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Mace grabbed me and threw me free, and since apparently I could run, I did.
I heard a struggle, a grunt of pain, but I kept going and didn’t look back.
I went down running, doing a sliding skid on my knees, stopping next to Shirleen. I had time to get my hands on her and noticed she was breathing when a strong arm came around my waist. I was pulled to my feet and redirected.
It was Mace. He was running, half dragging me along with him. I remembered his orders and didn’t try to go back even though I really,reallywanted to.
We cleared the bar, running flat out, Mace’s hand in mine, to an SUV. The locks and lights were bleeping as we ran toward it (I found, in a desperate situation Icouldrun in stiletto heels).
He directed me straight to the driver’s side. He picked me up and shoved me through to the passenger side, got in, started the truck and took off without either of us wearing seatbelts.
He drove down Colfax then swung into an empty parking lot and round the back of some building. He braked, killed the lights and turned to me.
Before I knew what he was doing, his fingers closed on my chin and he gently pulled my face around. It was the dead of night and there were no lights where we were. There was no way he could see but I could tell he was looking.
“Graze,” he said, though I didn’t know how he could determine that in the dark. Then he muttered, “Fuck.”
He let me go, looked forward, and I got the weird feeling he slipped somewhere else for a moment.
Then he shouted, “Fuck!” and that one word was like a controlled, muted, explosion that I was surprised didn’t shake the windows.
I put my hand to my head, tentatively exploring the wetness there but I could feel it wasn’t that bad. I’d skinned my knees worse.
“I’ve skinned my knees worse,” I told him.
At my words, he turned. His arm went around my waist, he yanked me across the seat and then he kissed me.
Eek!
It was a full-on kiss, tongues and everything. I shouldn’t have responded but I did. Maybe it was the life or death situation, the thrill of being alive, desperate gratitude. Or maybe it was because it was a great kiss. It was likely all of that and more. I wasn’t going to analyze it. I was going to go with it then bury it. Deep.
His head came up, but he didn’t let me go and stayed firmly in my space.
For my part, I had both hands curled on his neck, just below his ears, and I found Icouldn’tlet go.
We both sat there, silent, staring at each other in the dark and breathing heavy.
There was something important about that moment for Mace. I felt it. I didn’t entirely get it but I was honored by it.
The only thing I knew was that, for me, it was about him saving my life and me being alive.
Then Mace broke the moment.
“You tell Chavez I kissed you, we’re disappearin’ in Mexico where no one can find us.”
Sweet Jesus.
He said “us.”
I couldn’t blamethaton the Smithie’s uniform.
“What was that about?” I whispered.
He was quiet for a beat.
“I’m just glad you got a face left to kiss.”
Hmm.
