Then There Was You Read online

  “Why a bookstore? If you’re so into survival and your brother owns a store, why not a survivalist store or a hunting and tackle shop?”

  “It’s like you said. Those kinds of places would become targets for looters when people realize they’re on their own. Who’s going to care about a bunch of old books?”

  “Good point.”

  As they drove past the next car, movement inside of it caught Sara’s attention. “Stop,” she said, twisting in her seat to get a better view.

  Dane slammed on the brakes. “What?”

  Sara’s seatbelt locked against her, and she was instantly thankful the force of habit had compelled her to put it on in the first place. Without it, she would have smacked into the dashboard.

  “I thought I saw something move inside that car.” Sara unbuckled and reached for the door handle.

  “All the better reason to keep going.” Dane crept the truck forward again.

  “No. Stop. I saw it again. I have to find out what it is.”

  “Don’t go out there!” Dane yelled as she jumped from the truck.

  He cursed behind her, but she didn’t care. If she didn’t at least look, she’d always wonder what had been in the car they’d left behind. She already had enough things to worry about. She didn’t need to add one more.

  Creeping up toward the car, she pulled her knife from its sheath. A gun would be better protection against an unknown, but she felt more comfortable with her knife. She noted Dane’s presence behind her without having to turn around. She liked knowing he had her back as she drew closer to the car. Had she been on her own, she would have second-guessed herself.

  When she reached the front bumper, she crouched low, so she could scoot forward below the level of the windows. Her breath caught in her throat, and she prayed she hadn’t made a stupid mistake, getting out of the safety of the truck. What could be worth this stress and anxiety?

  Just as she got to the driver’s side window, something banged and scratched against the glass. Sara yelped and jumped, knocking into Dane. He steadied her with a hand on her waist and his other outstretched beside her, aiming a gun at the car.

  Inside, a large dog barked and panted, wagging its tail so hard its entire hindquarters swayed. Sara sagged against Dane as she released the breath she’d been holding.

  “Oh, thank God. It’s a dog. I damn near had a heart attack when it jumped against the window. I thought we were about to get eaten by a zombie.” Sara laughed nervously as she reached for the handle.

  “You’re not going to open that, are you?” Dane asked, coming up beside her and leaning against the door, preventing her from opening it.

  “We can’t leave him in there.” She could make out ribs through the dog’s skin, saw feces on the floor, and a bag of chips that had been torn open and the inside licked clean. The dog had obviously been in there awhile, and she couldn’t leave him in there and walk away. “He’s trapped. And who knows for how long? We have to let him out so he has a chance at survival.”

  “We don’t know why he’s in there or where his owner is. What if they went into the woods to hunt? They could be here any second. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be looking as if I’m looting someone’s car when they return to it.”

  “I can’t leave it there to die,” Sara said, not believing her ears. Was this the same Dane who’d taken her in and kept her safe? “Get out of my way. I’m opening this whether you like it or not.”

  “You don’t even know if it’s dangerous.” Dane threw his hands up in obvious frustration.

  She peered at the dog pawing at the window, his tail still wagging frantically. “You’re right. The tail wagging is terrifying, but somehow I’ll muster up the strength to risk it.”

  Sara pushed Dane out of the way with both hands. He swayed, off balance, and staggered a step away from the car to catch himself. By the time he’d turned around, she’d opened the door and the dog bounded out. He jumped in circles around her legs for a few chaotic seconds then sprinted off toward the woods, barking.

  Sara found the lever for the trunk release and popped it.

  “What the hell are you doing? Looting?” Dane stood away from the car, looking indignant as he scanned the area for anyone approaching.

  “I already let their dog loose, I may as well see if they left anything worth taking while I’m here. I can’t imagine you’re going to stop the truck again the next time I tell you to.”

  “Damn right I’m not. This was stupid and dangerous and unnecessary.”

  Sara scrounged through the bags in the trunk. She found a handful of beef jerky, a couple bags of nuts, and a few sealed plastic bottles of water. “Jackpot.” She tossed a bottle at Dane, who caught it with one hand.

  “Great. Let’s go.” He motioned for her to head to the truck, and she obliged, not wanting to linger at the vehicle longer than necessary.

  She’d done her good deed for the day, and karma would be kind to her in return. And as an added bonus, they had new snacks and extra water. All in all, it had been worth the stop.

  They climbed into the truck, and she dropped her new goodies onto the floor. Just as she reached for her seatbelt, Dane pulled her across the bench toward him. He slipped her mask from her face then wrapped his hand around her jaw, securing her head against the seat. He peered into her eyes with an intensity she hadn’t seen since he’d saved her from the intruder who’d threatened her just a few days after they’d met. Without a word, he claimed her mouth. His kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. It wasn’t loving or tender. His kiss was raw and powerful, passionate and needy.

  His kiss sent heat waves of molten lava shooting through her body, pooling low in her belly, making her squirm in the seat. But he held her in place, taking what he wanted, how he wanted. Sara clawed at his chest, grabbing his shirt in her fists and pulling him closer. She needed to feel his strong, hard body against hers. He was her rock when the rest of the world crumbled around them.

  Dane broke away from her, gasping in deep gulps of air while he rested his forehead against hers. His hand released her jaw and slid down her body until it came to rest on her heaving breast. The heat from his palm seeped through her shirt, warming her nipple to a tight bud.

  “Please stop acting on impulse. Think about the possible repercussions of your actions before you make them. I can’t take the stress of keeping up with you.”

  “I made a calculated choice to get out of this truck to help an innocent dog. And I managed to score us some extra provisions as well. So I say it’s a choice well made. If you want to talk about impulse control”—she motioned to his hand still cupping her breast—“I think you’re the one who’s been acting on impulse.”

  Dane pulled away from her and flopped into his place behind the wheel. He dropped his head back until it hit the headrest, sighing deeply as he ran his hands across his face. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help myself. I.... You....” He groaned. “I would do anything to keep you safe, but you have to stop making quick decisions that might put us both in danger. I can’t protect you if you jump out of my moving truck. Seeing you run off toward something unknown, well, it does something to me.”

  He dropped his hands and turned to look at her. The intensity in his gaze made her feel as if she peered right into his soul. His expression stole her breath.

  “You’re everything I have, Sara.” He whispered, making her wonder if she’d heard him say those words or if they were wishful thinking on her part. “I love you. And if I ever lose you, I’ll have nothing left to live for.”

  Sara’s chin quivered as she fought to remain in control. She tried to speak, but no words came out. The force of his confession knocked the air out of her.

  A flash of instinct sent her moving without thought or hesitation or fear, and she straddled Dane’s lap. Pressing her lips to his, she kissed him as if nothing else mattered outside of this one perfect moment she had with the man who loved her and who had stolen her heart the minute she’d end
ed up in his arms.

  Sara pulled back a little to tell Dane how much he meant to her when a noise outside caught her attention, forcing her out of the secluded moment. Her gaze went to the window and beyond, where she could see a group of men emerging from the woods. They each had a rifle, pistol, or knife in hand.

  “Men. Six of them. Coming out of the woods and headed in our direction,” she said, sliding off Dane’s lap and into the seat beside him. “I don’t think they’ve spotted us yet.”

  “They’re about to.” The truck’s engine roared to life with a deep rumble. Every head turned in their direction. Guns took aim.

  “Looks like we’re done here.”

  Sara grabbed for her seatbelt as Dane hit the gas, swerving around the stalled cars scattered in the road ahead. Out the rear window, Sara watched the men from the woods sprint a few yards after them before giving up the chase.

  “I guess that’s why we shouldn’t stop for long, huh?”

  “Yep. They probably camped not far from the road, and they heard either our engine when we drove up or the dog barking when it got loose.”

  “We’ll have to be more cautious while we’ve got the truck. It’s going to be hard not to draw attention to ourselves with the noise of the engine giving us away all the time.”

  “We’ll figure something out.”

  Hours later, as darkness settled too much to drive without headlights the truck crested the top of a hill. Dane tipped it over the edge then tapped the brakes long enough to pop it into neutral and cut the engine. As soon as he released the brake, they rolled forward, gravity pulling it down the hill faster and faster. Dane skillfully avoided the obstacles in the road all the way to the bottom. By the time the road leveled out again, they’d picked up enough speed to carry them farther than Sara had expected. Minutes later, Dane stopped and put it in park.

  “We’ll stop here for the night. Sleep in the truck. Let’s hope no one heard us coming.” Dane pulled a blanket out from behind his seat while Sara reached for a bottle of water and a stick of jerky. “And if anyone did hear us, let’s hope it’s a moonless night and too dark for anyone to figure out the source of the noise.”

  Sara nibbled on the end of the jerky, the salty taste an assault on her tongue. She ate in silence, all the time staring out into the woods she prayed were abandoned. She’d never been afraid of the dark as a child, but tonight, the darkness settled over them like a winter storm, chilling her to the bone.

  She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but at least in the daylight she stood a chance of seeing it coming. In the darkness engulfing them, they were blind and vulnerable. No matter how deeply exhausted she was, morning couldn’t come soon enough.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dane woke to the sounds of birds chirping and Sara humming. The combination was one of the best sound he’d ever heard. He lay there for a few minutes, eyes closed, trying to keep his breathing deep and steady as if he were still sleeping. There weren’t a lot of great moments in life anymore, but this was one of the better ones he’d had recently. He wanted to savor it.

  Something soft and warm brushed across his lips. He could smell her sweet and flowery scent even though he couldn’t see her. “You may as well open your eyes. I know you’re awake.”

  Sara giggled against his lips as she kissed him. Maybe if he lay there still enough, she’d keep trying to rouse him with her lips on his. She’d already roused other parts of his body, which were clearly in defiance of his pretending-to-sleep plan.

  The pressure of her fingertips traveled down his swollen length, and a groan escaped his mouth before he could silence it.

  “See,” she said, pulling away from him and moving her hand lower on his thigh. “I knew you were awake. Faker.”

  She attempted to sit up, but he pulled her down on his chest, gazing into her beautiful, sparkling eyes. “You caught me. How are you going to punish me, since I’ve been a very bad boy?”

  Sara laughed, patting him playfully on the chest. “By not letting you seduce me this morning.”

  He groaned and released her, covering his eyes with his hands. “Worst punishment ever.”

  “Come on. Get up. We better get moving soon.” She glanced out the windows as he propped himself up on his elbows. The world looked about the same as it had yesterday. Abandoned cars littered the road like fallen leaves in autumn. Not a person around for as far as he could see—a stark difference from the world before the pandemic hit. If this had been a morning one month ago, he’d have been sitting in rush hour traffic, cursing the idiot in front of him for not using his signal light to change lanes. Or maybe complaining his coffee wasn’t sweet enough.

  What he wouldn’t give for those normal days again.

  Of course, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic and Sara fleeing the city, would he have ever met her? He ran his hand down her spine, and she smiled at him over her shoulder. He’d like to think fate would have found another way for them to meet, but he couldn’t be sure. The notion they were meant to find each other in this world, regardless of whatever else went on, was a comfort in times when comforts were few and far between.

  Dane sat up and accepted the bottle of water and granola bar Sara offered him. Before, he would’ve started his day with a hot coffee and a bowl of oatmeal. Taking a bite, he appreciated the little hints of chocolate, cranberry, and nuts as the flavors mixed on his tongue. He didn’t normally like that kind of thing, but anything to eat made him thankful these days. Sharing his breakfast with Sara made it even better.

  “How long have you been up?” He yawned the last of the tiredness from his body.

  “About an hour. Long enough to watch the sun rise. It’s been up for about thirty minutes. I figure we should go soon. If anyone heard us roll in last night, they may still be wondering about the noise and come looking in the daylight.”

  “Good point. I’ll fill the tank with whatever we have left in the gas cans and you take a look at the closest cars, carefully, and see if there are any supplies handy. We’ll head out in ten.”

  Sara and Dane both left their doors hanging open as they got to work, just in case they needed to make a quick run for it. Opening big, heavy truck doors could slow a person down enough to mean the difference between getting away or getting caught by whoever or whatever chased them.

  Dane worked fast, emptying the jugs of gas they had on hand into the truck’s tank. It would only get them a little way, but it would have to be enough. He glanced around at the other cars nearby, but all of them already had their gas tank covers hanging open. No sense in wasting time hoping for leftovers. They’d be better off watching the cars as they drove by, and if they saw one with the tank still closed and the area looked safe then they’d stop.

  After adding the few small supplies Sara had found in the nearby cars, they were on the way again.

  “Can you tell me specifically where we’re off to? What town am I heading toward? What does the bookstore look like?” Dane wanted to learn more about the place that might be a safe haven for her family.

  The thought of family sent a pain through his chest. What he wouldn’t give to have his family here. But then he’d have even more people to worry about. Still, the worry would be worth it for the comfort and love they’d also provide. Maybe when they were settled somewhere in some semblance of normal life, he’d get a dog. A stray, like the one who’d been left behind in the car by his owner.

  Or maybe he wouldn’t have the extra food to feed a dog. The thought depressed him.

  “The bookstore is an old white Victorian house with blue shutters. It’s on the edge of town, away from the big grocery stores and gas stations. A location we thought could be beneficial when my brother talked about buying it. And it’s a block to the river if we need to haul water, though the property does have its own well.”

  Dane drove cautiously while listening to Sara’s description of the town, location, and building they were headed to. He fought the urge to drive faster. He’d
been skeptical before, but it did sound like a probable place for her family to be. And the sooner they got there, the sooner they would find out.

  Maybe they’d be even more comfortable there than they had been in the bunker. Even though the bunker was safe and well stocked, and he had been reluctant to leave it, he had to admit there was something nice about being out in the fresh air, even if they kept their masks on most of the time. Seeing things other than cement walls was pretty fantastic.

  Dane took the next exit, the one that would put them on the biggest highway in the area. As expected, he came around the bend and the road ahead of them looked like a parking lot. All of the cars appeared empty. Some sat scattered in the ditch as if they’d try to off-road, but with low undercarriages and summer tires, the drivers had been stupid to think they’d make it very far.

  Maneuvering around the stranded vehicles, Dane’s made it through the ditch with ease. His truck sat higher than most, had expensive all-weather tires and good shocks. Having the ability to drive in any terrain had been worth the extra expense.

  As they came up to a rest area, Dane slowed, the number of vehicles in the ditch doubling with every quarter mile.

  “Can you pull in? I want to stop.” Sara motioned toward the building.

  A quick scan of the area gave him the impression it was vacant, but he couldn’t be sure. It could be a prime spot for the people from these vehicles to shelter until help arrived.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let’s keep going until it gets dark or we run out of gas.”

  “Pull over. I want to go in.” Sara put her hand on the door.

  “It could be dangerous. There could be people inside,” Dane protested.

  “It could be empty, and there could be supplies inside,” Sara countered. “At the very least, I want to use a toilet that doesn’t consist of finding a bush and hoping I don’t accidentally grab poison ivy leaves.”

  Dane shook his head. “There won’t even be running water. You can’t touch anything in there. Public bathrooms harbor germs on the best of days. The virus spreads via bodily fluids. Going in there is suicide. Think, Sara, don’t just act.”