Page 26 of Tempting Fire

Chapter Seven

They’d spent the night in Little Rock, and she’d perked up when they’d found a Stuckey’s convenience store. He pulled over for coffee and to let Chloe use the restroom. She actually smiled when they got inside and it warmed his heart.

“What’s got you so excited, Cupcake?”

“Do you remember Tabitha Ryder?” He vaguely remembered a girl from elementary school.

“Her mom took us to Stuckey’s for her birthday one year, she let each of us get our own invisible ink question book, and bought us all pecan log roll candy.”

“If it will get you eating, I’ll buy out their inventory.”

“They’re really sweet, I don’t think I could handle too much,” she protested. “I’ll be right back.” She headed towards the back where the bathrooms were. Zarek did a quick tour of the store and had made his purchases by the time Chloe had returned.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Stuff for the road. Come on, we’re burning daylight.” He caught her hand and headed back out in the heat. He’d parked close to the entrance so she didn’t have to walk far since he knew her foot was still bothering her. He’d checked it last night in the hotel and didn’t see any sign of an infection, but she was still favoring her left foot.

Thirty miles later Zarek grinned when he heard the rustle of the bag.

“Did I say you could look in there?”

“I want my pecan log roll.”

“Who said I bought one?”

“You’re as transparent as glass Zarek Post. I want my treat.” Zarek’s grin turned into a laugh.

Score!

“Help yourself. I even got some wet naps, because I knew you would make a mess.”

He spared a glance from the road and looked at Chloe. She wasn’t even scowling at him for the insult, instead she was looking at the caramel pecan candy like it was a slice of heaven. It was the first time he had seen her look truly happy since seeing her yesterday.

He blinked rapidly.

Fuck.

“Zarek, it tastes just like I remembered!” she cried happily.

“That’s good Chloe. That’s really good,” he said past the lump in his throat.

***

Chloe ended up sleeping most of the way from Arkansas to Dallas. She woke up at the sound of a dog barking. She realized she was inside a garage, it had to be Zarek’s.

“Friend Slayer.” She heard Zarek say outside the truck.

Then she heard the bark again. “Shhhh, Slayer, you’ll wake her.”

He sounded like a big dog. When the passenger side door opened and paws settled on her seat, a mammoth black dog was with intelligent eyes stared deep into her soul. It wasn’t a big dog, it was a gargantuan dog. A humongous, dog. It was a behemoth.

Chloe glared at Slayer.

He watched her with a gentle look. Dammit, he seemed to look at her with love.

She didn’t need one more male who would try to boss her around. Try to get her to come out of her shell. Even if he was big and beautiful.

Slayer let out a small huff.