Murphy's Law Read online

  Murphy handed Abby three Oreos as he shut and locked the door behind him. She grinned and put them in her backpack.

  “Relax,” Murphy said to Sara as they piled into his SUV. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  He saw the doubt in her eyes as she closed her door and turned to make sure Abby was belted in. He didn’t blame her for being hesitant when the only person she had to trust was a man with scars who lived like a recluse in the Colorado Rockies.

  “Where are you taking us?” Sara asked once he had maneuvered onto the road. In the dim glow of the interior lights, he could see the worry on her face.

  “Somewhere safe with people you can trust.”

  “Is there such a place?” Sara turned her head to stare out the window.

  Murphy glanced sideways at her profile, seeing a woman alone in the world, running for her life with nowhere to hide. Now he was taking her somewhere she had never been and asking her to trust him without offering her anything in return. Until now, he hadn’t realized what he asked of her.

  With a scowl, he reached over and covered her hands with his. It wasn’t much, but the best he could do for now. Once he got her home, his mom and sisters would take her under their wing and do what they did best: nurture.

  Her hands were clenched in her lap, cold as ice. He felt them shaking and muttered a curse under his breath. He reached over and flipped on the heater before focusing on the road.

  A moment later Sara’s hand slipped into his where it rested on his thigh, and her fingers laced through his. This time he didn’t pull away.

  * * * *

  Sara trusted Murphy, but she worried about the risk. He hadn’t told her where they were going. Somewhere safe. Did such a place exist? No matter where she went, Stephen would find her.

  Deep down, she wanted to let Murphy fix everything. Just as she had Kent. Which only proved she was a weak woman incapable of taking care of her own problems. What was so wrong with wanting to be happy and leaning on a man who could clearly handle Stephen?

  Murphy hadn’t wanted anything to do with them, and now he was uprooting his life to help her. Beneath that rigid exterior lay a man with a soft heart. She would drive him away for sure if she told him how she really felt about him.

  Then again, what did she know about relationships? She had screwed up the first one and didn’t trust herself not to do it again. Murphy wasn’t Kent and she wasn’t the young, naive fool she had once been. Maybe the second time around she would get it right. If she got a second chance.

  She glanced down at their hands laced together on Murphy’s thigh. His swallowed hers. His fingers were long and tanned. There were calluses and scars on his palms and fingertips and she longed to feel them on other parts of her body. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she turned away to stare out the window before he noticed.

  They drove straight through town and were soon on their way, only stopping for a bathroom break. They found a department store in a neighboring town and picked up a car seat for Abby.

  For lunch they chose a fast food chain. Murphy handed her a wad of bills and waited in the truck while Sara and Abby went inside to order lunch. Even if she’d had money, she suspected he would have made her take it anyway. Murphy was very good at taking care of others. It made her want to lean on him even more.

  He made it so easy after being alone and scared for so long. How nice to lay some of her burden on his shoulders. And such nice shoulders they were. Broad, strong and capable. Sighing, Sara focused her attention on lunch and her daughter.

  They washed up in the bathroom and ordered burgers and fries for all three of them. Abby carried the bag while Sara carried the drinks out to the truck. Murphy was talking on his cell when they approached, his expression somber as he nodded once and put the phone down. He turned to them when they climbed in and took the drinks from Sara so she could help Abby put her seat belt on.

  “Everything okay?” Sara asked when she got in and shut the door.

  He handed her the drinks and started the engine. “Everything’s fine.”

  “Burger and fries okay with you? I got us coffee instead of soda.”

  Murphy nodded and accepted the tall Styrofoam cup she offered.

  “We can take turns driving if you want. Just tell me which direction to go.”

  “We’ll get a motel room for the night, so I’ll be fine.”

  Sara unwrapped a cheeseburger and handed it to him. “This is going to cost you a fortune,” she said quietly. “I hate that you have to do this.”

  “I can cover it.”

  Sara took a bite and swallowed. “We can save money by sharing a motel room.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone.”

  That should have been a comfort, but it only caused angst inside her. The thought of sleeping in the same room with him made her remember how much she longed to do exactly that. But, they would have a chaperone in the form of a five-year-old. Probably a good thing because everything confused her right now. Her feelings toward Murphy. The future. Nothing made sense. She wanted Murphy, but she was afraid to have him. What if it backfired like it had with Kent, and she ended up with another line of mistakes? What if sleeping with him, which she wanted more than her next breath, ended up being the worst mistake ever? She wasn’t sure she could handle that.

  Or would it be worth it?

  * * * *

  Sara lifted a tired Abby onto her shoulder and followed Murphy into the motel room. He slung their bags over his shoulder and unlocked the door, then stood aside so she could go in first.

  The room was small and clean with two double beds and a bathroom. Murphy turned on a light while Sara laid Abby in one of the beds. She pulled the covers up to Abby’s chin and kissed her cheek before turning to Murphy. He locked the door and drew the curtains.

  “Mind if I take the first shower?” She moved toward her bag he had set beside the door. Funny how she never worried about Abby in Murphy’s care. She had always worried with Kent and his family.

  Murphy came out of the bathroom. “It’s all yours.”

  The shower soothed her nerves only a little. She saved enough hot water for Murphy in case he wanted to shower too, and towel dried her hair. It had grown out since she’d left and it hung in soft curls past her shoulders now. She liked it longer. Kent had always wanted her to straighten it into a chic style that she had never really liked. Taking control of her appearance again felt good.

  She didn’t miss the designer clothes, or the expensive jewelry and shoes that hurt her feet. Jeans and t-shirts were much more comfortable. She’d traded expensive lingerie for plain old cotton panties and simple lace bras, no longer a woman who needed the finer things in life. All she wanted was to be happy. A family and home where she could be herself.

  A sigh escaped her lips as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face looked pale and drawn, with dark circles under her eyes. The bruises had faded around her neck and the bump on her head had healed well. Her cheekbones were more prominent and she had lost a few pounds. She groaned. No wonder Murphy pushed her away--she looked terrible.

  A light knock sounded on the door. “Sara? You okay?”

  She smoothed a hand over her t-shirt and nylon running pants, and opened the door. “I’m finished, just let me gather my things.”

  “You can do it in the morning. Get some rest.”

  The driving they had done combined with the restless night she’d had thinking about how she would miss Murphy was taking its toll. Her eyelids suddenly felt very heavy.

  “I am a little tired,” she admitted, noticing the way he filled the doorway with his broad shoulders and tall frame.

  Without a second thought, she stepped closer and lifted on her toes so she could press a kiss to his cheek. When she dropped down, she found him staring at her with an expression she couldn’t read. Wanting to see some reaction, she leaned into him and this time pressed her lips to his.

  She kept her eyes open so she could watch him and got m
ore than she bargained for. His eyes darkened to deep silver gray and flared with heat. The most erotic thing she had ever seen, it made her feel a little wild. Murphy allowed her to control the kiss, not reaching for her or taking over. He let her explore his mouth without coaching. Her heart beat dangerously fast in her chest. She pressed closer, wanting to feel the entire length of him, and dipped her tongue inside his mouth.

  This time he growled low in his throat and she suddenly found herself pressed against the door with Murphy’s full length against her. The kiss no longer belonged to her. Murphy took control and ravaged her mouth so thoroughly she would have slid to the floor if he hadn’t held her up. Mercy, the man could kiss.

  His hands spanned her waist, the tips of his fingers brushing the underside of her breasts. Sara sighed into his mouth. She wanted to feel his hands on her bare skin. She longed to feel his tanned flesh beneath her hands.

  “Murphy,” she moaned when his lips seared a path down her throat.

  Somewhere a door slammed and Sara jumped. Murphy lifted his head and stepped away. A crease ran across his forehead as he raked a hand over his face, wiping away the desire that burned in his eyes.

  Sara slumped against the door, dazed and confused. She had never wanted a man like this, had never felt the urge to lose control. The prospect of letting it all go and putting her trust in him scared her.

  She looked at Murphy and said in a voice she barely recognized as her own, “I’m not going to apologize for that, because I don’t regret kissing you. It was hot and exciting, and I’m not sorry. Good night.”

  She walked from the bathroom on shaking legs, and crawled into bed with Abby. The bathroom door closed with a soft snick and she let out a long, slow breath. It was going to be a long night. No way would she be able to sleep so close to Murphy and not remember how he made her feel.

  The shower turned on. She imagined Murphy standing naked underneath a jet of water, and let out a loud groan.

  A long night indeed.

  * * * *

  The farther north they drove the next day, the more somber Murphy became. Both of them avoided the subject of the kiss and tried to stay on neutral ground as they traveled. They crossed from Wyoming into South Dakota and were still heading north. Murphy always seemed on alert, consistently checking his rearview mirror and studying the cars around them. Watching for danger. Sara felt safe at the same time as she worried about Stephen. It wouldn’t be long before he found her--he always did. She dreaded the day, because this time she had no escape.

  She studied Murphy’s profile, set in hard lines. How had the scars changed his life? What did he do for a living? Where did he come from? Did he have any siblings?

  She had grown up an only child, without the company of siblings, though she had always longed for some. Her father had left when she was six, so she had been raised by a single mom who’d worked herself to the bone to provide for them. Even that hadn’t been enough. Sara had been forced to work at age sixteen to help pay the rent. She had been a fool to think she could go to college and start a career in teaching. Life was hard for people who had to work for everything.

  Once upon a time she had taken the easy road. The first and last time she would. It had landed her in the middle of a nightmare. Never again would she make that mistake. Nothing worth having was free, her mother used to say. Sara had learned the lesson the hard way. If you didn’t work for it, then it wasn’t worth having.

  But, the more time she spent with Murphy the more she wanted to know him, despite the consequences. She wanted to be the one to erase the haunted look from eyes and heal his wounds. To make him smile. Know the story behind the scars and the reason he lived alone in the mountains. He had so much to offer a woman, why did he live like a recluse?

  “Murphy?”

  “What?”

  “Are you angry with me for kissing you?”

  “No.”

  “Would you be if I did it again?”

  His head snapped sideways and he cast her a look of surprise before turning his eyes back to the road. What possessed her to ask such a blunt question, she didn’t know, but she didn’t regret it. She wanted to kiss him again. Longed to do a whole lot more than that. Damn the rest. If she didn’t start living for today, she would never be free. Or happy. Life was about making mistakes, and learning from them.

  “Sara--”

  Abby tapped on Sara’s shoulder and cut off whatever Murphy was going to say. She turned around to see Abby squirming.

  “Is there a rest stop anywhere near?” she asked.

  “There’s a truck stop a couple miles up the road.”

  “Can we stop, please? That last milk went straight through her.”

  “Sure.”

  Sara let Abby know they would get her to a bathroom in a couple minutes, and turned around. The tense set to Murphy’s jaw indicated he wasn’t going to finish their conversation. With a tiny smile, she focused her attention on the scenery outside her window. There would be time later. She wasn’t finished with him. Before this was over, she would kiss him again. Maybe he would kiss her in return, because she just couldn’t get it out of her mind.

  She was looking forward to it. And more.

  * * * *

  Sara heard the sound in her sleep. At first she thought it was Abby whimpering, but as she drifted out of sleep she realized the sound came from the bed beside her. Her eyes opened and she lay very still, listening.

  It didn’t come again, but she heard the faint rustle of Murphy’s blankets from beside her and turned to look at him. In the shadows illuminated by the outdoor lights of the motel, she could see him sitting on the edge of his bed, his back to her. His elbows rested on his knees, his head bowed. She could see tension in every muscle and knew instantly he’d had another nightmare.

  Unable to ignore his pain, Sara slipped quietly out of bed and climbed across his until she knelt behind him.

  Anguish radiated from every pore and Sara felt for him. He had suffered in the past and it hurt her. She reached out a tentative hand and touched his shoulder. His muscles bunched beneath her touch. So much strength and so much pain. What had he endured?

  “Murphy,” she whispered. “Please talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

  “Go back to bed, Sara,” he said gruffly.

  She couldn’t leave him like this, not with his nightmares still lingering and the pain so raw.

  “Trust me,” she murmured and pressed herself against his back with her arms around his chest. She felt his sweat dampened t-shirt and her breath caught in her throat. He suffered terribly and she wanted to help him. “I’m a very good listener.”

  Murphy stiffened, every muscle taut. Sara held on tight, not letting him withdraw. She pressed her cheek against his back and closed her eyes. She could feel his pain and it broke her heart.

  They sat for a several minutes until Murphy reached up and covered her hands with one of his. He gave her a squeeze and spoke in a low, husky voice. “Maybe another time. It’ll be light soon. You need to get some sleep.”

  Hurt because he wouldn’t confide in her, Sara pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and felt him shudder. He wasn’t immune to her, just kept himself behind a wall of rigid self-control. What would it take to shatter that wall?

  With her lips close to his ear, she repeated the words he had once said to her. “You can’t stall me forever, Murphy.”

  Then she moved away from him and climbed into bed with Abby, who still slept soundly.

  Murphy moved quietly into the bathroom. When he came out, he didn’t return to bed. Instead, he pulled a chair in front of the window and stayed there until morning. Protecting them as they slept, and overcoming his nightmares.

  Chapter 11

  Sara immediately fell in love with North Dakota. Clear blue skies overlooked rolling prairies and wheat farms. She put her window down and let the warm breeze wash over her. Abby did the same and could hardly sit still, sensing the end of their journey. Murphy, on the ot
her hand, grew even more somber.

  Behind them, Abby stared out the window in awe of this new place. They had moved around so much Sara feared the effects it would have on a girl her age, but Abby viewed every new place as an adventure. She was resilient and trusting and made Sara want to protect her even more. The Benchleys would smother that light until it died completely.

  “Won’t be long now.”

  Sure enough, the terrain began to change. It became more chaotic with heavy erosion forming rugged land with deep gullies and rock formations. Wild and beautiful, it put Sara in sensory overload. “I’ve never been in the badlands.” She committed pictures to memory to draw the first chance she got. She couldn’t wait to get to her drawing pad and start sketching.

  They passed through a historical little town Sara instantly fell in love with. She wanted to stop and investigate further, but the firm set to Murphy’s jaw kept her from asking. They traveled another twenty minutes, then turned down a long, narrow, gravel road lined with white fences on both sides. In the distance cattle and horses grazed on lush, green grass in the warm afternoon sun. The endless pastures stretched for miles and miles everywhere she looked. The fence reminded her of the picket fence she’d dreamed about having one day and made her feel a little melancholy, but she focused on the house coming into view in front of them.

  The sprawling home had a wing on each end and a covered porch in the center with hanging baskets of flowers and a pair of old, wooden rocking chairs on one end. Warm and inviting, it made Sara’s heart clench.

  Murphy pulled to a stop in front of the porch. A large, yellow dog came lumbering down the steps. Sara bit back a sob as tears welled in her eyes.

  Murphy climbed out. Collecting herself, Sara opened her door. She stepped out as the front door flew open and a petite, dark haired woman came rushing out onto the porch. She took one look at Murphy and broke into a huge smile, opening her arms wide as she hurried down the steps toward him.

  Sara closed her door and grabbed Abby’s hand as Murphy met the woman halfway and leaned in for a hug.

  “Jon,” the woman said. “I’m so glad you called. We’ve missed you.”