Free Wild Suspicions (Romantic Suspense) by Rebecca Marey Page A

hand on the back of the passenger seat and the other on its arm.
    Liddie looked into his face, not knowing what to expect. Her tongue instinctively moved to moisten her lips.
    “ If they come back out,” began Garrett, suddenly stopped by the unintended invitation of her slightly puckered lips.
    Liddie leaned back quickly, disgusted with her own involuntary reaction.
    “ If they come anywhere near you for the remainder of the trip,” he went on firmly, “You throw another bottle, glass, or any other damn thing you can find, straight at that cockpit door.” He glanced again at Parker. His voice got louder. “I don’t give a damn how many dents it gets. Do you understand?”
    He hesitated, almost as if he wanted to say more. Liddie swallowed hard. She felt her fingers move, wanting to reach out and thank him again. The assurance, the knowledge, that he would protect her, made her want to thank him. Profusely.
    Instead, she simply nodded.
    Garrett's eyes fell to her mouth, and then he stood up and walked back to the cockpit.
****
    “I’ll take it, Mike.”
    Garrett collapsed into his seat.
    What the hell just happened?
    He turned to the younger pilot, who was stretching in the seat beside him. “Do me a favor and take thirty minutes. You’re looking a little worn.”
    “ I think I’m all right,” began Mike, but Garrett stopped him from stating his case.
    “ I know, but go get yourself a granola bar and soda. Maxon’s out like a rock and the two idiots made a play for Miss Nichols.” He shook his head in disgust. “Go sit out there and relax for a half hour. Don’t try to make conversation, just smile politely and sit down in a seat not too close to her.” He grabbed one of the training manuals crammed between the seats. “Read this for awhile or rest your eyes. It’ll make her feel better to have someone out there.”
    Mike pushed aside the booklet. “I got my games.” He pulled a fancy cell phone from his pocket and Garrett laughed.
    “ That’ll work.”
    Before the door even closed, Garrett had clicked off the autopilot. He wanted to fly, to be in control of something. Unlike Liddie, he had a choice. He knew what was going on, and now, he wasn’t too sure that she did.
    It was smart of her to throw the bottle at the door. Hell, who would have thought she’d have that much kick in her. Not Parker, that’s for sure.
    What an ass he was. Leaving a woman like that unprotected. The more he thought about it, the angrier Garrett got. Liddie Nichols appeared to be more naive than he’d originally thought. A farm girl from Wisconsin. No wonder she hadn’t a clue. Who would believe such a family could exist. Certainly not someone who only saw the outer shell of the Maxon clan.
    Could she be invo lved? Garrett was having doubts, considering he’d almost confided in her. He almost told Liddie how those summers with his grandparents were the happiest times in his life. How his mother didn’t offer much more than food and shelter after his father walked out. How Garrett had practically raised himself until finding a home in the Army.
    Liddie would have shown pity like so many others. Only this time, it wouldn ’t have made him angry. This time, he sensed, it would have brought them closer together – a collapse of two people into each other.
    Garrett took a deep breath, thankful that he hadn’t given in to emotion. Liddie’s lips came to mind, being moistened by a quick swipe of her tongue. Garrett wiped his brow. An appreciation for Liddie may be the one thing he did have in common with Parker.
    The plane jumped from the bumps of a few air pockets. The turbulence brought him out of his thoughts and back to the plane. Garrett liked when it got choppy. Usually. He pushed forward on the controls and the plane began to descend.
    F or Liddie, he decided, this trip was getting rough enough.

Chapter Six
    It was a good two hours after Liddie’s encounter with the men, when Parker finally stirred from the