Out of Time (Out of Line #2) (Volume 2)

by Jen McLaughlin

  The fact that he thought he wasn’t good enough for me and my father made my throat tighten. Would I ever be able to convince him I loved him exactly how he was, not as a version of what he could be? That I didn’t want him to change at all?

  Once I had on one of his green Hollister shirts and a pair of panties, I headed for the closet. His uniforms stared back at me, and I swear the things were alive. Like they were watching me. I was trying to act all confident about this whole possible deployment mess, but the truth was…I was scared, too.

  He lifted on his elbows and watched me from the bed, his steamy eyes on me the whole time. I wanted nothing more in this world than to climb on top of him again and curl up in his arms. There was nothing in this world that his arms around me couldn’t fix.

  I picked up my bag and took out one of my shirts, hanging it up on the hanger. It meant a lot to me, him offering me this space in his life and his key. It was almost as if, when he was gone, I’d get to be here with him—even without him.

  It didn’t make much sense, yet it totally did.

  And I liked the idea of sleeping in his bed when he wasn’t here. Smelling him on his sheets. But how long would the scent of Finn linger if he left? A day? A month? I had no freaking clue, but I did know one thing: I needed to spend as much time as possible with him.

  I put a shirt on the hanger and gathered by thoughts. My phone rang from beside Finn on the bed. He glanced down at it and his mouth tightened. He picked it up and held it out to me. “It’s your father. He still isn’t texting me like he used to, so be careful what you say. Try to get intel from him.”

  I nodded, crossed the room, and sat at his hip. After taking my phone out of his hand, I said, “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hello,” Dad said, his voice clear and crisp. “Where are you?”

  “You’re up late.” I checked the time, ignoring his question. It was almost midnight back home. Finn toyed with my hair, sending little shivers down my spine. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping by now? And why have you been so quiet this week?”

  “I told you I’d be busy,” he said. “My turn for a question. Shouldn’t you be in your room?”

  I tensed, and so did Finn. He must’ve heard Dad’s voice through the speaker. He dropped my hair and rolled off the bed. After grabbing his own phone, he swiped his finger across the screen. I raised my brows at him and he shook his head with a frown. He hadn’t gotten any texts from my father asking where I was.

  What was Dad up to, and what did it mean for us?

  “Uh…” I forced myself to pay attention to Dad. “What makes you think I’m not in my room? Did you put a webcam up in it or something? I’m pretty sure I forbade cameras in my bedroom once I hit puberty.”

  He snorted. “Don’t play coy with me, missy. I’m here, at your dorm, with your mother—and you’re not here. Where are you?”

  “Wait, what?” I leapt to my feet, my pulse racing and my knees trembling. “Why are you here in San Diego?”

  Finn cursed under his breath and dialed someone. He grabbed his pants off the floor and stepped into them without boxers, his movements jerky and fast. I picked up my own pants, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder.

  Dad sighed. “We wanted to surprise you with a visit. We barely hear from you anymore, and your mother was worried. But all I really care about right now is where the hell—”

  “Hugh.” There was a commotion, something that sounded like a fight, and then Mom’s voice came through. “Don’t mind him. We know you’re an adult now and you’re out with friends. We missed you, dear. Where are you? We could come there to meet you and your friends.”

  “No.” I shot Finn a desperate look, and he stepped into his motorcycle boots without a word. “I’ll come to you. Just give me, like…?” I shot Finn a look and he held up his hand. “…five minutes, and I’ll be there.”

  Mom sighed. “All right. I’ll hold off your father. But hurry up, dear. I need a Carrie hug.”

  My heart wrenched with a bit of homesickness, despite the stress of the situation. That’s what Mom called it when I hugged her as tight as I could. When I was a kid, every night she would pick me up and I would cling to her, all arms and legs and giggles, giving her the biggest good night hug I could.

  When she let go and I stayed in place without her support, I would giggle harder—until I lost my grip and fell to the bed. Now I was too big to hang off her, but we still called our hugs Carrie hugs. “I’ll hurry, I promise.”

  “Give me the phone, Margie.”

  “No.”

  “Give me the—” Another commotion. “And you’ll be telling me who you were with,” Dad called out. “Missy.”

  I could just picture him, pushing in to Mom to get another word in. Finn furiously typed something on his phone. Probably texting my dad in an attempt to cover both our asses before it was too late. Before Finn came under suspicion.

  “Oh, leave her alone,” Mom said. “See you soon.”

  “Bye,” I said, hanging up. I looked at Finn. “What the heck are they doing here?”

  “I don’t have a fucking clue. I didn’t know they were coming,” Finn said, grabbing his keys and heading for the door with large, hurried steps. “Why didn’t he tell me he was coming? This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.”

  I followed him to the door, swallowing hard. Half my clothes were hung up in his closet and the other half were on his bed. I grabbed my empty bag. “I’ll clean these up and then—”

  Finn waved a hand and made an impatient sound. “Leave them. There’s no time for that. We have to leave, and we have to leave yesterday.”

  I hesitated. “It’ll be a little rough for a while, I get that, but why are you so upset?”

  “Because I’m wondering why the fuck he didn’t tell me he was coming, why the hell he hasn’t texted me during the past two days, and why, even now, there’s no text from him.” His phone chimed, and he closed his eyes, his jaw ticking. “There it is.”

  He took his phone out of his pocket and opened the door for me. He scanned it and typed, while I tried to hold on to my patience. “What does it say?”

  “He wants to know where you are.” More typing. “I’m telling him you went out to eat with a new friend. Give me the name of someone you talk to in class. Someone new?”

  I scrambled for the first name that came to mind. My lab partner I’d studied with the other day popped into my head. “Susan Williams.”

  “Good. He won’t be able to locate her that quickly, so she’s a good cover story. Your dad didn’t tell me he’s here in California, though.” More typing, then he lifted his head. “Keep walking, Ginger. I can text and walk.”

  I clenched my fists. “I don’t like this.”

  He didn’t look up, just kept typing. “Don’t like what?”

  “You’re acting different,” I said, my voice cracking. “Again.”

  He’d barely looked at me at all since the phone call, and now he was acting cold. Distant. It freaked me out. Was he regretting the fact that he had me in his house when his boss came to visit? Kicking himself for being with me?

  I didn’t know, but I knew something was off.

  He looked at me, his eyes as closed off as his voice. “Of course I am. I’m trying to cover our tracks. Your daddy’s out there, thinking God knows what, doing God knows what, and I need to get you there without him knowing where the fuck you were. This is me in work mode, Ginger.”

  “He won’t find out. You’ll be fine.”

  “No, I won’t be fine.” He pressed his lips together, his nostrils flaring. “Because on top of that, the whole time he’s here I have to stay the hell away from you when I don’t even want to be away from you for a fucking minute. So, yeah, I’m a little bit distracted and cranky, to say the least.”

  He ha
uled me up against him and kissed me hard, not giving me a chance to reply. What would I have said anyway? What he said pretty much summed up my feelings, so instead, I clung to him, knowing we shouldn’t be kissing like this in public, but unable to help myself.

  I curled my hands into his shirt, twisting the fabric in my hands. I could feel the tears threatening to escape me, trying to run down my cheeks. But I wouldn’t cry. It wasn’t like this was goodbye or anything. It was a temporary setback—nothing and no one would make me walk away. Not even Dad.

  He ended the kiss way too fast, resting his head on mine. “Let’s get you back to your dad. Remember, if you see me watching you—don’t even look at me. Act like you’ve never seen me before. Act like I’m no one and nothing. Don’t save my name in your phone, and no incriminating texts.”

  “I can’t even tell you I love you?” I asked, my throat swelling with the tears that were trying to escape.

  “Not in those words. Text me…the sun is finally shining.”

  “The sun is finally shining?”

  “Yeah. It’s the first thing I thought of when I met you—that the sun was brighter and shiny and good.”

  My heart melted. How the heck was I supposed to walk away after that? “I don’t want to go.”

  “I know.” He kissed me one last time. “But you have to.”

  I stopped at the bike, but he tugged me past it. “Wait, where are you taking me?”

  “You’re taking a cab. I quietly called one while you were on the phone. We can’t risk being seen together,” he said matter-of-factly. When I opened my mouth to tell him no, he shook his head. “I know. It sucks, but it’s how it has to be for now.”

  I blinked back tears. “Will you stay here?”

  “No, I’m getting rid of your helmet and watching from the shadows, like I’m supposed to. And when your dad confronts me and asks where I was, I can tell him that I was watching you the whole time.” He slapped my ass. “Now off you go, Ginger.”

  I walked to the cab, each step I took away from him becoming harder and harder. By the time I slipped into the seat, I was ready to turn around and bolt toward him. It was like something inside me thought this might be the last time I saw him. I didn’t know what caused my racing heart and my fear, but it was tangible and undeniable.

  And I somehow knew as the cab pulled away from the curb and Finn got rid of my helmet and climbed onto his bike…

  Something was going to go terribly wrong.

  After I stashed Carrie’s helmet inside my apartment in record speed, I hopped on my bike and followed the cab back to the dorms. I knew Carrie’s parents were rich and a flight out didn’t exactly break the bank or anything, but why had they come out all of a sudden? Had they just missed her, or was it something more?

  Something like suspicion?

  Maybe the senator had caught on to some weird vibe coming from across the fucking country and just instinctively known something was going on with his baby girl. But he couldn’t. It’s not like he was a psychic or some shit like that. He couldn’t possibly know that I’d gotten a little bit too close in guarding his precious cargo.

  …Could he?

  Oh, fuck me. What if he’d sent over some extra security and I didn’t even know about it? What if, right now even, he had a man watching me?

  If he did, I was so screwed.

  Carrie had thought she heard someone earlier. I had brushed it off, but maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe someone had been there, watching us and reporting back to her father from the shadows?

  Son of a bitch…

  I revved my engine, gripping the handlebars so tight it hurt, cursing myself ten times over for not considering this angle earlier. The cab pulled over and Carrie climbed out, her eyes seeking me out immediately. I parked my bike and tilted my head, telling her silently to look away and act like I didn’t exist. Something told me she’d fail miserably. She wasn’t a good liar, my Carrie, and it’s one of the things I loved most about her—her honesty.

  But it just might be our downfall.

  She walked up to her parents, her steps quickening as she grew closer. After one last look over her shoulder at me, she ran into her mom’s open arms. Her mom hugged her tight, burying her face in her hair and inhaling deeply. As if she missed Carrie’s scent and needed to get as much of it as she could while she could.

  Fuck, I got that. I got that all too well.

  Next, her dad—the man I’ve never even seen crack a smile—grinned and hauled her into his arms, spinning her in a wide circle and saying something I couldn’t make out. Carrie laughed in reply, the sound breaking through the night, and I closed my eyes.

  Ah, that sound…

  It had the power to save me from anything.

  I watched from the shadows, my heart as heavy as a bowling ball in my chest. They looked so happy and normal right now. I had a hard time placing the man who was paranoid enough to send me to watch his daughter in secrecy with the man who stood here now, laughing and bussing Carrie’s nose with a huge smile on his face.

  And watching her in the arms of her parents just made our whole situation real. Would they ever welcome me into their family with open arms like that? All smiles and kisses and hugs? Doubtful. But I’d do my damned best to make it happen.

  I’d make him accept me if it was the last thing I did, damn it.

  The next morning, after an hour of watching Carrie bond with her parents and a mostly sleepless night, I woke up hung over and yet way too sober. I’d spent all night plotting and trying to come up with every possible scenario that could occur with her father’s visit. I also tried to figure out why he was here.

  And I failed.

  I checked my text messages. One was from the senator. I’m in town.

  It was a test. He knew I knew, but wanted to see what I said. I saw you last night while I stood post. Welcome to California, sir.

  Thank you. Consider yourself off duty until I leave. I’ll be in contact ASAP.

  I clenched the phone. In other words? Stay away. Looking forward to it, sir.

  I also had a text from Carrie. It was ridiculous how happy that made me. The sun is finally shining today, Susan.

  I grinned. She’d saved me in her phone under a woman’s name. How smart and devious. I liked it. Indeed it is. You ready for chemistry class?

  I flopped back on my bed, resting my phone on my bare stomach as I waited for a reply. I didn’t have to wait long. My phone vibrated, and I picked it up. I prefer anatomy.

  Ha! Of course she did. That was our code for exploring each other’s bodies, after all. I grinned. Oh, me too. Believe me.

  As I waited for her to reply, I checked the time and realized she might not reply at all. She’d be walking into class right now, so she’d be silent for a while. Maybe I’d go to the beach. Ride a wave or two and try to figure out what was going on with my boss. Between the unusually quiet days leading up to this visit and the visit itself, I knew he knew something.

  The question was what?

  A knock sounded on the door, and I rolled out of bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. If someone wanted to knock on my door at this ungodly hour in the morning, then I reserved the right to open it half naked.

  But when I opened the door, I wished I’d put some clothes on.

  Senator Wallington, Carrie’s father in the flesh, stood on my porch staring at me with what I could only describe as speculation in his eyes. Fucking sneaky bastard. I stepped in the doorway, not letting him inside. “Sir? I didn’t realize you were texting me from my porch.”

  “I figured as much.” He looked over my shoulder, so I closed the door even more. “Yet…here I am.”

  He craned his neck to try and see past me, but I didn’t budge. Boss or not, he didn’t get to drop in at my place unexpected like
this. And Carrie’s clothes were all over my room right now since I hadn’t cleaned them up.

  If he came in, he’d know. And I’d be done for.

  “Is there something I can do for you, sir?”

  “Yes.” He crossed his arms over his flawless gray suit. Behind him, security stood in their black suits and shades, watching us both Men in Black style. Did I look that constipated when I stood behind the senator, not moving or talking? “You can let me inside, for starters.”

  I motioned down my body, my other hand gripping the door as tightly as I could. “It’s a mess and I’m not dressed. I wasn’t prepared for company.”

  “I don’t care if it’s a mess, and it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” he said simply, his voice perfectly calm. His eyes moved over my tattoos, seeming to fall upon each and every one. Then he snapped his attention to my face again. “Let me inside, Coram.”

  I knew he wouldn’t walk away, and since he was my boss, I couldn’t exactly refuse him entry. Fuck, I wanted to. Standing here talking to Carrie’s dad while half naked with the scratches down my back that she’d made were perfectly visible was not my idea of a good start to my day.

  I tugged on my hair and sighed. “You’ll need to at least give me a second to pick up a little bit. Give me that much.”

  “You hiding something, Griffin Coram?”

  I winced, hating the fact that I was being forced to lie again. I’d hoped my lying days were over when Carrie figured out who I was, yet here I was—lying through my teeth to her father—my boss. “No, sir. The only thing I’m hiding is a mess that I’d rather you not see.”

  He sighed impatiently. “Go on, then. Clean up and throw some clothes on. We’ll go out to eat once you’re clean enough.”

  I nodded and closed the door in his face, taking a second to brace myself for the upcoming confrontation. If he was taking me out to eat, then it couldn’t be a bad thing that he was here, could it? Fuck if I knew.