They might reschedule, but if Jamesonalready knew or suspected that she and Hugh were on BainbridgeIsland, as the agent’s presence hinted, would they even haveanother twenty-four-hour grace period to wait before they werefound?
It was ridiculous, Claire thought as theycrossed the first of many bridges, leaving Bainbridge behind. Ormaybe she was. All week long, while sharing a solitary existencewith Hugh, she had been fine with hiding away from their troubles.Even Hugh, who had originally abhorred the concept of such“cowardice,” had seemed content with their voluntary seclusion.
So why did scurrying from the agents like astartled rabbit now suddenly seem like too much to bear? Especiallywhen it looked like constant running would be a prominent fixturein her future?
If what Danny said was true, she couldexpect to see an unmarked black Suburban in her rearview mirroreach time she left the house for months and maybe years to come. Itwould never end, and she would never again have that solitude withHugh.
Claire hated Jameson for that, and shedidn’t plan to live out her life in fear.
So what options did she have? Option A: tryto sneak into Canada, save Hugh, and save herself but remain ahunted woman. Option B: turn Hugh over to Jameson, plead coercion,and live in guilt and misery instead of fear for the rest of herdays.
At the intersection of Highway 3, Clairestopped and considered her options. North for plan A, back the wayshe had come for plan B. Shit, she thought, tapping her fingersagainst the wheel. Neither one really worked for her.
Claire gunned the accelerator and turned tothe left, heading south on Highway 3, down the Kitsap Peninsula.Screw all the cloak and dagger B.S., she was going to go withOption C, where she ended this thing once and for all.
“What are we doing here? I thought we weretae go tae this Canada,” Hugh asked, yawning and stretching as theyexited the SUV at Danny’s SoDo warehouse almost two hours later,twisting and wincing at the pain in his back. For all that theseats in these modern vehicles were cushioned and well sprung, hewould have opted for the comfort of his carriage without a secondthought. Travel was always tiring and uncomfortable, but these lastcouple of hours trapped in the small seat had been physicallyexhausting.
“We couldn’t get there in time without theferries, so we need a new plan,” Sorcha said somewhat evasively,gaining a look of disbelieving surprise from Hugh. She had hintedat nothing of the sort since leaving the ferry terminal, nothing atall to indicate that the plan wasn’t to move forward as they hadintended. Hugh had thought her silence nothing more than a femalestewing for what she had termed his manhandling and stubbornrefusal to drive on without her.
“Ye said nothing of this,” he scolded. “Naeeven when ye had me drive us through the toll road.”
“What difference does it make?” she grouchedirritably, her ire still visibly festering. The drive had been along one as they had gone south through Tacoma before circling backnorth to Seattle. The ferry truly was a blessing in comparison tothat drive. She stretched her stiff limbs as well, lifting her armsover her head and distracting him from the subject in theprocess.
As fatigued as she might have been, she wasstill a beauty. Their hours spent exploring the rapture to be foundin one another’s arms had been the most fulfilling of his life. Hehad not only made love to her but had been made love to, as well.She had shared in that passion fully. Just when Hugh had thought hewould never see anything as lovely as she, the sight of Sorchacaught in ecstasy’s snare had proven him wrong.
From side to side she leaned with a low moanand then bent over to touch the ground. Her shirt rode up in theback and her jeans stretched across her bottom, tempting him, andHugh didn’t fight the impulse, reaching out and sliding a hand overthose luscious curves.
She turned her head with a raised browbefore levering herself back up. “What’s with the hand? You thinkyou can just sling me over your shoulder and haul me off like asack of potatoes and still have the right to cop a feel?”
“We dinnae hae time tae stop and argue thematter. Moreover, yer so verra bonny, I cannae help myself,” Hughtold her, his voice surprisingly rough, though he punctuated itwith a leering grin. Reaching up to pull the band that held herhair back out, he spread his fingers through the auburn masses.Sorcha stiffened, stubbornly refusing to relinquish her anger, butshe did not fight him as he brushed a tender kiss across her lips.Hugh wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly with a sighof contentment as the tension finally left her and she rested hercheek against his broad chest. She fit against him perfectly, andHugh covered her bottom with one hand to pull her in for a tighterfit.
“Sure, now you get all flirtatious,” Sorchasaid with a frown, though her eyes were lit with a touch of humoras she looked up at him. “Days and days of nothing and now, whenwe’re on the run, you get handsy.”
Aye, he had wasted those idyllic days.
Now such moments were lost, at least for thetime being. As Sorcha said, they were fleeing their foe with littletime for play, now that they knew how close the pursuit was. Oncethe threat
