Before Nightfall - Kat Martin Page 0,32
with some of our friends from the task force. Fortunately, they were called away at the last minute, something to do with El Puñal. I have a hunch Benito Cortez had a hand in it.”
Colt laughed. “Perfect timing. Cortez is a handy man to know.” They were grateful for everything he had done for them. Colt turned in his seat to look at Timmy. “You okay?”
He nodded. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
“You didn’t think I would?”
Timmy smiled. “I was hoping you would. I didn’t think you’d bring Lissa, but I’m really glad you did.”
“Me, too,” Colt said and there was a gruff note in his voice that made Lissa’s heart contract.
She tried not to think what would happen when they got to Laredo, only a little over an hour from now. But there was no way Colt would be returning to Dallas and no way she would be going to Denver.
It was over.
They had both known from the start it was only a fling. She needed to accept that, deal with it. Lissa leaned back in the seat, trying to think of a way to say goodbye.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THEY WERE ON the ground in Laredo. Lissa and Timmy were heading back to Dallas, back to Julie, who had sobbed into the phone when Colt had called with the news her son was safe and on his way home.
Colt wasn’t going with them. He needed to get to Denver, check on his grandmother. He was long overdue and he knew how much she missed him. He had duties, responsibilities. He planned to build a life there.
Why was it that now building a life that didn’t include Lissa was the last thing he wanted to do?
They were getting ready to leave Alex’s small private airport. Chase Garrett, Lissa’s boss at Maximum Security, had gotten word of what had happened to Timmy and was sending the Garrett company jet to pick him up. Tim and Lissa would be flying home in style, but Colt wouldn’t be joining them.
His chest felt tight. The jet would be arriving at Laredo International Airport any minute. He was dropping them off then heading on to Denver. At the moment, Timmy was with Alex, getting a last-minute helo-flying lesson. The boy was recovering from his ordeal far better than Colt had expected. He was a strong kid. No matter what happened to his father, Tim was going to be all right.
It was time to for them to leave, but first he wanted to speak to Lissa, hadn’t had a moment alone with her since they had climbed aboard the helo.
He glanced away from the chopper, spotted her, and started walking. There were things he needed to say, things he had never said to a woman before. Lissa saw him coming and met him halfway across the tarmac, in the shade of a building out of the sun.
This was it. They wouldn’t be alone again once they left for the airport.
Lissa stood right in front of him, looked up at him with her beautiful dark brown eyes. “I came to say good-bye.”
He nodded. His throat felt tight. “Me too.”
“I wanted you to know that the time we spent together meant something to me. I’ll never forget you, Colt.”
He glanced away. He’d never forget her, either. He looked back at her, memorizing her face. “You were great out there. I’ve never worked with a better partner.”
She smiled but her bottom lip trembled. “Thank you for saying that.”
“I mean it. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
She looked down then back into his face. “Maybe our paths will cross again someday.”
His chest ached. Unless something changed, it would probably never happen. After today, he might never see her again. The thought sent an arrow of despair straight into his heart.
She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. When she started to back away, Colt pulled her in and kissed her the way he wanted to, with all the feelings he had for her he’d never said. When he let her go, tears shimmered in her eyes.
“We better get going,” she said. “We don’t want to keep the jet waiting.”
Colt just shook his head. He didn’t care if the damn plane waited forever. He wasn’t ready to let her go. It occurred to him he never would be. He wanted to tell her the way he felt but he couldn’t seem to find the words.
Then he opened his mouth and they just spilled out. “I don’t want you to