Clara keeps giggling as she crawls over me to dislodge our bloodthirsty miniature panther from Jansen’s back, and by thetime Jay’s free and deemed only scratched, I’ve recovered. Mostly.
I got a glance under that t-shirt of Clara’s, though, and my assumption was right. That’s all she’s got on. I have to will my dick back down with a visual of her blue lips and shallow breaths, half dead in my arms. It works.
Clara flops down in the middle of my bed like she belongs there, and Jansen settles down on the other side of her, his cat sitting on my desk and licking his paws like a threat. Or a treat. Really, who knows with that thing?
“I needed that,” she says, drawing my attention to her. She pats the pillow next to her, and I lay down, not fighting this, even if I feel like I should.
Jansen nuzzles into her mess of curls, and she turns to him, kissing his cheek, then resting her head on his chest. And I’m so fucking jealous that part of me wants to yank her off him and tuck her up against me. But the rest of me knows I haven’t earned that right. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
The three of us talk about nothing at all, the night passing in shared memories and stupid stories. And when Clara falls silent between us, I can’t help but reach out and touch one curl, wrapping it around my finger. Jansen shifts on his side of the mattress and I pull my finger free, inching away from the woman beside me. “You’ve got to keep her safe,” he whispers.
“I’ll do what I can, but you know as well as I do it might be impossible to keep her unscathed.”
“I don’t care.” His voice is harsh, like it was last winter when he showed that even a chill guy like Jansen can hold fury.
“I’ll try. I don’t want her hurt. Not again.”
He closes his eyes. “It’s just…I need her.”
“I get it.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Then explain it,” I say, understanding he needs to get whatever he has to say out, even if I don’t want to hear it.
He runs his palm along her cheek, his eyes locked on her lax face. “I don’t think I can do this without her.”
“She’s key.”
“No. I don’t think I candothis, any of this, without her.” He looks up, his eyes glassy. “So keep her safe.”
I nod, not making a promise I can’t keep. But the already high stakes just leaped higher.
Because what happens to a bomb when the trigger disappears entirely?
Chapter 47
Clara
Emma drags me into a hug the second she sees me, and holding onto her, an embarrassing combination of a giggle and a sob escapes me. “God, I’ve missed you,” she mutters, before dragging me to a table, glancing back at Walker as we go. “I got a table for two…”
Walker waves her off. “I’ll sit at the bar and let you guys have your time.”
But when we sit at the table, I make sure he’s in my sight, the buddy rule in full effect. We already hit up early morning coffee with Summer before she flew to Vegas. She knows what role she may have to play. She looked oddly charmed by the whole idea, so I did well in picking her for that part.
So many moving pieces. But now isn’t the time to worry about them. Not yet.
Emma waves down the waitress and we both order a bellini, my real ID finally stating that I’m old enough to drink.
Four birthdays celebrated on the run, Trips’ only a few weeks ago. I never would have guessed he’s the youngest of the guys. But another day in reality makes our time in Mexico seem like some strange, sun-drenched dream, a necessary purgatory.
Emma drags me back to the present, squeezing my hand in hers. “So, runaway, you’re back.”
“Yup. And this is probably the best chance we’re going to have to speak honestly for a while.”
“How so?”
“Remember that engagement to Trips?”
