her into a speed-walking gait that took them back at the Jeep in seconds.
Unlocking the doors, they climbed in and Jake started the engine. “Sorry about the speed walking. One of neighbors might suffer from insomnia and look out the window.”
Hot, from the exertion of the past few minutes and her reaction to Jake’s touch, Mia filled her lungs with cool night air. What was it about Jake Stone that stimulated her to this level? She had dated hunks, worked with desirable men and reported on some real dreamboats. But her response to Jake was very different.
What if …
***
Jake glanced in the rearview mirror for the fifth time in the past minute and drove down HWY 751 twenty miles over the speed limit. Twin beams of light followed. Coincidence? Had they picked up a tail? Who?
“What’s wrong? You keep looking in the rearview mirror.”
Lifting one shoulder, Jake glanced up again. The vehicle behind them wasn’t close enough to light up the interior of the Jeep. “We’ve had a vehicle behind us since we pulled out from Leigh Anne’s development.”
“This is a well traveled road.” Mia glanced at the numerous houses along their route. “Could be someone coming home from work or a movie.”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t think so?” Mia twisted around to look over her shoulder, but all lights looked the same at this distance. “Pull into Dunkin’ Doughnuts.”
“You want coffee?” Jake tried to keep the incredulous note out of his voice as he wheeled the Jeep into the parking lot at the doughnut shop. Mia had guts. He had to hand her that. None of the women he knew would have followed him into a stranger’s apartment and risk being caught by police.
But he had made the biggest blunder of all.
He should have been more alert before slipping into the model’s condo. Five minutes after they entered the condominium, he sensed another presence. He’d been listening movement overhead, when Mia heard the thump. He hadn’t wanted to frighten her, but they’d had a narrow escape.
Parked at the doughnut shop, he kept his eyes focused on the highway, waiting for the vehicle to pass. He absorbed Mia’s presence and tried to relax. How could he ignore her? The scent of her shampoo filled his senses when he got close to her.
But Mia affected him on another level.
Her keen intelligence and courage impressed him. He gripped the steering wheel, still staring at the highway. It had been six years since he had noticed a woman on this level. Six years. That’s how long…and there it went, a sleek black SUV.
“Is that it?”
Jake turned to look at her. In the dim light from the doughnut shop, her eyes were large and shadowed. She had tied her long hair back, low on her neck.
“It’s the same shape, and the first vehicle to pass. Considering the time of night, I’d say it was.” He watched her nod. “You want coffee and a doughnut? We’ve got a lot of research to do when we get back.”
Mia grinned and reached for the door. “I’ll go in. No one knows me.”
“Hang on a second.” Jake put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. Leaning close, he reached back and pulled the band out of her hair. Her breath caught in a tiny gasp that almost made him forget they were in danger. Almost.
“Let’s change your appearance, just in case.”
Looking at him with wide eyes, Mia licked her lips and gave a slight nod. Then she ran her fingers through the dark strands, and gave him a fake smile. “What do you want?”
What do you want?
Jake’s gut twisted and he clenched his hands in fists to keep from reaching for her. This wasn’t the time or the place. Even if he wanted to take things to a different level, it wasn’t fair to Mia.
He hadn’t looked at another woman since his wife and son died. His friends claimed he was still grieving. People thought he was still in love with his wife.
Not one person in his life had guessed that guilt held him prisoner.
He hadn’t been able to protect his
Unlocking the doors, they climbed in and Jake started the engine. “Sorry about the speed walking. One of neighbors might suffer from insomnia and look out the window.”
Hot, from the exertion of the past few minutes and her reaction to Jake’s touch, Mia filled her lungs with cool night air. What was it about Jake Stone that stimulated her to this level? She had dated hunks, worked with desirable men and reported on some real dreamboats. But her response to Jake was very different.
What if …
***
Jake glanced in the rearview mirror for the fifth time in the past minute and drove down HWY 751 twenty miles over the speed limit. Twin beams of light followed. Coincidence? Had they picked up a tail? Who?
“What’s wrong? You keep looking in the rearview mirror.”
Lifting one shoulder, Jake glanced up again. The vehicle behind them wasn’t close enough to light up the interior of the Jeep. “We’ve had a vehicle behind us since we pulled out from Leigh Anne’s development.”
“This is a well traveled road.” Mia glanced at the numerous houses along their route. “Could be someone coming home from work or a movie.”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t think so?” Mia twisted around to look over her shoulder, but all lights looked the same at this distance. “Pull into Dunkin’ Doughnuts.”
“You want coffee?” Jake tried to keep the incredulous note out of his voice as he wheeled the Jeep into the parking lot at the doughnut shop. Mia had guts. He had to hand her that. None of the women he knew would have followed him into a stranger’s apartment and risk being caught by police.
But he had made the biggest blunder of all.
He should have been more alert before slipping into the model’s condo. Five minutes after they entered the condominium, he sensed another presence. He’d been listening movement overhead, when Mia heard the thump. He hadn’t wanted to frighten her, but they’d had a narrow escape.
Parked at the doughnut shop, he kept his eyes focused on the highway, waiting for the vehicle to pass. He absorbed Mia’s presence and tried to relax. How could he ignore her? The scent of her shampoo filled his senses when he got close to her.
But Mia affected him on another level.
Her keen intelligence and courage impressed him. He gripped the steering wheel, still staring at the highway. It had been six years since he had noticed a woman on this level. Six years. That’s how long…and there it went, a sleek black SUV.
“Is that it?”
Jake turned to look at her. In the dim light from the doughnut shop, her eyes were large and shadowed. She had tied her long hair back, low on her neck.
“It’s the same shape, and the first vehicle to pass. Considering the time of night, I’d say it was.” He watched her nod. “You want coffee and a doughnut? We’ve got a lot of research to do when we get back.”
Mia grinned and reached for the door. “I’ll go in. No one knows me.”
“Hang on a second.” Jake put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. Leaning close, he reached back and pulled the band out of her hair. Her breath caught in a tiny gasp that almost made him forget they were in danger. Almost.
“Let’s change your appearance, just in case.”
Looking at him with wide eyes, Mia licked her lips and gave a slight nod. Then she ran her fingers through the dark strands, and gave him a fake smile. “What do you want?”
What do you want?
Jake’s gut twisted and he clenched his hands in fists to keep from reaching for her. This wasn’t the time or the place. Even if he wanted to take things to a different level, it wasn’t fair to Mia.
He hadn’t looked at another woman since his wife and son died. His friends claimed he was still grieving. People thought he was still in love with his wife.
Not one person in his life had guessed that guilt held him prisoner.
He hadn’t been able to protect his
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