Page 67 of Ghost

She laughed.“Don’t worry.Your secret’s safe with me.”She winked.

He shook his head and tossed their bags on the back seat of the truck while Mila climbed into the front passenger seat.Moments later, the cabin was in his rearview then hidden by a span of trees.They stopped at a drive-thru for breakfast before hitting the highway.He hadn’t wanted to waste time cooking.

Mila ordered a breakfast sandwich and he got an egg burrito with coffee.Music droned low from the speakers as they traveled in comfortable silence.

“What’s your plan for Hunter?”she asked once she’d finished eating, the question gently popping their quiet bubble.

The sun was rising, its rays bright and reflecting off the snow-covered mountains.It’d be a nice day for a hike.Damn, he hadn’t done that in months, and it had been over a year since he hiked in the winter.Something about striding through the forest in the snow soothed him.

“Find him,” he ground out.“Kill him.”He tucked his wrapper into the paper bag between them and flicked his gaze her way.

She rested her head back against the seat.Her cheeks lightly pink, and her dark hair was in a long braid that fell over her shoulder.She looked so damn pretty he wanted to pull over and kiss her.“Then what?”she asked quietly.

He drew his attention back to the road.“That’s a loaded question.”He propped his elbow on the console between them.“Not much will change.I’ll continue working for Backcountry as long as none of Hunter’s friends come for me.”

“And if they do?”

He lifted a shoulder.“I’ll kill them, too.”

Her fingers wiggled into his hand.“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

He scoffed, lifted their joined hands to his lips, and brushed her knuckles with his mouth.“Not gonna happen.”

She said nothing and damn, he hated that she worried about him.She hadn’t asked for a guarantee to see him again—hadn’t even hinted.It bothered the hell out of him and also made him respect her even more.

“What about you?Plan to stick around Seattle once things settle with Irinia?”He kept his tone casual, but Christ.He was beating around the bush, wanting a plan from her.

More than that, he wanted to know how things went once she left the clutches of that evil fucking woman.He wanted reassurance that she was safe.

And he wanted Irinia hanging from a fucking tree.

She sighed.“I want a vacation after this.Maybe Mexico.”

He chuckled.“That sounds deserving.”

“I think so,” she said, a playful note in her voice.

He grinned.“Maybe I’ll join you.”His insides buzzed with anticipation as he glanced her way.

She smiled.“I’d like that.”Several beats passed.“Wanna know something funny?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t even know where we are.”

He laughed.In the last couple of days, he’d smiled and laughed more than he had in years.“I guess that’s my fault.We’re near Missoula, Montana.We’ve got a seven-hour drive ahead of us.”

She groaned.“I wish I hadn’t asked.”

***

It was after4:00p.m.when they finally rolled into Seattle.Mila was exhausted even though she’d been a passenger the whole time.Her head pounded.She was emotionally drained from thinking about what Irinia and her relatives might do.

All she wanted was a shower and her bed.

And maybe a little bit of Ghost too, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“Where should I drop you off?”