Leaving Las Vegas (Entangled Ignite) by Aleah Barley Page B

thought they were being tracked. That meant he and Glory would have to stay off the beaten path and find some hole-in-the-wall that sold burner phones. He’d buy one with some of the cash from the game, then call Burke. If he heard anything suspicious, he’d toss that phone and get a new one.
    As they’d driven along the 64, he’d filled Glory in on who the players at the game had been. She’d raised her eyebrows when he told her Chester was his stepfather but had politely refrained from commenting on how loudly the man had squealed when the guns went off. She’d been equally quiet when he’d mentioned how Tiffanette’s employment application had included a red push-up bra and a slinky satin number, but he’d seen the jealous frown on her face.
    The tinge of jealousy shouldn’t have made him happy. Glory had made things perfectly clear. She didn’t want his kisses, which meant he should be keeping his mind off her body… and his eyes off her…
    God, the woman was heavenly.
    He glanced back to where Glory was standing—a stony pillar in a mass of moving tourists—a good twenty feet away from the edge. Time to take his mind off Glory…and the soft taste of her mouth. He motioned to the canyon and said, “All that power. It’s incredible what water can do.”
    “Uh-huh,” Glory’s hands twisted in her T-shirt. Her eyes seemed glazed over.
    Huh. If Luke didn’t know better, he’d think she was scared. He tilted his head slightly, scanning the surrounding area for thugs in big black cars. Not that he expected to see anyone. The Vanquish had proven its worth, ditching the SUV before he and Glory got on the 64. All he saw was a smattering of Hawaiian shirts, some very tired-looking adults, and dozens of screaming children all excited to have time out of the car.
    Nothing to be scared about.
    “Come here.”
    “Uh—no.” A sharp laugh barely escaped Glory’s throat. “I don’t think so.”
    “It’s absolutely wild.”
    “Not going to happen.” She shifted backward on her heels, raising her voice to be heard over the crowd. “Thank you kindly.”
    One last glance into the mammoth crevasse of red rock and sand, then Luke stepped back. He walked over to Glory. “Come look at this. It’s beautiful.”
    She shook her head. “It’s hot. I’m tired. I want to grab something to eat and get back on the road.” She took a step back. “Can we go?”
    “Not until you look at the Grand Canyon. It’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world.”
    “I’ve seen better.”
    “Like what?” Luke racked his brain trying to think of anything more breathtaking. “The Great Barrier Reef? Mount Everest?” Every landmark had Glory shaking her head, her cheeks flushing a deep, vibrant red. “Victoria Falls? Paricutín Volcano?”
    “No.” She was staring past his shoulder, out into a wilderness of red rock and cacti. “I’ve never left the country. Heck, I’ve hardly ever left West Virginia. Where I come from, you don’t need to go far to see something wondrous.”
    West Virginia. Luke tried to form a picture of it in his mind and failed. All he could picture in his mind was Glory. Sexy, beautiful, and determined Glory. “I don’t think I’ve ever been. Tell me about it.”
    “What—” Her head tipped up slightly, her gaze locking with his. “You really want to know?”
    “I really want to know.” Luke reached out, grabbing her arm and pulling her close. The motion was sudden, instinctive, but somehow it felt right. The heat racing through his veins made the desert air seem cool in comparison. It was all he could do to keep from dipping his head slightly, pressing his lips against hers, and picking up exactly where they’d left off on the hood of his car an hour earlier. She’d changed after his phone calls—blocking him out. He wasn’t sure what to make of that, but heck, he’d try again. “What makes West Virginia so special?”
    “Well…we’ve got all kinds of things to do.