The Search (21 page)

Oh, shit. He didn't need this physical response right now. He certainly didn't need it in connection with Sarah Patrick.

Then forget it, block it out.

Easier said than done. Every time he looked at her, he'd remember how he'd felt at that moment.

Nothing was easy. Do it. Forget how she'd looked in that simple white bra.

Remember only what he had to do to keep her alive.

Monty was stretched out next to the sleeping wolf, almost nose to nose. He didn't lift his head when Sarah walked into the room. Good. She was glad she had a moment to herself. Too much had happened that night and she was upset and off balance. Logan had thrown her another curve and now she had to deal with it.

This cabin was her haven; she didn't want anyone here. Particularly a presence as strong as Logan. He had said he wouldn't disturb her, but there was no way a personality that forceful wouldn't prove a disturbance.

Yet he hadn't exerted that strength when he helped her with the wolf. He took a backseat, ready to help but not interfere, same as in Taiwan.

But living comfortably with him wasn't the real issue. Was it safer for her and Monty to have him there? Did she trust his judgment and motives? He was a complicated man, but she had grown to know something about him and she had believed him when he had said he would never use her again.

She stared across the room at Monty and the wolf. "We have a problem, boy."

Monty lifted his head and looked at her inquiringly. Okay?

"Me or the wolf? We're both going to be fine. You shouldn't have gone out looking for her, you know. You're not in top shape yourself, and there's no telling what could have happened. She's no gentle soul."

Monty put his head back down. Beautiful.

"Yes, she is, and she's clearly a maiden in distress, but she could take you apart in minutes. You don't have the killer instinct."

Hurt.

"Right now, but in a few weeks she'll be well again. And I don't want you pulling that trick of putting your head on her throat again. It's a good way to get mauled and you--"

The wolf opened her eyes and stared directly into Monty's.

Beautiful.

"Oh, shit." Sarah's heart sank as she watched them together. "No, boy. She's definitely from the wrong side of the tracks. Hell, the wrong side of the universe. Believe me, you have nothing in common."

Beautiful.

"If you had a domestic squabble, she'd take you apart."

Beautiful.

"And what kind of kids would you have?"

Beautiful.

They might be at that. Golden retriever and this gorgeous wolf . . . "It would definitely be a one-night stand. The Wildlife Federation has other plans for Maggie."

Monty delicately licked the fur beneath the wolf's eyes.

Maggie drew back her lips in a snarl.

Sarah tensed, ready to jump forward to protect him. "Stop."

Monty didn't stop.

And Maggie's snarl slowly disappeared. She closed her eyes, accepting.

"I'll be damned." Sarah shook her head. "Maybe it's mutual after all." She moved forward and knelt by the wolf. "I have to give her another shot, boy. Try to distract her."

Maggie opened her eyes and snarled at Sarah when the needle entered, but she didn't attack. A few moments later she was asleep again.

Once more Monty stretched out beside her.

"You're not listening," Sarah said. "It's strictly Montague and Capulet stuff. Her folks would never accept you."

Monty sighed, his gaze never leaving the wolf. Beautiful.

Logan was asleep in the chair when she left the porch.

She marched across the room and shook him awake. "You can stay. But you'd better get well fast. I'm going to work your tail off and enjoy every minute of it."

He yawned. "I'm glad you informed me in such a gentle manner."

"I don't feel gentle. I have problems." She headed for her bedroom. "I have to get Maggie on her feet and out of here quickly and I may need your help with some repercussions."

"What repercussions?"

"Monty's ga-ga over her."

Logan chuckled. "So?"

"It's not funny. I have to get them apart before they decide to mate. Wolves mate for life, and Monty . . . I won't have him hurt."

"Isn't it unusual for a rescue dog not to be fixed?"

"ATF wanted to do it, and I told them to leave it to me. I meant to . . . but then I didn't." She glared at him. "Okay?"

"Maybe for Monty it will be only a fling."

"That's crazy. Monty's the most loving dog I've ever known."

"I can see the problem."

She scanned his expression. He wasn't laughing or mocking any longer. He did understand. "Most people would think I'm being weird, but it's . . . important to me."

"Then it's important to me. And I can understand why you wouldn't want your best friend to make a bad match." He closed his eyes. "But could I go back to sleep now? If you're going to work my tail off, I'm going to need all the rest I can get."

He waited until the bedroom door shut behind her before he reached into his pocket for his phone and called Galen. "I'm at Sarah's cabin and I'll be here for a while. Have you heard anything?"

"Not yet. I'm still tracking down Sanchez. How were those last days in Kai Chi?"

"Hell."

"Is Sarah okay?"

"As good as can be expected. She's having a few domestic problems. Monty's in love with a wolf."

Galen burst out laughing. "That ball of fluff?"

"Believe me, it's not funny to Sarah. Call Margaret and have her find out everything she can about the Mexican gray wolves that were released in this area."

"Why don't you call her yourself?"

"She was pissed at me for coming here, and Taiwan won't have made her temper any better. I've had a rough night and I don't want to deal with her right now."

"Say no more. I wouldn't want to contact her either."

"Have you secured the cabin?"

"Six of my best men."

"I haven't seen anyone."

"They can see you. They're camped up in the mountains and they can see trouble coming for miles. I'll give you Franklin's number."

"Tomorrow. I don't have a pen and I don't want to move. I'm hurting like the devil. Bye."

He had to get a few hours' sleep. It was almost dawn, and he hadn't the slightest doubt Sarah would soon be up and tending the wolf. As usual, she'd be fighting any softness toward him and would have no compunction about putting into action her threat to "work his tail off."

Chapter 9.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Sarah stood in the bedroom doorway with her arms folded across her chest.

"Feeding Monty." Logan patted the dog on the head. "He was hungry, and I didn't want to wake you."

"No one feeds Monty but me. I've trained him not to accept food from anyone else." But Monty was eating, she realized with a mixture of amazement and annoyance. "Damn."

"He was hungry," Logan repeated as he filled up Monty's water bowl. "I thought I'd give it a try."

"I can't have you interfering with Monty's training."

"I can see why you wouldn't want to have strangers feed him, but I'm no threat."

"Practically no one is a stranger to Monty. He loves everyone. That's why I can't have him fed by anyone but me."

"Maybe he has better judgment than you think." He put down the water bowl. "Here you go, boy."

"I can't take the chance. So please leave my dog alone."

"Okay. Just trying to help. Anything else I can do?"

"You can go sit down and rest that leg. You haven't been off it in the last three days."

"Whatever you say." He limped back to his chair. "But it's getting better. Did you notice I was able to do a lot more yesterday?"

"Yes." Since the night they'd brought home the wolf, Logan had kept himself busy doing everything from sweeping the cabin to helping nurse Maggie. When they weren't working side by side, he was cooking or cleaning or on the phone, trying to wield influence to keep the ranchers away from the wolf. She scowled. "Too much."

"Do I perceive a softening?" He stretched his leg out on the hassock. "You're the one who wanted to work me to the bone. You asked, I obeyed."

"I know."

He grinned. "But you don't like the fact that I didn't mind it."

"Nonsense. I just didn't--" She smiled reluctantly. "You've not been any fun at all. What good is a slave if he's so obliging? It takes all the joy out of the situation."

"Sorry."

She studied him. "And you've been doing a heck of a lot more than I ask. I don't like that."

"I'm just a self-starter."

"You're also a prime manipulator. You knew it would bother me to see a wounded man overextend himself."

He gazed at her innocently. "Did I?"

"Knock it off."

"I'm surprised it took you this long to call me on it."

"I'm not that soft." She made a face. "And I thought you'd stop. I knew you were hurting."

"Just doing my job, ma'am."

"And getting a little of your own back."

"I admit I have a problem with total subjugation."

"Any subjugation."

"I do prefer partnerships. I think we've proved we work pretty well together, don't you?"

She didn't speak for a moment. "Yes."

"Then why not call a truce? You don't have to force me to do anything. I'd go nuts if I didn't have something to do. Even nursing your wolf is better than twiddling my thumbs. We're living together, let's do it as painlessly as possible."

"I'm not in any pain. I could go--" She broke off as the phone rang. "And we're not living together," she said as she crossed the room and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"You didn't call me," Todd Madden said. "How did the Logan job go?"

"What do you care, Madden? It's over. That's all that's important."

"Good. Then you can come up to Washington for the weekend. I've set up a press conference about the Barat earthquake, and what about this Taiwan mudslide? That will be excellent copy."

"Go to hell."

"Don't be ugly, Sarah." Madden's voice was silky smooth. "You know it doesn't do you any good to be nasty to me. Shall I make your reservations or will you?"

"I'm not coming to Washington. I'm busy."

"You know how I hate to pressure you, but I can't tolerate--"