The headlights grew brighter as the vehicle moved down the street toward the man on the phone. Quinn tensed, ready spring out and fight if these guys found him.

  The sound of a car door opening reached his ears. Then a curt tone. “It’s about time. I last tracked her at the lakefront.”

  A car door slammed, and the vehicle rolled away.

  Quinn scrambled around to the front of the truck to stare at the vehicle moving down the street. He only caught the first two letters of the license plate, AG. The make and model of the car were impossible to pinpoint.

  They were heading to the lakefront. He leaped up, intending to follow.

  “Quinn?” Sami’s voice came from the general direction the car had taken.

  “What are you doing out here?” He stared in surprise as she ran down the street toward him.

  “I saw this guy walking past the motel talking on his phone. I decided to follow him.” Her gaze was difficult to read in the darkness. “They’re heading to the lakefront.”

  “I know, let’s go.” As they ran, he took out his phone and powered it up, wishing he hadn’t shut it off earlier. They couldn’t confront these guys without having backup.

  He was about to dial 911 to report the vehicle and the two letters he’d gotten off the plate when another pair of headlights slashed through the darkness. He and Sami were on the sidewalk, well off the road, but the lights grew brighter at an alarming rate of speed. And they were heading straight toward them.

  The gunmen?

  “Look out!” He snagged Sami’s arm and pulled her off the sidewalk and across the front lawn of a nearby home. Without hesitation, he ducked between two houses, cutting through to the backyards. He didn’t stop there but kept going, across the road and between two more houses.

  Once they’d gone several blocks in the opposite direction of where the motel and the lakefront were located, he slowed to walk. He and Sami were both breathing heavily from their mad dash, but he intended to keep moving, taking whatever shortcuts they could.

  “Was that the gunmen? If so, how did they know to turn around?” Sami asked between gasping breaths.

  “They saw one of us, or maybe both of us.” He shook his head, sharing her frustration. “Either way, we can’t stay here, Sami. And I’m concerned about heading back down to the marina for the Malibu too.”

  “It’s our only ride,” she protested. “We can’t protect ourselves or investigate this case on foot. We need to be able to get from one place to another.”

  “What case?” The annoyed question left his mouth before he could prevent it. “Never mind, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

  “No, you’re right to be upset.” She sounded exhausted. “I’m likely working a case undercover, but without knowing any of the players, not to mention what crime I’m trying to prevent.”

  He caught her hand and stopped, turning her so they faced each other. There were no streetlights in this neighborhood, but some of the homes had lights on, providing just enough ambient light for him to see her features. “We’re going to get through this, Sami. Together.”

  “I want to believe that,” she whispered.

  “Have faith,” he murmured, pulling her close. He hugged her, needing the physical contact in the face of the nonstop danger. “I’ll call my brother, Colin. He offered to help, and I’m sure he’ll give us a lift. Maybe it’s time to get away from the lakefront for a while. And on the bright side, the gunmen can’t track us anymore.”

  “Your brothers are incredible. It’s nice to have someone to count on in times like this.”

  “They are.” He pulled out his phone to make the call. Colin sounded half asleep, but he didn’t hesitate to drive out to meet them. Thankfully, he still had the rental SUV, which would help provide anonymity.

  “He’ll be here in fifteen to twenty minutes.” He slid his phone back into his pocket. “Come on, we’ll need to keep moving, just in case.”

  “Okay.” Sami sounded uncharacteristically subdued. He was concerned her headache was growing worse. He preferred her spunky, take-no-prisoners attitude.

  “Are you okay? It would be best if we kept moving.”

  “Sure.” Her one-word answers were even more worrisome.

  “This way.” He tugged on her hand, guiding her toward a bright sign in the distance. As they grew closer, he noticed it was a gas station/convenience store.

  The area around the gas pumps was brightly lit, so he gestured to the back of the building. “We’ll wait over here.”

  Sami nodded and leaned against the side of the building. She massaged her temple but didn’t voice a complaint. He quickly called Colin. “Hey, we’re at a gas station/convenience store called Lucky Lou’s.”

  “I’ll find it,” Collin assured him. “According to the GPS, I’m still a solid fifteen minutes away.”

  “No problem.” He disconnected from the call and stood alongside the wall by Sami. “We’ll get you some rest soon.”

  “My headache is getting worse,” she confided. “I really intended to sleep, but when I saw that guy, my instincts told me he was up to no good.”

  “You have amazing instincts.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and urged her closer. “Lean on me.”

  That she did so without hesitation was cause for concern. Sami turned in his arms, resting her head in the hollow of his shoulder. “I don’t know why I’m so tired . . .”

  “Hey, running from the bad guys is enough to drain anyone, and you’ve been suffering a concussion combined with amnesia.” He kissed her temple, ignoring the flash of desire longing for more.

  “I hate feeling weak.”

  “Sami, cut yourself some slack, okay? You are one of the strongest women I know.” He ran his hand down her back.

  She rested against him for several long minutes before lifting her head to look up at him. “I must have been nuts to have walked away from you, Quinn.”

  It wasn’t easy to make light of their devastating breakup, at least on his side, but he did his best. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll remember all of my annoying faults soon enough.”

  She stared up at him, but he couldn’t read her expression in the darkness. “Unless I caught you cheating with my best friend, I can’t imagine why I’d leave you.”

  “I didn’t cheat.” The words came out sharper than he intended. Why was he defending himself to a woman who’d left him? “Really, Sami, don’t worry about that now. We need to stay focused on the gunmen threatening you.”

  Her brow furrowed. “I can’t help but think about you, our failed relationship, and the gunmen. There doesn’t seem to be a logical explanation for any of it.”

  He wanted to assure her there was, but the answers would only be revealed once her memory returned.

  Not if it returned, but when. He was more convinced than ever she’d remember more once she was given more time to rest and recover.

  “Quinn?” Her tentative tone made him look down on her. Without warning, she went up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

  A real kiss, not the pretend one they’d shared back in Shady Lane to avoid being recognized. The feelings he thought were long buried boiled up to the surface.

  This. He wanted her, more than ever. He hauled her close and kissed her back, wishing for the first time that her memory wouldn’t return.

  Maybe this time, Sami would fall in love with him again, and they could have the future they’d once dreamed about.

  One in which they were together again.

  Chapter Eleven

  The heat of Quinn’s kiss made stars explode in the darkness of her mind. Clutching him close, she reveled in his embrace. Being held in Quinn’s arms as he kissed her as if his life depended on it felt like coming home.

  When he broke off the kiss, she wanted to cry out in protest. But she forced herself to wrestle her emotions under control. Her visceral response proved her feelings for him were not dead and buried.

  Yet she’d returned his ring and walked away from him. Had moved across the country to Los Angeles, California.

  Why?

  The confounding question had no answer. Her pulse beat rapidly in her chest, as if she’d run a mile rather than spent a few minutes in Quinn’s arms.

  “I—uh, that was amazing.” Lifting her head, she met his dark gaze. “Being with you feels right, Quinn.”

  “Yeah, well, that might change once your memory returns.” His wry tone made her frown. “Kissing me didn’t bring back your memories of our time together, did it?”

  “No.” His question had her stepping back, gathering her strength to stand on her own two feet. Was that the reason behind their sizzling embrace? Just the thought of Quinn kissing her to spark memories made her angry. She was about to snap at him but caught herself.

  This wasn’t his fault. She’d instigated the kiss, not him.

  She put a hand to her head, massaging her temple. The nagging headache just would not go away. How long before Colin arrived? Having a Finnegan sibling as a buffer between them suddenly seemed like a good idea.

  As if in answer to her prayers, headlights brightened as a car pulled into the parking lot of the gas station.

  “Stay here.” Quinn’s voice was a low whisper. “I wasn’t expecting him this early. I need to be sure it’s Colin.”

  She nodded, moving to the side to give him room to edge along the back of the building. The headlights went off, leaving them in darkness. Holding her breath, she waited for Quinn to verify their ride.

  “Coast is clear, Sami. Let’s go.”

  She quickly followed Quinn to the SUV. He slid in beside his brother, leaving her to take the back seat.

  “How did you get here so fast?” Quinn asked as Colin flicked on the headlights and turned around in the parking lot.

  “No traffic.” Colin grinned. “Besides, firefighters like to drive fast.”

  “Except being in a car and exceeding the speed limit is a good way to get stopped by the cops,” Quinn shot back.

  Colin shrugged. “It was worth the risk.” His gaze found hers in the rearview mirror. “What happened to you two anyway?”

  “Long story.” Quinn sighed. “We discovered a tracking device in a small wad of cash that Sami was carrying since she’d landed in the water after her boat engine exploded. We ditched it but haven’t dared return to the boat we’d been using.”

  Colin whistled. “Not good. But you’re safe now, right?”

  “Hopefully,” Sami said. “But without my memory returning in full, I still have no idea who the bad guy is and why he’s coming after me.”

  “I’m sorry to hear your memory hasn’t returned, Sami.” Colin’s friendly tone was a welcome surprise. Did this mean he finally believed her? “Okay, Quinn, where do you want me to go?”

  “Drop us at the American Lodge for now,” Quinn said. When Colin groaned, he added, “I know that’s backtracking and out of your way, but we need time to rest and regroup. That’s our best chance of getting Sami’s memory to return.”

  “It’s fine,” Colin quickly assured him. “I’m happy to help. And I know Gary won’t mind either.”

  “Gary?” Sami echoed. “Do I know this guy too?”

  “No, Gary is a retired firefighter; he opened the American Lodge several years ago after he was injured in the line of duty,” Quinn explained. “Rhy and Tarin know him fairly well, as do our cousins the Callahans.”

  “Callahans?” That name didn’t sound familiar either. Her frustration with her foggy brain grew more acute by the second. “Did I meet them?”

  “No, we just learned about them a few months ago, well, back in January.” Quinn tossed a reassuring smile over his shoulder from the passenger seat. “Elly did a DNA test and began creating our family tree. Maddy Callahan did the same thing. Apparently, both sets of DNA revealed the family connection.”

  “Nice.” She swallowed a surge of impatience. The idle chitchat about cousins and family shouldn’t annoy her. It wasn’t as if she could remember anything useful to continue their investigation.

  Taking a deep breath, Sami forced herself to relax. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind. The snippets of memory were encouraging. Quinn was right about the need for her to get some rest.

  That seemed to be the only thing that had worked so far.

  It still smarted to know he’d kissed her to spark memories of their time together. Not because he wanted to. Yet, in a way, she couldn’t blame him for not wanting to become emotionally involved. Not when she’d left him.

  For reasons she couldn’t begin to fathom.

  The red fire tower where he’d apparently proposed flashed in her mind. She had to force herself to think of something else.

  Anything but her former relationship with Quinn.

  The brothers fell silent, making it easier for her to quiet her mind. She must have dozed because when she heard Quinn’s voice, she blinked, realizing they’d reached their destination.

  The American Lodge was a two-story white building. There were rooms on both the first and second floors, a balcony walkway lining the second row of rooms.

  “I can pay,” Quinn protested, but Colin was already pushing out of the car.

  “Gary knows me.” Colin grinned. “This way we’ll get the Finnegan discount.”

  “You mean the law enforcement and firefighter discount,” Quinn said.

  “Whatever works.” Colin shut the door and hurried inside.

  “Looks like a nice place.” Sami leaned forward to touch Quinn’s shoulder. “Is he getting one room or two?”

  “Hopefully two connecting rooms on the first floor if they’re available.” Quinn shrugged. “It’s summer, and while Summerfest is over, there are still many other festivals that will bring tourists to the area. We may not have many options.”

  “I understand.” His comment about Summerfest, a large music festival that took place over ten days each year near the lakefront, caused a memory to flash in her mind. She was dancing in the aisle, listening to music from a band called The Love Monkeys, laughing up at Quinn.

  “We went to Summerfest?” She peered at him in the darkness. “To see The Love Monkeys?”

  “Yes!” Quinn twisted around so he was facing her. Excitement brightened his gaze. “You remember that?”

  “I remember dancing with you,” she admitted.

  “You had a great time that night.” Quinn’s smile widened. “You didn’t often let your guard down, Sami, but we spent that night dancing and singing to our favorites.”

  “Singing?” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s hard to believe.”

  “I didn’t say we were talented, just that we sang and danced.” Quinn grinned “It’s not like we were asked up on stage to join the band or anything.”

  The thought of that made her chuckle. “All that matters is that we had fun.”

  “We did.” The humor in his expression faded. “I’m glad you remember some of the good times we had.”

  One good time, she thought with a sigh, but she didn’t correct him. “Me too.”

  Colin returned, sliding in behind the wheel. “Only one room available, but it has two beds and is on the ground floor.” He grimaced. “Sorry about that.”

  “No worries,” Quinn assured him. “We’ll make it work.”

  “As long as I can get some sleep, I’ll be fine,” Sami added. “I would love nothing more than to wake up without a pounding headache.”

  “It’s still that bad?” Quinn’s brow furrowed in concern. “We should have bought more over-the-counter meds at the gas station.”

  “Sleep will help, I’m sure.” She forced a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

  Colin drove to the last room on the first floor. “Here’s the motel room key and the keys to the SUV.”

  “How are you getting back?” Quinn asked.

  “Rideshare.” Colin shrugged. “I figure you need the rental more than I do. Besides, I picked up an extra shift tomorrow morning. No one will get to me while I’m at the firehouse with the rest of the guys.”

  “Thanks, Colin. This means a lot.” Quinn reached over to grab his brother’s hand, giving it a brotherhood shake. “I owe you big time.”

  “Where have I heard that before? Oh, wait, was that just earlier today? Hmm.” Colin laughed and slid out of the vehicle. Sami did the same, heading over to stand beside Quinn. “Take care of yourself, bro,” Colin added.

  “Will do.” Quinn took the key and unlocked the door. Sami cast one last look at Colin, then followed Quinn inside.

  The closeness between the brothers was heartening. Quinn had mentioned she was an only child, and she wondered if his family was part of her attraction.

  Not that Quinn alone wasn’t handsome enough, because he was. But his interactions with his family, the way they supported each other without question, only added to his incredible personality.

  Enough. This was hardly the time to think about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t left Quinn. Glancing around the room, she was glad to see it was clean and smelled like lemon. Gesturing toward the bed closest to the bathroom, she said, “I’ll take that one.”

  “Sounds good.” Quinn seemed to be avoiding her gaze. “You can have first dibs in the bathroom too.”

  “Thanks.” She didn’t linger in using the facilities. Her head ached badly enough that she couldn’t wait to stretch out and close her eyes. When she finished, she waved at the door. “Your turn.”

  “Okay.” Quinn came toward her, his dark-brown eyes full of concern. “Get some rest, Sami. We’re safe here.”

  “I will.” She set her weapon on the nightstand within easy reach. Exhausted, she crawled into the bed with her clothes on, out of modesty and to be ready in case they had to leave quickly. But even though she knew Quinn was right, that they were safe now that she’d gotten rid of the tracker, it took a while for her to relax.

  She conjured the memory of dancing with Quinn at Summerfest, hoping for more. But the memory of their recent kiss was much clearer in her mind.

 

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