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forgot the charger.”
    “I’m not sure.” He wasn’t about to offer her his. A phone would not be a good idea. He would have to find a way to make certain whatever phone existed suddenly became unavailable or completely out of service. It was imperative he become her only link to freedom.
     

Chapter Four

    Makayla shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat. With the clear sky and bright sun shining above, the temperature had risen several degrees outside, not to mention inside the cars interior. Ryan noticed her fidgeting right away and reached over to switch the heater off, sending her an apologetic smile.
    “Thank you,” she said before turning to watch the scenery fly by. Another act of kindness from a stranger. A man no less. Would wonders ever cease?
    They cleared a curve and the water tower for Goldfield came into view. Small didn’t describe the town. Non-existent would be a much better word. Two roads crossed, one paved with a nice yellow stripe down the middle and the other a dirt path. You couldn’t even call it a road. The gas station sat on the opposite corner of the town like a mirage and she blinked, rubbed her eyes, and blinked again to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Just how clean were the restrooms?
    “I’ll check them out first if you’d like.” They pulled to a stop in front of one of the two gas pumps and he opened his door.
    He’d read her mind. “No. That’s all right. I’ve pretty much seen it all. After our so-called honeymoon out in the middle of the Louisiana swampland, I’ve learned to carry my own paper and hand wipes.” She felt the skin of her cheeks burn as the color rushed in. Oh, dear. That was a little too personal.
    He being a man, and apparently void of ties to the female species, didn’t get her meaning. “Paper?”
    Bright red now, Makayla searched for words to explain. “Sometimes people are not considerate. They don’t always have toilet paper available.” If she really wanted to shock the daylights out of him, she could mention hovering and drip-drying. But just thinking about saying it and the reaction she might get made her blush even more. It also reminded her that this man was a stranger.
    When a good amount of the embarrassment dissipated, she raised her head to meet his deep blue gaze, hoping her meaning would click. His raised brow said it all. Comprehension flickered from his eyes to his mouth and he smiled sheepishly.
    “Sheesh,” he said under his breath before easing his large frame out of the car and removing his coat. She couldn’t help but grin too. A sister or live-in girlfriend must not have been in the cards for him. With this thought came a whole rush of problems that might arise if they continued the trip much farther together. Another reason this wasn’t a good idea.
    Ryan draped the coat over the seat and shook his head. Then he closed the door without another word, straightening his broad shoulders as he confidently walked toward the screen door of the old wooden building.
    Makayla realized she was staring, but for the life of her couldn’t tear her gaze away or stop herself from wondering what made this man tick. Halfway to the building, he tucked his hands into the pocket of his jeans, the muscles of his arms and back flexing through the thin cotton material of his button down shirt and darned if the most illogical thoughts didn’t start floating through her head.
    She swallowed back the knot building at the base of her throat. All her life, she’d dreamed of having someone, a male someone, protect her, hold her, tell her things would be okay. Not having a father growing up had messed with her head. She’d missed feeling secure and loved on some kind of level her mom just couldn’t provide.
    Good grief. What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she learned her lesson with Steven? She’d overlooked dangerous signs, major flaws in his character, in order to find that security.
    She couldn’t afford to let her guard down and let