The door slammed behind Kate as JC led her what he hoped was casually down the hall.  She was still trying to take in everything that had happened over the past twelve hours.  She had gone from impulsively and regrettably confronting JC and everyone knows that completely backfired to being handcuffed to the man that just hours before she had detested with every fiber of her being. 

He has no right to keep me here, she fumed as the elevator doors closed in front of them, and the car began to ascend.  “Where are we going?”

“Breakfast.”

“Breakfast is off the lobby, which is down, you pressed the wrong button.”  Kate had hope that if she could get around people, she would have a chance to escape from JC.  But that plan would only work in the lobby close to people and the exits.  If they were going up, that was farther away from the parking lot, fewer people and she would have a hard time outrunning a determined JC. 

Kate reached out her right hand in front of JC to push the lobby button on the elevator.  His hand rose with hers and then forced hers away from the button.  “The tour has a private room set up with a buffet for us.”

Okay, this would be harder than she thought.  Kate tried to come up with an alternate plan, but was distracted by the warmth and strength of the hand that held hers so tightly.  Mentally shaking her head, she looked around for escape opportunities as he led her into the deserted breakfast room. 

Defiantly, she looked around the room, “How do plan to eat like this?  Just release me, I mean where can I go?”

JC picked up a plate and handed it to her without even glancing her way, “Nice try, but no deal.”  He scooped up some eggs on the spoon and held it, waiting for her to lift the plate.  She did so reluctantly. 

“What if I don’t want eggs for breakfast?”

JC didn’t even bother to respond as he added sausage, hash browns, and some fruit to the plate before grabbing silverware, which he put in his shirt pocket.  He still hadn’t let go of her hand.  “Coffee?”  He asked as he hooked two mugs on a finger and grabbed the carafe, finally making his way to the table. 

He positioned them so that their bound hands could be obscured by a corner of the table.  JC poured the coffee for them both and moved the cream and sugar to where she could easily reach it before he sat down and looked up at her expectantly.  “Have a seat.”

“Why is there only one plate?”  She asked suspiciously as she sat down carefully, placing the full plate on the table. 

JC simply handed her a fork and napkin and slid the plate closer to the middle between them.  “Dig in.”

“I’m right handed,” she said as she lifted their joined hands to remind him.  “And I don’t share my food with strange men.”

He sighed and scooped up a forkful of eggs and lifted them to her lips.  His brow lifted as he waited for her to eat.  Kate’s head drew back as she eyed both the fork and hand in front of her then JC’s face.  “Look I can wait all day, but these eggs are going to get cold eventually.”

He could see the confusion and hesitation in her eyes.  But there was a glimmer that showed the hunger along with her left hand that lifted almost involuntarily to place against her now growling stomach. 

“Come on,” he prompted. 

Kate licked her lips then moved toward the fork he lifted encouragingly.  Her lips parted and JC gently fed her the eggs, drawing the fork away and looking away as she chewed and swallowed.  He cut up a bite of sausage and they repeated the process. 

And so the meal continued…a bite of eggs, then some fruit, then sausage, and hash browns.  He paused occasionally for Kate to take a sip of coffee.  JC tried not to notice the delicate way she ate or dabbed at her mouth with the cloth napkin.  He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from bending over and kissing away the crumb on her lip.  He moved their still linked hands farther down his thigh as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 

He almost violently stabbed another bite of sausage and went to offer it to Kate again but she waved her free hand as she chewed her last bite.  “I’m done, thank you.  Let’s get a fresh plate for you.”  She slid her chair back and started to stand until she realized that JC was just finishing the food left on her plate.  No wonder he had dished up so much food, the plate was supposed to be for both of them. 

Kate noticed that he hadn’t even reached for the other clean fork.  Instead, he bent his head and shoveled food into his mouth with the same fork she had used.  He apparently had no qualms about sharing germs and it wasn’t long before he had the plate clean. 

“Do you want anything else?”

Kate shook her head then rose to her feet as JC put the silverware on the plate and drained his cup of coffee, placing both empty cups on top of the plate as well.  “Can you grab the coffee pot?”

He waited until she had done as he asked then followed as she placed it back on the warmer then deposited the dirty dishes on the tray. 

“Okay, what’s your room number?  We can stop by and you can change your clothes and you can freshen up if you want to.”  He waited expectantly. 

“Actually, I don’t have a room, my stuff is in my car.  Untie me and I’ll run down and get it real quick.”  She held his gaze, hoping he wouldn’t see the deceit in her eyes.  The first chance she had, she would be gone. 

A smile lifted JC’s lips.  “I don’t think so, I wouldn’t dream of allowing a woman to go unescorted to the parking garage.  You never know what kind of danger is lurking around.”

“Yeah, right.  The danger is not in the parking garage, it’s right here.”  Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered the words under her breath and looked at the carpet, startled when he stopped abruptly on the way to the elevator. 

“Kate…”  He lifted her chin and saw the tears in her eyes that she tried to blink away.  “Oh, Kate…I’m sorry.  I can promise you that you are in no danger here.  Pete is gone and I won’t let anyone else hurt you.”

His thumb wiped away a stray tear on her cheek.  “Then let me go.”  She pleaded. 

“I can’t – not until I know more about you and can make it up to you now that I know who you are.  Please understand.”  He looked at her, trying to convey all that he was feeling and yet couldn’t put into words. 

She sniffed deeply and unenthusiastically let JC press the button to the parking garage.  What would he think of her now?

Seeing no way around it, she led JC to her car, steeling herself for his disdain.  She felt more than heard his quick inhale as he took in the rusty old scratched up car.  She could almost hear his thoughts as noticed the clothes piled up in the front seat and the sleeping bag and pillows along with more clothes in the back seat.  That car held everything she owned and everything that was precious to her. 

JC couldn’t believe what he was seeing. 

Kate was living in her car.