BEARed to You(27)
He gave her a smile that said “I just want to go home”. “Identification, please.”
Abby handed him her passport and Michigan driver’s license then turned to Tarik. He lifted his hips, slid a hand into his back pocket and pulled out his passport and handed it to her. She didn’t look at it before passing it to the border patrol officer. “There you are, sir. We’re just heading into White Moose for some sightseeing. I’m vacationing in Alaska for the week.”
“Uh-huh.” The officer held one ID in each hand. His gaze hopped back and forth from them to Abby’s and Tarik’s faces. Then he glanced down at the counter in front of him. “One moment.” His eyebrows furrowed, he held up an index finger.
Abby gave Tarik a worried look but didn’t say anything. He didn’t speak either. His expression was blank.
“Miss, I need you to pull your car into the parking lot, please,” the man in the booth said a moment later.
She swiveled her head and tried not to look like a shoplifter who’d just been caught with a watermelon up her skirt. “Sure. Okay.”
This time, she gave Tarik a “what-now?” look.
He whispered, “Back up.”
“But what about my ID?” she whispered. “I can’t fly without it.”
“Back up,” he repeated.
And so, despite some serious reservations about leaving all of her identification in the hands of the Canadian border patrol, she threw the car into reverse and hit the gas. As she turned to watch behind her, she caught the surprised expression on the man’s face.
After she’d cleared the booth, Tarik grabbed the steering wheel and gave it a swift jerk, making the truck spin around. Before she realized it, they were driving forward again, although now they were headed back toward Eagle Ridge.
She sucked in a deep breath. “Now I have no idea how I’ll get home. No way can I fly without my identification.”
“We’ll worry about that later. If you’d parked, we would’ve ended up in handcuffs. I’ve been back and forth across that border many times. No one’s ever asked me to pull over. Torborg must’ve done something to keep me from crossing into Canada.”
“What are we going to do now?”
“Check into a hotel and get a little sleep.”
“Is it safe to do that?”
“Yes. I doubt he’ll get the local authorities involved, since he’s trying to keep this quiet. So, even if he knows we’re in Eagle Ridge, it’ll take a few hours to get someone over here. By the time they arrive, we’ll be long gone.”
“Then you have a plan?”
“Sure. But rest first. You’re going to need it. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this. We’ve got to ditch this truck.”
* * * * *
This time, as they carried their luggage and supplies into the dingy little motel room they were sharing, Abby told herself she’d have to be the one to get things rolling, so to speak. Her heart weighed more than a load of bricks. While she was scared and confused, she was also longing to be held. She ached to caress Tarik and comfort him. To make him feel special and adored and less like some kind of scientific disaster. She wanted him to feel like a man, a man who had someone who cared for him.
Even if it was only for one more night.
She’d never been very good at being a seductress. Acting the part of seductee had always been more fun. She had to admit she had a bit of a submissive streak in her. In her book, nothing beat having a strong, sexually aggressive and skilled lover take complete control in the bedroom. Although Tarik hadn’t exactly pulled out the handcuffs and whips, he’d proven he had the heart of a dominant. The whole animal thing actually made him seem even sexier. More dangerous. Wild.
Grrrrroooowwwwllll.
After Tarik had carted in the last of their gear and stowed the truck way in the back of the parking lot, he flopped onto the bed and gave her a crooked, tired smile.
Oh yes, things were heating up nicely.
Being in a mood to do something completely contrary to her nature, she turned on the charm, gave him her best come-hither look, and pushed her jacket off her shoulders. It landed on the floor behind her as she took a few hip-swinging steps his way. “Please tell me you aren’t too tired...”
“Too tired for what?” He blinked.
Yeah. Too tired for what? Right.
She wasn’t buying the clueless act and he knew it. His smile was testimony to that fact. But would he continue to play dumb to see how far she’d take it?
Come and get me, Dangerous. I’m in the mood for some playtime.
A sparkle glimmered in his eyes. It appeared he either lacked the willpower to continue their game or simply didn’t care to keep it going. Before she had drawn in a breath to give him a more direct invitation, he jumped up and practically tackled her. Her feet literally left the floor as he scooped her into his arms, turned and tossed her on the bed.