A sinking feeling settled in her gut and she took the stairs two at a time. From the sound of their conversation, Sierra wasn’t a casual acquaintance. What if Hunter was another cheating bastard?
No. Not possible. Hunter Cross might be a controlling army ranger today, but on Saturday night, he’d been a gentleman.
Still, that didn’t explain Sierra.
Maggie reached the second floor and paused. She had to confront him. But she’d wait until tomorrow. He could find his way to the guest room or crash on the couch, but after all that had happened this evening, she needed a break from the man who threatened to send her life—her career, her emotions, everything—out of control.
9
HUNTER SANK INTO the desk chair and closed his eyes. In front of him sat Maggie’s computer. Now would be the perfect time to do a little recon, maybe take a peek at the notes she’d typed up and see how much she knew about the snafu that had left him with a bullet in his shoulder. But he couldn’t take his mind off his conversation with Sierra.
How could she walk away from rehab when only a few months ago she’d nearly died from an overdose? She’d been damn lucky he’d been stateside when her boyfriend of the week had called him to say Sierra was unconscious. He’d rushed over to his sister’s apartment and found her alone. The bastard boyfriend hadn’t even waited around for him to show up and take her to the hospital.
The helpless fear he’d experienced sitting at her bedside came rushing back, and he pushed it away. He didn’t do helpless. Sierra needed to stay in rehab. Whatever it took, he’d do it.
Hunter drew a deep breath, but the air inside Maggie’s study felt hot and stifling. Fresh air. That’s what he needed now. A long walk. Then when he got back to the house, after Maggie had fallen asleep, he could snoop around her computer and focus on the job he was getting paid to do before crashing in her guest room.
He stood and left the study, pocketing his phone. After poking his head into the kitchen and finding it empty, he went to the base of the stairs. “Maggie?”
“Yes?” She sounded distant. Hell, in this house she could be half a mile away. But then he heard footsteps and a second later she appeared at the top of the stairs. She offered a forced smile. Her hair hung loose, the soft curls grazing her shoulders. Had she been in bed? His body instantly responded, while his mind silently chastised him. Don’t go there.
“I’m going out for a walk,” he called up to her. “I need some fresh air. Those pain pills...they’re really getting to me. No need to wait up.”
Maggie nodded. “Okay. The guest room is the first door on the right past the living room. The sheets on the bed should be clean. I didn’t get a chance to check them, but—”
“Any sheets work for me. I won’t be long. And I won’t disturb you when I come back in. Good night.”
He turned toward the front door.
“Oh, and Hunter?” she called after him.
Hand on the knob, he looked back up the stairs. Maggie bit her lip as if she wasn’t sure she should have called him back.
“Please lock up when you come inside.”
“Will do.” He watched her disappear down the dark hall, wondering if she was just tired or disappointed with their first day of interviews. She’d probably hoped he’d spill his guts over dinner. Not going to happen, tonight or any other night. Talking to Sierra had served as a wake-up call. He needed to follow his orders and get his pay raise. His sister’s recovery and her future hung in the balance. This wasn’t just about him. Sierra needed him.
He stepped out into the warm summer night and checked his watch. Nearly 2100 hours and the sun still hovered above the horizon. A cool breeze drifted past and he decided to head into the light wind. He had a hunch he’d find the Hudson River beyond Maggie’s manicured fields.
As he walked, he ran through the numbers in his head. His checking account currently held about two thousand, and Sierra needed every penny to pay for another month in rehab. If he didn’t spend a dime between now and his next paycheck, he could swing it. Barely. But if the doctors demanded Sierra stay at the clinic for another month? He’d better be back on active duty. He needed the extra parachute duty pay. And to earn that, he had to complete parachute jumps even if his shoulder protested.
Hunter picked up the pace, trying to burn off his frustration with movement. Rehab better work this time. If Sierra started using again when she got out, he didn’t know what he’d do. Come up with the money somehow.
He heard the sound of the water before he saw the riverbank. In the fading light, he spotted a few boats floating downstream. A fence stood about fifty paces away and then the hill dropped off sharply. Railroad tracks crossed below, running parallel to the river. With a little more light, or his night vision equipment, he’d be able to see across to the other side. But tonight, the moon didn’t shine brightly enough to make out anything beyond the center of the Hudson.
Not even with the extra couple of hundred a month in jump pay could he ever dream of living in a place like this. Waterfront property would forever be out of his reach unless he wanted to live by a swamp—or he hooked up long-term with a woman like Maggie.
Not going to happen, he thought, closing his eyes. The Rangers were more than a job; they were his life. And it was a life that didn’t have a place for a relationship with Little Miss Maggie, at least not the boyfriend/girlfriend kind.
Turning away from the river, Hunter stared at the massive brick house in the distance. It didn’t matter who Maggie was to him or how much he wanted to see her naked again. He needed to put an end to this mission and get back to his life. Sierra needed him. His team needed him. And Maggie didn’t. She’d made that perfectly clear when she’d walked out Saturday night. She’d been looking for a way to expand her sexual horizons and get over her ex.
Part of him wanted to be her go-to guy for sexual fantasies. What they’d done Saturday night had been the tip of the iceberg. Seeing her at work and learning what she’d gone through as a child, he had a better understanding of why she wanted to relinquish her control in the bedroom. He wanted to be the one who set her free from her responsibilities. Hell, he wanted to be the guy who bound her to the bedpost and gave her orgasm after sweet orgasm.
But he couldn’t do that. Not while they were working together.
Hunter shook his head and headed for the house. It was time to get to work. He quickly retraced his steps and slipped in the main entrance, turning the lock behind him. Moving as silently as an intruder just in case Maggie hadn’t fallen asleep yet, Hunter made his way down the hall to her study. He opened the door and slipped into the dark, empty room. Without turning on a light, he crossed to the desk and slid into the c
hair.