“If you need someone to talk to about today, or—”
“I’ll call my best friend.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded, simultaneously annoyed and relieved. “If you’re good here, I need to go.”
Tara’s chin pulled back at his abrupt declaration. “Okay.”
Shit. He stretched his neck from side to side, earning a satisfyingpopthat made her wince. “Sorry. I have a lot on my mind.”
“No worries,” she said, straightening her shoulders and standing tall. As tall as one could who barely hit five feet. “Just be safe.”
His brows dropped. “From what?”
She cocked her head and studied him, warming his blood. “Well, everything. But specifically, if someone is after me because of Mars, they might be after you too. You helped.”
She had earned the Team Mom moniker for a reason. “Ah, right.” He kept his expression blank, lest she see how much her concern meant. “I’m good at looking out for myself, but thanks.”
She followed him to the door, chasing him with her enticing scent. Reaching up to his shoulder to regain his attention, she said, “Thanks again.”
Her touch was enough to make him reconsider leaving, but thelast thing he needed was more of Tara’s company. He nodded and moved out of reach. “Lock your door, turn on the alarm, and call the police if anything suspicious happens. Then call me.”
Was her scowl because he’d pulled away, or was she insulted by his admonition?
“Thanks, Dad,” she said, heavy on the sarcasm, but softening her response with a half-smile.
Dad. Sorrow pierced his heart likea sword. Bridget had taken so much from him.
“Jeff?” Tara asked, placing her hand on his biceps, her brows drawn in concern.
Even through his parka, her touch scrambled his brain.
He needed to get the hell out of here.
Before he could think of a response, a fire alarm pierced the air.
Jeff’s stoic exterior hid some serious emotional pain. Tara recognized the look. She’d seen itin Jenna’s eyes after her brother died, and in security specialist Dan Molina’s face when he thought he’d lost the love of his life.
She wanted to soothe and comfort, and wipe the sorrow from his beautiful brown eyes. She wanted to take her own comfort over the day’s trauma.
And sprint in the opposite direction.
The same ice she’d seen in the gunman’s demeanor as he’d aimed his weapon ather chest—perfectly ready to end her life as if she were nothing, worthless—had invaded her body. She couldn’t stop shivering, and Jeff’s arms would be strong and warm…
A klaxon interrupted her thoughts, loud enough to split her head.
The white strobe on the wall next to her front door flashed in time with the squawking. A fire? Seriously?
Instantly, Jeff turned into a cold, hard warrior,the transformation subtle but no less startling. “Let’s go,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the obnoxious-but-effective alarm.
Fear squeezed her ribs. Fire in a high-rise…
It could be the attacker from before, trying to draw us out. But that was ridiculous. Wasn’t it? Didn’t matter. Either way, they had to leave.
Grimacing against the ear-battering noise, she grabbed her purseand slipped into her shoes.
Jeff held out her pea coat so she could slide it on quickly. “Ready?” He opened the door and reached back for her while peering up and down the corridor.
What choice did she have? She let him take her hand, enveloping it in his own larger, rougher one. An inconvenient frisson of awareness tingled along her spine.
