It was another twenty minutes before Kowalskis started streaming up from the pool and, since he saw Liz helping Keri with Brianna’s stuff, he knew it would be a few more minutes, at least.
More like fifteen. She gave him the just another minute sign before ducking into her tent. Then she was at the bathhouse for what seemed like hours, but was probably only five minutes. Finally, she was ready to go.
“What are we telling your family?”
“I told them we’re going for a ride.” He waited a few seconds, and then she blushed. “Okay, I told them you have to drive into town for cell reception to make a call and I’m going with you.”
It was as good an excuse as any. Not that any of the other adults would buy it, but it was at least a solid pretense. “Let’s go, then.”
Of course they had to drive by where the family was hanging out to leave the campground and when Bobby ran toward his truck, he had to stop or risk running the kid over. He rolled down the window.
“Are you going to get pizza? Can we go?”
Of course all of the kids stopped to stare at him, waiting for his answer. “Um, I have to go make a business call. It’s pretty important police business, so I can’t have any kids around.”
“In your pajamas?”
Drew looked down at his sleep pants. “They can’t see my clothes over the phone.”
“If we’re really quiet, they won’t see us, either.”
The kid was tenacious. And smart. “But sometimes things go wrong, so we can’t have any kids on a ride-along.”
Bobby’s shoulders sagged, but he recovered pretty quickly when his mom announced it was freeze pop time.
“Good luck with your very important police business,” Josh said, trying not to grin like an idiot.
Drew put up the window and hit the gas before the temptation to flip him off won. “Hell, that was awkward.”
“You realize we’re not fooling anybody, right?”
“I’m trying to pretend we are. I’m surprised Dad or Leo didn’t pull me aside and ask me if I had a condom in my wallet.”
Liz laughed. “At least they’d pull you aside. Rose was not shy about that when my brothers hit that age. And, um, you do have one, right?”
“I have two.”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here.”
Chapter Fourteen
With the radio on low, the air-conditioning on high and the road vibrating under the tires, Liz was afraid she might fall asleep. After already having his ass handed to him in water ball of doom, that could be a fatal blow to Drew’s ego, so she shifted in her seat, trying to stay awake.
“Do you have any idea where you’re going?” she asked when they’d gone a few miles north.
“Someplace where there aren’t any Kowalskis.” When she cleared her throat, he smiled at her. “You know, except for you.”
“I’m guessing you didn’t sneak down to the office and use the phone to make reservations at some five-star resort hotel.”
“No, but when I threw the sleeping bag in the back, I threw a pillow in with it.”
The way he said it made her laugh. “You’re such a gentleman.”
After a couple more miles, Drew signaled and then made a right turn onto a dirt road. He had to have known it was there, she thought, because he’d turned his blinker on before the road had even been visible. He passed by a couple of left-hand turns before making the third one onto a narrower, bumpier road and she realized it definitely wasn’t random.
“Where are we going?”
“I asked the guy in the office where I could go and absolutely not be disturbed by anybody.”
That didn’t sound suspicious at all. “And did he ask why?”
“Nope. He asked me if I was trying to start a secret marijuana field and when I said no and explained that’s frowned upon when you’re the chief of police, he gave me some directions.”
When he’d made another three or four turns and the roads had grown so narrow the brush was rubbing the SUV’s doors, she started getting worried. “Did you write the directions down?”
“Nope.”
“What are the chances we’ll find our way back out again?”
“I don’t care.”
Neither did she, really. All that mattered was that, after days of torture, she was on her way to getting what her body was so desperately craving. It had been so hard being able to flirt and touch and kiss, but nothing more. She was ready for the something more part.
Finally, Drew pulled the SUV into a very small clearing and killed the engine. “Well, it’s not a five-star resort hotel, but it’s private.”
Since all she saw were bushes and mosquitoes out the window, Liz had to agree. “Definitely can’t crack the windows.”
“It’s cooler here, but if it gets hot, I’ll start the engine and let the AC run.”
With that covered, Liz unsnapped her seat belt and smiled at him. “You’re a man who knows how to get things done.”