guy I know.
He’ll be discreet, but we need to know if Jason is still looking for you, what
he’s up to.”
“I can’t pay for that.” Her face was pale and pinched with
worry.
“I can.”
Eliza struggled to get off his lap until he had no choice
but to let her go. She tossed the blanket aside and began to pace back and
forth across the room. “I thought this might work, but I was wrong.”
“You’re not wrong.” He hated hearing her say that. Anger
welled up inside him and he struck back. “You were doing such a fine job on
your own.”
If it were possible, she got even paler. “Shit. Fuck. I
didn’t mean it like that.” Rabb jumped to his feet and started to go to her but
halted when she took a step away from him. “It’s just that I hate hearing you
think being here is wrong. It’s not.” Rabb rubbed a hand over his heart. “It
feels right.”
“Oh Rabb, what am I going to do with you?” She sounded so
tired, so defeated, he didn’t have the heart to joke about what she could do.
“You can let me help you.” He walked slowly toward her and
held out his hand. She was like a wounded animal, afraid and untrusting. He
couldn’t blame her for that after all she’d been through.
Eliza didn’t reach out to him, but she didn’t flinch away
when he touched her shoulder. “It’s selfish on my part.”
“Selfish? How is it selfish? If anything, I’m the one being
selfish by staying here, by involving you in this mess.”
She trembled beneath his touch. Rabb couldn’t take it
anymore and gently pulled her into his arms. He heaved a sigh of relief when
she leaned against him. “The quicker we get things straightened out, the faster
you can concentrate solely on me. See, selfish.”
She touched the side of his face. “You’re a fine man, Rabb
Hatter.”
That didn’t sound good. It sounded more like the beginning
of goodbye. “You need to stay with me, otherwise I’ll just worry. I’ll spend
all my time looking for you and Nevar will fire me and I’ll lose everything and
it will be all your fault.”
Eliza stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. Then she
laughed. It burst out of her and the corners of her mouth turned upward.
“Piling it on a little thick, aren’t you?”
“Whatever it takes.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“And it’s true. If you leave here, I will look for you. And I will find you.”
He paused. “Shit, now I sound like a stalker.”
She shook her head and her smile grew. “No, you don’t. Trust
me. I know the difference.”
“Yeah, you do.” He hugged her close and rocked her gently
from side to side. “Stay with me, Eliza. Let me help you.”
“I know you want to help, Rabb. But honestly, what are you
getting out of this other than a big headache and extra bills?”
He held her at arm’s length. “You’re seriously asking me
that?”
She frowned and shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m not
talking about sex.”
“I’m not either.” Or at least that wasn’t all he meant. When
she gave him a look of disbelief, he elaborated. “I really like you, Eliza.
Jason came between us once before, and that was my fault. I want the chance to
see where this goes.” He paused. “Plus, we get a dishwasher for the club when
we really need one.”
“Like you couldn’t get a dishwasher within a couple of
hours,” she retorted.
“Not one we could research enough to trust.” He rubbed his
hands up and down her slender arms. “And not one who’ll work as hard as you do.
Nevar shouldn’t have let you start today.” Rabb frowned. He felt like going
downstairs and kicking his brother’s butt. “You need to rest.”
Eliza studied Rabb and a sense of wonder grew inside her, expanding
until it consumed her entire body. He was the real deal, a man whose word was
golden. He’d never let her down. If he said something he meant it.
But that didn’t mean she was going to take advantage of him.
“I’ll take the phone on one
He’ll be discreet, but we need to know if Jason is still looking for you, what
he’s up to.”
“I can’t pay for that.” Her face was pale and pinched with
worry.
“I can.”
Eliza struggled to get off his lap until he had no choice
but to let her go. She tossed the blanket aside and began to pace back and
forth across the room. “I thought this might work, but I was wrong.”
“You’re not wrong.” He hated hearing her say that. Anger
welled up inside him and he struck back. “You were doing such a fine job on
your own.”
If it were possible, she got even paler. “Shit. Fuck. I
didn’t mean it like that.” Rabb jumped to his feet and started to go to her but
halted when she took a step away from him. “It’s just that I hate hearing you
think being here is wrong. It’s not.” Rabb rubbed a hand over his heart. “It
feels right.”
“Oh Rabb, what am I going to do with you?” She sounded so
tired, so defeated, he didn’t have the heart to joke about what she could do.
“You can let me help you.” He walked slowly toward her and
held out his hand. She was like a wounded animal, afraid and untrusting. He
couldn’t blame her for that after all she’d been through.
Eliza didn’t reach out to him, but she didn’t flinch away
when he touched her shoulder. “It’s selfish on my part.”
“Selfish? How is it selfish? If anything, I’m the one being
selfish by staying here, by involving you in this mess.”
She trembled beneath his touch. Rabb couldn’t take it
anymore and gently pulled her into his arms. He heaved a sigh of relief when
she leaned against him. “The quicker we get things straightened out, the faster
you can concentrate solely on me. See, selfish.”
She touched the side of his face. “You’re a fine man, Rabb
Hatter.”
That didn’t sound good. It sounded more like the beginning
of goodbye. “You need to stay with me, otherwise I’ll just worry. I’ll spend
all my time looking for you and Nevar will fire me and I’ll lose everything and
it will be all your fault.”
Eliza stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. Then she
laughed. It burst out of her and the corners of her mouth turned upward.
“Piling it on a little thick, aren’t you?”
“Whatever it takes.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“And it’s true. If you leave here, I will look for you. And I will find you.”
He paused. “Shit, now I sound like a stalker.”
She shook her head and her smile grew. “No, you don’t. Trust
me. I know the difference.”
“Yeah, you do.” He hugged her close and rocked her gently
from side to side. “Stay with me, Eliza. Let me help you.”
“I know you want to help, Rabb. But honestly, what are you
getting out of this other than a big headache and extra bills?”
He held her at arm’s length. “You’re seriously asking me
that?”
She frowned and shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m not
talking about sex.”
“I’m not either.” Or at least that wasn’t all he meant. When
she gave him a look of disbelief, he elaborated. “I really like you, Eliza.
Jason came between us once before, and that was my fault. I want the chance to
see where this goes.” He paused. “Plus, we get a dishwasher for the club when
we really need one.”
“Like you couldn’t get a dishwasher within a couple of
hours,” she retorted.
“Not one we could research enough to trust.” He rubbed his
hands up and down her slender arms. “And not one who’ll work as hard as you do.
Nevar shouldn’t have let you start today.” Rabb frowned. He felt like going
downstairs and kicking his brother’s butt. “You need to rest.”
Eliza studied Rabb and a sense of wonder grew inside her, expanding
until it consumed her entire body. He was the real deal, a man whose word was
golden. He’d never let her down. If he said something he meant it.
But that didn’t mean she was going to take advantage of him.
“I’ll take the phone on one
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