Chapter 7
After an unexpectedly good night’s sleep, followed by a hot shower, Taylor was ready to take on any challenge life threw at her, including the steak and eggs Rhys had ordered for her breakfast. She only had herself to blame—he’d asked, and she’d told him she’d have whatever he had.
He was a man and former military, so she should have known it would be wall-to-wall protein.
“Don’t let it get cold,” he warned.
They were eating together in Rhys’ room again. Taylor stuck her fork into the pile of fluffy scrambled eggs. “I won’t.”
“I hope it’s okay.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry.” She popped the fork into her mouth and then cut a piece of the perfect steak. She was about to eat it when she realized Rhys was watching her. “What’s wrong?”
“You said it was fine. When a woman tells me something is fine, it’s usually time to duck and cover.”
“Sounds to me like you’re speaking from personal experience.”
He slanted her a look, the kind that said he was about to share.
“I forget exactly what started it, but when Cerys told me that—that she was fine—my parents got into an argument about whether they needed to take me to A he had no intention of disabusing her of the notion, given how effectively the shades he was wearing concealed how often he was glancing in her direction.
So, having left El Paso behind, they were now on their way to Tucson, where they were scheduled to spend the second night of their road trip.
So far, from a professional perspective this assignment had proved to be a walk in the park—Rhys hoped it would remain so until the situation was resolved, and they could return to Honey Fields to resume their respective lives.
Traffic on the interstate was sparse—not unlike conversation in the pickup, which dwindled away completely when Taylor made herself comfortable in the corner between the seat and the door, and fell asleep.
She too was wearing sunglasses, but from the way her breathing changed, he had no doubt she’d genuinely dozed off.
With so few signs of human life around, not to mention the distinctly monotonous vista of dirt and scrub stretching to the distant hills, it was easy to let a portion of his mind wander back to the moment he’d first laid eyes on Taylor that morning.
The impact on his senses had been nuclear.
Her perfume scored the initial hit—light, floral, and fresh.
Hot on its heels had been the stunning combination of a pink t-shirt, blue jeans, and boots.
Nothing fancy, but the outfit made one heck of an impression because of the way it highlighted her glorious curves.
The surge of desire she ignited in him sure as hell put a strain on the groin area of his pants.
Then there was the woman herself. Hair that fell in glossy waves around her shoulders.
The warm, golden-brown color reminded him of his mam-gu’s antique Welsh dresser.
Memories of the bottomless tin of sweets she used to keep on the top shelf triggered a smile.
The old lady had been so proud when he passed the selection process to join the SAS.