She dialed her phone.
Riley met the man’s steady gaze. He got that the guy was a professional bodyguard, but he wasn’t about to be intimidated.
“Darci?” said Kalissa. “I’m standing outside my apartment looking at a guy from West Shore Security.”
She glanced at Riley.
“I don’t think he would,” she said into the phone.
Patrick Garrison’s phone rang.
He answered. “Yes, sir?” There was a pause. “She is.” Another pause, and Garrison’s gaze went to Riley. “I’m assuming it’s him.”
“It’s me,” said Riley.
“This is ludicrous,” Kalissa said to Darci.
“I will, sir,” said Garrison. “Absolutely.” He ended the call.
Riley’s phone rang.
Kalissa carried on with Darci. “Tell Shane to, I don’t know, fire him, I guess.”
Garrison smirked.
Riley checked the screen on his phone. The number was blocked.
He put it to his ear. “Yeah?”
“It’s Shane.”
“No kidding.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m talking to Kalissa. What are you doing?”
“I’m protecting Kalissa.”
“So am I,” said Riley.
“From you.”
“She doesn’t need it. She doesn’t want it.”
Kalissa was gaping at Riley while she spoke to Darci. “Tell me that’s not Shane talking to Riley.”
Riley gave her a nod of affirmation.
“Darci.”
Garrison stepped back, and Riley could swear he looked amused.
Kalissa held up a hand. “This is ludicrous!”
“Tell her to come stay with us,” said Shane.
“I’m not going to—” But then Riley realized Shane was talking to Darci.
“Don’t to it,” Riley said to Kalissa.
“What?” Kalissa said into the phone. “No.” Her gaze darted to Garrison. “I’m sure he will, but—”
“She’s staying here,” Riley said to Shane.
“It’s none of your business,” replied Shane.
“Riley’s not going to hurt me,” Kalissa insisted.
“They think I’ll hurt you?” Riley couldn’t believe they’d even suggest it. “Quit messing with her mind,” he said to Shane.
“No,” Kalissa repeated into the phone.
“What are you saying to her?” Riley asked Shane. He immediately realized it was a stupid question. “What are they saying?” he asked Kalissa instead.
“They want me to have Garrison drive me to the mansion.”
“You already told them no.” Then Riley looked at his phone and realized he didn’t need to be talking to Shane. He hung up.
“We need to talk,” he told Kalissa with conviction. Then he glared at Garrison. “She’s perfectly safe.”
The man crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, I know she’s going to be safe.”
“Say goodbye to Darci,” said Riley.
“I have to go,” Kalissa said into the phone. “I have to talk to Riley.” She paused. “Five minutes.” She silently nodded. “I will. Bye.”
Thankfully, she ended the call.
“Back off,” Riley said to Garrison.
Garrison looked to Kalissa.
“This is foolish,” she said.
“No argument from me, ma’am.”
“Can you.” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Just back off a bit?”
“Whatever you say, ma’am.”
“Clearly, that’s not going to be the case,” Kalissa mumbled.
Despite everything, Riley’s mouth twitched at the comical situation.
“You think this is funny?” she demanded.
“No. Sorry.”
“It’s not funny.”
“I know.”
“Stop laughing.”
“I did.”
She stared at him, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
“Can we talk?” he asked, sobering completely. “Just the two of us? Somewhere...not here?”
She didn’t answer. Uncertainty flicked through her beautiful eyes.
He knew he had to convince her. “We need to talk.”
“I can’t trust you.”
“I know. I understand. But you were there, Kalissa. This isn’t nothing. We can’t just walk away.”
She still didn’t answer.
He reached out and took her hand.
She looked down. It took her a long time to speak. “It can’t be tonight.”
He was disappointed in that, but he could live with it. “When?”
“Can I call you?”
“Will you call me?”
She frowned.
“If you don’t, I’m calling you.”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “Okay.”
He eased in. “I want to kiss you.”
“You can’t.”
“I want it bad.”
She opened her eyes. “Garrison might shoot you.”
“He won’t risk hitting you.”
“I think he’s probably a good shot.”
Garrison was likely an excellent shot. Riley couldn’t imagine Shane hiring anyone but the best.
But he didn’t want to kiss her in front of her bodyguard. He wanted to kiss her all alone, preferably in a bedroom, his bedroom. He bit back a curse.
“I’ll miss you every second,” he told her instead.
“I’m not making any promises.”
“I know.”
He had to accept her hesitation. He had a long way to go before she’d trust him again. And Shane would be working against him. Shane would do everything in his power to make sure Riley failed.
Eight
In the morning, Patrick Garrison was waiting on the sidewalk outside Mosaic Landscaping.
Kalissa’s surprise was quickly overtaken by concern. “Please tell me you haven’t been here all night.”
“Hello?” said Megan. “This is the guy?”
“This is the guy,” said Kalissa. “Did you stay here?” she asked Garrison.
“I’m Megan.” Megan held out her hand.
“I just came on shift, ma’am,” Garrison said to Kalissa, briefly shaking Megan’s hand.
“Ma’am?” asked Megan. “He calls you ma’am.”
“For some reason,” said Kalissa. “So, how does this work? Are you actually planning to follow me around all day long?”
There was the faintest of smirks on Garrison’s face. “It helps if I stay close to you.”
“You know this is unnecessary, right?” She realized he was being paid by Shane, and he had to do his job, but he had to have seen last night that Riley was no real threat.
She couldn’t figure out Riley’s angle. It was pretty obvious he’d romanced her in the hope she’d get him information on Colborn Aerospace. But he was caught now, so there was no way that was ever happening.
So, why did he persist? Why the pretty words last night? And why had she, even for a moment, considered he might be sincere?
“You’re actually her bodyguard,” said Megan, peering at Garrison as if he was from another planet.
Garrison stared back, his expression inscrutable. He didn’t answer.
“Are you armed?” asked Megan.
“He doesn’t like to talk about that,” said Kalissa. “Should I drive slow so you can keep up?”
Garrison’s smirk was back. “Not necessary. But it’ll be easier if you ride with me.”
Megan’s expression brightened. “Like our chauff
er?”
Garrison frowned at her. “I was referring to Ms. Smith.”
Megan linked her arm with Kalissa’s. “I’m with her. You can drive us both.”
“He’s not driving us anywhere.”
Kalissa could put up with Garrison following her around. He seemed quiet and well-behaved. She didn’t think he’d get in the way. And, quite frankly, she didn’t have the energy to fight Shane. She needed all her brain power to work through the situation with Riley.
“We can stop for canned pomerinis on the way home,” said Megan. “He’d be our designated driver.”
“Canned pomerinis?” asked Garrison.
“Pomegranate and candy apple martinis,” said Megan.
Garrison shuddered. “Is that a joke?”
Kalissa started for their pickup truck. “I’ll try not to lose you,” she said.
Garrison immediately turned his back on Megan and fell into step beside Kalissa. “I’d prefer it if you’d come with me,” he said.
“We need the tools in the back of the truck.”
“I can drive the truck.”
“The gearshift is a bit tricky.”
He stifled a cough. “I think I can manage.”
“Oh, let him drive,” said Megan. “I was serious about the canned pomerinis.”
“I wouldn’t advise excessive amounts of alcohol,” said Garrison, stopping as Kalissa stopped next to the truck.
“You’re not going to be a buzz kill, are you?” asked Megan.
Garrison looked down at her. “Do you have to be part of this conversation?”
“Hey, buddy. I’m on your side.”
Megan raised a playful fist to sock him on the arm. Kalissa had seen her do it a thousand times.
Garrison’s hand moved like lightning, grabbing her wrist.
“Whoa,” said Megan, taking a half step back.
“That was impressive,” said Kalissa.
Garrison immediately let Megan go. “I’m not trying to be impressive. I’m just trying to do my job.” His attention was on Kalissa. “And that job will be a whole lot easier if you let me drive. So, what do you say?”
Since it was by far the longest speech she’d heard him make, she decided to take it seriously.
She had no reason to make Garrison’s life difficult. She could argue this out with Shane, or she could make the best of it. A couple of days, a week max, it should all blow over. Riley would give up, Shane would stop worrying, and Garrison could go back to guarding people who were in some kind of real danger.
“Fine,” she agreed, digging into the pocket of her blue jeans. “The brakes are spongy, there’s a shudder when you take a hard left, and if you hit a bump, it’ll jump out of second.”
Megan pulled open the passenger door and climbed to the middle of the bench seat.
Kalissa was happy to take the window.
“I’m calling Riley,” she told Garrison as he slammed the driver’s door shut. “You might want to get another job lined up, because this’ll be over soon.”
“To the Oak Park jobsite,” said Megan in a theatrical voice. “It’s nine-thirty-seven—”
“I know where it is,” said Garrison.
“How do you know that?”
He shot Megan a look of disbelief.
“You investigated us?”
Kalissa found Riley’s number in her contact list.
“I broke into your computer,” said Garrison.
“No way,” said Megan.
Kalissa put the phone to her ear.
“Saw everything,” said Garrison.
“Not the—” Megan clamped her jaw shut, clearly trying to figure out it Garrison was messing with her.
“Kalissa?” Riley answered.
“Hi,” she said, her chest going warm at the sound of his voice.
She angled herself toward the window as the truck gained speed down the street. She realized Garrison could still hear her, but she didn’t want him to see her expression on top of everything else.
“How are you?” asked Riley.
“I’m okay.” She drew a breath, telling herself to get a grip.
This wasn’t a budding romance. It was a failed attempt at espionage. Her next move wasn’t to swoon in Riley’s arms. It was to convince him she was a lost cause. He’d have to find some other advantage over Shane.
“When can I see you?” he asked.
“The sooner the better.”
His voice brightened. “Yeah?”
“Not for that.”
“I’m not making any assumptions.”
“You said we had to talk.”
“We do.”
“I agree.” She glanced at Megan and Garrison.
Both were silent and focused out the windshield. But she knew they had to be listening to every word. Megan, because she knew Kalissa was still attracted to Riley, and Garrison because he’d want a heads-up regarding her plans.
“I’ll come to you,” said Riley. “Are you at home?”
“We’re on our way to Oak Park.”
“We?”
“Me, Megan and Garrison.”
Riley chuckled, sounding more amused than worried. “I gotta hand it to Shane.”
The words puzzled her. “What do you mean?”
“I’d have done exactly the same thing. If I was him, I wouldn’t let you anywhere near me.”
“Should I be staying away?”
“No way. I’m not him, I’m me, and I want to get as close to you as possible.”
“I don’t even know how to take that.”
“What’s he saying?” asked Garrison.
Kalissa gave the man a warning glare.
“This isn’t what you think, Kalissa,” said Riley.
“What do I think?”
“I’m heading for the car. I’m on my way. Let’s talk when I get there.”
“I’m only going to tell you this can’t happen.” For some reason, her stomach cramped over the words.
“I know that.”
“I can’t trust you.”
“I know that too.”
Her mind went to last night, and their kiss, and his words. And she couldn’t help having second thoughts about the wisdom of seeing him in person. He seemed to know exactly what to say to throw her off.
There was no possible way this was a coincidence. He was using her, and she needed to end it quickly and completely.
“I’ll see you there.” She quit the call before he could answer.
“What are you going to say to him?” asked Megan, giving Kalissa’s shoulder a rub.
“I’m going to tell him to go away and never bother me again.”
“Works for me,” said Garrison.
“Works for me too,” said Kalissa, mentally crossing her fingers.
She had to stick to her guns. She couldn’t let herself get lost in Riley’s sexy voice or look too deeply into his dark eyes, because then she’d start wondering, she’d start hoping—
“Do you think there’s any chance at all it’s a coincidence?” she said out loud.
“No,” said Garrison.
“That what’s a coincidence?” asked Megan.
“Riley falling for me, me falling for him, completely independent of anything between him and Shane.”
“No,” Garrison repeated.
“How do you mean?” asked Megan.
Garrison frowned at Megan. “Don’t encourage her.”
“What encourage her? I’m asking a simple question.”
“To which the answer is no. He’s Colborn’s business rival. He lied about who he was. He romanced and seduced her. That’s one impossible coincidence.” Garrison
downshifted to take a tight corner.
“I’m not saying it was.” Megan’s voice rose. “I’m just asking what she means.” She turned to Kalissa. “What do you mean?”
“I mean...” Kalissa wasn’t exactly sure what she meant.
She was grasping at straws. She wanted to believe Riley liked her, that he was attracted to her, that he’d somehow fallen for her in record time. Because the alternative was that he was cruel and she was foolish. She didn’t want either of those things to be true.
* * *
Riley caught the grim expression on Garrison’s face as Kalissa opened the passenger door of his sports car.
“If you get in, it’ll give us some privacy,” he told her.
She gave a nod of agreement and sat down.
Garrison took a step toward them, then another.
Kalissa shut the door.
Riley gave a half second’s hesitation, then he let his instincts kick in. He turned the key, shoved it into first and peeled away from the curb.
“What are you doing?” Kalissa demanded.
“Giving us some privacy,” he said as he glanced in the rear view mirror.
Garrison was sprinting back to Kalissa’s truck, leaping into the driver’s seat.
“Riley!”
“Do up your seatbelt.”
“Stop.”
He swung the sports car around a tight corner, barely slowing for the stop sign. “I can’t stop. We need a few minutes alone.”
“So, you’re kidnapping me.”
“Technically, yeah, I guess.” He glanced in the rear view mirror.
“You guess?”
There was no way the pickup truck could outrace him, but he didn’t dare hit a stoplight. “I had to get you away from him.”
“Why? He was only going to stand there and watch.”
A red light loomed up, and Riley switched to the right lane, pausing for a truck to go by before swinging in front of a minivan. The driver hit the horn.
“Riley!”
“I didn’t want him to stand there and watch.”
“This is dangerous.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“You mean, other than death in a fiery crash?”
There was a distinct edge of sarcasm to her tone. He couldn’t tell if she was frightened or angry.
“We’re not going to crash. I’ll slow down in a minute.”
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