he’d rescued Kelsey, and her sister had
almost ended up dead. But Kelsey couldn’t tell Wyatt where she was really heading.
He’d already found out enough of her secrets today. The last thing he needed to know
was what she did as her night job.
Wyatt frowned, obviously not thrilled with that plan, but he nodded. “Pack your bag,
and I’ll drive you.”
“I have a car downstairs. I just take the bus some days to work to save money on gas.”
“Then I’ll follow you there to make sure you’re safe.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but what was the point? In truth, having someone watch
her back as she left the apartment wasn’t a bad thing. The D-Towners were probably
just trying to scare her, but she also knew they were capable of a lot worse than
that, so she wasn’t going to take any chances. “Thanks. Guess you probably shouldn’t
have stuck around for that muffin today. You’d be tucked safely in your office by
now none the wiser, making people their millions.”
He shook his head. “Best decision I’ve made in a long time. The millions will still
be there tomorrow.”
And now, because of him, she would still be around, too. “Thank you, Wyatt. Really.
I’m so—”
He held up a hand. “If you apologize one more time for something that is absolutely
not your fault, you’re going to see my mean side.”
The threat shouldn’t have sent a hot shiver through her, but it did. The image of
the quietly intense executive losing some of that nothing-phases-me exterior called
to her in a way she couldn’t even define. The feeling was foreign, frightening. The
fact that he’d shut down the possibility of them sleeping together was probably a
very, very good thing, even if her hormones hadn’t quite jumped on board with that
plan yet. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
“I’ll be here.” Wyatt sat down on her loveseat, pulled out his cell phone, and started
scanning through emails as if he’d wait forever if that was how long she needed.
She stood there watching him for a few moments longer than necessary, knowing that
this would probably be the last time she’d have him this close. Sure, she’d be able
to hide out for a few weeks, but this wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. She’d
thought she’d escaped undetected the last time, but clearly they’d discovered the
role she’d played in Raymond Miller’s downfall. And if D-Town was determined to hurt
her, she wasn’t going to be safe anywhere near their territory.
She let out a long breath and turned her back, heading toward her bedroom. Wyatt didn’t
know it, but their fictional love affair was about to come to a quick and quiet end.
Because she was going to have to leave her life here in Dallas.
And leave him.
THREE
Wyatt leaned back in his desk chair, scanning the report on his computer screen and only half-listening to his father prattle on. Wyatt didn’t
have the patience for a Bill Austin lecture on a good day, much less this morning.
After showing up at the Sugarcane Cafe for the second week in a row to find no Kelsey,
Wyatt had left with heartburn and a bloodstream full of frustration.
Her co-worker, Nathan, had been like a fucking Navy SEAL with his ability to withstand
interrogation. Wyatt had prodded the guy up one way and down the other trying to get
information about Kelsey, even offering to pay Nathan for the information. But all
the cook would reveal was that she was safe and that he didn’t know where she was,
which was bullshit of course. That kid knew exactly where she was.
He admired the guy for being protective of his friend, but the not knowing was like
a thorn burrowing into Wyatt’s brain. The whole situation was out of his control and
that was completely unacceptable. He hadn’t been able to concentrate for shit since
he’d last seen her. He’d even driven by her sister’s house like some lame stalker
to see if her car was