Page 41 of Sackett
She felt the heat of his body as he slipped past her and into the bathroom.Once the door closed and she was alone, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.She needed to control herself and not let her mind go there.She could do this.
35
Sackettstoodinlinebeside Selena, waiting to get their tickets to the train, then board.His mind kept drifting back to this morning and how he’d woken up.
He’d been surprised to find Selena curled against him, using him as her pillow, but pleased at the same time.He’d lain there as still as he could be and watched her as she slept.Yeah, that made him feel a little bit like a creep, but he hadn’t put her there or snuck in to find her like that.He tried to justify it by telling himself he was just letting her sleep.
It only did so much toward salving his conscience.But what would have happened if he’d woken her sooner?She wouldn’t have been so rested.She still would have been embarrassed but she would think he didn’t want her touching him and that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
He wanted her to touch him, and he wanted to touch her, a hell of a lot more than had happened this morning.
But he wouldn’t push.He wouldn’t ask for more.He would leave it up to her.It was the only thing his integrity would allow him to do.
“Where do you want to sit?”he asked as they made their way onto the train.
“Seats are assigned with the tickets.We were a little limited, but I got ours in the open gondola cars.I thought we’ll probably get better pictures without glass to get in the way.”
“Sounds good.”Sackett followed her through the crowded train, resisting the urge to put his hand low on her back as she led the way.His hand ached for the contact, but he told himself no.It would make her uncomfortable and he didn’t want that.As much as he wanted to touch her again, to inhale her sweet, tempting scent, he had to wait until she made the first move.If she ever did.If she didn’t then he’d deal with it.His wants.His body’s wants weren’t her responsibility.
He lectured himself nonstop as they made their way through the aisle.He almost didn’t notice when Selena stepped out of the line and between two seats.
“You all right?”Selena’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, making him realize when she sat, that they’d reached their seats.
“I’m good, was just thinking,” he said as he sat beside her.
“About anything good?”She looked at him, interested.
Sackett shook his head.He thought it was good, or he wanted it to be, but he wasn’t going to tell her what he’d been thinking about.
“How long until we leave?”he asked as he settled in.
“We have about thirty minutes,” Selena responded after checking her watch.“You have something you want to do?”She turned to look at him.
“Just find the restroom.Will you be okay until I get back?”He didn’t like leaving her here alone, but they were nowhere near Boulder, or Fort Collins and he’d watched for a tail the day before and seen nothing.There was no reason to think she wouldn’t be perfectly fine here.
She nodded, turning her attention back to the view out the open top half of the wall in front of their seats.He watched her for a moment, making sur she really was okay and wasn’t just putting on a brave face.He scanned the car, then turned and went in search of the restroom.
They made it to Silverton with no problems.Sackett couldn’t help but be glad that it seemed they’d lost the assholes who had kidnapped her and could enjoy their time on the way home.And he was determined to do just that.
After talking to a few people, they walked from the train station toward what looked like the main drag through town and wandered up and down the street, checking out shops.
Several times as they walked, Selena’s hand brushed his.He wanted to take it and hold on to it, but wasn’t sure that was what she was after or if the touches had been accidental.He hoped they were deliberate, but they still had at least one night together, possibly two.He didn’t want her to regret traveling with him or feel like she wasn’t safe with him.
They stopped at a saloon on the main drag in Silverton and ate lunch.They were talking about things they’d seen, waiting for their food to arrive, when she reached across the table and grabbed his hand.The suddenness of her touch and the intensity of her grip made him look at her, suddenly alert.
“What?”He kept his voice calm, and his tone even, just as if they were still discussing things they’d seen in the little shops so far.
“That man over there.”She rolled her eyes to the left, then brought them back to him.“That’s Mr.Smarmy.”
Sackett gave her a long blink, trying to remember if she’d ever used that name to him before.
“You’re going to have to give me a clue who that is, sunshine.”He did his best to sound like it was an endearment he used with her often, not wanting to clue anyone who might overhear them in that there was anything wrong.
“Remember the night you took me for a walk, but I forgot my shoes?”Selena seemed to understand what he was doing and kept her voice soft, trying to clue him in without saying exactly what she wanted him to know.
“Of course, how could I forget it?”It had only been a few days ago.He searched his memory, trying to recall if she’d mentioned anyone in talking about that night.“You mean that guy?That’s him?”He scanned the room, trying to spot the man she was pointing out to him.“Which one?”
She gave him a brief description, her hand still clutching his as she sat stiff and barely moving as she watched him from across the table.
