Page 21 of Heat Wave
I nod absentmindedly and let him take the tea out of my hands and pull me to a stand. He searches my face before pulling me to the back of the room and down the hallway. Once we’re inside the bedroom and the door is shut, he sits me on the bed and kneels in front of me.
“Tell me what’s going on inside that beautiful head of yours, sweetheart.”
“I…I should leave.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not! Why would you try to leave?”
“I’m worried, Waylon.” Before he can ask me, I stand and slip by him so I can pace back and forth in front of him. “What if something had happened to Terry? What if someone was waiting on the other side of that door? It would be my fault! I would be the reason she got hurt. The reason you got hurt. What if they had pointed more than a camera at us? I can’t let that happen. I can’t put you and your family in danger. I won’t. I absolutely wo…”
He stops me with a kiss, spinning me around and taking my mouth with more zeal than before. He doesn’t ask permission this time, doesn’t make it soft and slow. This time, his mouth takes mine, and our tongues clash for dominance.
By the time he pulls back, I’m breathless and limp in his arms. “No more talk of leaving.”
“Waylon…”
The door pops open and Terry comes in, shutting it behind her. “Are you two kissing again?”
“She tried to leave. It was the only way I could think of stopping her.”
“Leave! Why the hell would you be trying to leave?”
“I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to bring…”
“Oh, please. Leaving is not even an option for you. And if you leave, I’m leaving with you.”
“Terry, you don’t understand.”
She puts her hands on her hips and starts, “I understand that you are safest right where you are. I understand that this guy could be trying to scare you into running, making you easier to get to. I understand that you need to stay with Waylon because that is who is going to keep your ass safe.”
She rolls her eyes at me before blowing out a stream of air that moves her bangs.
“Besides, I just got used to you two kissing.”
“Oh, Terry, no…”
“You two are pretty cute in the photo.”
“Only you would take evidence and turn it into a memento, sis.”
She gives him a smart-assed smirk and blows him a kiss.
“Thank you, dear brother. So, what’s our game plan now?” Silence hangs in the air for a moment. “Come on, Waylon. I know you got one.”
When I look over at Waylon, who has yet to let go of my hands, he looks like he clearly has been called out. He does have a plan!
“I think whoever did this got good and pissed and lashed out. I think we should take our relationship public.”
“Public?” That doesn’t sound good.
He nods, “I think we should go on a date. A very public date.”
“Oh, I see.” Great, because I don’t see at all. “Date night!”
Chapter Sixteen
Oakley
We end up back at Landry’s. The siblings thought it would be nice to make an entire production out of it, that it would be more believable. Terry’s here and so is Lucy. We’ve not seen much of her since all of this started. I guess me and Terry were pretty closed down for a few days and didn’t really reach out to her. She brought a friend with her, and some of Waylon’s friends came out with us. Not sure if they’re just hanging or they’re working undercover.
