The Protective Warrior Read online

  “I’m doing good.”

  “Did Isaac track you down?”

  “Not yet.”

  Cal eyed her strangely. “Oh?”

  Haley reached out to hug MacKenzie. “Where is that big lug?” Haley asked.

  MacKenzie didn’t want to get into Isaac right now. Where was he? Why hadn’t he responded to her phone message? She was so nervous to talk to him, but wanted it to happen right now at the same time.

  “Congrats,” she said to Haley. “You are absolutely gorgeous!” She hugged her friend tight. “Love you.”

  “Love you too, but I want to talk about you and Isaac.”

  “Not today.” MacKenzie moved on so Lindsey could gush over Haley’s dress.

  Maryn squeezed her hand. “We’re going to find a table for dinner.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right there after I find a restroom.” Were there even restrooms in this remote location?

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No. Sorry. I … need a minute.”

  Maryn eyed her for a second, but then it clicked and her eyes widened. “Gotcha.”

  Tucker nodded to MacKenzie and pulled his tiny wife close. They were so cute. Beckham and Alyssa were just ahead and it was fun to see Alyssa’s rounded belly. She’d be the second of them to be a mom. Crazy and so exciting.

  MacKenzie walked away, but she couldn’t care less about a bathroom, she had to find Isaac. She glimpsed his dark, curly hair over by where the caterers were setting up. Hurrying that direction, she could see his face now. Oh, how she longed to run her fingers down his smooth cheek. He turned and his green eyes lit up as they met hers, but then they dimmed and he turned away and took off.

  What was going on? She was the runner, not him. Isaac was the stand up and fight kind of guy, and until the past two days he’d been the guy that was fighting for her.

  MacKenzie was confused, hurt, and not going to lie down and let him kick her to the curb. She hurried after him. He headed off into the trees and was almost hidden by a grove of aspen trees. He was honestly running from her.

  “Isaac, stop!” she hollered out, running in heels was not conducive to a chase.

  He stopped and turned. The shadows of the trees hid his expression as she approached. When she finally glimpsed his face he looked so sad. “Hey,” he muttered. “I was going to … get something for Haley.”

  “In the forest?”

  “Yep. If you’ll excuse me.” He started to turn away.

  MacKenzie grabbed his arm, even through his suit coat she could feel the tense muscles in his forearm. What was going on? “No, I won’t excuse you. I haven’t seen you in two days and I wanted to say hi.”

  A muscle clenched in his jaw. His green eyes darkened and narrowed. “Hi,” he ground out.

  “You’re mad at me?” She dropped his arm and stepped back. “I’m sorry I ran off without saying goodbye. It was really early in the morning and the FBI said it was now or never and I felt like that was my opportunity to go see my parents. This whole deal was really hard on them.”

  His face softened. “I understand, MacKenzie, and you had every right to go see your parents.”

  She flinched at the use of her full name. “Why didn’t you return my call?”

  “What call?” He took a step closer to her.

  “I left a voice mail on your phone.” She bit at the inside of her cheek. Had he not heard the message, or was he embarrassed because she’d said she loved him?

  “I never got it.”

  MacKenzie pulled her phone out of her bra. Isaac blushed and looked away. She pressed a few buttons then showed him. “See, here’s your number. 970-880-9771.”

  He shook his head. “My number’s 9770.”

  “Haley.” MacKenzie groaned. “She has had a lot going on.”

  Isaac smiled sadly at her. “I appreciate you calling, MacKenzie, but—”

  “You call me Mac,” she interrupted him.

  He licked his lips and his eyes roved over her face. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  His Adam’s apple bobbed before he said in such a low voice she had to lean closer to understand, “If I had you for a girlfriend, I wouldn’t want another man kissing you and calling you nicknames.” He clenched and unclenched his fist.

  “What?” She was so confused. “I thought you were my boyfriend.” Her face flared. The way he was acting he obviously didn’t want her for a girlfriend.

  “Really?” His eyebrows shot up and a furrow appeared between his eyes. “Maybe you should tell that to the guy you were kissing at the gym.”

  “Kissing at what gym? Who was I kissing?” Isaac was maddening. Why was he making up some story about her kissing some guy? Did he need an excuse to get away from her?

  “I don’t know.” He pushed a hand through his hair, mussing the curls that had been sculpted to perfection for the wedding. “Some dark-haired guy with lots of fake muscles.”

  “Fake muscles? Vince?” Vince had kissed her, but she’d told him not to and hadn’t returned his kiss. “How did you…” Her voice trailed off and his anger and distance and Cal asking if Isaac “found her” and her doorman’s confusing story about someone named Isaac stopping by all suddenly made sense. “You came to Chicago?”

  He nodded tersely.

  “You came to Chicago!” He did care. He cared a lot. MacKenzie threw herself at him.

  He remained stiff and didn’t wrap his arms around her. “I’m not into two-timers, MacKenzie.”

  MacKenzie stepped back, hating that her voice trembled as she spoke, “You call me Mac and I’m not a two-timer.”

  He looked so sad. “I saw you. I saw you kissing him.”

  “No, you didn’t. Vince picked me up and kissed me then I cussed him out and told him and my other friends all about you.” She slapped her hand on his chest. Oh, my, those muscles are nicely formed. Don’t get distracted. “You want to call Vince and ask him about it?”

  He looked away. “No. It’s okay.”

  MacKenzie pushed the number on her phone. Vince answered on the first ring and she didn’t waste any time putting it on speaker. “Vince. When you kissed me on Monday how did I react?”

  “You told me not to and told me about your boyfriend in Colorado. Why?”

  MacKenzie studied Isaac’s face. The confusion melted away and he stared at her with a hunger that was undeniable.

  “Thanks.” MacKenzie ended the call and stored the phone in her bra again.

  Isaac studied her for a few seconds then reached out and took both of her hands in his. “I was so dumb. I left as soon as I saw him kiss you.”

  MacKenzie thought back. “I remember hearing a door close.”

  He nodded.

  MacKenzie squeezed his hands. “All I’ve been thinking about is you, wanting to get back to you and see if what we have is worth me relocating for.”

  Isaac caught a breath. “You’d relocate, for me?”

  “Yes.”

  He tugged her a little bit closer. “I’m sorry I reacted so badly. I told you I loved you and then you were gone and I came after you to show you how I felt and saw him holding you.”

  “What crappy timing you have, my love.” She stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

  Isaac released her hands and wrapped his arms around her back. “Horrible timing.” He lowered his head and took his time kissing her until she was breathless and the world was spinning.

  “Did you mean it?” she asked.

  “What?” he whispered.

  “When you said you loved me.” She lowered her gaze. “I thought it might’ve just been a reaction to an intense situation.”

  Isaac gently tilted her chin up with his thumb. “It was a reaction … to you. I love how brave and strong you are.” He kissed her softly. “I love how beautiful and kind you are.” He kissed her again. “I love every part of you.” His voice lowered to a husky moan, “Mac.”

  MacKenzie grinned and kissed him back.

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  MacKenzie sealed the huge cardboard box with packaging tape and then attached the label she’d just printed. Large arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against her favorite chest in the world. Isaac nuzzled her neck with his lips. “All ready to ship?”

  “Yep. UPS should be here any minute.”

  He spun her around and kissed her for several wonderful seconds. “I feel bad that you’re working as a grunt when you should be teaching school.”

  MacKenzie laughed. “I’ll be teaching soon enough.” The school board had all but promised her a position as the third grade teacher when Mrs. Campbell had her baby in January. “Besides, I’d rather be with you.”

  Isaac smelled like metal, fire, and his musky cologne. MacKenzie loved it. She loved him.

  “This has been a dream come true,” he said. “Cal and Tuck backing me. The shop and property. The business taking off. Most of all being with you.”

  She smiled.

  He took her hand. “C’mere, I wanted to show you something.”

  They walked out into the crisp fall air. It was definitely cooler in Crested Butte, but it was so beautiful and she was with Isaac. She’d take him over warm weather any time. An excavator slowly crested the rise. A couple of trucks followed behind it.

  MacKenzie glanced at Isaac. “What’s this?”

  Isaac grinned and dropped to his knee. He pulled out a ring box and MacKenzie covered her mouth with her hands.

  “I wanted to have the house started before I begged you to be my wife.”

  MacKenzie couldn’t find any words.

  “Mac?” Isaac opened the ring box to reveal a thick white gold band set with a large princess cut diamond. “Will you marry me?”

  MacKenzie threw herself at him and knocked him over onto his rear. Isaac laughed and hugged her there in the dirt. “Is that a yes?”

  “Can I ride on the back of your tandem bike?”

  Isaac’s green eyes swept over her with warmth. “You like that Crested Butte tradition?”

  MacKenzie ducked her head and admitted, “I’ve been daydreaming about riding on the back of your tandem bike for far too long.”

  He pulled her close. “I would love to have you on the back of my bike.” He arched his eyebrows. “So, it’s a yes?”

  “Oh, yes!” She kissed him fervently.

  Men piled out of the construction vehicles and stood watching them. Someone yelled, “Wow, Isaac, guess she said yes?”

  MacKenzie glanced around. The loud redhead guy who’d hit on her at Long Lake was grinning from the steps of an excavator. He tipped his hard hat to her.

  “How did they know?” MacKenzie asked.

  “Everyone but you knew, my love.”

  “Of course the fiancée is the last to know.”

  “No secrets in this town. Taz told everyone he was going to lose another girlfriend.”

  MacKenzie laughed. “Give me that dang ring already so nobody else tries to make me their girlfriend.”

  “No one had better try,” Isaac growled.

  He slid the ring on her finger and she kissed him. Isaac lifted her off the ground. “Shall we supervise the building of your dream house, Mrs. Turnbow?”

  “Give me a pretty ring, build me a house, and think you can call me whatever you want?”

  “What would you prefer I call you?” His green eyes did that snake charmer thing again. She wanted to tell him he could call her whatever he wanted because she was his.

  “Mac,” she managed to say breathlessly.

  Isaac grinned and swooped her into his arms. “I love you, Mac,” he shouted for everyone to hear.

  The construction guys chuckled and left them alone. It was much later when they finally started supervising the building of their dream home.

  Free Book

  If you enjoyed Isaac and MacKenzie’s story, you might enjoy another Billionaire Bride Pact Romance set in Crested Butte with MacKenzie’s friend, Summer. Keep reading for a sneak peek.

  Sign up for Cami’s newsletter and receive a free ebook copy of The Feisty One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance here.

  The Daring One

  Summer plodded along the Snodgrass Trail, waiting for the promised views of Mt. Crested Butte, but so far it was a dirt path with lots of lush greenery—mostly aspen and pine trees. Crested Butte, Colorado, was beautiful, and she didn’t completely loathe exploring the trails on foot, but she would’ve traded Diet Coke for life to be on a mountain bike. Sadly, she couldn’t afford a mountain bike or an abundance of Diet Coke. Maybe after she got her first paycheck from Haley she could rent a bike for a day and go on a huge excursion with only Diet Coke in her water bottle. She laughed at herself, thinking of the bellyache she’d have.

  At least when she was running, she was in tune with Mother Earth and all that schmuck. Her younger self would’ve been happily running barefoot, but she’d become disillusioned with branches and rocks poking her soles, and honestly, Mother Nature hadn’t been too kind to her lately. With her earbuds in, jamming to Mumford & Sons, she was only in sync with nature visually, but she couldn’t pound through miles on foot without some tunes.

  She sensed movement behind her and jumped in surprise as she heard someone yell, “On your left!”

  She dodged to the right, but the biker’s front tire clipped her heel and she went sprawling into the undergrowth. Branches and rocks scratched at her face and bare arms. Summer let loose a yelp and rolled onto her back with a groan.

  She stared up through aspen leaves to the blue sky above, yanking her earbuds out. “Ouch,” she muttered, inhaling the scent of dirt and pine needles, not ready to move quite yet.

  Footsteps pounded toward her, and then a man wearing a bicycle helmet and sunglasses bent over her. “You all right?” he panted out, pulling off his sunglasses and helmet and staring intently at her.

  Summer blinked up at him. She must’ve hit her head really hard. Was it even possible that Channing Tatum had come to her rescue? She shook her head and blinked quickly. It couldn’t be the actor she’d daydreamed about from Dear John and The Vow. She’d even watched G.I. Joe movies to drool over him some more. This guy looked exactly like him, with the perfectly proportioned, manly face. There was a slight dimple in his cheek, even though he wasn’t smiling. His beautiful teal-colored eyes looked much too concerned. Wait. Weren’t Channing Tatum’s eyes more of a true green?

  “Are you all right?” he asked again.

  “Not dead yet,” she muttered.

  He chuckled, and that irresistible dimple got deeper. “Your back and neck aren’t hurt?”

  She nodded, then shook her head, a bit awestruck. Was it really him? Crested Butte was a cool spot; maybe celebrities vacationed here. But wasn’t Channing Tatum married? Dang. She’d better stop ogling him.

  Reaching a hand underneath her upper back, he gently lifted her to a seated position. Warmth spread where his hand lingered on her back. From the way her body reacted to that simple touch, she certainly hoped he wasn’t a married and/or a famous actor. She wondered if he was gagging at the sweat that had seeped through her shirt. Tempted to sniff her armpits, she could only hope Secret antiperspirant was doing a bang-up job and she didn’t reek too bad.

  “Can you stand?” he asked in a deep rumble. He sounded like Channing Tatum too. Oh, wow. Maybe fate had stopped hating on her.

  “I’ll give it my A game,” she said.

  He laughed, kept one hand on her back, and took her other hand, helping her to her feet. He released her hand, but kept his palm on her back. For support, or was he feeling zing too? “You made it,” he said.

  She stared into those greenish-blue eyes and sighed. “Yes, I did.” They stood there looking at each other for a few blissful seconds. She couldn’t resist asking, “Are you Channing Tatum?”

  His deep laughter cascaded over her. He shook his head and said, “No.”

  “Oh. You probably get that a lot?”

  “A bit.” He grinned, and that di
mple deepened.

  Summer felt relief wash over her. Yay that he wasn’t Channing Tatum, because even though that would’ve been rocking cool to meet him, if he wasn’t the famous actor, that meant this guy was available. Oh, yeah. “So you aren’t married, right?” she demanded. Then her eyes widened. Oh my. Stop, mouth!

  His chuckle was a little more awkward this time, and he pulled his hand back. “No.”

  “Oh, good. I thought you were Channing Tatum and he’s married, so I was feeling all awkward that I was checking you out and …” Her face flared red as she finally clamped her traitorous mouth shut.

  He smiled again and arched an eyebrow. “You were checking me out?”

  “Whew. I think it’s time for my mouth to stop running and my legs to remember the action.”

  “Wait.” He placed a warm hand on her arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Summer had to think about it. She patted her lopsided ponytail, ran her hand over her scratched face, and cringed as she noticed some small cuts on her arms. “I think the permanent damage is a minimum. Why’d you run me off the trail?”

  “Uh,” he kind of grunted out in what sounded like surprise. “I’m sorry. I came around the corner and there you were. I yelled twice and tried to swerve around you.” He glanced at the earbuds dangling from her neck. “Maybe your music was too loud?”

  She bristled. “Maybe you should slow down or try using your own two legs for a change.”

  “Whoa … What?”

  She tilted her head to the side and her long hair brushed her arm. “You know what they say: Those who can’t run, bike.”

  He gave another surprised half-grunt, half-laugh.

  Summer flipped her hair, gave him a sassy look, and took off running down the trail. She didn’t look back to see if he was coming. Her left knee was aching. Did she slam it into the ground, or had his bike tire hit higher than she remembered? It was all a blur, and it really didn’t matter. She had to keep running and save some face. She didn’t want that incredibly handsome man to know that she’d give anything to be the one on the bike. Her opportunity to make good money and have incredible adventures with her best friend, Taylor, were gone, but she still had her pride.