Page 57 of Infected By Virus

Time hung suspended, and they stayed there against the tree, forehead to forehead until he slid from her body.

“Look.”

“What?” She dropped her legs and turned in his arms. Facing the tree, searching where he was pointing above her head.

Reaching up, she traced her fingers along the heart with the initials DW+AJ.

“It’s still here.” She hadn’t thought about that in years.

“Yeah, babe. And so are we.” He kissed her head. “Let’s get dressed and go grab that pasta, huh?”

“Um, no thank you,” she answered as she picked up her clothes from around the clearing. “Not my idea of fun to search for farfalle on aisle nine while your,” she indicated her crotch, “you know, oozes out with every step.”

Virus started laughing so hard, she thought he’d pass out. Once they were dressed and he was recovered, he caught her in his arms.

“I never thought you could make anything about what we did sound so unsexy, but I swear if you ever use the word ooze again when it comes to your junk or mine, I’ll have to spank your ass raw.”

Their kiss was intimate, but not carnal. “Yeah, well, if you ever call it junk again, I’ll spank yours.”

“The fuck you will.”

He helped put her helmet on and they made their way back to Harmon’s.

Virus walked her to the door like a gentleman, but when he tried to come in, she held him back.

“What? I thought this was a dinner date. You’re not gonna feed me now? You’re a spaghetti tease, that’s what you are.”

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t fucked me senseless in the woods, we’d have had time for dinner. How about we save the dinner for tomorrow and make it a family thing? You, me, and Adam.”

The smile that crossed his face transformed his whole essence. She didn’t realize what she’d said that made him so happy until he spoke.

“Family.” He kissed her hard and loud before dancing back off the porch. “Fuck yeah.”

Rae stood with her hands on her hips long after his taillight disappeared.

When she turned to go into the house, a hand covered her mouth from behind and she felt what she suspected was a gun against her back.

“If you fight, I’ll kill the brat.”

Barker? No way he had Adam. He was safe with Virus’s friends. Wasn’t he?

“Adam’s not with you.” It came out with less confidence than she’d hoped.

“You sure about that, Sunny?” He sneered the nickname Darrin had given her years ago. “Do you wanna take that chance? Come with me, and I’ll send him back to his father. Alive and kicking. If not …” He left the threat unspoken.

Rae was ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure that Adam was safe with Hook and Nova, but it was the point one percent that had her nodding and allowing him to lead her away.

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