I hold my hands up to the vents and let the warm air wash over them. I didn’t have time to find gloves. We had to go so suddenly. I realize I still have goo in my eyes from waking up. My breath feels stale too.

Then I look over at Alex behind the wheel. His hair looks meticulously tousled, and what started as a few days’ of stubble when I first met him is becoming a beard. Still, he looks intensely masculine, confident, and together. He doesn’t look like some unshaven criminal who is taking wild stabs in the dark. Through his cool blue eyes I can see the gears turning. I can see him planning.

I know he’s got some plan forming, but I don’t quite understand why he won’t fill me in. Maybe he’s trying to protect me. Maybe he thinks that if tells me what he’s doing, it could make things worse for me if the two of us are caught.

“You can trust me,” I say.

He puts a hand on my leg, just above the knee, and squeezes. “I know I can.”

“Tell me the plan then,” I say. “How are we going to clear your name?”

His hand goes limp, and I see his jaw clench.

“You think I’m not going to like it?” I ask.

His eyes keep checking the rear-view mirror. He expects to see Napier come up behind him. It’s been more than fifteen minutes now. We’re less than a mile from the interstate. The chances of us being caught right now are small after putting so much distance between us and the cabin.

“The truck was covered in snow,” I say. “Even when the fishermen were here. Even if the family calls the police, they aren’t going to know what kind of vehicle we were in.”

He nods. “I don’t know how I’m going to clear my name, Angel.”

“I can tell you’re thinking of something, Alex.”

“I can’t stop thinking of last night. And the night before that,” he says, smiling.

I smile wide. I don’t need to think of it so much as feel it. Every time I recall the memory of being with him, I feel the memory. I feel the incredible wetness between my legs, the warmth of his entry. I feel an intense closeness to him. I put my hand over top his and squeeze.

“We’ll think of a way,” I say. “What about the bikers?”

“What about them?” He asks.

“They know you didn’t do it.”

“They did it,” he says. “They gave up 20% of the money for Napier to cover for them. They’re the last ones who would help me.”

“They’re not a single entity though,” I say. “Maybe someone who was there would benefit from telling the truth?”

“They’re a gang, Angel,” he says. “That’s about as ‘single entity’ as it gets. You might be right though. Maybe one guy who was there wants whoever pulled the trigger to go down. How do we find that one single guy though? Once the rest of them hear that I’m trying to clear my name, they’ll want me dead.”

I start to chew on the back edge of my tongue with my molars. He’s right. At least with Napier after us, he has to work within–or around–the law. If my plan got that biker gang set off, their revenge would be completely lawless.

“We’ll go to the city,” he says. “Find a motel that takes cash and won’t ask questions. That’s the plan for now.”

“And take a shower,” I say, grinning. “A nice, warm shower.”

After a few hours on the interstate, traffic builds up and slows us down as we begin to enter the city. Alex pulls up to a hotel where the sign just reads “HTL” because the O and the E are both not working.

“Looks nice,” I say.

He laughs. “You deserve way better, but we need a place that doesn’t keep good records. Wait in the car.”

He gets out and walks toward the lobby. I can barely see a limp anymore.

I was staying with him before because he was injured. Now he doesn’t need me as a nurse. Am I staying with him just because of the sex? Like he’s some kind of wonderful drug I won’t give up? Or is there more to it than that?

Alex comes back out and gets in, he looks mildly pissed off.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

“Nothing,” he says.

“Did you get us a room?”

“Yeah,” he says. “Just got charged more than I should have. Their security cameras are fakes though. Just the kind of plastic ones that make you think they have them. We’ll be safe here for a night or two.”

We drive toward our room and park just outside it. Alex carries our one suitcase in and opens the door for us. I nearly jump onto the bed, but then I remember how dirty I am.

“You can shower first,” he says.

I look up at him and smile. “Or we could take one together.”

I can tell he’s going to say no, but he looks tempted. “I need to get us some stuff.”

“What stuff?” I ask.

“Toothbrushes, for one,” he says.

“Can you get me some lip balm too?”

He moves in close to me and puts a hand on my cheek. He leans in and kisses me long and deep. I close my eyes and focus on the feel of his tongue between my lips, the warmth and taste of him. My worries melt away for as long as the kiss, but as soon as he pulls away I feel my chest tighten.

“Your lips already feel perfect,” he says.

“Yours too,” I whisper.

“I’m taking a shower when I come back,” he says, stroking my cheek with a finger, “If you want to join me for that one.”

I nod wordlessly, and then he’s gone.