"I made a calculated choice to get out of this truck to help an innocent dog. And I managed to score us some extra provisions as well. So I say it's a choice well made. If you want to talk about impulse control"-she motioned to his hand still cupping her breast-"I think you're the one who's been acting on impulse."

Dane pulled away from her and flopped into his place behind the wheel. He dropped his head back until it hit the headrest, sighing deeply as he ran his hands across his face. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself. I.... You...." He groaned. "I would do anything to keep you safe, but you have to stop making quick decisions that might put us both in danger. I can't protect you if you jump out of my moving truck. Seeing you run off toward something unknown, well, it does something to me."

He dropped his hands and turned to look at her. The intensity in his gaze made her feel as if she peered right into his soul. His expression stole her breath.

"You're everything I have, Sara." He whispered, making her wonder if she'd heard him say those words or if they were wishful thinking on her part. "I love you. And if I ever lose you, I'll have nothing left to live for."

Sara's chin quivered as she fought to remain in control. She tried to speak, but no words came out. The force of his confession knocked the air out of her.

A flash of instinct sent her moving without thought or hesitation or fear, and she straddled Dane's lap. Pressing her lips to his, she kissed him as if nothing else mattered outside of this one perfect moment she had with the man who loved her and who had stolen her heart the minute she'd ended up in his arms.

Sara pulled back a little to tell Dane how much he meant to her when a noise outside caught her attention, forcing her out of the secluded moment. Her gaze went to the window and beyond, where she could see a group of men emerging from the woods. They each had a rifle, pistol, or knife in hand.

"Men. Six of them. Coming out of the woods and headed in our direction," she said, sliding off Dane's lap and into the seat beside him. "I don't think they've spotted us yet."

"They're about to." The truck's engine roared to life with a deep rumble. Every head turned in their direction. Guns took aim.

"Looks like we're done here."

Sara grabbed for her seatbelt as Dane hit the gas, swerving around the stalled cars scattered in the road ahead. Out the rear window, Sara watched the men from the woods sprint a few yards after them before giving up the chase.

"I guess that's why we shouldn't stop for long, huh?"

"Yep. They probably camped not far from the road, and they heard either our engine when we drove up or the dog barking when it got loose."

"We'll have to be more cautious while we've got the truck. It's going to be hard not to draw attention to ourselves with the noise of the engine giving us away all the time."

"We'll figure something out."

Hours later, as darkness settled too much to drive without headlights the truck crested the top of a hill. Dane tipped it over the edge then tapped the brakes long enough to pop it into neutral and cut the engine. As soon as he released the brake, they rolled forward, gravity pulling it down the hill faster and faster. Dane skillfully avoided the obstacles in the road all the way to the bottom. By the time the road leveled out again, they'd picked up enough speed to carry them farther than Sara had expected. Minutes later, Dane stopped and put it in park.

"We'll stop here for the night. Sleep in the truck. Let's hope no one heard us coming." Dane pulled a blanket out from behind his seat while Sara reached for a bottle of water and a stick of jerky. "And if anyone did hear us, let's hope it's a moonless night and too dark for anyone to figure out the source of the noise."

Sara nibbled on the end of the jerky, the salty taste an a.s.sault on her tongue. She ate in silence, all the time staring out into the woods she prayed were abandoned. She'd never been afraid of the dark as a child, but tonight, the darkness settled over them like a winter storm, chilling her to the bone.

She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but at least in the daylight she stood a chance of seeing it coming. In the darkness engulfing them, they were blind and vulnerable. No matter how deeply exhausted she was, morning couldn't come soon enough.

Chapter Eighteen.

Dane woke to the sounds of birds chirping and Sara humming. The combination was one of the best sound he'd ever heard. He lay there for a few minutes, eyes closed, trying to keep his breathing deep and steady as if he were still sleeping. There weren't a lot of great moments in life anymore, but this was one of the better ones he'd had recently. He wanted to savor it.

Something soft and warm brushed across his lips. He could smell her sweet and flowery scent even though he couldn't see her. "You may as well open your eyes. I know you're awake."

Sara giggled against his lips as she kissed him. Maybe if he lay there still enough, she'd keep trying to rouse him with her lips on his. She'd already roused other parts of his body, which were clearly in defiance of his pretending-to-sleep plan.

The pressure of her fingertips traveled down his swollen length, and a groan escaped his mouth before he could silence it.

"See," she said, pulling away from him and moving her hand lower on his thigh. "I knew you were awake. Faker."

She attempted to sit up, but he pulled her down on his chest, gazing into her beautiful, sparkling eyes. "You caught me. How are you going to punish me, since I've been a very bad boy?"

Sara laughed, patting him playfully on the chest. "By not letting you seduce me this morning."

He groaned and released her, covering his eyes with his hands. "Worst punishment ever."

"Come on. Get up. We better get moving soon." She glanced out the windows as he propped himself up on his elbows. The world looked about the same as it had yesterday. Abandoned cars littered the road like fallen leaves in autumn. Not a person around for as far as he could see-a stark difference from the world before the pandemic hit. If this had been a morning one month ago, he'd have been sitting in rush hour traffic, cursing the idiot in front of him for not using his signal light to change lanes. Or maybe complaining his coffee wasn't sweet enough.

What he wouldn't give for those normal days again.

Of course, if it hadn't been for the pandemic and Sara fleeing the city, would he have ever met her? He ran his hand down her spine, and she smiled at him over her shoulder. He'd like to think fate would have found another way for them to meet, but he couldn't be sure. The notion they were meant to find each other in this world, regardless of whatever else went on, was a comfort in times when comforts were few and far between.

Dane sat up and accepted the bottle of water and granola bar Sara offered him. Before, he would've started his day with a hot coffee and a bowl of oatmeal. Taking a bite, he appreciated the little hints of chocolate, cranberry, and nuts as the flavors mixed on his tongue. He didn't normally like that kind of thing, but anything to eat made him thankful these days. Sharing his breakfast with Sara made it even better.

"How long have you been up?" He yawned the last of the tiredness from his body.

"About an hour. Long enough to watch the sun rise. It's been up for about thirty minutes. I figure we should go soon. If anyone heard us roll in last night, they may still be wondering about the noise and come looking in the daylight."

"Good point. I'll fill the tank with whatever we have left in the gas cans and you take a look at the closest cars, carefully, and see if there are any supplies handy. We'll head out in ten."

Sara and Dane both left their doors hanging open as they got to work, just in case they needed to make a quick run for it. Opening big, heavy truck doors could slow a person down enough to mean the difference between getting away or getting caught by whoever or whatever chased them.

Dane worked fast, emptying the jugs of gas they had on hand into the truck's tank. It would only get them a little way, but it would have to be enough. He glanced around at the other cars nearby, but all of them already had their gas tank covers hanging open. No sense in wasting time hoping for leftovers. They'd be better off watching the cars as they drove by, and if they saw one with the tank still closed and the area looked safe then they'd stop.

After adding the few small supplies Sara had found in the nearby cars, they were on the way again.

"Can you tell me specifically where we're off to? What town am I heading toward? What does the bookstore look like?" Dane wanted to learn more about the place that might be a safe haven for her family.

The thought of family sent a pain through his chest. What he wouldn't give to have his family here. But then he'd have even more people to worry about. Still, the worry would be worth it for the comfort and love they'd also provide. Maybe when they were settled somewhere in some semblance of normal life, he'd get a dog. A stray, like the one who'd been left behind in the car by his owner.

Or maybe he wouldn't have the extra food to feed a dog. The thought depressed him.

"The bookstore is an old white Victorian house with blue shutters. It's on the edge of town, away from the big grocery stores and gas stations. A location we thought could be beneficial when my brother talked about buying it. And it's a block to the river if we need to haul water, though the property does have its own well."

Dane drove cautiously while listening to Sara's description of the town, location, and building they were headed to. He fought the urge to drive faster. He'd been skeptical before, but it did sound like a probable place for her family to be. And the sooner they got there, the sooner they would find out.

Maybe they'd be even more comfortable there than they had been in the bunker. Even though the bunker was safe and well stocked, and he had been reluctant to leave it, he had to admit there was something nice about being out in the fresh air, even if they kept their masks on most of the time. Seeing things other than cement walls was pretty fantastic.

Dane took the next exit, the one that would put them on the biggest highway in the area. As expected, he came around the bend and the road ahead of them looked like a parking lot. All of the cars appeared empty. Some sat scattered in the ditch as if they'd try to off-road, but with low undercarriages and summer tires, the drivers had been stupid to think they'd make it very far.

Maneuvering around the stranded vehicles, Dane's made it through the ditch with ease. His truck sat higher than most, had expensive all-weather tires and good shocks. Having the ability to drive in any terrain had been worth the extra expense.

As they came up to a rest area, Dane slowed, the number of vehicles in the ditch doubling with every quarter mile.

"Can you pull in? I want to stop." Sara motioned toward the building.

A quick scan of the area gave him the impression it was vacant, but he couldn't be sure. It could be a prime spot for the people from these vehicles to shelter until help arrived.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Let's keep going until it gets dark or we run out of gas."

"Pull over. I want to go in." Sara put her hand on the door.

"It could be dangerous. There could be people inside," Dane protested.

"It could be empty, and there could be supplies inside," Sara countered. "At the very least, I want to use a toilet that doesn't consist of finding a bush and hoping I don't accidentally grab poison ivy leaves."

Dane shook his head. "There won't even be running water. You can't touch anything in there. Public bathrooms harbor germs on the best of days. The virus spreads via bodily fluids. Going in there is suicide. Think, Sara, don't just act."

She paused, examining the area for a moment before exhaling with a sigh. "You're right. It's the perfect breeding ground in there. I should know better." When she looked at him again, there was a new kind of mischievousness in her eyes. "I bet everyone else has been thinking like you and steered clear of the place. It could still be loaded with supplies."

"It's possible there's some supplies, yes, but is the risk of the virus worth finding out?"

"Is the risk of wiping with poison ivy worth the risk of peeing in the bushes just to get a little privacy? Toilet paper would be such a luxury. What if there are a few rolls of it waiting to be scooped up? There's bound to be vending machines in there, too. A prepper doesn't leave a supply source untapped."

"A smart prepper wouldn't go into a potentially dangerous situation for something as stupid as toilet paper!" Dane banged his hand on the steering wheel, frustration starting to get the better of him. His patience with Sara and her half-c.o.c.ked ideas wavered. "It's not like we're on a road trip and can pull over for coffee and donuts at every rest stop we come across. Don't you understand?"

Sara bit the inside of her lip, obviously trying to keep calm. "It's my family out there we're trying to find, so yeah, life is a little serious."

"Thank you for reminding me yet again. I know it's your family, not mine. I get it." Dane reached for her arm, but she pulled away before he got a good grip on her. "I'm only suggesting it would be a good idea to take an extra few seconds to think about all possible scenarios of a situation before rushing into something unknown. This isn't a game."

"How dare you insinuate this is some kind of a game to me? A road trip! I want to find my family more than you will ever understand, so don't think for one second I'm not trying to make good decisions."

"Then don't go in there!" he shouted, unable to contain his annoyance any longer.

"What if there are supplies?" she countered. "And last time I checked, the tank wasn't going to fill itself with gas."

"Chances are, none of these cars have gas anyway. If you want to get to your family, then let's keep going." He sighed. Negotiating with Sara felt like negotiating with terrorists. She was so stubborn, half the time it wasn't worth the fight. But in this case, he wasn't going to bend, and if he had to use her family as leverage, he would.

She bit her lip and peered out toward the rest stop as if weighing her options. He hoped she'd just concede and give him this one. "Fine. But I'm not happy about leaving behind a potential jackpot of supplies."

When she rolled her eyes at him, he couldn't help but laugh, both at her tenacity and at his winning this one little battle.

Chapter Nineteen.

Sara watched out the window as the trees flew by. The shadows on the ground grew longer, the sunlight turning everything a glowing shade of amber. She hadn't spoken to Dane since he'd put his foot down about not going into the rest stop. She hadn't had anything else to say. Since she'd had a little time to cool down and think, she knew he was right, but that didn't mean she wanted to admit it to him any time soon.

The truck shuddered. Sara grabbed the door and the seat as panic shot through her. "What the h.e.l.l?" Silent treatment or not, she needed answers before anxiety set in.

"s.h.i.t." Dane slammed his palm onto the steering wheel. "Come on. Come on. A little farther."

The truck rolled to a stop, and he put it in park. Not that it mattered, since it wasn't going anywhere.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked.

"We've been running on fumes for a while, and the tank is empty." He turned the key in the ignition, but didn't remove them. He slumped against his seat and looked up at the interior of the truck as if it might hold some answer to the mystery of how to get more gas. She already knew the answer.

Either they found a vehicle to siphon gas from, or they were walking from here. There were no other options.

An hour or so earlier, they'd pulled off the main highway, where they'd been driving in the ditch, and onto a less-traveled side road that would take them east toward the Hudson River. They'd been able to drive on pavement again, which had been great for the stability of the truck and offered less risk to the tires. But the less-crowded road also meant fewer potential stranded vehicles to scavenge gas from.

Sara couldn't see a single vehicle on this section of road. In other situations, she might have been filled with relief.

"Is there any left in the gas cans?" she asked.

"Nope. I used it all."

"If we'd stopped in the rest area, you could've looked for gas while I looked for supplies." Sara tried to keep the accusation out of her voice but without success.

Dane must have heard it because his eyes narrowed as he responded. "I doubt I would've been able to siphon any tanks when I'm sure I would've been saving your a.s.s from another bad decision."

"Well, now we're out of gas and stuck in the middle of nowhere, so maybe you're not great at making important decisions either, are you?"

"You're saying that trying to keep you safe and away from a hot zone of germs a bad decision? f.u.c.k me." Dane groaned and hopped out of the truck, closing the door quietly behind him.

Sara a.s.sumed if times had been different, the door would have been slammed something fierce. Thankfully, he had enough sense not to make more noise than he had to, even if he was mad at her.

She looked down at her hands, twisting them in her lap. She did appreciate him looking out for her. Had she gone in without thinking it through, she could have ended up infected. But it didn't dispel her anger at him for the things he'd said. He still shouldn't have called her choices stupid.

Sara climbed out of the truck and eased her door closed. She glanced around, looking for Dane, but didn't see him anywhere. Wherever he'd wandered off to, he was on his own for the time being. She guessed he'd gone somewhere to the left of the road since she hadn't seen him cross in front of or behind the truck, so she strode off to the right side. Just past the tree line, she found a safe spot to relieve herself after the long afternoon of traveling.

When she finished, she unclipped a bag of supplies from the bed of the truck so she could find them something to eat and drink. Her shoulders wilted a little as she took in the amount of supplies they'd acc.u.mulated. In the real world it would be nothing, but in their new normal, it was everything they possessed.

They couldn't carry it all with them in their backpacks and their arms. Without gas, the truck and their bounty were useless.

Sara tossed the pack up onto the front seat then climbed up after it. Dane already sat in the truck. He didn't glance her way as she settled herself on the seat, sitting sideways and leaning against the door for a change of pace. Rummaging through the bag, she found a bottle of red sports drink, two cookies, a small bag of almonds, and a few sticks of beef jerky.

"Want something?" she asked, placing the various food items on the bench seat between them.

Dane turned, his gaze traveling down the length of her body, pausing on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s before making its way down to her lap. He grabbed a beef jerky and a cookie then looked her in the eyes. "You."

Her mouth went dry as she tried to swallow her food, but the intensity of his gaze on her body made the task d.a.m.n near impossible. This sudden heat he gave off was a complete one-eighty from the cold shoulder he'd been giving her before.

"Does that mean you're not still mad at me?" she asked.

Dane took a bite, chewed, and swallowed before answering her; all the while, his gaze never left hers. She didn't know if the heat would set her panties on fire or make her run away in fear, but his intensity did something to her.

"No. I'm still p.i.s.sed. But that doesn't mean I don't also want to bury myself inside you. Just because you can tick me off like no one else doesn't mean I stop caring about you. I get p.i.s.sed off because I'm trying my best to keep you safe when it seems you keep putting yourself in danger."