Kelly Jamieson by How (html) (bill gates books to read txt) 📗

they could have been on a vacation, or a weekend trip, a happy couplejust getting away for a few days. She could pretend, but every time she lookedat Trey's serious, forbidding expression she was reminded they weren't happy,and they certainly weren't a couple, despite the intensely intimate momentsthey'd shared.

"Maybe we should swing into SanDiego for a couple of hours so you can see your family," she suggested,biting the inside of her cheek as she waited for him to blow.

He glanced at her, frowned, butadmirably kept his cool. "Marli."

"What? I know you want toreconcile with them."

He just shook his head andconcentrated on his driving.

"You're so cold," shesaid, trying again to push his buttons.

"Marli, not now."

"Well, when? We slept together,Trey. Doesn't that give me some rights to know a little bit about you?"

"Don't go getting any ideasabout us," he bit out, not looking at her. "Yeah, we slept together,but I'm not looking for any kind of relationship. My life is fucked up enoughright now."

Well, she'd gotten a response. Notexactly what she'd hoped for. Disappointment flooded over her, even thoughshe'd known, in her head, that they had no future together. She pressed a handto her chest and rubbed a little where her heart ached, and turned her head tolook out the side window.

Trey's cell phone rang and hequickly answered it. After a brief conversation, he tossed it back onto thedash.

"Burrows?"

"Yeah. I didn't tell him wherewe were. He'd be pissed. Especially if he knew you were with me." He shother a sideways glance.

"What did he want?"

"Last night Barnes stopped atthe Honky Tonk Bar and Grill."

"Huh? How could he have? He wasbusy shooting at us."

"It was late. Two A.M. Theplace was almost closing, but he found someone to give him a ride home."

"No," she whispered,putting her hands over her mouth as she stared at him.

He shook his head. "He justtook her car. Surprising, actually. Anyway, it does look like he's headed thisway."

"Are...is the FBI officiallychasing him?"

"They told me they're 'on it.'I'm going to call Bill again next time we stop and see what he knows. Or whathe'll tell me."

She could hear the anger andfrustration in his voice at not being in the loop on this whole thing.

"Trey, you won't get in troublefor doing this, will you?"

He was silent, but she saw his handsgrip the wheel tighter. "If it all goes south, then hell, yeah. I'll be indeep shit. I may be anyway." He shrugged.

"Then why are you doingthis?" He'd been away from his job for over six months, she knew. Why allof a sudden was he suddenly risking his career over this?

Could it be because of her? A fainthope grew deep within her that maybe he did care for her, more than he waswilling to admit. What else could it be? After he'd rescued her that night,there was no reason he'd had to get involved. He could have just let the copshandle it and continued on his way up to San Francisco.

Of course, he was pretty seriousabout his career, and maybe he felt some kind of duty to finish off what he'dstarted. To stop a cold-blooded killer before more lives were lost. He was thatkind of guy, and she loved it about him.

Oh, here we go again. Shesighed inwardly. Thoughts of love and relationships had no place in her head,especially where Trey was concerned. He'd made that quite clear. She was goingto get her heart stomped on, if she made it through this alive.

There was another pleasant thought.

"I don't know," he said.

"Huh?" She'd completelyforgotten that she'd asked a question.

"I don't know why I'm doingthis," he said, sounding almost disgusted with himself. And the tension inhis big arms and hands as he gripped the steering wheel clearly said, Don't gothere.

Don't go there. Don't goanywhere. Don't go anywhere near anything personal or emotional. She chewedon her bottom lip, pondering the mystery that was Trey. She knew so littleabout him, yet what she did know was huge. He was protective, dependable andtrustworthy. He was honest and committed to doing the right thing. He hated toscrew up. He was serious, but he did have a sense of humor. He was fantastic inbed. She grew warm just thinking about that. Even as a lover, he was generous,taking pleasure in giving pleasure, and boy, did he know how to give pleasure.Her nipples tingled and that low-down warm glow started between her legs again,so she forced her mind away from erotic daydreams.

She stared out the window, obliviousto the passing miles as the car sped along, thoughts racing through her mindjust as quickly as the car was flying.

Trey was so closed off emotionally.He was complicated, no doubt about that. Something was causing him so muchpain. She hurt for him and ached to be able to comfort him.

Someone had cheated on him. Thatmuch she knew now. It must have hurt him a lot, which meant he must have lovedher a lot. Maybe, still did. A knife twisted inside her. Damn.

Her head leaned back, she stared outthe window, images of last night running through her mind, wildly sexy thoughtsabout Trey doing carnal, erotic things to her. After a while, he glanced overat her.

"What are you thinkingabout?" he asked. "You look so intense."

"I was thinking aboutsex."

Trey choked. "Jesus,Marli."

"What? You asked."

He was smiling as he looked straightahead out the front window.

Chapter15

Once past San Diego, they turnedonto Interstate 8 and stayed there for almost the next two hours. The flathighway stretched into the distance in front of them. Mile after mile ofscrubby yellow desert passed by, the sky huge and wide and blue above.

"We'll stop in Brawley and talkto his mother," Trey said, glancing at his watch. "But I have thisgut feeling he's headed to El Paso."

He was nervous about Marli beingwith him, for more reasons than one. He