Page 17 of Jordan

"Good." Giving her hand a squeeze, he reluctantly let go.

*****

"I am staying." The stubborn tilt to his determined chin almost had her smiling.

"I can handle this on my own." He had insisted on following her inside when she announced that she was going to call her brother and let him know the plan.

"I am staying." To prove it, he took a seat in a threadbare sofa next to the window and crossed his legs at the ankles.

"Jordan--"

"I don't want to hear it."

Cutting off a sigh, she sat across from him, an earnest expression on her face. "Are you afraid I'll renege on our arrangement?"

It made him uncomfortable when she termed it like that, and he was not prepared to examine why that was. He already knew why.

"The thought occurred to me."

"I am sticking. I want this as much as you do for obvious reasons." She took a careful breath. "I have to talk to Caleb alone and I promise that no matter what he says, I will not break my promise. I am asking you to trust me."

His amber eyes leveled on hers. He could not admit that all he wanted to do--all that was in his mind was protecting her. He had seen the way his parents looked at her and it pissed him off. He wanted to protect her from everyone and everything and it was frightening how much he wanted to.

"I want to be here for you." His quiet tone had her breath hitching. She was in it for revenge against his family and that was all, it could never be more than that.

"And I appreciate it, very much. But I have to do this alone. Please. I promise to call and let you know how it turns out."

He wasn't immune to the naked vulnerability on her exquisite face. He wanted to scoop her up and cradle her. He wanted it so much that he found himself shoving to his feet. He had to get out of here before he blows the deal right out of the water.

Something was happening to him, and he was losing grip on the control. Taking in a deep breath, he nodded curtly.

"If I don't hear back from you--"

"You will."

"If I don't hear from you by the end of the day, I will assume you have changed your mind." Before she could refute his statement, he strode from the room. She sat there even when she heard the front door slam shut.

It took her a few minutes to stir herself. Slipping off her shoes, she headed straight to the cooler to pluck out a bottle of wine. Grabbing a wineglass from the cupboard, she marched straight out to the porch and sat there, with her feet curled under her on the porch swing.

Her phone was on the table in front of her, but she did not reach for it.

It was a pretty night. There was a full moon with brilliant stars dotting the sky. The sound and sight and smell of spring was in the air. Her aunt's flowering rose bushes nestled on both sides of the porch steps gave off a heady perfume. It was quiet, too quiet, she thought ruefully. She had gotten used to the intrusive sounds of traffic whizzing by her apartment.

Taking a sip of the wine, she leaned back and closed her eyes wearily. She was scared. Caleb was her only family, and she loved him dearly. His opinion meant a lot to her. And she was prevaricating.

"All right girl," she muttered. Taking another long fortifying swallow of the wine, she reached for the phone and pressed his number.

He answered immediately.

"Hey."

"Where are you?"

"At the precinct. Still trying to get an angle on this mess."

"How's it going so far?"

"We think we found a loose thread. Anyway, what's up?"

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