Page 36 of Shadow of the Moon

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Dev’s phone survived the blast, though it did have a few new scratches across the screen. He’d tried to watch the video, but his head was reeling. If he could get some solid mattress time, he would probably be okay, but they really needed to stop and take a breath. After all the traveling they’d done, the stakeout of Zed’s house, the bar scene, killing the Russians, and almost being killed themselves, they needed to take a breath.

Amberly was driving, and she didn’t look a lot better than he did. Her dark hair was a straggly mess across her forehead, and there was a bruised look around her eyes. It hadn’t been an easy day mentally, either.

The car began to slow and he cracked his eyes open. They were pulling into a quaint little motel, conveniently located next to a small, beat down strip mall. “Bed,” he nodded, “food, a discount store, and laundry. You couldn’t have done any better, babe.”

Amberly gave him a tired smile as she pulled into the lot. “Right?”

Dev watched as she went into the office of the motel. He wondered how much cash she had, because he didn’t have much either. As a last resort, he could probably use his bank card, but it would be a glaring red flag to anyone looking. They should probably lose the car, soon, as well.

Maybe after he’d had a chance to sleep. Closing his eyes, he waited for Amberly to come out of the office.

He woke to tapping on the glass by his head, and she waved a key.

The room was on the ground floor and was spotlessly clean. “Wow,” Amberly breathed, walking in and dropping her dirty bag to the floor. “I don’t even want to touch anything until I get a shower.”

“Go ahead,” he said. “I’ll secure the door and look at the video for a few minutes.”

Indecision crossed her face. “Actually, I’m going to run to the discount store for something clean to wear, then get my clothes into a washer. I’m sick of being grimy, and this clean room really makes me want to be clean.”

He snorted. “Okay. Do what you need to do. I think we’re fairly safe here.”

“No one followed us that I saw. When I come back from the store, I’ll park the car around back. We’re going to need to change it out. Do you have laundry you want done?”

“I’ll grab it. Yeah, I know,” he said softly, digging into his bag. “I’d already decided to go scouting after I get some sleep.”

They were still jiving on the same wavelength, all these years later. He handed his clothes off to her and caught her hand before she pulled away. Deliberately, he stepped into her space and leaned down to give her a kiss. “I’m very glad we survived tonight. There isn’t anyone I would rather have at my side in a firefight.”

Incredibly, her cheeks went pink, and she grinned. “Yeah, you’re not too bad yourself, old man.”

Dev groaned as he chuckled. “I’m totally feeling my age tonight. Go get your clean on so we can get some sleep. I’ll shower while you’re gone.”

“Okay.”

Leaning up, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then disappeared with his dirty laundry.

Taking his phone and his weapon into the bathroom with him, Dev stripped down and stepped into the hot running water. Oh, it hurt so good. There was a convenient bench along the back wall, so, adjusting the head, he angled the water to fall over him. He watched the dirty water swirl down the drain, then closed his eyes.

Dev jerked awake as he was tipping forward in sleep. Catching himself, he sighed. Maybe he was tired. Ripping open the fresh soap, he lathered up and rinsed, then stepped out of the stall. Rubbing the towel over his not sore areas, he got mostly dry, and stepped out of the room. Amberly hadn’t returned yet, but he’d expected it to take her a while to get things done. Or at least started. He doubted she would sit there and watch the clothes wash.

Tucking his gun beneath his pillow, he rested his spinning head to the soft cloth, pulled the sheet over his damp body and was out almost immediately.

Amberly letherself into the motel room quietly, which was hard to do with the bags she was carrying. Latching the door behind her, she slid the deadbolt home, and set the bags on the two person table by the front window.

After she’d bought her supplies, she’d gone into the discount store bathroom, done a quick wipe down with baby wipes to get the worst of the blood and dirt off of her, then changed her clothes. She was clean-er at least, as she pulled on the granny panties and gray sweats. All of her clothes were in the dryer now, as well as most of Devlin’s. She would go get them in about forty minutes, then have a proper shower before she allowed herself to slow down.

Opening one of the paper bags, she retrieved an aluminum container with a white cardboard lid. The all-night diner hadn’t been much to look at, but it had smelled amazing. So, she’d ordered two of the specials. It was lasagna with garlic bread, and as she worked off the lid, she was so glad that she’d gotten it. The scent of garlic was like ambrosia, and she inhaled deeply. Ripping the plastic fork from the wrapper, she dug in, almost inhaling the food. They’d eaten apps at the bar, but they’d expended a huge amount of energy tonight which needed replenished.

Devlin murmured in his sleep, but didn’t wake, even over her rustling the plastic. She would give him an hour, then wake him up. If he did have a concussion, he needed to be checked regularly.

The lasagna was delicious, and she felt guilty for eating the entire entree. Whatever. There was one for Devlin, too. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. She had about ten more minutes before she could go get her clothes. Moving to the side of the bed in front of him, she rested her hand on his arm. “Devlin.”

A slow smile spread across his lips as his eyes cracked open, and it was so sweet. “I’ve missed you waking me. Sometimes when I was falling asleep, I would hear you call my name, and I would jerk awake. I always wondered if you needed me then, and I just wasn’t there for you.”

Unexpected tears filled her eyes, and she had to blink them away. She’d had nightmares as well, that he was blaming her for giving up on them. Or that he was being shot, and she turned away and walked into her office. That one was very vivid in her mind. This sweetness was more than she deserved, because she had literally and figuratively walked away from him. “I had similar dreams,” she admitted, running her hand up through his hair. His eyes sagged closed again, though the smile stayed.

“I missed you touching me like this,” he murmured, so she continued to run her hand through his hair and down his head. She’d checked for knots earlier, and could only find the bruise on his jaw. It was darkening to a deep purple now. “There’s food on the table if you want it. I’m going to go get the clothes from the dryer.”

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