“You did the right thing under the circumstances. I don’t like that she knows as much as she does, little that it is.
And you sure as hell can’t let her go now. Not until you make the delivery. If she’s involved in this somehow, then she jeopardizes your mission. And even if she’s not, she’ll go running to the cops or back to her agency and client with information we don’t want them to have. She’ll have to stay with you.”
“That’s what I’m thinking.” Though it would make his job a lot harder trying to hold onto her while traversing the countryside. Not impossible, just difficult.
“Keep her with you, travel around a day or two longer.
Make a few stops here and there so she doesn’t know exactly where or when you’re making the delivery, then dump her. I don’t want her getting anywhere near her client or her agency until after the delivery is made. And it would be nice if we could somehow figure out who was shooting at you. I’d like to know who wanted that virus. We’ll do what we can from this end to figure that out, too.”
“Got it.”
“And stay in touch. Holler if you need backup.”
“Will do.” He hung up, scrounged for some firewood and made his way back to the campsite.
He hated keeping secrets from Lily, especially this one.
He’d like to show her just how much he had turned his life around in the last ten years, but he owed his allegiance to Grange and the Riders. He had to do whatever was necessary to maintain the integrity of the program, and that meant not telling Lily anything. With a resigned sigh, he broke through the brush and into the campsite. She was sitting on a log near the fire, shivering.
Cold night. He made a mental note to stop tomorrow for clothes and supplies. And if they were going to be riding he’d need to reconfigure the bike so she’d be more comfortable.
She turned her head as he walked up to the fire. “Took you long enough. What? You didn’t shoot a deer for me?”
He grinned. “Forgot my rifle. Sorry. I have some cheese and crackers in my jacket, though. That’ll have to do for tonight.”
“Yummy.”
They sat and ate while the fire kicked up.
Unfortunately, so did the wind. And the light clothes Lily wore were no protection. “We need to get into the tent. It’s getting colder out here.”
Lily nodded wrapping her arms around herself. “Good idea. I’m freezing.”
They crawled inside the tiny tent that really was only designed for one person. Which meant a very tight squeeze.
One blanket, too. Mac traveled light. He hadn’t expected to be housing a guest in his tent. Then again, Lily wasn’t very big.
They’d make do. It’d be cramped as hell in there, but they’d manage.
He slipped off his leather jacket, making sure to hide the vial and his cell phone out of Lily’s reach. “Put this on,” he said, wrapping the jacket around her.
“Then you’ll be cold,” she said.
He couldn’t see her face in the darkness. He really liked looking at her, because her eyes told him so much. “I’ll be fine.
You’re freezing. I can feel you shivering.”
She shrugged into his jacket and he pulled the blanket around her legs. He settled himself onto the icy canvas floor of the tent, resigned to a cold night. He’d suffered worse than this before.
Once they were situated, everything went quiet, the night sounds outside and the crackling fire the only noises.
Mac listened to Lily’s breathing, wondering if she’d fall asleep fast or if she was uncomfortable. She lay still for the longest time and he thought she was asleep, but then she let out a deep sigh. He waited for her to say something, but she didn’t.
Yeah, it was cold, and the ground was damned uncomfortable. This wasn’t exactly a cozy setup for sleeping, but under the circumstances it was the best he could do.
Tomorrow they’d stay someplace warmer but tonight was about getting someplace remote and fast, and making sure no one was following them. He preferred the outdoors anyway, where he could keep his ears open, hear cars or footsteps, listen to the sounds and pick up anyone who might be sneaking up on them.
Finally, she seemed to settle down. Mac closed his eyes and mentally planned the route he’d take. Off the beaten path, no main roads, except tomorrow when they’d stop at a bike store to swap seats and then another place to get Lily some clothes. He’d stay on the back roads, mainly because he liked to wind around and enjoy the ride. Plus he didn’t like traveling the highways, and since they’d gotten away with the virus, he could almost bet whoever had shot at them would be on the lookout for them. Which meant the less traveled roads were safer.
He startled when Lily moved, shuffling around next to him.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Hang on.”
She shifted, surprisingly, on top of him, laying her body over his and pulling the blanket over them both. Instant heat enveloped him.
“What are you doing, Lily?” he asked again.
“There’s no sense in both of us freezing,” she said, her voice low as she faced him. “You were shot tonight and need to stay warm.”
“My shoulder doesn’t even hurt.”
“So? I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re cold and I’m wrapped up in your jacket and the only blanket.”
“I think you’re trying to find the vial. Or my phone.” Or his gun.
“You don’t trust me.” There was a tinge of shock in her voice.
“Duh.”
“I’m not after either. I’m trying to keep you from freezing.”
He didn’t believe her. And he wasn’t cold now. Not with her br**sts pressed against his chest and her pelvis rubbing against his crotch. In fact, his c**k was warming pretty damn fast. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“Am I hurting your shoulder?”
“No. I told you it doesn’t hurt at all. And I’m plenty warm.”
“And now so am I. This feels good and I’m even warmer now.”
If she kept wiggling around on top of him things were going to get even more heated. Was she deliberately trying to torment him? If so, it was working. He still thought she was trying to maneuver her way toward the vial and his cell phone.
Not that it would do her any good. He had tucked them safely out of her reach, so even in her current position she wasn’t going to find them. But damn, who could think straight when her warm, lush body was sliding over his? She was going for distraction—and it was working. Damn, was it ever working.