Long Gone by Marliss Melton, Janie Hawkins Read Free Book Online

thighs.
    “Would you take a shower with me?”
    His body thrummed with enthusiasm. “ Er …” How the hell was he supposed to turn that down?  “Baby, we need to get a move on.”
    “Okay.” She stepped back, glanced into the mirror and grimaced. “I wish I could brush my teeth.”
    Obviously, she didn’t get the need for haste, but it wouldn’t throw their plans off too much if they washed up first. “Wait one sec.”
    He brought his shaving kit to the bathroom, squeezed a line of paste onto his toothbrush, and handed it to her. As she brushed her teeth, he anticipated learning every detail about her daily routine in the days to come. When she was done, he took the brush back and scoured his own teeth while she turned the shower on.
    It wasn’t until she pulled off her pajama top exposing her pert, perfect breasts that it occurred to Drake that they might not be leaving the motel as quickly as he’d planned. The soft inviting light in Skyler’s eyes made him realize she had more in mind than just a quick shower. His heart started to thump a little faster. “Baby, I don’t know if we have time to—”
    “ Shhh .” She placed a finger on his lips, stepping close enough to brush her breasts against his chest. “I need you, Drake. I need you to show me that I’m still alive.”
    She couldn’t have said anything more coercive than that. Lowering his head, he kissed her lush, wide lips with as much restraint as he could muster, but just the simple touch of their lips sent ripples of pleasure flowing to his extremities.
    Still, he held himself in check, letting her be the first to open her mouth, to slide her minty-tasting tongue between his lips in search of his. Relishing her trust, he vowed he would banish the nightmare of the last six hours from her thoughts.
    He stripped off his shirt in one fluid move, baring his chest. Skyler’s eyes widened as she looked him over. “You’ve gotten so much bigger.”
    Her words made him feel like Superman. “I’ve spent a lot of time at the gym. It helped to pass the time.”
    A shadow moved across her face. “Every day without you feels like forever,” she reflected.
    “That’s why we’ll never be apart again,” he swore, tackling the zipper on his jeans and shucking out of them. His pant leg got stuck on his holster. “Sorry.” He stripped off the holster and lay the gun on the granite countertop.
    “It makes me feel safe,” she assured him.
    Anxiety speared him briefly. What if the U.S. Marshals caught up to them and took Skyler back? Worse still, what if the mob managed to find them, even on the other side of the world?
    The vision of Skyler sliding her panties off her hips and down her legs chased all thought from his mind.
    “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, denuding himself with less grace, but with obvious enthusiasm. 
    She pulled back the shower curtain, and a cloud of steam wafted toward them.
    “Careful, it looks hot,” he cautioned as she stepped under the spray. 
    “That’s how I like it.” She beckoned him to join her.  
    With a groan of bliss, he dove into the deluge and drew her slippery curves closer. She wrapped her arms around his waist, laid her head on his chest, and released a long, shuddering breath.
    For the longest time, she didn’t move.
    “ We okay, here?” he inquired, tipping her chin up. With a stab of dismay, he saw that she was weeping.
    “Wash me,” she requested. 
    Wordlessly, he reached for the bar of new soap and lathered the washcloth she had set within arm’s reach. Beginning with her neck and shoulders, he filled the enclosure with the scent of lavender as he soaped her. “You’re so lovely, Sky,” he murmured, longing to comfort her. “Lovely and strong.” His words made her lower lip tremble.
    He realized she’d had no choice but to be strong. Neither one of them had had a choice.
    But that was about to change— after he demonstrated how truly alive she was. 
    As he washed the