would mix into the expression. "Rita, everyone can use a good listener, whether they realize it or not. Especially a woman who just gave the order to deliver a serious ass-kicking to a guy who could be really dangerous." He shrugged a little, pulling her even closer for a second. "I'm not prying, okay?"
Something about the tone of his voice drew her gaze up, to search his face. Beard shadow darkened his jaw, giving him a slightly scruffy appearance, despite the almost military haircut and close-trimmed goatee. "Okay. Not like there's anything to pry about anyway."
"Come on, let's finish that walk we sorta started earlier." The pressure of his arm about her shoulders guided her out into the parking lot. "No need to get in a rush about things."
A little band of apprehension loosened, just slightly, from around her spine. He didn't seem in any kind of hurry to get back to where they left off, and she really needed to clear her head before she could do anything about the throbbing ache between her legs. "Good idea." She led him toward the outer edge of the lot, to the smoothed area where she and a couple of the girls sometimes walked for exercise. "Tell me what really brings you to Stags Leap?"
Did his muscles stiffen, just a little? "I really am just passing through. I like the area, thought I might spend a few days before I move on again."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Why passing through? Surely you're headed somewhere, with some purpose?"
Okay, the stiffening was unmistakable that time. So what was he hiding? "Not really. I… I used to be married, and in the Army, like I said earlier. I came off deployment to find my sweet wife had found comfort in the arms of another man. Got out at the end of my enlistment, and hit the road." He paused for a moment and she thought he wasn't going to say anything more, but then he took a deep breath. "Now, I guess you could say I'm running from some deep, bad shit, all left over from some rough deployments and a bitch of a wife. My headlight makes a pretty good compass. I go whichever way it points, stop when I'm tired, and occasionally hang around a little while if a place appeals to me."
Rita winced in sympathy at the pain in his voice. The man had obviously gone through hell and back. "Some women are just bitches, I guess." There really wasn't anything else to say. His ex had to be an idiot of some kind, in addition to cold and heartless. "So, why Stags Leap? Nobody comes here if they can help it." Whatever his reason, she had to admit, she was glad he'd picked the Rattlesnake to stop and ask about motels in the area.
***
Chapter Eight
God, he hated answering questions about himself. Telling Rita about Chelsea had put a decided limpness in his mood. Thinking about her never failed to work far better than a cold shower. And now Rita wanted to know again why he'd come to Stags Leap, and she was too smart to settle for the bullshit answers he generally gave to that kind of question. So what the hell was he going to tell her?
She still waited, looking up at him occasionally, a small frown in residence between her elegant brows. A mild breeze stirred the darkness, bringing slight relief to the midsummer humidity, and carrying her scent to him again, reminding him of what they'd been about to do.
"Falon?" The impatience he'd expected still didn't taint her voice. Nothing there but concern. Hmm.
The general habit of honesty he'd always had pressed him to be as truthful as he possibly could, without giving away the things he needed to keep secret. "Sometimes people ask me to find things for them."
That frown deepened a little. "Find things? Or find people?"
"That too."
"So… What? Like tracking down runaways?"
He shrugged again. "Sometimes. Other times, messages need to be delivered, or someone needs to be brought home. I've delivered paperwork a few times. Stuff like that."
"This is what you do for work?" Sincerity shone from
Something about the tone of his voice drew her gaze up, to search his face. Beard shadow darkened his jaw, giving him a slightly scruffy appearance, despite the almost military haircut and close-trimmed goatee. "Okay. Not like there's anything to pry about anyway."
"Come on, let's finish that walk we sorta started earlier." The pressure of his arm about her shoulders guided her out into the parking lot. "No need to get in a rush about things."
A little band of apprehension loosened, just slightly, from around her spine. He didn't seem in any kind of hurry to get back to where they left off, and she really needed to clear her head before she could do anything about the throbbing ache between her legs. "Good idea." She led him toward the outer edge of the lot, to the smoothed area where she and a couple of the girls sometimes walked for exercise. "Tell me what really brings you to Stags Leap?"
Did his muscles stiffen, just a little? "I really am just passing through. I like the area, thought I might spend a few days before I move on again."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Why passing through? Surely you're headed somewhere, with some purpose?"
Okay, the stiffening was unmistakable that time. So what was he hiding? "Not really. I… I used to be married, and in the Army, like I said earlier. I came off deployment to find my sweet wife had found comfort in the arms of another man. Got out at the end of my enlistment, and hit the road." He paused for a moment and she thought he wasn't going to say anything more, but then he took a deep breath. "Now, I guess you could say I'm running from some deep, bad shit, all left over from some rough deployments and a bitch of a wife. My headlight makes a pretty good compass. I go whichever way it points, stop when I'm tired, and occasionally hang around a little while if a place appeals to me."
Rita winced in sympathy at the pain in his voice. The man had obviously gone through hell and back. "Some women are just bitches, I guess." There really wasn't anything else to say. His ex had to be an idiot of some kind, in addition to cold and heartless. "So, why Stags Leap? Nobody comes here if they can help it." Whatever his reason, she had to admit, she was glad he'd picked the Rattlesnake to stop and ask about motels in the area.
***
Chapter Eight
God, he hated answering questions about himself. Telling Rita about Chelsea had put a decided limpness in his mood. Thinking about her never failed to work far better than a cold shower. And now Rita wanted to know again why he'd come to Stags Leap, and she was too smart to settle for the bullshit answers he generally gave to that kind of question. So what the hell was he going to tell her?
She still waited, looking up at him occasionally, a small frown in residence between her elegant brows. A mild breeze stirred the darkness, bringing slight relief to the midsummer humidity, and carrying her scent to him again, reminding him of what they'd been about to do.
"Falon?" The impatience he'd expected still didn't taint her voice. Nothing there but concern. Hmm.
The general habit of honesty he'd always had pressed him to be as truthful as he possibly could, without giving away the things he needed to keep secret. "Sometimes people ask me to find things for them."
That frown deepened a little. "Find things? Or find people?"
"That too."
"So… What? Like tracking down runaways?"
He shrugged again. "Sometimes. Other times, messages need to be delivered, or someone needs to be brought home. I've delivered paperwork a few times. Stuff like that."
"This is what you do for work?" Sincerity shone from
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