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Something about the way her mouth curled around the words made my heart stutter in my chest. What do you want? The question was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t voice it. It wasn’t the time or place to ask. We were talking about her child, for God’s sake, and it wasn’t like this was a real date anyway.
We paid for our dinner and backtracked to the motel. Nataliya fiddled with the radio until it played something other than country music. She hummed along with the Top 40 station. She was a little off-key, but I ached to hear her sing for real. Even if it was terrible, I thought it would be a sound I could get addicted to.
There were a few more cars in the parking lot when we returned, but all seemed quiet. I parked near the stairs that led up to our room. “Stay in the car for a second? Let me check the room?”
I expected her to ask why, but Nataliya just nodded. “Okay. Lock the door after you get out.”
Smart girl. I locked her in and took the steps up to the second floor of the motel. The weight of my handgun at the base of my spine, tucked into the holster, was a comfort. I unlocked the door and swung it open, ready for whatever might be waiting.
I checked the tiny closet and bathroom; I made sure the door to the adjoining room was still locked. Everything was quiet. I poked my head out and waved Nataliya up, and moments later, she came through the door. “Lock it behind you,” I said. “Hayes might not have found us, but?—”
“It’s good to be abundantly cautious,” she finished for me. “I get it. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve done out of precaution.”
“Like keeping all of your important belongings in a bag in your trunk?”
She nodded. “I’ve abandoned furniture, changed aliases, literally run for my life.” She wrapped her arms around herself, as if she were cold. “I’m hoping that after we do this, all of that will stop.”
“I hope so too.”
“Did getting out of the room help?” she asked.
“Huh?”
“You were angry before, right? Going stir-crazy? Did getting out help?”
It had. Being out, getting to act normal, even for a little while, had tempered my mood. “Being with you helped.”
Nataliya smiled, clearly pleased. It was a smile I hadn’t seen on her before. I liked it. “I’m glad I could help. That’s why I’m here, after all.”
She was talking about the mission, but her words shivered over my nerves and down my spine. The tension was thick between us, and we were on that edge—we could fall into it, or we could walk away.
I didn’t want to walk away.
“Nataliya.” She shivered, as if just by saying her name, I’d touched her, and I knew she was feeling the same thing that I was. I glanced at the clock—we had some time before her call with Elias. “I think we’re both still a little keyed up.”
She nodded. “I think you’re right.”
“I have an idea for how we could deal with that,” I said and crossed the room to her. My eyes zeroed in on her lips, plush and soft.
“Show me?” she breathed, and I took her into my arms, biting back a sigh of relief at the feel of her pressed against me again. I’d held her all of two times. How could I have missed her this much? It was like an ache beneath my skin that I hadn’t even realized was there.
Our lips met, and there was that citrusy burst of sunshine taste again. It must be some sort of lip balm. Whatever it was, I couldn’t get enough. I licked into her mouth, intent on chasing that taste, and she sighed against me. Fucking beautiful.
I kissed my way down her neck, finding all the little spots that made her shiver, and she clutched at me, fingers digging into my arms. “How long has it been since someone touched you?” I murmured in her ear. “Properly?”
“About three years.”
I didn’t know her ex-husband, but whoever he was, I hoped that he knew just how badly he fucked up by walking away. “That’s a crime,” I said, nibbling at her earlobe. “Let me make it up to you?”
Nataliya nodded. “Please.”
I peeled her out of the simple shirt that she’d put on this morning, leaving her in a pretty lace bra. There was a flicker of uncertainty on her face; her fingers dug into me for a second. “You’re beautiful,” I told her, gently. “I can’t wait to get my hands on you.” Her breath shuddered out, and with careful hands, she reached behind her and unclasped the strap of her bra. It loosened, and she slid the fabric down her arms.
Fucking hell. I wrapped my arms around her, reaching under her thighs and hauling her up so that she wrapped her long legs around my waist. She squeaked. “Adrian?—!”
I took her to the closest bed and laid her out, standing just for a second to appreciate how angelic she looked before I reached out to pull her jeans down her hips. “You too,” she said, leaning up on her elbows. “I want to see you too.”
I smirked. “Anything you want,” I said and shed my clothes with far less care and far more speed, making her laugh.
