Identity Unknown by Terri Reed

there?” Audrey asked. There was no way the men in the SUV would just give up. She figured they were waiting for daylight before resuming their hunt for Nathanial. At least she hoped that was the case.
    If they found the gravel road to the trailhead, they could hike in and stage an assault. But that could happen anywhere. At least here in the lighthouse, they had the advantage of a high viewpoint and could see them coming.
    â€œNo. It’s dark and quiet out there,” Paulson replied as he accepted the bottle of water she offered him. “I found a pile of blankets in the closet. I’ll grab a couple and head downstairs to watch the door.”
    She handed him a stick of beef jerky and a bag of trail mix. “I can take the first watch.”
    â€œNot necessary,” Paulson said, taking the offered treats, and grabbed two blankets from the pile on the floor. “We can trade off in a few hours.”
    There was something in his tone that grated on her nerves and led her to think he wouldn’t make the trade out of some chivalrous need to protect the female. For half a second she contemplated arguing with him and demanding she take the first watch, but then she decided it wasn’t worth the aggravation. She’d set her watch alarm and relieve him from guard duty whether he wanted her to or not.
    Nathanial found a chair and dragged it to the center of the room. “Do you have cuffs on you?”
    She turned to face him. “Excuse me?”
    â€œYour boss was right to put me in a cell,” he stated. He sat and placed his hands on the armrests of the chair. “We don’t know my story. The people coming to claim me could very well be taking me to prison.”
    â€œNo.” She wouldn’t accept that despite the validity in his words. “If the sheriff thought you were a threat to me and Paulson, he wouldn’t have called—he’d have shown up and taken you into his custody.”
    â€œWhy do you believe in me?” He tilted his head and stared at her with curiosity gleaming in his dark eyes.
    She stepped closer. “My grandmother always told me I had a good sense of people. The sheriff says it’s what makes me good at my job.” Her mouth twisted wryly. “It just seems to be in my love life that my judgment fails.” Oh, brother. Had she just said that out loud? Embarrassment sent a heated flush through her. Maybe he’d let the admission slip by without comment.
    He reached out and took her hand. “Tell me.”
    She tried to disengage from his grasp, but he held firm. His thumb made little circles on her palm, igniting a maelstrom of tingles to careen through her. Totally distracting her. “What?”
    He rose, pulling her closer, trapping her hand against his chest. Warmth infused her, chasing away the chill of the lighthouse. “Tell me about the man who made you so shy of relationships.”
    She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. She wasn’t used to having to do that. More often than not, she was taller than the men in her life. The look in his eyes enthralled her. Her breath caught in her chest and held. She didn’t want to think about Kyle, much less talk about him. She licked her lips. Nathanial’s gaze tracked the movement. Her insides quivered. “What makes you think there was someone?”
    His mouth curved. “I may not remember my name or my past, but I can read you. You’re uncomfortable with compliments, which suggests you don’t trust flattering words. You have a chip on your shoulder about being regarded as an equal by your peers and your boss that tells me you’ve had to prove yourself over and over again. And you keep an emotional barrier up.” He grinned. “Plus, my innate charm seems to offend you.”
    His words dug into wounds she’d thought she’d kept hidden. She lifted her chin. “I’m sure everything you just said could apply to