“You are sitting here having a soda with me,” he pointed out.“I have a feeling this isn’t something you normally do with a stranger.”He managed to stop himself from using the words “a pick up.”
Even he knew that might earn him a slap, or a look, at least.
He grinned at her, hoping to indicate he’d been happy to help her without being creepy.
She stared at him for what felt like a long time, then her lips slowly curved up into a smile that almost stopped his heart.Maybe he should have gone for the slap.
“I’m not sure,” she said.“Am I being paranoid?”
Con glanced at the mirror.The two guys were strolling past.This time they didn’t stop to look, but their heads did turn their direction for the length of the storefront.
“Just because you might be paranoid,” he said, “that doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”He took another drink.“They are interested in something.Or someone.”
He didn’t think it was him.Even if they’d taken his photograph and were running facial recognition in the future, he had one of those faces with a lot of twins out there.
People were always thinking they knew him from somewhere he’d never been.It would be funny if it happened here.But it wouldn’t surprise him.
He shifted on the stool so that he half-faced her.
“Is there a reason they’d be interested in you?If you want to tell me,” he added hastily.What would he do if she admitted she was from the future?Was she a trap or in a different kind of trouble?
The Feds could be after her for reasons totally unrelated to time travel.
Rita turned from him to take a sip of her drink.He saw her lips compress into a straight, red line.It felt weird to want to kiss her and soften that line.
His sister would have rolled her eyes at him.He still felt a sharp pang when he thought about his family.But he would be dead if he hadn’t agreed to go with Jack.And right now?His sister wasn’t even a twinkle in the parents’ eyes—since they weren’t old enough to get married right now.
If she did ask him for help, he couldn’t take her back with him.He didn’t know if they could track her signal or something.He didn’t want to find out.
So what were his options in this time?No credit cards yet.He had a money belt secured around his waist that was stuffed with cash.
Could he rent a car?He didn’t know.He might have to buy it.Roswell wasn’t big enough for them to hide in.But they’d also have to drive through some wide open country to get away from here.It was a pity he didn’t have theRayor even his Pitts.
He also didn’t have any luggage.That was going to be a little hard to explain.Had he been hitch-hiking?That might work.
If she thought he was local…also awkward.He didn’t even have a hotel room.
“I’m interested in the ship,” she said slowly.
“The ship?”This was a desert…
“The crashed ship,” she said.
His brows rose before he could stop them.She was interested in the possibly alien ship?He hadn’t considered that possibility.“Are you a reporter?”
He was proud of that question.It just came out.He’d probably seen it in a movie.
He saw her hesitate, considering what to tell him.He was surprised when she shook her head, her hair swinging and releasing more of her scent to tease his nostrils.
“No.I have an interest,” she said, her gaze going to the mirror.
The men in black were walking past again.
“They aren’t going to let you anywhere near it,” he told her.He knew this from historical fact.The military had locked down the site and as far as he knew, despite the recent release of UFO files by the military back in the future, the truth was still out there.
He’d spent some of his downtime watchingThe X-Files.And Roswell had been part of his brief.They’d told him about the theories and the so-called truth.But the theory that the event might be related to time travel, brought it all sharply into focus.
And it made more sense than aliens.He gave a mental blink at that.Had he really thought that time travel made more sense than aliens?
