The Promise of Love (11 page)

He gathered her coat and picked up the pair of her socks she’d thrown at him and tossed them at her. She caught them and smiled at his whistle.

“Nice catch, how about you get ready? I’ll go warm up the truck. Get your gloves and hat, too, it might snow.”

She nodded and watched him confidently gather a few things from his bag then bend to kiss her.

“I’ll be quick.”

“No hurry, it’ll give me time to make sure the truck’s warm.”

His thoughtfulness eased the doubts so much that she smiled and blew him a kiss he pretended to catch as he eased out of the room. Immediately quiet descended. He filled a room. That’s what David did. He took all the darkness away and replaced it with his big personality.

She smiled and covered the happy laugh that rose. He did like her. He liked her as much as she liked him—she hoped. Either way, she was staying. She got her boots on, then raced to the bathroom. She rearranged her things and quickly adjusted her braid, tugging it like he did, and smiled wider at the happiness that overflowed her eyes.

Happiness. He did that to me, made me happy. Just breathe. Go with it, and him.

Chapter Six

David started the truck and immediately hit the steering wheel.

She was gonna leave
. He couldn’t believe how right he’d been. She had to think he was after tail and nothing else. Any other time, any other woman, and she’d be right.

Not this time.

He hit the steering wheel again with the palm of his hand. He had to show her a bit more than how much he wanted to make her scream. She never did scream—she had no idea how insane that made him, knowing she was so lost to the pleasure she couldn’t even gather enough breath to shout.

But sex isn’t gonna get her trust, dumbass.

No it isn’t. Use your head.

“Yeah, both, maybe.” He watched her rush out of the side door of the hotel and scan the parking lot. She was so damn pretty that his breath stalled in his throat. Men dreamed of women like Paris. She spotted the truck and him in it. A happy grin broke out on her rosy face. His stomach nosedived as if he’d just done a tricky jump from a low-flying plane. Had anyone ever seemed so happy to see him?

As soon as she got in she scooted over and kissed him, giving him some of her cinnamon flavor. Her toothpaste was minty but she had cinnamon gum—he knew because he’d snooped. Oddly enough, she’d not gone through his bag. He’d left a few things on top of his pants to test her, but he could tell she’d not seen them or she’d be one nervous girl.

“Was that quick enough?”

“I don’t mind waiting, but yeah, you’re fast,” he assured her after he cleared his throat. “Warm enough?”

She took off her jacket, showing him the white scoop neck shirt she’d been wearing when he’d caught her worrying her little head off. He liked it, especially since it was low cut and hung off one shoulder, normally, but now gave him one hell of a view. She bent farther down, having a battle to get her jacket off, but blessing him with a glimpse of a dazzling white lacy bra and her plump breasts rising over the top. He had to adjust his hard-on or get a zipper burn.

“It’s hot in here,” she said, still struggling with her jacket.

He helped her, hiding his grin when she glanced at him. “Yeah, I thought you might be cold.”

“Um, it’s like ninety,” she complained, turning the temp down with a suspicious expression. “What are you up to?”

“Oh ho, so you think you have me figured out, huh?”

“No,” she said defensively, “but you are sneaky.”

Sneaky.
He winked at her. “Damn right.”

“You like that, huh?” she said and bumped his shoulder, cute as heck. “Drive. It’s going to be dark before we even get anywhere.”

“Whoa, princess, no back seat driving. I got this covered. It’s barely noon here. Now, can you hand me a sandwich?”

“What? I thought those were for a picnic?” she asked, giving the time a quick peek to see if he was serious. Then she gave him a puzzled frown. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see. Snacks are in the back,” he reminded her.

She gave him another once-over, making him grin, then glanced over her shoulder to the back seat. He turned, too, but to back up out of his parking space. “I’ll take a tea and that big one,” he reminded her.

With a sigh, she got up on her knees so she could lean over the seat, trying to get the bag. He resisted the urge to pat her cute butt because he knew that was what she expected. When she sat back down he got a suspicious glance before she unwrapped the sandwich so he could hold it and drive. Pretty neat, too, he thought. She also opened his drink and waited for him to take a big bite and hand the sandwich back in exchange for the drink.

“You are hungry, aren’t you?” she said and laughed. “Wasn’t breakfast enough?”

“That was hours ago.”

“Mmm.” She took a bite of his sandwich.

“What did you do, besides freak out and try to leave?”

She choked so badly that he pulled over, a bit worried he’d killed her. She finally gasped for breath and smacked him on the chest, without any heat but pretty damn adorable. He kissed her, relieved he’d not damaged her. “Damn, you scared me.”

“You are impossible. I mean, who says stuff like that?”

“Me?” he offered with a grin, sliding onto the road and taking his sandwich back. “Better get the turkey one.”

“It wasn’t the roast beef sandwich, mister. It was you. I was busy. I showered, then went to the store—”

“What? Why?”

She chewed her bite of sandwich then said, “Uh, I needed a few things?”

“Oh, right, well, I can take you—”

“It was up the street, David. I can walk.”

Oh yeah, she was still sore over almost choking to death. “Well, if you need me to, I can stop by to see about the car,” he offered. Will, much to his irritation, hadn’t been able to fix it. They’d had it towed to the local mechanic’s shop thinking it better to have it there, than at a potential bust.

“No, that’s okay, really, I like to walk, hence the hike is a great idea, although those clouds don’t look so good.”

He took another bite and tried not to get all crazy happy about how willing she was to work with him. She also didn’t seem to hold a grudge, because she elbowed him with a grin to get the sandwich back. He handed it over and took the tea, watching her more than the road. She seemed to be over her anxiety now, but he wasn’t keen on testing that out by leaving her alone for too long. He got it. One hundred percent got it. He hadn’t found out why she’d allowed last night, with Will, but he would. He bet on some jerk hurting her, or something along those lines. She was too…damn sweet for it not to be.

“Do you think it will snow before we get there?” she asked, sipping the tea after and smiling. “Oh, this is good. Peach?”

He cleared his throat again and nodded. He’d stood at the grocery store staring at the display of drinks, not sure what to get her. The peach just seemed to fit, plus he liked it. “The clouds are trouble,” he agreed, when he could take his eyes off her.

She even ate cute. But what about her wasn’t captivating? Not a damn thing. She was even one of those women who must have gotten wise enough to get laser hair removal. He wasn’t sure if all guys liked that baby soft feel on a woman’s privates or not, but he went nuts over it. But why, he wondered, had she? Some guy? The thought made him madder than hell and he didn’t even know the man.

“So where are we going?” the woman driving him nuts asked.

He was seriously losing his mind if he already wanted to pound someone for ever being near her.

“Just up here,” he said, checking the navigation system. “Yep, right here. Hey, so why are you bare? You know, on your pussy? Why did you go that way?”

She choked again, and he went to pat her back but stopped when she plastered her hand on his chest and coughed as if she had black lung. “Shit, I’m sorry, whoa, I need to think longer than a second, huh?”

“No,” she gasped, her eyes watering. “Maybe longer than an hour, okay? I mean, where did that come from? Who doesn’t nowadays? It’s just…cleaner feeling. David! Watch the road!”

He swerved to stay on it, grinning probably like a fool. He might not be good at this shit, but he was getting answers. She liked the clean feeling? He hoped like hell she liked what he did, too. This morning he’d given her three orgasms before he’d let her feet touch the shower floor again. He’d die a happy man doing that every day, too. She was addictive.

“Sorry, sorry, yeah, got the road,” he said in a rush when they skidded a little.

She gave him a wild-eyed stare but exhaled with a hand on his arm. “Yeah, sure you do, so any other questions before I take a drink?” She squinted at him until he shook his head and silently took the sandwich back. He took a big bite, pleased as hell by her answer.

“So why do you shave, you know, down there?”

He swallowed his mouthful too fast, just like she knew he would. Half gasping around the sub roll, he shot her a dirty look that made her smile so wide that she glowed.

“I like it, less trouble,” he added with a wink. “I didn’t know you noticed.”

“Oh, I didn’t, I guessed.”

“Brat!” He couldn’t believe he’d fallen for that dig so easy. She was a genius, obviously quick as a whip, skated like a dream and made his heart race by just smiling. What was it about her?

“I’m not a brat, and is this it?” she asked, getting up on her knees to see where he’d pulled over.

“Yep, this is it.” He checked the time. Almost one in the afternoon gave them a good three hour walk. “We hike for a few hours, around that bluff and over that rise, and get back here by a bit after four, tops. Sound good? Too far?”

“Please, I can hike you into the dirt,” she said with such bravado he had to kiss her.

He did, pulling her to him, still on her knees when he did. He let her go before they got too wild, but quickly smacked her butt. “We’ll see about that, princess.”

She tugged him back by his jacket collar and kissed him. “Yes, I guess we will. You carry the sandwiches and try to warn me if you’re going to ask something super personal.”

“Right,” he said. “I got that real quick.” He got out, and caught her as she moved down. “And you, huh?”

“And me,” she agreed with a pleased, shy grin as she scooted down his body.

“Yeah, unless I kill you by choking.” He set her down on her feet.

“True, very, very true,” she whispered, then shocked him by swatting his butt when he turned.

“Woman,” he cautioned, but she simply giggled, cute as hell, and took off. He didn’t mind, since that meant he got a good view of her gorgeous ass in her jeans. “Are you going to be warm enough in that fleece?”

She paused and turned. “Sure, it’s not that cold, but I think it’s going to snow.”

“Makes it warmer, right?” He shrugged his backpack on and adjusted his holster so it was hidden. Of all the things she’d asked him, she’d never once questioned him or Will about their weapons. But then, they’d both been upfront with her about what they did, at least mostly. “Listen, this is safe, walking with me. I’m just assessing the area.”

“For bad guys?” she asked.

He held in his grin because really, he shouldn’t laugh at her so much.

“Not a chance,” he assured her and slung his arm over her shoulders. “Besides, I’m a big guy, remember?”

His boasting earned him a light thump on his stomach then a frown. “You are way too hard, too.”

“That I am,” he promised. “That I am, but that’s for later.”

Her eyes widened then she giggled, holding her mittens over her face.

“Oh, I know you’re blushing—that doesn’t help at all. Come on,” he urged, not wanting to stop getting to know her now that he’d put sex off the menu. At least for the next six or so hours. Maybe longer, he surmised, if he held off until after dinner.

“You like to make me blush, don’t you?” she accused, taking her mittens off and tucking them into the pockets of her fleece. “I think that explains a lot, mister,” she added with a calculating expression that didn’t quite make it past her smile.

“Ah, come on, already you have me down? Give me a few more days before you box me up and send me off, okay?”

She giggled then shocked him by tickling her fingers inside his coat, right to the sensitive spot along his ribs.

“Christ almighty, woman!” He jerked away and laughed harder when she collapsed against him, holding her sides. She was so pleased, though, he had to give in and hug her again. “Crazy woman, are you a psychic as well as prettier than a picture?”

“David,” she whispered, stopping laughing to stare at him. “That was so sweet.”

Embarrassed, he tugged her around and started walking. The snow was deep, but it was easy to walk through.

“You like to hike?” he asked, settling his stride to match hers.

“Yeah, it’s nice, getting outside and exploring the woods, and these mountains are beautiful. Do you like to hike?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“Oh, that sounds convincing,” she muttered. “Well, what
do
you like to do?”

What do I like to do?

Suddenly, he didn’t know. He liked to read, he liked to relax, but that was lying around and watching movies, not very interesting.

“Read? Watch movies? What? Race cars?” she asked.

“Not into dangerous sports, other than you.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I read some, watch movies, boring now that I think about it.”

“Because you should have some dazzling, exciting life, like, maybe being some warrior or something? Hero?” she asked, then grinned. “You already do those things, so why would you want more excitement?”

“Well, I like basketball and hockey,” he admitted, remembering he did like both sports. Watching and playing. “You like to skate.”

“I do,” she said with feeling. “It’s always been the one thing I’ve been good at.”

He frowned over that, puzzling out her meaning. It was obvious to him she was smart, funny and had a sweet streak a mile long. But that sounded both sincere and a bit embarrassed.

Before he could pin her down, she asked, “What’s your favorite movie?”