Page 80 of Ford
For the first time in years, he wanted to start over. Maybe even go home.
He gritted his teeth and picked up his coffee.
Yes, it would be a very long seven days.
Moscow.
Ford stood at the window, watching the train pull into the station, his heart a fist in his chest, pounding.Moscow.
Now they just had to make it to the consulate, find Ham’s contact, track down the safe house, and…
Okay, get out of Russia safely. But apparently, Ham was right.
God was on their side. So maybe Ford should just loosen up a little and let go of the reins of this operation.
God had saved them.
Even though Ford didn’t deserve it.
Okay, he might be overreacting, although in his mind, as he’d deepened his kiss with Scarlett, he’d taken a flying leap off the edge of self-control and landed right into the dark abyss of desire.
Note to self, don’t spend the night in a private compartment with a woman you want to make love to. Thankfully, the bunks weren’t made for two, although without much effort he could have ignored that problem.
He’d managed to put a little distance between them by taking them through a crash course on Russian. He’d had language training in the Navy, learning Farsi and Arabic. But Russian was created out of an entirely different alphabet.
They’d spent the night learning phrases, repeating words, and once Scarlett had acted out her version of a KGB interrogator.
He’d wanted to pull her down into his arms and do his own interrogating. Instead, he’d kept ordering coffee, trying desperately not to think about the way Scarlett had responded when he’d kissed her.
That’s when it started to get dangerous. Because she wasn’t just eager, wasn’t just onboard—hoo-yah—with his kiss, but his heart had stepped into play.
He liked her way too much. Liked her grit—although it scared him too—and liked her so very much for her loyalty. For dropping her life and following him across the Atlantic just because he’d asked. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked, shouldn’t have pulled her into his panic, but they were a team, and he trusted her.
And when he kissed her, it all simply sparked to life.You are wanted, Scarlett.
His kiss was about trying to tell her that—or maybe show her—but it had quickly careened out of control, with him poised to crash through all the promises he’d made himself and—
Yes, God had saved him.
Them.
Twice in one fell swoop when the train lurched. Scarlett had spilled the coffee and Ford had found his boundaries in time to wake up.
He wanted her—yes. Not only in his arms, but in his life. Wanted her to be the one he came home to. Fine—he wanted her to be the one who went with him.
However, it was one thing to kiss her—or more—on a train in Russia. Entirely another to assume she wanted him in her life.
The last time she’d kissed him, back in Montana, she’d drawn a line in the sand.Just this. I want just this.
He got it—she’d never seen a relationship that worked out long-term. Had watched her mother go from boyfriend to boyfriend, one lousy life to the next. But he wasn’t aright now, just thiskind of guy.
Regardless of the argument his body was waging with his brain.
So, yes, thank You, God, for helping him be the man he promised God he’d be.
Stay on mission.
That mission included getting Scarlett home safely. And maybe showing up on her doorstep after all this was over and asking if she’d consider more than right now.