The File

The File ~ Chap. 16

Sorry it's been a while, to those of you who've actually waited. It's a longer chapter at least! :)  

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Cole

After my little...episode, we didn't speak at all. But that didn't mean we weren't going to stay close. After I splashed my face with cold water to focus, I made keeping close a point by sleeping in the same bed as her that night.  

Look, I was still worried she would try to leave me alone, and I knew that she wouldn't run off if we were wandering the streets. I wouldn't have any way to contact my family out there. So I just had to stick her to me like glue until we left the motel, and every other time we found a similar place to stay.  

Therefore, I slept with my arm slung over her. I was a light sleeper when I needed to be, so if she ever tried to weasel her way out from under me, I would feel it and wake up. Ultimately, this way helped me keep an eye on her without staying up the entire night. And that was best, because we both needed our sleep, even if we had slept for a long time the night before.  

When I woke up, I was alone on the bed. My heart immediately began to pound with worry that Tate had somehow managed to get out and ditched me.  

"Tate!" I exclaimed, sitting up quickly.  

"Relax, Cole," her voice trailed from the bathroom, the door to which was closed. "Don't get your boxers in a bunch. I'm in here."  

I heavily sighed in relief and fell back on the pillows. If she had left, I truly didn't know what I would have done. I wouldn't have gone home, that was for sure. I probably would've tried to find her. But thank god that didn't happen.  

Tate stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, dressed in her old clothes and hair dripping wet. She leaned against the doorway.  

"You okay?" she asked. "You look like you saw a ghost."  

"I almost lost a potential one," I snapped.  

She smirked. "I thought you promised no one would get hurt."  

"That's why I said 'potential' instead of 'forthcoming.'"  

"Forthcoming, huh? You know some pretty big words."  

I glared at her. "Ha ha." I stood up, and her eyes bugged. "What? What's wrong?"  

"Nothing," she replied. "You're, um...uh, you're quite muscular." She flinched in embarrassment, but didn't look away. I finally realized her gaze was set on my stomach.  

I raised an eyebrow at her, then looked down at myself. I had slept shirtless and forgot that chicks loved six packs-and that I had one. I grinned, biting down on my tongue. I looked back at her.  

"Like what you see?" I asked.  

She stuttered, turning red. "Shut up."  

"Because you want me to use my lips for another purpose?" I joked.  

She turned even redder, in anger or embarrassment-or both. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" She tossed an unused towel at me. "Get a shower. We actually need to do something today."  

I caught the towel with one hand and walked to the bathroom. I looked at her suspiciously. "You mean do something besides coming up with schemes to ditch your accomplice?"  

She glared at me again. "Exactly. Now get yourself clean."  

"Anything for you," I whispered in her ear as I passed.