Chapter Nineteen
Jaxon stared at the cell phone in his hand. It was a little after noon.
They would have already made it across the state line into Arkansas if the roads hadn’t been blocked. But all the detours had cut into their time.
He really couldn’t go anywhere until he heard back from Lucien concerning Lorcan.
Lorcan would have the inside scoop, if the Were decided to change his loyalties. Right now he wasn’t sure who he could trust.
He shoved the phone back in his pocket and walked back to Ginny, his footsteps muffled by the clumps of dark green grass.
“So what’s the plan?” She chewed on the end of her nail and crossed her arms.
“I’ve got a call in to someone who might help us. Right now we have to stay put. Stay hidden and out of sight.”
He looked at the old barn with vines climbing up the windows and weeds crowding the tall double doors. The red tin roof had long faded and rusted, and he was pretty sure he saw some holes, but he couldn’t be sure until he got inside.
Thunder rolled overhead. Ginny jumped at the boom.
“Are you kidding me?” She looked heavenward and rolled her eyes.
“Look on the bright side,” he said.
“Bright side? What bright side?” She frowned.
“At least we have someplace dry to stay instead of riding in the rain.” He grinned.
“You can’t be serious about going in there, are you?” She arched her brow. “I don’t like hiding out in some snake infested barn.”
“Where is your sense of adventure? The Ginny I knew didn’t let some little king snake get her rattled.” He walked over to his Harley and opened his saddlebags. He dug a round a little and then pulled out a large knife.
“It’s not the king snake I’m worried about. I’m worried about the rattlesnake.” She pointed at the blade in his hand. “Is that why you have that knife?”
“The knife is to cut down some of the weeds around the door.” He smiled and started hacking away at the cluster of weeds blocking the barn doors.
A few field mice scampered out of the bushes and ran off into the safety of the woods. Once the doors were clear of the weeds, he pulled the doors open.
The doors creaked on rusty hinges, and the scent of old hay rolled out. He peered inside the dark building. A couple of old bales of hay were stacked under one of the windows. The dirt floor was strewn with loose straw, and a ladder sat propped leading up to the attic space. He walked the perimeter of the room, kicking the bales of hay and looking in corners for any stray snakes that might be hiding.
“How’s it look?” Ginny called out to him.
“It’s pretty clean. Hang on and let me look up in the loft.” He braced his foot on the ladder and climbed up to the loft. The floorboards creaked under his footsteps but seemed sturdy enough. The loft was relatively clean except for a couple of old, empty barrels.
He climbed down and walked outside to Ginny.
“I’m going to park the bike inside.” He grabbed his Harley by the handlebars and flipped the kickstand. He walked the bike inside, parked it near the window.
“Are you coming in or what?” He turned back to her.
“I don’t know, Jaxon. I mean, are you sure it’s safe?” Another boom of thunder shook the barn and rattled the windows.
“I’m sure. There’s nothing hiding in here to hurt you.” He held out his hand and waved her inside.
She hesitated. But when the large, fat drops of rain began to fall, she scurried inside.
He watched as she looked around, assessing their temporary digs.
“It’s a long way from what you’re used to, I’m sure,” he said quietly as he pulled out a blanket from his saddlebag.
She frowned and pointed at the thin blanket. “Do you always carry a blanket in your saddlebag?”
“I do. It’s for when I have to work on my bike on the side of the road. Too many times I’ve had to work on my Harley lying on asphalt. Not the most comfortable thing in the world.”
“Oh.” She relaxed and smiled.
He caught the look in her eye. He knew what she had been thinking. That he carried it with him to be prepared to sleep with any girl he came across.
“So we wait?” She looked at him and shivered.
“Yeah, for now.” He shoved off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’m going to go out to check and make sure no one followed us. Then I’m going to cover up our tracks. I don’t want anything leading to us.”
He grabbed a rain slicker out of his saddlebag and slipped it over his head. “If you’re cold, go stand next to the Harley. The heat from the engine will warm you up.”
“Jaxon, be careful.”
He smiled and walked back over to her. He placed his hands on either side of her face. His thumbs rubbed the delicate skin on her cheek. Her lips parted, giving him the invitation he sought. He bent his head and gently covered her lips with his own.
He kissed her gently and slowly, holding time in suspension while their bodies became acquainted with each other once again. She moaned under his mouth, sending shivers racing through his body.
God, he’d missed her.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until this very moment. It was like he was slowly dying every day when he was away from her. But now… now, he was beginning to live again, to come back to life.
He wasn’t going to let her go. Not in this lifetime or the next.
Her hands slipped around his neck, and she pulled him closer. She opened her mouth under his and he slipped his tongue inside, tasting her sweetness.
His hands went down her back. He cupped her butt and held her against his body.
“Jaxon,” she moaned and pressed her mouth to his neck.
Lust pulsed through his body, and his body tightened. He’d never wanted someone as much as he wanted her.
Forcing himself, he pulled away. Disappointment washed over her face and he felt the same way. “Stay here and I’ll be right back. I promise.”
She nodded and took a step back.
He smiled and headed out the open barn doors. Rain pelted his head and streamed down his face. He broke into a jog down the tiny trail they’d driven up on. He carefully analyzed the road. He spotted their tire tracks. He picked up a fallen branch and ran it across the dirt treads, covering up any sign they’d been here.
Walking back to the barn, he was careful to step in the grass and not the mud. He didn’t want to leave any muddy footprints in his path.
Back at the barn, he turned around and swept his gaze across the surroundings.
He didn’t smell any danger, nor did he see any. They would be safe here, if just for a while. He doubted that Boudier had the kind of manpower to search every dirt road and every path.
He walked into the barn and shrugged out of the slicker. Ginny stood up from sitting on the Harley and looked at him with expectant eyes.
“It’s safe. No tracks at all.” He shook out the slicker and folded it up before stowing it back in the saddlebag. He shook his head, sending water droplets flying everywhere.
“Jaxon.” Ginny wiped the raindrops from her arms. “I’m going to smell like wet dog now.” She smirked.
“Ha ha. Very funny.” He chortled.
“How long do you think we’ll be here?” She put her hands on her hips and walked around the barn. She kicked a bale of hay and stepped back as if expecting a king cobra to pop out of the old straw.
“Not sure. Lucien is trying to get some intel. It may take a while. We might be spending the night here.” He closed and secured the saddlebag and turned back to her.
“Here?” She spread her hands and looked at the dirt floor.
“Well, up there.” He pointed above his head to the loft. “We won’t be sleeping on dirt up there, and it’s empty and pretty clean.”
“Okay.” She didn’t sound so confident in his decision.
“It’s not so bad up there.” He turned his attention to the corner of the barn where rain was dripping in from the ceiling. And turned back to her. “Plus, there are no holes in the ceiling in the loft. So it will be dry.”
“Give me a minute before you come up.” He grabbed the blanket and a smaller bag out of the saddlebag and climbed up the ladder.