Broken Wings (A Romantic Suspense)(35)

“You’re not a freak.”

“You can keep saying that, but it won’t be any less true.”

“You forgot for a while back at your uncle’s place, huh?”

I swallow, hard. “Yeah.”

“Ellie,” he sighs. “That’s what I want. Just forget about it. You can be yourself with me. I think it’s pretty obvious at this point that I find you attractive.”

“Well, um, you were…”

“I was hard as a rock, just say it. God, we’re both adults. You made me so f*cking horny, Ellie. I could have just destroyed you right there.”

“Destroyed me?”

“Um, I mean, ah. I’ll be gentle with you…”

“Oh, you will be.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re making a big assumption there, Jack. Don’t think just because we’re going to a motel room you’re going to get some ass.”

I hope he doesn’t hear the quaver in my voice. When he put it like that, I could just destroy you, it made my whole body quiver, like a sudden chill breeze. Gooseflesh rises everywhere and I start to shiver a bit. I don’t feel cold, though. Heat swirls in my stomach and expands outward.

The feeling of his cock pressed into my back keeps coming to the front of my mind. He’s not lying, I do get him hard. Or was that just because I was grinding my ass on him? God, I wanted him to yank my underwear down and shove himself inside me.

I squirm in the seat. Jack glances over at me.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Just thinking about, ah, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re blushing.”

“I am not.”

“Liar, I can see it.”

He takes the rest of his coffee and downs it. I stuff the empty cup into the bag and hold mine between my legs. I am starting to feel a little chilly.

“I can’t stand it anymore, I need to get out of this car.”

“Keep an eye out for a hotel sign at one of the exits.”

“I don’t want anybody to see me.”

Jack nods. “We’ll pick a place where we can walk up to the room.”

It takes four exits, meaning about another hour, before I spot a sign for an Econo Lodge and we pull off. Jack pulls up to the front door and gets out.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

I keep looking around, waiting for someone to jump out at me and drag me back to the house. Jack finally comes out and wheels the car around to the end of the parking lot.

“I asked for privacy.”

He didn’t need to beg. The motel is empty, only a few cars parked farther away. We’re on the first floor. I rush inside as soon as he opens the door and pull my hood down.

It’s a small room, but clean. Jack pulls all the curtains closed and turns on the heat while I slip out of my sweatshirt. My uncle gave us enough clothes for a few days.

My dad’s stuff. It’s huge and baggy on me but fits Jack pretty well. The sweatshirt he’s wearing is tight around his arms and shoulders and chest.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

I gather some clothes from the bag Rod gave us.

“Crap, I’m out of underwear.”

“I’d rather you leave them off,” Jack says, grinning.

I give him a hard look and slam the bathroom door. I pointedly avoid my reflection in the mirror as I strip and turn on the hot water. It’s frigid in here and I start to shiver as I wait for it to warm up. Finally the steam covers my reflection and I relax. I wriggle my toes on the freezing floor and pop the button to make the heat lamp on the ceiling warm up.

The water scours my skin. I let it soak into my hair and lean my head on the wall, sighing. It feels good to relax a little. The water eases the tension in my neck and shoulders. I flex my hand a little, wincing.

The cheap hotel soap gets the job done. I lather up and let the water sluice it off me, shut off the shower, and step out. I can’t see myself in the mirror. I lift the thick, wet cord of my hair over my shoulder and wrap myself up in a towel. I suppose I’ll have to dry in here.

A wicked urge hits me.

No, I can’t do that.

Or can I?

No, don’t be stupid.

He was hard for me…

Yeah, with your back turned and your ass grinding on him.

He’ll think I’m nuts.

Fuck it.

Still wrapped up in my towel, I open the bathroom door and peer out. Jack is just stepping into the room. He went to the vending machine to buy sodas and candy bars. He’s taking a swig of root beer when I walk out, clutching the towel at my chest to keep it from falling.

He almost chokes.

“Ellie? Jesus.”

I want to do it, but it’s like pushing against a closed door. I can’t make my arm move. I can’t let go of the towel. I start to tremble.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

It feels like ripping off my skin. I pull the towel away and let it fall, and there I am standing before him, naked as the day I was born. I close my eye and wait. I can feel him in the room, moving closer. When he walks it pushes air over my damp body. I can hear him breathing, ragged and excited. When I open my eye, he’s standing in front of me. Looking at me.