When You Dare - Lori Foster [142]
Oh. Grudgingly, she said, “I like kissing you, too.”
“I know you do.” Smiling, he dropped his hands and stared out the windshield while he gathered his thoughts. “I always work alone, Molly. Other than Trace, there’s never been anyone that I confided in to help me sort out details when I was on a case. When I’m not sure about things, I don’t want to alarm you, or give you false hope.”
She could understand that. “But nothing is ever really concrete, is it?”
“I can usually narrow things down to some pretty damn good guesses.”
His lack of modesty amused her. “I know. And I understand why at first, you tried to…shield me.”
“It hasn’t been that long yet.” He turned his head to give her a long look of consideration. “Yeah, you’re more relaxed every day, but it’s there, Molly. I see it in your eyes still. The fact that someone is following us—”
“Still?” She twisted around to peer out each window, and saw no one.
“You see? You’re jumpy as hell about it, when there’s no reason. Do you honestly think I’d stop here if there was any danger to you?”
Venturing the right reply, she said, “No?”
“So much confidence in me.” He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t. We’re being followed, but not aggressively. Whoever is on my tail is a pro and probably just wants to know where I’m going with you. Hell, it could be your dad just keeping up with you out of concern.” She snorted.
“Yeah, I doubt that, too. But it’s possible.”
“Want me to call him and tell him to back off? If he knows we’re on to him—”
“No.”
“Because…?”
“It might not be him, and I don’t want to tip off anyone.”
Molly let out a sigh, and insisted on the truth. “So, what’s the most likely scenario?”
After gauging her interest, Dare shrugged. “I’d say it’s probably someone who wants to know where I’m taking you in the hopes of getting to you again.”
Oh, God. She bit her lip. Hard. Then nodded. “Okay, so I assume that you have a plan?”
“Yeah.” Blue eyes glittering, Dare said, “To kill anyone who tries to touch you.”
“Oh.” Rubbing her forehead didn’t relieve the sudden pressure there. “You know, maybe if it’s possible not to kill anyone—”
“And that’s why I don’t tell you everything.” He opened his door and circled around to her side. When she stepped out, he held her face to kiss her again, this time with measured gentleness. “It’s not on you, Molly. You have no reason for guilt over anything or anyone. Understand?”
She nodded. In reality, she didn’t blame herself. But the idea of someone dying just because he followed her father’s orders…
Growling in exasperation, Dare put his arm around her and started her forward. He kept his gaze straight ahead when he said, “If it’s at all possible to safely detain without killing, then I will.”
He made it sound like the grandest concession. Odd that she had to fight a smile over something so serious. “Thank you, Dare.”
Drily, he said, “Don’t mention it.” He opened the door to a wireless store, and they went inside to pick out a phone. While Molly perused the selections, Dare got a call and stepped over by the door to talk. Molly used the time to make her purchase, paying for the phone in cash before Dare could give her more frowning looks over it. It was the oddest thing, how he objected to her spending her own money.
In some ways, he was the most old-fashioned man she’d ever met. In other ways, he was by far the most advanced. In every way, he was unique.
The small shop also had a supply of cell-phone covers with matching wallets, so she was able to kill two birds with one stone. With her bagged purchases in hand, she went over to Dare just in time to hear the tail end of his plans with Trace.
Dare closed his phone and put it away. “All done?”
Nodding, Molly told him, “I got a wallet here, too, so I don’t need to stop anywhere else.”
He scanned the parking lot before opening the door and leading her out. “You getting hungry? We’ll meet Trace and Alani right before we get to my place, so not for three hours or so, depending on traffic. We can