Page 14 of Joshua's Mistake
Chapter 3
The place was abandoned. He made his way to the small office and jotted down a note.
She read it when he was done.Joe, I took her. Be in touch. J.
“Who is Joe and what does he know about me?”
“Don’t freak out. The ‘her’ in the note is a plane, not you.”
He sensed her relief and moved quickly back through the tiny airport. He ran a preflight check as quickly as possible. Once they were in the air she started to relax a little more. It amazed him that in so short a time he had become in tune to every nuance of her emotional state. Generally, he detected something from everyone in his vicinity, most of the time he ignored the input unless there was a sudden change from someone. Quick mood swings were always a bad sign. With Tessa, the link was clearer, more specific. If and when he had time, he’d have to examine the connection more closely.
“I feel like I’m always asking you this, but where are we going?” she asked.
It was a good question. He had no idea what the answer was. Legally he was required to file a flight plan. Of course, if he did they would be found right away and he needed to buy them a little time. Someone was trying to get rid of her—and him too if he wasn’t mistaken. He turned south and made an effort to stay off the grid of any major airports. “Key West.”
“What’s there?”
“I have some friends, a safe house and resources.”
“It sounded to me as though the FBI agent back in New Jersey was your friend and look how that turned out.” Accusation dripped from her words.
He shrugged and imagined the horizon in the darkness. He would have to fly by his instruments and stay off the radar. “Blake is not my friend. He helped my brother out of a jam last year. And you can think whatever you want, but for whatever reason he probably saved our lives. He told me how to get us out of the safe house.”
“He called you ‘old friend’.”
“That was my clue that whatever he was about to say was important. We are not old friends.”
“He lied to get your attention.”
The dashboard instruments illuminated her with a kind of soft glow he found very sexy. Actually, everything about Tessa sent his thoughts in a very erotic direction. “How long were you in custody?”
“Three weeks.”
“How long had they had you in the shore house?”
“A few hours.”
“When was the last time you slept? Last night doesn’t count.”
There was a long pause. He wondered if she was blushing, but he sensed no embarrassment from her. He liked that.
“A while,” she said.
“I know it’s hard for you to let your guard down with me near. Trust takes time that we don’t have. You’ve been in my head. You have a small idea of what I am. You can also feel how attractive I find you. I wouldn’t trust me either. But if you don’t get some rest you won’t be of any use to me or yourself. Go in the back and sleep a while. I’ll wake you when we’re close to landing.”
A myriad of emotions rushed through her mind. He wondered if she intentionally let him feel her trepidation or if she was just too exhausted to shield herself. Either way he loved the feel of her near him and it was dangerous for both of them.
* * *
As she started to wake, his voice cut through her haziness. “Good, you’re awake. I don’t think I could take much more of your dreaming.”
She pushed herself out of the comfortable seat and moved forward to the cockpit. She ignored his comment and only felt her cheeks heat slightly. “Tell me about your psi abilities.”
“What do you want to know?”
She looked out the window and saw nothing but blackness below. They were likely over the ocean. “I can only read general impression of a person’s thoughts. Can you actually read minds?”
“Sometimes. It depends on how strong the thought is, how weak the mind, conscious or not, a lot of factors.”
