Alaskan Mountain Pursuit Elizabeth Goddard (best short novels .TXT) 📖

said it was because they were in this together because of their mothers. But the tenderness in his touch and the care pouring from his eyes told her it was more than that. He was there because he believed there was something more personal between him and Sylvie.

Was he right? She wasn’t sure. His presence scrambled her thoughts. She liked him, and she didn’t want to like him. She owed him her life, and she didn’t want to owe anyone. Sylvie couldn’t lead him on like that. Couldn’t hurt him, couldn’t hurt herself, letting something develop between them that could go nowhere.

But despite her persuasive arguments to leave Will behind, she knew she could use someone’s help right now, which had her wishing she hadn’t pushed him away. Make that run away. And that was what Sylvie had done. She’d run away from Will.

Leaning over the banister, she watched the ferry’s wake. As a diving trainer, she understood the importance of being smart and planning out her actions down to the minute. Anything else could get her killed. And yet she’d almost lost her life due to her gross miscalculations. How could she protect herself now? Backing off seemed the most obvious answer, but it was one she wouldn’t accept.

Regardless of her mistakes, she would keep searching for the truth that someone didn’t want her to find.

A shiver crawled over her. She turned her back to the beauty of southeast Alaska to watch other passengers, wondering if she might actually be in danger from any of them.

Were her attackers still after her? Would they follow her back to Washington or wait for her there?

And the biggest question of all. Who was they?

A gust whipped across her face, raking her eyes. Sylvie blinked to moisten them.

Was Damon involved? Had he killed her mother? Her heart ached at the thought. She couldn’t accept that he might be the reason her mother was dead. Couldn’t be behind those who had tried to kill her. Even though their relationship had been strained these past few years, and even though he was an adulterer, Sylvie found it hard to believe Damon could be capable of murder. Could she trust him? No. And he certainly had the means.

She wished she could think of someone else who might be responsible, but she couldn’t.

Across the channel, she watched a cruise ship make its way north. Sylvie blinked up in time to see a man standing on the other side of the ferry. His gaze flicked away from her. Had he been watching her? He disappeared around a corner.

Dread coiled around her spine.

She was definitely in over her head. If someone had followed her, intending to kill her or push her over the side, how could she protect herself? How did she stay alive long enough to solve this—something her mother hadn’t been able to do? If only Will was here. If she’d asked him, he would have come.

Stop it! Stop thinking about him. What was done, was done. Sylvie was on her own now, as it should be.

Thinking back on their last conversation, she decided that a bodyguard wasn’t such a bad idea, at least until this was over. Normally this would be something for which she would ask for her stepfather’s assistance. He had his own security detail. But she couldn’t trust them now—not while she suspected he might be involved. Sylvie hated the tumultuous thoughts coursing through her. He’d given her a good home, everything she’d wanted except for two parents who loved each other. What had her mother running to Mountain Cove if not her husband? She was always on a witch hunt; what had she discovered? Whatever it was had gotten her killed.

Suddenly, the wide open space, the waters of the channel and the forest, closed in on Sylvie. The air smothered her. When she glanced around, she realized that she was alone on this portion of the deck. Where had everyone gone? The cafeteria for a hot meal?

She had to get out of here, but she was stuck on this ferry for three days.

Three days.

Her pulse shot up as Sylvie pushed from the rail to run, to flee. To where, she had no idea.

She hurried around a corner and ran into a wall of a man. A yelp escaped as the man gripped her. Her heart jumped to her throat and she tried to free herself, except his grip tightened as he pulled her close.

Familiar brown eyes stared back. “Sylvie.”

“Will?” Relief rippled through her.

“Yes, I’m here. What’s wrong?” He slowly released his grip, his concerned gaze roaming her face then scrutinizing their surroundings.

“What...what are you doing here?” She hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but anger battled with her sheer joy at seeing him.

“You don’t seem glad to see me.” His brow quirked.

Her jumbled emotions kept her from a coherent response, then finally, “Why are you just now letting me know you were here? I...” Yeah, she was glad to see him, but she wouldn’t let him know how much. She was more than angry he’d been following her against her wishes.

“I wanted to make sure you were safe. But I wasn’t sure about your reaction when you found out.” He glanced off in the distance. “I was working up my nerve to approach you, but then you disappeared.”

“Will...” She managed a shallow gasp of his name. Pressed her forehead against his chest like an idiot. He would see right through her if she didn’t pull herself together. “I had a feeling I was being followed. If only I had known it was you.”

“I could have misjudged the situation. Are you saying I shouldn’t have come?”

Oh, now he was teasing her. Of course he could tell that she was glad to see him. Her reaction said everything, more than she wanted to reveal. But she wouldn’t say the words to him. Tell him that she liked that he’d come after her, that he’d followed. That he wanted to protect her.

“Will, I’ll ask again,