Page 12 of The Hero’s Bride (Unbreakable SEALs #2)

T halia woke with a start, but remained still, taking stock of her surroundings.

Her body was being jostled back and forth with movement, but warmth beneath her cheek had her muscles relaxing with relief.

She was no longer being held against her will and the warm body she was cradled against was Mason.

The sweet and frightened young boy was now all man as evidenced by hard muscles underneath her fingers.

She sat up with a gasp, pulling her hands away from him as though she’d been singed.

With the way heat was racing to her cheeks, igniting her in a full-body blush, it was a wonder she wasn’t incinerated by her embarrassment.

She’d fallen asleep on him. Encircled his waist with one hand on his lower back beneath his shirt and the other on his stomach.

Mason was suddenly alert, his narrow-eyed gaze surveying their surroundings. “What is it? Are you okay?” He leaned in close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.” She spared a quick glance toward the front of the Jeep.

Sully was still driving, except now he had sunglasses over his eyes.

She’d not only been clinging to Mason, but she’d also done so for hours considering the bright daylight was shining into the vehicle.

She looked away from Sully, dropping her voice.

“I didn’t mean to touch you like that. I’m sorry—”

“Haven’t slept so peacefully in a long time, so if anyone should be apologizing, it’s me for letting my guard down and dozing off, too.

” He gave her a gentle squeeze and pulled her into his side.

She angled her chin to meet his deep blue eyes, which were intently fixed on her.

Still groggy from sleep, she stared back, captivated by the silver that streaked through his irises, making them look as though they were sparkling with light.

Her gaze dropped to the freckles dusted over his nose, then to full lips.

The urge to lean in and see what they felt like against her own buzzed around her, blocking out the sounds of the radio and the hum of the air conditioner until she was only focused on Mason.

When she met his eyes, the black of his pupils had swelled, masking much of the blue.

“I’m stopping for gas,” Sully yelled from the front and jerked the Jeep to the right. Unable to brace herself, she lurched into Mason, her face smacking into his chin.

“Shit. Sorry about that.” Sully turned around in his seat and Mason glared at him. “Infrastructure’s a bit choppy.”

“Infrastructure my ass,” Mason growled. “Think it’s the man behind the wheel more than the roadways.”

“Whatever. You okay, Thalia?” Sully asked.

She nodded, letting her hair fall forward into her face, sure her cheeks were the shade of Mason’s hair. He was scrutinizing the gas station with its two pumps and chipped mint siding.

Sully cleared his throat. “There’s not another stop for several hours,” he said reading Mason’s wary expression.

“Then let’s make this fast. You pump. I’ll see what they have for bottled water.” Mason turned to her, and once again his direct gaze was dizzying. “Looks like there’s some restrooms on the side. Don’t know when we might run into them next.”

“Okay.” She scooted across the seat and took Mason’s offered hand. When he began to walk with her in the direction of the facilities, she cast him a questioning look. “I thought you were going inside.”

“I am, but there’s no way you’re going in the bathrooms without me clearing them first.” When they reached the rudimentary one-person stall, Mason went in first, quickly reappearing. “It’s not pretty, but it’s workable. I’m going to stand watch.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but decided she’d rather have Mason wait for her than someone busting in and dragging her out.

Thalia shut the door behind her, not wasting any time.

He’d been right, the bathroom was functional at best, but it appeared in desperate need of a good clean and some air fresheners.

After washing her hands, she joined him.

“Is it okay for me to come into the store?”

“Best to stay out of sight. I’ll get you anything you want—you only have to ask.”

“I don’t need anything.” She smiled and caught Sully walking toward them.

“All filled up,” he said to her. “Why don’t we go back to the Jeep while Red gets supplies?” Sully escorted her back to the car and turned to her when they got to the Jeep. “You’re welcome to sit in the back, but I’m gonna try to get some sleep. I’ve been told I snore like a bulldog.”

Thalia chuckled. “I’ll sit in the front. Then you can stretch out and snore to your heart’s content.” In truth, she was hoping to talk to Mason more.

“I appreciate it and once I start sawing wood, you’ll thank me for the warning.

” He got in the back seat, and she slipped into the front.

Before long Mason was jogging toward the Jeep.

He got behind the wheel, flashed her a grin, and started the engine.

“All right, let’s get out of here. Only ten more hours to go. ”

Sully stretched his arms over his head. “Well, when you put it like that, we’ll be there tonight if we don’t run into any trouble.” The large man lay on his side, scrunching up his long legs as Mason turned onto the poorly paved stretch of road.

Turning in her seat, she faced Mason. “Do you think we will?” A shiver of fear snaked down her back at the thought of the men at the boatyard.

“What? Run into trouble? If we do, we’ll be ready for it.

” He had one hand gripped on the wheel, the muscles of his arm straining against the fabric of his T-shirt.

Gold freckles dotted his skin between the gaps in his tattoos, and she wished she could continue to stare so she could count each one.

“Keep your eyes peeled for a scenic spot. Somewhere where a couple might do some sightseeing. We’ll take a few pictures and send them to Jude.

It’ll make his life easier when he’s pushing the paperwork through. ”

With the gas station in the distance behind them, the scenery straight ahead was one of jagged mountain ranges.

The road was framed by sand, dry shrubs, and cacti.

“What will we do if we reach the border, and the paperwork isn’t ready?

” She bit her bottom lip, scanning the landscape for a scenic spot.

She knew the request was probably meant to keep her busy, taking her mind off the potential danger.

“Figure we’ll get a hotel as close to the border crossing as possible. We can lay low for a few days and once Jude has the paperwork cleared, we will cross into Texas.”

“And after that?” She didn’t want to pester him, but she couldn’t help the questions from tumbling off her tongue. His knuckles tightened, then blanched on the wheel.

“Jude will meet us in Southlake, where the Days are being held. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security will interview you. After that, we can fly to Virginia to see Vivienne if you’d like.”

Her breath caught. “Yes! I would love to see Vivienne.” She paused, suddenly uncertain. Rescuing her hadn’t been an official mission, which meant he was using his own time and resources to help her. “I know you must need to get back to work. Back to your life.”

He angled his face to look at her and offered a smile that lit his expression. “I have leave time. She’s in Virginia Beach with our friend Iron. I know you’d probably rather stay in Virginia, but as your sponsor, we’ll need to stick together.”

She touched his arm and the heat of his body warmed her palm. “I’d like to stay with you.”

Although he didn’t look convinced of her words, he continued. “After that we’ll head to California.”

She stared out the window as she gathered her thoughts.

The tall cactus plants with arms that seemed to reach upward were replaced by shorter clusters, each with a pretty pink or orange flower sprouting from the center.

She’d lived in Mexico most of her life, but there was so much she hadn’t seen.

She never would’ve known there was more than the lush forests beyond the tired city she’d grown up in.

She turned her thoughts back to Mason and the conversation they’d had the night before.

He had expressed that he had no expectations, but that didn’t sit well with her.

Not because she expected him to change his mind and start demanding things of her, but more because she needed the details laid out to feel secure.

After entering the United States the first time with big dreams of going back to school and earning money to help her father, she was devastated when those hopes were dashed.

“I don’t want to assume anything, Mason, or have you think I can offer something I can’t. My education didn’t go beyond childhood, but I can cook and clean, and I’m sure there’s some kind of work I could pick up. I don’t want to be presumptuous about where I’ll be staying, either.”