Page 37 of Losing Hope

Chapter Fourteen

After spendingmost of the prior day in bed, they’d woken this morning to clear blue skies. Packing her computer back in its bag, Hope looked longingly out the living room windows. “I wish we didn’t have to leave. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just hide out here forever?”

Gage wrapped his strong arms around her, relishing the warmth of her body as he pulled her up against him. She smiled and closed her eyes, and he did the same, savoring these last moments at the house. His warm breath tickled her ear as he murmured against her hair, “Absolutely, but I have a feeling your father will send Walter if you stay here much longer.”

Spinning around, she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up into the crinkled eyes she’d come to adore. “I know. But a girl can dream, right?”

Leaning down, he brushed a kiss across her lips and rested his forehead against hers. “We live a subway ride away from each other.”

Feigning shock, she opened her eyes wide. “The subway? That place is scary!”

Pulling back, he shook his head, a grin on his face. “Oh, my little princess… I’ll take the subway. You can have your driver bring you.” Looking at her, brows raised, he added, “That is, if you aren’t too afraid to slum it in The Village.”

Slapping him playfully on the arm, she giggled. “Hush, you big brute! I can handle The Village!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He threw a playful wink her way. “We’ll see about that.” He moved to take the computer bag from her and walked out to pack it in the Range Rover next to his already-stowed bags. Coming back into the house, he found her standing across the living room in front of one of the large windows. He watched silently as she lifted her hand and pressed it against the glass, holding it there for a moment.

When she finally dropped her hand, he moved closer and walked up behind her. “Are you ready?”

Twisting to face him, a small smile on her face, she nodded. “Yep. Time to go, I guess.”

“Okay. Everything’s packed up, so we’re good to go.” They both started toward the front entrance and looked back one last time before closing and locking the door behindthem.

“You want to drive?” She held the keys out tohim.

“Sure. You don’t want to?” He took the keys from her, following her to the passenger side and opening the door to help herin.

“I want to put all my info in your phone and vice versa.” She looked up at him and smiled shyly. “Gotta make sure I can find you back in the bigcity.”

Leaning in, he took her head gently in his larger ones and kissed her, his mouth claiming hers possessively. When he finally broke the kiss, he locked his eyes with hers. “I’m not losing you now that I found you. Don’t worry.”

Pulling the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth and chewing it, her eyes turned lusty as she tried to conceal her smile. “Okay.”

He angled his mouth toward her again, sucking her lip from her teeth and grazing his lips across hers a final time before stepping back from her with a low growl. “You know that drives me crazy.”

“Sorry.” She peeked up at him sheepishly from under her hoodedgaze.

“Uh-huh…” A sexy smile graced his face as he shut her door and then made his way around to his side. After climbing in and fastening his seat belt, he started up the Range Rover. “Here wego.”

“Here we go…”Hope looked over at him, smiled, and reached her hand out. “Phone.”

“You sure are bossy.” He shook his head as he dug into his pocket. He pulled it out and placed it in herhand.

“You’re just figuring that out?” She took his phone and swiped on the screen, frowning when she realized the screen was locked. She reached out and bumped his arm gently with the phone, indicating he should take itback.

“You’re done?” He glanced over, brows furrowed.

“It’s locked. Can you put in your password?” Her hand was still outstretched tohim.

“Oh, sure.” He nodded at her. “It’s zero-eight-zero-eight.”

She slowly pulled her outstretched hand back, her mouth falling slightly open. “Really?”

He looked over and then braked, moving to the side of the road to park when he saw her face. “What?”

“You’re going to give me your password? Just like that?” she asked in disbelief as she shook the phone athim.

He scoffed and chuckled. “Why not? I don’t have anything to hide. It’s just my phone.”

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