Page 16 of Furever Loyal
“Waitaminute,” she yelped, the sentence coming out as a singular word. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Kincaid hung his head as he got out, shaking it slowly back and forth. “To check it out.”
“It’s closed,” she hissed. “A waste of time. Let’s go back to the office. Maybe we can find something else of interest there, something else to follow up on.” She fervently doubted that would be the case, but this was her Hail Mary, a desperate attempt to get him back into the car.
Her instincts told her that if they went across the street, it wouldn’t be just to peer inside the window. Haley couldn’t do that, she couldn’t let herself be dragged into something like this. Nor was she about to let Kincaid commit evenmorecrimes but there’d be no way she could physically stop him. He was simply too big, and those muscles that constantly strained at his shirt would easily push her aside if she tried to get in his way.
“Kincaid!” she shouted hoarsely, not wanting her voice to follow. But he was already closing the door.
Cursing at the situation, she got out of the SUV and went after him, chasing him across the street and into the next lot. Those damnably long legs of his powered him forward fast enough she had to run to catch up, grabbing his arm and hauling back on it.
“What are you doing?” he asked, walking forward as if she was little more than a gentle breeze.
Haley was pulled along, stumbling to catch her balance when her attempt to stop him failed unexpectedly.
“Stopping you,” she said lamely. “Trying to.”
“Stopping me from what?”
“Whatever it is you’re going to do.” She let go of his arm, trying to forget how firm it had felt, and got in front of him, blocking his path. “Let’s go, there’s no one here.”
“Good. That’ll make everything easier then. Now stop making a scene.”
She poked him in the chest. “I amnotmaking a scene.”
Kincaid finally stopped, looking down at her, condescension filling his face. Blue eyes looked at her calmly. “You ran across the street after me, starting yanking on my arm and now you’re standing in front of me arguing with me. That is called making a scene. Now if you want to make up for it, hug me, take my hand and walk at my side.”
“Excuseme?”
“We’re lovers who just made up on our way to a business meeting here. Now act the part, will you?”
“Absolutely not. I amnotyour lover. Nor your girlfriend, mistress, side-piece or anything else. There isnothingbetween us.”
Kincaid’s entire head looked skyward. “Noshit. It’s called acting. Pretend. Imagination. I’m not asking you to kiss me in public to make it look like we’re making up, but maybe I should. Now come on, let’s go check this out.”
He stepped around her and then past, but he paused, extending out his hand, waiting for her to take it.
The Queen’s words echoed in her head.Shadow him, or else lose your job. Help him.Fuck.
She reached out to take his hand, wondering why she didn’t just go walk alongside him instead. Why did she have to touch him, to feel the strong, calloused fingers, to have the warmth of his touch cover her entire hand? It was ridiculous. This entirethingwas ridiculous.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this. Was this your plan all along? To get me to hold your hand?” She walked alongside him toward the closed door ahead, keeping a suitable distance between them.
“No,” he admitted.
“Good.”
“It was only part of the plan.”
She growled at him.
“Relax. I’m not turning sweet on you, you don’t need to worry,” he said.
“I never said I was worried,” she ground out. Why did he feel the need to constantly put words into her mouth like that? He was so frustrating!
“If you say so.” He didn’t believe her at all, and let it show.
“Look, the sign says its closed. Now can we go? Nobody is here.” She stopped a few feet short of the door.
