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Impossible Climb
A CHANCE FOR CHARITY
BOOK FOUR

CAMI CHECKETTS
 Copyright
Impossible Climb: A Chance for Charity #4
Copyright © 2024 by Cami Checketts
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written
permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Editing: Daniel Coleman and Ceara Nobles
Cover Art: Katie Garland, Sapphire Midnight Designs
https://www.sapphiremidnight.com/
 Contents
Free Book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Excerpt: Impossible Crusade
Excerpt: Protecting the Athlete
Also by Cami Checketts
About the Author
 Free Book

Receive a free copy of Seeking Mr. Debonair: The Jane Austen Pact by clicking here and signing up for Cami’s newsletter.
 Chapter
One

ANNA MARLEY STARED, unblinking, as a royal guard in a freshly pressed black uniform opened the rear door
and bowed slightly. “Welcome to Augustine, Miss Marley.” His accent was smooth and off the charts. He took her hand and
helped her out of the car.
For a moment, she felt like royalty. That was a laugh. She was a kid at heart and poorer than a preschool teacher. Oh wait
… she was a preschool teacher. That was why she was so poor and related better to children than adults. She smiled at her
own hilariousness.
The chilly air nipped at her cheeks. It was early April in the Alps—of course it was biting cold. Who cared? She was
standing in the courtyard of the castle of Augustine and she, Anna Marley, was going to meet somebody royal.
Thank you, dear Father above.
She followed all the members of the Augustine royal family who had a social media account. She adored them all and
wasn’t picky about who she met, but seeing the crown prince up close and personal would be the crowning glory of her life.
Crowning? Ha!
“Thank you,” she managed. “Can you do me a solid and give me a good tickle?” She raised her right arm to give him access
to her armpit. It was her most ticklish spot.
“Pardon me?” The young guard looked absolutely horrified.
“When my little ones are sleeping during lessons,” she tried to explain, “I give them a good tickle and wake them right up.
It’s much nicer than a pinch or cold water.”
His expression remained serious. No smile. No understanding.
“I need someone to wake me up from this dream,” she tried to clarify, but the punch line was lost on his lack of any kind of
humor. “Come on, even you have to admit … This is off the charts!” She gestured around. “How do you just stand there all
calm and say in your perfect accent, ‘Welcome to Augustine, miss’? You should be screaming, ‘Welcome to the most epic and
beautiful place on earth!’ The view of your valley alone is more than worth enduring the cold soaking through my clothes and
turning my nose and cheeks red. I’m going to look terrible for the cameras and I don’t even care. I’m … in … Augustine!” She
did a happy dance.
Still nothing. Not even a twinkle in his eyes.
She patted his arm. “Your home is off the charts, Mr. Too-Stiff Royal Guard. Yay for you! A little gratitude for your
blessings would not be amiss.”
He finally smiled at her dramatics, but she doubted anyone could prod a laugh out of this stiff. Not everybody was her
target audience. She knew that. No one above twelve usually enjoyed her nonstop teasing and chatter. She didn’t let it dampen
her enthusiasm or happiness for this special moment.
Her gaze traveled up, way up, to the tip-top of the glorious castle towering over her. The guard shut the door to the Audi,
and before she even remembered to thank the driver who’d met her at the Traverse Airport half an hour ago, he was motoring
away.
As they’d driven through the mountain pass from Traverse, she’d gawked and prattled on about the gorgeous mountains,
green pine trees, new green buds on the deciduous trees and green poking its way out of the ground, and the snow decorating
the mountain from the midpoint to the tip tops of those gloriously tall peaks.
When they’d driven out of the mountain pass and she had glimpsed the Augustine valley in all its splendor, her driver had
laughed out loud at how enamored she was and her verbal prayers of gratitude to their maker for creating such perfection and
miraculously allowing her to see it in person.
At least the driver had thought she was funny. Mr. Royal Guard was probably paid handsomely to be stiff and make every
non-royal around him feel awkward.
 Her eyes darted around, trying to take in every detail of the granite castle walls that sparkled in the spring sunshine. Huge
windows or glass patio doors with darling patios were interspersed along the castle walls. She highly approved of the natural
light and prayed she could admire the view from inside. Balconies decorated many of the levels.
She noticed a cameraman filming her from next to the graceful, long set of stairs leading to the castle’s imposing double
front doors. Where had he come from? She hoped she’d kept her tongue in her mouth as she gawked, but it wasn’t likely.
“Oh, hey there.” She waved, put on her best smile, and sucked in. “You and me together all week?”
The cameraman only chuckled and gave her a thumbs up.
Ah, being videoed was going to be annoying. Who knew how many times her tongue would get away from her and she’d
prattle on happily for the whole world to mock? No. They’d laugh happily with her. Some of them, at least.
The massive double front doors of the castle burst open, drawing her attention and the camera’s focus. Thank heavens. She
could breathe easy for half a minute.
None other than the host of the show and billionaire heiress Mercedes Belle, Crown Prince Tristan August, and his
breathtaking wife Princess Jennifer walked out. They paused at the top of the sweeping staircase to give her a dramatic moment
to appreciate their splendor.
Thank you, thank you, she gushed to heaven in her mind.
Goodness sakes, this was an illustrious, gorgeous, and intimidating crowd. Her knees barely supported her as she stared in
awe. A thrill rushed through her, equal parts terror and excitement. She, Anna Marley, was in the presence of Crown Prince
Tristan. Every single woman she personally knew had harbored a crush on the charming, wealthy, royal, handsome crown
prince at one point or another. Now Prince Tristan was happily married. Anna’s crush on him was packaged away, but still—
meeting her celebrity crush wasn’t something she’d ever planned on happening.
Add to that shock, she was meeting his perfect wife and Mercedes Belle. Stomach-tumbling didn’t begin to describe it.
Thank heavens she’d found a knockoff Lululemon athletic long-sleeve tee and running pants at Goodwill that looked almost
new. She looked as good as she possibly could on a nonexistent clothing budget.
Anna would never in her lifetime mesh with this wealthy and famous crew, but her best friend Maya had insisted they’d be
classy enough to treat her like she orbited in their atmosphere. She prayed Maya was right and discreetly wiped her clammy
palms on her black pants. Her shirt was pale pink and might show the sweat stain. There was nothing to be done about her
stomach churning or her knees knocking together.
Two tough, handsome guys were revealed as the first three started down the steps. One man was a blond, impressive Thor-
lookalike who hovered behind Mercedes, and the other was a dark-haired, blue-eyed Adonis. He wasn’t one of the royal
princes. She knew them all by sight. Was he a model or actor? He was hot enough to be either. There was something very
familiar about him, but she couldn’t place it.
Even with her love of prattling on and over-dramatizing everything, she couldn’t find the words to give credit to this man’s
face and physical physique. If the royal castle and country of Augustine were the most picturesque places on earth, this guy
should be described as the most picturesque man. His face was sculpted manliness, with a firm jawline just begging her to cup
it with her palms, full lips she wanted to study for a long time and then kiss slowly, and piercing blue eyes she hoped she dared
stare into. Eyes like that might be too much for even her plucky soul. This man was so fit his muscles rippled through his long-
sleeved T-shirt and jogger pants. His clothes were high quality and the set of his broad shoulders revealed confidence.
Please say you love me enough I get to spend a week with him, she mentally begged heaven above. Her mom was certain
that heaven grew tired of Anna’s pleas, but she always argued to the contrary. She was blessed with inspiration and mini
miracles almost daily. Otherwise, she’d never have gotten her charity up and running, spreading through the country, and
noticed by Mercedes Belle, as well as the opportunity to win a million dollars on this blessed weeklong reality show.
Love and appreciate you, she told her Heavenly Father. Thank You for always listening. Even if I don’t get to be alone
with Hot Extraordinary Man. But please, if it’s possible, just one smoldering glance from those blue eyes?
This man was mesmerizing enough to distract her from even Crown Prince Tristan. She decided right then and there she’d
call him HEM. Nobody but her, and Maya when she shared her witty acronym, would ever know. But it would make her smile
if things got tough. She could imagine, with all the disclaimers Mercedes’s assistant, Julie Pandoran, had her e-sign, things may
get tough. Bodily injury, death, lost in the wilds of Augustine to never come home? Who knew what would be thrown at her in
the next week.
Right now, even though she was terrified and thrilled about the adventures of the immediate future, life was far from tough.
She was standing next to the castle she’d always dreamed of visiting, about to meet the illustrious crown prince of Augustine
and his sweetheart of a wife, Mercedes Belle, Thor, and her own personal and perfect HEM.
“Anna!” Mercedes cried out, rushing down the steps wearing a gorgeous pale blue formal gown that sparkled in the
sunlight and sky-high heels.
Thor caught Mercedes’s elbow before she flew down those stairs, broke a heel, ripped the dress, and made her personal
designers sob. Look-alike Thor sweetly escorted the grinning Mercedes to Anna and earned some points in Anna’s mind. He
seemed serious but thoughtful.
 The rest of the crew followed, at a much slower pace. Her HEM was at the very back of the small crowd. Apparently,
Mercedes was the only one heck-bent on meeting her. Anna was grateful for that honor, but the ultra-appealing blue-eyed, dark-
haired HEM kept drawing her gaze like little Jace in the presence of his hero Batman or darling Molly to anything pink and
sparkly.
Anna probably should’ve pumped up the stairs to meet them, but she figured a level-ground first meeting would be better
than on a staircase. As level as the ground could be, soaring above the valley below as it was and with her legs trembling.
Even the towering castle’s courtyard was a good hundred feet higher than the valley floor. So incredible. She couldn’t have
imagined Augustine any better herself.
The other problem with running up those stairs? New shoes had not been in Anna’s budget. She tucked the toe of one worn
out Saucony behind the other. Unfortunately, she also had a hole in that same sock. Her left, bright-pink and sparkly toenail
shone through the opening.
What could she say? It had been pedicure day at the Play Time Chicago location two days ago. Far be it from her to take
away the pleasure of the vivacious eight-year-old twins Sadie and Kate wanting to sparkle her toes. Of course she had happily
returned the favor.
“You’re here!” Mercedes threw her arms around Anna’s neck, making it a little difficult to maintain Anna’s toe-hiding
stance. “We are so honored you came.” The gorgeous blonde was crazy skinny, smelled like flowers, and her welcome made
Anna need to pray more. They were honored? Goodness, that was a role reversal.
Thank you, thank you. She’s so kind.
“I’m honored,” Anna sputtered when Mercedes pulled back. “I’m like my niece Jasmine with the Barbie motorhome as a
Christmas present. I’m thrilled, in awe, honored, never expected such a gift, and I’m so, so grateful.”
The rest of the crew reached them. Prince Tristan and Princess Jennifer had welcoming smiles on their faces. HEM had a
slight smile on his face, but he looked a little uncomfortable. He definitely wasn’t giving her a smoldering look like she
wanted. He was in casual clothes like her and wore them well—model gorgeous kind of wearing them well. Maybe he’d
grown up with money, the way the material of his casual clothes draped so perfectly on him.
He had an inert confidence that radiated from him. Why, then, did she sense his discomfort? Was it possible he also felt out
of place, nervous for the challenge ahead, or anxious about meeting the woman he’d spend the next six days protecting? If he
was her match. She couldn’t imagine a military hero like Julie said she’d be matched with would be nervous for any challenge.
The small crowd next to him was ultra-impressive. Maybe he was simply in awe of them and didn’t fancy being on camera.
Anna gaped at the prince and Mercedes’s man’s tailored suits, Mercedes’s formal gown, and Princess Jennifer’s soft-
looking dress that wrapped around her perfect shape like a hug from all of Anna’s nieces at once.
“Ah, you are a doll.” Mercedes drew back, turning to face the royals and Anna’s HEM, but held on to one of Anna’s hands.
Anna appreciated the support. Thor stayed close to Mercedes’s other side. “Yay!” Mercedes cheered. “I’ve adored being part
of the other three shows leading up to this one, but this one is already my favorite.”
She beamed at Princess Jennifer. Two gorgeous, wealthy blondes. Their hair was shiny, long, and in soft waves. Anna’s
hair would probably be termed ‘dirty blonde.’ It was stick straight, and because she’d been told by Julie to wear athletic
clothing, she’d embraced the athletic look, knowing she’d never pull off chic casual. Her hair was already in a ponytail, and
after that long flight, any makeup she’d had on was gone. Nobody had ever accused her of being some great natural beauty.
She bit her lip and fought to keep her shoulders back. Please help my faltering confidence, she begged heaven. This is
wonderful and overwhelming.
“So many introductions,” Mercedes continued, her voice pitching up with excitement. “Let’s start with our royals.”
Prince Tristan inclined his head. He was obviously confident and royal. He could be king already and nobody would
question it. The scarring on the left side of his handsome face from being burned made him appear a little more down to earth,
but nothing could take away the bearing of royalty that he wore like a second skin. His blue eyes did have a twinkle in them,
and she’d seen interviews where he joked and charmed everyone in the camera’s view.
“Allow me to introduce …” Mercedes paused for emphasis, bouncing on her heels. Her enthusiasm was catching, but Anna
didn’t need any help to be thrilled and terrified to meet these famous royals. “Crown Prince Tristan of Augustine and his
angelic and beautiful wife, Princess Jennifer.”
Anna curtsied and almost tripped with her left foot still trying to hide behind the right. She planted both feet equally as she
rose out of her curtsy. Thankfully, no one looked down.
Mercedes turned to Anna. “Miss Anna Marley, creator of Play Time, a no-charge facility for children of all ages to have a
safe space, be creative, and simply have fun. Anna has centers in five cities throughout the United States and is planning to
update each play place and expand to new areas when she wins the million dollars this week.”
“Ah, I love you,” Anna said to Mercedes. She focused on the royals, clasped her hands together, drew them to her chest,
and bowed. “I am deeply blessed and grateful to be in each of your presence. If I die today, this honor will be at the top of my
gravestone.”
Prince Tristan and Anna’s HEM both chuckled softly at that. Yay! She could make her HEM laugh.
 “We’re honored to meet you,” Prince Tristan said nobly. “And grateful for your service to the children of America. We pray
you won’t die today and will have much more important people and experiences to engrave on your headstone.”
Everybody laughed at that. Except for Anna, who was certain she’d swoon—that accent, those kind words, the twinkle in
his blue eyes. Goodness, he was more incredible in real life.
“I love you!” Anna told him.
He laughed. Thankfully, his wife didn’t sick a royal guard on her for her impetuousness.
Her HEM looked a little shocked.
Anna grimaced and cast a guilty glance at his wife. “I don’t love him like you love him. I just love how awesome he is. A
thousand apologies!”
Princess Jennifer stepped forward and extended her hand. Anna took it. The lady’s hand was soft and manicured and
perfect, just like the rest of her.
“Nobody loves him like I love him.” The princess winked. “But he is fabulous, and I’m not upset that you recognize that.”
She grinned and then sobered. “I was blessed before our marriage to serve and love children throughout the world. What you
are providing to give children back their innocent and fun childhood is brilliant and touching. Thank you.”
“I love you!” Anna told this perfect model of a princess who was making her emotional. She fanned her face. “But don’t
make me cry. I ugly cry, and nobody wants to see that nonsense.”
Everyone laughed, except for Thor and the royal guards. Her HEM didn’t belly laugh, but he did chuckle. She found herself
more excited to meet him than the royals, and that was saying a lot.
“No crying at all,” Mercedes demanded. “And now, the man I know you are dying to meet. Your protector and best friend
this week.” She gestured dramatically. “Lieutenant Quaid Raven, retired Navy SEAL, hero, and all-around stud.”
Quaid. Her Hot Extraordinary Man’s name was Quaid. She liked that. A lot. She might have to call him by his name, not
HEM. And yes! Her blue-eyed, dark-haired perfection in the male form was her match. She would be able to talk to and hang
out with this stud all week. How blessed was she?
Thank You for Your mighty miracles.
He stepped forward and extended his hand, all military straight and crisp. His blue gaze focused in on her, and the only
worry she had—besides this male model being leap years out of her league—was that he seemed far too serious. Had he been
damaged by something in his military career? She prayed not. Maybe he simply needed a talkative preschool teacher from
Chicago to pray for him and make him smile.
She put her hand in his, and it thrilled her straight down to her core. His hand was large, manly, warm, and perfect.
“Ooh, ooh, ooh,” she cried out. “This is the most perfect handshake ever! I lo…”
She trailed off at the apprehensive look in his eyes, and the fact that he’d released her hand like she was an electric fence
and stepped back. She’d almost told him that she loved him. She told everybody that she loved them—her large family,
especially all her nieces and nephews, the children and volunteers at her centers, friends at church, even the butcher at the
grocery store.
For some reason, it was the absolute wrong thing to say to this tough, alluring man with the best hands in the world. Why?
Probably because a man like this would never look at a woman like her as anything more than a friend. He probably thought
love meant romance. She supposed it could, but it never had for her.
Help me not embarrass him or myself.
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Marley,” he said, far too serious and distant. Though his gaze was still focused on her, he was
watching her warily, obviously not certain how to take her. Maybe worried about spending a week alone with her.
“Now I hate that greeting, all formal and stiff,” she told him, planting her hands on her hips and trying for a feisty stare
down. “My name is Anna, if you please, kind and tough protector of mine.”
His bearing was all rigid and standoffish. His face was tight, and she could see a muscle working in his jaw. Nobody else
said anything, and she suddenly stressed that he wouldn’t call her by her given name.
“Anna,” he said softly.
Relief rushed through her. She liked hearing him say her name, but she feared this guy wouldn’t relax with a week spent in
her happy presence. He’d laughed at some of her comments earlier. Right?
As she stared at his handsome face, something snapped in her mind. She realized exactly where she’d seen him before. This
was not Quaid Raven. Her eyes about bugged out of her head, and she gasped in shock.
This man was the Thomas Oliver. The famous billionaire crush of her teenage years. Before she’d even thought about
crushing on Prince Tristan, she’d been crushing on Thomas Oliver. Her and the rest of America.
No ... It couldn’t be Thomas Oliver. Could it? Thomas had been kidnapped from his high school graduation party eight
years ago and his richie family had spent a large fortune trying to find him.
Could this possibly be Thomas?
It had to be.
Everybody grew silent as she stared at him and wondered how it had taken fifteen minutes for her to realize who he was.
She’d studied his pictures and videos for hours as a smitten sixteen-year-old.
Now that she’d put it together, she was absolutely certain.
She remembered and knew Thomas like she knew her own siblings. She and Maya had died over how out-of-this-world
handsome he was, and Anna had fantasized about meeting him, having him look at her with those blue eyes and charm her with
his smooth wit.
His little sister Jacqueline, as model gorgeous as he was, had disappeared six months ago, stolen from a football game at
her university. Thomas and Jacqueline’s parents had blasted their photos and the story all over America, even going on talk
shows to beg for help, which normally the billionaires would never do.
Ah … Their poor family. Only one sister, Elizabeth, was still with her distraught parents. It was such a heartbreak.
Thomas Oliver was standing right in front of her. She knew he was. She wanted to grab his hand and drag him back to his
distraught mother’s arms. His family would be ecstatic to find him alive and healthy and perfect.
Someone cleared their throat, and she was yanked from her visions of Thomas hugging his classy mother. Her gaze darted
to everyone else watching her with curiosity, and she couldn’t help but wonder if they knew who he was. They had to. Or was
she going insane and he just looked like that famous hottie?
She met his gaze, and something like pleading was in his eyes. He was Thomas and he knew that she knew, and he was
asking her not to spill his secret.
What on earth? Had Mercedes kidnapped him and this was his chance at freedom? Maybe he’d disappeared on purpose
eight years ago and nobody knew where he’d gone. This show wouldn’t air for six months, from what Julie had told her. Was
this his way of letting his family know he was all right but not letting them, or whoever was after him, find him? Her mind spun,
but he was literally begging her with his gaze now. So …
“Thank you for calling me Anna.” She beamed at him, and his shoulders and the lines around his eyes and mouth relaxed.
“It is incredible to meet you, Lieutenant Quaid Raven. Off the charts! What a fabulous name. Can I call you Quaid, or we could
go straight for HEM?” She should’ve shut her mouth before the last sentence escaped, but she was understandably rattled.
She’d been excited to meet Crown Prince Tristan, but the Thomas Oliver standing in front of her was the most thrilling and
unexpected miracle she could ever dream up.
“HEM?” His brow wrinkled, and even Mercedes and Princess Jennifer looked concerned. Prince Tristan was still grinning
at her like he found her very funny. Thor hadn’t smiled the entire time, so she didn’t worry too much about him.
“Hot Extraordinary Man,” she squeaked out, praying he’d like her nickname, hoping it would help him relax.
He took a step back. It was a small step, should’ve been inconsequential really, but it hurt. As he stepped back, he also
dropped his gaze from her eyes and fastened them on her toe. He blinked in surprise and lifted his blue eyes to meet hers again.
Now there was compassion in his gaze, and still some wariness. She could imagine his thoughts. What kind of a person came
on a reality television show and met royalty with a hole in their sock and shoe?
Anna jutted out her chin, daring him to say something and praying nobody else looked down. She’d held her tongue and not
revealed he was a famous, wealthy missing person that her teenage self had idolized and whose family was dying to find.
Would he return the favor? Their gazes held and a silent understanding passed between them. They’d keep each other’s
secrets. Even though she was burning to ask him questions, she’d wait. At some point, they’d be alone without cameras on them
and she could hear his story. She hoped.
“I’d prefer Quaid,” he said.
“Quaid it is.” She nodded to him, appreciating he hadn’t said anything about her holes but sad that he seemed put off by her
and not the charming, smiling, blue-eyes smoldering Thomas she’d drooled over as a youth.
He did give her a very small smile of gratitude. He knew she could blow his entire cover and fake name right here and
now.
I’d prefer Quaid.
Quaid didn’t want to be her HEM. Definitely not cool. Hiding from someone or maybe still in bondage to whoever
kidnapped him? Now that was intriguing and a mystery she was excited to solve.
Yet she doubted he was interested in her. How could she blame him? She was miles from the model-gorgeous women he
could be with every day of the week if he wanted.
Her very own HEM and he didn’t like the acronym and definitely wasn’t drawn to her. Anna wasn’t surprised. Only
devastated.
 Chapter
Two

LIEUTENANT QUAID RAVEN, born Thomas Oliver, ‘Stone Cold’ to his military buddies, had no idea how
to respond to the engaging and possibly unstable woman standing in front of him. She was hilarious, in a very odd and quirky
sort of way, and she had proclaimed she loved the famed Crown Prince of Augustine of all people. In front of the man’s wife.
Quaid had endured his childhood and youth surrounded by the wealthiest people in America. Wealth and power didn’t
impress him. Even still, he was blown away to be standing next to Prince Tristan and Princess Jennifer. They were gracious,
charming, and obviously in love just like the media portrayed them. Yet people thought the same things about his family, and it
was all a brilliantly-concocted, expertly-performed lie.
Of course he’d known who Mercedes Belle was, but even worse … he was certain she recognized him. Miraculously,
Mercedes hadn’t said anything and given him away. Was she only biding her time for maximum impact on her reality show?
Chills prickled his skin.
He’d been stiff and slightly uncomfortable the past twenty minutes, making small talk with the royals, Mercedes, and Shawn
as they waited for Quaid’s match for this reality show to arrive. He became more certain by the minute he should never have
committed to this.
He could only hope nobody revealed his real name. The crown prince and his bride didn’t seem to know who he was, but
Mercedes definitely did. Her boyfriend slash bodyguard the Viking-wannabe Shawn didn’t seem to recognize him, but that guy
was even better at a stone-cold face than Quaid was, so who knew?
Quaid’s friend Cash Trapper, who had roped him into this reality show, had promised voice and face-obscuring technology.
Quaid had only agreed to put himself in this precarious situation because he needed the million dollars to keep relocating his
sister, Jacey, and stay one step ahead of his mother’s goons. Quaid had successfully hidden in the military with his new name
and I.D. for years, but had to retire early when he got word from Jacey that someone had tipped his parents off and he wasn’t
safe.
He’d hid out in Cash’s gym for vets and at-risk youth the past year. He had assumed he was safe and incognito in another
world his parents would never be part of or understand, but then he’d seen a post on social media that had thrown his life into
upheaval again.
Jacey was going to be married to a snake disguised as a forty-year-old billionaire. Crude, two-faced and sleazier than their
own mother, Richard Napolean was a womanizer and scum in every sense of the word.
The only thing more miserable than being in their mother’s servitude would be marrying that kind of filth. Richard had been
married five times already. He’d divorced several beautiful women after he’d grown bored of them. Two of his wives had died
tragically—though suspiciously was more like it.
Jacey hadn’t used the secure phone he’d had a friend slip into her purse at a banquet years ago and contacted him like she
should have. His angelic yet sassy little sister had sacrificed her own happiness her entire life, but this was about safety. He
refused to stand by and let Jacey be forced into a nightmarish marriage. No matter that Jacey pretended she was fine and he
didn’t need to intervene, he’d known it was past time. His sister was done being a self-appointed martyr to protect him.
With the help of his friend and fellow SEAL Miles Coleville, he’d rescued Jacey and hidden her at the Colevilles’ ranch in
Montana. He had to keep her moving. The money he’d saved from the military and his retirement wasn’t enough to play keep
away with his mother’s billions, her hired thugs, and the loyalty she had in many influential circles because of her various tools
—charm, beauty, intimidation, money, mind games, extortion, and blackmail.
Quaid focused back on the woman he would spend the next six days with. She might be more uncomfortable than he was.
Anna Marley had shown the tell-tale signs of discomfort—wiping her palms on her pants, shifting her weight continually, her
gaze flickering around. Yet somehow, she’d teased with the royals and the billionaire, made them all laugh, told them she loved
them, and kept her head high and her shoulders back. And she had done it all in second-hand athletic wear that had been
washed too many times and with a hole in not only her shoe but her sock too. Her sparkling pink toe winked up at him without a
care in the world.
Impressive. Brave. Naïve. Out of touch with reality?
He felt compassion for her; obviously she was on poverty’s edge if she couldn’t even afford socks without holes in them.
He’d seen true poverty in his military service. Poverty that would wrench even the hardest men’s hearts—little children with
distended abdomens and want in their dark eyes. Anguish that most Americans would never understand. The way he had felt
inside throughout his childhood and teenage years had been reflected in those children’s physical appearance.
Anna was healthy, obviously not starving, but socks were inexpensive. He did appreciate the sparkly pink toenail polish
shining through, however. It was something Jacey would do to upset their mother and show she still had backbone and spice
despite a lifetime of being a prisoner. As eccentric as Anna had appeared the past ten minutes, maybe she was making a
statement.
Quaid was drawn to her sparkling personality, shimmering green eyes, and incredible smile. There’d also been something
intriguing and almost comforting about her touch. Hence why he’d pulled away so quickly. Well, that and she was about to
proclaim she loved him. Teenage and college fan girls used to claim they loved him during the stretch when his mother had
forced him to do modeling stints. She’d done it to demean him and to ensure he couldn’t escape because his face would be so
well-known. Thankfully, he had escaped.
No woman in the world besides his little sister had ever truly loved him.
Quaid studied his counterpart to push the humiliating modeling and women-swarming memories away. Anna wasn’t a
classic beauty like his mother and sisters, Princess Jennifer, or Mercedes. Her nose was too sharp, her face too thin, and her
hair more of a dirty-blonde than the smooth mahogany of his mom and his sisters or the perfect golden waves of the princess
and Mercedes.
What was it that was so appealing about her? Genuine came to mind. The exact opposite of his mother and Elizabeth, very
similar to the only person he lived for—Jacey.
Even if she’d never model or turn heads everywhere she went, Anna had appealing physical characteristics as well. She
was fit. In her well-worn athletic pants and shirt, it was easy to see lean lines of toned muscle. Her green eyes were unique and
pretty with dark brows and lashes framing them. She wore no makeup to enhance her eyes or her lips, definitely her best
feature. It was her smile that drew him in the most.
Quaid hadn’t seen many authentic smiles like hers. There hadn’t been a lot of smiling in his childhood, teenage years, or
adult years. His youth had been filled with being ‘proper and perfect’ and representing the ‘Oliver legacy.’ Throughout his
military years and the laidback past year in Cash’s gym, he’d tried to eradicate the formal and fake from his life. He’d run
away from home more times than he could count before his tenth birthday. His mother’s lackeys had always found him, brought
him back, and beat him for her. He loathed those men almost as much as he did his own mother.
The night of his tenth birthday party, their beloved nanny Maria had helped Quaid and Jacey escape while his mother was
busy saying goodbye to guests. They’d been caught and his mother had shown how far she’d go to keep him in line. After giving
him a lecture, she had ordered her guards to hold him. He’d begged and screamed and fought, knowing what she was capable
of but praying like Maria had taught him. As coolly as a butcher slaughtering a chicken for dinner, his mother had snatched the
knife from her guard’s hand and slit Maria’s throat.
It had broken him. More suddenly than his father’s race horses during long reigning and more deeply than a religious
minority living in Syria. His resentment for her control remained, but the horror and anguish of that night had been enough to
keep him in line for eight years. He’d caused Maria’s death by letting her help him and Jacey try to escape. Even as a ten-year-
old, he’d known better. His mom had taught him well how ruthless her punishments would be.
During his exclusive private school’s graduation party, mostly due to his best friend Kenneth Gregory literally risking his
own neck, he’d miraculously given his bodyguards the slip. His and Kenny’s young adult years had been filled with training,
fighting, and surviving, and praying nobody recognized Quaid from all the photos circulating about the ‘kidnapped Thomas
Oliver.’ Until Kenny died.
“Are you two beautiful people ready to hear your challenge for the week?” Mercedes asked, thankfully drawing him from
his perusal of Anna and his memories of his messed-up family life, worries over Jacey, and sorrow over Maria and Kenny’s
deaths.
“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Anna gave him a conspiratorial smile. “Right, HEM?”
His eyes widened. Was she really going to call him that? Hot Extraordinary Male? He’d be in trouble for stereotyping if he
ever admitted to an acronym like that. Hadn’t he asked her to call him Quaid? He was proud of his self-given name and had
buried Thomas Oliver for good. He was Quaid Raven through and through. As Thomas he’d been stereotyped for his wealth,
name, face, and body. With Anna, it seemed more a tease like it would be with one of his military buddies.
“Ready,” he said, forcing himself to step closer to her and pivot to face Mercedes, Shawn, and the royals. Interesting that
Mercedes hadn’t introduced her bodyguard, boyfriend, whatever Shawn was to her, to Anna. A few times in their conversation,
before they’d been informed in the castle’s library that his counterpart had arrived, Mercedes had lost her focus and Shawn had
gently brought her back. There was something off about both of them, or maybe it was their relationship that was off.
Cash, Bennett, and Eli from Cash’s Healthy Life Gym where Quaid had successfully hidden out for the past year helping
other vets and at-risk youth in downtown Chicago, had all finished their weekly challenges. He hadn’t seen Bennett as he’d
gone straight to Tennessee to see his mama and hadn’t returned. Eli hadn’t returned from his adventure before Quaid had gotten
on the flight to Europe. Eli had texted that he was all right and would have an incredible story for him when they saw each
other again, whatever that meant.
Cash had been injured, barely survived. His friend hadn’t been able to tell Quaid much as they’d all signed strict NDAs
that prohibited them from talking about their show before it aired. He had quietly warned Quaid to stay alert and keep an eye
on Shawn. There was obvious animosity there.
Cash was the primary contact with Mercedes, and he had confronted Mercedes and Shawn about some things that had
happened during his and Bennett’s weeks. Again, Quaid didn’t have details and he didn’t think Cash had any satisfactory
answers. Cash had also been busy setting up more gyms and every spare minute was dedicated to the beautiful and sweet
redhead he’d met recently, Brylee Auburn. Quaid was happy Cash had found someone. They both deserved every good thing.
Quaid didn’t want to be Shawn’s best friend, but the man didn’t appear dangerous. He seemed very solicitous of
Mercedes’s needs and like he was only posturing to prove he could and would protect her. Quaid had met bigger punks in his
life—a lot of them in the circles his parents had forced him into. Many of the men he knew from the military might posture or
try to be the alpha male, but they were loyal, fought for what was right, and wouldn’t stab him in the back. Would Shawn try to?
Quaid would welcome the challenge. He sparred every day, but it wasn’t like the challenge of fighting when you knew you
might be killed by your opponent. He missed the military. It was the only time he’d truly lived, in his mind. Even with the strict
rules, he’d felt free, choosing to serve and fight and protect.
“I’ve graciously agreed to allow Prince Tristan and Princess Jennifer to share the details of your million-dollar adventure.”
Mercedes grinned and swept her arm to the royal couple.
“So gracious,” Prince Tristan teased. Quaid noticed the prince teased most of the time; he reminded Quaid of his friend Eli.
Always funny and positive. Eli had lost his leg rescuing the gentle giant Bennett from captivity. Eli’s girlfriend had cheated on
him at the same time. Even with such deep scars, Eli could joke. Prince Tristan had some decent scarring on his face and neck.
Even a crown prince knew pain, apparently.
“All right.” Prince Tristan grinned. “Since my gorgeous wife is the one who begged to share the adventures”—he winked at
her and she gave him a mock scowl—“I’ll let her start us off.”
“Thank you, T.” Princess Jennifer’s blue eyes lit with excitement as she turned to Quaid and Anna. “Your episode of the
Chance for Charity reality show has been dubbed ‘Impossible Climb.’ It will not be impossible, but definitely challenging.
Shall we call it improbable?”
“I don’t love either,” Anna said, edging closer to him.
Quaid felt the warmth of her arm brushing his. He wanted to edge the other direction, but he couldn’t be obvious about it.
He didn’t hate human touch; he simply chose not to touch most people to keep his distance physically and emotionally. He’d
experienced firsthand the devastation close human relationships could cause to him and anyone who got close to him, so he
focused on avoiding future emotional damage. When you flinched each time someone touched you, they usually got the hint.
He’d trained himself to do it.
Wait a moment. Why hadn’t he flinched when Anna had brushed his arm? He had to be very careful not to let his guard
down during his week alone with her.
“You’ll conquer the impossible,” Jennifer said. “You’ve got Lieutenant Raven. He’s as tough and experienced as T’s twin,
General Ray.”
“Thank you,” Quaid said, sincere in his gratitude. He’d seen the crown prince’s twin, General Prince Raymond August, on
television. The man was singularly impressive. A general at thirty. Incredible.
Quaid had dreamt of being a general since he was a preschooler. Imagine—not only being the one in charge of your own
destiny, but inspiring, protecting, and directing an entire army.
He’d made steady progress toward that goal as a Navy SEAL but hadn’t been surprised when he had received the message
from Jacey. Of course his dreams and goals were just another thing his mother had ripped from his grasp. He’d had to retire at
twenty-six and run once again. He’d lost Kenny the year before—the only other person he had truly trusted and loved deeply,
besides Jacey. Well, and Maria, but he’d buried the pain so deep sometimes he could go days without the gruesome image of
her death coming to mind.
Even Cash, Bennett, and Eli didn’t know about Quaid’s past. They all thought he had PTSD. With losing Kenny and other
comrades during his military service, he could easily claim battle-induced PTSD. Though Kenny’s death had been horrific and
Quaid felt like he’d lost a piece of himself, only Jacey would understand that it hadn’t been the military scars that had
destroyed him, but his own mother.
“You can see our gorgeous mountains.” Jennifer gestured behind her. “Your challenge is to hike, climb, and explore the
Augustine mountains.”
 That didn’t sound too bad as long as they had the proper gear. He wondered what the challenge was specifically. Simply
surviving in the wild?
“There are dozens of caves in our mountains. T’s brother Curt has explored all of them. Curt and Aliya agreed to help out,
hike to his favorite caves and set up food and shelter, generators and charging stations for the cameras in ten different caves.
You also have emergency sleeping bags and an emergency shelter in one of your backpacks, but it will be much more
comfortable if you sleep in one of the caves. You have food in your backpacks, but nothing like the delicious food Curt has left
for you in the caves. Motion sensor cameras are set up in the caves, so you won’t have to worry about recording in there, but
you’ll have to wear the GoPros at all other times.” She grinned. “Such a fabulous adventure, yes?”
“Yes, I love it,” Anna agreed happily. “How exciting!”
Quaid couldn’t help but look at his counterpart. Those green eyes were mesmerizing. Not that it mattered to him. Did she
ever stop smiling and teasing? She reminded him far too much of Jacey, but that was actually a good thing. It would not only
make him more protective of Anna and wanting to help her win the money for her charity, but it would also remind him of his
motivation for being on the show—the financial means to keep Jacey safe.
That meant keeping an emotional distance from this ray of sunshine. It had never been hard for him before. Women threw
themselves at him constantly and he might go on one date or kiss a pretty girl, but he never got emotionally involved. A woman
off the Navy base had never seen him without sunglasses and a baseball cap on.
Too bad he hadn’t worn both today so Anna and Mercedes wouldn’t have recognized him.
“If you find the ten caves before Saturday at sunset, Anna wins a million dollars.”
Anna clapped her hands and Quaid nodded his understanding. He suddenly realized why the gracious crown prince had
shown him the map of Augustine’s eastern mountain range, talked through it with him, and let him study it. Quaid liked
geography and the map had reminded him of his time with the SEALs in the Italian Alps. Thanks to that gift, he had a sharp
mental picture of the map. He was already impressed with Prince Tristan but the man rose a few more notches in his
estimation.
“Yay us!” Anna exclaimed. “We’re going to win a million dollars and make so many children happy. Thank you, Jesus.”
She glanced up at the blue sky. “You bring all light and goodness.”
Quaid blinked at her. Did she mean that? Kenny had loved his Savior and promised that He protected Kenny and Quaid, but
Kenny had died. Not much protection from heaven.
Cash and Bennett prayed, too. Quaid didn’t mock anyone’s faith and respected the sincere believers he’d met, but
personally he had never given his Father in Heaven much head space. If He loved Kenny so much, why wouldn’t He keep him
safe? If He cared for Quaid or Jacey at all, why put them in a family with a mother who was the devil in a female form? The
Devil Wears Prada wasn’t a joke at his house. It was safer for Quaid not to get too caught up in hope or faith. The only hope
for his life was to protect Jacey.
Anna turned to him, and Quaid flinched but stood his ground. He instinctively knew he should back away from such a
beaming yet mischievous grin.
“As my nephew Cameron would say, ‘You’re my best, Quaid!’”
Then she threw her arms around him.
Thankfully, it was brief. That was the only positive Quaid could find. He stood stiff and didn’t respond to her impetuous
hug. The fleeting embrace shook him to his core. This woman’s warm arms around him felt like he’d been encased with
sunshine and shown a vision—that his life could be more than running, self-sacrifice, and hiding himself and Jacey.
Anna drew back and her grin wasn’t quite as big. Because he hadn’t physically responded? Quaid yanked his gaze from her
so he wouldn’t grab her and hug her for as long as she was willing.
That would be idiotic.
Quaid pushed away the vision of a happy future for him as well. Protect Jacey. That was his life’s mission and all that
could matter.
Maybe someday. When his parents were dead and Jacey was safe. Then he could look at a relationship for himself. So,
twenty to thirty years from now. It was at least a goal to shoot for. He doubted he’d survive twenty more years, but goals
helped sharpen focus.
“There is some deep snow on the north facing slopes and in some of the valleys, but Curt and Aliya got through, and you’ll
have top of the line gear,” Prince Tristan explained.
Quaid was grateful they would provide them with the best gear available. He wasn’t too worried about himself, but this
whimsical, too-loving woman wouldn’t make it ten steps into Augustine’s portion of the Alps in springtime with a hole in her
shoe and her sock.
“How long did it take Prince Curtis and Princess Aliya?” Quaid asked. He’d heard about the pair of royals—a Southern
sweetheart and a reclusive prince married, both of them adventurers and free spirits. He’d like a story like that. If there was
anywhere on earth safe from his mother’s reach.
“Four days. They had snowshoes and they had to carry a lot of gear and retrace their steps to their house often. They also
spent time setting up your sleeping spots and meals,” Prince Tristan said. “They know these mountains well, hiked straight to
the caves they wanted to hide the supplies in, sometimes using snowmobiles or dirt bikes, and they had clear weather.” His
blue eyes twinkled.
He was basically saying it was possible for them, but not probable. They’d have to scour unknown areas to find the caves.
These mountains were steep, a huge expanse filled with snow, and there was probably a spring storm on the horizon.
“What else is in our backpacks?” Quaid asked.
“Everything you need,” Princess Jennifer said, “to survive for six days in the mountains—food, water which you can refill
in our many delicious streams, the emergency bedding, Yaktrax, rope, first aid supplies, climbing gear …” She looked to her
husband. Quaid liked their Augustine accents and admired their loving relationship.
“Will we need first aid supplies and climbing gear?” Anna’s eyes were wide as she looked at Mercedes.
“Possibly.” Mercedes shrugged. She looked uneasy and apologetic, but … “This is an adventure reality show, and you
signed disclaimers acknowledging the danger.”
“And that I might die or lose a foot to frostbite,” Anna whispered.
Quaid wasn’t even aware he’d done it until his arm brushed hers and then his hand was touching her hand. Not holding it,
just the back of their hands touching lightly. It felt like a grounding wire. Anna’s touch could hold him down to earth and
electrify him at the same time. He needed to pull away, but first he had to reassure her. He’d want any of his friends or the
Coleville brothers to do the same for Jacey.
He bent and whispered in her ear, “I’ll keep you safe, Anna. No worries.”
“No worries?” She gazed up at him. Trust and determination filled her gaze. “You’ve got me, Quaid?”
He liked her saying his name, not the weird ‘HEM’ nickname. He let himself smile at her—a real smile. “Yeah. I do.”
“Yes!” She impulsively flung her arms around his neck again, and this time she called out, “I love you, my own personal
HEM!”
Quaid was struck by so many things at once. Her body was firm, warm, and enticing against him. Electrifying and
grounding … definitely. She smelled delicious, like peaches and cream. She absolutely did not love him and never could or
should. She was far too impetuous. She and Jacey would adore each other.
He had to get some distance from her and somehow keep it. While hiking and sleeping in the same caves for six days. He
was in trouble. He shuddered to think what his mother could do to such an innocent sweetheart. That horrific thought helped
him center.
Nodding to Anna, he removed her arms and stepped away, but not before he read the disappointment in her incredible green
eyes.
He swung to face the royals, Mercedes, and Shawn. They all had wide eyes, watching them like they were a soap opera.
Great.
Pop some popcorn, grab a soda, and pull up a chair to watch the show, he almost quipped.
That surprised him. He hadn’t teased like that without Kenny or Jacey to tease with.
Anna shifted next to him. He did not look at her. He’d been trying to reassure her with the brush of his hand and his words,
but she’d taken it much too far. How would the next six days go? A fun-loving and spontaneous woman like Anna might take
any encouragement much too far. He’d have to be on constant guard. Luckily, that was nothing new for him.
“Did we forget anything?” Prince Tristan asked Mercedes.
The too-skinny billionaire turned to Shawn, appearing uncertain. Something was wrong with Mercedes. Quaid wished he
could help the lady, but Shawn seemed to take fabulous care of her. Quaid was grateful she hadn’t revealed who he was.
“Talking into the camera,” Shawn prodded.
“Oh yes!” Mercedes turned to them with a bright smile. It was almost as if she smiled big enough, she could hide whatever
was going wrong in her life. Quaid had done something similar for years, but he didn’t smile. As a youth, he’d hid behind his
‘ultra-handsome face.’ As an adult, he’d had his fighting skills.
“Every night, you have to each take a camera, find a little bit of privacy, which will be difficult, and share your thoughts on
the day’s adventures and your adventuring partner.” She beamed as if they’d share some romantic thoughts or longings.
Silly and unrealistic, but that was reality television. Thankfully, it wasn’t The Bachelor, and more importantly, they’d
obscure his face and voice.
Anna shifted next to him; her warmth and peaches and cream scent made his pulse quicken. She was tempting, and there
was definitely a chemistry between them he hadn’t previously experienced. Still, any kind of romance for him was out of the
question and very dumb. He had to protect Jacey, and he would never put a woman in danger the likes of which his mother
could dole out. She’d killed Maria to ‘teach him a lesson.’ He’d internalized that lesson, but not in the way his mother had
hoped. He could never allow his mother that kind of leverage.
“Well … any questions before we outfit you?” Princess Jennifer asked.
“Yes.” Anna’s voice was tremulous. “Do we get a tour of the castle?”
The royals and Mercedes all laughed at that.
 “Yes, you do,” Princess Jennifer assured her.
“Yes!” Anna jumped in the air, grabbed his arm with her warm hand, and started to tug him forward. “Let’s do this.”
Prince Tristan held up a hand. “When you finish your adventure.”
“Ah, dang.” Anna released his arm and her shoulders slumped. She was expressive and … really cute.
“Don’t worry. The waiting will make it even better.” Princess Jennifer’s eyes twinkled. “You will be our guest for the
evening and night after you win the million dollars. You’ll not only tour our beautiful castle, but you’ll also get to stay in a
suite, use the spa area, and even eat dinner with the king and queen of Augustine. My father-in-law and mother-in-law are
fabulous, by the way. You’ll love them.”
“I will. I really will.” Anna beamed.
Quaid hid a laugh. Anna loved everyone apparently, so that wasn’t much of a plug for meeting the king and queen. He
would like to meet them and see the castle. Spa treatments sounded great too. Once he got through this adventure, he could
maybe relax for one evening. Then he would head to Montana and evaluate if he needed to relocate Jacey. Miles kept
reassuring him that his brothers and dad were tougher than anyone he knew and would protect her with their very lives. Sadly,
if his mother found her, the Colevilles’ lives would be sacrificed. Even his former SEAL unit, his friend Aiden’s security
experts—the second-best security in the world Aiden would quip, or a team of Sutton Smith’s top ops—the top security in the
world, even Aiden agreed on that—couldn’t keep his sister safe.
“This is going to be amazing!” Anna cheered. “Dinner with the king and queen of Augustine and a tour of that dreamy
castle. That sounds as fabulous as winning the money.” She turned to Quaid and looked him over. The adoring look in her
beautiful green eyes did something funny to his stomach. “All right, HEM, my own personal superhero. Let’s go find our caves,
and not die doing it.”
Quaid smiled, relieved that she was so positive. He could be her superhero, keep her safe, help her find the caves and earn
the money that was already in his account. He also could not forget for a minute to keep an emotional distance. “Let’s do it.”
Anna grinned, grabbed his hand, and held it tight.
Quaid’s stomach did that funny ba-bump again.
He was in danger with this unexpected lady. A danger he’d never faced before.
Luckily, he knew how to fight and, more importantly, how to run.
 Chapter
Three

ANNA’S STOMACH FLUTTERED NERVOUSLY, but she was as ready as she could be for this
adventure. In a downstairs bathroom of the castle—the only part they’d been allowed to see, darn it—they’d changed their
clothes. She’d squealed with delight at the lovely pile of Lady Fit athletic wear, designed by two American sisters who had
married Augustine military heroes.
She reveled in the soft and warm base layers, waterproof top layers, gloves that were perfectly flexible but somehow also
kept all the cold and wetness out, boots she could’ve danced in, and wool-blend socks with no holes. Every single article
stamped with a brand that had only existed in her daydreams and fantasies. She’d never worn such exceptional clothing—soft,
comfortable, protective, she could sleep in all of it. It would keep her warm, dry, and prevent her from losing a foot to
frostbite.
Anna had only kept the one personal item she’d been allowed to bring from home, a picture of her nieces and nephews with
many of the children at Chicago’s Play Time. Studying the picture for a moment, she focused on each of her twelve nieces and
nephews and Jace and Molly, her favorite little wild people. Those two could be hugging her one moment and trying to wrestle
her to the ground the next. She missed them already.
Please be with Jace, Molly, and all my little ones.
Neither Jace nor Molly got much attention at home. Without Play Time, they wouldn’t ever get a warm, well-rounded meal,
opportunities to laugh and run or, most importantly, hugs. The best Anna could say about Jace’s dad or Molly’s mom was they
didn’t abuse their children. At least, she’d never seen any signs of abuse or heard anything from the children’s lips that hinted
at it. Not many in her centers had such a good situation. She knew the only reason most of those parents brought their children
to Play Time was it was free daycare. Her nieces and nephews were all happy and loved. It was for Jace and Molly and the
many others who needed a safe and happy space that Anna was doing this.
So far, this reality show experience had been amazing. They had all made her feel welcome and comfortable. Maya was
right. Classy people. She loved all of them, but apparently she couldn’t say that to her HEM. She was burning to talk to Quaid
about the huge secret he was hiding, much bigger than a hole in her sock.
Did anybody else know who he actually was? How had he been kidnapped eight years ago and was somehow standing in
front of her, even better-looking than he’d been at eighteen? She’d have to wait until they were out of the cameras’ listening
ears. When would that be? She might have to whisper her burning questions. It sounded like the cameras might never turn off.
Dang.
Their packs were ready to go, the GoPro cameras mounted on the front and back of each backpack and turned on. They
could charge the batteries and turn these cameras off when they stopped in the caves.
For the next six days, she would be alone in the wilds of Augustine’s pristine mountains with the most handsome man on the
planet. A mysterious, famous man who nobody but her seemed to recognize. True, she and Maya had been obsessed with him
when they were sixteen and he was eighteen. For almost a year, his photos had been splayed everywhere—social media,
billboards, magazine covers. She wasn’t certain why an ultra-wealthy heir to billions would need a modeling career, but with
his perfect face and body, he’d become an overnight teenage and college girl obsession.
Then all the press about him being kidnapped had come out and he’d dropped off the face of the earth. She’d daydreamed
about rescuing Thomas Oliver, returning him to his family, and not only receiving the five-million-dollar reward his parents
had offered for his safe return, but having him fall in love with her.
Crazy. She knew that.
But maybe not so crazy today. Could she make those dreams come true, or would she scare him away?
Sadly, Quaid—or Thomas or HEM, depending on who you were asking—was also the most reticent and serious man she’d
been around in a long time.
 Anna didn’t do serious very well. Truly, she didn’t relate to adults very well either, especially ultra-handsome, tough,
serious men. She goofed around and joked with children every day. She helped even the saddest, most neglected children dry
their tears, smile, and sometimes even laugh. It was why she’d come up with Play Time, used every bit of savings she and
Maya had to start the first center, and begged everybody they knew, and some they didn’t know, to donate so they could open
more.
Waving goodbye to Prince Tristan, Princess Jennifer, Mercedes, Shawn, and Garrett the cameraman, they set off down the
winding asphalt road of the castle. Neither of them said anything. Anna didn’t know that she’d been quiet for this long of a
stretch in her entire life. She’d heard from Maya and her siblings that she wasn’t quiet even when she was asleep.
A terrifying thought hit her. What if she rambled in her sleep about Quaid and he thought she was obsessed with him? She
sort of was, but to have him know that would be horrific.
They reached a dirt trail shortly after they walked through the lower castle barricade manned by more of those too-serious
Augustine royal guards. She waved jubilantly to the soldiers. Quaid gave them a nod, which one guard returned.
She and Quaid turned onto the trail and headed toward the towering mountains. The trail was inclined but hard-packed dirt
and dry. That was nice. How soon would they hit mud or snow?
Her backpack was heavy. It was top of the line, so the weight was distributed evenly, but her legs and back would feel the
extra weight by tonight.
The air was still crisp, but the movement got her blood pumping and she was plenty warm. Following HEM, she was
mesmerized by the strength and definition in his shoulders and arms.
She tried to focus on the exquisite beauty of lush greenery and spring growth coming to life around them but was constantly
distracted by the exquisite beauty of the Lord’s most beautiful manly creation striding in front of her.
“So … I think it’s time. Dun, dun, dun …” She interrupted the cadence of their marching footsteps and the tweeting of the
birds. She couldn’t stand the silence or the suspense of not knowing his mysterious story for one more second.
“Time for?” he asked, a cautious note in his voice. He didn’t look back at her.
“I think you should entertain me with stories. Enthrall me. Tell me all about the incredible and impressive Lieutenant Quaid
Raven. Start at birth and just work your way on up. I’ve got time.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her. Those blue eyes were tantalizing. Even at eighteen when he’d been ‘kidnapped,’ he’d
been touted as one of the most beautiful men in America. As a full-grown man, he was one of the most beautiful men in the
world. In her opinion. He’d easily outshine even Prince Tristan.
If he’d smile.
“Why?” he asked, turning forward and picking up the pace.
“Why? Um …” She didn’t meet many adults who didn’t want to talk about themselves. Sometimes children were more
reticent, especially those who came from hard situations. She was an expert at drawing them out, making them laugh. This guy
was hiding secrets the likes of which any talk show host or influencer in the world would go insane over. She didn’t want to
exploit him, and she realized it was not good form to ask him to reveal all when the cameras were rolling. Shoot.
Would he ever tell her the truth? She was dying to know.
Could she help him escape whoever had kidnapped him, or had he already escaped and then decided he liked the life of a
hermit? What if this mysterious enigma walking in front of her no longer wanted to be wealthy, famous, part of his illustrious
and charitable family, and sought after by women the world over?
Yeah, right. That made no sense.
“We’ll be alone for six days,” she said, trying to act casual and as if she didn’t know his secret. He could tell her stories
about this Lieutenant Quaid Raven, the person he or someone else had created to hide Thomas Oliver’s true identity. “We might
as well get the preliminary small talk out of the way and become fast friends during the first epic hour of our shared adventure.
Right?”
“Anna.” His deep, melodious voice sounded annoyed, and he didn’t even glance over his shoulder to give her another
snapshot of those baby blues. “I appreciate your humor and outgoing nature, and I’m certain we’ll get along well. But I’m not a
fan of … the fast friends type, or telling stories about myself.”
“Well, that’s just sad.”
Did that mean he wasn’t a fan of her? She knew he was completely out of her league romantically. Nobody had ever
accused her of being any great beauty, and the dates she’d been asked on had been because of her sense of humor.
She wasn’t trying to hit on him, unless he wanted that, which he obviously didn’t. She only wanted to be friends. She could
quietly daydream about more.
He was … closed-off was the most generous description she could give.
Quaid was hiding far too much from her and the rest of the world. His kidnappers could still be after him. His distraught yet
still classy, benevolent, and impressive mother probably had no idea he was alive. Maybe he had to stay away from his family
to keep them safe. How tragic.
She created a mental image of him watching his mother from a distance. Though he looked stoic and ultra-handsome, of
course he yearned for the charitable angel to know he was safe and maybe one more motherly hug? She almost teared up just
thinking of it.
Then his sister had been kidnapped too. Even the wealthy had to deal with horrible tragedies. Maybe even more so as they
were obviously targets for depraved souls.
Quaid had trained diligently in the military. A young lieutenant and a Navy SEAL. So impressive. He could protect himself
if those kidnappers were still after him, but could he protect his family? Was he even now searching for his missing sister?
They walked and walked as she stewed.
“If you don’t like ‘fast friends,’ do you like other types of friends?” she asked.
No response.
“Do you have … friends?”
His back stiffened, and she felt awful. This handsome, appealing man didn’t have friends? The heartbreak for her HEM
kept compounding.
Anna excelled in helping the children at Play Time every morning and evening, and at her full-time preschool job during the
day—somebody had to pay the bills—to learn people skills and how to make friends. Most importantly, how to be a good
friend. ‘To have a friend, you have to be a friend.’ She repeated that line at least a dozen times a day.
“I have enough friends,” he muttered.
“Oh. That’s good.”
Anna’s mind scrambled to know how to draw him out, how to help him. She’d worked with numerous children from
abusive homes or dealing with the loss of a loved one or an intense bullying situation. It was a delicate balance—comforting
and understanding, not pushing too hard but not giving up on them either. Ninety percent of the time, she could draw them out
until they could laugh, play, make friends, find happiness, and most importantly turn to Jesus.
Of course! Duh. That was why she wasn’t getting through to her HEM. Her nonstop prayer dialogue had ceased for the past
hour as her mind had spun with questions about him. A little, or a lot of, heavenly help was always in order.
Please help me know how to help him. Is he a wounded soul? Closed off? Angry? Scared? Lonely? Running? In danger?
Oppressed?
I am Your tool. Guide me.
“Why don’t you tell me about yourself? Then I’ll know what I’m expected to share,” Quaid said. His voice sounded
amused and at the same time resigned to his fate. Talking about himself must be a form of torture to him. She doubted he’d tell
her the truth. If he was living under an assumed name, he must have created a good backstory.
“Oh, that’s easy,” she chirped, determined to help him be comfortable around her and maybe someday tell her his story. “I
have the best family ever. Two fabulous and caring parents. Five siblings. All happily married, successful, loyal, full of
Christian light, and kind. I’m the youngest and of course the most well-loved.” She grinned. Her mom said well-loved was
much better than spoiled.
He said nothing to any of that.
Okay. Maybe too upbeat and braggy? His family was insanely impressive, beautiful, rich, and charitable. She’d listen to
him brag too. Except he was hiding his family. He was probably protecting his mom, dad, and sisters from the awful people
who had kidnapped him. He was a martyr, sacrificing himself to keep his family safe and happy. Of course her HEM would be
that unselfish.
“I have five nephews and seven nieces,” she continued. “Ages nine months to ten years old. They’re all absolutely adorable
and endearing. Of course I’m their favorite auntie. Nobody knows how to play like Auntie Anna.”
No response.
Did he like children? Yikes. Huge red flag if that was a no.
“I’m certain you’re a lively aunt,” he said stiffly.
Lively? Gag. She was the life of the party.
“Are your nieces and nephews … happy?” He still didn’t look at her, but something in his question tugged at her heart. She
could only imagine how he longed for his own family and there she went boasting about her beautiful loved ones.
“Very happy.” She couldn’t lie. She didn’t think he’d want that anyway. “My siblings and their spouses are devoted parents
who love Jesus. The blessings every child needs.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
He kept walking and walking. She followed along.
With no follow-up questions about her family, she was pretty certain it wasn’t time to start entertaining him with stories
about each of her nieces and nephews, Jace, Molly, and the other regulars at Play Time. She could mesmerize anyone for hours
with those stories.
When the chirping of happy birds and their own rhythmic footfalls were the only sounds for much too long, she tried a
different subject. “I’m from Chicago.”
“Which part?”
 “Northwest side. Up by the lake. So beautiful. Not nearly as beautiful as this.” She gestured around. They walked up a
gradual incline, and the gorgeous pine trees around them were thick. Spring sunshine was drawing out blossoms on the
deciduous trees and covering the ground with tender shoots of green.
“This is very beautiful,” he admitted. “What’s your favorite part about your home?”
He was at least trying to continue the conversation and draw her out. Good job, HEM.
“I love the lake and the thick trees everywhere. My brothers, sisters, Maya, and I built forts and explored in the forest and
played in the lake every chance we got.”
Quaid glanced back at her. “That sounds … really normal and nice.”
“It was normal, but much better than nice.” She grinned.
He looked away, but not before she caught a longing in his gaze.
“What was your childhood like?” It was the obvious follow-up question, but she got the sense quickly she shouldn’t have
asked it.
His back stiffened. “I’m sure pretty similar to yours.”
Anna’s eyes widened. She was sure not. He came from ridiculous wealth. His family had homes all over the world. His
sisters and mother were some of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen, his dad distinguished and perfect looking. She had
so many questions for him, but she didn’t dare ask any of them. He’d obviously changed his name and gone into the military.
Why? Hiding from his kidnappers, most likely. Did his parents know he was all right? If they did, why the constant pleas and
huge reward money to help find him and his sister Jacqueline? So many questions. She would lose it if she didn’t get some
answers soon.
They plodded along. She tried to think of what to say.
Please help me help him. If I can’t get my questions answered, help my brain to calm down.
“Tell me about your charity,” he requested.
“Oh, that’s easy! My degree is in early childhood development and I worked at a preschool all through high school and
college. Well, I still work there. Gotta pay the bills somehow, right?” Her cheeks heated as she asked that. How could a
billionaire heir relate to paying bills?
“Certainly,” he responded graciously.
“Then Maya—she’s my best friend—and I got the idea to start our own play center that any child could come to and play
and be a kid. We also wanted to help parents who were overwhelmed, looking for a safe space for their children, or needing a
break for a moment so they could be a good parent again when they returned. Sometimes all you need is a timeout to get your
good attitude back.” The truth wasn’t quite as idealistic, a good portion of the parents seemed happy to dump their child and
quite often repeated phone calls had to be made for the little ones to be picked up at the end of the day. Sometimes it was the
police who had to come, often finding the parent drunk, drugged, or missing. It broke her heart.
“Interesting,” he said. “My friend Cash has a gym that helps vets and at-risk youth have a safe space to go. The vets mentor
the teenage boys, teach them how to be healthy and protect themselves. Kind of similar.”
“Oh, cool! Yes, kind of similar, but our place is all about play and we have toddlers up to preteens.”
“Cash’s gym only has teenage boys. Good kids who need a break in life.”
“From hard situations?”
“As a rule.”
“So you help out there?” she asked.
He didn’t answer.
Anna’s neck tingled. He was still hiding out. A fugitive. On the run. Needing help and protection. As tough as he looked,
she knew he could protect himself physically, but he was shouting for emotional and spiritual support.
How could she help if she didn’t know the root of his pain?
She upped her pace until she ran into his backpack. Then she grabbed on to his arms from behind. Oh my. Her heart was
suddenly racing out of control and her skin far too warm. Quaid’s defined arms were more fabulous to touch than stare at.
Bulges of smooth muscle on his biceps and triceps was not only eye candy—it was good touch overload.
“Delicious,” she murmured. “Perfect.”
He stopped and finally glanced back at her, concern evident on his face. “Are you well?”
“Going insane,” she admitted.
His brows lifted, but the look he gave her said he already thought she’d arrived at insane and was speeding past it to a bed
in a mental hospital.
She threw caution to the wind, arched onto her tiptoes, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, “You’re Thomas Oliver,
and you don’t want anybody to know.”
Stiffened wasn’t strong enough for how he reacted. His entire body was one hard, coiled muscle. His blue eyes lost any
warmth and narrowed to a dangerous glare.
“Are you in mortal peril?” she asked urgently.
 Quaid whipped around and pulled her in close. His large and warm palms wrapped around her lower back, just under her
backpack, as he held her on her tiptoes and against his strong chest. The air whooshed from her lungs. Him willingly hugging
her so tight was … heavenly, awe-inspiring, magical.
Quaid held her pressed against his muscled chest. The front cameras were both squished between them. Leaning down, he
whispered in her ear, “If you ever say that name out loud, to anyone, I will be in worse than mortal peril.”
“Oh! Oh, my. All right.” She nodded with resolve. “I swear on Granny Isabelle’s grave never to breathe a word to anyone.”
He relaxed slightly but didn’t let her go. Easing back enough to meet her gaze, he studied her, checking for sincerity more
effectively than a lie detector test.
“You can trust me, Quaid,” she said softly, nodding her encouragement.
He softened a fraction more and then returned her nod. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, my HEM.”
He actually smiled at that.
Anna blinked up at him for several seconds, surprised he didn’t release her. She loved being in his arms. She wanted to just
hug him, but she doubted she’d get this whispering-close opportunity anytime soon. So she leaned around to his ear to whisper,
“Can you tell me about what really happened sometime?”
“I don’t even know you, Anna.” His whisper was harsh. “Please, just … let me help you this week and don’t ask any
questions, or say anything to the cameras, about me or my past.”
That stunk. She’d daydreamed about this man for years and now he was here, holding her, a true celebrity crush moment in
fulfillment, but he didn’t want to get to know or trust her. “What about the show? The whole world will see it.”
“Voice and face obfuscation software,” he murmured. “When it airs, I’ll be long gone from here and everyone associated
with the show.”
“Ah. That makes sense.”
He pulled back just enough to stare into her eyes. His blue eyes captivated her. She’d do anything he asked, except … not
ask questions about him? That stunk worse than one of her brother’s protein drink farts.
“Thank you,” he mouthed.
“Anything for you,” she told him again. She hoped she said it sweetly, purely, irresistibly.
He studied her and then simply nodded and released her. Pivoting, he strode up the trail.
Anna followed. Deflated, dejected, lonely, awkward. At least she wasn’t bored as her mind spun a million miles an hour,
the questions and need to know growing with every step.
Thomas Oliver, in the handsome flesh, refusing to give her more than a crumb of information. This might be the longest and
most frustrating week of her life.
Please help calm my frantic mind.
Quaid was in danger. Mortal peril.
His safety was more important than her questions.
 Chapter
Four

QUAID MADE it through a very long day of hiking through the steep but gorgeous mountains southeast of the Augustine
castle. Somehow, he resisted pulling the intriguing and increasingly-appealing motormouth Anna into his arms again. When
she’d grabbed him from behind an hour into their hike and said she knew who he was, and he’d spun and pulled her in close to
stop her from broadcasting his identity to the cameras, the power of her touch and the feel of her in his arms had overwhelmed
him. He’d almost lost his train of thought and his desire to stay aloof and single for many years to come.
Who knew holding an enticing woman could feel like that? Well, most of the world who was happily married must know,
but it had never happened for him before. He held himself as aloof as possible throughout the rest of the day, but her happy
chatter and honest delight and appreciation of everything was hard to resist.
Quaid responded as well as he could under the circumstances. He surprised himself by asking her follow-up questions and
laughing at her silly jokes and teases often. When had he last let himself laugh? He couldn’t remember. Jacey used to make him
laugh, but they’d learned to be very careful not to laugh out loud. Kenny had made him laugh, but he was dead.
As they hiked, he explained the mental snapshot he was planning his strategy of attack from. He’d had no clue how valuable
the map Prince Tristan had shown him would be. Now he had to keep track of the peaks and valleys and the approximate
distance covered so they didn’t waste time hiking too far south to Italy, east to Austria, or north to Germany. He would gray out
the portions of the map in his mind as they traversed, and hopefully not waste time covering an area twice or hiking around in
other countries. If they explored all the broken trails, they’d find the ten caves.
The sun had sunk behind the mountains and darkness was quickly approaching. They’d seen a waterfall, numerous lakes,
tromped through knee-deep snow in a couple of valleys, slid over icy trails, slogged through mud, and found three caves today.
Not the right caves. None of the three had any food or shelter in them. They’d covered maybe a twentieth of the area he’d seen
on the map. If Anna was disappointed in their lack of progress, she never let on.
They’d subsisted on the protein bars, fruit leather, and trail mix from their backpacks, refilling their water bottles in a clear
spring. He wouldn’t mind some real food, but their sleeping situation was his bigger concern. Sleeping on the edge of a
mountain switchback trail like they were on right now and having to cuddle close in emergency sleeping bags and an
emergency shelter were not high on his priority list.
If Quaid were truthful with himself, the thought of holding Anna through the night sounded like the most exciting adventure
in the world. But being honest with himself wasn’t high on his priority list right now either. Keeping her safe, helping her win
her money, and keeping focused on protecting Jacey after he finished this adventure were the top priorities.
“Any caves in sight to hunker down in for the night, my perfect and beautiful HEM?” she asked.
Quaid hid a smile. She insisted on calling him HEM. She threw a lot of Quaid in there too. She was quirky, hilarious,
upbeat, and an unapologetic Christian just like Kenny, Miles, and Jacey.
“Not in sight.” He stopped and turned to her, pulling a water bottle out of his backpack and offering it to her. He knew
exactly what she’d do.
She didn’t disappoint. Anna took a long drink, looking more appealing to him than any of the models, actresses, wealthy
socialites, or influencers who used to hit on him when he was in the limelight with his family. In a moment, she’d offer the
drink back to him and encourage him to ‘drink up.’ He liked that she wasn’t worried about germs and her generous nature
showed with the gesture. He couldn’t imagine his mother or Elizabeth ever sharing a drink with anyone.
“Drink up,” she chirped, water glistening on her lips. Those lips of hers were calling to him. It had been over a year since
he’d let down his guard enough to kiss someone.
He and Kenny had gone to clubs or dances when they had breaks between missions. He’d worn a hat and sunglasses and
Kenny had introduced him as his ‘blind friend.’ The women had gone nuts over the ploy. Some had tried to take his hat or
sunglasses off, but he never let them. Many had kissed him at the end of the night. He’d enjoyed it.
 One touch of Anna’s lips would surely blow any of those kisses out of the water.
After Kenny died, Quaid had stopped doing anything social. That had to be why he was so invested in Anna’s every word,
touch, and tease. He was simply lonely.
Neither his loneliness nor his desire for her could factor into the equation. He’d be strong and resist her. There was a host
of reasons why he needed to be strong, and Jacey was at the very top of the list. Keeping the irresistible Anna safe from his
mother’s scopes was screaming into a close second.
“Okay.” He looked around on the pretense of making a decision, but he was actually giving himself a break from yearning
to let down his guard and connect with this innocent sweetheart he didn’t truly know and shouldn’t be so mesmerized with.
Today she’d even drawn him out and he’d shared a little bit. Of course his stories were altered to protect Jacey and his own
identity, but still he found himself joking with her and giving her far more information than he’d shared about his life with
anyone but Kenny.
He enjoyed being around her. He couldn’t believe he’d originally thought she wasn’t insanely beautiful. She’d never grace
the cover of Vogue or Cosmopolitan, but to him she was lightyears more beautiful than any of the women he’d dated or that his
mother had pushed on him.
It didn’t matter. Couldn’t matter. He and Anna’s future was the next six days together, then it would come to an abrupt end.
It would be infinitely kinder of him to keep her from falling for him and not let his heart get entangled with hers.
“Let’s keep heading up the switchbacks until we lose natural light,” he decided. “I’m hoping to find a level place on the
trail, or even better, a cave that has the supplies they promised us and a sleeping spot.”
“Me too. Though I wouldn’t mind snuggling up with my HEM in emergency blankets on the pretense of needing to stay alive
and warm.” She winked at him.
Quaid grinned. How could he not? She was baiting him. He knew it, and he could act casual and tease like any single, red-
blooded man with a brain in his head would do.
“I could definitely keep you alive and warm.” He overheated just imagining snuggling close. He had to shut those thoughts
down and redirect. “But I promise it would be a miserable night.”
“Misery never sounded so incredible.” She grinned, as happy and appealing as any woman had a right to be.
Quaid’s heart threatened to pound out of his chest. He stored the water bottle and turned to keep from reaching for her. His
body begged him to touch her again and see if it was anything close to as amazing as it had been earlier today.
Not happening.
“Let’s get up this slushy, muddy mess of a mountain,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
Quaid led the way. They had the Yaktraks on but still slid often on the icy and muddy trail. Couldn’t Mercedes’s team have
waited until August to shoot this hiking through the mountain episode? The mud, ice, and snow made it more difficult, and he
was certain the producers wanted exactly that.
Quaid knew the producers had their weeks scheduled out. Cash had explained they’d organize the footage and promote the
shows throughout the spring and summer. They planned to start showing the different episodes in the fall on several large
networks.
Thank heavens Mercedes had agreed to the voice and face obfuscation, paid him up front, and hadn’t revealed who he was.
His identity would stay safe as well as his pride. He smiled thinking of Cash, Bennett, and Eli splayed before the world. He’d
have fun watching those episodes. He’d probably watch this episode repeatedly, simply to revisit his time with Anna.
The temperatures were plummeting to below freezing. He strained to see the trail; they had to either hunker down and be
miserable yet snuggled close, or put the headlamps on and slow their pace. Being tucked in close to Anna would be far from
miserable for him, and that was a glaring problem. Headlamps it was.
Stopping, he pulled off his backpack.
“Wrapping up in emergency blankets now?” Anna chirped.
He glanced back. Even in the dim light, he could see her grin. “As tempting as that sounds …” He shouldn’t have admitted
that. She beamed at him. “We’re opting for headlamps. It’s time to find a cave.”
“I love the positivity. Let’s do it, baby!”
Quaid chuckled. He’d done that regularly today. Today was the happiest day he’d had since Kenny died.
He pulled out the headlamps and handed one to her. Thankfully, she had gloves on. Too many incidental brushes of the hand
might do him in.
Switching on his own headlight, he was tempted to pray they found a cave. He held strong. Jacey believed heaven had
helped him rescue her, but it had been his and Miles’s ingenuity, experience, and a bit of good luck. Heaven hadn’t saved
Maria, and he’d prayed and begged for her life. Heaven hadn’t helped Kenny, and his best friend had stronger faith than anyone
he knew.
He took a few slow steps, swinging the headlamp around so he wouldn’t miss anything. Their progress slowed even
further. As they plodded along, slipping and sliding, with a hundred-foot drop to their right, he wondered if finding a cave
tonight was worth the risk of falling.
“Please help us Father to not slip off the cliffs, never to be heard from again.”
Quaid grinned, though it really wasn’t funny.
“Please guide us to a warm, safe cave to snuggle in through the night,” Anna continued to pray aloud behind him, so close
he could feel her warm breath on his neck.
Quaid didn’t comment. He would never disparage anyone’s faith or beliefs. He’d learned from birth how words could cut,
but he didn’t know that a Heavenly Father was concerned about them finding a cave. There were plenty of vicious battles and
impoverished children to capture heaven’s attention. He also didn’t think she should pray for them to snuggle.
He smiled. He liked her. It was okay to admit that much—to himself.
Should he call it and hunker down as close to the mountain as they could?
“Anna …” He turned back to share his thoughts and ask her opinion. His headlamp swung over an opening in the
mountainside on his left.
Oh. He blinked. That was a pleasant surprise.
“Anna.” He stopped and she ran into him, clasping his arm with both her hands. He was filled with purpose, light, and
warmth from simply touching her. “It’s a cave.”
“Yay! I’ve been praying so hard!”
“I heard that.”
“You only heard one-one thousandth of my many prayers.”
He chuckled. “Thank you for praying.”
“Let’s get warm.”
She tried to push past him to go inside. He held her back. “Let me check it out first.”
“Okay, Mr. Overprotective. My perfect HEM.” She blinked up at him, her green eyes more alluring than ever.
He smiled and stepped into the opening, beaming his headlamp around.
“Would you look at that?” Anna breathed out, poking her head in. “The emergency blanket snuggling situation sounded
ideal, but I guess this’ll take a close second. Prince Curtis and Princess Aliya are the bomb!”
He chuckled and led her through the cave opening, their headlights bouncing around the rock walls. They stopped next to
some camp chairs, a small table, a griddle, and a cooler. Tucked against the far wall were two sleeping bags and pillows on
top of a thick sleeping pad. There was a duffel bag that he assumed had clothing and toiletries in it.
He panned the flashlight around and saw that the cave wasn’t too big—maybe twenty by twenty. It was plenty big to hunker
down for the night, eat, and rest. He didn’t see any telltale cracks where snakes or other unfriendlies might crawl out. That was
good. Prince Curtis and Princess Aliya had done them a solid favor. This was a great place to rest tonight. One cave down,
nine to go. One day gone, six to go.
Turning on the camp light resting on the table, the cave glowed with the soft light. Cameras were placed in the corners of
the cave. They both shut off their headlamps. Anna held out her hand. “Hand over the goods.”
Quaid chuckled, removed his headlamp, and placed it in her hand. She stowed it in his backpack. They eased to an
unoccupied wall and both shrugged out of their backpacks, resting them against the wall. Taking off the GoPros batteries, they
placed all four on the chargers provided.
“Yay us! We found our cave. Now let’s eat.”
“I like how you think.”
“Of course you do.” She winked at him, and his blood ran hotter.
Turning away before he did something rash like flirt more or pull her close, he squatted next to the cooler. She was pressed
close before he could say anything.
They worked together to pull food out of the cooler and cook meat and veggies for dinner. Anna was comfortable to work
with and they were well-matched, as if they’d been in the same unit for years. He’d never felt a thrill when someone in his unit
brushed his hand or grinned at him, though. Thank heavens. He wasn’t certain what to do about these unexpected and
overwhelming feelings for Anna.
The tantalizing smell of the food cooking made his stomach rumble. Anna teased him about it, but mostly she chattered
about her nieces and nephews and the children at her play centers. She certainly loved children. He’d never been around happy
children, always in a war zone of some type. Her children sounded incredible.
She talked while they cooked together, while they ate, and while they stored the food back in the cooler. There was food for
breakfast as well.
They each used the portable toilet in the corner, turning their back, plugging their nose, and singing loudly when it was the
other person’s turn. Anna’s idea, of course. The toilet was top of the line and sealed off any smells, so that made it a little less
awkward.
Quaid held up a sleeping bag to cover her from the cameras, turned his back, and she used body wipes to clean herself up
and change into comfortable sweats and thick socks to sleep in. She returned the favor. It wasn’t awkward, and he appreciated
that modesty was important to her.
They used face wipes to clean their faces and then brushed their teeth. The prince and princess who had set this all up were
very thoughtful.
He thought they were ready to turn off the light and sleep, but she reminded him, all chipper, “We each have to record our
thoughts about the day and about each other.” She winked at him. “So turn your back and plug your ears while I go first, since I
know you’d insist on that with all your gentlemanly behavior. I promise I will only say wonderful things about you, HEM.”
He chuckled. “Thank you for easing my mind. I’ve been stressing about that all day.”
“Ah, sure you have. I don’t think anything stresses you. So brave, powerful, and alluring.” She beamed at him.
Quaid’s eyebrows shot up. She never held anything back, but he’d felt like she was pretty intuitive about him. Obviously
not. He might appear brave, powerful, and alluring to her, but he was constantly stressed, his mind scrambling at all times …
wondering if Jacey was going to be found and snatched by his mother, wondering if the she-devil would find him and torture
him to try to find Jacey, wondering how he’d ever create a normal life for Jacey or himself, knowing that would never happen.
They’d never feel safe until his mother was dead.
Instead of responding, he turned to the cave wall.
“And plug your ears,” she urged as she edged toward a camera on the opposite wall. “You can’t be listening to what I’m
saying. How embarrassing would that be?”
She was hilarious. Everything they said would be broadcast to the world in the fall.
He felt ridiculous, but he put his fingers in his ears.
Quaid waited for about five minutes. He could hear her voice but couldn’t distinguish her words. Feeling her approach, he
pulled his fingers out of his ears. She leaned into his shoulder and smiled up at him. Quaid’s throat caught. He stared down at
her. Those eyes … green like the beautiful forest they’d traipsed through all day.
“Your turn,” she said, pointing to the camera above him.
“Right.” He swirled his finger. “Turn around, nose in the corner, and plug your ears.” He smiled to himself as she spun in a
circle, hurried to the opposite edge of the cave again, and shoved her fingers in her ears. Even in too-big sweats, she looked …
incredible standing there.
It didn’t matter if she plugged her ears. He wasn’t going to say much. He edged closer to the closest camera, feeling more
ridiculous than he’d felt with his fingers in his ears.
“Um … it’s the night of day number one. We crossed a lot of ground today, ruled out several areas, found four caves, but
only this one with a shelter. So one day down and one cave down. Five more days and nine more caves. We’ll pick up the pace
tomorrow and cover more ground. Luckily, most of the elevation gain for the week is behind us. Somehow, we’ll make it and
earn the money for Anna’s charity.”
He smiled at the camera, which was silly as they would obscure his face anyway, and started to turn away.
“Make sure you tell the camera what you think of me,” Anna called out.
He glanced back at her. She hadn’t moved. Could she hear him?
“And no-o,” she sang out. “I can’t hear you. I just know how you are, trying to be all brief and stoic. Smile and enjoy life a
little, my HEM.”
Quaid laughed. Looking back at the camera, he passed a hand over his face. “Anna knows how I am.” He shook his head,
unable to stop smiling. “She’s … great. She talks a lot. A real yappologist, as my friends would say. I thought that would annoy
me, but I like her chatter. She’s funny and happy and is very dedicated to and in love with all the children she helps and her
nieces and nephews and family. She deserves to win this money.”
There was no world where he would tell the camera that she was ultra-appealing to him, he was besotted with her eyes and
lips. Maybe she wasn’t a model-gorgeous beauty that every man would gawk at, but because of her sparkling personality and
positive attitude and a crazy connection when they touched, she was already more beautiful to him than any woman he’d met.
How had that happened in a matter of hours?
No way was he revealing any of those thoughts to the camera or anyone else. Ever.
So he turned and walked toward Anna. She didn’t move, her fingers still shoved in her ears. He reached her and realized
he’d have to touch her or come around in front of her or she might never move.
He had a better idea. Something Kenny would’ve done. He leaped around in front of her and called out, “Anna!”
She screamed, jumped at him, and almost knocked him off his feet. He laughed as she curled herself around him and
scolded, “You about gave me a heart attack!”
Quaid laughed harder. Her arms around his back and her body pressed into his with no cameras, backpacks, or coats
between them was messing with his mind. He’d be the one having a heart attack with how fast his heart was racing from a
simple hug. “A heart attack at twenty-four,” he teased. “That would be some kind of crazy tragedy.”
“I’ll give you a crazy tragedy.” She released her grip on him, which surprised him but was for the best. Then she grabbed
his forearm, lifted his arm up, and feathered her fingertips along his armpit, mirth filling her green eyes.
He stared at her. This hilarious woman was getting under his skin in every which way, but sometimes she acted completely
off. His mother and Elizabeth wouldn’t like her at all. Kenny would’ve harped on him until Quaid committed to date her. Jacey
would adore her. He could already hear the terms from Jacey—soul sisters, BFFs, bosom friends. If only there was a world
where he could introduce Anna to his sister and date her.
This world wasn’t that one.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m tickling you,” she said, staring up at him, frustration evident in her green eyes. “And you aren’t laughing or fighting me
at all. Are you not ticklish?” She asked the question as if it was horrifying.
“Nope.” He didn’t move. He let her ‘tickle’ his armpit. It didn’t make him ticklish or want to laugh, but her touching him
felt incredible. He could stand here all night and let her try to tickle him.
“Oh my goodness. You!” She released him, swept a pillow off the sleeping bag, and smacked him in the face with it.
Quaid jolted in surprise and removed the pillow from her grasp. She got a sneaky, mischievous look on her face, grabbed
the other pillow, and tried to swing it at him. He took that pillow from her before she could connect with the side of his head.
She planted her hands on her hips and tossed her long ponytail over her shoulder. “What is up with you? You don’t just …
refuse to laugh at being tickled and then steal both of the pillows and not hit me back. Do you even know how to play?”
“Play?” The word was commonplace, but a foreign concept to him. He and Jacey had tried to play as children, when their
parents and older sister weren’t around, and they stayed quiet enough to not annoy and get reprimanded by the house staff and
their ever-present guards. He had select memories of ‘playing’ outside with his nanny Maria before she’d been killed.
“Play.” She eased in and feathered her fingers across his abdomen. He recognized she was trying to tickle him, but he was
far from laughter. Her touch made his body tingle and grow far too warm.
“You are supposed to laugh when someone tickles you, and you can respond to a pillow fight, for heaven’s sake. Maybe
you should … pick me up and flip me upside down or something fun like that.”
Quaid didn’t want her to stop touching his stomach and attempting to tickle him, but he liked her last idea. He dropped both
pillows and swept her off her feet and against his chest. He felt exultant, powerful, and happy as she cried out in surprise. Then
he dropped her upper body toward the pillows and shifted his grip to wrapping her up tight with his arms around her thighs as
she dangled upside down.
“Quaid!” she cried out. “Stop, you monster!”
“Your idea,” he reminded her, laughing out loud.
She laughed too. He glanced down at her; her face was turning red.
“Uncle—I cry uncle,” she yelled.
She was hilarious.
Quaid easily shifted her weight and swung her upper body back up. His hands landed under her upper back and her thighs.
She was cradled tight to his chest, and he’d never had such a perfect fit in his arms.
Anna wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him. Her peaches and cream scent was muted now
with a change of clothes and a long day outdoors, but he could still smell it on her skin. What he wouldn’t do to softly kiss her
neck and work his way up to her lips.
“See,” she crowed. “You were laughing and having fun. You protect me and help me win a million dollars, and I’ll teach
you how to play and enjoy life.” She ran her fingertips along the back of his neck and into his hair, tickling his scalp. His
muscles tightened in response and his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. He’d never forget these stolen moments with
Anna. He could enjoy life … with her.
“Oh, you can teach me, eh?”
“Yes, sir, my HEM. I can teach you a lot of very essential and exciting things.” Her gaze swept across his lips.
Exciting? Being close to her was awe-inspiring. Kissing her would blow his mind.
Quaid lost his smile as he focused on her appealing lips. He should put a stop to this, but nothing had ever been so tempting
in his life as Anna Marley. He needed a nickname for her. HEF? Hot Extraordinary Female.
Anna arched up toward him, and Quaid knew it would be easier and more thrilling than jumping out of an airplane to meet
her kiss and show her exactly what he could learn from her and what he could teach her, how he could ‘play’ with her lovely
mouth and make both of them very, very happy.
But Quaid didn’t live for pleasure and happiness. He lived to protect his sister. He could not let his guard down like this
and drag Anna into the danger and nightmare that was the Oliver family. A target on this beautiful woman’s back and giving his
mother an opportunity to manipulate him was stupidity at its finest.
He squatted quickly with her still in his arms, laid her on the sleeping bag closest to the wall, and said, “Goodnight, Anna. I
had fun today.”
The words were simple but true. He had fun. Too bad after these six days, he’d never see her again.
She lay there, still clinging to his neck, her green eyes begging him not to say goodnight. To instead kiss her for a good, long
time.
A kiss would make tonight a fabulous night.
 No.
Quaid slid his arms out from under her and gently tugged her arms from his neck. Her expression looked betrayed, hurt, and
longing for him. His gut twisted. He yearned for her. How would he stay strong against the powers Anna wielded? Her power
was very different from his manipulative mother. Anna’s power was innocence, light, and joy. She had power over him simply
because she was kind and appealing to him. She’d never demand or extort him, never abuse the power she had over him or hurt
him in any way.
He couldn’t look at her any longer or he’d kiss her, and that would be a huge mistake. Anna deserved much more than
entangling her heart with his. With the messed-up life he led, the only thing he could offer her was pain and heartache when his
mother caught up with him, which he knew would happen someday.
Quaid leapt to his feet, hurried across the small space, and turned out the light.
Then he slowly walked back. As his eyes adjusted, he sank onto his own sleeping bag, trying not to touch her. Hopefully,
the darkness would help him get his desires under control.
Somehow, it made it worse. The most incredible woman he’d ever met was lying right next to him. He didn’t need any kind
of illumination to picture her full and enticing lips.
And he had to shut off any longing for her and somehow sleep.
A pillow whacked him in the face. He opened his eyes but couldn’t see much in the dark. He did smile.
“Goodnight, HEM,” she said sweetly. “I had fun too, and tomorrow we’ll have a lot more. I’ll really teach you how to …
play.”
Anna wasn’t the sultry type, but the way she said ‘play’ had him envisioning kissing her and was as tempting as anything
he’d ever heard from a woman trying to trap him. Anna wasn’t like the women who tried to trap him. She was pure, innocent,
and everything he’d never known he wanted.
Quaid swallowed against his dry throat. He put the pillow under his head and closed his eyes. He could only imagine what
Anna’s version of ‘fun’ and ‘play’ would be. Teasing, flirting, laughing, tickling … Surely, it would culminate in loads of sweet
kisses, firing the sparks between them into a red hot flame.
He groaned and heard her laugh softly. Did she know the power she had over him? Was she manipulating him? He stewed
about that for far too many moments.
No. He couldn’t believe there was anything but purity and light in that intriguing woman’s heart. Which was even more
reason to keep her safe and out of his family’s reach.
Quaid wanted to tease her, have a pillow fight, pick her up in his arms again, and have lots of fun kissing her.
Turning away from her, he promised himself none of that would happen. If only he could explain he was protecting her by
keeping his distance. No matter how miserable it was for him.
He’d only been around her for one day. How would he stay strong and not fall for her for an entire week?
The only easy day was yesterday.
The SEALs motto used to not feel like it applied to him. Every day of his military service but the one he lost Kenny had
been easier than living under his mother’s reign.
Right now, that motto felt accurate. Tomorrow would definitely challenge his ability to keep his distance from this fun,
captivating woman.
 Chapter
Five

ANNA HAD to pray for a very long time before she was able to settle down and sleep. Today had been fun, and Quaid’s
charming personality was coming out more and more. Sadly, he hadn’t made her year and kissed her long and slow.
She should be worried that they’d only found one of the ten specified caves. They’d covered a lot of muddy, icy, and snowy
mountains, and Quaid said they’d probably gotten through a twelfth of the area they needed to. That was discouraging. She
needed to rest well and be ready to go fast and hard tomorrow. She was here for the million dollars for Play Time, but her
mind had quickly become consumed with all things Quaid.
She liked Quaid, Thomas, her HEM. Liked was a shallow term to describe her feelings. She’d told the camera all of this,
wondering what he’d say when he heard it.
Anna was completely enamored with him. Being around him for a day as adults, she realized her crush as a teenager had
been shallow, silly, and short-sighted as teenage crushes often were. The real and full-grown Thomas Oliver was her Quaid.
He was thoughtful, smart, fun, a Navy SEAL, a hero, and even more attractive than her sixteen-year-old dreams could
comprehend.
At first Quaid hadn’t talked much, but he had encouraged her to gab nonstop and didn’t seem to mind her motor mouth. Then
he started instigating and being a worthwhile partner in the conversation. He’d become more charming and fun by the hour.
He’d teased her about being a ‘yappologist, a master of chatter.’ She smiled at the silly title.
Her HEM definitely needed her to keep him laughing, talking his ear off, and teaching him how to have fun and play. Did
fun or play mean kissing to him? She certainly hoped so, but there were some caution flags.
A ‘yappologist’ didn’t exactly translate to a desirable woman he wanted to date after their shared experiences this week.
She saw entertainment news occasionally, magazine covers, and had social media. Men like Quaid didn’t strut around with
preschool teachers with holes in their shoes and socks, not to mention some physical deficiencies she chose not to dwell on.
She drifted off, becoming more convinced that a model-perfect man like Quaid could never truly be interested in a fun but
below-average—at least in the looks and financial divisions, not the fun or happy categories—woman like her.
When she woke, the sun lit up the cave opening and Quaid wasn’t lying by her side. Dang. She’d actually slept well,
burrowed in her warm sleeping bag with the high-quality pad and pillow making her as comfortable as her bed at home.
Looking across the cave, she saw him scrambling eggs on the cooktop and then lifting more breakfast foods out of the
cooler. Just looking at him made her heart race. Joy filled her soul, and she suspected she’d been dropped into the exact
fairytale she would’ve orchestrated for herself. But this was real life, in color and in thrilling feels.
Thank you, Jesus, for another day. Thank you for Quaid. Please let me be with him forever … if that be Your will for
him.
She didn’t question if them dating after this week was the Savior’s will for her. Of course it was. Quaid was out of her
league, the most charming, noble, and handsome man of the century, but who was she to question a heaven-sent gift like him?
“Good morning,” she called out, scrambling out of her sleeping bag and instantly regretting it. “Brr! It’s a deep-freeze in
here!”
Quaid gifted her with his full grin. She lost the ability to move or breathe properly. “It is,” he agreed. “Let’s eat and get
moving so you get warm.”
“Bossy, bossy.” Her voice was far too breathless. She didn’t want him thinking she was some infatuated, silly girl—even
though she was. “You’d think we’re trying to beat the clock and win a million dollars to give light and joy to children
throughout America or something.”
He chuckled and gestured her over. She padded over, grateful for the thick socks. The cold morning air filtered into the
cave. It’d probably been almost this cold last night, but she’d been dressed warm then, and Quaid had warmed her up as she
shed layers. She looked him over and grinned. He was so appealing; of course he’d heated her up. Sadly, he hadn’t heated her
up with his kisses.
They ate eggs, cheese, yogurt, granola, fruit, and nuts. Hurrying to take turns using the temporary toilet in the corner of the
cave while the other one waited just outside the cave, they then changed into clean clothes, brushed their teeth, and geared up.
She made certain to move the picture of her little ones to a pocket of the backpack so she wouldn’t leave it in the pocket of one
of the pairs of pants. It was rough to leave the beautiful pile of Lady Fit clothing behind even if they were dirty. When she
stared at them for a bit too long, debating if she could shove them in the backpack and stink it up with sweaty, dusty clothes,
Quaid gave her a questioning look. She left them behind rather than explain how limited her funds were.
They were out hiking in the pristine but freezing morning far too soon. She wanted to push hard and find all ten caves, but
she also wanted some leisurely time alone with this fine specimen of a man.
One day down and only five to go. How could they find all ten caves? How could she get her HEM to fall head over heels
for her?
Please help me. I know this is a selfish prayer, but I would do everything in my power to make him happy and bring
light and joy to him and his family.
“So you just memorized the map Prince Tristan showed you of their mountains?” she asked him. “How’d you know what
we’d be looking for?”
Thank you heaven above that Quaid is as smart as he is tough and handsome.
“I wish I would’ve known more specifics about our challenge. I would’ve studied it more deeply.”
He was a SEAL; he’d automatically been in mission mode, even at the castle, while Anna had only been focused on
meeting the royals, Mercedes, and most importantly, him.
“I’ve always liked geography and found it intriguing how many ridges and valleys the eastern Augustine mountains have. I
had a SEAL assignment in the Italian Alps a few summers ago and couldn’t get enough of the picturesque mountains and
valleys. I found myself comparing the peaks and drops in Augustine’s mountains to what I’d seen and hiked.”
She perked up, hoping he’d tell her about the assignment in Italy. “Wow. Italian Alps. That’s enthralling. Do share with us
inexperienced and untraveled paupers, my dear HEM.”
Maybe she shouldn’t highlight their differences. Her tongue often ran away from her.
Quaid grinned at her and tilted his head. “This is every bit as beautiful, if not more so.”
“It is gorgeous.” Anna adored these mountains. She would never forget the view of her dream man hiking with her through
these peaks and valleys. If she never saw him again or traveled to such splendor, at least she’d have the memories. That was a
depressing thought. She wouldn’t dwell on never again but focus on the here and now. The view, the experience, and most of
all Quaid were enthralling.
They made it to the top of the next set of switchbacks and admired the view of some small lakes in the valley far below. He
pointed out the trail and some probable spots for more caves. They kept moving along the ridge, and he explained it wasn’t
terribly high for the Alps as there were still thick trees. It was considered high when they encountered barren granite, ice, and
snow above the tree line.
“Will we hit those?”
“Of course we will. The only easy day is yesterday.”
“Well, that’s a depressing view of life,” she said.
He chuckled. “One of the Navy SEAL mottos.”
“Oh, sorry.” Her face and neck got hot. “I would never deem to not emulate, revere, admire—you know, look up to—
anything you Navy SEALs have as a motto.”
“Ah, Anna.” He was still laughing, and as those blue eyes twinkled so becomingly, she knew she had to kiss him soon. “I
believe you wouldn’t. You’re great.”
“Thank you, my HEM. You’re better than great.”
Quaid shook his head and swept his hand at the next valley below them. “I love these mountains. Impressive, don’t you
think?”
“Almost as impressive as you.”
He just grinned. “In Italy, there were boutique ski resorts in the most idyllic spots and quaint villages nestled in valleys.
Prince Tristan told me Augustine only has a few mountainous villages and most are closer to their capital city of Traverse.
Their biggest city—maybe their only city. It’s one of the smaller countries in the world. We might come cross one or two
villages, but plan on being alone with me all week.”
“That isn’t some punishment.”
“Thank you. Prince Tristan also kindly gave me a few clues that will let us know we’ve wandered too far and are in
Austria, Germany, or Italy. At the time, I thought he was simply sharing about his country. I’m grateful I was intrigued enough
by the conversation to catalogue it. Especially worrying at the time about …” He broke off and focused on leading the way
through an icy patch on the trail.
Worrying? About meeting his counterpart for the week? That somebody would recognize his handsome face? That his
kidnappers might find him again?
Apparently, he hadn’t been as relaxed at the castle as he’d portrayed.
He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, and Anna knew better than to try to draw him out while the cameras were rolling.
She needed to try at night. Hadn’t they said the cameras were motion-activated? So low voices shouldn’t trigger recording.
“Thank You, Father above, for Prince Tristan’s help and insights,” she prayed aloud when Quaid didn’t speak up again.
“Thank You for this beautiful spot of earth and the most beautiful man in existence walking through it with me. Thank You that
my HEM is also brilliant, memorized the mountain map, and can navigate me to victory for the children’s sake.”
Quaid stopped walking and turned to her as she said amen. He gave her a smoldering look that she’d never seen off the
movie screen. Her knees went weak, and she would’ve fallen over if he hadn’t caught her.
“Are you all right?” His voice was deep and husky.
“With you around, how can I not be?”
He chuckled at that, released her, and turned forward again. Sometimes she worried that her teasing or flirtations would
push him the wrong direction, but he didn’t seem bothered by them. He simply didn’t banter flirtatiously with her.
“This is all so intriguing,” she said before he took off at some killer pace again.
“Isn’t it?” He flashed a smile back at her. “Augustine is gorgeous, and these mountains are like heaven.”
“I meant you.” She smiled sweetly. “The most charming and handsome man in existence.”
His eyes widened, but he smiled and put a hand to his well-built chest. “I’m the most charming and handsome?”
“Yes, sir, my HEM.”
“I’m beginning to have deep concerns about you, Miss Anna Marley, master yappologist with the gift of gab.”
“What do you mean? What kind of concerns?”
“I think you’re a very proficient flirt.”
“Pardon me? That hurts.” She was no kind of flirt—had rarely flirted in her adult life. With him, it just came naturally.
“Hurts because it’s true?” He seemed to be teasing, but she wondered if there was a flicker of jealousy there. Probably not.
Women constantly flung themselves at him. She knew that. He was naturally charming and had become more so the longer they
were together. She could understand why he’d been reluctant at first based on all he was hiding. Right now, he was only teasing
her. How could she prove she wasn’t flirting and her compliments were completely sincere?
He started forward again. They were headed down a very steep slope.
“Sadly, it’s not true,” she said, keeping pace and staying close to his back. “I have no clue how to flirt. Everything I say to
you is sincere and heartfelt.” She paused and then had to admit, “I will concede to being a master yappologist with the gift of
gab, though.”
“That you are, but you’re teasing me about not knowing how to flirt. Your skills are singularly impressive.”
“Ah, thank you, but that’s only because you are so alluring and bring out the best in me.”
He chuckled. “I highly doubt it has anything to do with me. I’m sure men throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area
have been smitten by your impressive yapping and flirting skills.”
Anna wrinkled her nose. Funny, but he definitely wasn’t saying she was some irresistible woman to him, and he acted like
he wasn’t unique and perfect for her.
“Yapping and flirting skills?” She shook her head. “I spend my days with two- to twelve- year-olds and rarely go out at
night because I’m so exhausted. Who am I supposedly flirting with?”
“Their dads.”
“Gross!” She shoved at his back.
He didn’t even stumble or give her a dirty look.
“I do not flirt with married men,” she insisted, her stomach churning uncomfortably that he would think so low of her. Some
of the dads were probably single, but she didn’t take the time to differentiate. She was too focused on their children.
“I believe you.” He glanced back, and his blue eyes were sincere. But then he turned forward and said, “I’m sure single
dads come through your center regularly, and you can’t work all the time and be exhausted every night. Are you telling me the
fools in Chicago aren’t smart enough to banter with you, eat up all your flirtations, stare at that beautiful mouth of yours, and
ask you out constantly? I’m certain they fall to your feet and beg for your attention.”
He wasn’t looking at her. She liked that he seemed to have an image of her as this fun beauty that men were drooling over. It
was far from the truth, and she wasn’t lying that she didn’t go out on the town and flirt with single men. She was too exhausted
after working twelve to fourteen hours between the preschool and Play Time and trying to raise money for her centers in her
free time. Her family, friends, workers at the center, and some of the parents had tried to set her up on dates, but it never went
anywhere.
“You tell me,” she sassed back, feeling brave and empowered by the way he viewed her. ‘Stare at that beautiful mouth of
yours’? She loved that. “Is the fool walking in front of me going to take me up on my flirtations and ask me out?”
He pivoted to face her. She stopped walking, her eyes widening at the intensity in his enticing blue eyes.
“Apologies,” she squeaked out. “You are the furthest thing from a fool. I’d love to date you after this week is over.” She
was being incredibly brave. He’d probably shoot her down. His compliments were simply him being the thoughtful man he
was.
Quaid’s gaze softened. He looked her over carefully, as if memorizing her face. Her heart thumped far too fast.
“Anna,” he said in barely above a whisper. “If only it could be that simple. I’d be the biggest idiot in the world to miss out
on an opportunity to date a mesmerizing woman like you.”
Anna’s heart soared, and happy tingles filled her body. She almost leaped into the air and screamed out her jubilation. He
thought she was mesmerizing.
Thank you, all the angels above. I love you!
“I love you, Quaid!” she cried aloud.
He looked almost heartbroken. “You don’t, Anna. Not really. You love everyone. You probably tell the butcher you love
him.”
“But, but—” she sputtered. She did. She adored her butcher. “Do you know how many times he’s donated high quality meat
to our Chicago center?”
Quaid shook his head.
“It’s different. You have to see that. You and I … our love is different.” She understood that she couldn’t love love him after
two days, but they could march that direction and she would never stop praising heaven.
He smiled, but his eyes were sad. Gently, he cupped her cheek. Her heart took off again as her entire body tingled from the
simple touch.
Thank you, thank you! She’d wipe any sadness from his eyes with the incredible kiss they were going to share any moment.
“Anna. Even if what you felt for me could develop into something deeper than what you feel for your butcher…” He smiled
tenderly at her. “It could never go anywhere.”
“Why not?” she cried out, grabbing his arm. They were so close. Her dreams were about to come true. Never go
anywhere? No!
He studied her as if she were going to shatter. She might if he pushed her away after the progress they’d made.
“I’ve never met anyone like you.” He eased closer and whispered in her ear, “But my life is not my own, and I will never
be able to date you and care for you like you want, need, and deserve.” Pulling back, he held her gaze. His blue eyes and his
voice were both sad. Very, very sad. Tragically sad. She felt sadder.
He dropped his hand to his side and Anna wanted to cry from the loss of his touch and the compounding despair. The
certainty in his voice and his gaze was a heavy block of cement coating her heart. No future. Never able to date or care for her.
Anna could only stare at him. He was interested, but his life was not his own and he could never pursue her? Pain she’d
never felt in her life ripped through her. She barely managed to stay upright. For the first time in her happy, busy, Christ-
centered, twenty-four years … she had no idea what to say.
His gaze traveled over her face again, full of longing, concern, and the agony she felt deep inside. It all mingled in his
gorgeous blue eyes.
“I am so sorry,” he said softly. Then he turned and started up the path. At a much slower pace than they’d gone the past two
days.
Anna followed. Quietly.
She ached inside. She mulled over his words. How could she change his strong affirmation that they had no chance to
develop a future? She had no idea.
How had the good Lord put this ideal man smack in her path and then made it impossible for him to be with her?
Why? Quaid had given her some clues to what was going on with him, but none of them made sense. She wanted to ask a
million questions but would never do that to him with the cameras rolling.
She thought about what she knew. Thomas Oliver had been kidnapped eight years ago. There was no doubt about that, since
it had been the biggest celebrity news story of the year, and massive rewards were still being offered for information leading to
his safe return.
Yet, that very man was free and walking in front of her now. He had spent the past eight years in the military, had become a
Navy SEAL, and now went by Quaid Raven. For some reason, he’d retired from the SEALs, and if she ever spoke his real
name out loud he’d be in mortal danger. His life was not his own…
Maybe retirement from the military was the cover. Was he still involved in the SEALs but had to hide that fact? Some
covert op?
Maybe it had nothing to do with the military but with his dangerous past or his family. Were his kidnappers still after him,
and now those same kidnappers had his sister and were manipulating him through her? Maybe he had to walk the kidnappers’
gauntlet to get his sister back.
Quaid knew how to fight, but she could sense that he was a runner. What was he running from? As tough as Quaid was,
she’d think he’d turn and take the battle to whoever was hurting him or his family, but there was clearly a flight instinct in him.
He was on the run and had been for a while. It was part of his makeup. He’d retreated from her until she succeeded in getting
him to verbally interact.
Anna’s mind spun and spun as they walked. She was confused, but she would figure it out. Somehow. She had to. Quaid
was too perfect. She needed him in her life, and she thought she could be what he needed as well. Look how she’d already
drawn him out and made him laugh and show his charming side once again.
‘Never go anywhere’?
She couldn’t accept such an awful outcome.
 Chapter
Six

ANNA’S MIND continued to spin as they descended the muddy, sometimes snowy trail.
One thing she knew about herself was that she wasn’t a quitter. She’d excelled at school and any activity she put her mind
to. She’d pushed through when even her family doubted she’d ever get Play Time up and running. Now she had not only one
center but five. She still didn’t have the means to travel to her other centers and see them for herself. With the cameras she
could virtually visit, and fabulous people were volunteering their time to help children.
No way was she going to give up when the most beautiful and intriguing man on the planet had expressed interest in her.
I’ve never met anyone like you … my life is not my own … Never be able to date you.
The phrases repeated in her mind. If he didn’t like her, wasn’t interested in her, that was one thing. She’d humbly leave him
alone. Her teenage crush turned into the most enthralling man she’d ever met returning her feelings made all the difference. And
she’d seen that in his eyes. He definitely liked her, wanted her—maybe even needed her. Could she somehow help and protect
this tough, secretive man?
They’d almost reached the bottom of another valley. The ascents, ridges with a view, descents, and another lush green
spring-alive valley were starting to blend in her mind, and they were only on day two. She was grateful Quaid somehow had
this mental picture and was keeping track of each ridge and valley and an approximation of their distance traveled in any
direction. Impressive.
The farther into the mountains they went, the higher they climbed. The thinner air made her chest tight. They encountered
more pockets of deep snow, sometimes wading through patches up to their knees. Thankfully, her shoes and outerwear were
water-repellent. She couldn’t even imagine this trek in her holey sock and shoe.
The sun occasionally penetrated the thick foliage. Day two was a warmer spring day, she’d guess low sixties. Her fingers
had thawed out as they walked, and she stowed her gloves in a pocket of the backpack. Even with the gloves on, her fingers
had been chilled this morning.
“Anna?” Quaid stopped and turned to her, his blue eyes filled with excitement.
Yes! It was happening already. She didn’t even have to do anything. He was going to admit he was not only interested in
her, but he’d find a way to date her after they finished their trek together. They could both forget the ‘my life is not my own’
line.
“Another cave.” He pointed.
Oh. A cave. She should be more excited.
Sure enough, tucked under some growth was a cave entrance. That was good. A kiss from him would’ve been much better.
Quaid pushed the growth out of the way and led her in, beaming a flashlight around. The cave was set up similar to last
night with a table, camp chairs, food, a bag of clothes, and sleeping bags and pillows and pads. There was also another little
toilet in the corner.
Anna unclipped her backpack, dropped it on the rock floor, and flung herself onto one of the sleeping bags. “Nap time,” she
cried out.
He smiled at her dramatics. She looked up at him, hoping she was giving him a come-hither look. She was probably just
blinking like mad and looking silly. What did she know about enticing a man like him?
His smile suddenly became … smoldering. Oh, wow. She’d seen that look in the photos and videos she used to drool over.
Seeing it in person, directed at her, on the full-grown and even more appealing man … She was going to pass out. Luckily, she
was already lying down.
Quaid was captivated by her. She knew he was. He would kneel next to her, lift her against his chest, and kiss her until she
was no longer tired and they both knew that he could definitely pursue her and she’d pursue him for the rest of their enchanted
lives.
 “Let’s eat and keep moving. Two down, eight to go,” he said.
“Man, you are a killjoy,” she groaned. That word wasn’t strong enough. He’d just ruined their moment.
Quaid laughed and turned away to put the GoPros on their chargers and then pull food out of the cooler.
Anna released a very heavy, very exaggerated sigh and stood from her napping spot—their missed-kiss spot.
They ate and talked easily. Amma drew him out about pranks he’d pulled in the military. He usually just said his ‘friend’
when he told her stories, but once he let slip the name Kenny.
As they packed up and strode out onto the trail in the early afternoon sunshine again, she stepped in close and whispered
against the back of his neck, hoping the cameras wouldn’t pick it up, “Is Kenny a close friend?”
He glanced back at her, and the pain in his gaze was raw. “He was.”
“He died?”
Quaid only nodded shortly. Then he set a pace up out of the valley that had her legs begging for mercy and her lungs panting
for air. She didn’t complain. He was hurting and his close friend had died. In the military? Most likely.
Ah, Quaid. She rubbed at her chest, partly because she couldn’t slow her racing heart from how quick they were moving
and partly because she hurt for him and his loss of a close friend.
An hour later, they found another cave. She cheered. He smiled. Kenny’s loss was shelved for a moment. Neither of them
was hungry, but they stocked some food and drinks in their backpacks, used the bathroom in the cave, cleaned their gritty hands
with some wipes, and moved on.
Quaid asked her questions about each of her siblings, their spouses and little ones, and easily got her chattering again. He
was a master at drawing her out and making her laugh with his questions. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but again
she refrained from diving into a past he was scared to reveal.
It was almost six, the sun slanting but still a couple hours from setting when they approached a beautiful valley with a
waterfall rushing down the side of the mountain. Not far from the waterfall, they found cave number four.
“Yes!” she cheered. “We’re on day two and we have four of the ten caves down. This is epic!”
He grinned.
“Let’s settle down and enjoy the cave for the night,” she suggested, when truly she wanted to settle down and enjoy time
with him.
His gaze darted around at the beauty of the thick forest and then back to her. “I don’t know if we should slow down. We’re
doing so well.”
“But what if we don’t find another cave tonight?” she asked. “Oh, wait. HEM … You sly dog. You want to snuggle in
emergency blankets all night long? I see how you are. Let’s do it.”
He grunted out a half-laugh, but his gaze was smoky. He eased closer to her. “If I’m HEM, I think you should be HEF.”
“HEF?” Her brow wrinkled. “Not so sure about your nickname ability. That is not appealing at all.”
“What isn’t appealing about my Hot Extraordinary Female?” he teased.
She grinned. My? My. Yes! “I’m finally getting you to tease and play, aren’t I?” She traced the tip of her tongue along her
bottom lip, hoping it looked sultry and not silly.
His gaze sharpened, but he didn’t lean down and kiss her. “I think instead of HEF, I’ll call you Jefa.”
“Heffa? That’s even worse.”
“J-E-F-A. Jefa,” he drawled with a long A. “Jefa in Spanish means female boss. I like it.”
She pushed at his arm. “I don’t like that at all. It sounds like a hefty honey or something.”
“There’s nothing hefty about you. Hefty honey.” He chuckled. “All right, Jefa, you’re the boss. Let’s settle down and relax
for the night.”
“Goodness, stop that. Let’s come up with a more appealing nickname for me, please.”
Quaid slowly looked her over. His gaze was hot, steamy, beautiful. He’d accused her of being a flirt yesterday, but he was
the most charming flirt she’d ever met in her life.
“How about … sugar?” he asked in a deep, sultry voice.
“Sugar?” she squeaked out. She would’ve laughed at such a silly nickname, but his blue eyes held her captive.
“You’re charitable and kind, sweet as sugar, and you spend your life helping so many children.” He eased closer and then
blew up her world by gently cupping her jawline with both of his hands. His chest brushed against hers, and she was an instant
from swooning. “Your voice is like sugar, spinning sweet tales and making me laugh and smile more than I ever have.”
Her heart raced and she memorized his words. They were sweet sugar to her soul.
“I know your lips will taste like sugar,” he said softly.
Oh my! Her eyes widened in surprise even as warmth filled her. Quaid had gone there. He’d done it. Sugary kisses were on
the menu!
Thank You, good Lord. Thank You.
He bent slowly toward her and tilted her face up with his palms. She arched up. Anticipation filled her. This kiss would
change both of their lives and give them a new map of their future together. She’d figure out a way to change his words about
his life not being his own.
A large white helicopter raced over the mountain’s ridge and dipped down toward them. Quaid whipped around and
ushered her behind him. He eased back toward the cave, but the helicopter seemed to have spotted them.
It hovered above them for a few moments and she could clearly see a man’s face peering down at them from the copilot’s
seat. He had brown hair and eyes, looked to be about thirty.
The helicopter soared off into the sky again. When all she could hear was the waterfall, she turned to Quaid. Their beautiful
moment had been interrupted, but there was no reason not to resurrect it.
His gaze was narrowed and concentrated on where the helicopter had disappeared.
“Quaid?”
He glanced down at her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the rotors over the waterfall’s noise, and I was distracted …” Shaking his
head, he said, “Let’s eat something quick then keep moving. We can’t stay here.”
“Why not?”
“Whoever was in that helicopter can find a spot to land and come find us.” He acted as if that was obvious.
“Why would they want to do that?”
He didn’t meet her eyes. “Let’s hurry.”
Anna didn’t argue as he ushered her into the cave. They slipped off their backpacks and pulled out food for a quick dinner.
The men in the helicopter hadn’t seemed dangerous, but Quaid might know something she didn’t.
What was he running from? Would he ever share with her and let her help him?
Anna wanted to know about his convoluted past and help push the worry from his eyes.
She also wanted to kiss him.
Stupid helicopter for spooking her Quaid and ruining their kiss.
 Chapter
Seven

QUAID KEPT UP A QUICK PACE, heading east toward Austria. The helicopter had retreated south. He’d
wanted to run north, the complete opposite direction, but he had to think of Anna and their purpose here. He hoped they weren’t
missing a cave skirting the mountainous area that bordered Italy to the south, but he thought they’d gone far enough that
direction. All he knew was he couldn’t risk whoever was in that helicopter coming after him.
It was more than likely not his mother’s men and he was stressing over nothing.
It didn’t feel like nothing. It was a white Power Elite helicopter, probably an eight-seater, luxurious and usually privately
owned. The helicopter’s appearance felt ominous. The way the man had studied their faces had felt ominous. The fact that
Quaid had shown his face to Mercedes, Shawn, and the royals yesterday morning wouldn’t leave his worried mind.
He’d learned over the past eight years when to hide and when he was safe. Nobody expected to see a famous ‘kidnapped’
rich kid in the ranks of the military or in a run-down gym on the south side of Chicago. Uppity bars, exclusive restaurants,
dance clubs, high-dollar hotels, royal castles—those were places his well-known face had to be hidden.
The fact was, a helicopter had not only flown by; the pilot had dipped close enough to give his co-pilot a clear visual on
them. Quaid had instinctively stepped in front of Anna to shield her. He should’ve shoved a hat and sunglasses on. He and Anna
were in the midst of a vast mountain range and he felt exposed. The spot they were at was far removed from any helicopter
tours, especially this time of year when tourism was slower.
He and Anna’s secluded world had been suddenly invaded by a helicopter, right when he’d been ready to kiss her. That had
him on edge. He should probably be grateful he’d been reminded that he couldn’t let down his guard. He wasn’t.
They’d lost daylight and hadn’t found another cave to sleep in. Luckily today had been warmer and they weren’t on the
edge of a steep mountainside on a switchback trail. Quaid found a grove of trees to settle under next to a stream and they set up
a camp of sorts. The flashlight and headlamps gave them enough light to get everything in place.
Anna was as cute and impetuous as ever. “Well.” She clapped her hands together. “You go off by a tree with a camera and
I’ll face a different tree. Then we’ll snuggle and have an absolutely miserable night’s sleep.”
Quaid couldn’t help but smile and laugh at how adorable she was. He also wished for the thousandth time that he’d never
been born an Oliver and that he had a chance for a normal life with a beautiful sweetheart like Anna.
He’d never had a moment as a child that he hadn’t begged Jesus like Maria had taught him for help, strength, and a different
life. By his teenage years, he grew strong, cunning, and he realized God wasn’t going to intervene. He was the only one who
could change his path and hope to someday save Jacey. He’d escaped and carved a great life for himself as a SEAL and now
Jacey was safe. For the moment.
Even in his productive and meaningful days as a SEAL, his mother had proven she still held him captive. Jacey had feared
their mom knew he was in the military. Even an inkling of concern was too much. He’d had to quit serving and pursuing his
dreams and run.
He was still running, no matter how tough he tried to pretend he was. He couldn’t keep letting Anna carve her way into his
heart. It didn’t matter that she was irresistible and the vision he’d never let himself have.
Anna squatted down next to the backpacks, messing with something. He studied her trim form. The beautiful curve of her
neck. He would’ve kissed her if the helicopter hadn’t come past. He should be cursing his own lack of self-control. Instead, he
was cursing whoever was in that helicopter.
Quaid would never admit it to Jacey or Kenny, but at the moment … he wanted to pray. He was that desperate. Would
Kenny see that from heaven? He almost smiled at that, but his stress level was too high. If only he could believe heaven would
help them, nobody was after him, and that he wouldn’t put Anna at risk. Kenny could be watching over him from heaven and
charming all the angels into helping. Jacey was definitely praying for him across the world in Montana. Hopefully she was
praying for herself and the Colevilles to keep her safe until Quaid could get to her.
 Quaid had to focus on his priorities. Protect Anna this week and help her win her money. The only way to keep Anna safe
in the future was his mother never finding out he cared about her. She’d kidnap the innocent angel in a moment to use as
leverage against him.
Sweat popped up on his forehead. An image of his mother in her business suit and spike heels, deftly slicing Anna’s throat
open like she had Maria’s, flashed through his mind.
No!
His breathing was shallow. His pulse raced.
Slow breaths. In and out. Calm down.
Anna was safe. Jacey was safe. His mother was nowhere nearby.
The sooner this week was over, the better. He’d use his million dollars and focus on protecting Jacey. Yet he’d never see
Anna again. That made a hard knot lodge in his chest.
Anna stood and lifted one of the GoPros. “Luckily, we got some charge on these at lunch and dinner,” she said. Thankfully,
she seemed oblivious to the danger and how dark his mind had gotten.
“Luckily,” he managed. He couldn’t care less if the cameras didn’t function. Mercedes seemed like a nice lady, and the
million dollars he’d earn this week would make it possible to keep Jacey safe, so he’d deal with cameras. Yet if that helicopter
had anything to do with him … could Mercedes have ratted him out? Cold sweat pricked his skin.
“I’ll go over by the stream to record,” Anna said.
“No.” He held up a hand. “You stay here, please. I’ll walk upstream a bit.” He’d watch over her even as he recorded. He
was uneasy. The sooner they got the silly recordings done, the sooner he could cut the lights and make sure they weren’t an easy
target. He didn’t know if he’d sleep tonight. Was he being overanxious about a simple fly by? Maybe, but being extra diligent in
every aspect of his military and SEAL training and paying attention to every clue and detail had kept him safe from being
recaptured for eight years and had helped him to rescue Jacey. He’d trust his instincts and keep Anna safe.
“Okay. Thanks, HEM.”
“Anything for you, Jefa,” he teased.
“It’s Sugar,” she flung back at him.
His heart picked up its beat. His gaze traced over her face and lips. Sugar. Just one taste …
“You definitely are,” he murmured.
“Say it, please.” Anna blinked up at him. Her green eyes and everything about her was so appealing he didn’t know how
he’d ever tell her no.
“Sugar,” Quaid said in a husky voice. He could almost hear Kenny laughing from heaven. He didn’t care.
Anna’s eyes lit up and she slowly eased closer to him. She moved slow enough to let him appreciate every lean inch of her
beautiful face and shape.
He wanted to decimate the distance between them and take advantage of her full mouth for a long time.
A few words and a look, and Anna was destroying his resistance. He couldn’t let his guard down. Not now. Maybe not
ever. He would endanger her if he did.
Disappointing. Worse than disappointing. Devastating.
“I’ll be right back.” He held the GoPro up, seeing the disappointment in her gaze before he turned away. No. Worse than
disappointment in her beautiful eyes. Devastation. He felt awful. He needed to stop teasing her. Flirting, laughing, and teasing
with Anna came so naturally—it was like not taking his next breath to not rise to her adorable baiting.
Distance was what he needed, and now. But distance was a little hard to come by, stuck together like they were.
Hurrying up the stream ten feet, he turned so he could see her. He was swathed in darkness, and she was glorious and
bathed in the light. She held up the camera in front of her face, and her bright smile overtook her face as she started talking
animatedly into the camera. The stream babbled just loud enough he couldn’t distinguish her words.
Holding up his own camera, he wanted to get this over with. A selfie video. Completely awkward.
“Day two. We found three more caves, so that was great, but we kept pushing on instead of resting at cave number four.
Now we’re sleeping on the ground.” He pushed his free hand through his hair and focused on Anna. Her beautiful mouth was
going a mile a minute. He loved that about her. He loved everything about her. He drew in a breath and said, “Of course Anna
isn’t about to complain about sleeping on the ground. She’s excited to snuggle all night.”
Hunger for Anna darted through him, accompanied by a warmth he had to ignore.
“Anna’s … incredible,” he admitted to the camera. “She shines with joy and light. I love every minute I spend with her. If
only …” He stopped talking. He’d said too much. Shutting off the camera, he stared at Anna.
Quaid eased back toward their small camp. As soon as he could hear her voice, he stopped. He should’ve retreated, not
invaded her privacy when she didn’t know he was listening in, but he froze. Instead of moving away, he leaned forward to
better see and hear her. He loved her voice. How would he survive without her chatter next week, next month? Never to hear it
again?
“And then … Quaid leaned in. Those blue eyes held me captive, and I knew my HEM was going to give me the kiss of a
lifetime.” She paused, her beautiful face all lit up. How had he ever thought she wasn’t a classic beauty? She owned the word
beautiful. At least to him.
“Sadly, a helicopter flew overhead and stole his attention.” Her shoulders slumped, and the twinkle left her green eyes.
“Maybe I’m not enough to keep it.”
Anna shut the camera off and set it down. Straightening, she stared into the dark. She couldn’t see him, but she had to know
he was close.
Quaid wanted to stride across the distance between them, gather her in his arms, and show her she was more than enough to
keep his attention. He wanted to give her his attention for the rest of his life.
His own shoulders slumped. Any dream of a future with Anna dimmed. He knew better than anyone what kind of danger
he’d bring to Anna’s life if he did something as stupid as kiss her and grow closer to her. He’d told her his life was not his
own. He might have to remind her of that, somehow convince her not to fall for him so she wasn’t heartbroken when he
disappeared. He’d be heartbroken and they’d only known each other for two days.
His feelings didn’t matter though. They never had.
Quaid slowly eased back upstream, and then he reversed and moved forward with loud, purposeful steps. Anna’s head
whipped up and she pasted on a smile. Sunshine. That’s what he should’ve called her, but Sugar fit too. He couldn’t have
nicknames for her. It was fun to tease her about Jefa. She’d thought it sounded like ‘Hefty Honey.’ He smiled.
“Hey,” he said. “All done?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sweet. Let’s get some rest.” He turned off the headlamps and picked up the flashlight, aiming it down at the ground.
They each slid out of their hiking shoes and into one of the emergency sleeping bags. They crinkled like plastic, made out of
mylar. It wouldn’t feel like a soft blanket, but it would keep them from freezing. He turned off the flashlight, hoping it wouldn’t
be as awkward if he couldn’t see her. The important thing was if the men from the helicopter were stalking them, they couldn’t
pinpoint their location by the light.
Quaid could hear Anna’s soft breaths and feel her warmth. They were very close. His worries over the helicopter
disappeared as he worried how he’d make it through the night without giving in to his desire to hold her in his arms.
He pulled the temporary shelter over both of their sleeping bags. It was a very small tent of sorts. He propped it over their
heads, tying it off to the lower branches of the trees. It could be secured back under their sleeping bags but would barely give a
few inches of clearance, and he wanted to have some space to breathe and move, not tucked in like a bug next to Anna’s side.
Lying back on a folded sweatshirt as a pillow, he was hyper-aware of Anna’s side pressed against his. There simply wasn’t
enough space, even with the extra few inches he’d given them.
“Are you all right?” he asked quietly.
“Definitely. I finally get to snuggle through the night with my HEM.”
He laughed. It was hard not to with her teasing. She said her flirtatious lines so adorably they didn’t feel like a come-on;
they felt light and fun.
“Lucky you.”
“For sure.”
There was quiet for a few beats. He listened to her breath and he could smell the sweetness of her. There’d been
disposable toothbrushes in the backpacks and earlier she’d been adorable brushing her teeth, chattering about her fresh-
smelling mouth as she brushed, he didn’t quite know how she did that without spitting all over, and giving him come-hither type
glances. He clenched his muscles to keep from reaching out for her now.
“I have a really fantabulous idea,” Anna said.
“I’m sure you do, Jefa.”
“I hate that nickname.”
“You hate being my boss?” He grinned. Flirting had never been like this for him.
“Very funny. It’s Sugar to you, and don’t you forget it.”
“Yes, Sugar.” He drew in a breath, and he shouldn’t have, but he said, “I was thinking that Sunshine fits you as well.”
“Ah!” she burst out, and he wondered if she wouldn’t fling her arms around him or tell him she loved him again. She
pressed closer and he could feel her sweet breath on his neck. “Thank you, HEM.”
“With all your expert yappology, you really can’t come up with a better nickname than HEM?”
He shouldn’t be teasing with her like this, but it was fun, innocent, and in the dark he felt like nothing could reach them
here. They were in their own private cocoon. His mother would never find out about and hurt Anna. The helicopter was
probably just some tourist or wealthy person enjoying the beautiful views.
The HEM and his Sugar Sunshine were safe. They were together. And he’d deal with it when they weren’t either of those
things.
Was he being the jerk of all jerks to get more invested in her when he knew they had a short deadline? Probably.
“Hey now,” she protested, rolling toward him and pressing against his arm and side. His heart immediately took off at a
gallop. The worries over both of their hearts being entangled and broken were shoved into the dark and he couldn’t even see
them.
“I think HEM is very clever,” she said.
“So is Jefa,” he countered, not able to stop smiling. When he teased with her, he didn’t even worry. That was novel for him.
She pushed at his arm. “No, it’s not. You just stole it from your Spanish knowledge. Mr. Speaks Four Languages when I can
barely conquer one.”
“Not true. You’re a master of the English language and yapping it up.”
“Ha-ha,” she laughed drily. “Now, I can’t wrap my mind around this exception you’re taking to HEM, your unique and
lovely nickname conjured up by your brilliant Sugar. You really don’t like being my Hot Extraordinary Male?”
“It is clever. I just think my brilliant Sugar could come up with something even better.” He waited with bated breath. Would
she go for something intimate? He was playing with fire. Not in a moral sense—he would never disrespect Anna like that—but
he shouldn’t be getting so deeply invested and entangling her heart.
The problem was they fit together. Their teasing and easy banter. The way they were drawn to each other. He’d never met a
more perfect fit for him.
If only they had any chance at a future. Until his mother was dead or somehow exposed as the she-devil of the century, he
had no future beyond protecting Jacey. His heart sank at that.
“How about …” Anna’s voice instantly drew him out of the funk. “Lover Lips. Hunky Hero. Beautiful Bold Boy. Sweet
Smoldering Superhero. Magnificent Man o’ Mine.”
Quaid squeezed his eyes shut. The stream trickled by. The night was quiet. Nobody was approaching. He shouldn’t have
teased with her, knowing she’d take it to the next level. Lover Lips? He’d love her lips. He wasn’t a boy; he was a man. She’d
had a man name for him as well. Man o’ Mine. Why couldn’t he be hers? He’d never wanted anything so badly.
When he didn’t respond, he thought she’d try to draw him out. Surprisingly, she didn’t. He should’ve just said ‘nice’ or
something. That would’ve proven he was only teasing with her, not a complete fool for her. Then she could’ve fallen asleep
and he could’ve attempted to sleep. He’d probably be up all night longing for her, but any selfishness had been beaten out of
him long ago. His purpose had to be his sister’s safety, not his own longings.
“I told you I have a fantabulous idea. It will help us both sleep more comfortably,” she said softly into the silence, as if
testing the waters.
“What was that?” he managed. His throat felt tight and he couldn’t swallow past it. Anticipation of what she might think
was ‘comfortable’ made his heart thump tellingly out of control. Could she hear his racing heart? Was he as transparent to her
as he felt?
“Lift up your head,” she instructed.
He complied. His head brushed the ‘shelter’ above them.
It wasn’t hard to comply with her instructions. He wanted to do anything and everything she said. If only that could be his
life. He’d happily follow Anna around—love her, protect her, serve with her, anything she wanted.
Jacey. He had to think of Jacey. His mother finding Jacey, controlling every aspect of his sister’s life, forcing her to marry
Richard Napoleon. Then his mother would somehow find out about and hurt Anna. Slice her throat just like she had Maria’s to
manipulate and hurt Quaid.
His stomach felt cold and hollow. He had to protect both Jacey and Anna. Even if that meant staying far away from Anna.
Right now, he wasn’t far away. He was close, with no real way to get some distance while protecting her on this quest.
Instead, he was offering his body heat in their shelter to keep her warm tonight.
He could hear Anna shifting around in the crinkly plastic material. “Okay, lay back,” she said.
He lay down, and his new double-stacked sweatshirt pillow was thicker, softer, and it smelled like Anna. With her peaches
and cream scent gone, he couldn’t really name her smell, but it was light, sweet, and enticing.
“If I’m using both our sweatshirts as a pillow, what are you going to rest on?” he asked, his breath quickening as he
anticipated her answer.
Anna didn’t talk, which in and of itself was surprising. She eased over and gently tugged his arm out away from his body,
setting it on the warm spot of ground where she’d been lying. He let her move his arm. She was irresistible, and his defenses
weakened even further when she touched him.
A few of his fellow SEALs had been married, and he remembered one of them telling him he felt he and his wife had been
made for each other. Quaid thought it was corny and had ribbed him about it. Now he found himself wondering if that was why
Anna seemed so ideal to him and they just seemed to fit.
She laid her head against his shoulder, her sweet, warm breath heating up his neck. Curling her body into his side, she slid
her hand across his abdomen. He’d known these thin ‘sleeping bags’ would be no kind of barrier between them. The soft sigh
she released was the clincher. He had never had such a wonder lying in his arms.
“You’ll be my pillow,” she said.
“I’m not a very soft pillow,” he managed. His voice was too husky to be teasing. It had to be obvious how deeply she
affected him. She’d blown his walls down like a .50 caliber taking out a tent. He shouldn’t hold her while they slept. In the
morning, he’d surely regret letting her burrow more deeply into his arms and his heart, but at the moment he couldn’t move.
“No, you’re not soft,” she admitted. Then she shimmied, cuddling in even deeper. “You are perfect, Quaid. HEM. Lover
Lips.”
Quaid barely held himself in check from showing her exactly how true the silly new nickname could be. He didn’t roll onto
his side, wrap her up tight, and kiss her. At least he had some semblance of self-control.
He shouldn’t give in to this arrangement. He should slide her sweatshirt back into place as her pillow. Try to keep some
kind of distance, to keep his head on straight.
He was perfect? That was far from true. His own mother had never even liked him. In fact, she’d loathed him—his ‘fake
charm,’ his ‘fake smiles.’ He’d had to be fake; it was the only way he’d survived.
He’d only been a pawn, an annoyance to his own family. Except Jacey. His mother and Elizabeth had mocked Jacey’s ‘big
brother hero complex.’ What did that say about his value in life if only one person on earth truly cared about him? He’d lost
Kenny. His other friends from the military and Cash’s gym were good guys, but their world would keep on ticking when Quaid
had to disappear and run again.
But Anna … his sunshine, his sugar. She was different, unique, special, miraculous to him. And she thought he was perfect.
Quaid’s arm curled around her lower back and held her flush against his side. His hand cupped the curve of her hip. She
sighed sweetly again and breathed out a prayer, each word a puff of sweet air against his neck. “Thank you, Father above, for
our safety and finding three more caves. Thank you for Quaid. I’d be lost without him. He is everything to me. My superhero.
My HEM. My love. Please protect us. Please bless that we can be together after this week. In Jesus’s name. Amen.”
Quaid could not believe she’d just said that—any of it. Yet he could. Anna was an open book, and he basked in reading
exactly how much she liked him, idolized him, loved him.
He was her everything? Her love? She’d said far too many telling things, but this was over the top, even for his Sugar
Sunshine.
He was in so much trouble. He hadn’t wanted her to fall for him because it would hurt her in the long run. Had she really
fallen? Maybe it was just Anna and the dramatic way she liked to phrase things. Her impetuous, crazy, fun nature yanked him
in, but it could also excuse her throwing around words like ‘love’ when they’d only known each other two days. She’d told
everybody at the castle yesterday morning that she loved them. Maybe she hadn’t really fallen for Quaid but was just being her
adorable self and he was the only one around to benefit from it.
He’d already fallen for her, but a man broken and starved for love like he was could easily fall to such an angelic
sweetheart’s charm. It would hurt him when they never saw each other again, but he’d have to deal with that. He didn’t want
her to be hurt and longing for him when he disappeared. Still, he didn’t move away, didn’t set her straight and tell her kindly
that she couldn’t possibly love him and he was serious that his life was not his own.
Quaid just held her close and savored the moment.
He waited for her to start chattering or asking him questions or something. He knew she was dying to know about his past,
but besides the initial questions on mile one of their hike, she hadn’t asked.
Could he tell her? Even though her mouth rarely stopped, he instinctively trusted Anna. From the moment she’d put together
who he was, she hadn’t ratted out his true identity. Anna was pure and would keep his secrets.
Unless his mother’s men tortured her.
His stomach clenched, and he was on edge as he waited for the questions. He should stop being selfish and holding her in
his arms.
Anna didn’t start talking. Not a word. Soon her breathing evened out. He gently traced her face with his fingertip, securing
her close against him with his other hand.
How would he leave her behind Saturday night? It was only Tuesday and already he was in far deeper than he’d ever been
with a woman.
Anna. How could anyone resist her? Least of all a man like him—unloved and alone. He hadn’t realized how hungry he
was for love, light, and human connection.
Jacey. How could he protect both his sister and Anna? He couldn’t. He would hurt Anna in the long run no matter what.
Better to do it soon rather than have his mother’s men or his mother herself torture his innocent Sugar to get Quaid to submit to
her plans, or worse, force Quaid to reveal where Jacey was.
He focused on Anna in his arms. He’d better enjoy tonight. After this incredible experience, he could not let down his
guard with her again.
 Chapter
Eight

ANNA WOKE to the babbling of a stream, the chirping of birds, and a strong, wonderful man cuddled close.
Quaid. She stared at his handsome face and the manly scruff of hair on his jaw. He’d been clean shaven when she met him
three days ago, but of course there was no way to shave out here. She loved him both ways.
She’d said he was her love last night and a whole lot of other revealing things. He hadn’t gushed that he loved her back, but
he hadn’t shoved her into the creek either. He’d held her close and let her cuddle into him.
Did she have a chance with the most perfect man in creation? His past was full of secrets. He’d said his life was not his
own. There had to be a way around those obstacles and whatever he was facing in the future. Right?
She wanted his blue eyes to open and his gaze to capture hers. Then he’d lean in and his mouth would follow suit.
He did stir, and then his eyes opened. Their true blue overwhelmed her. For a brief moment he held her gaze, his own full
of tenderness and longing. The depth of yearning in his beautiful blue eyes spoke to her soul. She was living a real-life
fairytale. The well-known, handsome, wealthy prince had somehow noticed the gawky girl who’d always loved him and would
make him so happy if she could only be granted that chance.
Anna was wrapped up in a spell as sparks and tingles filled the air. Would fireworks explode when they kissed?
Quaid closed his eyes, as if determined to shut her out. The spell was broken, and he moved so efficiently she didn’t have
time to protest as she was jerked from her fantasies.
Sitting up, he slid her out of the weird sleeping bags and shelter and lifted her to her feet. He squatted and then straightened
next to her.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, talking fast and not looking at her as he started pulling the shelter off the trees.
“Yes. Thank you for holding me.”
“Of course. No problem.” He was folding the shelter now, his movements quick and unsettling. “Do you mind seeing what
food we have in our backpacks for breakfast? We’ll get moving and find a cave soon.”
“Okay.” Anna’s stomach churned uncomfortably as he hurried to fold the thin, crinkly sleeping bags and store them in a
backpack. She looked through their backpacks and found granola bars and protein bars and dried fruit.
They ate, used disposable toothbrushes, put on their shoes, each went into the trees to use the bathroom, used hand sanitizer,
splashed water on their faces from the stream, refilled their water bottles, and slung on their backpacks, turning the GoPros
back on. Neither of them had said much.
“Today is going to be great.” He gave her his charming smile, but his eyes were a stormy gray-blue that worried her.
“We’re going to head east until I’m certain we’ve covered the area near Austria, then go north toward Germany. Before we
know it, we’ll be circling back to Augustine, earning your money, and your dreams will come true when you spend the night at
the castle.” He turned to walk toward the trail.
“Quaid?” He was the dreams she wanted to come true, not the castle stay.
“Yes?” He glanced back at her.
“Is everything all right?”
Please let him spill his soul. Please let him feel deeply for me like I do for him.
“Oh, it’s great.” His blue eyes begged her not to ask any deep questions, especially with the cameras rolling. Or was that
just an excuse to keep his distance from her after letting down his guard last night?
Suddenly he darted across the distance and wrapped his arms around her. Anna’s pulse sped up and she was instantly
ecstatic.
But Quaid didn’t kiss her like she’d dreamed of. Instead, he hurried her toward a thick stand of pine trees.
“Quaid?”
He dropped to the ground, tugging her with him, and shimmied under the low-lying branches of a pine tree.
 “What’s happening?”
“Helicopter,” he murmured, holding onto her.
She froze. The helicopter had flipped him out yesterday and now it was coming back?
The rotors were now audible. She lay still, taking slow breaths and wishing she knew who or what he was running and
hiding from.
The helicopter noise grew loud, and her muscles tightened. Would the men in the helicopter see them? Swoop down and
land somewhere? Tear Quaid away from her?
Quaid’s arms were a vice around her, and his jaw was like a rock. He stared up through the branches of the tree, and she
followed his gaze. She couldn’t see anything. Did that mean the helicopter couldn’t see them either? She could pray. So she
did.
“Please, Lord. We need Your protection. Please make us invisible to the helicopter.”
Neither of them moved.
The rotors seemed louder than ever, and she could feel the wind the helicopter created. Her throat was thick and her pulse
out of control.
Then the noise moved farther away and gradually it was just the nearby stream, some birds chirping, and their breathing.
Quaid slid her out from under the pine tree, jumped up, helped her up, and said, “Starting day three and only six caves to
go. Let’s do this.”
He set off, his pace quick.
Anna blew out a breath and followed. He was terrified of helicopters? That didn’t fit. He thought somebody was following
them, trying to find them. It was alarming to see such a tough and accomplished man hiding for his life.
Neither of them said anything as they hiked. The hiding under a pine tree was unsettling, and instead of their beautiful night
of snuggling drawing them closer, it had somehow pushed him away. Her legs and feet were sore from the past two days, but
she’d hardly noticed the discomfort when she was obsessed with Quaid. Now, with things uncomfortable between them and
wondering if they had any kind of future, she focused on each step and how tired she was. She prayed nonstop in her mind but
didn’t know quite what to pray for. She’d fallen for Quaid, but he must not feel the same. He was hiding from somebody, and
everything was off between them now.
By lunchtime, they hadn’t found any caves or talked beyond what was necessary. The helicopter had passed overhead again
and they’d hidden under an overhang. She could see a glimpse of it as it flew over the next mountain peak. It was white and
large, just like the first one they’d seen.
Usually Quaid would tease her if her motor mouth slowed down. Not today. He checked if she was all right often but kept
up the intense pace. Running away from the helicopter or from his feelings for her?
They finally headed down the side of the mountain and their pace got even faster. Sadly, they still didn’t talk. The trail was
little more than a goat’s path. It was green and pretty below them. She focused on nature’s beauty and making sure she didn’t
step wrong. Her gaze kept wandering back to Quaid. She’d loved falling asleep in his arms, but now she realized she shouldn’t
have given in to sleep. She should’ve used that quiet time with no cameras rolling to figure out what had happened in his past
and what he was facing now. That would have given her some clues to help her carve a future for them. Instead, she’d had a
brief glimpse of how fabulous it would be to be together, but he’d shut her out again.
Suddenly, Quaid ushered her back against the mountain with one arm holding her behind him and whispered, “Someone’s
coming.”
“Okay.” She stared at him but his gaze was darting down the trail and then up as if gauging if they could make it to the tree
line two hundred yards away and escape whoever was coming.
Anna’s heartbeat picked up. The guys from the helicopter? What was Quaid afraid of? He was strong, brave, a former Navy
SEAL, and she’d seen he had a knife and on him. Maybe she should be more afraid of whoever was coming or why that
helicopter had flown over them three times now. She was pretty certain the helicopter hadn’t seen them today, but who knew?
“Do you know who it is? The helicopter guys?”
He only shook his head, glancing around as if trying to find some place they could hide. There was nowhere. The
mountainside was steep enough the trees grew horizontally.
She could hear the footsteps now, but the people were still hidden by trees below her and Quaid’s position. Whoever was
coming wasn’t talking. Because of the incline, or were they stalking her and Quaid?
When people heard she was from Chicago, they often asked if she’d seen gangs, murders, or been in danger. She hadn’t.
Her neighborhood north of Chicago was very safe, and downtown was safe for tourism and patrolled well. She’d never been
one of those teenagers that snuck into the south side for a thrill or anything stupid like that. How was she supposed to react to
danger in these beautiful mountains?
“Do you think we’re in danger?” she whispered, her heart racing out of control at Quaid’s reaction to someone
approaching.
“I’ll keep you safe,” he said. He slid his backpack off, yanked out a pistol and a clip and inserted it, checked something on
it, then slid it into his front pocket. Then he pulled a knife out of a pocket of his pants, unsheathed it, and palmed it in his left
hand. She hadn’t known he had a pistol.
He stood straight and tall in front of her. She believed him. He would keep her safe. Quaid had much more world
experience than she did and plenty of training to keep her safe. Still, she couldn’t help thinking his reaction was intense. They
didn’t even know who was approaching yet. Could he sense they had evil intent?
The footsteps grew louder, and Anna peeked around Quaid’s arm to see two well-built men striding toward them. Neither
of them looked like the co-pilot she’d seen yesterday.
The dark-haired leader smiled and raised a hand. “There you are! I’m glad we found you.”
“Pardon me?” Quaid’s voice was not friendly. “Who are you and why are you trying to find us?”
The men approached and stopped not far away. “We weren’t trying to find you specifically, just haven’t seen a human in a
couple days. Nice to have some company.” He smiled easily, but something was off in his dark gaze. He looked and sounded
American.
“Where’d you come from?” Quaid’s question was hurled like a bullet.
“Southern Germany. You?”
“Augustine.” Quaid’s muscles were so tight she wanted to rub his shoulders and tell him to relax. Besides their odd first
greeting and the intensity of the leader’s gaze on Quaid’s face, they didn’t seem to have ill intent.
“Beautiful spot.”
Quaid didn’t answer.
“Why are you hiding the beauty behind you?” the blond guy asked.
“Why don’t you keep on hiking?” Quaid responded, his voice cold and his body coiled to fight.
“Quaid, it’s okay,” she whispered.
“Quaid, is it?” The dark-haired leader looked menacing.
“Stone Cold, actually,” Quaid said.
She wanted to smile at that. He had seemed Stone Cold when she first met him, but not any longer. If only she could call
him Lover Lips or Hunky Hero like they’d teased about.
The guy cracked a brief smile, but then they both stepped closer.
“I’d like you to move on,” Quaid said, and it wasn’t a request so much as a demand. The air felt thick with tension.
Whoever these guys were, Quaid instinctively didn’t like them. Anna’s body chilled, and she prayed they’d listen and there
wouldn’t be a confrontation.
“We’d like to check out your girl,” the blond guy said. “Must be something special the way you’re sheltering her.”
Quaid had the gun and the knife out and both pointed at the man’s heart before Anna could draw in a breath. “I’m retired
military special ops with better training than you’ve ever dreamed about, and I will kill you both before I let you near my girl.
Understood?”
There was no sound but their breathing for a few seconds.
“Move on around us and don’t even think about retracing your steps. Anytime, night or day, I will protect her and you’ll
regret coming after us.”
The men still said nothing, and that was weirder than anything. Wouldn’t a normal reaction be to back up or apologize or
something?
They carefully shuffled around them on the trail. Quaid shifted with them, keeping his body in front of Anna and his
weapons pointed at them. He didn’t relax his stance until their footsteps receded.
Clicking something on the gun, he put it in his pocket and then covered the knife and dropped it in. His shoulders relaxed a
fraction and he glanced at her. His eyes were still as gray as a stormy sky. “You all right?”
“Um … sure.” She blinked at him. “That escalated super quick.”
He shrugged. “Two weirdos wandering the mountains looking for unsuspecting tourists. I wanted to make sure they knew
who they were dealing with.” He glanced toward where the men had disappeared and then said, “Let’s put some distance
between us.”
Anna nodded, but she was disturbed by his reaction and the men’s. Had he been protecting her, was he naturally distrustful
of people, or was there something going on that she didn’t understand? Between the way he had reacted to the helicopter
passing over to how he’d threatened those men, something was definitely wrong. If only he’d talk to her about his past. Yet how
could he with the cameras rolling?
They hurried down the trail and kept up a quick pace. In the next set of switchbacks, they found another cave. Cave number
five on day three. That was good. She could’ve sworn this was where the men had come from, but nothing in the cave was
disturbed.
They hurried to charge the cameras, use the bathroom, eat, clean up a little bit, change into clean clothes and socks, and
then kept moving. It was telling that she didn’t even regret leaving her dirty clothes behind.
When no more men or helicopter sightings happened, Quaid finally relaxed a little bit, though she noticed him checking
behind them often. He started asking her questions and responding to her queries as they hiked through the picturesque
mountains.
They hiked for hours, and he shared stories about his little sister—‘sis’ was all he called her. Anna never got a real name,
but she loved the stories of the irrepressibly happy, light-filled girl. Where was his sister now? The famous and gorgeous
Jacqueline Oliver, slated to marry an older, distinguished, and wealthy man. Was that why his sister had disappeared? Maybe
she wasn’t kidnapped but loved someone else and didn’t want to marry Richard Napoleon.
By the time Anna’s stomach was growling and the sun was hiding behind the peaks to the west, Quaid was teasing and even
semi-flirting with her again, giving her deep looks with those blue eyes she could get lost in.
They walked side by side through the bottom of a ravine. She didn’t feel they were back to yesterday’s comfort and
flirtations, but they were progressing in that direction. If only she could figure out what had flipped him out this morning and
caused him to put up an emotional barrier. More importantly, she needed to figure out why his life was not his own. That
chilled her every time she thought about it.
“I’m still dying that my Magnificent Man went all Rambo on those poor unsuspecting hikers,” she teased.
“Poor unsuspecting hikers?” He snorted at her, and they both laughed. “Those guys were trouble. Did you look into their
eyes? Did you notice they only had small backpacks? Not nearly enough gear, especially without well-stocked caves like we
have.”
“I couldn’t look at them at all. My Macho Man was like this burly, protective wall in front of me.”
“That’s right.” He flexed and then grinned. “I will protect you, Sugar Sunshine.”
She beamed and melted inside. “So I’m SS and you’re MM?”
“I don’t think either of those is a great nickname. You’re Secret Service and I’m Eminem?”
“Stop.” She pushed her shoulder against his.
He grinned. “Why don’t we stick with Macho for me and Beauty for you?”
“I’m no beauty.” She ducked her head, wondering if that was why he’d pulled away this morning instead of kissing her.
He’d realized he was out of her league and she wouldn’t fit in his perfect-people world.
Quaid stopped walking, gently wrapped his hands around her hips, and turned her to face him. “You are to me,” he said
softly. His gaze was meaningful and deep and somehow in his incredible blue eyes, she was beautiful.
Anna wanted to arch up and kiss him. Desperately. As if sensing her intentions, he released his grip on her, took her hand,
and said, “Let’s keep moving and find a cave to sleep in tonight.”
“You didn’t enjoy last night’s sleeping arrangements?” she teased, out of breath from his look, compliment, and touch.
“On the contrary. I’ve never slept in a more favorable situation.” He didn’t look at her, but she savored his words. “But I
selfishly want a hot dinner and clean clothes.”
“Very selfish of you, Beautiful Boy of mine.”
“Beautiful Boy?” He scoffed. “I’m definitely all man.”
“I have noticed that, but you also are very beautiful, my Hunky Hero. Did you get taunted with Pretty Boy?”
“All the time,” he admitted. “How do you think I developed my fighting skills and my desire to go into the military?” He
grinned over his shoulder at her but faced forward before she could grab him and kiss him. “But remember I’m Macho and
you’re Beauty.”
She laughed. “How could I forget? My dear Macho Man. My HEM.”
“All right, Jefa, that’s it.”
“Jefa?” she scoffed. “How about we stick with Sugar so you don’t tick me off?”
“I don’t want to tick you off. I do like Sugar, almost as much as Beauty.” He glanced at her again, his gaze lingering on her
lips for long enough to make her stomach do a happy dance.
Then he turned and hurried toward the next towering mountain. Disappointment instead of his lips … again.
More mountains. They were gorgeous, but maybe she preferred her flatland woods and the lakes from home. Her legs were
tired, and she was hopelessly lost. How Quaid navigated through this vast and steep forest was beyond her.
Thank You Jesus that Quaid is so smart and talented and can and will protect me. Thank You that we are teasing again.
Please, please let him love me like I love him. Please don’t let those men come after us. Amen.
“Who called you Stone Cold?” she asked as they skirted past a small stream.
“The men in my unit.” His voice was more subdued.
“You aren’t cold or stone to me,” she said.
He looked her over and then said, “I feel warm, soft, and alive with you.”
Her heart lifted. She loved that.
They walked for a while under the shadow of the mountain, the light fading fast.
“Even … your close friend called you Stone Cold?” she asked quietly. She didn’t want to say Kenny’s name again, since
he’d only let it slip once, even with all the stories he’d told her about him.
“No.” A brief flicker of a smile softened his handsome face. “He called me …” He suddenly broke off, then he gave her a
wonderful surprise as he drew her in close and whispered into her ear, “Kenny called me Slayer.”
“Oh my.” She laughed at that title, though the implications made her gut churn. She leaned close and whispered, “Because
you slayed all the ladies?”
“You know it.” He grinned, released her, and they started walking again. She could only imagine how he slayed all the
ladies. That definitely didn’t make her happy. Added to the loss of his touch yet again and she was borderline depressed. She
needed a hug from Jace and Molly or one of her nieces and nephews. She needed to see their bright, happy smiles.
They climbed up a trail that didn’t feel much like a trail at all, more like loose shale.
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
“Look.”
About ten feet above them, a trail from the other direction led to a cave opening.
“Oh wow. I hope it’s number six.”
“Of course it will be.” He gave her his charming smile. “Day number three and six caves. We’re living a charmed life and
rocking this challenge.”
“Because of you. I don’t have the faintest clue where we are. You have this mental map in your head.”
“I do.” He gave her a cocky wink and then led the way up to the cave. “We’re close to the border of Austria. Tomorrow
we’ll zigzag north and west, headed toward southern Germany. Then we’ll cover the area between Germany and Augustine
Friday and Saturday.”
He stopped next to the cave and looked in. When he turned back, he grinned and swept his hand like he was presenting a
great prize. “And here, my beauty, is cave number six.”
“Yes!” Anna threw her arms around his neck.
He wrapped her up and they held on to each other. Anna hugged almost everyone she saw each day, mostly children, and
she told many people and all the children that she loved them.
No other arms around her, no body pressed close, had ever felt like this. Quaid was her strength, her inspiration, her hope,
her dream. In the short time they’d known each other, she’d become convinced he was meant to be hers, the light and love of
her life. How could she convince him to feel the same?
It could be claimed she was still suffering from a teenage crush, a celebrity worship complex, a fantasy, a fairytale. She’d
felt all those things with Quaid, but the depth of her feelings was miles past any of those reasons for loving him. The real Quaid
was a million times the man that the Thomas Oliver billboard and smoldering look on social media videos had been. Even her
fairytale visions of them together couldn’t compare to being in his arms.
She drew back slightly, very ready to kiss him.
“Let’s go clean up and eat a real meal,” Quaid said.
“If we must.”
Quaid took her hand and led the way into the cave. He’d relaxed around her again today, they hadn’t seen the helicopter or
the men since early afternoon, and she almost felt like they were close again.
Could they share deep secrets tonight? Could she get a kiss? Anything felt possible right now. The only worries she had
were those men coming after them again, but Quaid had scared them away.
She also worried about his ominous words from day one. My life is not my own. Maybe tonight she’d get some answers
and figure out a way to get around that obstacle. There was no obstacle that could stop them being together. Not in her mind.
Please bless that I can love him almost as well as he protects and inspires me.
Another random document with
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 NURSING

XXII

O hush, my little baby brother!

Sleep, my love, upon my knee,
What though, dear child, we’ve lost our mother?
That can never trouble thee.

You are but ten weeks old to-morrow;

What can you know of our loss?
The house is full enough of sorrow;
Little baby, don’t be cross.

Peace, cry not so, my dearest love!

Hush, my baby bird, lie still,—
He’s quiet now, he does not move,
Fast asleep is little Will.

My only solace, only joy,

Since the sad day I lost my mother,
Is nursing her own Willy boy,
My little orphan brother.
 THE ROOK
AND
THE SPARROWS

XXIII
A little boy with crumbs of bread
Many a hungry sparrow fed.
It was a child of little sense
Who this kind bounty did dispense;
For suddenly ’twas from them torn,
And all the birds were left forlorn
In a hard time of frost and snow,
Not knowing where for food to go.
He would no longer give them bread,
Because he had observed, he said,
A great black bird, a rook by name,
That sometimes to the window came
And took away a small bird’s share.
So foolish Henry did not care
What became of the great rook
That from the little sparrows took,
Now and then, as ’twere by stealth,
A part of their abundant wealth;
Nor ever more would feed his sparrows.
Thus ignorance a kind heart narrows.
I wish I had been there, I would
Have told the child, rooks live by food
In the same way the sparrows do.
I also would have told him too
Birds act by instinct, and ne’er can
Attain the rectitude of man.
Nay, that even when distress
Does on poor human nature press,
We need not be too strict in seeing
The failings of a fellow-being.
 FEIGNED
COURAGE

XXIV

Horatio, of ideal courage vain,

Was flourishing in air his father’s cane,
And, as the fumes of valour swell’d his pate,
Now thought himself this hero, and now that:
“And now,” he cried, “I will Achilles be;
My sword I brandish; see, the Trojans flee!
Now I’ll be Hector, when his angry blade
A lane through heaps of slaughter’d Grecians made!
And now my deeds, still, braver I’ll evince,
I am no less than Edward the Black Prince.
Give way, ye coward French!” As thus he spoke,
And aim’d in fancy a sufficient stroke
To fix the fate of Crecy or Poictiers
(The Muse relates the Hero’s fate with tears),
He struck his milk-white hand against a nail,
Sees his own blood, and feels his courage fail.
Ah! where is now that boasted valour flown,
That in the tented field so late was shown?
Achilles weeps, great Hector hangs his head,
And the Black Prince goes whimpering to bed.
 HESTER

XXV

When maidens such as Hester die,

Their place ye may not well supply,
Though ye among a thousand try
With vain endeavour.
A month or more hath she been dead,
Yet cannot I by force be led
To think upon the wormy bed,
And her together.

A springy motion in her gait,

A rising step, did indicate
Of pride and joy no common rate,
That flush’d her spirit.
I know not by what name beside
It may be call’d; if ’twas not pride,
It was a joy to that allied
She did inherit.
Her parents held the Quaker rule,
Which doth the human feeling cool,
But she was train’d in Nature’s school,
Nature had blest her.
A waking eye, a prying mind,
A heart that stirs is hard to bind,
A hawk’s keen sight ye cannot blind,
Ye could not Hester.

My sprightly neighbour, gone before

To that unknown and silent shore,
Shall we not meet, as heretofore,
Some summer morning,
When from thy cheerful eyes a ray
Hath struck a bliss upon the day,
A bliss that would not go away,
A sweet forewarning?
 HELEN

XXVI

High-born Helen, round your dwelling

These twenty years I’ve paced in vain;
Haughty beauty, thy lover’s duty
Hath been to glory in his pain.

High-born Helen, proudly telling

Stories of thy cold disdain;
I starve, I die, now you comply,
And I no longer can complain.

These twenty years I’ve lived on tears,

Dwelling for ever on a frown;
On sighs I’ve fed, your scorn my bread;
I perish now you kind are grown.

Can I, who loved my beloved,

But for the scorn “was in her eye,”
Can I be moved for my beloved
When she “returns me sigh for sigh?”
In stately pride, by my bedside,
High-born Helen’s portrait’s hung;
Deaf to my praise, my mournful lays
Are nightly to the portrait sung.
To that I weep, nor ever sleep,
Complaining all night long to her:
Helen, grown old, no longer cold,
Said, “You to all men I prefer.”
 THE
BEGGAR MAN

XXVII

Abject, stooping, old, and wan,

See yon wretched beggar man;
Once a father’s hopeful heir,
Once a mother’s tender care.
When too young to understand,
He but scorch’d his little hand
By the candle’s flaming light
Attracted, dancing, spiral, bright;
Clasping fond her darling round,
A thousand kisses heal’d the wound:
Now, abject, stooping, old, and wan,
No mother tends the beggar man.
The Beggar Man
Then nought too good for him to wear,
With cherub face and flaxen hair,
In fancy’s choicest gauds array’d,
Cap of lace with rose to aid;
Milk-white hat and feather blue;
Shoes of red; and coral too;
With silver bells to please his ear,
And charm the frequent ready tear.
Now, abject, stooping, old, and wan,
Neglected is the beggar man.

See the boy advance in age,

And learning spreads her useful page;
In vain—for giddy pleasure calls,
And shows the marbles, tops, and balls.
What’s learning to the charms of play?
Th’ indulgent tutor must give way.
A heedless wilful dunce, and wild,
The parents’ fondness spoil’d the child;
The youth in vagrant courses ran.
Now, abject, stooping, old, and wan,
Their fondling is the beggar man.
 BREAKFAST

XXVIII

A dinner party, coffee, tea,

Sandwich, or supper, all may be
In their way pleasant. But to me
Not one of these deserves the praise
That welcomer of new-born days,
A breakfast, merits; ever giving
Cheerful notice we are living
Another day refresh’d by sleep,
When its festival we keep.
Now, although I would not slight
Those kindly words we use, “Good-night,”
Yet parting words are words of sorrow,
And may not vie with sweet “Good-morrow,”
With which again our friends we greet
When in the breakfast-room we meet,
At the social table round,
Listening to the lively sound
Of those notes which never tire
Of urn or kettle on the fire.