Page 140 of Simon Says

“That’s a start.”

“But I don’t want anyone to look at me like one of those featherbrained broads who gets in the way of the important stuff.”

“Like my training?”

“Yeah. Dean seems to like me okay now, and I don’t want to give him reason to change his mind.”

“Dean likes you fine. Mallet and the others like you more than fine.” He half smiled. “Hell, Harley told me he could see what all the fuss was about.”

“What fuss?”

With a grin, Simon shook his head. “I’ll explain it to you later. So you’ll spend the night but you don’t want to move in?”

“Right. I don’t want to crowd you. I don’t want you to think I expect to be there every night.” She gestured lamely, hoping he’d understand that she didn’t want to be crowded, either. “I’m sure you have other stuff to do sometimes.”

“What about you, Dakota? Do you have other stuff to do?”

“Well…yeah. I mean, I’ll be working for Roger soon, and that means our hours will conflict. I’ll be up late so I’ll sleep late. But you’re always up with the roosters.”

“I suppose you have a point.” He got out and walked around the car to open her door. He walked her only as far as the lobby. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

“An hour or two?”

“To shower and change?” But rather than push her, he looked at her mouth, bent to kiss her, and whispered, “I’ll see you in a few hours, then.”

Dakota watched him go with mixed feelings. It’d be so easy to let Simon take care of everything. He didn’t make unreasonable requests, and he wasn’t obsessive in his concern. But if she relied on him, she wouldn’t be herself anymore, and she’d worked too hard to gain her independence, to become a person she liked, just to give it up at the first opportunity. She’d slipped a little with Barnaby’s last scheme, but she was on the right path again, and by God, she’d stay there.

Even loving Simon wouldn’t change things. She wouldn’t let it.

ITnettled Simon to leave Dakota alone. He trusted in her common sense, in her ability to stay out of potentially dangerous situations. The problem wasn’t with her, but with Marvin.

Any man ruthless enough to rape his own wife would be unpredictable. Marvin might not wait for the ideal time to further his harassment of Dakota. He might not be content to sit idle until she showed up alone and vulnerable.

Would he force his way into the motel?

Would he come at Dakota with more than a knife this time? Maybe a gun? Maybe the same two cronies who had attacked Barber in the parking lot?

Even as Simon considered all those possibilities, he understood Dakota’s side of things. He was an independent man and not for a second would he let anyone hover over him with worry. Dakota was just as independent, maybe more so, given her past. She deserved some time and space.

No matter how badly Simon hated being away from her.

When Simon pulled into his driveway, the contractor was already there. He spent a little time discussing his mailbox and possible ways to clean it, then he went inside. He wanted to make good use of his time away from Dakota.

He called Barnaby.

So that he could see Dakota if she pulled in, Simon stayed by the front window. He watched the contractor work as the phone rang once, twice.

In a faint, hesitant voice, Barnaby said, “Hello?”

It infuriated Simon that he had to deal with the man. Not only because he’d skipped out as a father, but because he’d used some underhanded advantage against Dakota. “Where are you?”

Barnaby drew a breath. “Simon? Is that you?”

“Yeah.”

“I’d about given up hope! I thought—”

Impatience ripped through Simon’s tone. “Where do you live? What state?”

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