He grinned at her as he pulled on the strawin his shake. “I’m so ok with it that I can’t wait to do it againas soon as we get back to the room.”
“You may have to wait.” He frowned at hercomment. “I imagine it’s much like swimming, wait an hour aftereating.”
A burst of laughter escaped him; his eyestwinkled as he lifted his shake and sat back in his seat. “Ithought it was a half an hour?”
“This is a lot of food.”
“It is. All right, I’ll give you anhour.”
“And then?”
“And then I’m going to help you burn off allof those calories.”
“It’s a deal,” she told him. “Do you thinkmy father is still around?”
“He’s not within ten miles of us as far as Ican tell,” Ian replied. “But no, I think when I managed to killthree of his cohorts, he decided to get as far from here as hepossibly could. Do I think he’s probably trying to recoup hislosses before coming at us again? Yes, but I plan to kill himbefore that happens.”
It took all she had to force down a part ofher chicken tender. He could be so loving and joyful one minute,and the next he was completely merciless. She was glad she’d neverbe on the receiving end of his wrath. She doubted many would becapable of surviving it.
She popped the last of her chicken tendersinto her mouth. Hoping to bring his smile back, she held her handout to him, “You owe me twenty dollars.”
The saucy smile she gave him was impossibleto resist. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet andhanded her a twenty. His hand lingered in hers when she took thetwenty from him. “I’m going to give you so much more thanthat.”
“I’m betting on it,” she told him with awink.
CHAPTER 19
The loud rap on the door caused Ian to crack an eyeopen the next morning. He glanced at the clock by the bed, ninethirty. He was normally up much earlier, but he and Paige had onlyfallen asleep a few hours ago, and he’d planned to spend most ofthe day in bed, only leaving it to get her something to eat. Hisfamily had had other plans, judging by some of the smells on theother side of the door. He’d known they’d planned on coming today,but he’d been hoping it wouldn’t be until later,muchlater.
Another loud knock on the door caused Paigeto stir beside him. Her brow furrowed; her eyes fluttered open andlanded on him. A smile curved her lips, but the next loud knockcaused her smile to vanish, and she bolted upright in bed. “He’shere!”
Ian sat up beside her when he realized theconclusion her mind had jumped to. “No.” He rested his hands on hershoulders, drawing her eyes to him. “It’s my family, it’s not yourfather.”
Her mouth parted, she inhaled sharply. “Areyou sure?”
“Yes. I’ve lived with them long enough to beable to recognize their aromas, believe me, some of them stink.” Henudged her chin playfully and felt the tension easing out of herbody as she tugged the sheets up against her chest. She glancednervously down at the sheets pressed against her and then at him.“I’ll get rid of them. Stay here.”
“Ian!” Ethan barked from the other side andknocked urgently on the door again.
“I heard you!” he shouted back. Grabbing apair of his jeans from the floor, he tugged them on as he crossedthe room to the door. Ethan’s troubled emerald eyes met his when hecracked the door open. “Some people like to sleep.” Ethan refrainedfrom a wise ass retort as his eyes darted past him. Ian lifted hisarm and used his body to block the interior of the room. “Give mean hour.”
Ethan stepped closer to him. “Brian is withus; he’s brought a friend.”
Ian’s gaze shot past Ethan, but he didn’tsee anyone else out there. “Who?”
“His name is Ronan.” Something about Ethan’stone brought Ian’s attention back to him. Defensiveness rippledover his skin; his fangs prickled. “He’s like us Ian, but he’solder, much older.”
“Like us how?” he demanded.
“A born vampire.”
Ian’s nostrils flared. “Do I have to beconcerned about her safety around him?”
“I don’t think so. I only wanted to prepareyou for him. He’s powerful.”
“I’ll be ready for him. Meet me back here inan hour?”
Ethan nodded and turned away. Emma steppedout from the shadows of the room next door to join Ethan on thewalkway. Ian caught a glimpse of David by the motel lobby talkingwith someone he couldn’t see, before he closed the door. The colorhad faded from Paige’s face when he turned to face her.
