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I opened the passenger side of the truck and she climbed in. Her shirt rode up giving me a nice view of the back of her thigh.
I shook hands with Hank and climbed in the driver’s side. Ciara sat with her hands folded in her lap. Her eyes grew big as saucers as she scanned the surroundings and her gaze landed on me. I laid my hand flat, palms up on the seat between us. She followed my gaze and smiled. She placed her hand in mine and we headed back toward the hotel.
When we arrived, Sean and Keith were at the front desk flirting with Linda. Roman had his arms crossed over his chest, standing at the entrance like a security guard. He was five ten and a hundred seventy-five pounds, the smallest of the five of us, but he would kill someone to protect Ciara.
I parked the truck. Ciara scooted to my side.
“Is he mad?” She frowned.
“Naw.” I took her hand. “What does he have to be mad about?”
“Are you going to tell them about last night. About us?” she whispered the us part.
I peered across the parking lot. Michael had joined Roman at the door. “Your call.”
“I think we all have enough to get used to at the moment. Let’s wait.” She peeked up at me through her eyelashes and she looked every bit the little kid I remembered, bribing me to get her ice cream or bring her a present.
“I think that’s smart.” I caressed her cheek. “As long as you remember one thing.”
“Our time is coming?” she deadpanned.
“No.” I kissed her forehead. “That I love you, Little Tree.”
She gasped, “Oh.” A tear fell down her face, I swiped it with my thumb.
“Don’t cry, LT.” I frowned and wiped the other tears as they fell from her eyes.
“I can’t help it.” She pulled my hands down into her lap. “I hear you. I believe you. Me, too.” She leaned up and kissed my lips. A quick kiss, but the hostility from our audience across the way slammed into me.
Fuck it.
I kissed her back.
She smiled and pushed me back. She jumped out of the truck and walked across the parking lot in bare feet. She stood in front of Roman and placed her hands on his forearms. She said something I couldn’t hear, but it brought the slick grin to his face. He dropped his arms and kissed her on both cheeks.
She turned to Michael and hugged him. He hugged her back, running his hand down her back. I waited for it. The pang of jealousy. It wasn’t there, it was all about taking care of her. It was our job now. We gladly accepted the challenge.
I gathered our stuff and walked into the lobby and ignored the eye daggers from my friends. I thanked Linda for the use of her truck and dropped off the keys. They guys had retreated to the restaurant. They all sat around a table. A short, older woman wearing an apron down to the top of her shoes and a white dress underneath waddled over and poured coffee.
I took one of the empty seats and turned my cup right side up.
“You boys know what you want?” Her Northern accent seemed odd in the setting.
“Give us few minutes.” Roman took a sip of his coffee.
I added cream to mine. Keith added sugar and Sean added a ton of both. His eyes were bloodshot and his face splotched red, like he’d been working out or had a rash.
“You all right, man?” I asked.
He shrugged and downed half the coffee. It was hot. His throat must be made of iron.
“You going to tell us what happened last night?” Keith scooted his chair back and rested a hand on one knee. He looked a bit unkept himself. “What did you do to her?”
“What exactly do you want to know?” I peeked at Michael who had a slight grin on his face, but it disappeared when Keith glared at him.
“I don’t think we should ask,” Sean piped up. “I, for one, don’t want to know. And it doesn’t matter because you’ll be gone again in a few hours.”
I glared at Sean. As soon as I got on the plane, they were going to pounce. I could see it in their eyes. That’s why she needed to get out of this fucking town and get on with her life. “You’re right.” I looked at my phone. “I’ll be out of here in a few, but I won’t be gone forever.”
