Long Road Home(35)

“You need to sleep, baby,” Manny said, his voice full of love and concern. “I’ll pump the gas. You want anything from inside?”

She shook her head and opened the door to get out. The cool air did little to revive her. It wasn’t as cold as in Colorado. She walked around the front, meeting Manny as he moved toward the pump.

To her surprise, he caught her in his arms and pulled her to his chest, enfolding her completely in his embrace. He stroked her back comfortingly, taking care not to bump her bandage.

She laid her head on his chest, soaking up the moment like the desert does the rain. He kissed her on top of the head and slowly pulled away.

“Get in and get some rest,” he ordered. “We’ll be on the road again in a few minutes.”

She slid into the seat and sighed. It was still warm from Manny’s body. She curled closer to the leather, wanting to absorb his presence.

A few minutes later, Manny got behind the wheel and started the engine.

“Someone called for you while you were asleep,” she said as they drove from the parking lot.

“It was probably Tony.”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

He stared at her for a moment then reached for his phone.

She turned away and looked out the window, searching the sky for answers she knew she wouldn’t find. Behind her, Manny spoke in low tones. She supposed Tony was giving him information on the place in Tennessee. Or giving Manny more dirt on her. As if he didn’t know enough already.

She felt his touch on her back and turned around. He was off the phone.

“Get some rest. We’ve got another six hours before we get to the place Tony squared away for us.”

She nodded and scooted down in her seat. Six hours. It was a long time and yet not nearly enough time. She wanted so much to…

It didn’t matter. She closed her eyes. What she wanted she couldn’t have, and there was no use dwelling on it.

Chapter Sixteen

Around two a.m., Manny pulled into the drive of a log cabin situated on a large lake. Jules was exhausted, but she hadn’t slept. Her nerves were too jagged.

They stepped into the cold night air, and she inhaled sharply, hoping the bite would sharpen her senses. She followed Manny to the door, and as he had done in New Mexico, he drew his gun and pushed the door open, sticking his gun in first, then following slowly behind.

“Find the light switch,” he whispered.

She fumbled along the wall until she found the switch, and light flooded the foyer.

“Stay here while I check the rest of the house.”

She sighed but didn’t argue. Let him play super agent. She was too damn tired to go looking for bogeymen in the closet.

A few minutes later, he returned, and he motioned her into the living room.

He looked at her, uncertainty flickering across his face. “Do you want to go straight to bed?”

She stood still, not really knowing how to respond. She was tired. More tired than she’d ever been in her life, but the idea of going to a dark room alone scared her more than she wanted to admit.

“I can build a fire if you want, and we can sit in here for a while,” he offered. “I need to change your bandage as well.”

Had he read her so easily? She was going to have to work on keeping her thoughts from her face. She hadn’t survived the last three years by being a walking billboard.

“Sounds great,” she finally said.

She walked around to the couch situated close to the large stone fireplace and settled down, tucking her legs underneath her.

He piddled around the hearth for a few minutes, gathering newspapers stacked to the side and crumpling them under the grate. Then he went outside, and she heard scraping and thumping. Seconds later he returned with an armload of wood and began arranging it in the fireplace.

Soon flames licked over the dry wood and the hearth came alive with the crackle of fire. He rummaged around in one of the bags he’d brought in and carried over a bandage and the antiseptic.

She turned around to present her back and tensed as she awaited his attentions. His fingers were gentle as he peeled off the tape. She heard the slosh of the liquid then felt fire on her shoulder as he swabbed a cloth over the cut.

She let out a long hiss and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and remained still while he arranged another bandage over the wound. When he was finished, he pulled her back until she reclined against the sofa.

“Long day.”

“Mmm hmm.”

Awkward silence settled between them, and the effort for idle chitchat died. She stared into the fire, the warmth reaching out and enveloping her.

Manuel watched the protective way she held her arms around her. He doubted she even realized how vulnerable it made her look.

Her eyes flitted sideways at him several times as if she wanted to ask something but couldn’t quite muster the courage. In the past, she would have never hesitated to ask him anything. Sadness crept over his shoulders, tightening his chest.

“Manny?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Did you mean what you said before? At the restaurant?”

He furrowed his brows in confusion.

Her breath hiccupped in a soft rush. “About…about wanting to marry me?”

He closed his eyes for a second. “Yeah, Jules. I meant it.”