Shadow Hawk by Jill Shalvis

Because I won’t be for much longer.” She slid him a glance that sliced at his heart as she waited for him to nod.
    Hawk slapped the phone closed against his thigh and sighed.
    She didn’t say anything more, and after a moment he realized she wasn’t being obstinate—her default mood of the night—but rather trying hard to control whatever emotion she was keeping to herself. Bending closer, he risked life and limb to see into her face. “Talk to me.”
    She just shook her head.
    â€œAbby—”
    â€œPlease,” she whispered, clearly trying with all her might to keep it together. “Don’t. Just let me think.”
    Okay. He could do that. For a little while, anyway. But then she shifted in the seat at the same time he pulled back, and her shoulder brushed his chest. The accidental touch seemed to freeze her.
    It sure as hell froze him, and he watched as very slowly her head came up. God, her eyes, they completely slayed him. He just wanted to look at her all night. Look at her and inhale her and touch her…. The yearning was nothing new. He’d been inhaling deeply to catch her scent for six long months now. Hawk breathed her in and tried not to lose it, but, God, she got him, right in the gut.
    In the heart.
    She had a strand of silky hair over one eye, and very, very slowly he reached out to stroke it away, wanting to do much more but unable to figure out how to further touch her without her gutting him. “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured. “Unfortunately, I don’t know exactly how, but we’ll get there, I promise.”
    Her gaze searched his, soft now, uncertain, leaving him just as uncertain what to make of the shadowed expression in her eyes. Was she still mad? Hurt? Was she feeling any of what he was feeling, which was that he wanted to kiss her again, for real this time, without anything coming between them?
    Abby turned away.
    And there was his answer. No, she was not feeling any of what he was. Still waiting on the gas, he pulled out the phone again and dialed Logan’s cell. No answer. Damn…Glancing up, he found her watching him.
    â€œLast I heard,” she said quietly. “He was in the air, headed back to Cheyenne County.”
    He only hoped that wasn’t as serious as it sounded. “Okay, so we go with what we’ve got. The rifle. I just have to match it to the ATF serial number list to place it as one of the stolen weapons. So we need to get into regional offices.”
    â€œOr to my laptop at home.”
    â€œYeah, much easier. Let’s go.”
    â€œThere’s that ‘let’s’ again.”
    â€œWe have to do this, Abby. Placing the rifle is evidence of the inside job.”
    â€œStill not enough.”
    â€œWell, we’ll think of more then. We have to do this, you know we do.”
    â€œNo, we don’t. We don’t have to do anything.” But Hawk realized the heat in her voice was gone.
    Best news all night, from where he stood, because whether she knew it or not, he was winning her over. “If I’m wrong, I’ll—”
    â€œWhat? Turn yourself in?”
    â€œYeah.”
    She stared at him. “Let’s call Tibbs now.”
    â€œNot without the serial number. Not when he already has evidence against me.”
    â€œHawk…”
    â€œLook, if I’m wrong, you can call him. I promise.”
    She tugged on the cuffs. “Your promise is no good to me when I’m with you against my will.”
    Okay, good point. But he wasn’t letting her go until they were back on the road, because he wasn’t going to risk her getting out of the truck this close to Gaines. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œIf that were true, I wouldn’t be here.”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry about whatever happened to you.”
    Abby went so still he doubted she was even breathing. Slowly she lifted her gaze to meet his, and then he