Page 82 of Girl Between

“Take your next right,”George instructed.

They’d been driving on a dirt road for far too long. It was dragging Dana’s thoughts back to places she didn’t want to go. The vibrant green marshlands and moss-riddled landscape couldn’t be more different, but in her mind, she was still traveling that endless pine-fringed road to Jake’s cabin, where all her ghosts dwelled.

“Or not,” George said when Dana missed the turn.

She swore, slammed on the brakes, and dropped the Rover into reverse after checking the rearview. “Sorry,” she muttered, righting their course.

“You good?” George asked.

“Nope.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.”

He chuckled. “Roger that.”

The phrase made Dana’s blood boil. Logically, she knew it was common military jargon, but it would always bring Jake Shepard to the forefront of her mind.

She rolled the tension from her shoulders and exhaled. She’d chosen to accompany George today because she felt safer with him.

Not that Jake made her feel unsafe. He’d take a bullet before letting anything happen to her. Hell, hehadtaken a bullet for her.

But I took one for him, too.

Dana shook the senseless thoughts away. This wasn’t about keeping score. Of course, she knew she was safe with Jake. Safe wasn’t the right word.Off kilter maybe?

She certainly behaved unhinged in his presence.

What she needed to be was independent, autonomous, detached, in control. Yes, control. She was much more in control when she wasn’t alone with the ruggedly handsome, grumpy FBI agent.

When they were alone together, things got … complicated. And … steamy.

Well, not always.

Yesterday they’d been alone, and nothing happened. Besides Jake helping her out of her clothing and into the shower. Sure, she’d been a catatonic trainwreck that only the most desperate individual would’ve made a move on, but still, she’d been naked in front of him—twice, if getting in and out of the shower counted separately.

But nothing had happened.

It wasn’t like Jake hadn’t seen her naked before. She didn’t know why she was even thinking about this. But when she’d woken alone this morning, she’d looked beneath the covers, alarmed to find she was still clothed.

What did that say about her that she was slightly disappointed they’d platonically spent the night together? Had she really wanted to wake to the luxurious ache of Jake’s absence between her thighs? They’d only slept together once, but somehow, she knew she’d feel the echo of that night forever.

Great! I’ve been ruined for life by Jake Shepard and his member of mass destruction!

Dana’s cheeks heated with annoyance as she realized how pleased Jake would be if he was privy to her current thoughts.

She needed to focus on something else. Anything else.

“How much further?” she asked George, choosing to ignore how much she resembled a cranky child on a road trip.

“This road dead ends in about three miles. We’ll park there and take the ferry over to Abigale Goode’s place.”

“Ferry?” Dana looked around at the extremely rural setting. “Out here?”

“We use the term loosely in these parts. It’s really an old airboat. Motor doesn’t run, but she still floats. There’s a network of ropes we’ll use to guide it out to the Goode property.”

“Tell me more about the Goodes,” Dana asked.