voice. He sounded strained, and she couldn’t help but wonder at the guilty tone of it.
“I have to make a call,” he said. “You don’t have to move.”
A call to the female whose life Ella had just ruined?
Not. Your. Business! she scolded herself.
She nodded against his chest, trying not to think of the feel of his bare skin or the spicy, masculine scent that was pervading her senses.
He shifted, reaching for his pocket and producing a sleek smartphone. Moments later, he tucked the phone against his neck. Ella could hear the line ringing, and found herself holding her breath.
“Is she okay?” came a voice from the other end. A male’s voice, Ella realized with surprise.
“Yeah,” Walker said, his gaze sliding over to her face before snapping back to the window.
“What’s your ETA?” the man asked.
“I’m not sure. Maybe twenty minutes to the airport,” Walker said.
“You’re not sure?” the man asked.
“Yeah, I uh… I lost track of time,” Walker said. He sounded a little embarrassed, but his gaze stayed glued to the window this time.
“Uh. Okay. Well, I’ll have a car waiting for you. Is she in decent condition? Can you drive her to Asheville right away, or will you need a hotel room for the night?”
“We’ll drive,” Walker bit out.
“Cool. Okay.”
“Can you have some clothes for her in the car? Size…” Walker looked down at her, assessing. “Six?”
“Shirt, pants…” the man asked, curious.
“Shoes, everything. Get a room set up for her, too.”
“Right. There’s a spare room in Lucas’s wing.”
“No,” Walker said, scowling. “There’s an empty room on the third floor.”
“The one adjoining yours?”
Ella had the distinct impression that Walker was working hard not to look at her.
“That will be fine,” he growled.
“But-” the man started.
“See you in a few hours,” Walker snapped, ending the call.
He dropped the phone onto the bench, but didn’t make any attempt at explanation. Ella, for her part, didn’t ask any questions. She sighed and settled back, resigned to enjoying the last few minutes of his embrace. It felt safe, warm, and wonderful. She closed her eyes and wished it wasn’t the last time she’d ever experience that feeling.
Three
Walker cursed himself for the thousandth time as he settled Ella into the passenger seat of the rented SUV that Ben had requisitioned for the trip back to Asheville. Their encounter in the chopper proved to be too much for his mental state, not to mention his libido. They’d been greeted at the airport with twin duffel bags of clothes, sized appropriately for them. Walker had given her a wad of cash and set her loose in the airport’s tiny gift shop to get toiletries and snacks. At least they were both fed, dressed, and groomed now.
Unfortunately, the black yoga pants and tight green tee shirt that Ella now wore did nothing to diminish her appeal, clinging to her petite frame in all the places that Walker shouldn’t be concerned about. He had always liked tall, model-skinny brunettes, but Ella’s long blonde hair and small stature pulled at him in a distinctly uncomfortable way. The first time he’d stood face to face with her, seeing those big emerald eyes in her heart-shaped face, it had been a sock to the gut. Something about her strength and determination, coupled with her fragile appearance, really got to him.
He could’ve sworn he wasn’t one of those damsel-in-distress addicts, but just about now he’d follow that female to the ends of the earth if she only said the word. What in the hell was going on with him?
He’d known something was definitely wrong back in the chopper, when he’d opted not to fuck her. That was not Walker’s style. Not that he was a slut, but he took what he wanted when he wanted it. And god damn, but he wanted Ella. His wolf and his raging hard-on both agreed, both attuned completely to the green-eyed nymph he’d known for a handful of