Ultimate Passage: New Beginnings: Box Set ( Books 1-4) by Elle Thorne Page B

corporations, she might have her next lead for a job.
    “That was quick.” His eyes took in her appearance, and suddenly Marissa felt like she was back in junior high, not quite measuring up to the pretty, popular girls. Oh, she knew she wasn’t a double-bagger, but she wasn’t like the cheerleaders either. You didn’t put out like they did, either. Damned voice never let up, did it? So what if she hadn’t been a skanky slut in high school? So what if the first guy she kissed had said she sucked at it? So what? Surely she’d improved since then? She touched her lips self-consciously, hoping that she—
    Quit thinking like that. Quit it now. “Yes. I didn’t want to leave you waiting.” Now she second-guessed her clothing. Maybe she should have dressed like someone who was looking for a job, someone who could manage a restaurant. As if you managed this one? Your numbers were going downhill. That’s because of the circumstances. She had to stop this now. This doubt thing was killing her. “So where’s your car?”
    “I took a cab.”
    She looked out the window. “Where’s mine?” Wow. She must have been wasted. Thank goodness she hadn’t driven home. But had she driven to Hush?
    “It’s in front of Two West Two.”
    Of course it was. She should have remembered. That was where she’d left it when she’d stormed out, after that phone call. “Perfect. That’s not a long walk from here. Truth be told, I shouldn’t even drive to work every day, and yet...”
    She didn’t have a reason for driving instead of walking. Well, yes, she did. She carried enough stuff back and forth, including her purse, that it was more convenient. Not to mention that she didn’t usually allow enough time in the morning for walking. Plus, she walked all day in the restaurant. And visited a gym. Yeah, she got plenty of exercise. God, what is this, beat up on myself day? Justify everything I do day? Get off this track, Marissa Sanchez. Like right now.
    She squared her shoulders. It was time to go have fun. Time to be a different Marissa.

Chapter 24
    S he looked stunning , even with the effects the alcohol had to have had on her. “I know a breakfast spot down the road.”
    He couldn’t risk a team coming for her. And if she was near the area... “No. Can we go... further?”
    She cast him a sideways glance from behind the steering wheel. “Like where?”
    “I’m not from this area. Isn’t there somewhere scenic you can take me?”
    “Scenic? In Houston?” Her brow furrowed, as if that wasn’t likely. “Well, how about we go have breakfast in The Woodlands? There should be something nice up there. And it’s a nice part of town.”
    “Do you not know of the eateries and scenic areas in Houston?”
    “Yeah, I guess, but you see, I work in a restaurant. And actually I work a lot of hours. So it’s not like I go anywhere or do much.” She shrugged. “But anyway, The Woodlands sounds good.”
    “How far is it from here?”
    “About forty-five to an hour.”
    That should give them some distance from anyone hunting him. Or her. He reached into his pocket, took out the phone and turned it on. It signaled an email. From yesterday evening.
    Kal. Worried about Finn. Wondering if his food supply was holding out. Warning him that things could happen if he ran out of Asazi food.
    He’d been out for quite a while now, backpack at the restaurant, and had consumed more than a few human meals. And now he was going to have another one. And there’d been no adverse effects. Except for that thing in the hotel room, with the woman on the television, and a short time ago, with Marissa. But he didn’t consider that to be adverse. Not adverse at all. It had been pleasurable.
    But he wasn’t going to tell Kal that, or about the food he’d been eating, and not eating.
    He did wonder if human food was why his body had reacted the way it had to the television. And to Marissa. Mostly to Marissa now. It felt like the whole time he’d been