If he could do this while so badly injured, she sure as hell could. She’d pretend he was her new husband, who had intentions of ravishing her the moment they got alone. It wouldn’t be difficult, seeing as apparently her entire body was wishing for that very thing.
He kept his stride even, walking along with a sure, easy confidence, and if she hadn’t seen the bullet trail in his flesh herself, she’d never guess.
Except she did know, and when someone jostled into them at the curb, she felt his flinch reverberate through her body. Worry for him filled her, adding to the mix of fear and angst.
As they entered the terminal, he nibbled at her ear, his breath sending a shiver of heat down her spine. “Two men at six o’clock— No, don’t look. They’re searching for us. Keep moving.”
Oh God, oh God. Keep moving. They headed toward the ticket counter of Mexi Air. The line was wrapped around and around, twisting in a series of S-turns like her stomach.
Appearing unperturbed, Will settled into the line and pulled Jade tightly to his chest, running his hands down her spine and cupping her butt. His expression seared every nerve-ending in her body. “Happy fourth-hour anniversary,” he murmured in a seductive voice.
The couple in front of them, looking to be in their late thirties, had a small infant sleeping in a stroller between them. The woman smiled. “You’re just married? So sweet. Honey, isn’t that sweet?”
Her husband shook his head at Will. “My condolences.”
His wife smacked him upside the head, making him laugh and rub the spot. “I was just kidding! I remember being a newlywed: I got lucky three times a week.”
Will laughed softly, as if three nights a week weren’t going to be enough, and the sound put even more butterflies in Jade’s abdomen.
But Will just hugged her closer. “They just passed us,” he whispered in her ear.
And she realized he’d turned her away from the men’s view, once again protecting her with his body.
She didn’t want that to move her. After all, he was simply doing his job, going after Mario. Her tagging along was a necessity for him, and whether he melted her bones or not, she needed to remember that.
Finally, it was their turn in line. They bought their tickets, and then Will nudged her aside while he spoke quietly to the woman behind the ticket counter.
Afterward, he murmured in her ear, “I have to go through a different kind of security because of my gun. Don’t be alarmed when we’re separated.”
They made their way through security, were indeed separated while Will dealt with his weapon, then finally headed toward their gate, stopping at the restrooms, where Will had them change their clothes again.
When Jade came out, she found him in soft, faded Levi’s and a plain, light blue T-shirt. Average Joe. Except nothing about his long, rangy, solidly built body seemed average Joe.
He looked over her low-rider khaki cargo capris and white blouse, and nodded. Apparently she suited as Mrs. Average Joe, and they continued to the gate.
“But this is the wrong one,” she pointed out when he stopped six gates short.
“You’re mistaken,” he said lightly. She looked into his eyes and understood. He didn’t want to go to the right gate, not this early, and possibly have the men after them figuring out which flight they were taking. She forced a smile. “You’re right. You’re distracting me.”
“I plan to do a lot more of that.”
She didn’t know how to take such statements from him. Was he still pretending?