Page 4 of Love on the Run

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said, still smiling. She liked the planes of his face, though she wished he’d smile again. He had a much warmer smile than…who? She remembered being with someone else, someone who didn’t make her feel so warm.

They finally rolled to a stop, gravel crunching beneath the tires.

“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” Callie said, peering outside and seeing nothing. The night was black as pitch, especially to her unadjusted vision.

“Yep. That’s the way I like it.”

Callie felt a little stab of fear, even through the beautiful cloud of whatever had taken the pain away. Something jogged her memory. “You’re not going to kill me and hide my body in the middle of nowhere, are you? I’m so sick of that.”

The guy, Jake, froze in the act of opening his door. “What?”

“You could just be pretending to be sweet. People lie all the time.”

“I don’t,” he said flatly, staring at her with a new expression.

“Yousay. But that could be a lie.” Callie found the effort of using logic to be exhausting. She heard his door open and slam shut. She was utterly alone, with only the cloud to make her happy and calm. But the cloud wasn’t working as well now…Callie tried to remember how she got so calm. She had been very worried, not so long ago.

Her door opened. The guy stood there, just looking at her for a minute. Then he said, very slowly, “Callie, you’re safe here. I promise.”

She looked back at him through her hazy vision. She wanted to believe him. “Okay.”

He helped her out of the car, bearing most of her weight. Even so, Callie found standing very difficult, and he saw that walking would be impossible.

“I’m going to carry you, okay?” He picked her up with little effort. Callie giggled again.

“You pick up girls all the time?”

“Not hardly.” The thought made him smile a little.

“Well, you’re good at it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her head fall on his shoulder. He smelled warm, like coffee and spices.

“Thank you.” He got her inside the house, somehow. Callie began to slide into sleep, images of the house becoming fractured, dreamy. Her focus wavered. Dimly, she remembered a voice telling her that she was given something that would make her drowsy. That voice had sure been right.

She was carried into a room. She tried to listen when he asked her something. But she just didn’t know anything. She drifted.

“Callie?” A voice broke in, calling her back. She had no idea how much time had gone by since she was in the car with…who was he? The one who said she’d be safe. “Callie. Sorry, honey, I have to do this. Can you be awake for a minute?”

What was he asking her? Callie opened her eyes, and saw a man standing very close to her, holding her so she faced him. She was sitting on a ledge, or a counter, inches from him. He was gorgeous, and she loved his eyes, so sweet with unnecessary concern for her. She smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him.

Callie felt warmth like a summer’s day spreading through her when her lips touched his. She put her arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer. Dimly, she realized she wasn’t wearing her shirt any longer. Well, that was fine. He was so alive, and beautiful. She should really try to keep him. She opened her mouth when she felt him tighten his grip around her, his hands automatically pressing her lower back so that she rose toward him, hungry for a deeper kiss. She didn’t want it to end.

His tongue tasted her lower lip for a moment, tantalizingly light. His body was simultaneously tense and accepting under her hands, the muscles of his shoulders slowly relaxing, as if he’d been waiting for her. Callie sighed in contentment, so happy.

Then he abruptly broke off the kiss. He stepped away, his arms out full-length to hold her steady, hands still on her arms, but suddenly apart from her. Distant. Callie didn’t know what she’d done wrong.

The man stared at her, his face a mask, but his breathing unsteady. “You’re not…yourself. Go to sleep. I’ll put you to bed.”

“With you?” She smiled again.

“No.” The man reacted almost violently to her question. “Jesus…”

“But…” she protested softly.

“You’re not awake, honey,” he insisted, staying utterly apart from her, even as he held her steady. “For God’s sake, please go to sleep.”

2

---