Page 6 of Nicole's Shelter

Her brief laugh was brittle and edgy. “No. You can’t.”

“I already have.” He nudged her jacket open and reassessed the contents of their cart. “Twice.” He winked at her. “In case you weren’t counting.”

“Who are you and why are you following me?”

“Call me Rick. I’m a friend of a friend. When Allie got in trouble, they sent me to check on you.” It was true enough.

“Prove it.”

“Call my office.” He handed her a business card.

“I don’t have a phone.”

He offered his, but she waved it off. “Where is she?”

“Haleswood.” The fight went out of her immediately and relief softened her features, warming her deep brown eyes. He didn’t want to be attracted to her, but couldn’t seem to shut it down.

She gripped his arm with both hands. “Is she okay?”

“Yes.” Rick cleared his throat. “My boss is on her case. She couldn’t be in better hands. Unless they were mine,” he added, wiggling his brows so she’d relax. It had a limited effect, but anything was an improvement.

He guided her to the next aisle so she could grab a few essentials and then they breezed quickly through racks of clothing so she could replace her ruined shirt and stained jeans.

He was getting antsy being in the store for so long, but he didn’t want to give the person on the register any reason to remember them. “Let’s run through a couple grocery aisles and we’re out of here.”

She shot him an odd look, but cooperated. He really should have mentioned Allie’s name earlier. It might have saved him a few bruises from the brawl at the cab stand.

Chapter 2

As they shopped, Nicole found herself thinking about the stinging pain from her wounds in a lame attempt to get her mind off of Rick’s warm hands and the kindness in his eyes. But he was acting. They both were, even if neither of them understood their real roles.

She should ditch him at the earliest opportunity. Demand his credentials. He had been helpful. Maybe a stranger was exactly the type of intervention she needed to evade her troubles. Except danger felt like a lousy way to reward someone. As soon as someone spotted her with him, his life would never be the same. So far he hadn’t let her get more than an arm’s length away, as if he knew she wanted to bolt.

By the time they reached the register, she was almost used to Rick’s looming presence and constant physical contact. Almost.

He only had a couple of inches on her five feet and eleven inches, but something in the swagger made him seem taller. His short sandy-brown hair wasn’t quite military issue and while it should have made him average and forgettable, there was something about him. Something capable and dangerous lurking just under the surface of that affable expression he had on his face.

From the moment he’d first put his arm around her, she’d fought the urge to burrow into his broad chest and sob out all the injustices she’d been dealing with.

How he kept that easy smile on his face when he snapped out orders under his breath was a mystery. Even if he was helping Allie—something she intended to confirm with her friend—she wasn’t about to let down her guard completely.

He paid the bill with cash, and handed her one of the plastic bags. Putting the others in one hand, he slid his arm around her once more and gave her waist a little squeeze.

Three. That was three times he’d made that particular move. She shouldn’t know that. Shouldn’t care. He was acting, playing a part for the omnipresent security cameras.

She had to lose him. Had to get to her next stash so she could be herself again.

His arm tensed, pulling her body closer to his and yanking her thoughts away from how best to ditch him.

She glanced up, forced her lips into a smile. “What?”

“You’re a quick study.” He kissed her nose as if they’d been together for years rather than a couple of hours. “I like that.”

“Oh.” The blast of cool night air eased the sudden rush of heat in her cheeks.

“We’re going to stroll to the motel as if we have all the time in the world. Okay?”

She nodded, turning with him toward the main road.

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