Read Online Homecoming Hero by Renee Ryan - Free Book Online Page B

pitch-perfect propulsion, Hailey grudgingly admitted that Miss Stella did indeed give one sweet ride.
    Relaxing enough to unclench her fingers, Hailey settled back against the soft leather of the comfortable bucket seat. “Where are we going?”
    â€œI thought we’d head out to Tybee Island.”
    He wanted to go to the beach? So soon after returning home? “I would think you’d be sick of sand by now.”
    Clay had avoided Tybee for months after his first deployment.
    â€œI am.” A grim look crossed his face. “But I haven’t had nearly enough water.”
    Of course. “That makes sense.”
    â€œBesides.” His expression lightened and he hooked his wrist over the top of the steering wheel. “It’s a pretty drive.”
    â€œYou think so?” She couldn’t say she particularly agreed. “The road is nothing more than a causeway that cuts through the marshes.”
    â€œExactly.”
    She narrowed her eyes, confusion gathering inside her. “I don’t follow.”
    â€œThere isn’t a lot of marshland in the desert.”
    â€œNo. I suppose not.” She should have realized that on her own.
    After several moments of Wolf concentrating on the streets and Hailey watching him out of the corner of her eye, they broke free of Savannah.
    For the next five or so miles, Hailey tried to look at the familiar scenery from Wolf’s perspective. Not an easy thing to do. The marshes were just plain spooky under the silver light of the full moon. Even with the windows rolled up against the cold, the tall grasses were ripe with the smells of mold, mud and rotting fish. It was a perfect hunting ground for gators and snakes.
    Hailey shivered yet again, which was really quite enough of that.
    She had to admit, though, words like Middle East and desert did not come to mind as the scenery whizzed past in a blur. As a matter of fact, Miss Stella seemed to be gobbling up the road a little faster than Hailey would have thought possible.
    From under her lowered lashes, she checked the speedometer. Eighty-five. Eighty-five?
    A rush of adrenaline surged through her blood. Breathe, Hailey. Just breathe.
    â€œAre we late for something?”
    â€œNo. Why?”
    She pointed to the speedometer, trying not to give in to panic, but— oh, my —he’d just pushed their speed past ninety.
    â€œWe’re going a little fast, wouldn’t you say?”
    He flashed her that quicksilver grin of his, the onethat had her thinking of big, bad wolves. “I like fast,” he declared.
    Afraid to take her eyes off the road, Hailey white-knuckled her seat and stared straight ahead. Okay, yes, the causeway was a long stretch of uninterrupted highway. And there were no other cars out tonight. But still…
    Wolf must have sensed her agitation. “Are you all right?”
    â€œFine. Never better.” She dug her fingers deeper into the soft leather of her seat, but she didn’t take her eyes off the road. Blinking was simply not an option. “Having loads and loads of fun over here.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œAll right, Wolf, let’s face it. There’s fast and then there’s fa-a-a-ast.”
    He chuckled, but immediately eased up on the gas pedal. “I know what I’m doing.” He patted her hand. “Trust me, sweetheart.”
    Oh, sure. Trust him. That was just soooo easy to do when she was sitting in a muscle car with a guy named Wolf, traveling faster than she’d ever gone before.
    The best she could do was not talk. And maybe watch the scenery. What little she could decipher.
    She caught a flash of…something rush by on their left. She figured the quick burst of light had come from Fort Pulaski. The historic Civil War fort sat on a tiny island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Savannah River.
    â€œYou can relax your spine a little. We’re nearly there,” he announced.
    â€œPraise the