“You sure you want to involve somebody else in this?”
“If I can trust anyone, it’s Ember,” she says with a tight, cynical little smile, shrugging. “I promise you she’s seen worse.”
She starts to stand—then freezes when I reach out and clasp her hand without thinking, stopping her in her tracks.
“No. Don’t do it.” I shake my hand, squeezing her fingers gently. “I don’t feel right about this. I should be there with you—can’t stand the idea of Gavin or God only knows who else catching you alone and hurting you.”
“And I can’t stand the idea of something happening to Eli because you felt like you needed to babysit me,” she says, sad and slow, but firm. She squeezes my hand back before gently working her fingers free from mine with a shake of her head, pushing herself to her feet. “It has to be this way, Alaska. There’s no other option. I can’t let you or your son get hurt over my dad’s bullcrap.”
There’s something there again.
Some undercurrent in what she says that I don’t quite know how to read, telling me this is bigger than just her father making off with some illicit treasure.
I’m not sure what to do with it.
Still, something tells me not to let her be alone.
Not to let her go unguarded, when those gold bars roar danger in neon flashing red.
“Stay with me,” I say impulsively before I even realize what’s falling out of my mouth.
Felicity stills, staring, her cheeks blushing bright.
“What?” she mouths.
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” I rush out quickly. “Or share a bed with Eli. You’re worried, right? You’re worried about something, or someone, and it’s not Gavin. I’d feel better if you and the gold were in one place—with me. I’ll keep an eye on you, and we can move the entire load in the morning.” It shocks me how much I want her, making demands with a gut-deep gravity that borders on yearning.
“Alaska, I—”
“Hush. Listen,” I growl. “After you get those two bars back, drop off your cousin, and then come straight back here. Stay for the night. Please, Fliss.” I try to smile. “I promise you I’ll be a perfect gentleman. Just like the fishing trip.”
Felicity doesn’t answer my smile.
If anything, she just looks even more confused.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks, her soft voice as cinnamon-rich as her hair.
No answer for that.
No answer I want her to know.
No answer I’m proud of.
I don’t want to be helping her purely because she’s a magnet for wicked thoughts.
Because I realize, then, that even if I told her I’m starting to ache for her, to want to see more of her, and she told me to go to hell in a handbasket—not now, not ever—guess what?
I’d do this crazy shit anyway.
I’d insist she stay.
Because it’s what needs to happen.
Because there’s something in me screaming to know she’s safe, no matter what.
“Blame it on bad habits. My whole ex-military thing,” I say with a weak smile. “You know how it goes. To serve and protect.”
“Isn’t that for the cops?” she asks with a shaky smile.
“Probably.” I watch her, those pretty eyes staring back at me like she’s afraid the hand held out to touch her will strike her instead. “Will you stay, then? Just for a few nights, maybe a week, just till we’re sure the coast is clear.”
“Well...” She bites her lip and hesitates, and finally lets out a heaving sigh. “Tell you what. I’ll pack a bag and come over as soon as everything’s sorted, okay?”
The relief flooding me does more to ease my throbbing eye than anything else, and my smile comes back like the rising sun.
“Awesome. I’ll be waiting, lady.”
I can hear the breath she sucks in, sharp and swift, and she gives me a strange look.
Before I can say anything else, she’s gone.
Slipping out of the room, the softly slamming cabin door mixed with Eli’s cheerful “Later, Miss Fliss!”
Then I’m alone.
Alone, and rocking back on the bed, groaning as I bury my face in my hands.
Maybe I belonged in the drunk tank after all.
Did I really just invite a beautiful mystery into my life, my home?
Did I just throw caution to the wind for her safety, for what she does to me? And I’m not just talking about whatever dark secrets are lurking around that gold...
Did I up and decide I’m ready to have a woman like Fliss this close, this personal, every glance cutting me open, turning my blood to magma and my lips into heated cast iron that won’t cool till they press down on hers?
I wonder.
I wonder what the unholy hell I’m doing right now.
Because I’ll be damned if I have a single sane clue.
11
Silence Is Golden (Felicity)
“Hello. Hell-ooo. Earth to Felicity!”
I jerk so hard I nearly smack my hand against the horn in my station wagon, and narrowly miss blaring our presence over the night—and over the gas station, where Ember and I just parked around the corner to watch as they close up while we plan our next move.