Page 37 of Sackett
Tuck was quiet for a moment.“When should we look for you?”he said when he spoke again.
“We’re not entirely sure yet, but it will be late Saturday or sometime Sunday.I’ll let you know.”
“Sounds good.Let us know if you have any trouble or need help.”
“Will do.”
He hung up the call and glanced over to find Selena watching him.
“What?”he asked as he rolled his shoulders back, stretching and releasing some of the tension in his shoulders.
“I’ve got some answers and things to talk about.”She pointed to the pad that they’d both been using to mark down what needed to be done, the answers and list additional things to be done.
“Okay, let’s see.”He picked up the pad and pen, then twisted on the sofa to face her.He scanned the list, reading what she’d added, then looked up.“So we don’t need to get the tickets for the train in advance.That’s good.”
“It is.The drive home is about fourteen and a half hours, add in food, bathroom, that kind of thing and I figure at least sixteen.”She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush.“This is where it gets a little sticky.”
“How so?”
“Durango is about seven hours from here, which is doable in a day.”She twisted around in her seat, putting her feet on the cushion between them and propping her laptop up on her knees.“We drive down, spend the night, ride the train.That part’s easy.But Durango to Tucson is about nine hours, which is, at least to me, a long day, so we have a couple of options.I wanted to check with you before I start making room reservations.”She looked over the top of her laptop at him.
“Nine hours is doable, but you’re right, it is a long day.How long is the train ride?”
“Round trip, time up in Silverton, we’re looking at a nine-hour trip, so another long day.There are options that we’ll discuss later that can vary the time we get back but let’s finish this part of the planning before we look at that one, because that decision doesn’t need to be made until the morning we ride the train.”
“Another long day but in a different way.I’m guessing the question is whether or not to spend the second night in Durango or to go farther south before stopping for the night?”
“That and where to stop.That’s limited.Farmington is about an hour from Durango, there are a few hotels, but the options are limited.The next option is Gallup, which has a lot more options, but it’s almost three hours away.”She had been consulting something on her screen, then looked up at him, as if looking for his opinion.
He wondered if she wanted him to make the decision or just wanted his input.Opting for the latter, he decided to talk out the timeline with her.“Well, if we leave tomorrow after your meeting, let’s say we get out of town by noon, that puts us in Durango about six.That’s not too bad.Ride the train on Friday.Nine hours, even if we start by nine, puts us back by six.Driving another hour isn’t too bad, but three puts us a bit late, especially if we’re looking at another drive the next day.”He paused a moment, watching her face, then continued, “Can I suggest a third option?”
“Sure, I’m open to other ideas.I just have to be home in time for work Monday morning.”
“What if we spend tomorrow and Friday night in Durango, then drive as long as we want on Saturday, find somewhere to stop when we get tired, and finish the trip Sunday?I’m sure if we get tired, we can find somewhere to stay.It might take another hour or so to reach a town, but we can find something.”He kept his gaze on her, trying to see how she felt about the idea.Was she in a hurry to get home or would she be okay with it taking a little longer?
Her cheeks turned pink.He wondered what she was thinking, but he didn’t have long to wait, at least about what she’d thought about the trip.
“I like that idea.It makes reservations for the rooms both easier and harder, but I can manage.I’ll book rooms for us in Durango, and then we’ll wing it on the last night.”
“One room,” he reminded her.“I’m not leaving you unguarded until you’re home safe.Who knows who might be out there watching or what they might try.”
32
Selena’sfaceheatedandher stomach flipped.
“I’m not sure I can find a place in Durango with suites.”
“I don’t care if it’s a suite or a single room with two beds.I can’t leave you unguarded, but I can behave myself.I’ve never touched a woman without permission and I’m not about to start.”
She couldn’t help but stare at him, eyes wide.She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in the same room with a man she wasn’t already sleeping with.Could she sleep with someone else in the room?Could she keep her hands to herself?She liked him and it had been so long since someone, anyone, intrigued her.Since she could talk to someone the way she could to him, and even longer since she’d wondered what they would feel like pressed close.What they would taste like.She dropped her gaze back to her laptop screen, hoping he wouldn’t be able to see where her thoughts had gone.
“I know we barely know each other but I hope you’ve learned enough about me in the last couple of days to know you’re safe with me.”
Her heart raced.She opened her mouth to say something but what could she say?Her stomach felt like eagles were divebombing.And it wasn’t because she didn’t trust him.
“I do.I know you’ll keep me safe, and that you won’t hurt me.”The words came out in a rush.She clamped her lips shut as soon as she got that much out, to keep from saying the rest of what she was thinking.She was the one she didn’t trust.
Things were finally going well for her, at least they had been before the incident.That’s how she thought about it.Sackett had called it a kidnapping and she couldn’t deny it was accurate, but she couldn’t use the word.It made her feel weak.Even in her own mind.She couldn’t bear it.Even in her head, she thought of it as the incident and that let her keep going.
