Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

tough, but he’s not stupid.” The description gave him pause. Was he proud, tough and not stupid? Had Dominique been attracted to him because he was just like her father?

Dominique laughed. “No, Dad’s definitely not unintelligent. You’re a lot like him, in fact.”

He groaned. “Stop.”

“No, not in a bad way. I don’t have some kind of daddy issue, if that’s what you’re thinking. You’re not, are you? After all we’ve been through?”

“I think it’s best to not think about anything that involves us, especially now. We’ve got to come up with how we’re going to safely have you interview Johnny, and it has to be timed with law enforcement’s takedown of the cartel and Jimenez. Otherwise none of this, your hard work, your wish to get justice for Charlie Hamm, absolutely nothing will have mattered.”

“Because I’ll be dead.”

Over his dead body.

* * *

Stanton was quiet for much of the drive, and she kept telling herself it was because he was intent on making certain they hadn’t been followed. They were in a car that an agent had brought to her father’s when they’d gone to warn him off walking the dogs in public for the foreseeable future. Stanton had insisted that all precautions be taken, including assuming that his vehicle had been made and there was a GPS device hidden on it.

Dominique hadn’t admitted it to him yet, but she was a little embarrassed that she hadn’t thought of all the ways the cartel could track them. She wasn’t a cop, and she appreciated being able to leave those concerns to the experts. But still, she should have had more awareness.

Distraction had warred with her sense of purpose. Her focus on the story was paramount, but ever since her discussion with Soledad at Dad’s party, she couldn’t shake her sense of failure. She’d neglected to realize what mattered to her most until it was too late. Her career still mattered and writing the truth was definitely her calling. But so was being with the one man who made her heart open, who helped her be the best she could be, even when he was scared witless about her activities.

You blew it.

She had indeed blown it to smithereens, hadn’t she? Running from her deepest emotions, and the one man safe enough to share them with.

“We’re almost there.” His calm countenance usually soothed her but in light of her epiphany all it elicited was sadness. It was too easy to imagine he’d always be here, at her side. Looking out for her.

“Great.” He had to be exhausted with five hours of driving behind him. It was past midnight and now less than twenty-four hours until Johnny would tell them where he was. Stanton had called Troy on the drive, and Troy verified he spoke to several local law enforcement agencies in the north part of the state, and all were on standby until Johnny identified the resort. FBI, DEA and the state troopers were being informed and in turn releasing all information pertaining to the cartel as it occurred.

She couldn’t ask for more. But her heart wanted it all.

The last hour they’d passed zero other vehicles as Stanton had exited the highway and taken them through back roads to the secluded family cabin. The road had become barely wide enough for their car, with tree trunks on either side, giving the impression that the forest was swallowing them up.

“Here we are.” The cabin seemed to come out of nowhere, and she let out her breath. It had been a while since she’d been here with him. That last time, it had felt like a honeymoon as they’d spent a long autumn weekend alone in the rustic retreat. He shut off the engine and they both turned on the flashlight function of their phones to get out and gather their few bags. Not for the first time, Dominique was grateful for the go bag she kept in her locker at the paper. She’d replenished it a few weeks ago, her sixth sense telling her that she was going to get very busy with the Charlie Hamm story. Of course, she’d had no idea how busy, or how much her life could change in a matter of less than a week.

They trudged through damp leaves to the porch, where Stanton waved for her to put her bags down. “I’ll bring them all in.” He unlocked the door and let them in, flicked on the lights. The cedar scent of the building instantly brought memories rushing back, including the long nights in front of the now-cold wood-burning stove.

“I’ll start a fire.” She relished having a task that had nothing to do with the danger that shrouded them.

“Go ahead. Do you remember how to use this?” It was a wood pellet stove and besides being a cleaner burn, was simple to operate.

“I do.” Just as she remembered how he’d taught her, and then once satisfied the heat level was where he wanted it, he’d turned to her and taught her about heat levels she’d never experienced with another man.

Stop it.

She filled the stove with the pre-sized briquettes and used the long matches to ignite them. Blue flames licked up the insides of the piping hot walls and she swung the door closed, latched the hinge. The window on the door allowed her to watch the flames take hold of the pellets, and heat began to emanate. Sounds of bags being dropped on the floor, Stanton’s steps, the wind through the trees, all melded into background noise as she stared at the flames and tried to be anywhere but in the middle of a life-threatening investigation, having only now figured out that she’d let the one who mattered most get away.

* * *

Stanton told himself that he wasn’t going to go anywhere near Dominique. They were both exhausted and had no idea what the next two days would have in store. Although he had a sinking feeling that the entire pursuit of her story could go very,