Page 32 of One Forbidden Moment

"Yeah."He leaned closer, keeping his voice low."I'm here."

She blinked up at him, pupils blown wide, trying to focus."What happened?"

"You crossed through the veil," he said."We made it."

She pushed up on her elbows, wincing.Her gaze swept over him, and she froze.

"Moe," she whispered, horror creeping into her voice."You're bleeding."

He looked away, jaw tightening.He could feel the dried blood crusted along his cheekbone, a cut stinging above his brow, and the metallic taste oozing from the corner of his mouth.His ribs ached like something had cracked.His shoulder throbbed from the landing.

"I'm fine," he said, too quickly.

She lifted her hand toward his face, hesitated, then touched the edge of the cut with trembling fingers."This isn't fine."

He swallowed hard and gently caught her wrist, lowering her hand."I've had worse."

He pushed himself to his feet, biting back a grunt as pain shot through his side.He stretched, trying to work the stiffness out of his muscles, pretending it didn't hurt as much as it did.

Jillian watched him with wide, worried eyes.

He couldn't look at her.Not when she looked at him like that.

Instead, he turned toward the motorcycle lying on its side a few feet away.The handlebars were twisted, and the frame was scraped, but it was still rideable if he could get it started again.He limped over and braced himself before hauling it upright.

The effort ripped a groan out of him before he could stop it.

"Moe..."Jillian's voice was soft, pained.

He ignored the way she spoke his name and checked the bike.In Everstill, she barely talked to him.But here, his name sounded good on her tongue.

"We need to get out of here," he said."Fast."

She pushed herself to her feet, swaying a little.He studied her carefully, making sure she wasn't bleeding or hurt worse.

"Do you know where we are?"he asked.

She scanned the trees, the road, the distant traffic, and shook her head."Nothing looks familiar."

"We have to be close to a city.The road will lead us somewhere."

Jillian turned in a slow circle, taking in the clearing, the trees, the sky.Her brow furrowed."I don't recognize any of this."

A cold knot tightened in Moe's gut.

She looked back at him, voice barely above a whisper."Could the veil have taken us somewhere else?"

He hated the way her voice shook.Hated that he didn't have an answer that would make her feel safe.

"I don't know."He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw."We'll ride until something looks familiar.We'll figure it out."

She nodded, but he could see the fear behind her eyes.Their thoughts were running the same path.If she couldn't get home, they would both be homeless and on the run.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice."Hey.Look at me."

She moved closer.

"We're out," he said."We made it.And I'm not letting anything happen to you here.Not in your world.Not in mine."