Page 27 of Bullets and Blood
“Yeah.Because disappearing into the national parks makes more sense than making a truce and sleeping with my enemy.”Nix took the scarf out of Lance’s hand and dropped it in the trolley.He looped a purple one about his neck instead.“There is something we need to discuss.”
“What?”
“If you go back, you’ll be questioned.”
Lance nodded.“My aunt will ensorcell me to get the truth.”
“Yeah.I can muddy your memory, so you’ll forget me.”It was the only way he could protect Lance.
“You’ve done it before?”
“Just once.”It had nearly killed him to lose the man he’d been with for a year, but there was nothing else he could do.
“So my options are run or forget.”
“Or shoot me.”That was still an option.All he’d wanted was time and maybe make it hard for Lance to hurt him…that he cared what happened to Lance after was a rather uncomfortable thorn in his side.
“I should’ve said no.”
“You shouldn’t have left your number.”
“Now you know why I have no fangs.”Lance’s lips turned down.
Nix stole a kiss.“For what it’s worth, I don’t think you need fangs.”
“You’re just saying that so I don’t shoot you.”
He grinned.“I think I’m done.You want that scarf?”
“Yeah.Are you actually going to pay for it?That must be over three grand worth of gear.”
As much as he wanted to know how fast the response would be, a small part of him fully expected an Orlan-run tactical team to descend on the store before he’d finished punching in his pin.
“Are you worried I’ll run before our truce is over?”Nix grabbed the ends of the scarf, pulled him closer, and ignored the cough from the sales assistant who was watching them rather too intently.
“I wish you would.”Lance’s lips moved against his.“Then I could chase you forever.”
That was almost the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to Nix.He smiled and pressed closer.Lance slid a hand around his waist and held him.He didn’t want the truce to ever end.They were both fools, living on borrowed time.But borrowed time was some of the best time.It was the repayments that sucked.
ChapterSeventeen
Lance staredup at the red sky, his head in Nix’s lap and Nix’s fingers threaded through his hair.Nix’s nose was burned, and his legs dangled over the edge of the cliff, but he didn’t seem to care.One careless move, and they both went over the edge.As long as Lance didn’t look down, he was fine.
It had taken two hours for Scott to call him and tell him Nix had used his card at the camping store and that he’d taken out a wad of cash from an ATM.Lance knew because he’d been standing there at the time.Nix had been with him during the call, and Lance had played his part, surmising that Nix knew they were closing in and was running.If he went bush, they’d never get him.That had resulted in a stern warning that Lance had better not come home empty-handed.He’d been tempted to say he was never coming home.But he’d held his tongue.
Nix took a sip of wine.His open shirt fluttered in the breeze.His own shirt was somewhere on the grass behind Nix, and the top button of his pants was still undone.The picnic had been forgotten halfway through the eating.
Lance took the glass out of Nix’s hand and had a sip.“What are you pondering?”
“Nothing.”
“You look like you’re pondering.”There was a distance in Nix’s eyes that had nothing to do with the way he watched the horizon.
Nix rolled his eyes.“That I could launch us both off the cliff.”
His heart lurched.That hadn’t been what Lance had been expecting.He sat up, back to the setting sun, and put his arm around Nix as though he could keep him from being reckless.“I’d die.”
Which would solve all of his problems.Who didn’t imagine what it would be like to jump?That was the reason so many people stood well back, in case the thought became an urge they couldn’t resist.He risked a glance over his shoulder to look down at the rocks below and the waves crashing against them.
