Page 20 of Allie's Shelter

He shook his head. “Not even close.”

“No?”

“No. The kindest thing I ever said to you was when you had to wear that ridiculous dress for homecoming parade junior year.”

She groaned, remembering the hideous getup the committee had chosen. “You said I looked great.”

“You did, but the dress was awful.”

She reached across and gave him a light punch on the arm. “I knew you were lying.”

“No you didn’t.”

“Why did you lie?”

“Would honesty have made you feel better?”

She conceded the point. “Well, you have my belated and undying gratitude for your perfect navigation of a challenging moment.”

“You’re welcome.” He slid a glance at her as he nudged the car slowly down a rutted lane dividing two cotton fields. “Will you let me help with this latest challenge?”

She wanted to say no, knew she had to say yes. “As long as you don’t blame me when the bullets start flying.”

“As I recall, I’m the current champ with bullets.”

“And Tasers.”

“There you go.”

She watched his hands on the wheel. Strong. Capable. Tender. She remembered those hands on her when they were still kids and couldn’t help wondering how his touch would be different now.

She diverted her inappropriate thoughts with the glaring spotlight of her horrible situation. She didn’t know anything about him, not really, and a few hours ago, she’d watched another woman kiss him.

Too many questions she had no intention of asking swirled in her mind. Logic said her feelings sprouted from the crisis and were magnified by memories. He was a professional, doing a professional favor for an old friend.

That was plenty to be grateful for. Determined to think logically, it took her a long moment to realize he’d put the car in park and cut the engine.

They were surrounded by trees.

“We’ll walk from here.”

“To where?”

She saw the hesitation again, decided it was past time to pin him down on some of these details.

“It’s a safe house of sorts. But if your enemies are as good as they seem, I don’t want them finding the car.”

“My enemies work in pharmaceuticals. I don’t think it will take a James Bond routine to evade them.”

One dark brow inched upward and she had to relent. “Fine. Based on recent events I’ll agree they must have hired someone to do what they can’t.”

He shrugged as if her opinion didn’t matter, but she knew it was an act. It was there in the set of his mouth. She doubted anyone else, except maybe the Eva woman, would know enough to pick up on the small tell.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and let Ross carry the duffel. “Who is she?”

He glanced around. “Who are you talking about?”

“The groupie you picked up at the Midnight Rooster this morning. Eva.”

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