LOGAN (BAD BOY BIKER ROMANCE) (27 page)

Chapter 13

Owen

To say that Owen was surprised was an understatement.

When Cole had pulled him close while they were hiding, he did not offer a hint of complaint. In fact, he greatly enjoyed his closeness, despite the circumstance. he felt safe, hidden away behind the waterfall but he felt even more so when he clung to Cole.

Then he had to go and kiss him.

At first, his eyes widened in shock, but he did not resist. Then, when his brain was processing what was happening, he reacted. He kissed Cole back.

For several long, water drenched moments they did not part, lips locked together. The only thing that registered of the outside world was the splashing of the waterfall.

He wasn't sure how long they remained like that, but eventually they stopped. They both grinned at each other like high school sweethearts.

I did not want him to stop, he thought. But maybe later. If there was one.

Cole started to say something. His lips moved but he couldn't hear anything over the rumbling of the water.

He laughed, and so did Cole. Both sounds drowned out in the splashing around them.

Cole grabbed his hand, and nodded in the direction of the water fall. He wanted them to leave.

Owen was genuinely afraid. Armed men were out there. And they didn't want to do nice things to them. Yet, they couldn't stay here. It was quite possible this spot would eventually be checked. Or they would go deaf waiting here for rescue.

Cole took a deep breath then eased under the water, not letting go of his hand. Owen followed suit. Beneath the surface they swam, hand in hand. It was a little awkward but it gave Owen a little comfort.

They passed under the water fall, but instead of swimming on, Cole pointed up. He understood.

Inch by inch they surfaced until up past their noses. The water churned around them, so close to the falls. If he reached out he could touch it.

Cole and Owen scanned the river's edge. Jungle, jungle and more jungle. They looked over it all, slowly tracking across their field of vision. No one was around.

Carefully, they swam back to the spot they first submerged, ready to plunge under the surface at the first sign of trouble. They slunk out of the water, dripping wet. As Cole kept watch, Owen fetched his bag from the bushes. He was relieved to find it still there. It hadn't been discovered, thankfully.

"Which way?" Owen asked. He found he was standing close to Cole.  Closer than he normally would have.

Cole looked about. "Best we head in the opposite direction those two did. That would still put us in the same direction we were walking in. But I really think we need to avoid the river."

"To easy to spot us walking along it."

"Yeah, or even swimming in it. Not worth the risk. No, we should continue on, but head back into the jungle. Maybe find a place hide and wait this out."

"I liked our hiding spot," Owen said and smiled.

Cole focused on his, and smiled back. "I liked it, too. But if they come back this way, it would be the most obvious place to check."

As he spoke, Cole's eyes roamed over his face; his eyes, his lips, his nose. Owen was starting to get a little flustered. But in a good way.

Then, again by complete surprise, Cole leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

Owen kissed back, then laughed. "What was that for?"

Taking his hand, he said, "For luck. Now let's go."

Together they reentered the jungle. But Owen felt distinctly different than before.

Chapter 14

Cole

They pushed on through the jungle, the terrain doing everything in its power to slow them down. But they couldn't stop. It wasn't safe, and they hadn't come across anything that would be considered a good hiding spot.

"Do you think we lost them completely?" Owen asked.

Cole shook his head. "Hard to know, for sure. They certainly aren't going to stop looking for us. Probably will do so right up until the last second."

"Until rescue comes," Owen said pushing branches out of his way. It was getting more difficult to move.

"Yes, whoever that would be."

"Who do you think? The coast guard?"

Cole paused for a second, considering. "I want the United States Navy to show up. That would be cool."

Owen laughed. "Yeah, we can only wish. With our luck it will be  a local police patrol boat. They also double as fishing trawlers around these parts."

They both laughed. Cole found himself enjoying Owen's presence more and more. There was certainly a connection between them. He hoped that after all this nonsense was over, he would be given a chance to see if something more would become of it.

Even if it didn't, there was no denying the fact he was fast developing feelings for this beautiful man. Perhaps it was the dire situation they had been thrown in together, or the dang heat playing with his head. Either way, it felt good. He could very well be a potential keeper.

He found he was smiling at Owen, not saying anything.

Owen arched a quizzical brow and smiled back. "Something the matter?"

"If your not counting being chased by a gang of pirates something the matter, then no. Nothing is the matter."

They laughed again.

Suddenly, someone shouted at them.

Cole and Owen turned to look.

Two men stood on the other side of a rocky outcropping, looking directly at them from a short distance away. Both were carrying machine guns.

"Oh, God," Owen said.

Cole noticed both men had their machine guns pointed directly at him. Then, one man spoke to the other. The men changed their target from Cole to Owen.

"Get down!" Cole shouted and jumped.

He pulled Owen down to the ground at the very instant the tree he was standing in front of exploded. Bullets riddled the trunk, bark flying everywhere.

Owen was shouting, but Cole was already moving. He dragged him further down the slight incline they were following. Getting him out of the way.

The firing stopped. The men were shouting again. Coming for them, trying to scramble over the rocky outcropping.

Cole pulled Owen up, his eyes were wide with fear. "Run!" he said.

They ran. Tearing through the jungle, branches whipped at their faces and arms. Cole was keeping Owen directly in front of him. He didn't want Owen to be an easy target.

They tried to kill Owen, he thought. Because of me, they tried to kill him.

Behind them were more shouts, but he couldn't tell how close they were. Yet there was no denying it. They had been good as spotted. Soon the men would find them.

And they would kill Owen.

As if a curtain was ripped aside, they broke through the jungle. Owen gasped and stumbled. Cole grabbed him at the last moment.

They were on the edge of a ravine. It was just a little to wide for them to try jumping across. It was maybe thirty feet deep, with sheer walls at its sides.

"Well this isn't good," Owen said.

Cole glanced in both directions. With the jungle pressed in so close to them it was impossible to see how long it was. Which direction should they go now?

Then Owen's face brightened. "I know this from my research. There's a rope bridge, somewhere here."

"Where?" Cole asked, looking behind them. He could hear their pursuers crashing through the brush.

Owen pointed to their left. "This way. Come on!"

Scrambling along the ravine's edge was difficult, plus navigating the trees and bushes that insisted on leaning over, blocking their way.

Within moments he saw something ahead of them, spanning the ravine.

"There it is!" Owen said, elated.

But as they got closer Cole felt whatever relief he thought he should have at that moment evaporate. It wasn't a normal bridge. It was a rope bridge. One thick rope to walk on, with two others on either side to hold onto. Not ideal. And it looked old and neglected.

"Doesn't look really safe," Cole said as they hurried up to it.

"Well, it's not like we have many options at the moment," Owen said. He grabbed one of the hand ropes and shook it. The entire sagging bridge wiggled, but appeared to be secure.

Somewhere behind them were voices, men calling to one another.

"We gotta go," Owen said.

"Cute guys first," Cole said, with a tight smile.

"Such a gentleman," Owen said, grinning. He looked almost giddy. All this running and adrenaline was making them act a little goofy.

"Always," he said, and meant it. Right to the end, he thought.

Owen stepped out onto the rope. If wiggled about under his weight but after a few steps, seemed to settle a bit.

Cole watched Owen navigate his way across, his mind already made up what he had to do. This couldn't go on any longer. If it was just him running around the jungle, he would be fine with trying to evade these men. But not with Owen. He would always be in terrible danger right up until rescue arrived. If it did arrive.

When Owen was almost across Cole withdrew the knife from his pocket. It was the one he took from the man he had tackled.

He heard the men in the jungle getting closer. They would arrive in moments. Even if he started to cross the rope bridge now he wouldn't make it.

Placing the knife against one of the hand ropes, he tightened his grip. Cutting both hand ropes would effectively keep anyone else from crossing. He hoped that would be enough of a deterrent to their pursuers that they would not go after Owen.

Owen had said that crossing this bridge was their only option, but he was not correct. There was one more option, and only Cole could do it.

The very moment Owen stepped onto the solid ground on the other side, Cole started cutting.

Owen turned, to look at him. Immediately his expression changed from one of hope to horror.

Just at that moment, the two men burst out of the jungle directly behind him.

"What are you doing?" Owen called out. He looked shocked.

The rope cut. Cole quickly turned his attention to the other hand rope and started cutting. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the men running up to him, shouting something angrily in their language.

Just as he cut the second rope, he sensed the men were upon him.

The butt of a gun caught him in the side of the head. The world exploded in color, and he tumbled to the ground.

Owen was still shouting, but he couldn't tell what it was. It didn't matter. He had to go. Now!

"Run! Run and hide!" Cole shouted. He felt wetness stream down the side of his face.

One of the men was at the ravine's edge, next to the now solo rope that spanned it. He levelled his gun across, pointing it at Owen.

"No!" Cole shouted. He found himself moving, crashing into the other other man.

The machine gun fired.