deep breath and blew it out. “Okay. Isn’t the Morales Cartel the one responsible for the mass murders along the Mexican border and the hit squads killing border patrol agents?”
He nodded, his eyes scanning the rear view mirror. “Yeah, that’s the one.”
“So it wasn’t law enforcement who called the hotel was it?” He looked down. Her hand lay in his comfortably. His thumb stroked circles over the back of her hand. Damn, how long had he been doing that?
Her question…“Ahh…no, as far as I know, all law enforcement agencies have been given a cease and desist order in connection to you.” He looked over and shrugged. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for a while, Em.”
She closed her eyes and sighed, and Joseph watched her battle fatigue. She was crashing, no doubt the adrenalin pushes of the day waning now that she was safe. He had experienced the same exhaustion too many times to count. She wouldn’t last long. She couldn’t quite keep her eyes open.
“I think it is the other way around Joey, I’m not going to let you go. You couldn’t get rid of me now if you tried.”
Joseph chuckled. He lifted the center arm rest and patted his thigh. “Lay down. You’re exhausted.”
“Hmmm…I would love to, but before I do, is there a woman that’s going to kick my ass for using you like a pillow?”
He smirked when he looked over at her. “No. Half of the world is terrified of me. The other half is blissfully ignorant.”
Ember took off her boots and curled up on the seat putting her head on his thigh. She snuggled closer to him resting her hand on his leg near his knee.
“I’ve never been afraid of you, Joey.”
He reached down and ran his fingers gently through her silky black curls. “I know, Em. I know.”
The powerful car effortlessly put distance between them and the last place she’d been seen. Her silky smooth curls molded around his fingers. Mindlessly he ran his fingers through her hair while she slept. The dashboard lights illuminated her face. Her thick and extraordinarily long lashes rested on her high cheekbones. Darkness hid the freckles that dusted over her nose. She hated them. He didn’t. Her full luscious lips parted as she slept. Angelina Jolie, you’ve got nothing on these lips . He ran his thumb over the pulse steadily throbbing in her neck. It had been almost sixteen years since he’d held her. It had been a simpler time, when he’d had dreams and a shot at a future. It seemed like forever.
Few cars shared the road and the lack of an adversary allowed his mind to wander. His finger traced the collar on her throat. He knew exactly what the leather signified. That she didn’t spoke volumes about her. Hell, her body may have matured, but Em still reminded him of the sweet girl he knew so many years ago.
The miles and hours slipped away. During the night, she’d tossed and turned during the drive. Now she lay on her back with her head on his leg. He knew the second she woke. Her breathing changed. Her body tensed slightly. She relaxed then smiled without opening her eyes. Lifting her hand, she stroked his arm. “God, you feel so good, Joey.”
He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. “We’re approaching a rest stop. Need to freshen up?” She nodded and sat up, stretching her arms and rolling her neck.
“Sorry the accommodations weren’t better.”
She laughed and slid towards him kissing his cheek. “My compliments to the management. That was the best rest I’ve had in years.”
She wormed her way next to him, scooting against his wounds. He lifted his arm and she snuggled into the crook before she put her head on his shoulder.
Okay, this closeness? This needed to stop, this snuggling thing she had going on. The sudden lovey-dovey shit could be damn easy to get used to. Ignore the warmth. Ignore the perfect way she fits next to you. This can never happen. Ember deserved better than he could give her. He cleared his throat. Time to get back on course.
He nodded, his eyes scanning the rear view mirror. “Yeah, that’s the one.”
“So it wasn’t law enforcement who called the hotel was it?” He looked down. Her hand lay in his comfortably. His thumb stroked circles over the back of her hand. Damn, how long had he been doing that?
Her question…“Ahh…no, as far as I know, all law enforcement agencies have been given a cease and desist order in connection to you.” He looked over and shrugged. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for a while, Em.”
She closed her eyes and sighed, and Joseph watched her battle fatigue. She was crashing, no doubt the adrenalin pushes of the day waning now that she was safe. He had experienced the same exhaustion too many times to count. She wouldn’t last long. She couldn’t quite keep her eyes open.
“I think it is the other way around Joey, I’m not going to let you go. You couldn’t get rid of me now if you tried.”
Joseph chuckled. He lifted the center arm rest and patted his thigh. “Lay down. You’re exhausted.”
“Hmmm…I would love to, but before I do, is there a woman that’s going to kick my ass for using you like a pillow?”
He smirked when he looked over at her. “No. Half of the world is terrified of me. The other half is blissfully ignorant.”
Ember took off her boots and curled up on the seat putting her head on his thigh. She snuggled closer to him resting her hand on his leg near his knee.
“I’ve never been afraid of you, Joey.”
He reached down and ran his fingers gently through her silky black curls. “I know, Em. I know.”
The powerful car effortlessly put distance between them and the last place she’d been seen. Her silky smooth curls molded around his fingers. Mindlessly he ran his fingers through her hair while she slept. The dashboard lights illuminated her face. Her thick and extraordinarily long lashes rested on her high cheekbones. Darkness hid the freckles that dusted over her nose. She hated them. He didn’t. Her full luscious lips parted as she slept. Angelina Jolie, you’ve got nothing on these lips . He ran his thumb over the pulse steadily throbbing in her neck. It had been almost sixteen years since he’d held her. It had been a simpler time, when he’d had dreams and a shot at a future. It seemed like forever.
Few cars shared the road and the lack of an adversary allowed his mind to wander. His finger traced the collar on her throat. He knew exactly what the leather signified. That she didn’t spoke volumes about her. Hell, her body may have matured, but Em still reminded him of the sweet girl he knew so many years ago.
The miles and hours slipped away. During the night, she’d tossed and turned during the drive. Now she lay on her back with her head on his leg. He knew the second she woke. Her breathing changed. Her body tensed slightly. She relaxed then smiled without opening her eyes. Lifting her hand, she stroked his arm. “God, you feel so good, Joey.”
He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. “We’re approaching a rest stop. Need to freshen up?” She nodded and sat up, stretching her arms and rolling her neck.
“Sorry the accommodations weren’t better.”
She laughed and slid towards him kissing his cheek. “My compliments to the management. That was the best rest I’ve had in years.”
She wormed her way next to him, scooting against his wounds. He lifted his arm and she snuggled into the crook before she put her head on his shoulder.
Okay, this closeness? This needed to stop, this snuggling thing she had going on. The sudden lovey-dovey shit could be damn easy to get used to. Ignore the warmth. Ignore the perfect way she fits next to you. This can never happen. Ember deserved better than he could give her. He cleared his throat. Time to get back on course.
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