Feeling woozy, Nat went to the bathroom to relieve herself and splash cool water on her face.
Someone had takenErik.The brother who’d literally swum circles around her in the ocean and become annoyingly infatuated with half her friends in high school.Who’d helped sneak her into the house two hours past curfew after a date left her stranded.
Who’d been kidnapped by some asshole,because of her.
Ford hadn’t shared why he blamed himself for his brother’s death, but she had some inkling of what he’d gone through.Was still going through.
God,Ford.
She’d expected to have two more days with him, but she could no longer wait that long.She had to act now.Or, first thing in the morning, at least.There was little she could do right this moment other than come up with a plan.
Wide awake on adrenaline, anger, and fear, she hopped onto her computer to meet up with Dallas and got to work.Anything to feel like she was helping her brother, while distracting herself from thoughts of everything that could go wrong.
Two hours later, she glanced up, a faint squeak alerting her to Ford’s descent on the staircase.Moving slowly, as if she had nothing to hide, she closed her anonymous browsing app and shut the lid on her laptop, turning to him with a rueful smile as he entered the room from the hallway.“You caught me.”
It was becoming a habit.
He blinked against the lamplight, looking sexy as sin in nothing but striped boxers.“I thought maybe you’d already left.”
Regret pinched her heart.She wanted to be able to say she wouldn’t do that.“I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep.”
“Do you do this every night?”His sandpaper voice made her shiver.
“No.My brain was spinning.”Not a lie.
Shuffling into the kitchen while rubbing his face, he poured himself a glass of water and took a long drink.“Find anything new?”
“No.”One hundred percent a lie, but she’d already made up her mind to keep him in the dark about Erik.She stood and walked into the kitchen.“I wasn’t going to be able to sleep until I tried a few of the searches that had popped into my head.”
The look of concern Ford gave her melted her resolve a little.“I understand.”He set down his glass and opened his arms.
With a sigh, she slipped into his embrace and buried her face against his chest, inhaling deeply.After the news about her brother, she needed this.She ached to share her fear and guilt with him, but if he knew, he’d only dig in his heels about her leaving alone.Might make some unilateral decision to protect her.
Like I’m doing to him?But it wasn’t the same.Keeping Ford in the dark didn’t put anyone else at risk, while also keeping him safe.No doubt, if he knew about Erik, Ford would prioritize her life above her brother’s.Even before his own.He’d proven that, and it scared her now.She didn’t want him to play bullet catcher for her anymore.
She wanted something entirely different from him.She wanted to enjoy their last night together.And she could sure as hell use the distraction from the horror of her brother’s situation—and her role in it—and the looming end date to her time with Ford.
She snuggled deeper into his embrace.He was warm and solid, and he smelled amazing.Like the man she loved.
Her nose burned and her brow crinkled with the need to cry.How could she leave him?
How could she not?
She took a deep breath and recommitted to her decision to leave in the morning, no matter what.But right now?This moment was all that was guaranteed, and she intended to make the most of it.
Lifting her head and rising onto her toes, she pressed a soft kiss to Ford’s lips.He groaned and tightened his grip on her, deepening the kiss until they were both breathing hard.God, she loved him so much.Leaving was going to tear her apart.But it would keephimwhole, and alongside protecting her family, that had become a top priority.
Enough of that.She wouldn’t let thoughts of tomorrow spoil her last night with him.
Pulling back far enough to look into his gorgeous blue eyes, she squeezed his hard glutes with her good hand and rolled her pelvis against him.“I’m ready to go back to bed.”
Face flush, he gave her another searing kiss.He glanced over at the narrow staircase.“Fuck it.”Without another word, he hoisted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist, and carried her up to bed.
The next morning, Ford took Blitz for a walk in the park while Natalie checked in with her contacts.The clouds overhead darkened menacingly, and he mentally berated himself for not bringing an umbrella.
They matched his mood though.Natalie leaving should be a good thing.If they spent much more time together he might do something stupid, likefallfor her.
Maybe it’s too late.
