Page 39 of Hidden Rocco
He kept his head down but everything about his body tightened. She wrapped her arm around his waist as they walked. The police car drove out of sight.
Completely white, Rocco met her gaze. “I’m… I’m uncomfortable walking on the road.”
They turned the corner already at the small store.
Drat. She should have spoken sooner. His fear of being caught because she wanted to take a walk was like a knife to her own gut.
She’d wanted to clear her head because someone might have hacked information from her secretary that included her address. Her automatic response was running—but was it necessary? His fear now was because she hadn’t told him she was about to solve his problems.
Mica hugged him and said, “Don’t be. You’re here, with me. And we’ll only be five minutes. What kind of ice cream do you want?”
He held the door for her and asked as a bell rang over their head, “Ice cream?”
She nodded. “Yeah all we have is vanilla so if we’re going to indulge, I wanted a yummy flavor.”
They headed to two freezers with ice cream as he said, “Then it’s your choice.”
She reached in and picked up the green that made her mouth water. “Mint chocolate chip.”
“Sounds girly.” Rocco watched the front door.
“Didn’t we just eat two desserts the other day?” She pursed her lips together and scanned the other boxes. “But if you don’t like it, we can get another flavor.”
He reached behind her and massaged her arm. When she glanced up she was warm despite the cold that pressed against her skin from the freezer as he said, “I like girly.”
Right. She let the door close and her heart raced. She glanced up at him. “This might be the first time you joked with me.”
He motioned with his head and winked at her as they headed to the register to pay. “Guess I’m starting to lower my guard around you.”
Her pulse zipped but she paid for the ice cream. The cashier put it in a paper bag for her and Rocco picked it up.
She pushed the stroller and met his gaze. “About that-”
“Let’s go home,” he interrupted and headed to the front door.
Right. She didn’t need an audience. She straightened her spine and walked out, then waited for him. As he followed she said, “Sounds good.”
In the parking lot another car pulled in but soon they were on the empty road, up the mountain.
What would it be like if she truly had to run?
Rocco would know more what to do if she needed to hide while getting away, since he’d escaped from a prison. That couldn’t be easy to pull off.
His presence helped her mind stay off her ex’s family.
And appreciate the chirp of birds in the trees. As they made their way back onto her property, Rocco once again held the door of the chalet for her.
Now she needed to tell him what she’d done. She ignored the spike in her blood while she took off her trench coat. “Jacob’s sleeping. Can you put him in the playpen in the library and get the ice cream bowls ready? I want to call Julie and see what they found out about her computer.”
And find out for sure Rocco was absolutely free. If he was, he could leave or go, but it would be his choice that she’d given him.
Hopefully he would choose to stay with her. Hope soared as he said, “One of the perks of the job is watching out for Jacob.”
“I trust you.” She rushed up the main stairs.
She hung up her jacket in her closet, then opened her laptop in case there was an email from her legal team. Nothing.
Mica called Julie on her speakerphone and her secretary answered on the first ring. “Julie, what did IT find out about your computer?”
