“You needed it.” The words he didn’t say were louder. Reminders of last night’s close call.
“I’ll wash the dishes and gather the last of what we need. If you want to shower or do anything else, now’s your chance. Natalie left a pair of jeans, a sweater, and a puffer coat for you on the couch, so you don’t have to travel in that.” He gestured to his oversized clothing hanging off her body.
Was that regret in his eyes? Did he like seeing her in his clothes? True to his typical self, his gaze shuttered, the mask back in place. She missed his vulnerability already. Maybe it would come out again when they reached their destination.
Where were they going? Would they be alone?
When she continued staring into space, he said, “You have fifteen minutes.”
She’d promised no questions, no pushback, only blind trust. So, without another word, she turned on her heel and headed to the shower.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Considering she hadn’t done a single goddamn thing he’d ever asked her to do without a litany of complaints, the fact that Vanessa was quietly trotting beside him down the street, in practical black leather boots, holding Nigel in a pet carrier, was oddly satisfying.
He hadn’t known what to expect when he told her he was taking her away. Yes, their relationship had shifted to something less hostile and more…harmonious lately, but he still braced for her defiance at every turn. It was part of her, and honestly, her fighting instinct was something he’d always admired.
As he led her toward an underground garage half a block away, the dank smell of urine and gasoline stung his nostrils. Even though it was a short distance, he’d tracked their entire route the whole way, making sure there was no tail on them, no eyes he didn’t want. He hated that he had to extract her from her life like this. The desire to put his arm around her and reassure her was overwhelming. Instead, he gripped the bag in his hand harder to keep from acting on the urge. She didn’t belong anywhere near a place like this.
“So, I take it wherever we’re going, Anderson won’t be the one driving us, huh?” She pressed closer to him.
A low rumble of satisfaction vibrated through his chest at the contact. “No one knows where we’re going,” he reminded her. “It’s safer that way.”
“Is that also why you wouldn’t let me take my phone?”
Oh, she’d been sore about that. It had been harder to convince her to leave her phone in the apartment than it had been to convince her to come with him. They’d almost been delayed, for all the persuading he’d had to do.
“More or less.” No point in saying more. He didn’t want to argue again.
Apparently, she didn’t either, because she changed the topic. “I didn’t know you had a car.”
“I don’t. We’re taking my bike.”
She stopped short. “You’re joking, right?”
He said nothing.
“What? Are you hooking a trailer to the back for me to ride in? Is this going to be like those tour guides downtown that pedal you around for a hundred bucks per twenty minutes? I know I’ve done a lot of personal growth over the last few weeks, but if you expect me to stand on two pegs and hold on to your shoulders whilst you?—”
“No.” His voice echoed through the lot as he cut her off. “As entertaining as that would be, I don’t expect you to stand on two pegs while I pedal you to safety, princess.” He returned her standoffish glare with a reassuring one of his own. “I plan on taking you on that.” Without taking his sight off her, he pointed over his shoulder to the Harley, then bit back a smirk at the utter shock that transformed her face.
“You have a motorcycle?” she squeaked. “I knew it!”
“Did you?” He nudged her toward his bike. “Glad I’m easy to read.” He knew he wasn’t.
She might have pegged him as the biker type, but there was still so much she didn’t know. So much he’d never shown her.
Some of it she would discover in the next few hours. His carefully curated privacy was about to be shattered, but it was a price for her safety he was willing to pay.
He quickly stowed her pack in one of his saddlebags, then secured Nigel onto the rack at the back of the bike. He tied a fleece around the carrier for extra protection. Poor thing was going to hate this ride, but he was important to Vanessa, so he was coming. Besides, he’d offer her more comfort than Jordan was capable of.
“Where is your bag?” Vanessa asked. “I thought we were going away for a few days.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Out of the other saddlebag, he withdrew a neatly folded leather jacket that matched the one he was wearing but was cut for a woman. “Here, put this on. The ride will be cold. This will help.”
She took the jacket tentatively. “Whose is this?”
“It’s yours.”
