Janie Crouch - Battle Tested

It looked like her reprieve was over. She needed to make her way back to her car. Maybe she’d catch a couple hours of sleep in it—the thought of being out in the open like that made her skin crawl, but what choice did she have? She was out of money. A hotel, even a cheap one, was no longer an option.

She stood and Steve got up beside her, helping her. She smiled at him. “Thanks for hanging with me. It was nice to have a peaceful night.”

“Been a long time since you had one?”

She was tempted to tell him about the Watcher. To share while they had complete privacy. But knew she couldn’t. Some middle-management guy from some business in Colorado couldn’t remedy this situation.

“Seems like it,” she said instead.

“Anything I can help with?”

She looked up at him. He was a nice guy. A nice, hot, utterly delectable guy. For the hundredth time that evening she wished she had met Steve under different circumstances.

“I’m fine. But thank you for asking.” She smiled, trying to make it as authentic as possible. Trying not to think about the darkness that hovered all around them that she would have to face alone in just a few minutes.

As if the weather could hear her thoughts, it started raining a little harder.

He touched her gently near her elbow. “I need to tell you something I probably should’ve mentioned earlier but couldn’t figure out how to do it without coming across like a jerk.”

She braced herself for bad news. “Okay.”

“My beach bungalow is about two hundred yards that way.” He pointed up the beach. “It’s a ridiculous room. Some sort of romance package. My colleagues at work chipped in and got it for me.”

She didn’t know what she’d expected him to say, but that wasn’t it. “Oh.”

“You’re welcome to come in. Get out of the rain. No expectations or anything like that.” He shrugged, the awkwardness on his tense face adorable. He obviously didn’t want her to feel pressured. “The peaceful night doesn’t have to end right now.”

Rosalyn looked out at the darkness again. She knew what waited for her there. Fear. Isolation. Panic.

Steve reached up and tucked a damp strand of her hair behind her ear. He didn’t say anything. Didn’t try to talk her into it or put pressure on her in any way. Just stood silently, letting her know he was there if she wanted to go with him but he was fine if she didn’t.

The lack of pressure, more than anything, helped her make the decision.

“Okay, just for tonight.”

She couldn’t take a chance and let the Watcher find her again. Find Steve.

He smiled and took her hand. They began to run through the sand toward his room. Like he’d said, it wasn’t far.

The oceanside bungalow was nice inside: sort of what one would expect for the romance package on the beach. A king-size bed with a teal bedspread and canopy roof. A couch and chair over in the reading-nook section.

And a huge heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub in the far corner.

Rosalyn looked over at Steve, who grinned sheepishly.

“You failed to mention the giant heart-shaped Jacuzzi in the middle of your room.”

Steve laughed. “I wasn’t sure if it would work in my favor or against me.”

“Are you sure you weren’t supposed to be on your honeymoon here or something?”

Steve laughed again, crossing to the bathroom to grab them both a towel to dry off from the rain. Rosalyn set her tote bag down on the chair in the sitting area.

“Honestly, I just booked a normal room in the hotel section. When I got here, I found out I had gotten an upgrade—thanks to my colleagues chipping in. I’m sure they scoped out pictures and knew exactly what they were getting for me. Including the huge roll of condoms.” He rolled his eyes, gesturing to the sparkling box on the nightstand. Rosalyn couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s nice that they like you so much.”

Steve shrugged. “They like to get rid of me for a week, that’s for sure. And a not-so-subtle hint to come back more relaxed.”

She had no doubt Steve was well respected, a good man. Guilt over the danger she was putting him in washed over her.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He saw her face and walked over so he was standing in front of her. He put his thumb under her chin when she wouldn’t look at him. “Do you regret coming here? Feel uncomfortable? If so, I can give you a ride wherever you need to go.”

She didn’t regret coming. She wanted to stay. Wanted more than just the safe haven Steve was offering.

She wanted him.

He looked so big standing in front of her. So able to take care of himself. Not someone who could be taken by surprise by someone else.

But she knew the Watcher didn’t play fair. He’d taught her that.

“No, I’m not uncomfortable with you. The opposite, in fact. I just—” She stopped, not knowing what to say. She couldn’t explain. Couldn’t take the chance.

“What?” he asked gently.

“It’s not good for you to be here with me, Steve. I’m afraid I’ll only bring heartache for you.” Or worse.

“Are you married?” he asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “Never have been.”

He took a step closer. She could smell his damp skin, the saltiness of the sea air and something that was distinctly male. She breathed in deeply.

“Are you running from the law?”

“No,” she whispered as he moved closer again, his body now so close to hers she could feel the heat. She leaned closer, unable to stop herself.

“Then I don’t think there’s any reason at all for you to leave this room if you don’t want to.”

His lips closed the inches between them and she couldn’t think of any response even if there’d been a good one anyway. Instead she just gave herself over to the kiss.

If she was going to lose everything, she was going to have this one night with this gorgeous, strong man first. Tomorrow be damned.

The heat all but consumed them both. Her arms reached up to wrap around his shoulders, then his neck. She clutched at his hair, too impassioned to be gentle.

Steve didn’t mind at all. His arms circled her waist, then reached lower to cup her hips and pull her up and into him.

Both of them gasped.

He took possession of her mouth. There was no other word for it. Possession. His tongue stroked against hers and fire licked at them both. Her fingers linked behind his neck to capture him. Not that he seemed interested in being anywhere but pressed up against her.

“Rosalyn.” Her name was reverent on his lips.

She began walking forward, causing him to move backward toward the bed. His arms were still wrapped around her hips making sure they were fully pressed together. When his knees finally hit the bed and he fell backward, he lifted her—as if she weighed nothing at all—and pulled her on top of him.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he murmured. “It’s still okay if you just want to be here. Nothing has to happen.”

He would say that while she was lying flat on top of him? They weren’t undressed yet, but Rosalyn had no doubt they would be soon. In her experience most guys would call her a tease—or much worse—if she decided to call a halt to everything at this point.

“You would stop now if I asked you to?”

He threaded his hands in her hair and pulled her back so he could see her more clearly.

“Of course. Is that what you want?”

“No. Just most guys would give a woman a hard time if she decided to change her mind now.”

“Honey, a real man accepts that a woman can change her mind at any time and respects the word no if he hears it.”

Was it possible to fall a little bit in love with someone you’d known for only a few hours?

Rosalyn sat up, her legs straddling Steve’s hips. She unbuttoned her shirt and slowly peeled it over her shoulders. “Well, thanks for asking, but I have no desire to stop.” She pulled her sneakers and socks off and threw them over the side of the bed.