Page 54 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
Deepening the kiss, he stroked one hand overher shoulder and down her back, her arms threading around his neckas he pulled her closer. Less tentative than before, her tonguetouched his as he stroked into her mouth, and he groaned again.Heads angling as their mouths worked together, the kiss went on andon, moments elongating as he tasted her deeper. She trembled in hisarms, and he wrenched her tighter against his front, her breastsand belly a line of heat everywhere they touched. Fingers curled inhis hair and tugged, the sting sweet and burning as her teethnipped at his bottom lip. She broke away and buried her faceagainst his heaving chest and he curled a hand around the back ofher neck, cradling her to him.
“Jesus, Marian. Gonna give an old man aheart attack, kissing me like that.” Dipping his head beside hers,he nibbled along the shell of her ear, eliciting a shiver from herhe hoped had nothing to do with the wind. “I’m…you’re amazing,woman.”
“I liked it too.” Her chin tipped down,hiding her expression from him. One of her tiny hands fisted hisshirt inches away from her face, the other still tangled in hishair. “We’re a team, right?”
Her words ripped the satisfaction from him.“Right.” This had been a second trial run to see if they could hidethe lie when this close to the other. “I’d say we’re compatibleenough to do this, if you’re still willing. I meant what I saidbefore. I’ll always protect you, no matter what.”
Snorting delicately, she scraped her cheekagainst his shirt. “We’re doing this.” Her shoulders lifted in aslow breath. She pushed back from him by a few inches, and her chincame up, face lifted to look at him. Einstein was bewildered as hetook in her expression. Anger, arousal, and resignation. “You needto avenge the death of your wife and child.”
He clenched his teeth. Stated so baldly, herwords sank a knife of pain into his chest. With one sentence,Marian had effectively removed herself from consideration in thisdeception. “You matter too.” Confused, he shook his head. “It’s notjust about them.”
“You’re right. It’s not.” Gaze steady, shestared at him. “I’m doing this for you.” She stepped back, andEinstein found his arms reluctantly releasing her to stand on herown. “For me, this will all be for you.” Marian turned towards thebike. “I need to get back to the shop.”
The entire ride back to Baker was a blur,Einstein’s mind more focused on the two kisses he’d shared withMarian than the road. They made it without incident, mostly becausehe could nearly ride in his sleep, having put so many miles in overthe past few years. He pulled to a stop in front of the flowershop, but before he could angle the bike backwards into a parkingspace, Marian had released her grip on his waist and hopped off.She didn’t look up at him as she packed her helmet away in thesidebag where it waited for her in between rides on the bike. Therumble of the bike kept them from any meaningful conversation, butthe peck on his cheek and shouted, “See you later,” wasn’t enoughfor him.
He reached out and snagged her wrist withone hand, pulling her back towards where he sat on the bike. “Wannago out for dinner?”
Marian shook her head. “I’m taking Luke tothe movies after work.”
“See you later, then?” That earned him anod, quick and brusque, her eyes focusing anywhere except his face.“Marian.”
She glanced across him as she lifted oneeyebrow.
“Baby.”
Lips thinning as she paused and looked athim, she angled her head in a clear question.
“I wanna see you. Sure, we’ve still gotthings to talk about, but you need to remember you’re the reason Icome back to Baker so much. I want to see you.”
The corners of her lips curled sweetly, andshe leaned closer, brushing her lips across his cheek in a slowercaress than before. “I’ll see you later.”
She turned, and he watched as she walkedthrough the door, not looking back. No final wave. No last glanceor smile.
He’d kissed her, finally. Kissed her andmade them both weak in the knees, holding her close. He should havebeen on top of the world that she hadn’t turned away, hadn’thesitated in giving him her trust. She’d agreed to help him findand stop Scar.
He should have been ecstatic at theafternoon’s outcome.
“Why do I feel like shit, then?”
Chapter Fourteen
Einstein
“Things are heating up.” Retro’s snort wasclear through the call, and Einstein grinned. “Yeah, I know I’vesaid that before, but this is backed up by Pooka.”
“Popova called you?” No emphasis on anythingin that three-word sentence, but the surprise shone through.“Direct-like?”
“Yeap. This is the first time since I leftBirmingham that he’s initiated contact. I figure it’s worth alook-see to ensure we don’t get blindsided by anything. I saved thefile, so it’s available to be analyzed, pick apart his speechpatterns.” Einstein looked around the room Bane set aside for himwhen he was in town, one of the guest rooms up by the nursery. Hesupposed it was the room Marian had used when she first moved in,but any semblance of personalization had been stripped away longago. Frowning, he thought about the room she’d picked for herself,downstairs and far away from everyone else in the family. He’d beeninside that room recently, during the debacle of walking in on herchanging clothes, and didn’t remember it having a personalityeither.Wonder if that’s just how she likes things, moreminimalist?He shook off the mental interruption, focusing backon business. “You’re here tomorrow, right? I’ve got quite a bit toshare and might be better in person than on the phone.”
“Would this have anything to do with youkissing sweet Marian in the street earlier today?”
Einstein forgot to breathe, every muscle inhis body going rigid.
Retro laughed softly. “You were occupied, sodidn’t see a pair of bikes pass you, but they saw the BBMC patchand radioed home about one of our members being down that way. Itcame back to me directly, and it didn’t take much figuring to sortout who it had to be.”
Tell him the truth, or not?Retrodeserved his loyalty, and with that came honesty.Right?Buthis feelings for Marian were tied up in the subterfuge, and thethought galled, setting something inside his chest ablaze to denythe truth of what might be.I need to remember Lauren.Thereminder didn’t hold the same unbearable weight it might have ayear ago.Wouldn’t have had to remind myself not long ago.When had things changed?
“Your silence tells it all, brother.” Retrobroke into his thoughts. “I’d say have a care, but you being whoyou are, I know you will. My advice, not that you’ve asked for it—”Retro chuckled, sounding tolerant on top of being pleased. “—get infront of the news now if you haven’t already. Bane’s sister-in-lawholds a piece of Gunny’s heart, and that means something, man. Yousay something to them yet?”
