Page 16 of August

“Good. I can’t wait.” A beat passed. “Stay strong. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Gigi disconnected and stared at the phone for a moment before reaching forward to set the device back in the cup holder. August’s hand caught her fingers before she could pull away.

“You okay?”

She cleared the thickness from her tongue. “Yeah, fine.”

“Why don’t you close your eyes? I’ll wake you when we stop.”

She nodded and did as he’d suggested. August’s warm hand kept her grounded, reminding her that she wasn’t alone. Whenever the creeping sensation of lying in her room at the farmhouse spread over her and her brain tried to replay the sounds and images of that night, she stirred, and sometimes a moan slipped from her lips, but August’s fingers kept brushing over her knuckles, realigning her. His constant touch and reassurance kept the nightmares at bay.

For now.

CHAPTER 6

The spray hit August’s back as he stood in the hotel room shower. They’d made it to Twin Falls, Idaho, and they needed rest. They had a ten-hour drive tomorrow, and he couldn’t do that on only the few hours’ sleep he’d gotten that morning.

Shutting off the water, he grabbed a fluffy white towel and then dried himself. It’d taken a lot of self-control not to jerk off in the shower, and the lack of release made him hesitant to leave the bathroom.

Gigi was waiting to order room service, so he knew she was still awake. And dammit, he hadn’t been able to get two beds this time. Some kind of convention in town meant few vacancies, and he wasn’t going to search every hotel.

After stepping into briefs then jogging pants, he pulled a plain white T-shirt over his head. He could do this. All he had to do was not kiss or touch Gigi. By this time tomorrow, their living arrangements would be different. He’d still be with her, because there was nowhere else he could allow himself to be until she was safe, but he’d have more control over the bedroom situation.

One night of hell. That’s it. Pumping his brain with that pep talk, he exited the bathroom. Gigi was curled on the bed, fluffy pillows around her and the room-service menu in hand. She wore black leggings that surrounded her thighs like sin and an oversized deep-blue sweatshirt with the name of a football team scrawled on the front.

“Anything good?” he asked.

“Mmm.” She chewed her lip. “Everything looks good. It’s expensive though.”

He shrugged. “Room service usually is. Just order whatever you want. It’s late.” He glanced at the clock on the nightstand—10:02 p.m. “And I want to be on the road bright and early.”

She twisted her face. “I have a feeling your idea of bright and early and my idea of bright and early are two different things.”

He chortled. That he didn’t doubt. From their weeks together two years ago, he knew she rarely shuffled out of the bedroom before 7:30 a.m., whereas he was always up before 6:00 a.m. “How about we leave before we get killed, sound good?”

She hooked her lip. “Nachos sound better.”

He grinned. Damn, he loved her quick wit. “Make it a double platter and get me a burger and fries.”

Her eyes rounded, accentuating her long dark lashes and hazel eyes. “Famished or what?”

His cock twitched. “Famished.”

She shrugged and reached for the phone on the nightstand. Christ, he was going to need a drink—or another shower and a little self-love—to make it through the night.

***

Gigi sucked salsa off her fingers, not giving a damn if it made her look unladylike. Shoving away her plate, she watched August dive in for another handful of fries. He swiped the salty strips through a dollop of ketchup before popping them in his mouth.

“You sure you don’t want to order dessert?” he said, nodding at the menu next to them.

Gigi shook her head. “I’d explode. Besides,” she said with a yawn, bringing her hand to her mouth, “I’m too tired.”

August nodded then collected their plates and put the tray in the hallway. He strode easily around the room, as if being so close to her didn’t affect him at all. Well, every once in a while his eyes would slide over her body and make her cheeks warm, but did that count?

Meanwhile, her thighs tightened just from admiring how his muscles carried his body effortlessly. He hadn’t shaved his stubble and she was glad. He looked good clean-shaven, but the bristles on his jaw made him look more rugged and mmm-mmm delicious.

She ached to drag her fingers over his jaw, seal her lips to his, and wrap her legs around his waist. God, he’d delivered in bed. Like really, really delivered.

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