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WHAT AM I doing driving to California on a pseudo-rescue mission?
Josh mulled the situation as he raised his travel coffee mug to his lips. His brothers had asked that question ten different ways when he informed them of his plans to take a road trip.
Sure it’s a vacation when your girlfriend’s carrying a loaded gun?
His oldest brother, Brody, had added that one to the pile. And no, Josh wasn’t sure of a damn thing other than the fact he couldn’t let Caroline run off to help a woman she’d met for five minutes. If that truly was her number one reason for heading back to the part of the country she’d run from once.
Plus, he wanted a third date.
The door to Noah’s old farmhouse swung open and Josh focused on the porch. His girlfriend appeared with her backpack slung over one shoulder. She’d tied her long dark hair back in a bun. And she’d selected cargo pants, her combat boots, and a plain black T-shirt for their adventure.
“For the record,” he said as she pulled open the door to his truck, “I liked your fitted jeans better. Although I suppose those pants offer more room for your gun.”
“They do.” She settled into the passenger seat, her pack nestled between her feet.
He held out the box of doughnut holes. “In that case, I’ll let you have first pick. Take all the chocolate ones if you want.”
“I prefer the ones with the jelly filling.” She reached into the box and took three white powdered doughnuts.
“Really?” He set the box down and handed her a cup of coffee. His fingers brushed hers and he thought that’s why I’m here. He wanted to touch her, talk to her, and learn about her doughnut preferences.
He put the truck in gear and backed out of the long gravel drive. “I hate the jelly-filled ones,” he added.
“And I know you love chocolate,” she said in the same sensual tone she’d used the other night when she told him to strip.
He slowed to a stop at the top of the drive and glanced at her. “Tell me you’ll marry me.”
“So that we can spend the rest of our life sharing boxes of doughnut holes?”
Yes, he thought. And moonlit walks through vineyards. And dirty movies. . .
She popped a jelly-filled one in her mouth and shook her head.
“Too presumptuous for the third date?” His grip tightened on the wheel as he turned onto the road and headed for the highway.
“Let’s see if we survive the road trip first.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her look at him. “Did you map out the route?”
“We could do it in one day,” he said. “Nine to ten straight hours in the car. But I thought it might be nice to pause and stretch our legs once or twice.”
She nodded as she stretched out her legs in the passenger seat and turned her gaze to the window. “I need to make a stop about an hour, maybe two, south of the state line. I’ll direct you once we get closer.”
Tell me more about how you like your doughnuts. But he knew he had to ask about the little side trip she’d dropped into the conversation.
“To see your sister?” And yeah, he wished he could see her expression, but he had to keep his eyes on the road. “Don’t tell me we’re skipping straight to the meet-the-family dates.”
“Not this trip.” She let out a forced laugh. “She’s still upset that my former CO showed up at her doorstep and started tossing out threats while her kids were in the house.”
“Your sister blamed you for that?” he asked with a healthy dose of what the fuck in his tone.
“She was scared. But we weren’t exactly close before. And since I ran, she’s started talking to my parents,” she said.
“Your parents,” he repeated. Any trace of humor had exited the conversation as they sped down the highway.
He’d spent hours with her in the back room at Big Buck’s. He knew that she’d grown up moving from one base to another. Her father had been a Marine. And he’d always assumed they’d passed away. She’d talked about her sister. Her niece and nephew. But never her mom and dad. He’d never pushed because shit, he didn’t talk about his mom much. She hadn’t been in the picture for a long time and he left it at that.
“They’re back in Maryland,” she said. “Or that’s what my sister said the last time we talked. She wanted to know where I was. She said my parents had been asking. But if they knew . . .” She sat up straight, her hands folded in her lap and her chin held high. “They’d turn me in.”
Josh punched the gas and fought the urge to swerve off the road and park on the shoulder. She had a group of people—a sort of family—at Big Buck’s who’d worked to keep her secret. But her own parents would see her locked in a jail cell.
