“I hope you like road trips.”
Chapter Five
Bambi
I jerk awake, gasping for air as my neck tightens. “It’s okay, Bambi, you’re safe.” A light comes on, and it floods the inside of the car. I hold my throat, trying to catch my breath. “Shit.”
Angus pulls the car to the side of the road and stops.
“Look at me.” His hands cup my face and his dark eyes stare into mine. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Tell me you’re with me.”
“I’m with you.” I sniff and his warm hand lets go of me.
I want to pull him back, but then I hear the sound of the seatbelt releasing and Angus pulls me across the SUV and into his lap. I melt into him as he wraps his big arms around me so I feel safe. I shouldn’t because I don’t know this man. I know that he saved me, and that has to mean something. Not to mention this pull I’ve felt to him from the very first moment I saw him.
I breathe deep, feeling a lot better. “I’m sorry. I think it was a bad dream.”
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
I take another deep breath and lift my head from his chest. He smells so good that I wish I could stay here until we get to wherever we’re going.
“You okay to buckle back up?” he asks, and I nod.
He helps me back in my seat and buckles me up. After that, he turns off the light and pulls back onto the highway. I look out the window, but it’s so dark that I can’t see anything.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“You crashed. That happens sometimes after an adrenaline spike, but you must have needed the rest.”
I nod again, sinking back into my seat. “Where are we?”
“California.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“A little over six hours. Are you hungry?”
“I’m okay.”
“That’s not what I asked, babe.”
“I’m fine. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“The last thing you are is a bother. I can promise you that.” I feel myself smile and look out the window to hide my blush. I’m not sure he could even see it in the dark car. “We’ll stop and get food before we get to the cabin. Are you allergic to anything? Anything I need to know so I can keep you safe?”
“Strawberries. They make my whole face swell up.”
“No strawberries then.” He steals a glance over at me. “Anything else?”
“My brother will probably try to find me.” I feel like I should mention that.
“What do you mean ‘probably’?”
I shrug, not sure if Jero will put in the effort or not. “He might have to get out of town himself.” I wrap my arms around my middle and feel a chill. Angus must notice because he turns on the heat.
“If you’re cold, you tell me. If you’re hungry, you tell me. If you have to go to the bathroom…”
“I tell you,” I finish, and he nods.
“Yes, and don’t say you don’t want to be a bother.” I bite the inside of my lip so I don’t say it. “Are you going to tell me about your brother?”
“Are you going to tell me about your fiancée?” I put my hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry. You’ve done a lot for me, and that was rude.”
“No fiancée,” he says, staring at the road ahead.
“Did you break up?”
“I’ve never been engaged.” His hands grip the steering wheel tighter.
“But—”
“There was a mix-up. I wasn’t the bachelor you were booked for, but I took the dance once I saw you standing there.” I look away from him and smile down at my hands.
“I always thought it was weird that men went to strip clubs before they got married.” I shrug. “I know people say it’s not cheating, but it feels a little like it is.”
“What we did the other night would have been cheating. That said, you were my first and only stripper.” My stomach flutters as he says these sweet things to me.
“You were my first client. I was so nervous.” I’m still shocked I went through with it. I guess you do what you have to do when you don’t have any other choice.
“You were perfect, I can tell you that much. I wanted to keep you all to myself.” He says it with a teasing tone, but that’s kind of what he did.
“Why were you at my apartment?”
“I’ve been wondering when you were going to ask that.” The car starts to slow down as he takes an exit ramp. “I had to see you again, so I pulled some strings and found you. I gotta say, babe, that place doesn’t look safe. You’re fresh meat to the wolves roaming around that building.”
“Most of them leave me alone because of my brother. They’re scared of him or something.”
“But he might be going on the run?” he asks, and I nod.