Page 18 of True Valor
Nic yanked his suitcase down from the closetshelf, opened it on the bed, and tossed his clothes in the generaldirection.He looked over when Julie stopped moving and stared athim.
“What?”
“Where are we going, Nic?”
“Please, baby, just pack.”His use of thewordbabyand the intensity of it surprised him.
It must have surprised her as well.Her looksoftened before she turned toward the bathroom to scoop up theirthings.
“What about the food?”Julie asked as theygathered their coats.
“Leave the food.”He hadn’t meant to sound socaustic.He tugged his stocking cap out of the pocket of his parka.“Here, put this on.Stick all your hair up inside.”
Julie stepped back, her quizzical lookchanging to one of alarm.When he reached out for her, she pulledaway.“You’re scaring me, Nic.”
“Good.Put this on.”
She didn’t step forward to take the hat,looked like she was digging in for a battle.Damn she wasexasperating.What did she think?That he was going to take herinto the woods and kill her?
Nic sighed.“Julie, if I was going to hurtyou, I’d have done it by now.And, if I’m going to keep you safe,you have to come with me.”
Julie reached for the hat, not looking up,then put it on, pulling it down over her ears.
“Ready?”he asked.
“Sure.”Her eyes glinted with challenge.Ashe pulled the door closed behind them, she spoke again.“Where arewe going?”
“Just keep moving.”
She turned abruptly.He almost mowed herdown.Now she stood, her face inches from his, looking up at himwith a stony glare.“I’m not moving ‘til you tell me where we’regoing.”
“We’re going to Redding,” he said, his jawclenched.
“Really?Why Redding?”
“Damn it, Julie—”
She wasn’t budging.Her eyes flared.Her bodystiffened.She even stomped her little foot.“Why Redding?”
For an insane moment, Nic had the urge tokiss her and never stop.Instead, he inched toward the elevator,leaning, anxious.He was trapped by this conversation.The deputycould be on his way up here right now.The desk clerk could haverecognized Julie from the picture.Or he could have talked to theclerk in the shop where Julie’d bought the clothes.She had theroom number.
And her highness was being difficult.
Crap!Crap!Crap!Crap!
“Because that’s where you live.”
Nic clenched his jaw around the words, but itwas too late.They were already out there.The cat was out of thebag.The look on Julie’s face, confusion transformed to revelation,spoke volumes.For an instant, her hand moved to the wall, as ifsteadying her world.Then, as she realized that he knew a lot morethan he’d told her, anger and mistrust surfaced.
“There isn’t time now to either argue orexplain.We’ll talk in the car.Now move, Cinderella.”
They made it out of the parking lot and tothe highway running through downtown Tahoe before Julie spoke.
“How long have you known?”It came out almostin a whisper.She wouldn’t look at him.
Nic scanned the rear-view mirror, lookingfor...what?“A few hours.”
“Please pull the car over, Nic.”Juliesnatched the hat from her head and finger combed her hair.
