casually, hoping that her forgiving attitude would get her some answers before she left. “Just tell me when Cy got back to town. I thought rumor had it, he was six feet under?”
“He came out a little while ago.”
“Any idea why?”
“Said his sister was in trouble.”
“Anything else?” she prompted.
“Nope.” Even if there was more, Omerta, the code of silence for all who knew better, held his tongue. “I’ll give you five minutes head start, and then I’m putting in the call,” he said through a tight jaw.
“I need ten, or we’re going to meet at the tunnel,” she explained, referring to a narrow street that linked the adjoining area to this. If they weren’t given more time, there would be a good chance they’d be caught.
He shook his head. She wasted precious seconds asking, “Have you seen Father Luke tonight?”
“Was here, but he left about an hour ago—said he had an appointment.” He blinked. “Four minutes.”
Conversation clearly over, Tessa went back inside, quickly stepping over to Scott. She reached out and grabbed his hand, half pulling him to hurry him out. “We’ve got to go,” she said sharply.
“What’s the hurry?” It amazed him how quickly she could hustle if she wanted to. Scott found himself in a half jog on the way back to the car. He didn’t need the handclasp to find his way, or follow in haste, but he was reluctant to release the familiar contact.
Skidding to a stop in front of the car, Scott yanked on Tessa’s arm gently as she tried to move towards the driver’s door and out of grasp. “Wait a second,” he urged, concern evident in his voice.
Tugging the laced fingers again, he pulled Tessa toward him, refusing to let her move beyond the hood of the car. He took a step and closed the distance. Toes touched. The fragrance she always wore rushed up to great him. It didn’t annoy him like it usually did.
The sudden reluctance to go any further caught Tessa off guard, sending her two-stepping back to Scott; one hand caught up on his chest, the other still tangled in his fingers. For a split second she forgot why they were in a hurry. Tilting her head upward, long auburn tresses fell off her shoulders to line her back, the ends grazing the hood of the car.
“Somebody told you something. Come on, spill it,” he said.
His easy smile made her want to believe that they were not in danger. Sliding her hand from his chest, to settle on the edge of the car, she realized her fingers were still tangled in his. A quick blush filled her cheeks that she hoped would be shrouded by the artificial light that circled their presence.
She let go, and Scott’s hand fell by his side.
“Unless we want company, we’d better leave now,” she said. Aware that there were ears nearby, she didn’t want to say more. She handed him the car keys.
Scott’s touch lingered in warmth on her fingers. Tessa closed her hand, trying to hold the feeling an instant longer. Trusting that he would take her lead, she stepped around the side and climbed into the car.
“I messed up,” she said, “I shouldn’t have brought us here. Let’s head to the airport.”
“Going to spend the weekend with me?” he asked. She didn’t laugh, instead she busied herself watching out the rear window. Scott pressed, “How’d you know I planned to go to New York?”
“I didn’t really,” Tessa said, giving him a quick glance, “until now.”
“Ah,” Scott chuckled softly as he turned the car towards the highway.
Looking through the rear window, Tessa studied the traffic. No car sped into the street to follow them. She let Scott drive on in silence. If she said anything, he might ask questions, and she wasn’t sure what she was willing to answer. Explaining the nickname the kids used back in the club was just one possibility that came to mind, and how could she explain that without revealing more?
Maybe Cage had honored her request after all. After a few more minutes, Tessa said,
“He came out a little while ago.”
“Any idea why?”
“Said his sister was in trouble.”
“Anything else?” she prompted.
“Nope.” Even if there was more, Omerta, the code of silence for all who knew better, held his tongue. “I’ll give you five minutes head start, and then I’m putting in the call,” he said through a tight jaw.
“I need ten, or we’re going to meet at the tunnel,” she explained, referring to a narrow street that linked the adjoining area to this. If they weren’t given more time, there would be a good chance they’d be caught.
He shook his head. She wasted precious seconds asking, “Have you seen Father Luke tonight?”
“Was here, but he left about an hour ago—said he had an appointment.” He blinked. “Four minutes.”
Conversation clearly over, Tessa went back inside, quickly stepping over to Scott. She reached out and grabbed his hand, half pulling him to hurry him out. “We’ve got to go,” she said sharply.
“What’s the hurry?” It amazed him how quickly she could hustle if she wanted to. Scott found himself in a half jog on the way back to the car. He didn’t need the handclasp to find his way, or follow in haste, but he was reluctant to release the familiar contact.
Skidding to a stop in front of the car, Scott yanked on Tessa’s arm gently as she tried to move towards the driver’s door and out of grasp. “Wait a second,” he urged, concern evident in his voice.
Tugging the laced fingers again, he pulled Tessa toward him, refusing to let her move beyond the hood of the car. He took a step and closed the distance. Toes touched. The fragrance she always wore rushed up to great him. It didn’t annoy him like it usually did.
The sudden reluctance to go any further caught Tessa off guard, sending her two-stepping back to Scott; one hand caught up on his chest, the other still tangled in his fingers. For a split second she forgot why they were in a hurry. Tilting her head upward, long auburn tresses fell off her shoulders to line her back, the ends grazing the hood of the car.
“Somebody told you something. Come on, spill it,” he said.
His easy smile made her want to believe that they were not in danger. Sliding her hand from his chest, to settle on the edge of the car, she realized her fingers were still tangled in his. A quick blush filled her cheeks that she hoped would be shrouded by the artificial light that circled their presence.
She let go, and Scott’s hand fell by his side.
“Unless we want company, we’d better leave now,” she said. Aware that there were ears nearby, she didn’t want to say more. She handed him the car keys.
Scott’s touch lingered in warmth on her fingers. Tessa closed her hand, trying to hold the feeling an instant longer. Trusting that he would take her lead, she stepped around the side and climbed into the car.
“I messed up,” she said, “I shouldn’t have brought us here. Let’s head to the airport.”
“Going to spend the weekend with me?” he asked. She didn’t laugh, instead she busied herself watching out the rear window. Scott pressed, “How’d you know I planned to go to New York?”
“I didn’t really,” Tessa said, giving him a quick glance, “until now.”
“Ah,” Scott chuckled softly as he turned the car towards the highway.
Looking through the rear window, Tessa studied the traffic. No car sped into the street to follow them. She let Scott drive on in silence. If she said anything, he might ask questions, and she wasn’t sure what she was willing to answer. Explaining the nickname the kids used back in the club was just one possibility that came to mind, and how could she explain that without revealing more?
Maybe Cage had honored her request after all. After a few more minutes, Tessa said,