“If something happens, I want you to know how grateful I am for you,” I said softly, my fingers trailing over the prickly hairs on his chest. “You saved me from getting killed and whatever else those assholes were going to do to me.” I shivered. “Thank you for protecting me. It kind of makes me feel bad for being such a bitch to you in the beginning.”
Chuckling, he kissed my hair. “You were so feisty, and I secretly loved it. I love how stubborn you are. It’s going to come in handy tomorrow.”
“Once we get home, I’m going to give Michael the location of the flash drive. It’s in a locker at Penn Station. I’ll give him the code so you all can track down my dad’s Eastern European contacts.”
“Thank you. That’s going to help immensely.”
Lifting my head, I stared into his deep brown eyes. “I’m doing it for you. I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner. I was just so worried I couldn’t trust either of you, and Mom and I were so alone...”
He pressed my head back to his chest. “I get it, princess. Go to sleep. The sooner we rest, the sooner we can get out of here.”
I flicked his nipple. “Aaaaand, he’s bossing me around again. Some things never change.”
He pressed my palm to his chest, covering it with his hand. “It’s my honor to protect you, Alexis. Once we return to reality, just remember I’ll always be there if you need me.”
“You act like I’ll never see you again. Your cousinismarried to my mother.”
“I know, but you’ll move on with your life, and I want that for you. You’re so young, and you need to follow your dreams.”
His words caused a deep welling of sadness in the pit of my stomach. “We can...make love... If you want to.” I swallowed thickly, already knowing he was going to reject me out of his inherent sense of honor.
He exhaled a long, slow breath. “Not here, and not like this, sweetheart.”
My nostrils flared as I fought the tears that stung my eyes.
“It’s not because I don’t want you.” Gliding his fingers under my chin, he gazed into my soul. “It’s because I know you deserve more, and I want your first time to be with someone you love. Someone you waited for, who will cherish you in the right way, at the right time.”
Sighing, I rested my head on my fist. “Why couldn’t you just be like every other man who’s a horny bastard?”
Chuckling, he caressed my cheek. “Because I care about you too much.”
I licked my suddenly dry lips, loving the flare of desire in his eyes. “You care about me?”
His eyebrows drew together. “You know I do.” He gently pressed my head back to his chest. “Now, let your tired bodyguard sleep and hold you one more night.”
“Just to keep me warm,” I teased, nuzzling into him. “Not because you enjoy it.”
“Of course, I enjoy it,” he said, his voice getting drowsy as his arm tightened around me. “I’m a man of honor, but I’m still a man.”
I breathed a laugh, splaying my hand over his chest as his breaths grew deeper. Several moments later, he began to snore above me.
“I think...” I ran my fingers over his pec as I whispered the words I’d never said to anyone. “I think I’m falling in love with you...”
My only response was the crackling of the fire and his deep breaths above me.
Wrapped in his arms, I lay there, unable to sleep, as I wondered what would happen to us when we finally returned home...
We woke the next morning and dressed in our makeshift gear before dousing the fire. I dressed in one of the dead men’s clothes and covered my sneakers with two garbage bags before tying them below my knees to prevent snow from falling in. Nick did the same before we each donned their fleece jackets.
We used the fire poker to cut one of the blankets in half. We each wrapped them over our heads and tied them to our bodies. Afterward, I stood back and assessed both of us.
“We look ridiculous.”
“But we also look warm,” he said, looking toward the window. “The sun is starting to rise. Time to go.”
We placed two cans of beans in one of the garbage bags, along with the matches, cell phones and other knickknacks we thought we might find useful. Nick strapped one of the guns to his belt before handing me the other one.
“The safety’s on, but I want you to wear it, just in case. Do you know how to shoot?”
