Page 41 of Simon Says

“So you were afraid?”

Dakota threw up her hands. “Did I say that?”

Very gently, Simon touched her cheek. “You didn’t have to. It’s odd, but I can already read your expressions.”

Not good. The last thing she needed was Simon poking around in her psyche. She scowled at him. “Okay, smart-ass, so what am I thinking now?”

Simon laughed. “That you’re done with this topic. I’ll let it go—for now.” He held out a hand to her. “Let’s sit in your truck to talk, and then you can head on home.”

She hadn’t planned to turn around and leave so soon, but he didn’t give her much choice as he led her outside. Dakota noticed that he scanned the area, and that he kept her tucked in close to his side.

She felt safe.

She felt…protected.

Dangerous. She absolutely would not let herself start relying on others. She most especially would not rely on Barnaby’s son. “Did it occur to you that I might not want to go home yet?”

Simon spotted her truck in the side lot and led her toward it. “Where is home, by the way? You’re staying in a motel?”

“Yeah. A cheesy little place not too far from here.”

“A friend owns the Cross Streets Motel. Dean stayed there when he first came back to Harmony. You should check it out.”

Dakota’s heart tripped at that suggestion. She barely noticed when Simon opened her driver’s door and waited for her to get inside. As soon as he settled in on the passenger’s side, she asked, “Are you suggesting I stay in Harmony for a while?”

Staring into her eyes, Simon hesitated only a moment before he leaned forward to kiss her.

Dakota didn’t move out of reach, but she did groan. Against his mouth, she asked, “Why do you keep doing this to me?”

“Hell if I know.” His breath warmed her; he caught her bottom lip in his teeth for a gentle nip. “I can’t seem to help myself.” His hand settled in her hair, his long fingers cupping her skull and tipping her head so that he could seal the kiss, take it deeper, make it hotter.

Even knowing she had a hundred things to discuss with him, Dakota gave in and relished the taste of him, the heated scent that clung to him, the confident way he touched and kissed her.

When Simon finally ended the kiss, they were both breathing harder. He put his forehead to hers. “I didn’t call last night because I wanted to talk to you in person.”

“All right.” She took a few more seconds to calm herself. “Let’s hear it.”

“I spoke with Barnaby.”

Still tasting him on her lips, Dakota said, “I know.”

He leaned away to frown at her. “You do?”

“Yeah. He called me.”

Simon’s expression darkened. “What did he say?”

He’d said a lot, all of it ugly and mean and, in some ways, desperately threatening. Not that Barnaby scared her. He was a worm and she despised him, but he’d never really gained that power over her.

Dakota saw no point in sharing all that with Simon. If he found out that Barnaby was her stepfather, one thing would lead to another and eventually she’d reveal her past—a past that shamed her, a past she’d worked hard to overcome.

Dakota shrugged. “He said that I failed. That you refused to see him. That I can kiss my—” She caught herself. “The thing he has that I told you I wanted? He said he’s destroying it because I didn’t get you to agree to see him.”

“Shit.” Simon settled fully into his seat and put his head back. “I tried, Dakota. But I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Yeah. I gather you made that much pretty clear.” Not that she blamed him. She didn’t want anything to do with Barnaby, either.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the same choices that Simon had. One of the letters would already be gone, if they’d ever existed in the first place. That made it more imperative than ever that she get his cooperation—and soon.

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