A moment later she felt a rush of air and wondered if this was it. She should've left a note for Grandpa. He'd be sad, but he had Tilly and she would help him.

Her feet settled on solid ground. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was back in the dining room at the ranch. “No!” She dropped to the floor as pain ripped through her.

Hours later, she came to her feet. She fed the stock, she milked the cow, but poured it down the sink. She sat in the rocker on the back porch. She couldn't eat. She might have dozed. She didn't know. She didn't care.

Someone shook her shoulder. “Raine, wake up.”

She dragged her eyes open. “Dillon?”
Oh
God, is it really him?

“You look terrible. When was the last time you ate?”

“I don't remember. You're really here?”

He grabbed her close. “I'm here.”

“I'm not dreaming again, am I?” She pushed out of his arms, searching his face. “How?”

“You. It was all you. Tobiah thought you would snap out of it and get on with your life, but you didn't. He remembered what it was like to be without my mother and felt your pain. He intervened.”

“I don't understand.” Could this really be happening? Happiness swelled inside her until she realized it couldn't be this easy. “I thought you couldn't be around mortals very long.”

“I can't.”

“But now you can?”

He hesitated. “I'm no longer immortal.”

“How could you give up who you are?”

“It was the only way we could be together.”

She shook her head. “I never wanted you to die for me. Why would you give up who you are?”

“I want to be with you until we both take our last breaths. I love you.” He caressed the side of her face as though he couldn't stand not touching her.

“I love you, too.”

“I'm still nephilim. That will never change. Immortality kept me from being a part of your world. Tobiah convinced his superiors that I could do more good for mankind if I lived among them. You could say they're testing the waters with me.”

“You gave up a lot to be with me.” She looked around. “A rundown ranch might not be as grand as what you're used to.”

He frowned. “Actually, I've accumulated a little money. We shouldn't be hurting.”

She leaned back and looked at him. “Exactly how much do you have?”

“A few billion.”

She choked. “Billion?”

“We should be able to fix up the ranch before Sock returns.” He paused. “Raine, are you okay?”

“Maybe.” She had a feeling life with Dillon was going to take a little getting used to.

“Try not to overthink it,” he said. “Damn, I missed you.”

She'd just won the lottery, in more ways than one, and he said don't overthink it. Yeah, like that was going to happen. But when he pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her, Raine decided she would have time to think about it later. Right now, she just wanted to think about the man holding her close.

Karen Kelley is the award-winning, national bestselling author of twenty books and contributed to the
USA
Today
bestseller
I'm Your Santa
. Her
Close
Encounters
of
the
Sexy
Kind
was nominated for an
RT
Book Reviews
Reviewers Choice Award and her books have placed first in numerous contests. She currently resides in Texas.