“And you’re going to freeze to death if you keep being stubborn.”I reach my car and set her down, keeping one hand on her arm so she can’t bolt.“Get in.”
She glares up at me, her dark eyes glittering with fury that makes my blood heat.“I hate you.”
“I know.”I open the passenger door.“Get in anyway.”
For a moment, I think she’s going to run.Her muscles tense under my hand, and she glances toward the street like she’s calculating her chances.But then she looks down at her bare foot and seems to deflate again.
“Fine,” she mutters, sliding into the passenger seat.“But I’m making you pay for the caveman routine.”
Relief floods through me as she settles into the seat, and I grin.“I’ll add it to your tab.”
Prestarting the car, I crank up the heater before turning to Megan, who has been watching this entire exchange like it’s her favorite soap opera.“Watch her.Don’t let her escape.”
“Where are you going?”Eve demands.
“To get you something warm to drink.”I’m already heading toward the small coffee shop on the corner.“And if you even think about running, I’ll hunt you down and carry you back.Understood?”
I don’t wait for her answer, pushing through the door of the shop.The warmth hits me immediately, along with the scent of coffee and pastries.I approach the counter where a tired-looking barista is wiping down the espresso machine.
“Hot chocolate,” I say without preamble.“Large.Extra marshmallows.”
“To go?”
“Yeah.”I tap my fingers impatiently on the counter while she prepares it, my eyes never leaving my car through the window.Megan is talking animatedly while Eve sits stiffly in the passenger seat.
When I return with the steaming cup, Eve looks marginally better.Her cheeks have more color, and she’s stopped shivering thanks to the heat of the car.
“Here.”I thrust the cup into her hands.“Drink.”
She wraps her fingers around the cup, and I can see the relief in her face as the warmth seeps into her hands.She takes a tentative sip and immediately makes a face.
“Ugh.This is like drinking liquid candy.”
“It’s hot.Drink it anyway.”
“I don’t like sweet?—”
“I don’t care what you like.You’re going into hypothermic shock.Drink the damn hot chocolate.”
She gives me a mutinous look but takes another sip, and I see her shoulders relax slightly as the warmth spreads through her body.
I slide into the driver’s seat and start the engine, cranking the heat up even higher.“Address.”
“What?”
“Your address.Give it to me so I can take you home.”
Eve clutches the cup tighter, her jaw setting in that stubborn line I’ve come to know so well.“I told you, I can walk?—”
“Like hell.Either you give me your address, or I call Natalie and ask her for it.And before you ask, yes, it’s probably illegal for her to give out employee information.And no, I don’t care.”
She stares at me for a long moment, and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head as she weighs her options.
“You’re threatening me.”
“I’m being practical.”
“With illegal methods.”
