In Harm's Way (Heroes of Quantico Series, Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

slow nod. "I guess that's fair. What
do you need from me?"
    Once she'd answered all his questions, she picked up his card
and stood to retrieve her coat. He beat her to it, holding the
sleeves as she slid her arms inside. The unusual teal-blue hue
caught his eye.
    "Pretty color"
    A brief smile toyed at her lips as she shrugged the coat into
position on her shoulders. "Winter is dreary enough. This brightens it up a bit:"

    "Nice thought. I'll walk you out"
    Surprise flickered in her velvety brown irises. "That's not
necessary."
    "Where did you park?"
    "Around the corner."
    "It's necessary." Without waiting for her to reply, he crossed
to the door of the interview room and opened it.
    She regarded him without moving. "I'm used to taking care
of myself, Agent Bradley."
    "And I'm used to protecting people. It's my job:" He gave her
an engaging grin. "Look at it this way. It's dark, and the muggers
are out in full force. FBI agents aren't too happy when crimes
are committed in their own backyard"
    Buttoning her coat, Rachel capitulated with a fleeting smile
and a slight lift of one shoulder. "How can I argue with that?"
    "It would be tough"
    The hint of a chuckle escaped her soft lips as she passed him,
and he caught a whiff of a faint, pleasing scent. Nice.
    Exiting the building, he motioned toward some slick patches
on the sidewalk as they struck out toward her car. "Watch the
ice. Those are puddles during the day, but they have a tendency
to freeze at night:"
    No sooner had the words left his mouth than a slippery spot
caught Rachel off guard. His arm shot out to steady her, and she
quickly regained her balance. "Are you okay?"
    "Yes" Her reply came out a bit breathless as she secured her
glasses on her nose. "Thanks for the save. I wouldn't want these
to go flying. I'm blind as a bat without them"
    As they continued toward her car, he maintained a loose grip
on her arm. Had he not done so, he doubted he would have
noticed the very slight hitch in her gait. A permanent handicap,
or a recent injury?
    When they arrived at her car, she withdrew her keys from her purse and faced him. "Look ... I'd like to thank you for not
laughing at my story."

    "The reaction you had wasn't funny."
    She acknowledged his comment with a dip of her head, then
slid into the driver's seat. "Good night, Agent Bradley."
    "Good night" He shut her door, lifted a hand in farewell, and
strode back down the sidewalk. A quick glance at his watch
confirmed he was already running late for dinner. He needed to
shift gears and forget about work for the next few hours.
    But thanks to a lovely woman with a doll, he had a feeling
that wasn't going to be so easy to do.

    As Nick Bradley disappeared into the night, Rachel drew a
long, shaky breath.
    The last half hour had been tense. Very tense.
    But it could have been worse. At least the FBI agent had given
her a fair hearing. If he laughed with his colleagues later, so be
it. In person, he'd allowed her to hold on to her dignity despite
her bizarre story. He deserved high marks for that.
    She'd give him high marks in other areas too. Her first impression of him when he'd walked through the door had been
classic all-American boy. At six-foot-one or two, with sandy
hair and a lean, athletic build, he fit that description to a T. But
as they'd talked, she'd realized the firm jaw and fine lines at the
corners of his eyes spoke of maturity and seasoning, hinting at a
toughness not immediately apparent under his engaging smile.
The man projected a sense of leashed power and control, and
Rachel had a feeling he'd seen his share of rough-and-tumble
action, despite his appealing boy-next-door looks. A faint scar
above his temple suggested as much.
    It was an arresting combination.

    He had also struck her as a man who weighed evidence and
options. Rather than entertain wild speculations, he seemed
more the sort who would thoughtfully consider facts and draw
sound conclusions.
    In