Page 29 of Promise You Forever

“What?” Her head snaps to the side, so she can look at me.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they closed the highway down until they can get the roads cleared.”

“How long will that take?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug as I pull out to drive to the end of the building. “Left my crystal ball back at the ranch.”

“You don’t have to be a dick.”

Just hearing her say that word summons my cock’s attention, which only pisses me off more. Now is not the time for this. I watch as she grabs the keys and slides out of the truck, her legs carrying her quickly to the door of the room. I’m right behind her as she stops short just inside the room. My arms reach out to steady her as we collide.

The room is incredibly small. There’s less than a foot of space on either side of the bed and about eighteen inches between the dresser and the foot of the bed. One might conclude that the bed is large, at least a queen size based on that information but wrong. It looks like a double.

“Did you book us a room or a closet?” she asks, shock in her voice. “I didn’t even realize hotels still used beds this size.”

“It’s a motel in the middle of nowhere. We’re lucky to have found anything at all.”

She sighs heavily and disappears into the bathroom.

I drop onto the bed just as my stomach growls. Fan-fucking-tastic. I didn’t even think about food until now. I know there’s nothing in the truck aside from stale gum and a tin of mints.

“Are you hungry?” I ask her as she comes out of the bathroom and plops down on the bed beside me.

“Yes.”

“Me too, but there’s nothing in the truck.”

“I saw some vending machines around the corner of the building when we drove up. Want me to go check it out?”

“No, stay inside. I’ll go.”

She reaches into her purse and pulls out a handful of cash. “Let me pay, at least.”

I figure letting her spend a few bucks now is better than arguing about her paying me back for the room later. I’m sure she’s doing well financially considering her job but not as well as I am. I tuck the cash into my coat pocket and once again walk out into the bitter wind and driving snow.

Eleven

ELI

This is less than ideal, but I’ll make it work. I always do. So what if I have to spend a couple hours in close quarters with Luke. We’re both adults. I’m older and wiser now.

Plus, he thinks I’m still engaged, and he has too much integrity to try anything. Who am I kidding? He probably doesn’t even think of me in that way anymore.

Remember how he made you feel.

I dig deep for that feeling of absolute destruction I felt that day in the cemetery.Fuck all the guys, they’ll be lining up for you.His words were an arrow that hit me dead on in my heart.

I scowl at him as he walks into the room, snowflakes in his hair and caught in his impossibly long eyelashes. Stupid, beautiful man. He drops several bags of chips and cookies on the bed between us, along with two bottles of water and a couple cans of soda.

“You pick first.”

I grab the diet soda and a bag of kettle cooked chips while he opts for the sea salt and vinegar. He grabs the remote and turns on the television. Thankfully it works, and we have several channels to choose from.

“Put it on the weather channel,” I suggest. “That way we can see how long we’re in for this.”

The forecaster is standing in front of a radar map and explaining how this is a slow-moving system. It won’t move east of the front range until tomorrow afternoon which means we’ll be lucky if it’s clear enough for us to get out of here in the morning.

“I’m glad Colt has Charlie,” I say quietly. “Will the other animals be okay?”

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