Free Lost Highway by Bijou Hunter Page A

really in pain. It’s all in here,” he says,
tapping my left temple. “You need to run and keep running until we’re inside.
If we’re out here in the dark, I suspect I can’t protect you from the wolves or
anything else living in the night. Do you understand?”
    Nodding, I take a deep breath
and look at where we’re headed. “I’ll follow you. If I can’t keep up, don’t
wait for me.”
    Quill frowns at my words, and I
know he won’t leave me to die. Something awoke in him in the basement, and he
fears losing the feeling before understanding what it means.
    My only concern is not getting
him killed, though.
    We run, and I work to remain as
closely behind Quill as possible. His large build busts through the overgrown
brush, leaving enough space for me to follow. His pace is steady, but I can’t
keep up. While I don’t fall too far behind, his distance from me increases.
    I focus on him rather than the
darkening woods. His long legs pump hard even though he carries at least thirty
pounds of supplies on his back. Quill moves like a machine, but I felt his
heart beating in the basement and know he’s a man.
    Wanting to feel his face again,
I run faster. No matter how far ahead he becomes or how much the woods darken,
I don’t stop. My tongue still relishes the sweetness of the candy, and my
fingers tingle at the feel of his cheeks.
    If I make it to the cabin, I
plan to kiss him. His kiss in the basement felt clumsy, more hostile than
passionate. He didn’t know what to do, but I’ll teach him. Quill never knew
kindness. That much is clear based on his rough ways. I’ll show him how to
treat me gently and how to pamper himself with small gestures.
    When I run now, my leg no
longer hurts. I only see Quill’s back in the distance and know I will reach the
cabin before the darkness does.
    The woods suddenly end, and I’m
in the clearing. Quill stands at the foot of the porch steps. He calls my name,
and I hear his panic. He knows the darkness is closing in on us, and he also
hears the growling. We aren’t alone here, but I won’t allow fear to slow me. I
keep running right past him and into the cabin, knowing he’ll follow.
    Quill bolts the door closed and
glances out the window. Based on his reaction, we barely made it. He closes the
shades and turns to me.
    “Thank you for the Skittle,” I
say, sliding off my jacket. “It helped a lot.”
    Quill’s face is a mask of rage
and fear. He hates me now. I slow him down and make him care if I am left
behind. He doesn’t want to feel anything. Indifference is all he knows, but
it’s not what he needs.
    Deep inside, Quill is curious
about the warmth and care I offer. He isn’t blind to everything he missed in
his odd, militaristic upbringing. Until now, he believed nothing he lacked was
worth wanting.
    I’ve changed everything for
him, and now my weaknesses threaten to steal it all away.

Chapter Twenty-One
    Quill
     
     
    A fter unpacking the supplies, I
wait for Odessa to listen to music or eat a piece of fruit. Rather than embrace
the sounds and flavors of her old life, she watches me. I narrow my eyes at Odessa,
wanting her to take the hint. She only narrows her eyes at me and then smiles.
    “Have a peach,” I mutter.
    “Will you eat some too?”
    “It’s not poisoned.”
    “I hope not,” she says, walking
to the kitchen.
    As her fingers slide over the
peach, their movements mesmerize me. I remember the way they moved against my
forearm. How they felt teasing my face. I need to stop thinking about her
fingers, but they’re all I see until her lips press against the peach’s flesh.
    Stepping back, I glare at her.
Odessa’s infected me with her limitations. My body doesn’t feel like mine
anymore. It craves activities I don’t need or want. I’m unsure how to feed the
desires. Odessa would know, but I refuse to ask. If a modest taste of affection
turns me into this mess, I can’t chance taking things further.
    “Have a bite,” she