the ranch and had access to a gun, she’d feel better.
AJ closed his eyes. “You’ll have to show me how you do it someday.”
“Do what?”
“Hide the toothpicks holding your eyes open.”
“It’s adrenaline.”
He smiled, even with his eyes closed. “Chemicals.”
The memory of their conversation on the plane repeated in her head. “I aced chemistry.”
AJ reached out, eyes still closed, and grabbed her hand. “So did I.”
Sasha stiffened, not sure what to do.
“Relax, Stick. It’s just a hand.” He tucked her hand in his and sank deeper in the seat.
Pulling it away felt childish.
Leaving it there was awkward.
Claire was sound asleep, and from the way AJ was breathing, it wouldn’t be long for him to nod off, too. She’d slip her hand away from his when he did.
For forty-five minutes, AJ held her hand. Not since junior high had he measured time while holding a girl’s hand.
He let his mind rest, and every time he felt Sasha attempting to pull away, he moved a little and held it tighter.
It was comical just how uncomfortable she was with such a simple thing. For one brief moment he had wanted to make a joke and ask if she wasn’t hugged as a child.
Thank God he’d been taught to think before he spoke. Because after hearing Sasha’s story, he realized that no . . . she hadn’t been hugged as a child. Affection was probably as foreign to her as hunger was to him. Yeah, his father could be a self-centered ass, but his mom had always been there to hug and kiss away the pain.
Who had done that for Sasha?
His heart hurt just thinking about it.
He felt the car slowing down and Sasha shifting in her seat.
AJ yawned away his pretend sleep and gave Sasha’s hand one more squeeze before she slowly pulled it away.
“We’re here.”
AJ peered out the window, expecting to see a whole lot of nothing.
That wasn’t what he found.
They pulled up to a massive gate with someone in a guardhouse. It reminded him a little of Richter. Only on each side of the gate were eight- to ten-foot walls of stone and plants . . . up lights illuminated the walls and made the place feel like a fancy hotel.
Inside the walls, the views just kept coming, split rail fences with land beyond them. Tree-lined driveway that felt like it went on forever. They passed a house he thought was their destination. When they didn’t stop, he kept quiet and waited.
Then he saw it.
“You sure this isn’t a hotel?”
“Positive.” Sasha leaned over and shook Claire’s shoulder.
The girl woke with a jump.
“It’s okay. We’re here,” Sasha coaxed.
Wide, sleepy eyes started to focus. “M’kay.”
The car stopped and AJ reached for the door.
He stepped out and found himself awestruck by the size of the place. It stretched forever, a sprawling ranch that made the Harrison manor house appear way too prim and proper by comparison. “Wow.”
Sasha accepted his hand as she got out of the car but let it go as quickly as she could.
I need to work on that.
“Whoa.” Claire stood with her mouth gaping open. “Where are we going to stay next? Disneyland?”
“You made it.” The voice belonged to a woman trotting down the steps of the house. Petite with long dark hair and honey skin, her smile spread from ear to ear.
AJ turned. “Trina?” he asked in a whisper.
Sasha nodded.
Trina stopped in front of Neil first. “I was starting to worry.”
“Clean flight,” Neil told her.
Trina opened her arms for a hug. “C’mon. It won’t hurt.”
Neil stepped into her hug reluctantly.
“Wade’s coming. He was in the studio,” Trina told him.
“My men?” Neil asked.
“In the kitchen. It’s like old times in there.”
Neil walked away and Trina turned her attention on the three of them. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Trina was all smiles, and Sasha was even stiffer than when she held his hand. “I’m unsure what Neil has told you.”
Trina laughed. “He says about half as much as you do. So next to nothing.”
“This is AJ and Claire,” Sasha introduced them.
Claire waved. “Thanks for having us.”
Trina waved them inside. “You’re welcome, darlin’. If you need anything, just ask. Please don’t be shy.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” AJ said.
Claire glared over her shoulder toward him.
AJ winked.
He stood back with Sasha when Trina and Claire started up the stairs.
“No hugs and kiss hello?” he asked close to her ear.
Sasha looked at him as if he were crazy.
“Okay, got it.”
They stepped into the foyer to find Neil shaking a man’s hand. Jeans,