Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
I try to speak, but the words stick in my throat like glue. My hands shake, and I feel tears threatening to spill over.
Garrett doesn’t hesitate. He kneels in front of me, his large hands wrapping around mine. “Christ, Sienna, you’re freezing.”
I swallow hard, forcing myself to speak. “Charles…he…he knows where I am.”
The anger that flashes in Garrett’s eyes is like a flash fire. “How?”
“I—” My voice falters. “I turned my phone on. Just for a second. I thought—”
“You thought you could get away with it,” he finishes, his tone sharp. He exhales heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Sienna.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, tears running hot down my face.
“Ah, hell, don’t cry, darlin’.” Garrett is still frustrated, but he tries to temper it. “We’ll fix it. But first, we’re ditching that phone. Now.”
I nod, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak. He holds out his hand for my phone, and I give it to him, the pearl-pink device looking miniscule in his grip. Without another word, Garrett gets out of the truck and goes to the restaurant entrance. Through the window, I watch as he throws the phone away.
He’s getting ready to pull out of the parking lot when a sharp bolt of urgency hits me. “Wait. I…um…need to run in and use the bathroom.”
Garrett isn’t happy, but he sighs. “Just hurry. Please.”
I do as I’m told, and just five minutes later, we’re on the road again, fleeing from the location Charles managed to get.
The truck hums softly as Garrett guides it into the far corner of a truck stop, parking where it’s darkest. I’m usually asleep by this point, when Garrett finally decides it’s time for him to rest too, but sleep is nowhere to be found for me tonight. Still, I don’t move under my blanket, keeping my lids low, not wanting to disturb him.
The engine cuts off, and I hear him sigh heavily in the driver’s seat. He’s trying to be quiet, not wanting to wake me, but I’m strung tight like a wire. The adrenaline from Charles finding my location earlier has faded, but now the only thing I can think of is how far Garrett is willing to go to keep me safe.
That…and the kiss.
The memory of his lips against mine…ugh. Just the thought makes me feel all tingly again. I should let things go slow, like Garrett said, but I don’t want to. I want to be in control for once in my life.
Swallowing hard, I push myself on one elbow and peer through the curtain separating the sleeper cab from the front seat. Garrett sits in the driver’s chair, head leaned back, breathing slowly but not enough for him to actually be asleep.
“Garrett?” My voice is soft, hesitant.
He stiffens.“You should be asleep, princess.”
“I can’t stop thinking.”
He shifts out of the driver’s seat and climbs into the back with me. The sleeper cab feels even smaller with him in it, but I like it. “What’s on your mind?”
I swallow, fingers clutching the quilt like it’s a lifeline. “The kiss.”
His shoulders tense, and for a moment, he doesn’t say anything. Then he exhales slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well that isn’t what I expected you to say.”
“I just…” I bite my lip, unsure how to explain the whirlwind inside me. “It was amazing. I want you to kiss me again.”
He leans forward slightly, his rough hand covering mine. “I’m not made of iron, princess. I want to go as slow as you need me to.”
“What if I don’t need you to go slow at all?”
My heart beats wildly in my chest as the space between us seems to shrink. Garrett looms over me, his huge hand moving to cup my jaw, tilting my head to the side as he puts his mouth right to the shell of my ear. "How fast are we talking, princess?"
"Faster than this," I whisper, my body trembling with anticipation.
His low laugh is sinful, the heat of his breath sending sparks through me. "You sure?"
I nod, not trusting my voice. He moves then, shifting us so I'm lying down, and he's above me, bracing himself on his elbows. He's holding himself back from me, giving me one last chance to change my mind.
"Kiss me," I plead, and his mouth is on mine, hard and demanding.
Everything is fire, everything is heat. His lips, his hands, his skin. I gasp and moan beneath him, and he swallows each sound. He's everywhere, touching, kissing, taking. He's not gentle, not even close. His lips leave mine to trail across my cheek and down my throat. The scratch of his beard leaves a wake of goosebumps.
It isn't until his hand slides up my shirt that I remember not telling him something important—embarrassing, but important. "Garrett, wait!"
He pulls back immediately. "What's wrong?"