Page 5 of Paco
Grabbing the remote control, he went over to the satchel on the table and took out a bottle of whiskey. Spotting four glasses next to the television set, he nabbed one and poured a generous amount of booze into it. He propped a pillow behind his back and leaned against it, switched on the TV, and then took a deep drink. The whiskey tasted smoky and sharp, and it burned its way down his throat into his belly.Fuck that’s good.He poured a bit more into the glass.
Misty came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her small frame. Her hair was damp and smelled like almond and cherries, and he was glad he’d left the complimentary bottle of shampoo for her. Her hair looked darker than it had in the diner. It was long, shiny, and almost black. Her skin was smooth, and he figured she wasn’t a meth user like a lot of the women he’d seen sniffing around the trucks earlier when at the diner. Her complexion was clear, her lips heart-shaped, her brows perfectly formed, and her dark lashes framed the most amazing eyes he’d ever seen. The tattoo of a crown with the initials “EZR” underneath was interesting, and he wanted to see what other tats she had on her body, underneath the towel.
“Do you like what you see?” she asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she walked over to the bed.
Fuck yeah, sweetheart.“You feel better?”
“Yes.” She began to take off her towel.
He stood up, went over to his case, and took out a T-shirt. “Put this on,” he said, handing it to her.
Confusion crossed her face. “Why? Don’t you want me naked when you fuck me?”
“I’m not gonna fuck you. Why don’t you try and get some rest?”
“Wait. I thought you wanted me to stay with you so I could earn my quota. I’m not in the habit of giving freebies. If you’re not going to pay me, then I need to get back to the truck stop.” Her voice quivered slightly.
“Don’t get so fucking bent out of shape. I said I’d pay you. I just don’t wanna fuck you. You’re sick and you need to sleep. I’m just helping you out.”
Placing her hands on her hips, she thumped her foot on the carpet. “You pity me?”
“I didn’t say that.” He sat back on the edge of the bed and took another long drink.
“You don’t find me attractive? I’ll have you know I have no problem getting plenty of men who want sex.”
Quirking his lips, he eased his eyes up and down her body. “I don’t doubt that. And I think you’re damn attractive, but I don’t pay to fuck, sweetheart. I’m offering you a warm room, a good night’s sleep, and no worries about hustling your ass with a lot of old men with beer guts who probably haven’t showered in a while.” He switched the channel on the TV.
She stood there for several minutes, holding the T-shirt, staring at him. He kept watching the screen, keenly aware of her presence, the scent of cherry blossom roping around him.Fuck, she smells good.He adjusted his boxers, trying to ease some of the ache in his groin.I could bang her and relieve some stress.
For the past three weeks, he’d been at his sister’s in Richfield, Utah, helping her out while she gave birth to a third boy. His brother-in-law was in Afghanistan, and when Kendra called and asked him to be with her when her baby was born, he didn’t hesitate; he jumped on his Harley and made a beeline for Richfield. Kendra was the only family he had. He’d always looked after her, especially after their father murdered their mother.
Images of blood-smeared walls pushed through his mind, and he closed his eyes tightly as if to squeeze the memory out of his brain.
The bed moving brought him out of the past, and he looked sideways and saw Misty slip between the covers. A low chuckle escaped from her lips. “I’ve never been in bed with a guy without fucking him.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t want her, it was just that he didn’t want it likethat.
What the hell’s up with me?
“Get some sleep. You’ll feel better.”
The guys at the club would never believe that he was next to a pretty woman who was naked under his T-shirt, willing to fuck, and he didn’t go for it. Hell, I don’t believe I’m just sitting here, drinking whiskey and staring at the TV instead of fucking her good.
Turning toward her, he saw her body move up and down with each breath she took, and he could feel the warmth radiating from her.Shit.
Her breathing became deeper, and he knew she’d fallen asleep. He watched her for a long while, finished the whiskey, and then switched off the lights.
***
Sunlight filtered throughthe tears in the worn curtains, illuminating the shadowy corners of the room. Paco glanced over at Misty, watching the way the rays danced over her body before finally resting softly on her skin. In the morning light, her hair was as black and glossy as a puddle of spilled ink, her slightly parted lips pink like strawberry ice cream. Without thinking, he reached out and stroked her cheek, and her eyes flew open as she jerked backward.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said, getting up from the bed. His head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as he went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. When he came back into the room, her back was against the headboard, her knees drawn up close to her chest. “It stopped raining.” He looked out at the parking lot and saw several large trucks heading to the highway.
“Where do you live?” she asked.
“By the four corners in Colorado. Have you ever been there?” He kept his back to her, watching the convoy of semis leaving the truck stop across the street.
“Yeah, but I didn’t see much.”
