Page 11 of Beyond the Blue Horizon

Theo hummed a low sound.

A vibration that rolled through the middle of me.

My unruly gaze traveled over him. Even over his short, trimmed beard, I could tell his jaw was clenched.

The muscles in his throat rippled and undulated with whatever he was contemplating, making the wings of the moth that was stamped on the front of it look like it was preparing to take flight.

My mouth went dry.

Everything about the man felt like depraved, malicious persuasion. And I had the very foolish sense that I wanted to drag my fingers through it.

“Know a place. A motel by the lake. View is stellar,” he offered.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful.” Nelly clasped her hands together.

Fear and reservations blistered through me, and I shot her another warning look.

She widened her eyes in return.

Sometimes everyone needs help.

Her eyes had once been the same blue as mine, but they’d grayed with age. She was seventy-three, but her face remained fairly unwrinkled, which she claimed was due to using castor oil on her face for her entire life.

She was full of these little tidbits of knowledge.

Her wisdom true, even though sometimes I had a hard time accepting it.

But she was right.

What was I planning on doing? Having this guy dump us on the side of the road in the middle of a blizzard?

Blowing out a heavy sigh, I returned to facing as I conceded, “As long as it has heat, then that sounds good to me.”

I didn’t have to get so spun up over this.

It wasn’t a big deal.

He could drop us off at the front and go on his way.

It was fine. Totally fine.

“Safe to say you’ll be more than satisfied with the accommodations.” I didn’t even know how it was possible, but that smirk somehow grew.

“How do you know what will satisfy me?” I couldn’t stop the rebuttal from flying out. The second it did, my mouth slammed shut, and I wished I could reel it back.

Because I swore it was a smack of lust mixed with a dose of arrogant amusement that flashed through his eyes as he dragged them over me.

“Think I might have an idea.” He drew it out.

Heat blasted through me, and I turned away and faced forward as I squirmed in the seat, trying to get my bearings.

To school my reaction to him.

To beat it back into submission because I could not entertain the thoughts that streaked through my brain.

A low chuckle rippled from Nelly. Crap. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

Thankfully, she decided to put me out of my misery when she sat forward and changed the subject. “Does our car look pretty bad to you? We were only planning on staying for a few days.”