Page 37 of Abducted

She laughed as they pulled out of the parking lot. They found a coffee shop first, and then stopped at a twenty-four-hour drugstore.

“Maybe just I should go in.” Cal unbuckled his seat belt. It was just past 6a.m. The store was quiet. The chances of anyone recognizing her at this hour were slim.

“I’ll come, too. I need a few personal items.”

He reached in the back and pulled out the baseball cap. “Let’s be quick, okay. We can’t chance anyone seeing you.”

She nodded and followed him into the store. She made a beeline for the makeup department, and Cal headed to look for the other items. She was sick of not wearing makeup. After grabbing a few basic cosmetics, she hurried to the checkout counter where Cal waited. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, and condoms sat on the counter waiting for her. Her cheeks burned. She shot him a withering look, and dropped her makeup on top of the condom box as if she could hide the contents. He hid his chuckle on a cough. She elbowed him in the ribs.

“Excuse me, miss?” A hesitant voice spoke behind her.

Lana stiffened and turned. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Her breath caught. She had Cal’s baseball cap on, and she still wore his oversized sweatshirt, but dammit, she had been distracted by the condoms and hadn’t kept her head down.

Cal circled his arm around her and brought her close. “I’m sorry, ma’am. She doesn’t speak English.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. She has such a familiar face.” Cal smiled warmly at the older woman, but didn’t continue the conversation. He was quick. Had Cal not been there, she wouldn’t have known what to say.

Lana dropped her gaze to her feet, Cal paid, and together they left. Cal opened her door and hustled her in, then circled around to the driver’s side.

“You were right. I shouldn’t have gone in.”

“It’s all right. She probably won’t remember. But we need to get moving.” He clicked his seat belt and pulled out of the parking lot.

She kept the hat on, and sat back in the seat, sipping her mocha latte. Cal had bought condoms. And not just a small convenience-sized pack. It had been a value pack. For her? She frowned down at her cup. Not likely. For all she knew, he’d run out and was just stocking up.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into Nate’s driveway. He had a nice brick home on the west side. It wasn’t as large as Cal’s, but it was secluded and well-manicured. Cal took her hand when they got out and led her up the front steps. Nate opened the door before Cal knocked.

“Morning.” Nate’s light brown hair was tousled, his hazel eyes bright and cheery for the early hour. “Come on in.”

They entered the tiled foyer and followed Nate to the kitchen at the back of the house. The aroma of frying eggs and bacon greeted them. Her mouth watered.

“I figured you’d be hungry. Have a seat.” He gestured to the granite island in the center of the kitchen.

Her eyes widened at the food on the counter. “Oh my. You didn’t have to cook for us.”

Cal pulled out a chair for her and she sat.

“Of course I did. You guys had one hell of a night. And unlike my asshole friend over here, I never let a woman wake up hungry.” Nate winked at her. “Toast?”

“Please.”

He filled her plate and set it down in front of her. Her deeply ingrained manners told her to wait for them before she started eating. Her stomach rumbled. Screw it. She dug in.

“Nate is full of shit. He’s never had a woman stay here before. He kicks them out long before breakfast.”

Lana pinched her lips tight on a giggle. She took a bite of toast as Nate passed Cal a full plate and began fixing his own.

Nate laughed mischievously. “Go ahead, broadcast my commitment issues. Cal here is the king of those.”

Lana’s eyes rose to Cal’s still-standing form. His jaw worked.

“He’s going to kick my ass now. Let me reword that. Hewasthe king, before he met you, honey.”

“Don’t call her honey,” Cal ground out. “And you can shut up anytime now.”

Click, click, click, click, click.

“What’s that noise?” Lana looked around.

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