Beautiful Bounty(89)

Gary was shocked by her suddenly affectionate attack. Ronnie had never been that type before, but he supposed her situation and fear was causing her to act out of the norm. It took him a moment to respond.

Her arms were wrapped around him, her body pressed tight. He was a man and his body reacted to her ample breasts pressed up against him. What the hell, he thought. One last time for good measure. He leaned down to take more from her. He found the side of her face and then her lips. He urged them open and stuck his tongue inside, tangling it with hers. She was grasping at his back, and he thought of the gun he tucked inside of his waistband and realized this wasn’t such a good idea. Not yet, anyhow. He broke the kiss and forced her a step back out of the light.

Ronnie grabbed his arms for support or she would have toppled over. “Gary,” she questioned, wondering why he’d pushed her away.

“I just wanted to get out of sight,” he murmured, trying to nuzzle her again. But he held her arms at her sides this time to keep her straying hands away from his concealed weapon.

“Mmm,” she groaned as he tilted her head back and nipped her cheek and then trailed his tongue down the side of her face. “I’ve missed you,” she mumbled, faking her desire for him.

“Ronnie,” he whispered, “Is there someplace back there we can . . .” he indicated with his chin behind her.

“A small sofa,” she broke away and took his hand to lead him there. Just before reaching the door, she called back over her shoulder, “But can we talk first. I need to get out of town, and I don’t know if the bounty hunter who was chasing me left or not. I tried to make him think I would hide out in Bangor next. Graduation and all. I’m so scared.” Ronnie was just rambling trying to distract him from wanting to take things further than she was prepared to go. She knew Nikko was watching and hated having to do even that much with Gary.

“I don’t think he will be looking here. Good spot, actually,” he murmured. “I looked around and didn’t see anything suspicious before I came in.”

“Oh, that is good. Thanks Gary. I feel safer knowing you’re here and you’re going to help me. I love you, Gary. You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said, turning to face him once inside the small office. Not giving him a chance to try to change his mind, she just continued on like Andreas told her. “I just need to know you’ll bring me to my bike. I was thinking you could look over the maps of the trails with me. Remember last summer, when we went camping, and we went riding. We got through to Canada into that little town. What was it, St. Leonard? I was thinking I could go there. Then once there, I could maybe find a place to hide out for a week or two, rent a cabin from some old timer in the woods, or just squat in some abandoned place. I’ve got some money, but . . .”

“I can give you a bit more,” he leaned against the desk. He needed to get the gun out of his pants. He definitely was interested in a little more of what Ronnie had to offer. He’d talk to her for a while then try to stash it out of sight after distracting her. They could have a little fun, and then after eleven when the Brimeyers were safely ensconced in the bar, risk getting her out and driving her up to his cabin. He’d drop her off a ways back and then get her bike. Drive it to her, then foot it home. It seemed like a good plan to him.

“Oh, you’d do that for me,” she leaned against him, and he was forced to hold her, but he kept his hands on her forearms just in case. “You still care,” she murmured and laid her head against his chest.

“Babe, I feel bad, I do,” he admitted. “I don’t know what the fuck to do. But, I’ll help you as much as I can. It’s the least I can do,” he nuzzled her hair inhaling the fresh scent. Hmm, he thought, he hadn’t expected that. It smelled like aloe. He pulled back and looked at her curiously. “You slept in this dump all night?”

He was looking at her strangely. “Yes,” she saw his eyes narrowing and he was looking at her hair. His nostrils were flared, inhaling. She smelled the air, and noticed the scent of the hotel shampoo. “But it was really late by the time I got away,” she added quickly. The bounty hunter, Nikko, was pissed that the flight was booked, and then he made me go with him to get something to eat at midnight. All the while, I was trying to think of a way to get away.”

Some of the truth, she thought making this up on the fly as she went. He looked so wary of her, but she hoped he would buy the story. She continued to weave her tale giving him no time to think and see the holes in it.