The RV stretched out before Remy like a mobile, luxurious cocoon, a strange, beautiful contradiction to her life on the run. Outside, the landscape blurred into a monotonous expanse of plains, a prelude to the vast, empty deserts of Nevada they'd be crossing soon. Inside, however, the air thrummed with a different kind of intensity. It was Theo. Always Theo.
Remy sat cross-legged on the plush sofa, her laptop open but her eyes tracing the sharp lines of Theo's profile as he drove. His hands, large and capable, gripped the steering wheel with a familiar, almost white-knuckled intensity. He was always watching, always scanning the horizon, his dark eyes missing nothing. She'd always found it impressive, that coiled vigilance, but lately, it had taken on a new dimension. Since the pie shop, since he'd seen her fight, since she'd told him about being a foster kid and her MMA hobby, he looked at her differently. Not with suspicion anymore, but with an intense, almost overwhelming regard that made her breath catch in her throat.
She knew what it was. The way his gaze would linger a beat too long when she spoke. The subtle, accidental brushes of their arms or hands that felt anything but accidental. The way his eyes, when he thought she wasn't looking, would trace the curve of her smile, or the fall of her hair. It was a potent, dangerous cocktail of desire, and it pulled at something deep within her.
He was so guarded, so formal, yet moments of raw vulnerability would flash through him – like when he'd talked about his family under the stars, or the brief, almost desperate confession of weariness. And then there was that almost-kiss. The memory of it was a constant hum in her veins, a phantom warmth on her lips. She had leaned in, ready, desperate even, to bridge that final gap. But then he had pulled back. She understood why, she thought. His world was dangerous. A burden. And her own… well, her own had a ticking clock. Why complicate things?
Because you want him, Remy, a little voice whispered in her head. You want him more than you've wanted anything.
And she did. She wanted to unravel him, to peel back every layer of his stoic control and see the man beneath. She wanted to feel his strength, his warmth, his hidden tenderness. Every interaction, every shared laugh, every quiet moment in the RV deepened the ache. It was exhilarating, terrifying, and profoundly unfair. Her "list" was supposed to be about experiences, about living fully, about leaving no regrets. And Theo… he was the ultimate experience she hadn't known she craved.
Her phone buzzed, vibrating against the cushion next to her. Remy glanced at it. "Unknown Number." Again. Her jaw tightened, a familiar knot of dread coiling in her stomach. It had been non-stop since she left, relentless in their pursuit. She imagined the stern-faced doctors, the hushed tones, the grim pronouncements. She just wanted to live, really live, before… before the inevitable. She didn't have time for follow-up appointments and more bad news. She needed to focus on the joy, on the experiences.
She hit 'ignore,' forcing a casualness she didn't feel. "Probably a robocall about my car's extended warranty," she mumbled, loud enough for Theo to hear, hoping he wouldn't notice the subtle tremor in her hand as she put the phone down. She felt his gaze on her, sharp and assessing. He said nothing, but she knew he was watching. He was always watching. His suspicion wasn't about her anymore, but about who was calling her. She could feel his concern, almost a physical weight. It warmed her, a strange, possessive feeling she hadn't anticipated.
They drove in comfortable silence for a while longer, Theo's vigilance a palpable presence. Remy knew, from his hushed phone calls and his constant scanning, that the threat from his world hadn't vanished. It was just lurking, a shadow stretching out from the past. But she felt safe with him. Safer than she had ever felt, ironically, despite being on the run with a mafia boss. He was her protector, yes, but also her anchor, a steady, unyielding presence in her chaotic world.
Her thoughts drifted to her list. They were approaching the Nevada border soon. Number 41: See the World's Largest Fire Hydrant. Number 68: Visit a ghost town and try not to accidentally awaken any vengeful spirits. Her current journey with Theo was becoming the most profound item on that list, eclipsing all the others. Every mile with him felt like a triumph, a defiant act against the future she believed awaited her.
The road ahead was uncertain, but for the first time, Remy wasn't just driven by a list; she was driven by a yearning for a future she hadn't dared to imagine, a future inextricably linked to the dangerous, captivating man beside her.