“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Isabelle said softly. “How far do we have to go?”
Isabelle isn’t feeling well. How long until the hotel?
We’re making accommodations now. Not long, Grey sent back.
“We’ll be there soon,” I said to her.
She quietly looked out the window until we arrived. Like the rest, she moved slowly to get into the hotel. I wasn’t so sure it was the alcohol to blame because my kind usually didn’t have those problems.
Emmitt and Michelle passed out room cards, giving Luke and me the same number.
While Bethi and Isabelle walked ahead, Luke held back.
“We’re not sharing a bed, Carlos.”
“No. We’re not.”
In the room, Isabelle gave us all a chance to use the bathroom before she took it over for a shower. I stepped into the hall so Bethi could change, and when I came back in, she was facing Luke with her arms crossed.
“Luv, I need to hold you as much as you need to be held by me. Don’t fight this.”
“She’s never going to go for it. No offense, Carlos,” she said, looking over her shoulder at me.
“She’ll be fine if you get your tail in bed, and we turn off the lights,” Luke said.
Bethi uncrossed her arms with a huff.
“Fine, but if she figures out the switch, I’m not going down for this one. I’m on her side.”
She crawled under the covers with Luke and almost immediately fell asleep.
“Just how mad will she be?” Luke quietly asked.
“I’m not sure.”
I stripped out of my clothes, put on the shorts Isabelle had gotten for me, and got into bed. The sound of the running water cut off, and I watched the door. Luke’s breathing quieted further. The light from underneath the door disappeared, and a moment later she emerged.
Her head turned toward Bethi and Luke, then me. Her first slow step toward the bed set my pulse racing. After chasing her through the woods, the need to have her in my arms was a physical thing. She lifted the covers and slid in. I forced myself to lay still until her breathing slowed.
Once I knew she slept, I snaked an arm around her waist, pulled her close, and closed my eyes. The feel of her in my arms was better than I’d imagined, and for the first time in my life, I slept without remembering.
****
Isabelle grabbed my arm and threw it off her waist. For a moment, I thought she was awake. But then she turned over so she was facing me and quieted once more. I put my arm back around her waist and pulled her closer. Her breath teased my skin, and a shiver ran through me. Although I basked in the closeness, I couldn’t help but wonder about her reaction when she woke.
As if sensing my thoughts, she scooted closer until her nose touched my chest and put her hand on my ribs. I really hoped that was my answer.
“You love it now,” Luke said softly, “but when hour fifteen creeps up on you, you’ll be ready to chew your own arm off to get some food.”
I pulled back the emotion that had been escaping and ignored his comment. I’d starve before willingly moving away from this.
A moment later, I heard material drag, a crinkly rustle, then a crunch.
“Are you eating?” I asked quietly in disbelief.
“Yep. I know to come prepared. Want some?”
“No.”
“I have the remote close, too, if you want me to turn on some TV.” There was a moment of quiet. “I’ll keep the sound low so the girls don’t wake up.”
He didn’t wait for my answer but clicked it on. Neither girl budged, and we watched TV until close to dawn when Bethi’s breathing changed.
Luke cursed and scrambled to turn off the TV and dump the almost empty snack bags on the floor. I watched him lay back and close his eyes. Bethi rolled then growled and sat up.
“Dammit, Luke. I have crumbs in my hair again.”
“Luv, we skipped dinner.”
“I told you. No eating in bed.”
“Shh. You’re going to wake Isabelle.”
“Don’t use her as an excuse to shush me,” she whispered harshly as she got out of bed. She closed herself in the bathroom. As soon as the light clicked on inside, Luke sat up and started brushing crumbs off the sheets.
“She doesn’t like them in her hair,” he said quietly, “but really doesn’t like sleeping on them.”
The toilet flushed, and he quickly lay back down.
When she opened the door before turning off the light, her gaze fell on Isabelle and me. Her eyes rounded and she quickly turned off the light. Then, like Luke had previously, she started to scramble. She quickly dressed as if I weren’t in the room.
“Uh, luv? You know his eyes are open, right?”
“You know what will happen when her eyes open? Let’s go.”
A minute later, they were closing the door behind them.
Isabelle snuggled closer, then tensed. I lightly stroked her back, hoping to soothe her back to sleep. It was still early.
“Is anyone else in the room with us?” she asked, without moving.
Anger and panic flooded her scent, and I stopped rubbing her back.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because I don’t want to hurt anyone else when I go after you.”
“Bethi thought you might feel that way. She and Luke just left.”
She lifted her head and met my gaze before her eyes swept over my face as if seeing me for the first time. When her study drifted to my neck and chest, a flush consumed her face. She swallowed hard, and her bright green eyes met mine once more.
“Good morning, Isabelle,” I said softly.
Her heart fluttered, and she looked down, away from my eyes to focus on my chest again. My pulse tried to match hers. I liked her eyes on me far too much.
She sighed and closed her eyes.
“Good morning, Carlos.”
Those words felt like a victory. I hugged her, enjoying our closeness.
“Why, exactly, aren’t you on your half of the bed?” she asked.
“I am.”
She lifted her head, looked over me at the mattress, and wrinkled her nose.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” she said, trying to move away.
“Not a thing,” I said. “Go back to sleep.”
I started rubbing her back again.
“Carlos, I can’t do this.”
Her words dissipated the peace that had surrounded me since she’d climbed into bed.
“I can’t deal with what you want. It hurts. Don’t you understand? It was supposed to be Ethan.”
Anger hit me hard and fast. I curled my hand into a fist, fighting to push it away.
“Because you loved him or because you thought you owed him?”
She moved as if to pull away, but I hugged her closer.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m telling you, I can’t deal with any of this right now. Let go.”
She wasn’t asking to be physically released. She wanted me to stop pursuing her. Like it was an option. I held tight as my control splintered, and I started to shake. I couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.
“Bite me,” I said.
“Excuse me?”
“If you want me to let you go, bite me.”
Her breath left her in a whoosh and panic won over anger.
“I’ll scream if you don’t let go,” she said.
I growled at her fear. She wasn’t the fearful type. She was fearless.
“Please,” she said, begging.
I hated that I’d done that to her. Exhaling slowly, I lifted my arm to release her. She scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. The click of the lock was like a death toll for our relationship. What had I done?
In the bathroom, the water turned on, and I listened to her brush her teeth. Knowing she would likely stay in there a while, I grabbed my bag and left to find Grey’s room. I could hear Jim singing before I knocked.
Grey opened the door with a grin.
“Thought we might see you.”
“Is he almost done?” I asked, stepping in.
“Almost.” Grey shut the door. “How did it go? I heard Bethi and Luke by Winifred’s a bit ago.”
“Yes. Bethi was worried about Isabelle’s reaction to sleeping with me.”
“And?”
“I’m still not sure.”
Grey chuckled. “I think you’d be sure if it was bad.”
The shower turned off, and a moment later Jim stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“All yours, Carlos.”
I rushed through showering, dressing, and was back out in a few minutes.
“I’ll be downstairs,” I said to Grey. “Please keep an eye on her.”
“Will do.”
In the lobby, I fixed myself a plate for breakfast and sat at a table. Alone. I wanted to go to her. I wanted to try to talk. To help her understand me and what I needed from her. It wasn’t kissing or sex, though I wouldn’t be opposed to either. It was just her. In my life. Close by so I could see and hear her. So I could touch her and know she was safe and happy.
But, I knew trying to explain any of that would just make things worse. Like she’d said, she wasn’t ready. She was still thinking about Ethan and hurting. I hated that.
She walked into the lobby just then and stomped over to the food counter. When her plate was full, she veered to a table near the window on the far side of the room. Instead of eating, she looked out at the parking lot.
How soon are we leaving? I sent Grey.
Less than an hour. I think everyone’s already eaten.
I threw away my paper plate and plastic fork and went to Isabelle. She didn’t look up.
“Isabelle.”
She jumped a little, which meant she hadn’t been staring out the window in anger, but lost in thought.
“We leave in thirty. I’ll get your bag, unless you need to go back to the room for something.”
“Thanks,” she said, meeting my gaze with a stubborn light in her eyes.
Deciding retreat best, I left and met Luke and Bethi in the hall outside our room. They already had their bags on their shoulders.
“Well?” Bethi said. “How pissed was she?”
“She couldn’t have been too mad. His face looks the same,” Luke said.
She shot him a dirty look. “After the way he was snuggled up to her, do you really think it’s his face she’d go after?”
“He’s walking fine, too.”
“She’s in the lobby, eating,” I said.
Bethi’s attention returned to me.
“That doesn’t tell me what I need to know.”
“What do you need to know?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes at me, then started walking toward the stairs. Luke shook his head and followed. The scent of his amusement lingered.
I went inside and found my bag on our bed. Grey must have put it there when Bethi and Luke had been in the room. Moving to the bathroom, I gathered Isabelle’s things after rinsing her toothbrush again and pulling the hair from her hairbrush. I placed everything in her bag and refolded some of her clothes to make them easier for her to find. Finished, I shouldered our bags.
I’d just stepped into the hall when Isabelle turned the corner and marched up to me. There was an angry light in her eyes as she put her hands on my chest. I let her push me back against the door and tried not to show how much I liked her burst of aggressiveness.
“Still want that bite?” she said.
Any control I had, vanished. I spun us so she was the one against the door. I cradled her head in my hands and leaned over her so my neck was close.
“Yes.”