Page 57 of Protecting Josie
For some reason, those six simple words coming from Nate meant more than all the other sympathies she’d received in the years since she’d passed.
They sat like that as they continued northeast through the state on I-15. Gradually the landscape turned barren and brown, but that had its own sense of beauty. They passed Barstow, then Baker, which boasted what it proclaimed was the world’s largest thermometer. The traffic got a little clogged up outside the Nevada state line but cleared again not too long after that.
The five-hour trip had gone by fairly quickly, and even though she and Nate didn’t talk about anything heavy after her story about her mom and Ayden, Josie still felt as if she’d somehow gotten to know him a little better anyway.
Maybe it was watching him down Cheetos like a toddler, or threatening to wipe his cheesy fingers on her, or smiling as a little girl in a car they passed waved at them. He was so easy to be around, which made Josie relax. She also had complete confidence in his ability to get them to their destinationsafely. Hell, he’d gotten them out of that prison cell and into the chopper, and through the mountains of Iraq, and back to California. Why wouldn’t she trust him behind the wheel of a vehicle?
He pulled into the parking garage of the hotel where they were staying and turned to her with an apologetic look. “I would’ve valeted, but with the trailer, I’m thinking that wasn’t the best option.”
“It’s fine,” Josie told him.
“Stay put, I’ll come around,” he told her, as he always did when they drove somewhere together. Josie had stopped trying to convince him that she could get out of the truck without his help, since she loved having his hands on her, so she waited until he walked around the truck and opened the door. Like always, she gripped his forearms as he lifted her out of the truck. But he didn’t immediately let go as he stared at her.
“I would never take advantage of your giving nature,” he said seriously. “I love how you take care of me. Coming home to you at the end of the day is something I never thought I’d have. But you aren’t in my house because I want someone to cook or clean for me. It’s because I want you there. And I’m falling for you, Josie England. If that scares you, or if it isn’t something you want, you need to tell me now…and I’ll do my best to back off.”
She shook her head immediately. “No.”
“No, that’s not what you want?” he asked.
“No. It doesn’t scare me, because I’ve already fallen foryou, Nate Davis.” For a split second, she wondered if confessing was the right thing. The worry about what peoplewould say, would think, that they were moving too fast, sprang to mind…but when she saw the smile on Nate’s lips, she pushed those thoughts away. Theyweren’tmoving too fast. She knew this man, as well as he knew her.
“Good.”
Good? That was his only response?
Josie watched as he reached into the bed of the truck and grabbed the bag he’d thrown there before they’d left. He’d insisted on putting her things in with his, saying that since they were only going to be staying one night, it was silly to bring two bags. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side as he started walking through the parking garage.
Josie had questions. Lots of them. But she just put her arm around his waist for now. Questions could wait. With Nate by her side, it was enough that she felt as if she could slay any demons that might rear their ugly heads here in the city she’d dreaded returning to.
Blink wanted to pick Josie up, throw her over his shoulder, carry her off to their room, lock the door, and not come out for days. But he forced himself to act as normal as possible.
She’d fallen for him. That’s all he needed to hear.
Josie would be his tonight. She already felt as if she was his, but he wanted to show her with his body how much he revered her. How amazed he was that she’d chosen him. There were better men out there, of that he had no doubt. But they wouldn’t love her like he could.
Love.
He should be freaked out by that word. But after observing Kevlar and Safe with their women, he wasn’t afraid of the emotion. Not anymore. Not after he and Josie had survived something horrific together.
Blink wanted to show her without words how much she meant to him. How she was the most important person in his life now. More than his SEAL team. More than his father. More than his twin. Tate would understand. Would probably be jealous. But he’d also be thrilled for them both.
They stood in line to check in, and Blink wrapped his arms around Josie from behind and urged her to lean against him as they waited. When it was their turn, he quickly got them checked in and took the key from the woman behind the counter. Getting to their room was a little complicated, and Blink winced as they walked through the loud, smoky casino to get to the elevator that would take them up to their room.
He felt Josie sidle a little closer as they passed a group of men who were obviously drunk and laughing a bit too loudly.
“Almost there,” he reassured her, steering her into an elevator.
“Everything seems so…busy,” she mumbled against him as they rode up to the twenty-second floor.
“That’s because it is,” Blink agreed. “At least here in Vegas.”
The hallway was empty when they got off the elevator, and Blink got them into their room without any issues. It was a generic hotel room, nothing too flashy. Two queen beds, TV, small table in the corner.
Blink went over to the window and opened the curtain, letting in the bright Vegas sunlight. They were facing the Strip, and he was glad to see they had blackout curtains, since the lights being on all night would certainly be a detriment to sleeping.
He turned around to make a joke about the lights outside, when he saw Josie standing near the door, looking uncertain.
“What? What’s wrong?” Blink asked, striding back toward her.
