Of course, she’d heard promises before, assurances that weren’t worth the breath that spoke them. Did she dare put any belief in Cal’s promises?
She gave a tight nod and opened the passenger door. “All right. Thank you. For the extra security for the shop and for today.” She took a beat and curled up a corner of her mouth. “I had fun. Your family is great.”
“I had fun, too.” He shifted in his seat and reached for her, but Jules scuttled out of the Jeep before he could do more than brush her cheek with his knuckles.
Had he been trying to kiss her? Her heart scampered at the notion. Facing him again, she sent him a brief smile and wished him a goodnight before closing the door.
She hurried to her car and climbed inside, hoping he couldn’t tell her limbs were trembling. Wasting no time, she startedher engine and pulled out on the highway. She monitored his headlights behind her until he turned off on the side street at the edge of town that led back to his house. She touched her cheek where his fingers had grazed her skin and felt a pleasant hum stir inside her.
If such a light and casual touch from him had her body buzzing and hypersensitive, how much more would she enjoy having him stroke her bare body, kiss secret places?
She was still pondering those tantalizing questions when she pulled into the motel parking lot and realized her motel room door was ajar.
She’d already complained once to the motel manager that the lock was flimsy, and since she could see the night manager in the front office watching something on his little TV, she detoured to speak to him about the lock.
The manager glanced up from the television screen, his expression saying he was irritated by having his show interrupted.
“When are you going fix the lock on my door?” she asked without any niceties.
He sighed and heaved himself out of his chair to stroll over to the counter. “There’s nothing wrong with your door. I already looked at it.”
“Really? Then why is the door partially ajar now, when I locked it as I left?”
“Maybe housekeeping didn’t close it when they finished?”
“If that’s true, you need to have a word with housekeeping about securing residents’ doors.”
The man gave her a flat look and a shrug. “Noted.”
“Meanwhile, I still say the lock is wobbly and insecure. Grab your toolbox and come fix it, please.” Her tone said it was not a request. She was fed up with the rickety lock.
The manager cocked his head to the side. “What, now?”
“Yes. Now.” She waved a hand to the small TV and added, “While I see that you’reextremely busy—” her tone and the sour look she gave him contradicted her words “—I’m sure you and the Better Business Bureau would agree that your lodgers’ safety and comfort is your first priority.”
The man glared at her for a few seconds before shuffling to a closet and removing a small rusty toolbox. “Fine.”
Jules outpaced the manager and reached the door a good ten steps faster. She wiggled the knob in demonstration, and with a gentle nudge, the door opened.
“See?” she said.
The word was barely out of her mouth when a tall man in a ski mask lunged from inside her room and wrapped his arm around Jules’s throat.
She saw a flash of metal. Screamed.
“Shut up!” the man growled.
“Hey! What the—” the manager shouted.
The man holding her tensed, then shoved her aside. The masked man knocked into the night manager so hard as he fled that the manager stumbled backward and fell on his back. His toolbox clanked to the ground next to him, the loud noise almost as jarring as the initial assault.
Jules shook from head to heels, but she hurried to assist the manager. “Are you all right? Did he cut you?”
The manager craned his head to stare in the direction the man had run, grumbling an epithet under his breath. Only then did he blink at Jules like an owl. “Cut? He had a knife?”
“I think so. I saw something—” Her knees gave out, and she crumpled heavily on the sidewalk. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she angled a glare at the manager. “I’m fine, by the way. Thanks for asking.”
“Huh?” The manager paused as he struggled to his feet and dusted his hands.
