Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)

31|| The Epic Train Ride

He'd been captured, almost thrown off a cliff, threatened, almost drowned and beaten into a coma, just to name a few things. And yet, here he was, taking this entire journey lightly, as if they weren't going to a place which could prove deadly.

Her legs rubbed against his under the tiny table and the heat brought a shiver up her spine. Why did he have to make her feel so safe? He didn't look at her, just smiled to himself, but lowered in his seat the slightest bit, as if he wanted to touch more of her. She was enabling him again, but it had turned into solace for her a well.

This isn't good. This isn't good at all. She should stop lying to herself. Maybe she had book smarts when it came to psychiatry, but she was a rubbish professional.

"We're being watched," Sam suddenly said. With a lazy smile he leaned back in his seat.

"What?"

"Don't look panicky or anything. They're three tables behind us, wearing trucker caps because screw subtlety." His tone, the way he looked at her, nothing indicated any sign of danger.

"You have a great poker face," she whispered and started searching her purse. Her fingers finally clutched around her compact mirror and she pulled it out with natural movement. Maybe it was his calm, but it was hard to freak out at the moment.

"You're doing very well yourself." He leaned towards her with a smile.

Skye opened the tiny mirror and pretended to apply powder to her cheeks and nose and moved it around as though searching for the best light. She spotted their followers immediately thanks to their caps, but they seemed to be normal people having a heated conversation.

"How do you know they're watching us?"

"Because I've been watching everyone in this cart ever since we came in."

"So no actual reading?"

"I think I managed one paragraph."

Now it was getting a bit scary, but she closed the compact and put it back. "How many of them?"

"Four I think. Could be five, but one of them keeps coming and going. Probably checking if we have any means to escape."

Yes, probably. Skye checked her watch. They were six hours into their journey which meant they had a lot to go.

"Did you think I was crazy when you met me?" Sam suddenly asked.

She actually jumped. "What?"

"I promise it's relevant for our predicament."

"Um, no. Maybe just... unwell?"

His smile was warm and he started humming something that sounded remarkably like Matchbox 20. Now, when fully looking him in the eyes did she notice that his gaze kept fleeting towards their followers every few seconds. Yes, he'd been on the lookout and it had paid off.

"I'm about to prove you wrong."

That sounded bad, yet the fear was almost immediately knocked over by a weird sense of excitement. Sam leaned over the table towards her which made her pulse rush even faster. He smelled so good, was so close.

"Follow my lead." He leaned even closer and for a second she was convinced he wanted to roleplay and would kiss her.

Instead, he stopped a breath apart, the pulled away and slid his book in his backpack. Then, with a warm smile, he took her hand and helped her up.

"What exactly are we doing?" she asked. It was a miracle her voice was steady when he'd wrapped her arm around her waist and was leading her away.

He leaned towards her again, brushing his nose against her neck. This time she shivered.