“But risking your life for others is literally your job.”
“Protectingothers is my job. There’s a difference.”
She pulled a face, as if annoyed that he’d won the argument.
But he didn’t want to win if it meant losing her. “In fact, let me stay with you until Megan’s caught. I can keep you safe, and we can use that time to figure out if this thing between us has a chance.” Before she could object, he said, “I’ll even sleep on the couch or the floor if you want. As much as I’d like to share your bed, I’m after more than sex.” Obviously, best case he’d get all of her, but he’d do whatever she needed in order to start trusting him again, to believe he was serious about her. “Let me show you.”
Her lips parted and she looked down, her gaze clearly turned inward. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking at that moment.
And to hold her.
“It could take weeks or months. They might never find her,” Lindsey said. “You can’t just move in with me indefinitely.”
He’d like to. God, it was too soon, but surprisingly, the idea didn’t induce panic. “You’re right, but I can at least check your current security setup, make recommendations for your home, give you some safety tips based on your current routine. I could teach you some key self-defense moves, gun safety, how to shoot…” He gently palmed her upper arms, electrified by that simple contact. “If not me, getsomeone.” He had to force the words past the hard knot in his throat. “Otherwise I won’t be able to sleep for worrying.” He was not above emotional blackmail to keep her safe.
“What about Jason?” She asked the one question sure to derail his argument.
Fuck. “He can’t do it.”
She graced him with a disbelieving laugh. “You know what I meant.”
“Yeah. I do need to see him, pronto.” He rubbed her arms, desperate to keep touching her. “You could come home with me for a few days before we go to LA.”
“I have to get back to work.”
He raised an eyebrow, calling her out. “Tell your boss that tax season is over and your new hire doesn’t start for almost two weeks.”
She acknowledged the joke with a wan smile. “Shecanbe a bit of a slave driver.”
A worrisome thought niggled its way into his brain. “Unless you really don’t want me there. If that’s the case, just say so and I’ll back off. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” He dropped his hands and took a step back. He’d made his case. Now he needed to give her the space to make a decision.
Lindsey shook her head, a hint of amusement in the curve of her sweet lips. “I’m not scared of you, Todd. Not like that. I just…” She blew a piece of hair off her forehead and gave him a rueful smile. “Everything has happened so fast.”
Plopping into a chair with a long sigh, she said, “One of those annoying quirks you’ll probably learn to hate about me is that I’m a planner. I need as much data as possible to make a decision. I do my research, evaluate the pros and cons, and consider all the alternatives before taking action. You don’t even want to know how much time I spent choosing my car. I don’t know how to just follow my heart. Especially when all the evidence points to failure. Facing all of this uncertainty has thrown me for a loop.”
He suddenly noticed the dark smudges under her eyes, the way her shoulders drooped. She was mentally and physically exhausted and he was pushing her to make potentially life-altering decisions.
“I’m sorry.” He took a knee in front of her so she wouldn’t have to look up from her seat. “How about I sit in one of those chairs outside the door for a while, and you can stay in here and process, make lists, whatever you need to do? I’ll find a way to call my mom, and then check flight times to see if we need somewhere to stay tonight.”
Her grateful expression made his heart skip. At least he’d done something right.
“Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”
He hoped it would be the last time she was happy to see him leave.
Before the door even shut behind Todd, Lindsey crossed her arms on the cool table and put her head down. She was spent.
She’d hoped for some kind of closure to this whole terrifying trip, but as long as Megan was on the loose and clearly out for blood, Lindsey could never fully rest, never truly feel safe. Not that she’d expected her so-called friend to stick around long enough to get arrested. She’d had hours between the time Todd and Lindsey had fled the cabin and the time they’d contacted Marti. And unlike the men, who all seemed to be locals, Megan had no ties here that Lindsey knew of. Especially with her brother gone.
God,Pete. Part of her felt horrible about Pete’s death. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose a brother—especially right in front of her—and the thought of taking any life made her ill. But he’d been plotting her murder, and he’d been prepared to kill Todd, so her sympathy only extended so far.
The thought of losing Todd…
Her stomach knotted. He’d been so good to her. But she’d needed a breather. When he was around, she could hardly think straight. His gorgeous face, the sound of his voice, his woodsy scent. Potent forces, apt to induce her to make a decision without weighing the costs.
Besides, right now, she needed to focus her brainpower on Megan. The woman wanted revenge, and at this point, Lindsey just wanted to get their confrontation over with. To her mind, the risk of losing an encounter with Megan increased with every day that passed. No one could maintain the necessary level of vigilance Lindsey and Todd would need indefinitely. Megan surely knew that, was probably even counting on it.
Which meant Lindsey needed to force a confrontation, controlling the variables as much as possible. The sooner the better. She could not passively wait around with a target on her back. As Megan was probably already learning, that was no way to live.
