Page 48 of Sam's Salvation
She smacked lightly at his shoulder and chuckled. “You’re awful.”
He chuckled with her and bent his head to capture her lips. “Nah. Just stating facts.” He kissed her. He knew they risked getting carried away and ending things frustrated, but he wanted to feel her mouth move beneath his. To taste her. And to just hold her close.
She moaned, wiggling closer. Sam tunneled a hand beneath her top and spanned her ribcage. She nipped at his bottom lip, and he kissed her more deeply. Need spiraled upward, rapidly choking out the rational side of his mind. With a superhuman effort, he brought his hand up and palmed the side of her face, gentling the kiss.
Audra ran her fingers along his jaw and into his hair. Sam’s eyes rolled back, and he had to exert every ounce of willpower he had not to kiss her again. If he did, pulling back the next time would not be so easy. They’d both end up well past frustrated, and he was afraid it might cause her concussion symptoms to flare up.
“Sam… why do you do this to me?” she whispered.
He could tell by the tone of her voice she meant something far deeper than why she was attracted to him. But he didn’t have an answer for her. He couldn’t explain it, either, except to think they were meant to be.
“Go to sleep, Aud.” He tucked her head beneath his chin.
She wrapped an arm around his torso and snuggled closer.
Need still coursed through him. He couldn’t even use his trick of picturing her face to settle his mind. She was the reason he was out of sorts.
Instead, he turned it on its head and used the way he felt to hone in on her in the hopes his reaction would provide its own distraction. He listened to her breathing, taking in every breath, listening to them gradually grow slower and deeper as she fell asleep. He felt her muscles grow slack until she sank into his body and the mattress beneath them.
He lifted his head to peer at her in the near-darkness. In the low light, he could just see the glimmer of her porcelain skin. He touched her face with one finger, tracing her cheekbone. Bending his head, he pressed a soft kiss to the spot he just touched.
Sam laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes as sleep finally pulled at his mind.
Twenty-One
Stifling a yawn, Sam led Audra through Heathrow. Their nap on the plane hadn’t been nearly long enough. But with a strong cup of coffee, it would keep them running close to full capacity.
After they said goodbye to Ezra, they’d quickly headed for customs. Surprisingly, they made it through with ease. Audra had presented her fake passport without batting an eye. He’d tried to match her energy. Apparently, he’d done so well enough, because the border agent bought their story that they were married and waved them through after checking their documents.
“So, you gonna tell me how you got that passport into their system?” Sam asked, keeping his voice low as they headed for the exit.
She sent him a coy smile. “You aren’t the only one with resources.”
Sam chuckled. “Touché, my dear.”
She grinned. “So, I’ve been thinking. About those resources, actually. Mine, not yours.”
“Oh?” The doors swished open, and they stepped outside. A soft drizzle fell, giving the air a hazy appearance. He was glad he didn’t have to drive in it.
“On the flight over, I was running a list of people I know through my head and sorting them into two categories. People I can possibly trust and those whom I either don’t know well enough to determine that or those who I could see going behind my back and contacting Dee.”
“How many trustworthy people did you come up with?” He lifted a hand, waving down a taxi.
“Only a couple. One of them is the guy who made my passport. I’m not sure what he can do for us now, but if it becomes necessary, I know I can get us some excellent travel documents.”
“Who are the others?”
“A couple of friends who are unrelated to the Secret Intelligence Service.”
“Is there no one inside the service you trust?”
“Not yet. I’m hoping I can trust Dee. We’ll see.”
The cab pulled up, and Sam opened the door for her. She slid inside while he helped the driver load their bags into the trunk.
“Where to?” The man asked as they got in.
Audra gave him the name of a hotel in Westminster. Sam laid an arm over the back of the seat and tipped her into his chest. Even though they’d slept some, Audra still needed more. He knew she’d push herself as far as her body would allow—likely even beyond—but for now, she could rest.