an old woman. Something was definitely up but she was apparently not going to find out till she got home.
“I’m only about half an hour away.”
“I’ll see you soon. Be careful.”
Her aunt’s evasiveness was worrisome. Gibby was known for spitting out rapid-fire chatter, and the fact that she didn’t want to share what was on her mind was unprecedented.
Savannah checked her voice mail, and sure enough, there were three missed calls from Zach and three abrupt messages.
First: “Savannah, where the hell are you?”
Second: “It’s me again. I don’t know where you are but call me as soon as you get this message.”
Third: “I traced your cellphone location. What the hell are you doing in Mobile? Call me, dammit.”
Why was he so angry? She pressed the return-call key; Zach answered before it finished the first ring. “Where the fuck are you?”
She jerked at his obvious fury. “I’m about twenty-five minutes away from Midnight. What on earth is going on?”
The ragged breath he expelled told her more than his angry words that he was way past upset. “There’s a dead animal on your doorstep.”
“Yes, I know. I just talked to Gibby and she told me about it. Is that why you’re so angry?”
“Hell, Savannah. Is that not enough?”
“It probably just got disoriented and came up on the porch by mistake.”
“I sincerely doubt that.”
“Why?”
“Because, dammit, it’s headless.”
Her stomach clenched. Okay, that did put a new spin on things. “Why would someone do something like that?”
“That’s what I intend to find out. I’m headed your way.”
“There’s no need for that. I’ll be home in a few minutes.”
As if she hadn’t spoken, Zach continued, “I’ll flash my lights as soon as I see your car. Pull over.”
Before she could even answer, he disconnected the call.
Her head shook in disbelief. This day just kept getting more and more bizarre. And now she felt guilty for worrying both Gibby and Zach. Living on her own for so long, she hadn’t even considered that not telling anyone where she was going would be a problem. She wasn’t usually so thoughtless.
She kept a careful lookout for Zach’s car. The very minute she spotted the patrol car, he flashed his lights at her. She watched in her rearview mirror as he made a U-turn in the middle of the road.
Since they were on a two-lane highway, Savannah drove for a few seconds more till she spotted a small clearing. It had apparently once been a roadside picnic area, but all that remained was a rusted old garbage can and a dilapidated picnic table. She pulled to a stop, lowered the driver’s-side window, and unbuckled her seat belt. Before she could move, Zach jerked the car door open.
Savannah looked up into his face and froze. Holy crap, his eyes were glittering and his face was almost ashen. “Zach, are you okay?”
Instead of answering, he pulled her out of the car and into his arms. Holding her tight against him, a shudder went through his body.
Savannah was smart enough to keep her mouth shut. Besides, having her body molded to his was pure pleasure. In fact, she was literally melting into his arms, her softness against his hard, muscular frame. Arousal came swiftly … and unfortunately at the wrong time.
When his arms finally loosened, she pulled away slightly and said, “What’s this all about?”
“If you ever go off without telling anyone where you’re going, I’ll—”
Her brows raised. “You’ll what?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Just don’t do it again. Okay?”
“For the last time, what is wrong?”
“We got a 911 call from your aunt. My dispatcher couldn’t get anything out of her other than someone was dead at your house. Then, when I get there and am reassured it’s not you, I can’t find any trace of you. That’s what’s wrong.”
Cupping his face in her hand, she gently caressed his cheeks, soothing him. “Oh, Zach, I’m so sorry.”
He took her hand and held it against his face, then leaned into her and captured her mouth with his. Savannah rose up on her toes and opened, inviting him inside.
Zach groaned as he delved into her sweetness. He’d gone through hell in the last two hours. Seeing her alive and well was as if every wish in the universe had come true. She tasted familiar and wonderful and he never wanted to stop kissing her, holding her.
In the distance, he heard a semitruck headed their way. Regretfully he loosened his arms and stepped back. Savannah looked as dazed as he felt.