Angus set down his beer rather forcefully. “We’re not going to let you swing out therealone on this.”
Jethro’s chest heated at the offer of acceptance. Yet he’d always been alone. While he’d been happy to offer his thoughts to Angus about a couple of cases, he had never worked with a team. Never been a part of a team. Now wasn’t the time to start, even if he’d had the inclination or the first clue how to go about it. “I appreciate it, but this is a family matter.” He stood. “You all havea nice night.”
Wolfe’s chair scraped back and he stood. “You are family, asshole.”
Jethro’s bark of laughter escaped before he could stop it. “Definitely not, mate. We’ve never tried to kill each other.” With that, he turned and headed toward the elevator. “Thanks for letting me have the dog for a while—we had fun. Have anice evening.”
He wasgoing hunting.
* * * *
After a full day of classes, Gemma’s temples ached. She’d received another email from IT asking why her biography hadn’t been updated online. She couldn’t create a false bio because it’d be too easy to disprove. Her genuine one was probably safe, but who knew what kind of Google searches Monty had in place—in addition to any private detectives he might’ve hired.
She strode down the sidewalk, hugging the building where more of the ice had melted away. The sun had finally beaten away the clouds, shining bright in the sky and making the snow sparkle on the ground and in the trees. The sky was a dark, cold blue, deepand fathomless.
She saw the man by her car and stopped short. Panic seized her, and it took a few precious seconds before she recognized him. Then she hurried toward him instead of running full-on into the day care to protect her baby. “Dr. Hanson?” She stomped down the sidewalk to the spot she’d chosen that day. “What in the worldare you doing?”
He finished tightening the lug nuts on a brand-new and very strong-looking snow tire and then stood, turning to face her. “Someone left you new tires. Santa must’ve come late this year.”
Her mouth dropped open as she looked at the tires. Brand-new and no doubt expensive. “You had no right,” she whispered, hervoice shaking.
He tossed the wrench into the back of his open SUV and wiped off his gloved hands on each other, not looking surprised at her outburst. The highlights in his hair shone in the sunlight, and his eyes appeared an even deeper blue than before. A shadow covered his jaw, several hues darker than his hair. “I merely gave Santa a hand. We’re mates.” His British accent emerged, sounding educated and unemotional.
What would it take to get this guy to show emotion?
She swallowed. “How much do I owe you?” Where was she going to get enough extra money for four high-end snow tires?
He shut the back hatch and moved as gracefully as any cat toward her. “I put the old tires into the boot of the car.”
She shoved her chilled hands into her pockets to keep from smacking him. Not that she hit people. Even so, her fingers clenched into fists, warming her palms. “How did you getinto my trunk?”
He paused, justlooking at her.
She would not blush. There was no way she’d meant that sexually, and they both knew it. “Dr.Hanson?” God spare her from academics who thought they were helping.
“Every lock is just a physics problem,” he said easily, reaching her and blocking out the sun.
It was surprising how broad his chest was, considering he lived his life within the walls of academia. That must be some gym he attended. He’d broken into her trunk, and that was illegal. Not that she’d ever expose herself by filing a police report, even under her newest name. “I did not ask for your assistance,” she said throughgritted teeth.
“I wasn’t assisting you.” His gaze flicked past her to the day care entrance before returning to her face. “Trudy and I are blokes.I helped her.”
Right. Before meeting Monty, she would’ve been charmed by what appeared to be a kind gesture. Now she knew such gestures led to more danger than she’d ever thought possible. She’d made a mistake in trusting the wrong man once, and now she had more to lose. Much more. If she ever trusted another man, which was doubtful, he wouldn’t be brilliant. He wouldn’t be charming. He’d be real and honest and raw. Not like this man. “I will repay you, but it’ll have to wait until payday,” she finally admitted, keeping her tone business crisp. “I expect you to charge the appropriate interest.”
“How about we make an even exchange?” he asked mildly. “I’m in the middle of a time-consuming project and I could use someone to cover my game theory class for the semester. It’s on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from ten to eleven, which is a timeyou have free.”
She didn’t ask how he knew her schedule. It also wasn’t surprising that a professional academic had an important project that took time away from teaching. She looked for the trap and couldn’t find it. “All right.”
His expression didn’t change. “Excellent. Tomorrow I’ll drop off the class materials, in addition to PowerPoints for each of my lectures, including the assignments, quizzes, and tests I’d planned to give this semester.” He waved a hand in the air before she could object, striding around the front of his SUV, his broad back to her. “You can use them or not. I change them every semester and never reuse the same quizzes or tests, but it’s up to you.”
She swallowed, feeling ungrateful. Even so, she had not asked for new tires. But teaching game theory would be fun, and if he had all the work already done, she could just enjoy the experience without too much stress. “Where’s your dog?”
He paused and turned to face her, looking for a moment like a predator rather than a harmless professor. “He’s back with his family.”
She cocked her head, unwilling curiosity rippling through her. He was a good-looking man and shadows haunted his intelligent eyes. Deeper shadows than she would’ve expected, and for some asinine reason, they drew her. “Not with your family?”
A veil dropped over those eyes faster than any vault closing against a threat. “I don’thave a family.”
Even though the sun was out and the wind had disappeared, a chill clacked down her spine.
