They were supposed to have had a one night stand.
Gill managed to put his frame behind the wheel and turn over the engine before he uttered a word. “You left without saying good-bye.”
No use pretending. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
He backed out of the parking spot. The training center sat on a military base of over five hundred acres. Driving to each location made more sense than walking. “Burton tells me you’re here to better your tactical skills, investigative skills…survival skills.”
Jo found her sunglasses in her backpack, felt relief when she knew Gill couldn’t see her eyes. “That’s right.”
His head turned toward her briefly. “Lesson number one. Don’t pick up strangers in bars.”
Oh, the nerve. Anger in the form of heat shot up her spine. “Like you did?”
“I’m a man.”
She couldn’t help it. Jo laughed.
“You think I’m kidding.”
“I think you’re a hypocrite.”
He made sure to look at her again, kept looking until she met his stare. “I could have snuffed you out, cut you into tiny pieces, and hidden your body in a place so remote they wouldn’t discover it until it was an anthropological find.”
“You’ve given this some thought.”
His jaw tightened, his eyes darted back to the road in front of him before he turned in the direction of what Jo assumed was the training center. “You do that often?” Something in his voice changed.
Sarcasm was needed. “Every Saturday night. Living in a small town affords me all kinds of opportunities to pick up strangers. The seedy motel is a little hard, however. Is that a government approved hotel, or just your personal choice?”
He pulled the car to an abrupt stop, threw it in park. “I know what to expect in places like that.”
“Armed criminals in the next room?”
“Sometimes.”
“You left your weapon in the bathroom once we got there, didn’t you?”
Gill whipped off his sunglasses and stared. “The fact you didn’t know I was carrying one should tell you something.”
Actually, she assumed he did…but didn’t think he wanted to use it on her. He had other needs.
So did she.
“I’m not an invalid, Rocco.” His eyes narrowed with the use of the name that wasn’t his. “And I’m not an idiot. If you wanted to hurt me, I would have sensed it before we left the bar.”
“You don’t know that.”
It was her time to look over the brim of her glasses. “Did you hurt me?”
“That’s not the point.”
She pushed her glasses higher, reached for the door of the car. “Yes, it is.”
