“What the hell are those two doing?” Lise asked, switching the windshield wipers on.
Astri squinted through the smeared window to see Otto and Micke standing next to their car, apparently having an argument. Micke was wrestling with his coat, which flailed wildly in the wind, and repeatedly pushing blond strands of hair out of his face.
“Looks like Micke’s lost the fucking keys again. Let’s just go.”
Lise nodded, putting the car into gear, and Astri unearthed the GPS from the glove box, fitting it onto the air vent. Their motel was already programmed in. As the screen glowed with their route, Astri leaned back in the seat and let out her breath in a rush.
God, she hoped this new guy would help them finish this job before they murdered each other.
* * * *
“Do you think that’s him?”
It was just after two in the afternoon, and Astri and Lise had finally pulled their car into the car park attached to the motel. One large cabin rose in front of them, obviously the main building, while several smaller wooden cabins stood along the edges of the car park, each with its own deck. In front of one, a young man was seated at a table, scanning the area every few moments.
“Don’t know.” Astri shrugged. “You go and check us in. I’ll go talk to him.”
The air was dry, but bitterly cold. As Astri crossed the car park toward the cabin, the young man stood up as if he was expecting her. He was tall, heavily wrapped in a bulky red jacket, blue jeans and black hiking boots. A woolly red hat lay on the table, but his head was bare, blond hair blowing in the wind on top of a pointed face with cool green eyes and tanned skin.
From the name, Astri guessed he was Norwegian. Good. The last one they’d been sent had been English, and while her English was fairly fluent, trying to translate directions in the midst of the action had been a nightmare.
“Hei. Is it Kai?”
“It is.” Kai raised one eyebrow, his mouth curving into a smile. “Is it Astri—or Lise?”
“Astri. Good to meet you.” Astri took the steps in one bound and accepted his offered hand, looking up at him with a smile.
Now that she was closer to him, she could see better the planes of his face, how the sunlight—what little there was—struck the angles of his cheekbones and the dimple in his chin. His eyes had a touch of mischief to them. His smile seemed well-used, unusual in a profession like theirs.
He was looking down at her with a knowing glint in his eyes—s o you’re checking me out, hmm? Astri met his gaze unabashedly. Sure, he was cute, but it had been a long time since she had gotten dressed up and made up for work, and she was damned if she was going to show shame at her own windblown hair and clean face now.
“So this is the cabin.” She threw a casual eye over the building, noting its air of neatness and cleanliness. “Nice.”
“It’s not bad. Three singles, a twin, living room and en suite. Need help with your gear?”
“I won’t say no.”
The cabin was more attractive inside than Astri had expected. As she dropped her backpack and case on the bed, she glanced approvingly at the varnished wood walls and woolen rug. It was better than most of the places they stayed in, and considerably more so than the trailer.
Lise passed and high-fived her on her way out, dragging a case behind her. Out on the deck, Kai had sat back down at the table and, from somewhere unnoticed, produced three bottles of beer.
“I don’t want to know where you were hiding those.”
“Somewhere cold.” Kai raised his beer in a salute as Astri sat down. “And more to follow. I bet you could use it.”
“You bet right.” Astri saluted him back and took a long, satisfying gulp from the bottle.
“So how did you get into all this anyway?” Kai glanced across at the trailer. “I haven’t met many women in your line of work.”
“How many people have you met in my line of work?”
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About the Author
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I have been writing for ten years and first got into erotic romance through the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writer's Scheme; they critiqued my debut novel “The Hand He Dealt”, which was published in June 2011 and was nominated for the Joan Hessayon Award.
I live in Yorkshire with my husband and two extremely bratty tuxedo cats. When I'm not writing I spend my time watching horror movies, listening to rock music, travelling to new places and trying out new restaurants.
Email: [email protected]
Tanith loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.totallybound.com.
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Also by Tanith Davenport
The Hand He Dealt
Sleepwalker
Tamar Rising
In the Halls of the Mountain Troll
Tied to the Billionaire: Ready for Him
Haunted By You: I Heard Your Voice
Clandestine Classics: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
What’s her Secret?: Photograph
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Echoes of Love Page 6