Page 9 of Shadow Touched

“Or raped,” he said, interrupting her. “Ivow you’ll be under my protection.”

“That won’t mean much if the assassin getsyou,” she muttered, but she held out her hand anyway. “So we haveto make sure he doesn’t, to get me back where I belong.”

Brim took hold of her hand. “Deal.”

Chapter Four

Awareness slowly filtered through Leia’smind, rousing her from dreams. She cracked one eye open andsquinted at the light. She hated mornings. Had always been a nightperson. It was why she was happy to get the overnight bar cleaningjob. Denim greeted her field of vision and caused the other eye toopen, and that’s when she realized a jean-clad leg was her pillow.She had fallen asleep sitting next to him. How the hell did she endup using his thigh for a pillow?

He lay with his head back, mouth slightlyopen. As she snapped into an upright position, the handcuff stilllinking her to Brim jangled. He woke, sitting up and wincing.Reaching up with his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck.Bringing her arm with his, stretching her closer to his face. Thenearness was suddenly too much. She became acutely aware of thehardness of his body. His impressive muscles flexing against hersofter ones. When her heart fluttered a little, she frowned at theunexpected sensation. She refused to become a victim of StockholmSyndrome. The man was a beast, and she couldn’t wait to get awayfrom him.

Then she remembered their deal. Fivethousand dollars to get him back to his club and warn him ifsomeone was going to kill him. Fine. She could do that for a fewdays. Then she’d head back to her life, plead her case with herboss Clint, and be five thousand dollars richer. Not bad for aweek’s worth of work.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m too fuckingold to fall asleep on an uncomfortable couch,” he muttered. “Damn.I’ve got a horrible crick in my neck.”

Leia held up her cuffed wrist. “Take theseoff. I’ve got to pee.”

He squinted one eye at her.

“I’m not going to run away,” she said.“You’re paying me to save your life and I’m going to collect thatbounty.”

He sighed and reached into his pocket to digout the key. With a deft move he unlocked the cuffs and sheimmediately stood up, rubbing the slightly red patch of skincircling her wrist. Without another word, she turned and left.

The outhouse was just as horrid as sheremembered. Maybe a little worse in the daylight. She couldn’t waitto get back to civilization so she could flush a toilet. And bathein a tub. Her belly rumbled and she hoped he had food in thecabin.

When she stepped out of the outhouse, hewaited once more with hand sanitizer. Leia held out her palm and hesquirted some gel onto it.

“We have to get breakfast in town,” hesaid.

“Did you read my mind?”

“You’ve got the supernatural powers, notme.”

She rolled her eyes. “Do your business thenlet’s roll.”

A little time later they headed away fromthe cabin toward a town she’d never known about. Leia held on fordear life, once more wrapping her arms around Brim. He had put hishelmet on her, riding without one himself. The forest raced by themuntil they reached the main road, and then it only took about tenmore minutes before they arrived at a diner. He cut the engine andthis time when she dismounted her knees didn’t threaten to buckle.Still, she held onto his arm for a moment to make sure she wassteady. Brim slipped an arm around her waist, and she glanced up athim. Her heart fluttered once again. Through the visor, she glancedat his lips, and she inadvertently wondered how he would kiss.Rough? Demanding? Passionate? She tried to swallow, but her mouthhad gone dry, and she noticed he was slow to release her.

Leia pulled off the helmet and Brim storedit on his handlebars before taking her hand. She tried to pullaway, but he held firm. That one little contact had butterfliesdancing in her belly, much to her annoyance. She was acting likeall the dumb girls she read about in books, and she kept remindingherself he wasn’t a good man. He had admitted to killing a man,which should have terrified her, plus he was in a motorcycleclub.

Yet when he looked at her, when he held her,it was with a tenderness that surprised her. It belied his toughexterior. She had no misconceptions about their relationship, forlack of a better word, and once they ferreted out the so-calledassassin, she was out of there.

“Stop frowning,” he said.

“I prefer you not to touch me,” shemuttered, pulling her hand out of his.

“Sorry, darlin’. I was making sure youweren’t going to yell for help.”

“I told you I won’t run. We have adeal.”

He walked away, leaving her to follow, andshe took a deep breath to steady her nerves before following. Hewaited until she slid into a booth before sitting, just as awaitress came over. They ordered breakfast and before she left gaveBrim a wink.

“Girlfriend?”

“Jealous?” he asked.

She snorted derisively. “Absolutelynot.”

“If I had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t be herewith you. I’d be with her.”

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