In Her Sights by Keri Ford, Charley Colins

go upstairs until they leave, and we can discuss
this later.”
    “I’ll join you.”
    She didn’t move. “I know where my room is.”
    “Probably, but the way I figure it, with this whole shaking
leaf act you’ve got going on, it’ll be best if I walk you.”
    The officers were nearly out of the room. She could wait
five seconds and it wouldn’t be an issue. She didn’t wait. Stupidly. Because
when it came to him, at times, he made her feel like a shaking leaf. For once,
it wasn’t an act. “Very well.”

 
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    Halfway up the stairs and well out of hearing range, Clayton
couldn’t hold it in any longer and chuckled. “Nice performance. Were drama
classes mixed in with the martial arts?”
    Lexie met his gaze out the corner of her eyes. “It’s not a
complete performance.”
    He wasn’t falling for that. That woman in front of the
officer was not the woman he’d come to know over the past twenty-four hours.
The one kicking ass in the night and catching burglars. “Don’t make me call
bullshit on you again. You’re far too ballsy to really be that scared.”
    She smiled. “Sometimes, it’s easier to get what you want
when you are the person they expect. Tonight might have been a bit exaggerated,
but that woman is me, too.”
    He figured he could probably quote half the things she said
and make some book out of it. With all the people in her life who were close to
her, God only knew where she picked up half of it. It all added up to make her
that much more interesting. At times, he could see the snotty woman who knew she
owned everything, then, other times, she was someone completely different. It
was hard to get a read on her. “This morning I admitted you’re not what I
expected at all and I still can’t figure you out.”
    Her brow raised. “Is that a good thing or bad?”
    He honestly couldn’t say. The more he looked at her, the
less he was starting to feel like he knew. In all the things he’d researched on
her, she still seemed out his grasp. “I don’t know. Just different. I’ve seen
you with the mayor and other people. That woman at those events is more like that
woman downstairs who gave a flawless performance with the detective. But you
kicking ass and taking names?” All he knew to do was shrug. “There’s just more to
you.”
    “Everyone knows I took a lot of martial arts classes. That
wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.”
    “Lots of people take things. Most can’t apply it
successfully.” Hell, even the academy trained for things, but it’s just nothing
like being tossed out in the real world. Nerves were real. To this day when the
danger was high, his heartbeat pounded and breath got away from him. Seeing her
move flawlessly and attack two men as swiftly as she had, she hadn’t looked
nervous. Not a hint of doubt. He just didn’t know. It all added more to her.
More layers. How many people knew her through and through? He was guessing very
few. “I would be willing to bet few have seen you in action.”
    “There’s not much need for physical violence considering
most of the places I go to.” She was silent for a moment, then breathed out a long
sigh. “Being someone who kicks ass and takes names, as you put it, isn’t
something I want to take into a board room or town hall meeting.”
    They rounded the second floor landing and went up the third
flight of stairs.
    Of all the things most important to her, that one still
surprised him. “You said that before. I respect your thoughts, but I don’t
think it would make a big difference if they knew.”
    That got a laugh out of her. A sad laugh that had her gaze
straying toward the baseboards. “It would make all the difference in the world.”
    The way she said it, just so defeated. He wanted to know
more. “If anything, I would think they’d respect you more for being stronger.”
    She stopped and hung her head for minute. Took a deep breath
and looked up at him. “That’s because you