Hiding in Plain Sight by J.A. Hornbuckle Read Free Book Online Page B

any of the latter in his life.
    "We need to talk," he said around another mouthful of the succulent burger. 
    "Yeah?" he heard her ask before she turned her eyes to the diner's window as she nibbled on a crisp, thin fry.
    "Why did you leave this morning?" he asked slowly.
    Her reply was a shrug as her eyes dropped to the burger she'd cut into quarters in order to fit in her hands.  "Just needed to be on the road, I guess."
    He knew it was a bullshit answer but was willing to let her have her play on it, especially when he remembered being handed his ass in the hotel room the night before.
    "Then why did you get on my bike so quickly?" was his next question.
    "Uh, I thought I…" her husky, sexy voice trailed off.  He waited in case she was actually going to say something of significance.
    "I saw them, too.  Before I turned around to get to you, I saw them," he said, finally, shoving the last bite of the tasty burger in his mouth and studiously wiping his hands and mouth on a napkin.  "The navy, four-door sedan, correct?"
    "Uhm.  Yeah," she admitted and even with her face pointed down to her food, he saw the flush that spread across her cheeks.  She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.  She'd removed the hat and the ponytail when he'd pulled into the diner's parking lot, bending from the waist as she'd brushed out the long length.
    Brand had wanted to take her on the spot, bent over, hair swinging or captured in his hands as he drove into her from behind.  The image of it, the very thought, had made him so hard, so fast, he'd almost become dizzy.
    He pushed his now empty basket away and stretched his aching arms out along the seat back, his own gaze drifting to the window.  He was screwed and needed to figure out a way to salvage this, so no one's life, least of all his own, was in peril.
    "We are not on the right road for where I need to be," he began.  Since she was so closed mouthed about her issue, he was unwilling to give her any information of what he was facing either.  "I need to make calls and I will need to go to North Platte to take care of some other business."
    "Okay," she mumbled, dragging another fry through the dwindling mound of ketchup before she raised her eyes.
    "Where were you planning to go?" he asked slowly.
    Her eyes narrowed, which he'd come to know was the expression she wore when she thought hard.
    "North," she replied before her eyes dropped again.
    He sighed and resumed his gaze of the lonely road which ran in front of the diner.   "I am going northwest and will have to travel the interstate to make up for the time I have lost."
    Her entire body stilled at his words.
    He allowed time for it to sink in.  She got it.  He knew she was going to have to make a decision of either staying with him or making her way alone.  A decision that only she could make, which he'd determined was the only way to ensure she would stay with him.  Last night's tempest had only been the result of frustration with both her situation and loss of control.  In order to avoid the rough side of her tongue going forward, he was going to have to either word things differently so she thought she had a choice or actually give her choices to make.
    Her attitude and sharp tongue was simply the result of her youth and inexperience.  At least, that was what he told himself.
    She, too, pointed her chin at the window as she processed what he'd said.
    "You are welcome to join me, Reese, if you wish," he offered on a low note.
    He saw her eyes turn his direction while her head kept the same position, facing the window.
    "Why?" she asked at last.
    "Excuse me?"
    "Why are you helping me, Bayco?" she repeated, only this time providing a direction for her somewhat general question.
    "I do not know," he answered honestly.  Maybe it was the good food, or the fact that she was such a beautiful, mostly undemanding road companion, but he decided to add a little bit more truth to the mix.  "You need help and I am good at