Page 45 of Reckless

When we get back on flat ground and start walking to the RV, Jude’s phone bursts to life in his pocket. He groans, taking it out and looking at the screen. He pauses for a moment and turns to me.

I hide the disappointment. Maybe the universe is trying to tell us something.

“Reception here is patchy, so it might cut out. I’m surprised the call even got through.”

“I’m sure it’s not important,” he says, pushing it back in his pocket and snatching up my hand again.

He walks along the gravel path towards the RV. I guess Jude isn’t listening to whatever the universe is trying to say.

My hands fumble with the keys as he stands behind me. One of his hands is on my hip, that one touch has my body burning up. Damn these keys.

Jude’s phone rings again. He curses as I get the door unlocked. I pull it open and step inside. He crowds in behind me, taking out the phone and frowning.

“I’ll get rid of her.”

Her? He must see something on my face because he leans in and kisses me on the lips. I press my fingers to where there was barely even a touch of his mouth and watch him walk away from the RV.

It’s wrong to stand here and listen. I toss my stuff on the couch. Suddenly, I’m conscious of the state I’m in. We’ve been walking for hours. I’m a sweaty mess. God, I can’t let him strip me naked looking like this.

Glancing through the window, I see him with one hand on his hip as he talks, looking out over the fields behind the RV. I’m torn between going to freshen up and wanting to know who he is talking to. Or maybe we need to cool it. The burning fire from out in the valley has banked a lot.

It doesn’t mean I don’t want to feel him all over me. That urgent desire to be with him isn’t as strong now. I haven’t moved, while I’ve been debating with myself over what to do, or whether reality has come knocking on the door and slammed right through it.

Jude is still talking. It doesn’t look like a good conversation. He pulls the phone away, looks at the screen, then puts it back to his ear. He shakes his head, then drops his hand to his side. When he turns to come back to the RV, I move away from the window and head to the fridge, opening it so it doesn’t look like I was watching him.

When he comes inside, his frown is deep.

“Everything okay?”

“Not really. I haven’t got the full story because you were right. Service around here is shit, and it kept cutting out.”

I close the fridge and turn to lean against it. I try not to be too disappointed. The mood has changed, but something is wrong, so I will not complain.

“That was Solene. Cody was arrested last night.”

“Cody? Your manager?”

He nods, still distracted. Shit this is important.

“If we drive out a little, the service should pick up,” I suggest.

Jude looks conflicted as he stares at the floor. “Yeah, do you mind? Just so I can get the full story.”

“Of course.” I walk over and touch his arm. When he looks up, I give him an encouraging smile.

“Knew I hated that fucker,” he shakes his head again, but takes my hand. His thumb rubs slow circles over mine. “I’m sorry, Krista.”

“Don’t be. Come on, the sooner we get to a place where there is service…”

I don’t finish because I’m not sure how to end it. Either we continue what we started, or something serious has happened and Jude may need to leave.

That thought leaves a cold spot in my stomach and I draw my hand away, heading to the driver’s seat. Jude doesn’t say anything either. Guess we’re both thinking the same thing.

We drive into the small town of Wall before he gets some bars on his phone. I spot a drug store and tell him I’ll get a few things while he makes his call. I grab a quick change of t-shirt and pull on a light-weight windbreaker, then head out across the street to the drug store.

The town has a whole wild west theme to it. And when I step inside the building, it turns out this isn’t a drug store at all, it’s a small mall.

There are restaurants and a cowboy themed store, a gift shop, and plenty of wood carved sculptures. If I wasn’t so concerned about Jude, I’d be enchanted by the place. I even see a sign for an 80-foot brontosaurus dinosaur and a museum.

---