Page 35 of Abducted

His eyes clouded over. “You don’t need to be scared, honey.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“Wait a minute.” The crease in his forehead deepened. “Is that why you wanted me to sleep with you?”

She pinched his shoulder. He yelped and rubbed the area. “What did I say?”

“You make it sound like I was begging you. You were horribly uncomfortable in that chair, yet you acted like I was going to bite you.”

He chuckled.

“It’s not funny.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you bit me, that’s all.” He winked at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“You should know by now that I was in physical agony. Being around you and not being able to touch you is torture.”

Her heart fluttered softly in her chest. If only this was a profession of his actual feelings for her and not just lust. She wasn’t complaining, though. Lust was better than nothing.

“I guess it was a losing battle, wasn’t it?” His hand reached behind her, grabbing the lever to put the chair in a sitting position. “If I hadn’t been so stubborn, I would have seen you were scared. That didn’t even occur to me.”

“Well, now you know.” She rested her hand on his jaw, and the prickle of his beard scratched her skin.

He turned his face to press a kiss to her palm. “Duly noted.” His voice was gruff and raspy.

Coffee would fix that, as she had learned from the past two mornings.

“We should get going. I’ll give Nate a call and give him a heads-up that we’re coming over.”

His hand cupped the back of her neck, and his lips sealed softly against hers. She pulled away and slapped her hand against her mouth. Her other hand pressed against his chest, holding him at bay. He frowned at her.

“I haven’t brushed my teeth.” Her mouth was dry and gritty. He didn’t need to smell her morning breath.

He laughed. The fine lines on his face multiplied, and his eyes sparked with amusement. “We can stop at the drugstore and buy some necessities if you want.”

“Yes, after we get coffee.”

“Keep sweet-talking me like that, and we’ll be eloping.”

Her breath hitched, and her heart stuttered. He pinched her chin with his thumb and forefinger. He was kidding, undoubtedly. Nevertheless, pictures of what life with Cal could be like danced through her mind. Waking up to that bristly beard and thick voice every morning, his calm hands coasting over her body.

She could get used to that.

She was getting used to that.

They climbed out of the truck. The sun had crept into the sky, the winter air brisk and chilly. Lana reached her hands high over her head and held on to the truck as she stretched her legs. Cal’s stretch was much quicker. He grabbed his phone out of the center console and placed it to his ear. He paced around the empty parking lot as he spoke to Nate.

Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Needles prickled her throat when she swallowed. She needed a drink of water, bad. Cal had said he kept food in a bag in the back seat. Maybe he had a bottle of water. Not waiting for him to finish, she opened the back door. There, on the floor tucked under the seat, was a black duffel bag. She pulled it out and unzipped it. A thick pullover sweater and a change of men’s clothes sat on top. She pulled it out and dropped it on the seat.

Her eyes went back to the contents.

She gasped. Her hands clasped over her mouth.

Bundles and bundles of cash crowded the bag. Water bottles and snack foods lay scattered beneath. She reached in and pulled out one of the bundles of hundred-dollar bills, her fingers spreading the edges. There had to be almost a hundred thousand dollars there.

Cal’s footsteps scuffed across the pavement. She wheeled around as he rounded the open door. “What the hell is this?” She slapped the bundle against his chest, then yanked her hand away from the tainted money.

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