A slow smile spread on the woman's face. "First time here?" Sydney gave a quick nod trying to place the woman who was suddenly looking familiar. "It's down that hall, around the corner, third door on the left."

"Thanks."

"I'll tell tall, dark, and gorgeous where you went, no worries." There was something about the woman's smile that made Sydney uncomfortable.

Sydney hurried down the long hall, concerned about getting the sticky mess off the front of her shirt. Since it was Hailey's, she didn't want to return it to her a mess.

At the end of the hallway, the music became softer. She was so far from the main bar area that things quieted down. She made the turn and started counting doors. Her hand was about to come down on the k.n.o.b when the lights flickered, the hall going temporarily dark. Sydney stifled a scream and flattened herself against the wall, reaching blindly for the k.n.o.b. When she felt the cool metal bulb against her hand, she yanked it open and light flooded the hall. Her heart was pounding by the time she closed the door behind herself.

Quickly she rubbed a paper towel over the front of her shirt, dabbing as much of the sticky drink out of the fabric as she could. She tried not to think about having to navigate down that dark hall to get back to the main bar, but at this point, she was so spooked she would have run across fire to get back to Wade. She wiped a few more towels over the damp spot to dry it as much as possible before she left the dingy bathroom.

Taking a deep breath, she wrenched open the door and was relieved to see the lights had turned back on. She hurried down the corridor, turned right and immediately she could hear the music and the laughter from the bar. Her anxiety started to fade. A few more steps and she'd be back with him. As soon as she came through the archway, her eyes went to the dartboard in search of Wade. When he wasn't there, she scanned the bar until she found him by the front door with a woman. The woman who had dumped her drink on Sydney. From the look on Wade's face, he wasn't happy to see her and the pieces fell into place.

Tara.

The previous times Sydney had seen her, she had either been busy sucking on Wade's face, or on a small video monitor or across the parking lot, so Sydney hadn't been able to pick up her features clearly. However, the dark hair and the build were the same. The look on Wade's face right now was one of restrained rage. There was only one person who made him that uncomfortable, and Sydney was not about to let her ruin their night. She locked eyes with Wade and headed straight into their conversation.

"You listen to me," Sydney heard Tara hiss when she got within earshot. Wade gave nothing away to Tara even though he had seen Sydney coming the whole time. He continued to glare at her with nothing but contempt. Sydney put on her best fake smile and b.u.mped Tara as she pa.s.sed her to get to Wade. She wrapped her arm around his waist and could have kissed him when she felt the weight of his arm settle around her shoulder and pull her close.

"Thanks for keeping him company, honey. Bless your heart, but you're helpful. I'm sure there's got to be somebody in this place who might be happy to see you. Right, Tara?"

Tara looked at her incredulously, unable to believe Sydney dared to dismiss her. "You little witch." She took a swipe at her, but Sydney just stepped back and out of reach, using Tara's momentum against her, Sydney pinned her arm behind her back. All those months of self-defense finally paid off.

"Now here's what's gonna happen. You're going to walk away and leave us to enjoy our evening. It's been a pretty c.r.a.ppy week for both of us. And if this shirt is ruined, you'll be getting a bill for the dry cleaning. Goodnight, Tara." With a tiny shove she sent the woman stumbling toward the crowd at the bar. Only then did Wade say something.

"Ready to get out of here?"

Without a second glance at Tara she laced her fingers with his and they bid goodnight to their friends at Murray's, many of whom had stood up to keep Tara from following them. Her protests m.u.f.fled behind the closed door as they stepped outside.

"Sorry about that," Wade said without looking at her. Sydney stopped in her tracks and turned him to face her. He was shaken, either with anger or distress, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going to let that woman ruin another second of Wade's life. So she did the only thing she could think of to snap him out of his funk.

She kissed him.

It wasn't a friendly kiss or one of encouragement; it was a full frontal a.s.sault on his senses, one that hopefully would erase the bad memories and fill his mind with thoughts of her. The dark shadows of the parking lot made her feel brave and protected from prying eyes. At first he seemed stunned, unsure of her intentions. When her hand trailed down the front of his jeans and brushed against his growing erection, there could be no question and he let go, picking her up off her feet and returning the kiss with all the fervor she had shown, and then some.

"Sydney," he growled, his hands fisted into the back of her shirt.

"Your place. Now." He laughed when she wrapped her legs around his waist and whispered, "Hurry," into his ear.

Without a missing a beat, he carried her to the truck, buckled her into her seat, then jumped in the truck and they peeled out of the parking lot, gravel kicking up from their speedy exit. Wade kept a death grip on the steering wheel as he weaved through town, headed for his house. Sydney's heart was pounding with excitement. No matter what, she knew she would remember this night for the rest of her life. A man like Wade Jenkins didn't come around every day, and if for some reason she did have to run, or if she did eventually get taken into custody, the memory of this night was going to get her through the rough times.

It had to.

He pulled into the driveway, the car jerking to a stop as his foot slammed down on the brake. The fact that he wasn't hiding his need excited her even more. She lunged across the cab and kissed him again, her hands wandering over his chest and under his shirt. His skin trembled as her nails lightly raked over his abdomen.

"I need to get you out of this truck or I'm going to take you right here and now." He threw open his door and dragged her out after him. The urgency in his movements amplified everything Sydney was feeling. By the time they hit the front porch, she was absolutely desperate for him.

The lights never made it on once they made it through the doorway. She heard the lock click behind her and then she was pinned against the wall, the weight of Wade's body nearly stealing the breath from her lungs in the darkness. His hands were everywhere, touching, petting, squeezing her, fanning the fire that was already raging inside her even more.

"You're so beautiful, Sydney." His voice was tight as he tried to keep himself in control. "I've dreamed of touching you like this so many nights."

A groan escaped her lips as his mouth began devouring her neck. Small nips turned into warm swirls of his tongue and he explored every inch of her neck and shoulders. He followed the neckline of her shirt and began kissing the swells of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Sydney's hands knotted in his hair, urging him on. His hand slipped under the waistband of her jeans and she froze. It had been a lifetime since a man touched her like this, and never a man like Wade.

What if she wasn't experienced enough for Wade? Doubts began to flood her mind.

"If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say the word, Sydney. Whatever you want." She could hear the strain in his voice and his panting breath, but he hadn't moved an inch, waiting for her answer.

"Just like riding a bike," she mumbled to herself then widened her stance and plunged his hand deeper into her panties. He groaned when his fingers found her wetness between her legs.

"Oh, baby." He slumped against her, as if his knees had gone weak. "You're so hot and soft. I bet you taste sweet too. Will you let me taste you, Sydney?"

"Less talking, more kissing." Sydney pushed the jacket off his shoulders then pulled his T-shirt up and over his head. When her hands landed on his chest she felt the lightest dusting of hair and muscle. She wanted to run her tongue over every ridge and valley on him. "Where's your bedroom?"

He led her through the dark, up a staircase at the back of the house. The second floor was one huge room with a sitting area and desk to one side, and a king sized bed on the other. Moonlight poured in through the huge picture window across from the bed. From it, you could probably look out over the farms and see the tiny row of lights that beckoned downtown. This time of year the view had to be spectacular with all the fall colors painting the scenery, but she didn't pause to look when the bed and the man standing beside it were calling to her.

Wade sat on the edge of the mattress and watched her approach. Sydney liked the feel of his eyes on her, the seductive side in her springing to life. She slowly kicked off her shoes as she walked, letting them land in a pile off to the side. Her hands went to the bottom of her shirt and paused. Even though it was dark, she could feel him watching her every move in the moonlight and it empowered her to keep going. With a swift pull, her shirt came off and her jeans soon followed. Wade fisted his hands into the comforter to keep from grabbing her and ending the show. Knowing he was that close to losing control made Sydney smile.

"You're being so well behaved." She straddled his legs and perched herself on his lap. His hands immediately landed on her hips then began to explore her curves, brushing over her thighs and cupping her bottom gently. The tremor that went through him told her how much he was holding back.

And she wanted more than anything to see him let go.

"Touch me." The words came out somewhere between a purr and a plea and she didn't have to ask twice. His hands cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, squeezing before he feathered kisses across them. He sucked her nipple through the thin material of her bra, and she could feel her arousal swell. Nothing in her life had ever felt so good.

He turned and pressed her into the mattress, his weight collapsing on her. His hot, hard flesh rubbed against hers and they both groaned in pleasure. His power was palpable with his every movement and she wanted to feel all he had to offer. Her hand dipped between them, but Wade grabbed it before she could reach her destination, pinning her wrist over her head.

"My turn to play." The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine. There was nothing playful about his tone, only a promise of heat and fire and pleasure like she had never imagined before.

His free hand slowly made its way up her thigh, his knuckles brushing lightly over her panties. Sydney writhed from side to side, desperate for more of his touch. "So impatient," he whispered against her breast. He flicked his finger under the clasp of her bra, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s spilling from the material, giving his mouth better access.

"Oh, G.o.d," Sydney said as his tongue flicked over her nipples, the moisture from his mouth making them peak and harden.

He sat her up and slipped the sc.r.a.p of lace from her arms, tossing it onto the floor with the rest of her clothes. When he tugged her panties down her thighs, she was left completely naked in his arms.

"G.o.d, Sydney. You are such a miracle." His fingers slipped through the dampened curls between her legs, finding exactly where she was begging to be touched. A cry escaped her as a single finger pushed inside, filling her.

"You're so tight," he gasped, his erection grinding deliciously against her stomach. Her hips moved in rhythm with his fingers, the intense pleasure nearly overwhelming her.

Sydney reached for his jeans, unb.u.t.toning them. Her heart pounded harder when he rolled off her and slid them down over his hips revealing every naked inch of him.

"Oh my," Sydney sighed.

"You say that a lot," he said with a smile as he returned to the bed.

"You're just an 'Oh my' kinda man, Wade Jenkins. You have to know that."

He poised himself above her, his hips settling between her thighs. When he looked into her eyes, they were the only two people on the planet. No demons from their pasts, no complications or baggage; just a man and a woman and the potential for pleasure beyond words. The time for teasing was over, they were starved for one another, and with each touch of his hands, Sydney found herself begging him for more.

Finally, with one forceful stroke, he slipped inside of her and they both cried out at the sensation. Nothing had ever felt so right. They were together in the most intimate way imaginable and, in that moment, Sydney thought anything was possible.

They made love well into the night, falling asleep only to be woken up by playful strokes of the other's hands. With the same intensity, they came together time after time, never tiring of one another, and never getting their fill. They shared their dreams and fears. They shared their hearts with one another in the darkness as the hours ticked by, time seeming to move faster when they were together. Finally Sydney collapsed with exhaustion, a well satisfied smile on her face.

DAWN WAS BARELY BREAKING when she felt Wade stir. She was already so attuned to his presence, that she knew the moment he left her side. A few minutes later he returned with breakfast in bed: two cups of coffee and two bowls of cereal.

"Sorry if I disturbed you, but I thought you'd like to be home before Faith woke up." He settled the tray over her legs, and sat down beside her.

Those were the little things about Wade that made her care for him even more. Most men would have snored away until noon, but he was up, and had even made her breakfast, all so she could get home to her daughter. He was one special man.

"What are you thinking in that beautiful head of yours?"

"That you're amazing." She devoured the cereal, not realizing how hungry she was. That's what a night of wild s.e.x will do to you, she thought to herself with a smile. They finished their breakfast then Sydney padded around his bedroom wearing nothing more than his T-shirt that hung to her knees as she collected her clothes which were strewn about the room. Hailey's blouse that she had worn last night was all stuck together from Tara's nasty drink.

"I'm borrowing this," she said as she slipped her jeans on underneath. She knotted the bottom of his shirt to give it a better fit. Her face paled suddenly when she glanced at the clock. She shoved her feet into her shoes as she hurried to the door, pulling him by the arm. "Come on, we have to go. We have to get my car before Pete and Cara get to the diner or they'll know I spent the night with you. I swear I'll never hear the end of it!" When Wade looked unaffected by the whole thing, she pinned him with a glare. "Um, you won't think it's funny when she's picking out wedding invitations for us, now let's move."

They headed out for the diner just as the sun was breaking over the horizon. The beautiful colors filled the sky, giving it a radiant glow. A wonderful night, with a wonderful man and now she was rewarded with a sunrise for the ages.

Life was good.

Sydney's spirits were high as they pulled into the diner. She was flooded with relief to see the lights were still off inside. They had managed to beat Cara and Pete there.

"Thank you for last night, Wade. It was something I'll never forget." She rested her hand on his thigh and leaned over to kiss his cheek. He stopped the truck and gave her a kiss she felt all the way to her toes.

"It wasn't a one night stand, Sydney. You're important to me." She must have let her twinge of panic show on her face, because he pulled her close and smiled. "I know you're scared, and I know there are things from your past we have to deal with, but I want you to promise me you won't run without telling me." He brushed her hair out of her face. "I don't think I could take it if you left without saying goodbye."

"I'm not going anywhere." She kissed him again but when his hands started wandering, she moved out of his reach. "Don't start that again or I'll never get home in time."

They were still laughing and making plans to see each other again when Wade pulled around the back of the diner. Something looked off about her recently repaired car from a distance, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The closer they got, the more obvious it was. The moment Sydney saw it, she shrieked in distress.

Someone had slashed Sydney's tires and smashed every window in her car.

"MOMMY! LOOK WHAT PETE made." Faith came barreling into the kitchen with a beautiful cake covered in tiny chocolate teddy bears. Two of her friends from school were at her side. "This is the best birthday ever," she squealed on her way out of the room.

Sydney put the cake on the counter and took a deep breath. She looked out into the living room where Cara and Pete stood talking to Agnes. Sam and Hailey were cuddled up on the couch, their heads together, and a warm smile on Hailey's face. Luke placed himself on one side of the room, as far away from Wade as possible. A couple of the deputies and countless children from school filled the rest of the room, and leaning against the wall with his eyes glued on Faith was Wade, their fierce protector. How had he grown to mean so much to her in so little time?

Sydney's paranoia was at an all-time high since her tires were slashed. She was obsessive about not letting Faith out of her sight, and even had considered cancelling the birthday party. Her driving patterns had all changed and her safety routines had increased as she did what she could to rea.s.sure herself that she and Faith were safe. But it wasn't helping.

Wade had a few clues on who had vandalized her car. When they went to look at the damage, he was insistent that it had been Tara. 'Wh.o.r.e' and 'b.i.t.c.h' had been scribbled on the hood of her car in lipstick. Swearing, he had stormed toward the vehicle, but paused when he found what appeared to be boot prints in the soft dirt beside her car. If that wasn't enough, Tara had disappeared and left town that night, without a word, so Wade couldn't question her about any of it.

Every deputy in the area had been called to the diner. They looked for fingerprints, but found none. Then they took photographs of everything they could find. Footprints, sprays of gla.s.s, the location of random cigarette b.u.t.ts and the total annihilation of her car were all doc.u.mented. By the time Pete and Cara arrived at the diner that morning, the parking lot was full of flashing lights and police cars. Pete turned white, probably a.s.suming the worst and flashing back to the night they found Angie's body. Sydney had rushed over and explained that it was her car that was damaged, but everyone was fine. Once he heard that, anger replaced his worry, and Pete was livid that someone was damaging cars on his property.

That had been two days ago. Since then, Wade had rarely let Sydney out of his sight. During the day, he worked and stopped into the diner as often as he could, always there to make sure she made it in and out of work safely. At night, he'd come to the house, and hang out with them like he'd been doing it for years. Faith was falling for him just as hard as Sydney was. She'd beg him to carry her upstairs and tuck her in. Once she was fast asleep, he'd turn his attention to Sydney. Already she was getting far too attached to falling asleep in his arms.

It was the only thing keeping her in town.

The urge to run was overwhelming. She constantly thought about packing a bag, picking up Faith from school and then just driving as far and fast from town as possible. However she had no functioning car, so that was out of the question. Any thoughts she had of hopping a bus were negated by the promise she made Wade that she wouldn't leave without telling him, and she'd given him all their emergency papers. But staying was slowly killing her.

With another look around at all the people who had gathered to celebrate Faith's birthday, she smiled. These people, this eclectic collection of friends-she wanted this. A place to call her own, a life for her and Faith.

A family.

Wade walked into the kitchen and helped himself to a beer from the refrigerator. "You ready to cut the cake? Those kids are about ready to burst over there."

"Here." Sydney handed him Pete's masterpiece. "Go put this on the table and tell them not to touch it until I get there. Use your mean sheriff face if you have to." He made a playful grab for her but she laughed and dodged him, sneaking around and hiding behind the door of the refrigerator.

"Chicken," he said with a smile as he picked up the cake and tried to grab her around the door.

"Don't drop the cake or Pete will have your head. Or worse, Faith will cry."

"Like I'd let that happen." He kissed her and then started out of the kitchen just as the phone rang. The sound made her tense.

There had been countless hang ups lately, and with half the town in her living room, there wasn't anyone else left to call her. Wade must have sensed her distress because he set the cake on the table amongst the screaming girls and made eye contact with her just as she picked up the receiver.

"H-h.e.l.lo?"

There was a long pause and Sydney was just about to hang up the phone when a male voice finally spoke. "How could you do that to her?" Her heart stopped beating.

"I-I," she stammered unable to breathe let alone speak.

"I hope you're having fun with your stolen baby on her birthday. Which do you celebrate more, her birth or the fact that you took her?"

The pale look on Sydney's face had Wade mowing a path through the crowd to get to her. His deputies picked up on his movements and followed him into the kitchen.

"Who is this?" Her voice came out as a desperate breath. Thick, deep laughter roared through the receiver.

"Don't you worry, I'll take care of you soon enough just like I did Marcy, little girl."

Sydney fell back against the wall and Wade s.n.a.t.c.hed the phone from her ear, but not before she heard the voice yell, "By the way, that red dress makes you look like the wh.o.r.e you are." Wade wrapped his arm around her and cursed.

He can see me. She closed her eyes and buried her face in Wade's chest, praying she didn't pa.s.s out.

"Listen, you son of a b.i.t.c.h, you come near her and I'll kill you. I won't hesitate and I won't miss." Wade's voice had a cold, lethal tone to it that terrified Sydney. She knew he was serious. If Ronald came anywhere near her or Faith, Wade would kill him.

How could she ask him to do that? He had a life, a job, a family.

"d.a.m.n it," Wade growled and let the phone drop to the ground as the line went dead. Sydney crumpled into a ball on the floor. Wade sank down beside her and pulled her into his arms. "Listen to me, you are fine. Stay calm."

Sam peppered Wade with questions. "What's going on? What do you need?"

"She just got a threatening phone call."

"The guy who's stalking her?"

Wade nodded his head. "Probably." A shiver went down Sydney's spine as she thought about Ronald being that close to Faith. "He could see her, so he's got to be outside somewhere. I need you to cover the doors. Look for anyone lingering around outside that you don't know. A strange car, a dog you've never seen before, whatever. I want to know about it. No one goes in or out of the house without us knowing." Their heads turned when Pete hoisted Faith up to the table to look at her birthday cake. "No one else knows what we're doing, got it? We aren't ruining that little girl's birthday."

They exchanged a few more words then Sam's voice disappeared. Sydney braved a look up at Wade who was stroking her back, trying to rea.s.sure her with his gentle touch. When she met his eyes, she saw the fierce determination in them. "Nothing will happen to you while I'm here. Do you trust me?"

With a courage she found deep within herself, she nodded her head. There were few things she had been able to count on in her life, but Wade was one of them. He didn't know how to fail. He was going to keep them safe, or die trying. She just prayed it didn't come to that because she couldn't live with herself if anything happened to him.

"Good girl." He kissed her gently and gave her a little shake. "Faith is ready to cut her cake and then open her presents. Sam and the boys are at the doors and watching out the windows. I'm going to slip outside and see if I can find him." Sydney clutched his arm, terrified at the thought of Wade going after Ronald or him lying in wait to ambush Wade.