She gulped, loudly. “I thought you didn’t have a condom.” Her voice shook on a tremor as his fingers moved over her clit. Her breath sucked in roughly.
“I don’t. But I’m sure not letting you go to sleep horny.”
The comment earned him a pinch on his hand that rested near hers. He stifled a laugh. He moved away from where she throbbed, and pushed his hand down the back of her pants, picking up where he left off—only this time pushing her panties aside. She jerked against him when he separated her folds and worked his fingertip inside her.
She moaned and curled tighter against him. She was hot and wet, and his finger pressed in and out slowly.
“Cal—” She panted against him, and her back arched. His body hummed, wanting inside her more than anything he’d wanted in his life. Later, when he had a condom, he would make up for it.
“Just relax, baby. I want you to come nice and slow this time.” He loved how sexual she was. How she panted and grew wet right before she came with his name on her lips.
Her breath was rough and raspy. He delved deeper, filling her up and then pulling his finger out. She fisted her hand in his sweater, her nails biting into his chest. He spread her more, letting the very tip of his middle finger tease its entry.
She cried out when he joined it with the other one. She throbbed around him, coating his fingers in her orgasm. Her body turned boneless against him, her breathing still raspy and sharp, until slowly, it regulated. He pressed another kiss to her head and withdrew his hand.
“Go to sleep now.”
He tightened his hold around her, trying to still the throb in his own body. Tomorrow, they would do this right.
Chapter 14
Lana woke to Cal’s lips on her forehead. Her eyes snapped open. Sunlight blasted through the windshield, blinding her. Small white puffs dotted the air from their breaths. Frost and fog lined the windows. Cal’s hand held hers on his chest; his other arm was drawn tightly around her hip. Beneath the blanket, she was toasty and warm against the heat of his body.
“Did you sleep at all?” His voice was gruff, his breath warm on the top of her head.
“Better than I did the other night.” She stretched her knees out. Her hip locked, shooting pain down her leg. As much as she loved sleeping with Cal, staying in the cramped position for hours had left her body sore.
He shifted beneath her. “My arm is asleep.”
“Oh, sorry.” She sat up on his lap. His hand went to the shoulder, massaging it. He smiled at her, and his lips lifted lazily. His five o’clock shadow was thick and full. The sun caught his green eyes, the hazel flecks catching the rays. God, he was sexy. She smoothed her bedhead down and straightened her sweater.
“Why didn’t you sleep the other night at the cabin?” His brow furrowed, his tone curious as his hand brushed her cheek.
She shrugged. “It’s a little hard to sleep when you know someone was planning to murder you.” She strived for humor, but her voice shook.
His eyes clouded over. “You don’t need to be scared, honey.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“Wait a minute.” The crease in his forehead deepened. “Is that why you wanted me to sleep with you?”
She pinched his shoulder. He yelped and rubbed the area. “What did I say?”
“You make it sound like I was begging you. You were horribly uncomfortable in that chair, yet you acted like I was going to bite you.”
He chuckled.
“It’s not funny.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you bit me, that’s all.” He winked at her.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“You should know by now that I was in physical agony. Being around you and not being able to touch you is torture.” Her heart fluttered softly in her chest. If only this was a profession of his actual feelings for her and not just lust. She wasn’t complaining, though. Lust was better than nothing.
“I guess it was a losing battle, wasn’t it?” His hand reached behind her, grabbing the lever to put the chair in a sitting position. “If I hadn’t been so stubborn, I would have seen you were scared. That didn’t even occur to me.”
“Well, now you know.” She rested her hand on his jaw, and the prickle of his beard scratched her skin. He turned his face to press a kiss to her palm.
“Duly noted.” His voice was gruff and raspy. Coffee would fix that, as she had learned from the past two mornings. “We should get going. I’ll give Nate a call and give him a heads-up that we’re coming over.”
His hand cupped the back of her neck, and his lips sealed softly against hers. She pulled away and slapped her hand against her mouth. Her other hand pressed against his chest, holding him at bay. He frowned at her.
“I haven’t brushed my teeth.” Her mouth was dry and gritty. He didn’t need to smell her morning breath.
He laughed. The fine lines on his face multiplied, and his eyes sparked with amusement. “We can stop at the drugstore and buy some necessities if you want.”
“Yes, after we get coffee.”
“Keep sweet-talking me like that, and we’ll be eloping.” Her breath hitched, and her heart stuttered. He pinched her chin with his thumb and forefinger. He was kidding, undoubtedly. Nevertheless, pictures of what life with Cal could be like danced through her mind. Waking up to that bristly beard and thick voice every morning, his calm hands coasting over her body.
She could get used to that.
She was getting used to that.
They climbed out of the truck. The sun had crept into the sky, the winter air brisk and chilly. Lana stretched her hands high over her head and held on to the truck as she stretched her legs. Cal’s stretch was much quicker. He grabbed his phone out of the center console and placed it to his ear. He paced around the empty parking lot as he spoke to Nate.
Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Needles prickled her throat when she swallowed. She needed a drink of water, bad. Cal had said he kept food in a bag in the back seat. Maybe he had a bottle of water. Not waiting for him to finish, she opened the back door. There, on the floor tucked under the seat, was a black duffel bag. She pulled it out and unzipped it. A thick pullover sweater and a change of men’s clothes sat on top. She pulled it out and dropped it on the seat.
Her eyes went back to the contents.
She gasped. Her hands clasped over her mouth.
Bundles and bundles of cash crowded the bag. Water bottles and snack foods lay scattered beneath. She reached in and pulled out one of the bundles of hundred-dollar bills, her fingers spreading the edges. There had to be almost a hundred thousand dollars there.
Cal’s footsteps scuffed across the pavement. She wheeled around as he rounded the open door. “What the hell is this?” She slapped the bundle against his chest, then yanked her hand away from the tainted money.
His eyes darkened. He tossed the money into the bag behind her. “It’s money.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I was looking for a bottle of water.” Why was she explaining herself to him? “I found that. Why are you carrying so much money around?” Her throat tightened. Had he lied to her? Was there something he wasn’t telling her?
He stood close, his shoulders so wide she couldn’t see the parking lot beyond. Her breath sucked in. He reached behind her and pulled out two water bottles, then put everything back in the bag and zipped it up. “Here,” he said, handing her one of the bottles. “Get in so we can leave.” His tone was terse.
She folded her arms in front of her chest. “I’d rather you answer my question.”
“I plan to. In the truck.”
She accepted the water and climbed in the passenger’s seat. He got in, started the engine, and turned to her instead of pulling away. “I had to accept the money, Lana. Otherwise, they would have suspected I wasn’t going to complete the job. They
were to pay me the remainder later.”
Her stomach churned. Later, as in after he’d killed her. She believed him. It made perfect sense, yet nausea threatened to take hold. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
One dark eyebrow rose. “I told you Stamos had hired me, remember? What do you think he was paying me with? Coupons?”
She squinted at him. Her lips pursed. “Of course not. But there’s a big difference between telling me that and carting around a hundred grand in the vehicle with us.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I meant to tell you about it at my house, but everything got out of hand after that.”
Realization dawned on her. “That’s why you said that they had destroyed your house looking for the money.”
“Yup.”
She hadn’t had the chance to ask him about it. It had never occurred to her that “the money” had anything to do with her. “How much did they pay you?”
“They offered to pay me one hundred fifty thousand. Half up front, half later.”
She swallowed over the hard lump that had formed in her throat. The other half—after she was dead. That wasn’t chump change. That was serious money. The air grew so thick in the vehicle that she couldn’t draw any into her tight lungs. The seat belt rubbed against her neck, much too tight. She pulled it away.
Cal’s hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Are you okay?” He gave her a shake.
She wouldn’t fall apart. Not now. She nodded and concentrated on slowing her thumping heart. She brought her eyes to his. “I’m fine.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “It’s okay to be upset.”
Her hands twisted in her lap.
“It’s damn scary. You’ve done a hell of a job holding up. I’ve seen grown men break down over less—men who are used to this shit.” His hand found hers and squeezed. “I admire your strength, but it’s just me here. You can trust me.”
She squirmed under the scrutiny of his gaze. He was right. She was strong. She lived under constant judgment and scrutiny. She’d had no choice but to grow a thick skin.
“I do trust you, very much.”
He smiled and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “You sure about that?” His breath caressed the back of her hand. “You looked pretty pissed off when you saw the money.”
She tried to hide her smile, but couldn’t. “I wasn’t pissed. But it did raise some questions.”
“Ah, the truth comes out.”
She gripped his hand tight. “I do trust you, Cal. It’s just hard to let certain guards down.”
“Showing weakness?”
She took a deep, shuddering breath. “Apparently. I never realized it was a problem until now.”
“It’s not a problem. As long as you know you can trust me, I’m happy. I don’t want you feeling like you have to bottle things up.” He pressed a firm kiss to her mouth. This time, she didn’t push him away. “Not with me, okay?”
She nodded.
“Alright. Now, let’s go get some coffee before I start having withdrawals.”
She laughed as they pulled out of the parking lot. They found a coffee shop first, and then stopped at a twenty-four-hour drugstore.
“Maybe just I should go in.” Cal unbuckled his seat belt. It was just past 6 a.m. The store was quiet. The chances of anyone recognizing her at this hour were slim.
“I’ll come, too. I need a few personal items.”
He reached in the back and pulled out the baseball cap. “Let’s be quick, okay. We can’t chance anyone seeing you.”
She nodded and followed him into the store. She made a beeline for the makeup department, and Cal headed to look for the other items. She was sick of not wearing makeup. After grabbing a few basic cosmetics, she hurried to the checkout counter where Cal waited. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, and condoms sat on the counter waiting for her. Her cheeks burned. She shot him a withering look, and dropped her makeup on the counter. He hid his chuckle on a cough. She elbowed him in the ribs.
“Excuse me, miss?” A hesitant voice spoke behind her.
Lana stiffened and turned. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Her breath caught. She had Cal’s baseball cap on, and she still wore his oversized sweatshirt, but dammit, she had been distracted by the condoms and hadn’t kept her head down.
Cal circled his arm around her and brought her close. “I’m sorry, ma’am. She doesn’t speak English.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. She has such a familiar face.” Cal smiled warmly at the older woman, but didn’t continue the conversation. He was quick. Had Cal not been there, she wouldn’t have known what to say.
Lana dropped her gaze to her feet, Cal paid, and together they left.
Cal opened her door and hustled her in, then circled around to the driver’s side.
“You were right. I shouldn’t have gone in.”
“It’s alright. She probably won’t remember. But we need to get moving.” He clicked his seat belt and pulled out of the parking lot.
She kept the hat on, and sat back in the seat, sipping her mocha latte. Cal had bought condoms. And not just a small convenience-sized pack. It had been a value pack. For her? She frowned down at her cup. Not likely. For all she knew, he’d run out and was just stocking up.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into Nate’s driveway. He had a nice brick home on the west side. It wasn’t as large as Cal’s, but it was secluded and well-manicured. Cal took her hand when they got out and led her up the front steps. Nate opened the door before Cal knocked.
“Morning.” Nate’s light brown hair was tousled, his hazel eyes bright and cheery for the early hour. “Come on in.”
They entered the tiled foyer and followed Nate to the kitchen at the back of the house. The aroma of frying eggs and bacon greeted them. Her mouth watered.
“I figured you’d be hungry. Have a seat.” He gestured to the granite island in the center of the kitchen.
Her eyes widened at the food on the counter. “Oh my. You didn’t have to cook for us.”
Cal pulled out a chair for her and she sat.
“Of course I did. You guys had one hell of a night. And unlike my asshole friend over here, I never let a woman wake up hungry.” Nate winked at her. “Toast?”
“Please.”
He filled her plate and set it down in front of her. Her deeply ingrained manners told her to wait for them before she started eating. Her stomach rumbled. Screw it. She dug in.
“Nate is full of shit. He’s never had a woman stay here before. He kicks them out long before breakfast.”
Lana pinched her lips tight on a giggle. She took a bite of toast as Nate passed Cal a full plate and began fixing his own.
Nate laughed mischievously. “Go ahead, broadcast my commitment issues. Cal here is the king of those.”
Lana’s eyes rose to Cal’s still-standing form. His jaw worked.
“He’s going to kick my ass now. Let me reword that. He was the king, before he met you, honey.”
“Don’t call her honey,” Cal ground out. “And you can shut up anytime now.”
Click, click, click, click, click.
“What’s that noise?” Lana looked around.
“That’s Rufus. He likes to sleep in. He either heard you guys, or he finally smells the breakfast.”
A big Doberman came barreling down the hall, straight for her. His tongue hung out and his tail wagged as he slapped his paws up on her lap. She laughed and reached to scratch his ears.
“Oh, he’s such a sweetheart.”
“Careful, he’s a killer.” Nate’s tone was dry.
She laughed. “I can see that.”
“Roof, lie down.” The dog gave her hand a big lick, then settled at her feet. Nate grinned. “He’s a ladies’ man.”
Nate stood at the island across from them and too
k a big bite of scrambled eggs. “I have the guest room all ready for you guys, it’s just off the living room. You might want to grab a couple more hours of sleep.” He took another bite. “Don’t worry. My room is on the other side of the house. These walls are thick.”
A piece of toast lodged in her throat. She coughed, dropping her fork to her plate to cover her mouth. Cal passed her a glass of water. At the moment, sleep sounded more heavenly than sex.
Cal shook his head at Nate. “You’re such an ass.”
When they finished eating, Cal got his bag from the vehicle and led her to the spare room. A nice king-sized bed took up the center of the room. Cal opened a door off the bedroom. “There’s a bathroom in here. Feel free to take a shower and change into something else. I think I have an extra shirt in my bag.” He dropped it on the floor.
A shower could wait. She shuffled over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and got in. A soft smile touched Cal’s lips. He pulled the heavy brown curtains shut and approached the side of the bed. He lifted the covers to her chin and pressed a kiss to her mouth.
“I’m going to go pick our stuff up from the hotel. Get some rest, and I’ll see you in a bit.”
Her eyes closed before she could respond.
Chapter 15
“You did it, didn’t you? You rascal.” Nate stood in the kitchen with his arms folded across his chest, a stupid grin on his face.
Cal scowled at him. “What the hell are you rambling about?”
“You slept with her. I can see it on your face.”
Cal shook his head and poured a cup of coffee from the pot on the counter. “None of your damn business.”
Nate pumped his fist in the air. “Yes. I knew you had it in you, bud.”
Cal took a swig of the strong brew as Nate slapped him on the shoulder. The hot liquid splashed his face. “I can tell you’re happier, not as tightly wound. I’m proud of you.”
“Would you can it? I’m too tired for your shit.” He grabbed a napkin and wiped the coffee off his cheek. His brows pinched at Nate. He was getting on his last nerve.
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