Could he tell her what she wanted to hear? He knew the answer immediately.
“I can’t do that.”
She stands up and walks over to him, sliding her hands around his waist. She pulls herself in tightly against his back.
“Which part?” she murmurs, savoring the feel of their bodies pressed against each other once again. It’s becoming addicting.
“Does it matter?”
“No. I just wanted to give you a hard time. I know you would never walk away from this. It goes against everything you are. That’s why I love you. Not because you won’t take me out of here, but because you’re going to stay here with me.”
He laughs and turns around to face her. He sighs at the absurdity of it as he tenderly runs the back of his index finger down the side of her face. “Guess that makes us a fool’s paradise, doesn’t it?”
He disengages reluctantly and nods toward the door.
“C’mon. Let’s go play soldier.”
«◊»
Chapter 7
Lulah got back from the market just in time to find Tiger getting dressed.
“Going somewhere?” she asked, concern in her voice. Had something happened that now put her family in immediate danger? Had he found a way out of his predicament? One that would, of course, take him away from her once again. One should’ve concerned her gravely; the other should’ve filled her with hope. Yet, strangely, she didn’t know what to feel.
“I’m going out,” Tiger replied flatly.
“Where?”
“Best you not know. Best you be able to honestly say you have no idea if someone were to come a’knockin’.”
“Helluva time to worry about it now.” She felt the fear and frustration bubble to the surface again. Damn him for reminding her of the danger he’d put her and her family in! With all the passionate and erotic feelings she’d been dealing with between him and the pheromone-soaked vixen, she’d actually gotten a respite from it.
“We gotta get outta here. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds out me and you were an item twenty years ago. Either they do a Brain Drain on Jocko … or …”
“Or?”
“Only one other person of relevance knows.”
An icy spear of cold fear stabbed right through her heart. “Cutter?” She fought hard not to let everything inside her suddenly flash across her face like a scrolling Time Square neon sign.
I had a torrid affair with the man who was once your best friend and is now a deadly criminal. I acted like a slut whore and put both our lives at risk! I’ve lived in fear for years that if you ever found out the truth, he’d kill you … or you’d go after him. And now he knows we’re back together! Can he take the risk that I’ll keep my mouth shut? Can I dare to hope there’s honor among thieves?
Tiger seemed not to have noticed she’d gone pale and weak-kneed. He continued, “I’m leaving Amber here with Tex for now. He’s a good man, ex-Texas Ranger. He knows how to take care of himself and others as well. I’ve done talked with him. He’s gonna hold the fort down here.”
“That means you’re headed into something pretty damned dangerous! Of course, you are. Where else would Tiger Thomas be heading? The church picnic?” The words dripped from her lips with palpable resentment, for what she meant to say was: Goddamn you! You’re leaving me again!
He ignored the tone in her voice. He had to. To give in to emotion could mean the death of all of them. He reached for the Spacefarer’s coat that Lulah had kept tucked away for decades in his old footlocker. It was a bit tighter now than it had been when he was in his twenties, but damn, it made him feel invincible, like a superhero’s cape. “If things go as I hope, I’ll call for Tex and Amber. Make sure they don’t tell you where they’re going. Again, the less you know, the safer you and your kids are.”
“Please tell me Cutter isn’t involved in this.” She had to sit down on the bed. She felt sick. She didn’t know why she was so stunned and upset. What did she think was going to happen? They’d all just play house in their little make-believe corner of the world while the rest of Huntsville tore itself apart looking for the little band of outlaws?
She just didn’t expect it so soon, she reckoned.
“No,” Tiger told her. “Again, I can’t tell you who’s involved.”
“I know!” She held up a hand. “Best I didn’t know!”
Tiger’s PDC went off. Tiger picked it up and looked at the number calling. A sarcastic smirk crossed his face as he held it up, showing it to Lulah.
Cutter!
“Speak of the devil!” He bit his lower lip thoughtfully, then looked back to her. “I reckon I’d better take this before he starts taking offense. If you’ll excuse me.”
***
“So … what’s going on?” Tiger asked as he closed the door to the bedroom behind him. In front of him, Cutter’s digital image hovered above Tiger’s PDC, bouncing slightly as Tiger moved toward the couch.
“You tell me,” Cutter cast an impish grin. “I didn’t know you and Lulah had gotten back together.”
“It was just one of those things that happened. We’re just friends still,” explained Tiger, feeling slightly awkward, although he didn’t know why. Maybe it was because he didn’t know if they had gotten back together or not. What had just happened? What did it mean?
“Yeah, looked to me like it happened pretty damned well, from what I saw,” chided Cutter.
“I don’t see that our private matters are any of your business,” Tiger replied, half-joking, yet half-serious. Once, Cutter had been a close friend and brother pilot. Back then, he would’ve trusted him with his life, but that’d been years ago. Too much had changed. As much as he wanted to believe deep down Cutter was still the man he once knew, his gut told him differently. His gut was rarely wrong.
“Hey, man, I’m
