Search Me(32)

“You know what I mean. I want…I want to stay like this until I go back to sleep.” At his hesitation, I said the word I never thought I would to him. “Please.”

From his furrowed brows and tight lips, it looked like he was waging an epic battle in his mind. Just as I was about to say forget it, he gave a quick jerk of his head. He eased back on the couch and then pulled me down beside him. As he wrapped his right arm around me, I nestled my head into the crook of his shoulder.

Oh man, did it feel good being so close to him. I couldn’t help it when a sigh of contentment escaped my lips. He momentarily stiffened. I raised my head. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything—for keeping me safe from Jensen and then comforting me after my nightmare. I know you don’t do the emotional mushy stuff, so it makes it mean that much more.”

Maddox’s jaw tightened. “Yeah, whatever. You’re welcome, I guess.”

I knew I was making him uncomfortable, so I laid my head back down and closed my eyes.

I don’t know how long I was out. It felt like forever and at the same time like I’d just put my head down. Somewhere in that halfway point between sleep and consciousness I heard a noise. At first, I couldn’t decide if I had imagined it or if it was real. My eyelids fluttered, and I realized it had to be close to dawn with the amber light trickling through the blinds. My neck felt prickly after sleeping on the couch. Drowsily, I stretched my arms over my head, trying to decide if I needed to wake up, when I heard the noise again.

This time I sprang up and stared towards the front door. “Maddox,” I hissed. To be an alleged on-edge, sleep anywhere, Army guy, he was dead to the world and snoring loudly. I reached over and shook him. “Maddox.”

“W-Wha-?” he asked, drowsily.

“I think someone’s at the door.”

At the distinct click of a lock, Maddox was on his feet, gun in hand. “Shit!” His eyes darted around the room for another way out. “Deck,” he said, jerking his head toward the kitchen.

I grabbed my purse and started backing up, never taking my eyes off the door. But when it burst open, I froze. There were the cabin’s owners—live and in the flesh. I turned wide-eyed to Maddox who grimaced.

“That’s the last time I ever fly Delta. I can’t believe our flight got rerouted to Chattanooga, and we’re going to have to drive to Savannah,” Barbie whined.

The man seemed to be tuning out her rant. Instead, he stood in front of where the alarm keypad was, his brows furrowed in confusion. “That’s funny. I know I turned the alarm on.”

Stamping her stiletto, Barbie shouted, “Eddie, aren’t you listening to me!”

He jumped and whirled around. “Now, sugar, don’t get so riled. We can always catch a plane in Atlanta.”

She rolled her eyes. “But the thought of being stuck out here in the boonies even for twenty-four hours during the summer is so degrading. Everyone else is already on their party boats by now.”

The man didn’t even try to cajole her. Instead, his attention was drawn to where Maddox and I stood like statues in the middle of the living room. “Who the hell are you, and what the hell are you doing in my house?”

I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Look, our car broke down, and we just needed a place to stay for the night.”

“We thought no one was here for the summer,” Maddox chimed in.

“And I promise we didn’t steal anything,” I replied.

Barbie narrowed her eyes. “Those are my clothes you’re wearing.”

Red, hot embarrassment flooded my cheeks. “Well, our clothes were ruined, so we didn’t have a choice.” I desperately dug in my purse and took out two twenties from Maudie’s wad of money. “Here. This should cover the clothes and the food.”

“You ate our food too!” She whirled around to her husband. “Call the police, Eddie!”

“That won’t be necessary. We’re leaving. Now.” Maddox waved the gun at them for emphasis causing Eddie and Barbie to gasp in unison. “We don’t want any trouble.” When I remained rooted to the floor, Maddox tugged my sleeve. “Come on. Let’s go.”

I dropped the twenties on the coffee table. “Once again, I’m really sorry.” Maddox started dragging me off with his free hand. “I mean, we both are.”

With the gun trained on them, Eddie and Barbie didn’t move—I don’t think they even dared to blink or breathe. I got to the backdoor, and my shaky hands started fumbling with the doorknob until I realized it was locked. The moment it was unlocked I went flying out onto the deck.

Maddox backed out the door behind me. He didn’t have to give me any commands. I knew exactly what to do. I didn’t hesitate as I pounded down the steps and sprinted down the driveway towards the main road. I don’t think I’d run as much in my life as I had in the last twenty-four hours. My already sore muscles constricted in agony from the exertion, and I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning.

It didn’t take long for Maddox to catch up with me. We’d gotten a mile down the main backwoods road when I couldn’t go anymore. “Got. To. Stop,” I huffed at Maddox, bending over on my knees.

His shoes skidded on the gravel. I was glad to see even he was winded. “Okay.”