He laughed, then winced.
“Is your headache back?”
“That would suggest my headache ever left.”
“Come on,” I said. “Alex probably thinks we’re having a disagreement.”
We both glanced over at the car, but Alex was bent over his phone. If he’d been paying attention, he was pretending he wasn’t.
I headed over to the car, and James fell in step beside me, his hand settling lightly at the small of my back.
I shot him a wry look. “Worried I’ll take off somewhere?”
“Maybe I just like findin’ a reason to touch you.”
Another wave of warmth rushed through me, leaving me disconcerted. I wasn’t used to a man affecting me like this. It wasn’t the ideal time to start.
Alex glanced up as we approached the car, unlocking the doors just as James reached for the back handle. James gestured for me to get in first.
When we were inside, Alex looked over his shoulder as James shut the door.
“You were in there for a bit. Did you find out anything about your niece?”
“Possibly,” James said, settling back in the seat, a slight grimace pressing his lips flat.
“Where to next?” Alex asked.
We’d been in the club for longer than I’d expected. The clock on Alex’s dash said it was close to eleven.
James gave me a questioning look.
I didn’t have anyone else to check with. It also wasn’t lost on me that James had done more tonight than he’d done since the accident—and the club had been loud, the stage lights had been bright, exactly what he didn’t need.
I shook my head. “I don’t have anything else. Let’s go back to the hotel.”
James nodded. “Okay.”
“I picked you up outside the bar,” Alex said. “Where’re you guys stayin’?”
James paused for a moment, then gave him the name of our hotel, sat back, and closed his eyes. I stared at him in surprise.
We rode in silence, and I berated myself for not checking on him sooner. Hell, he probably shouldn’t have been out at all tonight.
When we neared the hotel, I expected James to tell Alex to stop a block away so we could sneak in through the back, but he let him pull right up to the entrance, then handed him two folded bills.
“Thanks for your service, Alex.”
Alex took the money, then handed James a card. “If you need a driver during the rest of your stay, just give me a call.”
James thanked him and opened the door, holding out a hand to help me out on his side.
I wasn’t used to a man treating me like royalty, and my first instinct was to refuse, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to let myself be spoiled a bit. Besides, our cover was that we were a married couple. Letting him help me out went with the act.
We were silent until we reached our room. James locked the door behind us, then headed to the sitting area as he took off his jacket.
“You did too much tonight,” I said, toeing off my shoes next to the bed.
“It needed to be done,” he said matter-of-factly. He tossed his jacket onto a chair, then removed his holster and gun and set them on the coffee table.
