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  “Get out,” Howard ordered said as soon as he turned off the engine.

  Standing beside the car, Lexa held out one hand for Angelina. She crawled across the backseat and grasped Lexa’s hand. Covering the small hand with hers, Lexa smiled. She loved when Sam held her hand, and she wanted to give the same measure of comfort and security to this frightened little girl.

  Howard motioned for Lexa to move forward, following beside her as if to remind her not to try anything sneaky. Lexa moved in the direction of the back wall where he’d left his two hostages. Rounding the corner ahead of them, Howard motioned for Lexa to stop and keep Angelina with her. He disappeared. She guessed he was probably removing the gags and ropes from their mouths and hands. He doesn’t want Angelina to see her mother tied up. The thought warmed her heart.

  “Okay,” he called to Lexa, gesturing with one hand for her to come closer and bring the girl. “Angie, baby, look who’s here.”

  When they rounded the corner, Lexa saw Sheila stand up and wipe her hands on the sides of her shorts. She looked up with a trembling smile as Angelina went flying into her arms. “Mama!” the little girl cried, flinging her arms around Sheila’s small form. They wept together, Sheila with her arms tight around Angelina.

  Tears sprang into Lexa’s eyes, and she turned away. It surprised her when Howard didn’t interrupt their reunion. Maybe there was hope for this man yet. Looking over at Sam, she saw that he, too, was fighting strong emotions. Sensing Lexa’s eyes on him, he moved his gaze over to her and smiled, nodding to let her know he was all right.

  “Now, what am I goin’ to do with you two?” Howard demanded with another one of his disgusting grins, his face twisted and evil with the moonlight streaming behind him. Frightened, Lexa instinctively reached for Sam’s hand, moving closer to him as he captured her hand in his own firm grasp. When he squeezed it, Lexa felt small shivers running up and down her spine. Whether they were from fear or otherwise, she couldn’t be sure.

  “Let us go,” Lexa pleaded. “Take the car.” Ignoring Sam’s elbow jabbing in her side and his grunt, she plundered on. “We’re out here in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. No one else is around, and it’ll be a long time before we get to civilization. You could be halfway to Mexico . . . or wherever you’re going by then.”

  “I’d keep her if I was you,” Howard told Sam with another grin. “She makes a lot of sense. Seein’ as how I really don’t want to murder no one, maybe you’re right. But, just to make sure,” he added with a menacing leer, dangling the rope in front of him again.

  “Sheila,” he hollered over one shoulder, “take Angie and wait behind that wall over there. Go! Don’t get any funny ideas because I’m right here, and I’m keepin’ my eye on ya.” Darting an anxious look in Lexa and Sam’s direction and taking Angelina by the hand, Sheila started around the corner.

  Howard made quick work of gagging Sam again and retying the ropes around his ankles and wrists. Then, with another one of his sickening grins, he turned to Lexa and did the same with her. In a flash, Howard was gone around the corner. Lexa scooted across the ground to lean against Sam. They both sat immobilized until they heard the distant rumbling of the Volvo’s engine a few minutes later.

  “Good job, Miss Clarke,” Sam finally sputtered, spitting the gag out of his mouth. “You just gave away our only mode of transportation. Bomb or no bomb, it was my bomb.” Leaning over close to her, Sam used his teeth to wrestle the gag free from Lexa’s mouth. Winking, he shook his head and laughed.

  “Well,” Lexa huffed, staring at Sam in disbelief, “at least you still have your life, Mr. Lewis. Talk about gratitude,” she grumbled, slumping back and frowning.

  “You’re right about one thing. Howard was no Boy Scout. He really doesn’t know how to tie a decent knot. There,” Sam added, breaking free of the ropes on both his wrists and feet and beginning to work on hers. “How’s your thumb?”

  “My thumb? Why?” Lexa pouted.

  “Why, to hitchhike, of course.”

  “No, thanks,” she protested, not bothering to thank him as he loosened the ropes binding her hands together. “I don’t think I want to get into a moving vehicle with anyone who would be cruising around this area, especially, at this hour of the night.” She untied the ropes around her feet.

  “Suit yourself.” Sam rose to his feet and started to walk away. When he realized Lexa wasn’t right behind him, he walked back over to her. Reaching out with one hand, he helped her to a standing position. For a long moment, they stood and simply stared at one another. Without speaking, he moved closer. So did she.

  “Look in the pocket of your jacket.”

  Sam looked at her with an odd expression. “My jacket? Why?”

  Lexa’s eyes never wavered from his, her voice steady. “Just look. In the right pocket.”

  “The jacket you’re still wearing?”

  “Yes. I promise it won’t bite.”

  Sam stepped even closer and touched the bottom of the jacket. Feeling a heaviness in one pocket, he reached inside with tentative fingers, his eyes never leaving hers. His eyes grew large as he pulled out the gun. He held it as though afraid it might discharge.

  “Don’t worry. The bullets are gone.” Lexa shrugged and grinned. “What can I say? My dad was a cop.”

  Chapter 43

  “How did you get the gun away from Howard without him knowing it was gone?” Sam looked incredulous, but admiration for her shone in his eyes.

  Lexa shrugged. “It fell out of his pocket on the drive back to the mission. He was saying something to Angelina and looking in the rearview mirror. I seized the moment, grabbed the gun and stuffed it inside the jacket.” She laughed. “Good thing you’re so tall and your jacket has such long pockets. As for why Howard didn’t notice the gun was missing, I think we need to thank the Lord for that one.”

  “I feel a little better with Howard taking off with Sheila and Angelina knowing he doesn’t have the gun,” Sam admitted, raking a hand through his hair.

  “Maybe we should find the nearest phone and call the police.”

  “Howard’s still Sheila’s husband, so I don’t know that they’d do anything about it.” Sam frowned.

  “But he still kidnapped Sheila, and me . . . and Angelina,” Lexa reminded him. This time, she didn’t hesitate to smooth her fingers over the worry lines crossing his forehead.

  “Sheila and I managed to talk, even though Howard gagged us—not very well, at that.”

  “Oh?” Lexa’s hand moved to her hip. “Why do I have the feeling Sheila doesn’t want us to report what Howard did? And you don’t, either?”

  “Put it this way. She’s going to get away from Howard as soon as she can. As long as Angelina is with them, Howard won’t hurt Sheila. And thankfully you have the gun.” Sam shrugged. “I say we trust in the Lord to watch over them. Call it instinct, call it a gut feeling, but I think Howard will do something stupid and get himself caught tonight. Mark my words.”

  “And your precious bomb?”

  “We’ll see what happens. Something tells me that old bomb’s not ready to die just yet. If it does decide to finally die, maybe this would be the right time.” Sam took another step closer. He had that look in his eye she recognized and really liked. Full of meaning, and capable of making her giddy. “You are one amazing woman, Lexa Clarke. Come here. Please.”

  “I beg your pardon?” She giggled, feeling silly but heady with happiness. Maybe it was the emotion of the night. Maybe it was that the nightmare was over and they were safe. Maybe it was the man standing beside her and the overwhelming love she felt for him.

  “You heard me.” Sam’s voice was low. Seductive. Inviting. Lexa took a step closer.

  Sam smiled. “Come closer. Much closer.” When she complied, he reached for her. Pulling Lexa to him, Sam held nothing back as he kissed her. One hand cupped her face, and his fingers ran through her long strands of hair. He whispered her name and caressed the back of her neck as he
deepened their kisses.

  “I was . . . so . . . scared tonight,” Lexa managed to get out in-between kisses.

  “Me, too,” Sam murmured, covering her mouth with his own again, not able to get enough of her. He silenced her in the best possible way.

  “You were so brave,” she told him the next time she came up for air.

  “Not as brave as you, my love. I do believe that after tonight, you’re my hero.” Sam’s lips dropped down to gently nuzzle her neck with enticing kisses, causing quick shivers up and down her spine.

  “Heroine,” Lexa corrected, allowing him to help her shrug the jacket free from her shoulders as it slid to the ground in a soft heap at their feet.

  “Right. Now, be quiet, my brave, beautiful heroine. Don’t talk. Don’t think. Just be quiet and kiss me back. Please,” Sam pleaded with a soft laugh.

  They collapsed to the ground together, their bodies intertwined. All the emotion, pent-up tension and longing of the past few weeks flooded out of Lexa as she clung to Sam, savoring the rawness of his mouth possessing hers, his strong body so close, wrapping her in the cocoon of warmth and love.

  He moaned a little and kissed her with increasing passion. His hand traced its way in an achingly slow, gentle path along the curve of her face. His touch was feathery light as his fingers lingered on the small of her neck. His skin, his touch, warmed her everywhere. Hesitating a moment, Sam pulled back and gazed down at her with all the love he held for her.

  “Should I stop? Tell me when to stop.” His voice was huskier, deeper than ever.

  Lexa answered Sam by pulling his head back down to her waiting lips, welcoming his own with everything within her.

  He pulled her even closer to him. “I love you, Lexa,” he whispered in her ear before reclaiming her mouth. There was no doubt in her mind this man was her destiny. She’d never been this close to a man, and she wanted to give herself totally to him—mind, soul and body. But as much as she loved Sam Lewis, Lexa couldn’t cheapen what they had by making love with a man who wasn’t her husband. Deep down, passion aside, that’s what Sam wanted for them, too. It might be what they wanted in the heat of the moment, but it wasn’t God’s way.

  Ignoring the warning bells in her head, Lexa lost herself in the moment. Sam’s fingers flirted with the bottom edge of her thin cotton blouse. To his credit he was good, but if they kept this up, it was only a matter of time. The endearments he murmured under his breath were every bit as exciting. Heady. Dangerous.

  It seemed like the most natural thing in the world, but when Lexa felt her body rising in anticipation, she knew they must stop. Especially when Sam shifted his position, Lexa thought she’d go mad. This is dangerous, Lord, and we’ve got to stop. She didn’t want it to stop, but she shouldn’t have let it go this far. She needed to be the stronger one. As strong as Sam Lewis was, he was still a man with passion and physical desires.

  “Sam?” Summoning every last bit of courage, Lexa dragged her lips away from his long enough to gasp for air. “Sam . . .” Her fingers clasped over his, gently drawing his hand away.

  “Hmm?” His voice was distracted as he found a delicious new place to nuzzle where the base of her neck met her shoulder. Lexa’s eyes fluttered, and she inhaled a deep breath. When he started to withdraw his hand from hers, she held on tighter even though everything within her screamed to let his hand roam with abandon, wherever it desired. Sam wanted it, she wanted it.

  Lord, give me strength, she pleaded under her breath. “Sam, we’ve got . . . to stop.” She pushed against his chest with a gentle hand. “We’ve got to stop,” she repeated. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let it go this far. What we’re doing now is as dangerous as having that gun pointed at us tonight.”

  Sam stopped kissing the softest part of her neck and grazed her lips once more before releasing a low, guttural moan from somewhere deep in his throat. He collapsed on the ground beside her. Even though she’d never heard that particular sound before, Lexa knew without a doubt it was a groan of desire. Unfulfilled desire, but desire nonetheless. She wanted to groan, too. But they were right to stop.

  “Lexa,” Sam said, raising on one elbow as they lay side-by-side on the ground, “you are so beautiful in every way. And right now, every manly, earthly, lustful, sinful desire within me wants you more than I’ve ever wanted anything else in my entire life.” He leaned in close for another deep kiss. Groaning again, he struggled to a sitting position. “It’s also best if we stay upright. Safer that way. Rolling around in the dirt with you is fun, but it’s way too tempting.”

  She felt dazed. It would take a moment to recover her senses and see straight. He helped her reach a sitting position beside him. Seeing that several buttons on her cotton blouse had come undone, Sam reached for her with trembling hands. His eyes caressed her, making her shudder. She’d never felt this intense a physical response before, and it both thrilled and scared her. Lexa watched him, her eyes wide and full of emotion.

  “Are you buttoning . . . or unbuttoning them?” The night was so quiet and still. Surely he could hear how hard her heart pounded.

  “Against my every instinct, my every desire, but abiding by my better judgment,” Sam told her at length, closing his eyes as his fingers paused, “I am buttoning them for you. I love you too much to not button them.”

  Lexa watched in silence as this dear man opened his eyes and sat back to gaze upon her with a look all at once so loving and full of longing it made her heart stop. His adoration for her shone in every nuance of his face, his every movement, his every glance.

  “There will be a time for us. When it happens, in God’s timing, it will be spectacular, I have no doubt. But tonight,” he said, a faraway glaze in his eyes, “and really for the first time ever in my life, I can understand why Josh and Shelby were so tempted. I’m very sorry I put you in that position. It wasn’t fair to you.”

  She nodded. “Don’t be. I wanted it as much as you, trust me. But I’m sorry if I did something wrong, tempted you in some way.” She shot him a coy grin. “You were bound and determined to button my blouse tonight—one way or the other—weren’t you?”

  Sam laughed and pulled her close again. “You’re always tempting, Lexa. You’re like the peach pie cooling on the stove that can’t be sampled until Thanksgiving dinner. The wrapped present under the tree that can’t be opened until Christmas.”

  His sigh was deep and prolonged. “It was so tempting to throw caution to the wind, and make love to you tonight. Lord knows, that’s what I wanted. You and I are both adults. Undeniably hot-blooded, passionate adults,” he mumbled, shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair. Sam touched the side of her face in what was becoming a precious, sweet gesture. His fingers lingered as he held her gaze.

  “Even though I know God is watching, I like to think He understands our struggles. Above all, I want to honor Him by respecting you enough to keep you pure. I’ve never been intimate with a woman, and it will be you, but in God’s time. As hard as it is—and the Lord knows how difficult it is—I can wait.” He winked. “Hope it’s not too hard for you.”

  She smiled and laced her fingers through his. “Don’t flatter yourself. But you’re awfully hard to resist, Mr. Lewis. I appreciate your honesty.”

  Sam looked at her with a look of longing before shaking his head and letting his fingers drop back to his lap. “It’s a beautiful thing how God knew that man needed woman, and then gave us the ability to love, emotionally and physically.”

  “All in good time, Sam. All in good time,” Lexa promised with a soft smile, reaching with one finger to trace his lips.

  “Trust me, beautiful girl,” he told her, kissing her fingertips before leaning over to kiss her forehead, “it will definitely be well worth the wait, and God will honor our decision. Suddenly, though, this cowboy feels very old.” His grin was wry, those smile lines never more endearing.

  ~~**~~

  After leaving the mission and walking for the better part of a
n hour, they reached a convenience store where Sam called for a taxi. They rode in silence, and he dozed a little, leaning his head on her shoulder. She stroked his hair and closed her eyes, thanking the Lord for keeping them safe and praying for Sheila and Angelina.

  Even though they’d been up all night, as the dawn started to emerge on the horizon, they sat together at the camp, leaning against their special tree. “I pray Sheila and Angelina are all right.” Lexa rested her head against his strong shoulder. Her back was to him with his arms wrapped around her.

  “I know, baby. I know.” She closed her eyes as Sam prayed for safety for her roommate and her daughter, as well as for Howard. The night sky faded on the horizon as they enjoyed the quiet closeness without anyone else around.

  As she turned to face him, Sam smoothed Lexa’s hair away from her face and lightly kissed her cheek.

  “I’m sorry I was so sarcastic. It’s my instinctive reaction in times of stress, I suppose. Kind of a self-defense device. That and the history lessons.” They laughed together. Sam’s eyes searched hers for a long moment. “I’m so thankful you weren’t hurt. In case I haven’t told you lately, I love you, Lexa.”

  “I love you, too, Sam. More than you know.”

  He helped her reach a standing position, steadying her when she swayed a bit. Wrapping his hand around hers, they walked together toward the dorm and their uncertain future together, whatever it might bring.

  God had a definite plan in bringing the two of them together. The relationship with Sam was right, and while it wasn’t perfect, life didn’t get much better. As they walked, she squeezed Sam’s hand tight, releasing a long sigh of pure contentment.

  Chapter 44

  The night of the farewell party was beautiful, warm but with enough of a breeze to make it more bearable than in recent days. Lexa sat on her bed with the wrapped gifts for Sam beside her. The brown suede Indiana Jones-style hat was in the bigger box to be presented to him in front of the entire crew. Picking up the smaller box containing the watch, Lexa tucked it beneath her pillow for a later time. It was something to give Sam in private.