As Night Falls by Jenny Milchman Read Free Book Online Page B

more—I figured that was normal for a daughter. But because
you
loved
her
so much.” He leaned forward, toying with Sandy’s hair in a way that sent shivers down her back. “I’m just saying that it might not be such a bad thing if we got some alone time for a while.” He touched the knob of her neck, igniting another rain of shivers. “You know, we used to be pretty good at this.”
    Sandy looked up at him. “This?”
    Ben extended his arms, taking in the whole of the sprawling kitchen. “This. Just the two of us. Dinner. Conversation. A little music maybe.”
    Sandy glanced at the table, and Ben bounded away, scooping up the third place setting and depositing it back on a cabinet shelf. So much was contained in the swift ballet of motions that Sandy’s heart seized. Love. Understanding of how Ivy’s empty place would strike Sandy. Her husband’s own penchant for thoroughness, how he would never leave so much as a plate out. Perhaps the greatest demonstration of all was in Ben’s willingness not to delve into whatever had happened, the nature of the conflict with Ivy. He let Sandy have her silence and always had, as if there were some smooth, invisible repellant around her.
    “Ivy can fix herself a plate later,” Ben said. “Won’t hurt her to eat alone.”
    Sandy tilted her head. All was quiet upstairs.
    Ben took a step toward her.
    Then his chest was pressed against hers, and Sandy couldn’t tell whose heart was beating like that, so fast and so strong. Ben leaned down, roaming her mouth with his.
    “As for us,” he said, leaving Sandy with cutoff breath, her body straining to find his, “maybe we’ll also do a little of that.”

ENTRANCE
    I t was cold in the SUV; the temperature had fallen while the sky thickened. Nick could feel it now for sure in his leg. He hadn’t wanted to give any hint of their presence, not even a plume of vapor from the tailpipe, so he’d turned the engine off.
    “Nick?” Harlan said.
    “What?” Nick asked. No snap to his tone, although his nerves were on edge. As many preparations as he had made in advance—and there was a limit to what could be done inside—there was still so much that could go wrong.
    The weather being number one.
    He’d meant for them to be in and out and on their way with everything they needed. Speed meant safety. The hunt for two escaped cons was on, and staying put would be risky, even in a spot as out of the way and remote as this one. While where Nick had them going was unsearchable. He and Harlan would never be found so long as they kept moving.
    But if they had to remain here longer, pinned in place by a storm? Nick looked up at the hill, considering.
    “Nick?” Harlan said again.
    Something must’ve shown in Nick’s face because Harlan recoiled, or tried to. There wasn’t anyplace for his massive body to go, despite the roominess of the car.
    “Forget it,” Harlan muttered. Then, “It’s just that it’s cold out. I’m cold, Nick.”
    Harlan should’ve known better than to complain, but nothing was normal about tonight. The rules had all changed, and though Nick wouldn’t have thought that he’d miss them, there was a frenzied whirl of emptiness inside him, like he’d fallen into outer space.
    “Yeah,” Nick said. “I am, too. Just give me a second to think.”
    They could stay in the car a little while longer before making their entrance. Limit their exposure and the potential for complications inside. But that was a temporary solution given the temperature. Might be better just to make their presence known and deal with the repercussions right off.
    Harlan spoke up again. “Nick?”
    “Goddamnit!” Nick roared, and Harlan jumped, his head grinding against the roof. Nick lowered his voice. “I said, give me some time to think. I just need to think.”
    Harlan stared at him for long enough that Nick broke their silent exchange. If another man had looked at him like that, Nick would’ve broken something a lot worse