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Her brow pinched. “No. I mean, I don’t want to go there every night because what’s the point of living on my own if I don’t have my own space? But with everything…”
She trailed off, then she forced a bright smile. “Besides, I can’t complain about seeing my family two days in a row.”
She bounced over to her giant bag that she’d left on the island and tossed the straps over her shoulder. “Ready.”
My throat tightened. “Are you going to drive?”
Uncertainty bound up her gorgeous face. “Did you want me to? I figured I’d just ride with you. You know, like I normally do? No need for us to go separate since I’m supposed to be attached to your hip.”
She knew on Church nights I would always have my bike. No matter what. A symbol of who I was.
“Besides, this girl plans on having a beer or two.” She shimmied her shoulders.
Fuck me.
“I just thought you might not want to ride dressed like that.” I basically croaked it.
Her brows hiked up beneath her dark bangs. “You act like I have never been on the back of a motorcycle in a dress before.”
“You might burn yourself.”
She scowled. “Says the man who taught me exactly how to ride on a motorcycle without hurting myself. And I was on your bike just this morning. What’s up with you?”
“Just trying to be cautious, Elena.”
God knew I couldn’t allow myself to end up in the same position we’d been in this morning.
Wasn’t sure I could stop myself again.
Not when the urge to take it further had slammed me from all sides. Forcing myself from that bed had been fuckin’ agony.
“We need to roll. Church is in fifteen.”
“You don’t have to twist my arm.”
She was back to easy the way she so often did. Like the world’s troubles couldn’t catch her. Her trust unfailingly fierce and sure.
She reiterated that belief by leaning toward me as she passed. “Don’t worry, Heathen, I’ll hold on tight.”
Therein lay the problem.
Those arms and that body and that trusting heart.
She went for the door. My arm darted out in front of her, and my voice cracked low. “Let me make sure it’s clear.”
She rocked back on her boot heels, and her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip when she realized what I was worried about. “Okay.”
I knew last night she’d been wound up about my safety on the run, but the whole time I’d never stopped thinking about her.
About what and who might be waiting for us when we returned back to her apartment.
I pulled back the drape to peer out into the descending night.
The streetlamps had flickered on, and a jaundiced glow crawled across the sleeping parking lot.
I saw the woman who lived with her young daughter in the building on the farthest right leaned into the backseat, buckling the child in.
Worry bound up my insides at the sight of them. Never liked it when someone had to go it alone, not when I knew the true depths of depravity that ran rampant.
