Safe in His Sight Read Online Free PDF Page B

we get some rest and start fresh in the morning.”
    She glanced at the small, antique sofa. “You won’t be comfortable there.” Her gaze slid toward the privacy screen hiding her bed.
    He wasn’t about to make her sleep on this hard sofa. “Don’t worry about me. If you have an extra blanket and pillow I’ll sleep just fine on the floor.”
    The little furrow between her brows as she examined the small apartment was endearing. Or it would be under different circumstances. This wasn’t the right time to be charmed and distracted by the woman he was supposed to be protecting. One of the hardest lessons of firefighting was doing the job without getting emotionally invested in the people saved.
    While he denied it every time it came up, no one seemed to believe he’d finally grown past the foolish damsel-in-distress complex he’d had as a kid. Yes, his last girlfriend had used that specific soft spot against him and it had taken him too long to see her true colors. But he’d eventually corrected that mistake. The nature of the job was to race into danger and bring people out alive. Without his innate drive to protect those in need, he wouldn’t be a decent firefighter.
    “You’re really staying over.”
    He nodded, unable to tell if she was more relieved or frustrated by his protective intrusion. He managed not to remind her she’d asked him to stay only a few minutes ago.
    In a flurry of motion, she stood up. Shrugging off his coat, she folded it neatly over the back of the chair. Moving behind the privacy screen that divided the space, he heard her open a closet. A moment later she returned with a pillow in an ivory satin case and the quilt that had been folded neatly on the foot of her bed. “Make yourself comfortable.”
    “Will do.”
    “Are you a morning person?” She crossed her arms as if she was cold again.
    “I’m a firefighter. I’ve learned to adapt to the situation and timing, whatever it is.”
    Her auburn eyebrows arched, then knit into a hard scowl.
    “Is that a problem for you?”
    “No.” The scowl remained, the arms tensed more.
    “Something’s got your wheels turning.” He tapped his temple.
    “How can this work?” She spread her arms wide. “You can see my place is too small for you to move in.”
    “We’ll manage.”
    She wasn’t satisfied by his vague confidence. “You’re just going to follow me? Everywhere?”
    “Sure. Until we identify who’s hassling you. Isn’t that what you asked for?”
    Her shoulders sagged. “Yes. No. I’m just...”
    “Tired,” he finished for her. “Stressed-out. That’s reasonable, Julia.”
    “I don’t like having you here.”
    “I understand.” He could sympathize. Independence radiated off her. He didn’t know her well, but it was clear that she was unhappy she’d needed to ask Escape—or anyone—for help.
    “This creep might just be a big gasbag trying to embarrass the firm.”
    “It’s possible.” Although they both knew that theory didn’t explain the stalker sifting through her past for hot buttons of friends and family. Mitch hoped the situation was resolved quickly just by his presence, but her stalker was pushing awful damn hard and fast.
    Mitch would have a tough time forgetting the shock and fear on her face when she’d read the note. The facade of the savvy, polished attorney had dissolved, instantly revealing a frightened woman floundering to make sense of things.
    The bastard had put a note in her mailbox. Tomorrow, once Julia was safe at work, Mitch would come back and have a chat with the doorman. A building as posh as this one had to have cameras on every entrance. The residents wouldn’t tolerate anything less.
    “I guess I’ll, just, um, head to bed then.” She took a step back.
    “Could I take a look at your phone, please? It would help if I could review the interactions you’ve had with him before tomorrow.” If he was lucky, he might even find a clue as to why Grant had assigned him to