Chapter 2

Mickela & Egan

Egan rolls to the side and quickly wakes rolling himself back before he falls. Rubbing his face he sighs and stretches. The night before comes to mind and the reason he's sleeping on the sofa.

His eyes drew her in. Shades of green and blue. She smiled at the sound of her name on his voice. Deep and honeyed. Her eyes glanced down at his mouth. She ached to know the taste of his kiss, the feel of his touch. She stepped closer to him. Closed her eyes as he dipped his head to kiss her. She could feel his hand warm and gentle on her shoulder. "Mickela…"

"Mickela…" The sound of her name again. This time a little louder. More clear as she felt him nudge her shoulder again and she roused awake from her dream. Her eyes fluttered open to see Egan leaning over her. A cold wet nose nudged her hand. She looked over to see the dog also trying to wake her. "Okay, Mutt," She grinned sleepily. "I’m up."

The scent of food in the air hit her senses and Mickela was immediately hungry. She rubbed her face then sat up slowly. The ache and pulling as she moved reminded her of her wounds but she kept her sounds of discomfort to a minimum as best she could. She managed to sit up and grins softly at her host. "You made breakfast?"

Seeing her wake he thought she was quite beautiful. Women didn't really take an interest in him though. He liked things calm and quiet. They weren't interested in just sitting by the fire. Literally just sitting. That smile and her tussled hair he couldn't help think what it would be like to wake next to her. Clearing his thoughts along with his throat he returned the grin. "Yeah, I didn't know what you like so I just went with old favorites." He waited till she was settled then set the tray across her lap and picked up his glass and plate

His hand brushed her thigh as he slid the tray onto her lap. A warmth of electricity spread through her. The brief touch only served to heighten the attraction she already had for him. But Egan was apparently a quiet man of solitude. Not exactly the type to find interest in a woman with a job like hers.

She glanced down at the food he'd made for her. "Thank you, Egan," She smiled. "It looks really good. Where'd you learn to cook?"

He grinned shyly not used to thanks and compliments. "I learned as a boy cooking with my mum. Then out of necessity when you live alone."

Mickela took a bite of the eggs then nibbled on a piece of bacon. Rain still poured down outside the window. "I don't suppose the flooding has let up?"

As she ate, she tried to think of her next move. Because of the flooding, being seen by a doctor would likely have to wait. "I need to go back to the cabin for my service weapon and to check for any clues on who the assailant is. Do you have a map of the area? I'm not exactly sure how far my cabin is from here. I walked for a while in a bit of a haze."

Her service weapon? Egan realized she meant her gun. Nodding as he swallowed his bite and took a sip of juice. "I have a map. If you were staying at the resort I know where that is. You walked a long distance though the woods, about eight miles.

She nodded. "Yeah, the Orpheus. I was in one of the small cabins on the edge of the property. Would you give me a ride out there...after breakfast?" Mickela glanced at him occasionally as he ate. She had a passing desire to trace her fingertips through his hair. It had to be as soft as it looked. Though she was in no hurry to leave, she was wounded and had to find the man who'd tried to kill her.

Egan was never one big on emotion. In truth there wasn't any one around to stimulate any. Except Mutt. Concern for her and her safety were in his expression without him knowing what he was showing. "Are you sure you're able to move about that much? It's gonna be a bumpy ride. And do you think it's safe to go back?"

As she started to answer, a loud knock on the front door echoed down the hall. It was followed by another. She looked at Egan. He seemed to be looking in the direction of the knock as curiously as she was. When he glanced back at her, she caught his gaze. "I don't suppose you were expecting anyone?"

He gave her a shy grin. "I'm not one for much company."

The man eyed Egan looking passed him into the house. "I'm with local law enforcement. We're looking for a woman, short, dark hair. Have you seen her?"

Egan eyed him as he had. "No, mate no one here but me and Mutt."

The man wasn't going to except that even if the man seemed cool and calm. "No one came by asked to use a phone?"

"I don't have a phone....Officer. My tucker is getting cold, have a g'day. "

As Egan started to close the door the man stopped it with his hand. "Do you mind if I search in side?"

Mickela grinned softly. She was used to dangerous situations, but she appreciated the concern and comfort he offered. She loosened her grip on the knife she held in her hand then set it back on the tray with the other silverware. "Thanks. Not someone you know, I take it. What did he want?"

Egan gave her that shy grin again. "No, I've never seen him before. Claimed to be a police officer looking for a fugitive. A short dark haired woman."

She grinned softly. "Well he got my description right." Her mind reeled with possibilities. She knew her instincts and she trusted them. This wasn't a random attack. It could be anything, but her most recent case came into mind. She exhaled and glanced at Egan. "What did he look like?"

Thinking a moment he described him. "Maybe an inch or two taller than me. Shaved head, shiny no hair at all. Large features with a bump to the bridge of his nose. Like he'd broken it and it didn't heal proper. Brawny but not really muscular just ...big. Does that sound like who might have attacked you?"

Mickela sighed and nodded. His shaved head was the one thing remembered. It was an obvious feature. "Yes. I think I might know who it is." She searched her memory for the name. All the men in the gallery she'd spoken to. His face came into view. She remembered the bandage he had across the bridge of his nose at the time she'd spoken to him. "Michael...Michael Lott. I was working on a case involving forgeries of artwork. Paintings in particular. I'd just started the investigation. Done a lot of questioning. I um...there was a death in my family. So the case was handed off and I was sent of 'vacation'." She sighed and shook her head gently. Glanced up at him and wondered why she was sharing personal information. She cleared the thoughts and tried to refocus. "He'll probably be back."

Mickela pulled the blanket off of her lap. Swung her legs off the bed and reached for the dresser to brace herself as she stood. "I've got to get back to the cabin and alert the local authorities."

Standing Egan gently placed his hand at her elbow to brace her. "But you're not strong enough to make a trek to town. He was on an ATV which means the roads are to flooded for vehicles."

She sighed and tried to think. "It's not going to be safe to stay here. His suspicions led him here. he'll be back. He'll wait until dark and possibly bring someone with him." Mickela simply wasn't strong enough yet to successfully fend off an attack. "Do you know of any other place we could wait out the storm?"

Egan licked his lips and nodded. "Do you think you can ride?"

"Ride? Horses? I haven't been on one since I was five, but I can manage." She had no fear of horses or her lack of riding skills. It was the strength in her body that wasn't fully regenerated yet. "How far do we have to go?"

He thought for a moment. "Just a few miles south of the cabin you were staying. We can cut through the forest and stop there then go on down. If he asks questions, I would be leaving soon to go down there."

She nodded. "Alright." Mickela looked out the window at the rain. It wasn't as bad as it was yesterday, but it wasn't lightening up either. She looked back at Egan. "We should leave soon. While there's a lull in the storm."

Nodding he looked down at her bare legs. Then quickly looked back up. "Um... Your clothes are hanging in the washroom. They should be dry by now anyway." A soft blush rose in his cheeks as he placed a hand on the small of her back to steady her as she walked to the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom Mickela filled the sink with warm water and washed off, careful of her wounds. She couldn’t resist washing her hair. It could have waited until later. But she felt once better once she was clean and no longer smelled of stale blood, rainwater, and wet forest. She pulled on her jeans and her shoes. She left on his shirt. Hers was no longer in a condition to be worn. Mickela finished towel-drying her hair then spread a bit of toothpaste on her finger to clean her teeth. Not the most hygienic way to do it, but it was better than nothing. Finally feeling a bit more herself, she combed her fingers through her hair and stepped out of the bathroom to find Egan.

Egan was in the kitchen filling a sack with enough food stuffs to get them through the next couple of days. He wasn't sure she would be happy about the place. But it was all he had and no one would be able to find them out there. Tying the sack he turned and saw her. Seeing her standing there in the jeans cleaning to all the right places on her body he had to clear his throat to shake the thought that passed though his mind. "I've got more supplies down at the cabin. This should get us by for three days if we need."

Egan pulled out two horses and saddled them wondering if she could handle the ride. Not much choice though his truck wasn't going to get them there. After loading the horses down with the supplies he waved her over. There was no way she could mount the large horse on her own at the moment. "Let me help you up." When she put one foot in the stirrup he gently lifted her up to the saddle. Egan felt the heat flow back into his face as he touched her. When he told her he wasn't much for company that was an understatement. Egan didn't keep to people at all.

Mickela nodded softly as she settled in the horse to try and find her balance. She followed him in the direction of her cabin. It took some time, but she managed to find a comfortable pace even though the rain continued to pour over the parkas they wore. Once her cabin came into sight, they paused. A feeling in her gut alerted her senses. She glanced around the area and through the windows of the darkened cabin. "I saw movement," She said quietly. Her assailant was waiting in ambush in case she returned. "We should go." When he nodded, they turned their horses and quietly headed further in the direction of his cabin.

Mickela watched Egan go outside. The door closed behind him and she grinned softly and shook her head. Somehow, he had her thoughts going other places beside the hole going through her side. She picked up the clothes he’d placed beside her. As she slipped them on, she checked her wounds. She couldn’t see the one on her back, but there was no sign of blood seeping through either bandage. A sigh of relief fell from her chest as she settled onto the far end of the sofa closest to the fireplace. She wrapped the blanket around her. Once the heat from the fire stopped her shivering, her body relaxed and her eyes fell heavy with sleep.

After tending the animals and washing the mud off himself and Mutt with a basin of rain water Egan eagerly walked back into the warm cabin. The wonderful heat of the fire had hit him opening the door. Walking in his eyes fell right to Mickela sleeping. He smiled softly and walked over to the dresser pulling out some dry clothes for himself. He tried to be quiet as he changed. Peeling off the wet pieces of cloth with a sucking noise to drop them softly in a bucket before toweling off.