Danger Calls by Caridad Piñeiro

know for me, Ryder.”
    â€œAnd that is?” he asked as he pressed her down into the mattress.
    â€œThat I love you.”
    Â 
    He cared for her, Sebastian thought as he held Melissa and observed her sleeping. Of course, his emotions were all wrapped up in the protectiveness he felt toward her and his fear for her safety.
    Funny, he’d never thought of himself as a protector kind of guy. But that was what he was feeling. Not good. What if he couldn’t handle the danger?
    He would never be able to forgive himself if he failed her.
    Better to get out now, Sebastian told himself. Before he lost his heart to her. Before her feelings for him became more than physical. He knew Melissa had suffered too much rejection in her life and he didn’t want to be the cause of more.
    Armed with that knowledge, he slowly moved from her side, which wasn’t easy since one arm had fallen asleep beneath the slight weight of her body. She barely moved, but the throw shifted, revealing one breast, the nipple relaxed without his caresses. Full and soft, just waiting for him to…
    He groaned and with a shaky hand pulled the throw over her shoulders. He would finish this night’s job and leave.
    Before it was too late.
    Which it might be already, he realized as with every set of pages scanned he found himself looking her way and wishing things could be different. That he could be the kind of man she needed.
    And not what he was.
    Â 
    The slight shift of his weight and the sudden chill the absence of his body brought alerted her to the fact he was leaving. She wanted to protest, but knew it was better this way. She was still too confused about all that had gone on.
    As she watched him through barely opened eyes, she saw his bewilderment. Saw his longing, which tugged at her heart.
    Only Melissa knew his longing was ephemeral. When all was done, his emotions might be no more than a passing fancy brought about by the weird circumstances into which they’d both been thrown. Like the last time. When Sebastian was faced with the reality that her daily existence revolved around Ryder—as it had to, she reminded herself—Sebastian would be gone.
    He’d already warned her that he wasn’t cut out to be a hero.
    She’d already had a taste of what it was to be with him then have him leave. Their one night together had left her wondering and wishing for things that couldn’t be. Tonight had her wanting even more, and she knew it would be more difficult to deal with his exiting her life once again.
    And he would go. She didn’t have whatever it took for long-term emotional involvements.
    Her parents had taught her that.
    So she pretended to be asleep until he was done with his work. When he came to her side to let her know he was done, she pretended that he had just woken her.
    â€œI have to go.”
    She sat up, the throw tucked tight against her chest to hide her nakedness. “I know,” she replied, awkwardly taking the journals he handed her in one hand while clutching the blanket with the other.
    There was an uncomfortable moment when he seemed about to bend down to kiss her, but he didn’t. Instead, he stood before her, ill at ease, and then gave her a curt nod. “See you tomorrow?”
    â€œSure,” she answered readily. Too readily.
    He seemed to recognize it for the lie it was. He gave her a tight smile and quickly left the room.
    Melissa hugged the journals to her, telling herself that they were what was important in her life right now. Something in them might hold information about her parents’ murders. Might even help her find a way to deal with Ryder’s condition.
    But the vague possibilities of those thoughts lacked the appeal of the very solid warmth of Sebastian’s reality.

Chapter 12
    T he inoculation of a new rat with the unusual cell strain from the remaining Danvers rat had been a bust. Within an hour of being infected, the rat had developed