Paul’s instincts were on high alert as he stared at the closed door. He’d come across plenty of fugitives in his work as an undercover narcotics cop and knew people in hiding when he saw them. Chelsey Reynolds sounded false and clearly wasn’t her real name. He knew it would do no good to search it since the name was so new she couldn’t even remember it. But Liv. Now that was real. So why had she trusted him with it when she obviously trusted no one?
Paul swiped a hand over his short hair and grimaced. He was never so awkward around women. This one made him say stupid things and act like an idiot. He couldn’t believe he commented on her hair color. No wonder she beat a hasty retreat. If she ever spoke to him again, he would be surprised. So what was it about this leggy brunette that made him nuts? But she wasn’t really a brunette, was she? She was definitely hot - thin but poised. He could tell she was conscious of her body’s movement and strength, as if every step was placed with precision, despite her slight limp. She was poetry in motion. He wondered what happened to her leg. There was a lot of mystery surrounding his new neighbor.
He’d taken every opportunity to cross her path during the last week since she moved in – and she’d moved in with very little. A couple of bags in hand and that was it. He’d gone jogging three times a day just on the chance of encountering her and he even left his door wide open – just in case she needed something. She hadn’t.
Now that he’d finally seen her up close he realized she was even more stunning than he first thought. She had beautiful green eyes with tiny flecks of brown. They were wary eyes but sharp. He could tell she didn’t miss much – even though she’d forgotten her own name. That slip really upset her. Her dark brow had puckered with frustration and her lips pressed in a thin line. He wanted to reassure her it was no big deal, she didn’t have to worry about him. But she didn’t know that yet, did she? He could tell she was stressed and afraid. Her bow shaped lips made him want to kiss her and tell her everything would be okay. But there were other things he noticed besides her very kissable mouth. Her fingers were long and her hands were expressive. Every move she made was elegant. She was a little too thin but he could get over it. She had him intrigued and he hadn’t felt this way for a very long time.
Not since Jodee.
He grimaced at the memory of the cute little informant who’d pushed things too far, thinking she was invincible and got caught in something she couldn’t escape. When she died Paul knew he was done working undercover. He resigned from the police force after testifying. So what was he doing now, hanging around a woman who was running from trouble? He had no business digging into her secrets, especially since there were enough skeletons in his own closet to fill a cemetery.
But she was easy on the eyes, and she needed a knight in shining armor.
“Leave the puzzle alone, man,” he muttered to himself as he moved to his door and pushed inside. But he knew he wouldn’t take his own advice. After grabbing a protein shake he went to his computer to do a little investigating.
While Paul was doing a search on his new neighbor, Olivia had changed into a leotard and leg warmers and was going through some basic ballet drills. One of the reasons she’d rented this condo was because it came furnished, but she loved the hardwood floors. They reminded her of her first dance studio where the floors weren’t perfectly smooth, but that’s where she’d fallen in love with dance. Her teacher, Tatyana Rashnikov, had been a Russian ballerina in the sixties before coming to the States. She must have seen something special in the little girl with blonde braids and long gangly limbs. She spent extra time and pushed Olivia harder than all the others. Even now Olivia could remember her teacher’s sharp corrections. She sounded mean but her eyes always twinkled with approval. Olivia earned a lot of blisters for those tiny signs of approval.
Eager to get moving, Olivia shoved all the furniture in the living room back against the wall. She needed all the space she could get. Then she located some classical music on the antiquated stereo. She did this every day after work – and every day since leaving Ethan.
She loved ballet and she'd been good at it. A principal dancer. She'd earned her way into the position, one promotion at a time with plenty of blood, sweat, and tears. Even though the fall ended her career and almost ruined Bret’s as well, not even Ethan could take away the pride she felt for all she'd accomplished. He knew she kept that pride tucked away in a secret place he couldn't touch and he hated it.
Slowly she eased into the familiar drills. The moves were painful and soothing at the same time – like therapy. Her hip screamed but the rest of her muscles fell into the easy repetition of the routine. She let her mind drift back to the days where she would line up against the barre with the other students and Tatyana would call out each move in rapid succession as she pounded the floor with her walking stick. Olivia’s limbs went through the motions by memory. Soon all the fear and tension and struggles fell away as she got lost in her workout. She could feel the pulse in the music and matched her steps to the beat. Sweat poured down her back and between her breasts. Her now-dark hair hung in her eyes. She toweled off her face and took a sip of water before hitting the drills again. She couldn’t go for a jog yet but she could do a perfectly turned out passé despite her injury.
Her feeling of exhilaration made her push herself a little too hard. She tried the solo she performed in the last show of her career. The footwork was complicated and she had to go easy on the jumps. Even with the modifications her hip gave out and she fell hard against the wall.
Thirty seconds later there was a knock against her door. “Hey, Liv, you okay in there?” Paul called through the door. When she didn’t immediately answer he knocked again. “Liv? Answer me!”
Olivia sagged against the wall to catch her breath and tried to decide if she was going to answer or not. She didn’t want to encourage her neighbor even though she really appreciated his kindness in checking on her. Finally, she limped over to the door and threw it open.
“Hi Paul,” she greeted between deep breaths as she toweled off her face and neck. She probably looked like a crazy woman drenched as she was. But she felt great.
“Working out?” he asked with a raised brow. He still looked a little worried.
She nodded and grinned. “Yeah. I’m sure it sounded like I was coming through the wall. I lost my balance.”
He peered over her shoulder at the furniture pushed back. “Looks like you could use a barre mounted to the wall.”
Olivia stiffened. “Why would you think I need something like that?”
Paul shrugged but she could see he was still doing the math on her and she didn’t like the scrutiny. “Leotard. Classical music. My kid sister took ballet lessons for years. I guess I just assumed.”
She nodded and decided it was best to end the conversation immediately. “I’m no ballerina,” Not anymore. “Thanks for checking on me, Paul.” She quickly closed the door before he could ask anything else and she divulged even more secrets.
THREE
“Hey neighbor,” Paul greeted as he stood outside his door and sipped his coffee. It was early but he knew Liv would be leaving for work soon. He was shameless with this crush he had on her, and she probably ought to report him for stalking but he couldn’t help it. He’d given her a few days of peace even though he listened for her classical music every afternoon and waited to see if she injured herself again. Of course he would have rushed right over like a knight in shining armor and she’d probably slam the door in his face again because she wasn’t interested. But she never injured herself so he kept to himself and tried to think up other ways to get to know his reclusive neighbor.
He heard Liv’s sharp intake of breath and silently cursed himself for scaring her yet again. She was so jumpy that he couldn’t do anything without startling her. “Morning,” she murmured in her sweet husky voice and gave him a nod before hurrying down the walkway to her car. They were making progress. And in a million years she might let him take her on a date.
Liv got her old silver Honda unlocked and slipped inside. He listened to her try to start it. It clicked several times but never turned over. He could see her look of frustration as she paused and tried again.
She needed help and he was the guy to do it.
Paul set his coffee mug on the step and jogged over to help. He approached from the front so she could see him coming. He was tired of scaring her. She rolled down the window as he came near. “The dumb thing won’t start,” she huffed with a slap on the wheel. “And I’m going to be late for work.”
Paul peered at the dash. All the lights were on and the stereo hummed with static so the battery wasn’t dead. “Maybe it’s your starter.”
“Maybe it’s a million things,” she muttered. “This piece of junk was on its last leg when I bought it.” She mumbled something about missing her BMW as she tried to start the car again with the same results.
Paul reached for the door and pulled it open. The hinge squealed in protest. “Let me grab my keys and I’ll give you a lift.”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She actually moved further away from him in her seat. “Oh, no, that’s very kind of you but I couldn’t –“
She really knew how to puncture a guy’s ego. He held up his hand to forestall her excuses. “Look, it’s easier to say ‘thanks for the ride’ than to hunt for a new job because you got fired from this one. After I drop you off, I’ll tow your car to this mechanic I know. He’s good and affordable. I’ll take care of it.”
She shook her head again. “But I won’t be able to repay you. I just moved here and moving is expensive. I don’t like owing anyone.” She sat back in the seat and pressed her fingers to her temple. “I don’t know what to do.”
Let me help; that’s what you need to do! Paul frowned and reminded himself he needed to take things slow and easy with Liv. She didn’t trust him or anyone else right now and it would take a while to prove himself. “Hey, everyone gets in a muddle sometimes and that’s when you have to lean on others. Which is why I offered. No strings attached, I promise. I’m just being a nice neighbor. Now come on. You don’t want to be late.” He reached for her hand and when she reached out, he gently pulled her from the car. He wanted to jump for joy when she didn’t put up a fight. He took her keys out of her hand and pulled the car key from the ring. “I’m going to take this to the mechanic after I drop you off. He’ll need the key to see what’s wrong.” He handed her back the house key. “Now give me a minute to get my truck keys and lock up. I’ll be back in a sec.”
Olivia had to hide her smile as Paul ran back to his condo. He was practically doing a victory dance. It felt good to let down her guard just a little and enjoy the moment. It had been a long time since she experienced simple things like flirting, and boy-next-door crushes. Maybe she never really experienced it because she couldn’t recall having this fluttery excitement in the pit of her stomach. Paul was someone she could daydream about if she allowed herself. Not only was he attractive, he was kind, and she would have to work extra hard to keep her guard up.
He was back in a flash and pointed her to the overgrown beast of a truck. It was lifted with huge tires. Olivia balked at it. How would she ever climb up with her injury? Paul opened the passenger door with a flourish.
“I can’t climb up there,” she admitted with a frown. “I would have to be a mountain goat – without an injured hip.”
“Then allow me,” he answered with a grin. Before she knew his plan, Paul scooped her into his arms and easily deposited her into the high seat. Color filled her cheeks at how effortlessly she’d been managed. Paul gave her a wink as he shut the door then jogged around to the driver’s side. “Now tell me where I’m taking you,” he ordered as he climbed behind the wheel. The engine started with a roar. “Don’t be scared of the power,” he added with a laugh.
His grin was infectious and Olivia found herself laughing. It had been too long since she relaxed like this. She knew she couldn’t allow him close but it was nice to imagine the possibilities. She liked Paul even though he cut through her defenses quicker than anyone else. He was easy-going and she was way too aware of him as a man. Big mistake, Olivia. The last thing she needed was to get attached to a man after all she’d been through – and would continue to go through. She’d stayed in the last place for only three weeks before Ethan tracked her down. Ethan was savvy and must have found a pattern in her habits that she didn’t even know about. Each time she moved he found her a little quicker. The thought that even now he could be closing in on her made her shiver. This was no time to relax and settle into a new relationship.
“Cold?” Paul asked. “I can turn up the heat but it won’t be warm for a minute or two.”
“I’m okay,” she insisted.
“So where am I headed?” he asked again as he backed out of the lot.
“Oh right. To the mall.” Olivia clutched the armrest as he drove but he didn’t drive as wild as she expected. She cast him covert glances. She couldn’t help being curious about him. He was persistent, she would give him that.
“What do you do, Paul? Are you self-employed?” She was breaking her own rules of “ask no questions, don’t get too close and divulge nothing,” but she couldn’t help herself. She was tired of being alone and having no one to talk to. “Your schedule must jump around more than mine does because I see you jogging at the craziest hours.”
“You see when I go for a run, huh?” he asked with a grin. He laughed as a rosy blush filled her cheeks. “Yeah, I’m self-employed, to an extent. I used to be a cop until I got burned out. Undercover. It was a dreary business,” his lips turned down in a cynical frown.
“I figured you were an officer, or military. You have a certain look about you.”
Paul cast her another flirty grin. This guy had a lot of charm. “Yeah? Is it a look you like?”
Olivia blushed more but didn’t answer so he continued his story with a chuckle, “All right, I’ll quit teasing. I help out at my sister’s flower shop. I make deliveries when her driver doesn’t show up or she gets slammed. Everyone’s happy to see flowers come to the door. And when I’m not helping Janice I run a security business.”
Olivia eyed him warily. “Security? What type of security?”
“Not the mall cop type of security. I install cameras and alarms, sensors. Mostly for businesses in the Denver-metro area, but I do some homes too.”
“Hmm.” Olivia turned back to the passenger window. There was no such thing as security with people like Ethan Moore in the world. No matter how safe Paul Justice believed his systems to be, Ethan would disable them with a few simple keystrokes.
“Hmm? What does ‘hmm’ mean?”
Olivia shrugged. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yes, you did. Tell me.” Paul pulled to a stop at a light and turned to her. Now he was really studying her and she didn’t like it. She didn’t want anyone to see her or take notice of her. Even now, Ethan could tap into Paul’s security business – or maybe this friendly act was a ruse and Paul already was working for Ethan. No, he would have already brought her in.
Olivia turned away from his piercing look and twisted her fingers in her lap. “I meant no offense. It’s just that no one is really safe, no matter how good their security system. There’s always someone out there who can work his way around it.” Ethan could decimate any security in a matter of minutes – if it was a topnotch system. Shoddy systems required seconds and little effort. He gloated at how fast he could hack into government networks and transmit chaos. That’s how he found her the second time she tried to escape. He hacked into the city traffic cameras. When Ethan’s security guy, Dirken, had fallen asleep at his post, she’d slipped out the door. Ethan had been at a meeting with the mayor, assuring
him there was no need to panic over the bug that had infiltrated every computer in his office – of course Ethan had planted the virus himself. She’d lasted two days on her own before he tracked her down. How she’d made it these eight long months she had no idea but it was a miracle.
“Sure, Liv, the world is full of bad guys.” Paul’s shrug was casual but his gaze was warm with compassion as he studied her. “You just have to be smarter and stay one step ahead.”
“It’s not that easy,” Olivia whispered then wished she hadn’t. She clenched her fists in frustration. It was a daily battle to stay ahead of Ethan. He anticipated every step she took. She was growing weary of the chase – exhausted in fact. Sometimes she felt like she was on the edge of a mental breakdown. But if she gave up he would win.
Paul glanced at her again but thankfully he didn’t say anything. She could see the questions in his eyes. She wished she could confide in someone but right now she had no one but herself. She couldn’t even turn to Rissa or her parents. She had to stay alone. Trusting him would be a mistake.
“It could be that easy. I’m here if you want to talk. Sometimes it helps to share the burden.”
She gave a dismissive shake of her head. No one could lighten this load for her.
“Look, Liv, I’m one of the good guys, you can trust me with your secrets.”
She didn’t even bother to answer. He had no idea what he was dealing with and she wasn’t willing to enlighten him. Knowing Paul, he would try to jump in and make things better but he would only put everyone at risk. It was better to remain strangers.
“Don’t believe me?” he demanded when she remained silent. “I can take you down to the station where they’ll give you all my references, along with a few embarrassing stories. You can talk to the detective who replaced me and the chief who bossed me around for more than a decade. My partner asked me to be godfather to his new little boy. I’m safe. And when you’re with me, then you have nothing to fear – unless you did something illegal and you need to be brought in?” He raised his brow in question and she gave a small shake of her head. He seemed satisfied and continued, “Either way, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
Keep Me Safe Page 3