Page 46 of Hidden Dane
Good. He picked up his phone and pressed the map button. In a few seconds, they were guided toward the closest hotel—less than a mile away. “We can try again tomorrow.”
She stretched her legs in the passenger seat. “It will be nice to change.” Lightning flashed in the sky. It was good they were getting off the road. “I feel like we lost everything.”
“We have each other.” He offered his hand.
She took it and squeezed. “How is Brady?”
“His fingers will heal—but he’s wearing a cast on his hand.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He turned off the highway and saw a tall white building to the right. Emily said, “Let’s tell Henry we’re here and get him a room.”
Right. He parked the rental car as more lightning flashed in the sky. They’d have to run for it. He opened his door and raced out, opening hers. “Still bossy,” he said. “Part of your charm.”
She got out but stalled at the passenger door. Thunder crashed as she lifted her chin in defiance and said, “Look, you take me as I am or not at all.”
Rain began to pelt their skin. They ran toward the hotel next to each other as she refused to let him cover her head. Once they were under the building’s awning, he asked, “Why is it always your way or nothing, Em?”
She walked beside him but glanced up at him. “Are you complaining?”
“I’m just asking.” He held the door open for her. She passed and he headed toward the front desk. “Do you want your own room or to share?”
Her eyes widened and she said, “My own…”
“Okay.” He’d get three rooms for the night as Henry was on his way. He reached the check-in desk.
Emily hurried to the counter and tugged on his arm. “No. Wait. We can share. I don’t want to fight. I’m sorry.”
Fair. They were both tired. He smiled a little at her. “I don’t want to force you to be with me.”
“You aren’t.” She pushed her hair out of her face and smiled back, her shoulder to the hotel clerk. “I want to share. We should talk.”
“Talk?” Dane handed over his credit card and ordered two rooms, writing Henry’s name and information down. When he was done, he tucked his arm around Emily’s waist. “Okay. Let’s go.”
They walked toward the elevator and she lowered her voice so that he had to lean down to hear her. “Dane, one of the reasons I wanted the necklace so bad was because it’s all I had of you for so long.”
The silver door opened and for the first time in hours, he relaxed. Emily was one in a million—he didn’t want to argue either. He followed her into the elevator. “See, now that’s sweet, Em.”
“I’m not always a harpy or hard.” The doors closed.
Fatigue hit like a tornado. He slumped against the back wall for support. “I never said harpy.”
“No, but that was the implication.” Her shoulders hiked, like she wore metal spikes.
The doors opened when they reached their floor. Whatever he’d done to her, he hadn’t meant for her to be hurt. He waited for her to walk out and directed them toward their room. “Emily, when Ted had a gun to your throat, I’d have done anything to trade places. I’m not sorry he’s dead.”
She nodded and said, “He was betrayed by his own. We all are eventually.”
That comment hit like a bullet. He swiped the room door open and held it for her to pass inside as he asked, “Emily, what’s going on with you?”
She rushed all the way into the room and immediately went to the bay windows, closing the blinds to avoid the storm outside that rattled against the glass pane. She turned toward him and hugged her waist. “Dane, now that we’re just giving up and going home, I don’t know if you and I will work out long term. I don’t want either of us to be hurt.”
At that moment he couldn’t move and yet every cell in his body felt alive. She stared at him with chilly blue eyes. He was rigid and tight as he asked, “What are you saying?”
“Nothing but the truth.”
He swallowed, deciding to end this conversation before it went too far. He was too tired to argue fair. He sat on the edge of the bed and untied his shoes. “Let’s just go to bed.”
The pout on her face told him that she’d just spit out any second what she wanted to say. He stilled and glanced at her. “Or not. What is it, Emily?”
