Page 22 of Reckless

The grin he gives me is the kind that could make a woman fall to her knees. If she isn’t careful.

Chapter 6

“Only you could talk a woman into letting you travel in her RV with her. Alone.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Are you sure she’s not a psycho?”

“I’m positive, Solene.”

As I talk to my best friend, I watch Krista. I should help her, but Solene kept calling. Enough that Krista told me to answer the call, or she’d kick me out. We’re at another rest stop, about twenty miles away from the park where we stopped earlier to hash out the terms.

I can’t believe she agreed, to be honest. A little part of me wanted to tell her to say no, why would you invite a stranger into your space? That would defeat the purpose of what I want. It’s time for me to be a little selfish.

I’ll pull my weight and do whatever I can to make it easy on her. We agreed two weeks but I’m hoping for longer. We’ll see. She might kick me out before then, especially if my bandmates don’t leave me the hell alone.

This is a stop we should not have had to make, but Krista says we need a few things. Extra bedding and more food. I bought it all because she wouldn’t have needed it if I wasn’t here.

“At least let Luther do a background check on her.”

My eyes roll, but I get it. Luther is one of the security who watches out for the band. He’s in charge of those kinds of things too. I hate to do it, but she’s right.

I’m not a total idiot. I did some research on her myself back at the hotel. Krista was modest when she told me what she does. She’s well known in her own right, successful with a big fan base.

Maybe that’s what makes it easier for her to understand me?

“Fine,” I agree to the background check as it goes deeper than what I can do on the surface. “Tell him to be discrete.”

“Don’t tell me what to do when it comes to your safety, asshole. I’m worried about you. This is so out of character. You want to go on a road trip with a stranger. In the middle of God-knows-bumfuck-nowhere. What about that is normal?”

“Solene, you’re overreacting. If it makes you feel any better, I got Bill to put a tracker on my phone. Only you and him have access to it.”

“Really? Wow. So that means you are worried.”

“Not at all. It’s more for your nagging ass. Don’t take advantage of it and don’t keep calling.”

“Is this woman hot, by any chance?”

“Bye, Solene.”

“That means she is. Please don’t start being led by your dick like Ethan.”

“I’ll call you in a few days. Enjoy your time off. I’m good.”

“Don’t hang up on me, Jude! Ju-”

She means well, but I can make judgment calls. And Krista isn’t dangerous.

I look up at her as she exits the RV. I’ve moved further away, so she hasn’t noticed where I am sitting yet. The sun is setting. It’s hard to believe it’s only been a day since I met her. It feels like I’ve known her for weeks.

We have no problem communicating. That is something I’ll never be able to explain to Solene. I’ve made a vow to myself this is going to be purely platonic. Sure, she’s gorgeous, sexy as fuck, and it would be a pleasant distraction from the shit going on, but I won’t use her like that.

She’s helping me. That means she deserves my respect.

Krista tips her head up and closes her eyes, the last rays of sunlight hitting her face. Without thinking, I lift the phone and snap a photograph of her. Luckily, she doesn’t see as I lower it to my lap in time, but she has spotted me and waves me over.

I wave back, checking out the photo before I get up. The sun is flaring a little in the top right of the image, but her face is clear, her auburn hair looks like fire around her face, accentuating her bone structure, her full lips and smooth forehead.

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