Chapter Eight
Luke stepped from the shower and made quick work of drying off before wrapping the towel around his waist. Sandy-colored clumps of wet hair stuck out every which way as his image stared back at him from the mirror. He raked his fingers through the strands, in serious need of a haircut, and called it good. Grabbing the shaving cream from his kit, he applied it evenly to his whiskered face and dragged the razor down his rough skin, systematically shaving from right to left. He paused for a heartbeat when he heard a knock.
“Be right out.” Luke turned the water on as hot as he could get it and let it run. Jen probably had to use the bathroom. He’d throw on some clothes and finish up in here later. A smile formed beneath what was left of the shaving cream. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for that little girl.
An instant later the door opened behind him, and the razor went still in his hand.
He stared at Sally’s reflection in the steamed-over mirror. Her in that damn shirt of his, leaning against the bathroom door, both hands behind her back. A good deal of shapely thigh led his gaze to well-toned calves. He followed them down to pretty pink toenails on bare feet. Did she know what coming in here like that would do to him? He took the last two swipes of shaving cream off with the razor, rinsed his face in the hot, running water and patted it dry. Barely able to swallow and momentarily unable to form an articulate sentence, he turned slowly.
Her blue eyes went wide as her gaze dropped below his waist, immediately answering his unspoken question. Evidently, she could see the hard-on he sported beneath the form-fitting towel that hugged his hips.
He took a step toward her. “Sally?” That was all he managed to force from his mouth. It sounded more like a command than the question with which he’d intended to rule out the possibility something was wrong.
A secretive smile played on her lips as she brought one hand up and raised it in front of her with a dismissive shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. This can wait till you’re finished.” Her gaze dipped once again to the towel draped around his hips, and she swiveled with a hand on the doorknob.
Oh no. Hell no. He wasn’t letting her escape that easily. He was damn sure she’d stepped out of her comfort zone for a reason and her baby blues were daring him to find out why. He closed the gap and caught the door as she opened it a sliver. Peering through the opening, he saw Jen, still intent on her game. A glance toward the motel room door confirmed that the dead bolt was thrown and locked. They could have a few minutes of privacy.
Luke pulled Sally away from the door, ignoring her squeak of surprise and trying not to react to the violet hues that darkened her eyes at the same time her pupils dilated. Oh yeah. She knew what she was doing, all right. Sally wanted him as much as he wanted her. He stepped close, sandwiching her between the sink and himself, hands braced on the counter, one on each side of her. “So, you missed me, huh?”
Sally glanced up, her brow furrowed as though giving the question heavy thought. As soon as he touched her rib cage in a spot he knew she was ticklish, she folded into laughter. “I might have.” She finally forced the breathless words out.
He snorted. “Not good enough. Why did you barge in here?” He lifted her to the edge of the counter and inserted himself between her legs, his hands on her bottom, pulling her against his growing arousal.
She wrapped her legs around him, and he felt some of her tension ease as she threaded her fingers in his hair and pulled his head toward her. “I don’t want to waste any more time, Luke.” Moisture shimmered in her eyes as he smoothed the hair back from her face.
“Then we won’t. Not another second.” His mouth claimed hers. The desire that raced through him like electricity had nothing to do with his arousal and everything to do with her admission. He’d almost convinced himself he’d screwed up too badly—that she’d never let him close again. But the beautiful blue-eyed brunette in the picture he’d carried for months was giving him another chance, and he wasn’t going to fuck it up this time.
When he leaned away, she held on to him, and her sad smile tugged at his heart. What troubled her was no mystery, but he wanted her to understand she wasn’t alone. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her tight again, then tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes. “I’m not giving up on us…ever, and I don’t want you to either. Do me one favor, babe. Trust me to keep you safe.”
Her eyes scanned his. “I trust you with my daughter, Luke. There is no more trust than that.” Her fingers stroked his cheek and he caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. “She’s in as much danger as I am now, and I can’t stand the thought of her being hurt because of me. And now you’re involved, and I’m terrified for both of you. I don’t know what to do. Maybe we should run. Leave the country.”
Luke dropped a string of kisses on her neck, right above her collarbone, and gave some thought to her suggestion. “If that’s what you really want, I can make it happen.”
“But…?”
Smart girl. She recognized his reluctance. “We’ll be looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. I could be wrong, but I’m betting you’ve had enough of that. The only way to hang on to something you want to keep is to stand and fight for it.”
“Even if we’re going to lose?” He could hear how tired she was. It was clear the constant battle had already taken its toll on her. She didn’t want to fight anymore.
Luke grinned as he lifted her off the counter, pivoted, took three strides and pressed her against the wall. “Who says we’re going to lose? As long as we stick together, no one can stop us.” He kissed her again, with all the passion he’d held in check during the past few minutes. His tongue swept the inside of her mouth, twisting around hers. Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss until she placed a hand on his chest and pushed back.
“I have to check on Jen.” Was it disappointment that shadowed her eyes?
Holding her gaze, he ground his hips into the warmth at the apex of her legs. He nodded toward her undergarments drying over the rod that held the shower curtain. “Am I to understand there’s nothing between us but a thin towel right now?” He punctuated the question with a nip to her neck.
A rosy hue enveloped her cheeks, but a persistent smile seemed to dare him. “You’re very observant.”
“SEAL training. Always important to know if the enemy is wearing panties.”
Sally laughed and squirmed against him.
He was using up a good portion of his self-control on this exercise, but he wouldn’t push her if she wasn’t comfortable, whether because of Jen or for some other reason. Luke leaned toward her ear and teased her with his nose while he spoke. “If Jen wasn’t awake in the next room, I’d be happy to show you one of those hundred ways right here. Then I’d carry you to the bed and show you a couple more.” He groaned as he kissed her lips hard. “But I can wait…and when we come together, it’ll be spectacular. I promise.” That earned him a sexy smile as he lowered her feet to the floor. “Now go, before I change my mind.”
He opened the door and guided her out, patting her round derriere as she went by, and was rewarded by an insincere glare. Damn. A groan bubbled up in his throat. Letting her go was harder than he’d thought. Hopefully, they’d find some private time…and soon, but hell, what did he know about living with a kid? Privacy could be a rare commodity.
Another quick and cold shower later, Luke slipped into an old pair of sweats and reentered the bedroom. One glance told him Jen had fallen asleep on top of the comforter in the middle of her game. Her mother had closed the curtains and covered her with the blankets from the opposite side of the bed, leaving Sally’s side bare except for sheets. She was clearly exhausted, and he hoped to give her two or three hours of sleep before they headed out again. As he watched, she picked up the phone, turned it off and laid it on the nightstand. Then she spread out on the bare side of Jen’s bed.
Luke poured a glass of water and drank it down. He’d never spent any time around kids until he’d met Sally. What was the proper etiquette here? Would it be so bad if Sally slept with him in the other bed? Of course they couldn’t do any of the things he longed to do with her, but at least she’d be warm. The one thing he could be sure of was that whatever Sally thought was acceptable…she wouldn’t compromise on the issue. It would have to be her idea.
He set down his glass and walked toward his bed. Removing his watch, he left it by her phone, then slipped between the sheets and moved to the far side, leaving the bedding folded down invitingly on the other. After a few minutes, he propped his head on his elbow and looked at her. Sally hadn’t moved, her eyes open and staring at him over Jen’s sleeping form. He held her gaze as he crooked his finger and patted the sheets beside him.
Sally shook her head, and Luke didn’t argue. As soon as he lay down on the pillow, he saw her head pop up in his peripheral vision. He closed his eyes and pretended to ignore her, but he couldn’t disguise his pleased grin. The ball was in her court. Make it seem like it’s her idea.
“What’s so funny, Harding?”
Luke heard the aged box springs creak, and when he opened his eyes, she was standing over him, hands on her hips. Her lips were pressed together, not in annoyance but apparently trying to forestall her own laughter. His arm snaked out and caught her by the shirt, pulling her in close and over his body to the other side of the bed, then rolled partway on top of her.
“Shh.” He tapped her lips with his finger to remind her of the sleeping girl in the next bed.
He recognized the instant it dawned on her that she could wake Jen by the hand she threw over her mouth and the giggles it didn’t quite contain.
When she’d composed herself, she looked in to his eyes, a you’ve-got-some-explaining-to-do tilt to her head. “What do you think you’re doing?” Her husky whisper fell far short of the feigned indignation on her face.
Luke raised a hand and swept it toward his blankets. “Well, sunshine, I’m offering you a place in my bed for a little nap.” She felt so damn good underneath him, her breasts plumped against his chest. He should really stop teasing her now before it came back to bite him.
A tentative smile hadn’t wavered on her features. “Where will you sleep?”
A low laugh rumbled from his throat. “Funny girl. You’re not really going to make me answer that, are you?”
Her smile gave way to worry and she shook her head. “We can’t, Luke. Not with—”
He lowered his head and gently nibbled her lips, effectively swallowing the rest of her words. A few seconds later, he reluctantly drew back. “Yes, we can. We can sleep in this bed together and I can finally hold you in my arms. The only thing I can’t do is have my way with you.” One eyebrow arched upward as he dropped another kiss on her doubtful mouth. “I can live with that…for now. Can you?”
Sally visibly relaxed beneath him. “You’re always thinking about her, aren’t you? Do you realize how rare that is?” Her fingers traced a path from his shoulder to his rib cage.
Fire seemed to follow her caress, and he captured her hand in his to stop the torment before things could get out of hand. “I think pretty highly of that kid, and I’d never do anything to knowingly cause her harm. You know that. But right now, my thoughts are all about you.” He met her gaze as she digested that information. Encouraged when her glance drifted to his lips, he covered her mouth again, kissing her long and hard.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on, responding eagerly. Too willingly—a condition he’d wished for a dozen times but had never come to fruition while circumstances were in their favor. Now, with Jen a few feet away, Luke’s control was becoming dangerously thin. If he was going to sleep with Sally wrapped in his arms as he’d said—as he’d imagined so many nights—he’d need to call a halt to this sooner rather than later. There’ll be time. His raging libido wasn’t convinced.
Luke backed away from the urgency, gently kissing her several times before he raised his head and shifted off her, just enough so she could move. “Roll over, babe. I want to spoon with my girl.” Okay, so maybe he was rushing things a little, but the fact that she didn’t get in his face and set him straight made him the happiest he’d been in a hell of a long time.
With a quizzical tilt to her brows, Sally turned her back to him, lay her head on his arm stretched beneath the pillow and scooted back until every inch of her touched him somewhere. His nostrils full of the fruity, coconut smell of her hair, he pulled the blankets over them and slung one arm over her hip, his hand splayed halfway between her rounded breasts and the oasis between her legs. His dick twitched in response.
Sally looked over her shoulder with a droll smile. “Um…are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” Not exactly true, but I’ll run with it. “We should get out of here about noon. Do our shopping and hit the road. So sleep while you can, sunshine.”
“That might be easier said than done.” Amusement warmed her voice. She faced away from him again and snuggled next to him as though the two of them were one.
They lay still for a moment before Luke propped himself up so he could lean over and glimpse her face. “One more thing you need to know. If I fall asleep and start thrashing, acting out of my head, don’t try to wake me.” He’d been debating the warning since she’d allowed him to sleep on her couch last night. The dreams, and his inability to shake them, made him feel weak and out of control. He hated admitting his Achilles’ heel to Sally. A woman should feel safe with her man, but he was telling her not to trust him when he was in the throes of one of his nightmares. Best-case scenario—he wouldn’t be her man very long. Worst case—she might be afraid of him…in bed, for shit’s sake.
She turned onto her back this time, disbelief staring from her expressive eyes. “Don’t wake you? What would you have me do?”
“I want you to get out of the way. I’ve been known to swing on guys who’ve interrupted one of my dreams, trying to calm me down. It can get ugly pretty fast. You saw what I was like in the Jeep a little while ago. I don’t want you or Jen hurt because of me. I’d never forgive myself. Promise, Sally.”
She pursed her lips and studied him thoughtfully. “I’ll make sure Jen isn’t in harm’s way, but that’s the best I can do.”
“Sally.” He spoke the warning as sternly as he could manage, with a half-naked woman in his bed making him crazy.
She silenced him with an accusing glare. “Weren’t you listening when we talked earlier? When we decided to give this thing between us another try?”
He held back a groan. She’s going to pick now to argue? “Of course I was listening. What does that have to do with—?”
She flashed her palm at him. “So, are we just there for each other when everything’s good? If that’s the case, you should have gotten out of the way a long time ago, what with Emmett making a scene in front of my house…and someone trying to blow us up and run us off the road. I don’t want you hurt because of me.” Sally lowered her voice to a pretty good imitation of his own as she repeated his words back to him. “So, you should probably be going.”
The ornery woman tried to tug his covers away from him as she rolled onto her side again, and Luke had to talk himself down before he did something foolish such as laying a good smack on her sexy ass.
There was something inherently wrong with her argument. Hell, it was no argument at all. She’d just twisted his words around and fed them back to him. For some reason, he couldn’t get the exultant smile off his mug. He was humbled by the meaning behind her words—dangerous or not, she intended to stand with him. No other woman he’d ever known had offered herself in that way. Luke still feared what might happen if she intruded into his nightmares, but damned if he could find the words to say that her loyalty, faithfulness and courage didn’t mean the fucking world to him.
Combing her dark locks behind her shoulder with his fingers, he leaned close and brushed her lips with his, kissed her eyes and then her ear. “I’m not going anywhere…and neither are you.” Locking his arms around her, he tugged her closer and lay his head down with a contented sigh. Damned if it didn’t feel good to get the last word for a change.
A full minute passed before she spoke in a whisper. “I knew you’d see things my way.” She shifted against him just enough to rub her luscious ass against his sweatpants-clad arousal.
Luke hardened even more, sucking in a breath and holding it as he refrained from grinding himself against her. She settled next to him, apparently ignoring the hard shaft that pressed unyieldingly against her backside. Unwilling to let her go after dreaming of being there beside her for so long, he opted to deal with his discomfort by concentrating on the balance of their journey.
The sun was shining brightly on the other side of the room’s heavy curtains. It would be a good day for the drive north. Daniel Mathias’s place was fifteen miles from the Canadian border. It was rough and wild country, according to Daniel. Would Luke be able to arrange some alone time with Sally once they reached their destination? Damn, he hoped so. He loved Jen, but hell, he’d pay someone to watch her for an hour if he had to. Luke listened for the girl’s quiet breathing. How long would she sleep? Was she a sound sleeper? Would Sally be quiet or would she scream out his name when he made her come?
Damnation! Quite possibly he was going to need yet another cold shower, and the sumptuous brunette in his arms would have the last word after all.
* * * *
Luke woke with a start, taking a moment to figure out where he was. The sweet-smelling angel in his arms was his first clue, the erect woody that pressed against her enticing behind his second. What time is it? He shifted to his back, groping for his watch on the nightstand. Almost eleven hundred hours. He’d slept nearly four hours straight with no interruptions. No dreams. God, when was the last time that happened?
Bedding rustled. He turned onto his left side to peer toward the other bed. Jen’s cute-as-hell heart-shaped face, surrounded by a curly mop of light brown hair, appeared over her mother’s phone. Jen tapped furiously on the device’s screen with both thumbs, then threw her bony little fist in the air, obviously claiming victory for this round. When she glanced up and saw him watching, she smiled self-consciously.
“Hey. How long have you been awake?” Luke heard Sally stir behind him.
“A while.” Amusement sparkled in Jen’s mischievous eyes as she lay the phone on the nightstand. “You were snoring.”
“Why, you little storyteller. I don’t snore.” Luke tried to feign annoyance, but when she began to giggle, he lost it too and chortled right along with her.
She was such a mellow, good-natured kid. She’d totally won him over by the second day they’d spent together. He’d never do anything to hurt her on purpose, but hell, he didn’t know anything about kids. Would seeing her mother wake up in the same bed with him scar her young psyche? He should have thought this through before he fell asleep wrapped around Sally.
“Is all that noise necessary?” Sally rolled onto her elbow and stared sleepily at them.
Luke glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her tousled hair and the sparkle in her beautiful eyes. Her attempt at looking stern failed as soon as Jen launched herself from her bed, into Luke’s arms.
Luke lifted Jen high and piled her on top of her mother, then tickled them both while laughing evilly and ignoring their demands for him to stop.
In the middle of the melee, Sally’s phone vibrated against the top of the nightstand.