Page 10 of Protect Me

I purse my lips and nod.When Tate went to his wedding, I experienced a pang of sadness at the prospect of him being taken.Which is silly because at that point I hadn’t seen Shane in years.

“Okay, time to turn the tables,” he says, breaking into my thoughts.“How are you?”he asks, his shoulders finally relaxing now that the spotlight is on me.

“Other than running for my life?”I ask, wanting to keep the mood light.“I’ve actually been good.If you consider busy good.I’ve been wrapped up with my job and working the kinks out of this formula.It’s been an exhilarating ride.Until today.And now I’d like to bring it to fruition.I want the drug to get to the public so it can help people as planned.”

“So they don’t suffer like your mother did?”he asks, his voice going soft.

I stare out the window, trying not to let sadness engulf me as it usually does when I recall losing my mom.The slow way her body gave out along with her heart.

“Yes.So their families don’t have to go through the hardships when one parent is on disability and another has to work extra hard to afford treatment.”So the kids aren’t at loose ends because the adults’ focus is on illness and fear.

He reaches over and touches my shoulder, sending a ribbon of warmth flowing through me.“I’m sorry you guys had to go through that kind of childhood.”

I sigh, knowing there is so much worse.“My parents loved us.”And I lost them too early, prompting me to guard my own heart zealously from hurt.“It just wasn’t all sunshine and roses.But whose life is?”

“Still pragmatic, I see.”

I grin.

“So what about you?No marriage in your past?”he asks.

Despite the sunglasses, I can see he is getting a kick out of asking me about my personal life, and I deserve it.

“No.Like you, I work too much for any rational human being to understand.And it’s not something I can see myself giving up any time soon.”

“I guess we have that in common,” he says.

“Besides, with love comes inevitable loss.I’d like to minimize any more pain in my life,” I say, surprised I opened up to him that way.“I keep my relationships light.”

“Too pragmatic,” he mutters.I’m not about to argue.“So I take it that means no boyfriends you’re leaving behind?”

I tuck my hair behind my ear and glance at him, wondering if this is just tit for tat conversation.Or whether there is something more behind the question.

“No.My last relationship was about a year ago.”If you could call it a relationship, I muse, thinking back.

A colleague wanted details on my research and decided he’d sleep with me to work his way in.I wasn’t even that hurt on an emotional level, just royally pissed he tried to piggyback on my work.

“Interesting,” he says in a gravelly voice.

My stomach flips in anticipation of him asking or saying something more…something that will let me know if I am the only one experiencing this desire at such an inappropriate time.But he remains silent.

A little while passes, each alone with our thoughts, when Shane speaks.

“How about lunch?”He gestures to a sign indicating an upcoming rest area.

“Yes.Feed me, please.”I press a hand to my empty belly.

We stop for lunch before getting on the road again.

We talk more, revisiting some of our shared past, the tutoring I did with him, the fact that he always had a hot girl sniffing after him…but neither of us brings up the last time we were together.Or the kiss.

By the time we see signs for Albuquerque, we’ve been driving for over ten hours total.My legs are cramped, my butt hurts, and I want nothing more than a hot shower and a warm bed.

“Are you hungry for dinner?”he asks.

“I could eat.”In truth, I am starving, but I haven’t said anything since lunch.I don’t want to hold us up or be a problem when we have a timetable to stick to.

He nods.“Me, too.And we should stop someplace where we can get a room and a good night’s sleep.We’ll start fresh in the morning.”