Serving Trouble (Second Shot 1)

“He thought you were trying to save the trees,” he said. “But Josh is a good guy. He just thought it sounded a little nuts when you claimed someone was after you.”

“Dustin wants revenge,” she said simply. “He thinks you stole a lot from him.”

“He took a helluva lot more from you,” he said. “I remember, Caroline. Shit, I got up every night to walk you to the bathroom and make sure he wouldn’t find you alone in the dark again and take what he wanted even if you made it clear you weren’t interested. If Dustin shows up here, I’m going to start throwing punches before he says a word. Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to hit him when he tossed out those degrading commands? Every damn time he ordered you to his bed in front of the guys, laughing it off a second later like it was one big joke?”

“I know,” she said.

“If he shows ups here—­”

“Noah?” Josie’s voice came from the open doorway and he heard the sound of her shoes clicking on the barn’s cement floor. What the hell was she doing in heels in his freaking barn?

Breathing life into my fantasies . . . Another ride on the bull. . .

But they had an audience and Josie was wearing the office-­ready dress she’d worn for her first shift at the bar.

“I heard your voice,” Josie said. She came to a halt and looked past him. The sunlight formed a halo around her as she slowly raised her hands, palms up in a show of surrender.

“And you must be Caroline,” she added, looking past him. “Please don’t shoot.”

Chapter Six

AS A RULE, Josie usually forgot to feel fear until it was too late. Her ex-­boyfriend had towered over her, her cheek still stinging from the smack of his palm, and she’d thought, I’m going to kick the shit out of him. The fear hadn’t seeped in until after Noah had chased him away.

But staring down a wild-­haired woman sporting a wood-­nymph-­meets–GI Jane look, complete with the gun pointed at her, and Josie’s fear rose fast and furious. Her heart pounded and she couldn’t for the life of her tell if she was still breathing.

“You can put the gun down,” Josie said. “I work for Noah. The assistant manager at Big Buck’s.” Oh, she was definitely landing a promotion out of this mess. “We’re going to Portland to—­”

“Caroline,” Noah said, his voice surprisingly calm as he stepped in front of the gun-­wielding woman he’d spent the past five nights searching for in the woods. “Put the gun down.”

She stopped breathing this time. No question about it. Every muscle in her body begged to move, run in front of Noah, save him—­and stay frozen all at the same time. It felt as if her brain had gone haywire and started sending out mixed signals. Go! Stay! Save Noah!

“Please, Caroline,” he added.

Ms. Crazy-­Hair GI Jane lowered her arms and tucked the gun into the waist of her cargo pants. But she didn’t offer a sorry, I forgot I wasn’t supposed to shoot Noah’s employees in his barn.

Of course, if Josie had gone to war and been attacked by the good guys, she’d probably keep a gun or two in her pants as well. She’d heard enough while walking up to the barn to piece together why Caroline had come looking for Noah. He’d been Caroline’s hero when she needed one most.

Welcome to the club, GI Jane.

Josie looked past Caroline to the mechanical bull. The last time she’d seen that bull, it had been wearing her dress and spinning to a slow, sensual beat while she lay naked on the padding below. And Noah had just walked out the door to greet her brother . . .

Did Caroline belong to the naked-­bull-­riding-­with-­Noah club too? He would jump to a woman’s defense even if she wasn’t his. But she’d also bet the marine looked pretty with her hair brushed. Pretty and kind of like Josie’s more athletic twin in a strange way.

Not that it mattered. Noah wasn’t hers. And from the sounds of it, Caroline had much bigger problems than whether Noah wanted to take her for a naked ride, on his bull or anywhere else. Problems Caroline had delivered straight to Noah’s doorstep.

“I need to go to this meeting,” he said to Caroline. “But I’d like you to stay. My dad’s up at the house. I’ll take you up and introduce you before I head out. And we’ll lock up that gun.”

Caroline pushed her hair out of her face. “I’d love a shower. But I need—­”

“You’ll get the gun back,” he promised. “But tonight. After we’ve had a chance to talk and determine your next step.”

Caroline let out a brittle laugh. “I’ve just been trying to get from one day to the next and not burn through all the money my sister gave me too fast.”

“Take a shower, rest, and we’ll talk,” Noah said as he walked over and picked up her backpack. He let her keep the gun, Josie noted as they headed past her. She followed them out into the parking area.

“Josie, wait here. I’ll be right back,” Noah said, glancing at her over his shoulder.

She nodded and turned to her car. Her heart rate had slowed after Caroline lowered the gun, but it wasn’t anywhere close to normal. Not yet. She’d landed herself in stupid situations before. But a gun pointed at her? That was a first.