Silent Fall

expect in return?
    Too much, probably. She’d want everything. And he couldn’t offer her that. He was broken inside. He didn’t admit that often, not even to himself, but Catherine deserved a whole man, one who hadn’t been damaged by his past. She deserved that. She’d had it rough herself, and although he didn’t know the extent of her pain, he knew it ran deep.
    The next few minutes flew by in silence. He had no words at the moment, and apparently neither did she. They were running for their lives from an enemy they couldn’t name. He’d always been able to name the bad guy in every story that he’d covered, from wars to kidnappings to murders, but this time was different.
    The problem was, he had no idea how to identify the people in the game, and the farther away he ran, the farther he got from all the players. But he was afraid to stop. So one mile ran into another. He hoped that with distance would come clarity and a chance to regroup and make a plan that would put them on the offensive. Unfortunately the gas gauge on the car told him he was running on empty. He took the next exit. The last thing he wanted to do was run out of gas and end up stranded on the side of the highway.
    "Why are you getting off?" Catherine asked in alarm, darting a quick look over her shoulder.
    "We’re almost out of gas. I haven’t seen any sign of the truck in the last hour. I think we lost him at the bridge."
    "Are you sure?"
    The need in her eyes demanded only one response. "I’m sure. It will be okay, Catherine. We’re safe now."
    "I know you’re humoring me."
    "I expected you would," he said with a weary smile.
    "Where are we?"
    "Sonoma County, wine country. I saw a sign for Cloverdale, so we’re about an hour or so north of San Francisco."
    Dylan pulled into a gas station and turned off the car. His pulse quickened as he opened the door. In the next few minutes they would be extremely vulnerable to any other cars entering the station. He hoped he’d truly lost their tail.
    He got out of the car, headed over to the cashier in the minimart, and laid down two twenties. Returning to the car, he inserted the hose into the tank and drew in a deep breath as he gathered himself together. Adrenaline still ran rampant through his body, making it difficult for him to focus. But that was what he needed to do -- concentrate and think of a way to save them both.
    While the gas was pumping he grabbed the window wiper and walked around to Catherine’s side of the car. He scraped away the remaining pieces of glass from the window frame, careful not to get them on her.
    "If you hadn’t told me to get down, I could have been killed," she said, drawing his gaze to her thankful blue eyes.
    "But you got down, and you’re all right," he told her, sensing that she needed the confirmation.
    "Because of you." She paused. "You’re bleeding."
    He glanced down at his arm. "Just a scratch from the glass."
    "You were lucky the bullet didn’t hit you."
    "I know."
    "If you hadn’t taken charge I’d probably still be huddled in the hallway of your grandmother’s house, not knowing what to do."
    "I doubt that. You were already getting your purse, looking for an escape route. You like to sell yourself short, but I’ve seen you in action. I know you’ve got guts."
    She gave him a watery smile. "You’re being really nice to me."
    "Well, don’t thank me by crying," he said sharply. "I hate it when women cry."
    She shook her head, blinking back her tears. "I never cry. I’m a tough girl."
    "You are definitely that." He leaned in the window and kissed her on the lips, thinking he was doing it for her, to give her comfort, to make her feel better, but in truth he was the one who needed the connection, who needed her power, her strength -- the strength she so often didn’t see in herself. Her lips were soft and sweet under his. He forced himself to pull away, battling a desire to forget about everything and just lose himself in her kiss for the next few hours, days, or weeks.
    "I think it’s done -- the gas," Catherine said, interrupting his thoughts.
    He started, realizing he’d been staring at her like an idiot. "Right." Moving back around the car, he took out the hose and replaced the cap. Before returning to the car he took another look around, not seeing any sign of the truck. He opened the door and slid behind the wheel.
    "Where are we