He kicked the door closed behind him, locking them in together.Noticing how her gaze moved up and down him like she couldn’t help herself, he hid a grin he’d forgotten he had.Allowing the bags to slide toward the floor, he stopped before they hit and carried them to the chair to keep them from being on the carpet.
“What is it, angel?I told you I’ll never hurt you.”
Her smile, while a bit strained, lightened his heart.“I’m not used to sharing a room with a stranger.”
He stepped toward her, noting the flare of her nostrils and the heat in her gaze.She didn’t back away, neither did she openly welcome him.
“Not a stranger, angel.”
“Vivyan.”
She turned back to the window as it shook with the force of the wind and snow that slammed into it.The pelting alerted him to it was more than simply whipping snow, the ice and sleet had arrived.
“You have to be tired after driving in that.You can shower, I’ll head out and see what I can find in the way of some food.”
His angel met his gaze in the window reflection and she nodded.“Thank you.”
Making sure he had the key he made himself walk away, understanding this was a lot for her.Him too, but in his mind, they could figure the rest out later.He was hers.She was his.
Nothing else mattered.
Ronan walked down the darkened hallway, hearing people’s conversations, kids yelling and babies crying.It didn’t bother him, he wasn’t expecting a five star hotel, Sander’s Point wasn’t that kind of place.There was a nicer hotel toward the middle of town but he got why she was here, it was right off the interstate and they had a lot of travelers through there.Or so they had when he’d lived her prior to his stint in the military.
Closer to this hotel than the nicer one downtown.
Yeah, he wasn’t necessarily welcome in the nicer part of Sander’s Point.Or hadn’t been.In any part of Sander’s Point.
If my truck hadn’t crapped out I’d be sitting at my grandfather’s old house, freezing my ass off because no way he had decent heat in that place.
He paused at the vending machine, taking in the offerings.Slim pickings and he wasn’t entirely sure what his angel preferred so he got a variety of things, keeping in mind there were others who would be needing food as well, especially if this weather did as he expected.Get far worse before getting better.
The slam of a door had him tensing, but he didn’t whip around, didn’t reach for the weapon that had been an extension of him for years, so he was taking this as a win.Tiny footsteps thundered up the hallway behind him and he bent to pick up his selections, using the glass front of the vending machine to see what approached.
Two brunet boys ran heads down, arms pumping just as hard as they worked their legs.Cute.He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so carefree.
Never, his mind reminded him.Not with a drunk of a father and a mother who used men and drugs interchangeably.One to get the other.
A slim black woman paused in the hall, pressed a hand against her swollen belly as she appeared utterly exhausted.
“John, James.Stop running this instant.This isn’t our house and if you run into someone…so help me, you’ll not be sitting for a month.”
Like a brick wall had appeared in front of them, they went rigid, arms stiff and straight at their sides before turning back slowly, ever so slowly, to their mother.She glanced at him and tried for a smile.He nodded once and winked at the boys who watched him, before walking away, he had a woman to return to.
Pushing into the hotel room, he pocketed the key card and instantly scanned for his angel.She wasn’t there but the shower ran and he saw her backpack open on the bed.Tossing the bags of snacks beside it, he skimmed what he could see.
Neat.Organized.All of her clothing had been rolled tight, darker colors and everything had its place.He reached out but pulled back before he dug around in her bag.She would share with him but it was going to be her decision, not him being nosy.
Not that we have secrets between us.Or not that we will.
He cracked his neck as he reached for the ice bucket and headed back out once more to get some ice, he wanted a cold drink and knew this woman sharing a room with him kicked up his internal temp so he needed to not be a Neanderthal.
Right?
This time when he swiped the card to get back in the room, he hooked the security chain once fully inside.The click of the bathroom door snagged his focus as the soft scent of candied grapefruit and cedar filled the air along with steam.
With a deep breath, he turned toward her and swallowed.Hard.This woman had such a natural beauty, it took him out at the knees.She looked adorable and sexy.
Hair up once again in that haphazard bun, he longed to undo and learn how long her hair was, how wavy it actually was and experience it moving over his skin.A large worn wheat hued long sleeve shirt hung off one shoulder, exposing her smooth brown skin to his starving gaze.On the front he readIowa Wildand there was a red and green logo he didn’t quite get, but it made sense as he had no clue who they were.
