Page 13 of Nicole's Shelter

“I beg your pardon?”

“Come on, Nicole. You were going through my backpack, I assume for money.”

“For the vending machine.”

He laughed. “Uh-huh. You’re in baggy shorts, a Beatles t-shirt, and sexy scuffed boots. How far did you think you’d get before you got picked up for soliciting? Or worse.”

She paled. Clearly she hadn’t thought of everything. It confirmed his opinion that she was too desperate to make a clean getaway from whatever frightened her.

His ego wasn’t so overblown as to think she’d want to stay with him just for his charming smile. But if she believed it was arson—aimed at her—and that someone cut the ladder on purpose to trap or injure her, surely he was a better option than a cold night on the street.

He tried a new approach. “Can we make a deal, Nicole?”

She peered at him from under her lashes. “What kind of deal?”

“I was told you and Allie are close.”

“Best friends,” she said with a nod and dropped her gaze back to the display on her camera.

“Then think of this potential deal from her point of view. She’s worried about you. Knowing you’re safe with me, a trusted member of the team protecting her, gives her peace of mind.”

He waited for Nicole to recognize the logic in that. At last she set the camera aside and met his gaze. “What’s the deal?”

“Stay with me for the next forty-eight hours and I’ll get you wherever you are so determined to go.”

“Why?”

“Which part?”

“The time requirement first.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.

He tried not to look. He’d been lying when he said the boots didn’t work with the shorts. Probably not in a fashion sense, but the view of all that leg was stirring up crazy fantasies he didn’t know he had. It was all too easy to imagine her in those boots and nothing at all.

“I need the time to determine if the fire is related to Allie’s case. And I want to take a look at your recent photos.”

“That means we stay in town.”

He noted the defensive posture of her crossed arms, the burst of nerves that set one foot to tapping. “Only for one more day.”

“Then you’re no good at math.”

“The second day is for traveling. We actually don’t need the whole day, but just in case there’s trouble.”

“Travel where?”

“South Carolina. I thought you might like to see Allie once more.”

He caught the flash of interest and the sudden sheen of tears in her big brown eyes before she looked away. “That could be nice.”

“You’ll take the deal?” he prompted when she didn’t say anything more.

“I’m thinking.”

Rick knew when he was being played. Why couldn’t he sort this woman out? “You’re thinking about how to ditch me.” He surged to his feet, irritated beyond all reason.

“I really can’t stay in town. With or without you.”

“Why?”

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