by Eva Chase
My frustration faded. Connor was twenty-five, but right now he sounded like a chagrined little kid. The little kid I’d spent most of my life trying and nearly failing to keep safe.
“Of course,” I said. “That’s what I’m here for. I never let myself get too busy anyway, in case I have to leave for something like this.”
We drove in silence most of the rest of the trip. When we left Philadelphia behind, Connor sat up and popped in his earphones. Tinny hints of music drifted from the back seat.
As we came up on Newark, I gestured to get his attention. “We shouldn’t have too much trouble, but put on the hat that’s in the bag back there. Your hair might catch some eyes. We don’t want anyone looking at us at all.”
For once, Connor complied without a snarky remark. I dropped off the car at the rental place, and we hurried through the parking lot to the terminals. I’d arranged both of our flights—his to Italy and mine back to San Jose—with the same airline so that we could go through security together. I wasn’t going to feel secure for either of us until I saw my brother getting on that plane.
Our fake passports scanned just fine at the automated check in machines. I’d gotten very good at doctoring those over the last fifteen years. But that didn’t mean I trusted my abilities completely. When we got to the security line, the officer who asked for ID spent longer looking at Connor’s than I liked.
I fixed my gaze on a carry-on suitcase someone had balanced on top of one of the machines. My hands clenched in my pockets. With a twitch of my eyes and a heft of my mind, I sent the bag toppling. It hit the floor with a bang.
The security officer’s head leapt up. He handed the passport back to Connor and hustled over to see what had happened. Connor cut his gaze toward me.
“Nice one,” he murmured.
“Shut up,” I said, shouldering him onward.
Connor’s bag edged down the conveyor belt so slowly my jaw started to tighten. I just wanted to get this over with. The officer behind the scanner glanced over it without hesitation, but then Connor lifted his hat to scratch the back of his head. Her eyes darted to him. They narrowed for a second. My heart lurched.
We were still close enough to Philly that people here might have seen the reports. They didn’t have photographic footage of Connor, but a description would have been passed along. That damn reddish hair combined with his pale skin drew notice even when he wasn’t on the run.
I elbowed him lightly and jerked my chin toward the bag that had just emerged from the scanner. Connor picked it up, oblivious. I picked up my pace, knowing he’d at least notice that. We were just passing the end of the conveyor belt when the officer called over.
“Hey, excuse me, could you hold on just a—”
Shit. Connor looked at me and must have caught my reaction. His expression set.
And a trash can on the other side of the room suddenly went up in flames.
Someone shrieked. A couple other people shouted in concern. The officer cut herself off in mid-sentence, turning to stare. We hustled on, rounding the corner and slipping out of view in a matter of seconds.
A tight little smile had formed on Connor’s face. “I can take care of things too,” he said quietly.
“I’m not sure that was the best strategy,” I said. My heart was still thumping. “Especially when they’re looking for a guy who starts fires.”
He shrugged. “It was nowhere near me. They’re not looking for a guy who starts fires with his mind.”
The police weren’t, but other people might be. I gritted my teeth. Why was it so hard for him to keep himself in check?
At least we were through the hard part now.
I sat with Connor by his gate, flipping through a magazine I hardly saw while he listened to more of his music with its pounding bass. When the flight attendants announced that his flight was boarding, I got up with him. We weren’t really the hugging types, but I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to me quickly. Who knew when I might see him again?
Who knew what circumstances that next meeting might be under?
“Take care of yourself,” I told him.
“Always do,” Connor said with a little salute. The comment was kind of ridiculous when I’d just had to fly across the country to bail him out, but I let it pass.
I waited until he’d disappeared beyond the gate’s doors, and then I headed to catch my own flight.
I’d just stepped into my apartment when my phone buzzed. Sagging onto the leather couch, I fished the phone out of my pocket.
It was a text—from Grace. Hey. I think I managed to lose a bracelet of mine in your camera bag, as weird as that might sound. I don’t suppose you’ve found it?
The corner of my lips twitched up at her tone. I could almost hear her soft but steady voice. I pushed myself back onto my feet and ambled over to my camera bag.
I dug around in the pockets, and my fingers brushed cool metal. I pulled out a circle of silver beads. Got it, I wrote back.
Oh good. Could I swing by and get it? Or meet up with you somewhere? It’s kind of important to me.
I hesitated. I could have said I’d courier it to her along with the photo disc. But I’d just spent the whole day looking after someone else, and I could use a distraction from wondering whether Connor had set fire to the entire plane.
Besides, I wanted to see her again. It couldn’t hurt that much to spend another hour in her company, could it? I had a hell of a lot more self-control than my brother did. I deserved a little fun in my life.
Before I could change my mind, I typed out an answer. Sure. If you’re not busy right now, I could meet you at the cafe at Braxton and Maple in half an hour.
6
Grace
“I can’t believe this is the third time you’ve had to help me out,” I said, clasping the bracelet around my wrist. “At least this time I wasn’t at risk of bodily harm. I promise I’m usually better at looking after myself—and my things.”
“It was no problem at all.” Jeremy chuckled and leaned back in the cafe’s narrow black chair. He leaned well, I had to admit. The motion pulled the thin cotton of his T-shirt tighter over his muscular chest.
Not that I was staring or anything.
I jerked my gaze back up to his face. Of course, those bright green eyes made my heart flutter in a totally different way. Man, I was such a goner for this guy already.
I had him for the length of one cup of coffee. I had to make the most of it.
I sipped my cappuccino and gave him a look I hoped was coy and not totally goofy. “You certainly are a useful guy to have around.” Did that sound too forward? My face started to heat. I scrambled for another line of conversation. “How did the photos turn out? I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
“I’ve almost finished going through the set,” Jeremy said. “Should have the final files ready tomorrow. There wasn’t a whole lot of editing needed. The animals do most of the work.”
“They are cute as hell.” I sighed. “If I had any less self-discipline I’d be bringing a new one home with me every other night.”
“How many have you taken so far?”
“None, actually.” I rubbed my mouth, my chest twisting. Gran used to have a Pomeranian, but Daisy had passed on just before the Alzheimer’s started getting bad, and it hadn’t made much sense to bring another animal into the house then. After... I guessed I hadn’t thought I could give a pet enough attention on my own. I’d always be worried about them getting lonely while I was away at work.
“I’d like to have a dog someday,” I added. “Maybe two. They’re just a lot of responsibility.”
“You seem like a responsible person,” Jeremy said. It wasn’t the sexiest compliment ever, but something in his tone sent a little shiver of pleasure through me.
“I guess I just see at work how many people buy puppies and then end up giving up on them... I want to be sure I can give any animal I adopt a real, permanent home.”
“Fair enough. No
t just responsible but also compassionate.” He smiled at me over his coffee mug.
“What about you?” I asked, remembering his reaction when we’d talked about pets before. “I guess with all your travel for work, having a pet mustn’t be practical, but what would you want to have if you could?” A person’s affinity for animals could tell you a lot about them.
Something about that topic didn’t totally sit right with Jeremy. He shifted in his chair—casually, but I could tell his shoulders had tensed slightly. Weird.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve spent enough time around other people’s pets to have a good sense of what type would be a good fit for my life. Maybe a cat? Something independent enough that it doesn’t need constant attention, but happy to keep you company when it’s in the mood.”
I laughed. “That sounds like a cat, all right.” But the back of my neck was prickling as I remembered the other weirdness I’d noticed this morning during my internet surfing. I could ask about his online presence in a general way without sounding stalker-y, couldn’t I?
What the hell did I have to lose? I went for it. “I looked online to see if you had a portfolio for your photography. Nothing came up. Is it under a different name or something?”
Jeremy’s gaze flicked away from me just for a second. I definitely didn’t imagine that twitch of his eyelid. The question made him uncomfortable.
“I prefer not to have my photos online,” he said smoothly. “It’s too easy for people to lift them and claim them as their own, even if I watermark them. I find my clients through other means—message boards and referrals and that sort of thing.”
That didn’t explain why there was nothing at all about him as a person on the ‘net, but I couldn’t pry about that without verging into stalker territory.
I turned my mug between my hands, studying him. Maybe he had a good reason to be tense about these questions. Maybe he’d taken on a new name to get out of some kind of trouble. Witness protection or who knew what. I didn’t think it could be anything bad. Everything about him felt warm and protective. Safe.
Jeremy drained the last of his coffee. Crap. Now he’d want to leave. I hadn’t worked up the courage to ask him on an actual date yet. Well, I could pretty much turn this little meeting into one. Stealth-date!
“Do you want to go for a walk or something?” I said. “I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs, and the park is just down the street.”
My face heated again at putting myself out there even that much. Jeremy looked at me for a moment, considering, and I was afraid my cheeks were going to burn right off. But then he smiled and said, “Sure. A little fresh air sounds good. It is a beautiful day.”
He held the door open for me on the way out. It really was beautiful outside, the late afternoon air warm but not humid, the sky clear blue with only a few streaks of clouds. The flowers were blooming along the edges of the park. Their tart scent tickled my nose as we strolled down the path.
“I guess this is a little tame for your tastes,” I said, gesturing to the trees spaced neatly across the trimmed lawns. “Compared to the state park, I mean. No exciting photos to be had?”
“The city parks have their own appeal,” Jeremy said. He was walking close enough that his arm grazed mine when he raised it to point. My skin tingled. “You’ve got to pay attention to the smaller details. The way that branch bends, like a cradle, under that bird’s nest. A hat someone forgot on a bench. Paw prints in the soil where a dog was playing. Little things can make for interesting photos too. It doesn’t all have to be epic imagery.”
“That’s good to hear.” My mouth curled into a crooked smile. “I love being outdoors, being surrounded by nature, but I’ve got to admit on a larger scale it can be a little unnerving.”
“How so?” Jeremy asked with genuine curiosity.
Oh, God, how could I put this into words without sounding like a total dork? “I guess it’s just... It’s always changing. You’re always having to check the weather, adapt what you’re wearing, what you’re going to do. Which keeps things interesting, of course, but I do like having a place to come home to that I can assume will stay pretty much the same. I don’t think I’ll ever be much of a camper.”
To my relief, Jeremy nodded. “That makes sense. When you’re close to home, you can appreciate the changes but have somewhere to retreat to if they get overwhelming. And hey, no one living in California can claim the great outdoors doesn’t get a little dangerous at times.”
He grinned at me, and my heart outright flipped over. I closed my hand against the impulse to reach for his. That would be coming on too strong, wouldn’t it? He hadn’t shown any definite indication he was interested in me romantically. I’d really look like a dork if he pulled away.
But maybe I just need to give him the chance to show a definite indication. I sucked in a breath, my pulse thudding. I could use my damn words. It was just a little flirting.
“Still, it’s nice to have someone who’s experienced other parts of the world to expand my perspective,” I said, letting my voice lilt a little. “I’ll have to keep you around.”
Jeremy’s grin grew approvingly. I landed that one, didn’t I? Inside, I did a silent happy dance of pleasure.
“You’ve got me for now,” he said. “Why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself? You’ve lived here in San Jose your whole life, I take it?”
We walked on, across the park and then weaving through the streets beyond it, as I figured out what parts of my life story to tell him. Yes to living with my grandmother. No to the fights with my mom and her total disappearance. School was safe, and the jobs I’d held before the shelter. All that earlier time with Gran. Jeremy asked quick questions here and there to direct the conversation, but for the most part he just listened to me. Like he actually cared.
“She got sick a few years ago,” I said, finishing up my explanation about my grandmother. I hoped I hadn’t rambled too much. “She didn’t trust anyone else to look after her, so I ended up mainly working as her caregiver. For the last year that was all I did. Her pension got us by.”
“That must have been tough,” Jeremy said.
“Sometimes.” I didn’t like to think about the times it’d been particularly tough. “But, you know, for twenty years before that she’d been the one person I could always count on. Anything I needed, she was always there, trying to make my life as happy as possible. So she deserved having someone with her at the end she could trust.” Even if she hadn’t trusted even me in that last year, when she’d rarely even remembered who I was.
I swallowed hard and moved on. “It was just last summer she passed away. I’ve started getting back to a regular life—found that job at the animal shelter and so on. Gran left the house to me, so I’m still living there. But it feels a little empty without her.”
I hadn’t meant to admit that last part. I shut my mouth and peeked at Jeremy sideways. He didn’t look put off by my admission.
“Of course it does,” he said. “Did you ever think of selling it and finding a place that’s just your own?”
My stomach clenched at the thought. “I hate the thought of losing all the happier memories.”
“You wouldn’t lose them though, right? They’d be up here, always.” He tapped his head.
“True. I don’t know.”
“Hey, no pressure.” He held up his hands with a smile. “I only wondered. Speaking of homes, this is mine, actually.”
He motioned to a tall beige apartment building we’d come to a stop in front of. I glanced up at it. The sun was sinking. It was almost dinnertime. Did he want to call it a night?
I didn’t. That thought crossed through my mind, and my mouth opened, and before I knew it, the question was tumbling out.
“Are you going to invite me up?”
A spark of heat flared in Jeremy’s eyes—hot enough to melt me. I swallowed hard, waiting for his response. I could have told him never mind and pretended I’d just been
kidding, but you know what? I didn’t want to. I wanted the heat I saw him in.
“You know what?” he said, his voice low. “I think I will. Would you like to come up, Grace?”
I couldn’t help grinning. “Yes, I would.”
I followed him into the lobby, my heart racing.
7
Jeremy
What the hell was I doing? Grace and I had ridden up on the elevator together, and now we were walking to my apartment door, and I still hadn’t figured out what had gotten into me. I should have made some excuse and waved good-bye. I should have ended things back in the coffee shop.
But every time she turned those kind brown eyes on me, especially with that nervous flush in her cheeks, some part of my brain short-circuited.
“I’ve been talking an awful lot about myself,” she said as I fit the key into the lock. “What about you? I know you’ve traveled a lot, but have you always lived in San Jose? Do you have family here?”
Innocent questions if you asked anyone else. Just standard getting-to-know-you small talk. But in my case, they were impossible to answer truthfully. We hadn’t even gotten into the apartment, and it was already obvious why this was a bad idea.
I answered with as much of the truth as I could give her. “I’ve lived here about two years now. Moved from Chicago. Just liked the look of the city, I guess. My family is pretty scattered. We’ve all got a bit of wanderlust in the blood.”
“Well, I’m glad you wandered out this way,” Grace said, with a slightly sultry tone that sent a bolt of a different sort of lust through me.
And there was my answer, really. I was doing this because I wanted her, and apparently I’d forgotten how to say no to myself.
But then, when was the last time I’d wanted anyone or anything this much? When was the last time I’d let myself have anything at all.
I pushed open the door. Grace walked over the threshold, taking in the open-concept space. Her eyes widened. I followed her gaze, suddenly seeing the apartment from an outsider’s perspective in the waning afternoon sunlight.