Page 15 of Shine: Sins of the Father
“And where does she fucking live?” he snaps, pausing in his pacing.
I can’t hear more, and soon he shoves his phone in his pocket and stares at the lake, then drags his hand down his face. In the next moment, he’s striding purposefully toward the cabin, and I scurry to my chair and have my mug halfway to my mouth when the door opens.
“Everything okay?” I ask, my eyes dragging over the tension radiating from his body.
“No. Got someplace I have to go.”
“Club business?” I ask, knowing I shouldn’t.
“Yeah. Sort of.”
“Will you be gone long?”
“How are you getting home?” he asks, not answering me. “The club sending someone to pick you up?”
“Um, yes. Tomorrow night.”
“How far of a drive is it to San Jose from here?”
“About five hours or more. Why?”
He paces into the adjoining living area, glances at the television, then his hands land on his hips and he turns to me. “So, if I leave, you’ll be up here alone with no way to escape if that fire changes direction.”
“If there’s an emergency, and you can’t stay, that’s okay. I’ll find a way home.”
“Babe, I know we just met, but there’s no way in hell I’m leaving you here with no transportation home. And you said it yourself, even if someone leaves right now to come get you, it’ll be five hours before they get here. A lot can happen in that time, especially with something as unpredictable as a wildfire.”
“So, you’re going to give me a ride home?”
“I can’t. I don’t have time. Fuck.” He paces some more. “Maybe I can drop you off at that general store.”
“You want me to wait around for five hours at the general store?”
“At least they could get you to safety if things change.”
He’s seriously considering this.
“Look, forget it. I’ll be fine. Go do what you have to do. I’m not your responsibility.” So much for any knight in shining armor fantasy. That armor just crashed to the ground. My chair skitters across the wood floor as I jerk to my feet and carry my plate and mug to the kitchen, dumping my coffee in the sink with a fling of my hand.
And that’s when I feel his body press against my back and his arms come around me.
“I may be an asshole, Desiree, but I’m not that big of an asshole.” A feather-soft kiss brushes my ear. “I’m not leaving you, which means I guess I’m taking you with me.”
“Where?” I know the guys in the club don’t bring women with them on club business.
“Stateline, NV.”
“Where’s that?” I turn in his arms.
“Just across the line from South Lake Tahoe.”
“What’s there?” I dare to ask, knowing I’m pushing it.
“Hopefully, the guy I need to find.”
“Why do you think he’ll be there?”
“Got a tip he’s headed to his mother’s place. That’s where she lives.”
