Free Sin on the Run by Lucy Farago Page B

She plastered on the sweetest smile in her repertoire for dealing with ornery men, the one that said screw with me, and I’ll stomp on your balls.

Chapter Six
    â€œT here’s a fully stocked bar behind the partition up front.” Blake took the pill from her hand.
    He watched as she went to find water, a man divided. He was grateful she was here. She was right and he wasn’t much help to her, not like this. Dozier would have to watch out for them both. Not that he didn’t trust the ex-pro football player, ex-marine with his life, but Blake would much prefer to do it himself. He’d gotten her into this mess and he needed to make certain he got her out.
    She returned with an open bottle of water.
    â€œThanks.” He accepted the water and swallowed his pill.
    â€œYou be a good little patient and we’ll get along just fine. Now, there must be some fancy little button that makes that seat recline. If not, there’s a sofa in the back.”
    â€œActually, that sofa turns into a bed. This is Ryan’s jet. He entertains a lot.” He left it at that, figuring she’d understand his meaning.
    â€œGood for him,” she said. “Why squeeze into an airplane toilet when you can fly with your own bed?”
    â€œI can’t tell. Are you being sarcastic?” She’d said it with such a straight face, he wasn’t sure.
    â€œNo. Why?”
    â€œSome women might find it offensive. This plane is always fueled and ready to go. Maggie blushed when Christian pointed it out.”
    â€œThat’s ’cause you were here. Her friends make Christian blush. It’s kind of funny, actually. But what other women are willing to do is none of my business. I work in a strip club, remember?”
    It had to be the pain pill kicking in and making him loopy because for the first time, he realized other men had seen Rhonda naked, and he didn’t like it. Didn’t like it one bit. He closed his eyes. He was a moron.
    â€œChair it is,” he heard her say. Then his seat reclined and the last thing he saw was Rhonda, the naughty smirk she wore when she danced with all her long hair covering breasts he’d come to learn were perfect.
    â€œBlake?”
    Something warm touched his face.
    â€œBlake?”
    A hand. A soft hand.
    â€œBlake, you need to wake up.”
    He groaned. Someone had wallpapered his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Why would anyone do that? The soft skin left his cheek, leaving behind an unwelcome coolness. He wanted it back.
    â€œBlake, we’re here. You need to wake up.”
    â€œPretty boy still sleeping?” The gruff voice jarred Blake and he peeled open one eyelid. Dozier stood over him, arms crossed. “Come on, sleeping beauty. Your chariot awaits.”
    â€œBe nice,” he heard someone scold from behind the bulldozer of a man. “He’s been shot.” Dozier was shoved aside and Rhonda stood in his place. Blake opened the other eye.
    â€œHere.” She handed him a water bottle. “Pasty mouth sucks.”
    He drank, trying to clear his head at the same time. “I hate meds.”
    â€œYup, I know. You told me. How’s your pain level?”
    His chest still hurt, but the sweats had stopped. “Not bad.”
    â€œYou got a little color back. I’m glad. Attila here says we should get off the plane. We’re inside a hangar and there’s a UPS truck waiting to take us to the house. Can you get up? Do you need help?”
    He nodded, but was disappointed when she stepped aside and motioned for Dozier to come forward. He could get up just fine. He’d just wanted a chance to have her close, feel her heat next to his. In normal circumstances, that would be pushing his luck, but he was injured and didn’t all sick men want some loving? Man , was he loopy.
    Dozier put an arm under his shoulder and helped him to his feet. Good thing too, because the moment he stood, his knees gave out.