Page 87 of Untamed

“And why are we going all the way to another state to fly there?”

“We’re assuming that our closest airport is being watched for you.”

“Watched by who?”

“By the authorities. You might not understand everything right now, but I’m going to need you to trust me.” His deep voice is firm as he looks over at me with his depthless eyes and lowered brows.

I stare back at him for a few moments before turning my gaze toward the front windshield. My chest rises and falls slowly as I try to determine what he’s not telling me.

“What about my aunt? Does she know I’m safe now?”

He grips the steering wheel tighter. “Only my family knows right now. We feel confident that your disappearance was intended to look like we were behind it. Until we have proof we didn’t do it, if they know you’ve been found, we will be implicated. I’ll probably be arrested.”

A cold fear spreads over my chest and neck at the thought of Holden behind bars again.

“Why?” My voice is a whisper. “Why would anyone want to do this?”

I’m met with silence. After a few beats, he looks over at me with determination in his gaze.

“We’re going to solve this, Rosie. I’m going to keep you safe, whatever it takes.”

His words wrap around my bones, warming me to my core. Our proximity, his vow to protect me, the reality of our isolation, and the fact that we’re inevitably bound to end up alone in a hotel room start to overwhelm my senses.

My mind flashes back to the dressing room, where he effortlessly drew an orgasm from me with his tongue. My inner thighs grow warmer with each passing mile. The erotic memory is all I can see, all I can feel as the truck seems to get smaller and smaller. My hand grips the door handle until my knuckles grow white.

Is there oxygen in here?

“Can we stop?” I blurt out.

Holden glances over at me.

“To pee. I need to pee,” I explain.

“We’re going to get a hotel room in the next town. It’s less than ten minutes ahead.”

Ten minutes crawls by at the pace of a wounded cricket. My head is swirling with possibilities.

Will he get two rooms? Two beds? Will he come on to me? Will he lap me up again and make my legs weak?

He shifts in his seat. I turn to look at him, noticing him adjusting the crotch of his jeans as the muscle in his jaw tics.

I jerk my gaze out the front window, attempting to gulp down my nerves. A hotel comes into view. This one is nicer than the one we got with Duke. The walls are white stucco with arched black window frames. It’s well lit, and it has a luscious garden with a running fountain out front. Holden pulls around to the back of it and parks.

He reaches a hand toward me, causing me to inhale a sharp breath. He doesn’t touch me, simply grabs the door handle from inside and opens it for me before unlatching the seat belt around my waist. He climbs out of the truck and opens the back door.

I try to get control of myself as I step out of the lifted truck and close my door behind me. He’s carrying our two bags, but waits for me to be beside him before walking to the hotel entrance. A chill in the night air nips at my shoulders.

The front desk woman smiles up at us, eyes dipping over Holden appreciatively. “How can I help you this evening?”

“King-size room with a mountain view and a bottle of merlot,” he says.

I gulp.

She nods, checking us in and handing him the keys and a bottle of merlot after she uses a cork opener to open it. She shoots me a knowing glance, almost as if to say, Damn, girl, you lucky bitch.

The decor is authentic Southwest with large plants, clay pots, and intricate hand-painted tiles. A warm fire burns in the hotel lobby hearth, crackling an invitation to stay awhile. My joints feel rubbery as we step into the elevator.

I lick my lips as the doors close. My panties are already soaked, the anticipation so great that I feel like I might collapse. He waits for me to exit once the doors open. I easily find room number 307. His fingers brush against mine, sparks shooting through me as he hands me the key card.

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