Chapter 27
27
Oh God. Ani was crying. Goddamn it. He ought to run after that dickhead and punch him in the fucking jaw.
No, he should stay out of it. Maybe Ani was experiencing some kind of regret about the end of her marriage. Maybe John’s appearance here had reminded her of all the reasons she’d loved him, even though he’d done such a scummy thing.
Gil should get out of here. Leave her alone.
But he couldn’t do that. He didn’t trust John. The guy seemed like a dolt. What if he’d been followed here? The man was clearly a weak link unfit to kiss Ani’s little toe.
Not that he was biased or anything. Or ruled by emotion.
Gil came to a decision. Instead of standing here with his thumb up his ass, he’d step out and give her some space. He could stand guard in the hallway, like the simple bodyguard John saw him as.
But when he moved toward the door, Ani did something he hadn’t expected, hadn’t dreamed of. She ran toward him and flung her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed into his chest. “He was so out of line to insult you like that. He was jealous, but that’s no excuse. You aren’t all brawn no brains. That’s so ridiculous, and I’m so embarrassed I could cry.” She gave a sound that was half-laugh, half-sob. “I mean, I am crying. I don’t know why and I can’t stop.”
Slowly, tentatively, he looped his arms around her, but loosely, since he still didn’t know what she needed right now. “Second thoughts?” His suggestion came in a rough voice. He didn’t want it to be so, but if she was having regrets, he needed to know.
“What?” She drew away, her dark eyes huge with tears. “Second thoughts about what?”
He gestured with his head toward the door, half-wondering if John was out there eavesdropping.
“ John? ” Her laugh held nothing but incredulity. “No regrets. Okay, a little regret that I let a situation that was making me miserable drag on for so long. And that I didn’t see what a weak person he is. No, I’m just…I’m embarrassed. I’m worried he hurt your feelings.”
“Hurt my feelings?” He laughed out loud. “How could that dude hurt my feelings?”
“He was slinging insults at you…”
“You think I care what he thinks?” He cupped her chin in his hand and tipped her face toward him. “I care what you think. That doesn’t extend to him. Besides, it’s not easy to pass the DSS test. I might not be my genius brother, but I’m smart enough.”
She blinked back a tear that threatened to spill, and ran her tongue over her lips. “I swear I’m not usually the emotional-meltdown type. I don’t cry on anyone’s shoulder except those of my friends, and only on really bad days.”
“Sweetheart, if you need to cry, you go on and cry.” Where had that “sweetheart” come from? He didn’t normally use endearments like that with women. But it had slipped out so naturally. If she noticed, she didn’t show it.
“It’s not because of him. It really isn’t. He just doesn’t mean that much to me anymore. I was just afraid…” She reached up and touched his hair. “Afraid he’d ruin something else for me. I was afraid you’d want to stay far away from me after seeing my messy ex.”
A boulder shifted inside him. The weight on his heart—the fear that she was still attached to John—evaporated. In its place there was a giddy sense of hope.
“Fuck that,” he said bluntly. “The only thing that could make me stay away from you is…you.”
In a flash, his mouth was on hers, or maybe hers was on his, it was such a simultaneous move that he wasn’t sure who had initiated it. He dove into the soft velvet of her mouth, the salt of her tears giving their kiss a depth that turned his head. How far would he go for this woman? How deep would he go? What if there was no limit?
His better judgment battled with his lust. He wanted to put those condoms to use right now. Maybe he could climax her tears away. But there were other considerations right now, even more urgent ones.
Reluctantly, still savoring the taste of her, he drew away. “We need to move.”
“What? Why?” She looked drugged from that kiss; he wanted a permanent portrait of her just like that mounted in his brain.
“The tracker. They know you’re here.”
Her smile dropped. “Yes, okay, you’re right. We’ll leave the tracker here so they think we’re holed up having fun.”
“That’s the idea. There’s more.”
He told her about his trip to Victor’s house, the people watching it, and what the checkout girl had told him. “I think we should sneak away from here and get to Firelight Ridge. I think Victor went back to Smoky Lake.”
After a few moments, she nodded. “And so we say goodbye to yet another hotel room. It’s fine, this room has bad vibes now anyway. You’re right, let’s get out of here. One thing, though.” She planted a hand on his chest and gave him a look filled with so much scorching heat that his skin flushed. “Promise me we’ll sleep somewhere tonight where we can use those damn condoms.”
Hell. Yes.