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She panted.
“I have to get back in there, but come to my room tonight. If the storm is still raging, no one will notice.”
No, no, no! Forever, no!
She swallowed because the word yes trembled on her lips. When did she become so weak? Just as she spoke a crackle of thunder split the sky, and lightning lit the surrounding area. They sprung apart.
Jasmeka squinted in the darkness because she thought she saw someone at the end of the building. Nothing stirred, and there were no sounds except the rolling thunder. Beneath that was the moo of the cattle and a few horse neighs.
“I thought I saw someone,” she said.
He moved close enough for her to feel his body heat, but he didn’t touch her. “Where?”
She missed his arms but tried to pull herself together. “Over by the end of the building. You think they saw us?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does, Miguel. I’m not… We’re not…” She didn’t know what to say or think.
His steps retreated away from her, and she stumbled after him. Where the heck was the moon when she needed it? More steps sounded in the darkness. She swallowed, all of a sudden nervous for no reason.
“Watch out,” Miguel called back to her.
“For what?” The ground dropped away, and she tumbled forward. His hands came out of nowhere and caught her before she could do a face plant. “Crud. That hurt. Thanks for catching me.”
He said nothing.
“Miguel?”
“Shh.”
She squinted in the darkness but could only make out small lights in the distance. Were they from the other side of the lake, or had she gotten turned around? How far had they come?
Darkness pressed in on her, and her stomach grew queasy. This was ridiculous because she had grown up in the country. Travel along a dark road was no big deal for folks around there, including her. Of course, she always knew where she had started out and where she was heading during those times. Right now she was nervous rumors would get out about her seeing Miguel while his ex-girlfriend from New York was visiting.
She is ex, right?
“Hey, Miguel, I want to ask you—”
“Stay here,” he commanded and stood. She realized they had crouched on the ground and remained there.
“Hang on!” She sprang up, and as soon as she did, a shot rang out. It might have been her imagination, but she felt like the bullet whizzed past her ear, just missing her head. Fear gripped her, and she cried out.
Miguel sprang at her and thrust her onto the ground. At the same time, she heard something she couldn’t mistake the sound of. He was drawing the weapon he always kept on him. Her heart hammered in her throat.
“W-wait, Miguel, please.”
“Don’t get up,” he growled.
“A-are you kidding? M-my knees wouldn’t hold me if I tried.” On the last of her words, her voice cracked and rose. She slapped a hand over her lips and willed to calm down. Gunshots weren’t that big a deal in Texas, she reminded herself.
But they’ve never come near your head or whizzed by while you’re stuck in the dark!
“M-miguel?” she whispered.
He was gone. She strained to see if she could catch his footsteps and even held her breath. Nothing. The man moved like an animal, all stealthy and predator-like. She hoped he caught the person who shot at them.
What if the guy gets past Miguel and comes after me?
