“You were definitely hiding.” Eva resisted as he tried to direct her toward the passenger’s side. “Can I drive?”
“No.”
Her head barely dipped to one side. “Please? I’ve been thinking about getting one of these and it would be so nice to try it out in the snow.” One hand pressed to her belly. “And it will distract me from how hungry I am.”
Guilt. The woman was guilting him.
And it was going to fucking work.
“Fine.” Brock pulled open the driver’s door and held the keys up, yanking them back as she reached for them. “I will catch shit if someone finds out I let you drive, so be careful.”
Her eyes were wide. “Of course I will be careful, Broccoli. I would never want you to get in trouble.”
He dropped the keys into her cupped hands. “Don’t make me regret trusting you, Tatum.”
“Oh. I get a nickname now too.” She smiled up at him. “If I didn’t know better I would think you were warming up to me.”
“You’d be wrong.” Brock closed the door on her still-smiling face.
He gritted his teeth as he walked around the front of the Rover and got into his seat.
She faced him, watching his face as she pressed the opener on the garage remote clipped to the visor. “Did you pick the color of it?”
“Of what?”
“Of the car.” She pointed out at the cherry red hood. “You don’t seem like a red sort of man.”
“What kind of man do I seem like?” Women were always very superficial with their descriptions of him.
Which was perfect. Kept things nice and simple.
Exactly how he needed to keep this.
Eva’s lips barely curved into a soft smile. “The kind who doesn’t really want me to answer that question.”
Before he could ask what the hell that meant, Eva tapped the screen on the sound system and music filled the interior as she backed out of the bay, singing along loudly and without shame.
And she was not a good singer.
But it didn’t seem to bother her at all as she belted out the lyrics to Mr. Brightside, her head bobbing along with the beat as she eased onto the road.
“Driving in Alaska isn’t like driving in Ohio, Eva.” Brock shifted in his seat as she accelerated a little faster than he expected.
“How do you know? Have you ever driven in Ohio?” Her fingers tapped against the wheel as the song hit its chorus.
“No.” Brock looked up and down the street, checking for any other vehicles that might be in their path.
“Then how do you know it’s not exactly like this?” She immediately turned into a small lot in front of a vacant building. It looked like it hadn’t been plowed recently, and at least six inches of snow was piled over the pavement.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.” Eva’s eyes slowly slid his way and her lips pressed together. “Hold on tight, Broccoli.”
“Eva, no—” He reached for the wheel just as her foot dropped to the floor and the SUV lurched forward, the all terrain tires and 4-wheel drive doing their job expertly.
Her laugh was louder than the music as Eva whipped the Rover around the lot, spinning it out before flooring it and starting all over again, squealing a little each time the SUV threw him in a different direction.
She managed to get out three passes before Brock braced himself against the door with one foot and grabbed the wheel from her. “Enough.”
Eva’s cheeks were pink and her eyes shined. “That was fantastic.”
“That was not fantastic. You could have gotten hurt.” He flipped the Rover into park and pressed the button to shut off the engine before taking the fab from the console, shoving open his door and jumping out. When he opened her door, Eva was smirking up at him.
“You weren’t far enough away. I could have restarted the engine.”
“Out.”
“You’re no fun.” She stood, her eyes staying on his. “None. You are none fun.”
She didn’t have any clue how fun he could be. “I’m fun.”
Eva shook her head slowly. “You’re a fun faker.” Her eyes slid up and down him. “You fake being fun to avoid being real.” Her shoulder bumped his as she stepped around him on her way to the door he left open. She dropped into his vacated seat and belted up. “Come on, Broccoli. I’m hungry.”
He didn’t want to get in the car with her.
Didn’t want to risk Eva seeing anymore than she clearly already had.
Somehow.
But the only other option was to call Shawn and tap out. Send someone else to come protect her.
And that wasn’t fucking happening.
He fell into the seat and punched the ignition, shoving the seat back as far as it went before pulling out of the lot.
The Co-op Market was only a few blocks away, and for the first time since he’d met her Eva was completely silent.
Which bothered him.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
“No you’re not.” She didn’t sound pouty or upset. Just said it like it was a simple fact.
“We could have rolled over and you could have gotten hurt.” Brock stared down the light as he waited to turn into the lot.
He could feel her eyes on him and braced for whatever would come out of her mouth next.
“Why are you only worried about me getting hurt?” The question was soft. Hesitant.
Nothing like this woman.
But the question itself was enough to grab him by the throat and drag him back to reality.
To remind him why he was the way he was.
“Because it’s my job to worry about you getting hurt.”
That was the only reason her safety mattered to him. Had to be.
Otherwise he was fucked, and he’d worked too hard to let that happen.
Brock drove into the parking lot, easing past a dark sedan with tinted windows idling near the sidewalk, most likely waiting to retrieve someone inside. He pulled into a spot and got out of the SUV as fast as he could, hoping the cold air would stun his rational brain back into place.
Eva was out of the car and halfway to the store before he finally started walking. He needed to put distance between them. Literal and figurative.
But mostly literal, because this woman could close in on him without warning. Dig her way into his mind and under his skin with nothing but off-tune singing and a smile.
It was fucking terrifying.
She was already shopping when he walked inside, her cart full of the most random assortment of items he’d ever seen. Not that he would have expected any less from her.
“What kind of stuff do you like to eat, Broccoli?” She didn’t even look his way. Not even a peek.
“None of what you have in that cart.”
Her gaze went to the cart, skimming over the mish-mash of produce stacked inside. “Not even bananas?”
“No one should eat bananas. They’re disgusting.” He stepped closer, expecting the move to turn her attention his way.
“What did bananas ever do to you?” Her eyes skipped right past him on their way to the display of organic vegetables.
“Puked them up in third grade. Haven’t eaten one since.”
She finally looked his way. “So something wrongs you once and it’s dead to you. Interesting.”
“That’s not what I—”
She pulled a crown of broccoli free from the stack and stuffed it into a plastic bag, holding it up, her brows lifted in question.
Brock shook his head.
“Didn’t think so.” She dropped it into the cart next to a clamshell of blueberries and a container of some sort of brown nuggety-looking things. “Cannibalism.” She snorted before breaking into a full-on belly laugh.
“Glad you think you’re funny.”
“You think I’m funny too. You just won’t admit it.” She spun the cart around and pushed it away, leaving him once again lost in her wake.
Brock followed
behind her, occasionally grabbing an item and tossing it into the cart. Eva leaned in to look at each one before going back to her own shopping.
“Stop it.”
Once again she didn’t even look his way, just squinted at the box of tea in her hand. “I’m not doing anything.”
“You know damn well you are.” He stepped closer. She should look at him when she talked to him.
At least pay a little attention to him.
“If you don’t want me to look at what you’re getting then you should get your own basket.” She tossed the tea in and pushed the cart away.
This time he didn’t stay behind.
Brock paced his steps with hers, sticking close enough she couldn’t ignore him.
She did it anyway.
Ignored him all the way through the rest of the store and down the checkouts.
Eva smiled at the cashier and chatted up the bagger, giving them each one of her bright, honest smiles before going out into the lot.
Brock unlocked the SUV and moved in to take the cart from her. “Get in.”
“I don’t trust you to treat my bananas with the respect they deserve.” Eva bumped him with her hip, knocking him out of the way as she reached to open the hatch.
Brock grabbed the bags four at a time and tossed them in the back. It was too cold out here. She wasn’t used to it.
“See. I was right.” Eva grabbed for the bag he was about to chuck in with the rest. Her hand wrapped around his, the cold tips of her fingers pressing tight into his skin as she tried to tug the bag away.
He didn’t let go.
“Why don’t you have your gloves on?”
“Because this should have only taken a second.” She pulled at the bag again.
“It would have taken even less than that if you’d gotten in the car like I told you to.” Brock yanked the bag, knowing she wouldn’t let go.
Eva didn’t disappoint him. Her grip stayed firm even as she fell toward him, thrown off balance.
Brock was ready to catch her before her body hit his.
He pulled her in close, pretending it was all to keep her steady.
But she wasn’t the only one off-balance right now.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was playing a dangerous game. One where winning could mean suffering a devastating loss.
“Why are you so damn difficult?” Brock stared down at her, letting himself soak in the flush of her cold-pinkened cheeks and the hint of desire in her unreal eyes. Just for a second.
Tires crunched through the lot around them.
An engine hummed in the distance.
Brock barely lifted his eyes to the spot just above Eva’s head.
The same car that was parked in the lot when they arrived sat at one side of the store, barely visible from where they stood.
“Who are you hiding from, Eva?”
She barely edged closer to him, trying to turn her head to look the same way he was. “I’m not hiding from anyone.”
Brock braced one hand on the back of her head, keeping her from giving them away. “Don’t turn, Sunshine.
“Sunshi—”
“Shh.” Brock pulled her tighter against him, fighting the urge to spin Eva away, block her body with his. “Just relax. Everything is okay.”
“Everything is not okay if you’re acting like this.”
“I need you to be quiet right now.” Brock moved his lips into a smile, making it seem like this was nothing more than a man holding the woman he cared about close while they shared a private conversation.
“What is happ—”
She wasn’t going to be quiet. It was never going to happen.
And he was supposed to be her fiancé. The man she came to Alaska for.
“I’m sorry, Tatum, but you’re going to have to roll with this.” He fisted her hair, using the hold to tug her head back just enough to line her lips with his for a quick kiss. One that would make anyone who might be watching think this was all it was supposed to be.
But the second her mouth touched his, all plans for a quick peck fell around him like fresh snow. Silently drifting down to stack against every other plan he had since Eva landed in his life.
And then she sighed, her soft breath warm against his cheek as her body molded to his.
He was gone. Lost to something he’d sworn never to want.
Never to need.
A woman.
He turned her from the idling car, putting his back to whoever might be behind the tinted windows. They would have to go through him to get to her. Better they know it now.
And he would put up a hell of a fight. The world needed more women like Eva Tatum, and he’d be damned if he let anyone take her.
Her cool fingers speared into his hair, pulling him down as she pushed up, reaching for him as her mouth opened under his.
Brock held her tighter, breathed her in. She tasted like nothing he could describe and everything he didn’t want to have. Sweet and soft and perfect.
But he couldn’t enjoy it the way he wanted, because the rumble of the engine behind him was closer, joined by the gritty crunch of tires over pressed snow.
Brock tore his mouth from hers, fighting to keep his calm in spite of the barrage of emotions battering his insides. As the car slowly coasted past, he turned, blocking her from view as he directed Eva toward the passenger’s side. “I need you to get in the car and stay there no matter what happens, okay?”
She nodded, the fingers of one hand coming to press against her kiss-swollen lips.
But damn he wanted to pull her close again. Replace her fingers with his mouth and pick back up where they left off.
He opened the door and tucked her into the car before quickly closing her in. He walked slowly to the other side as the car parked a few spaces down and two men got out. Their eyes met his.
He nodded. Gave them an easy grin. “Morning.”
They both nodded back. Gave him the same calm smile he offered them. The driver rubbed his gloved hands together. “It’s a cold one, isn’t it?”
“They all are.” Brock took in everything about them as they passed. Filed it all away. “Stay warm.”
“Will do.” The men walked at an even, measured pace toward the store, no pausing, no slowing.
They were barely inside when Brock started the engine and slowly pulled out of the lot.
“What in the hell was that?” Eva rubbed her lips together as she stared at him with wide eyes.
“We’re supposed to be engaged, remember?”
“I was talking about you peacocking out there.” She twisted in her seat to look back at the store. “Who were those two guys?”
Brock turned in the opposite direction of the house Eva rented, his mind running a mile a minute.
This whole game just changed.
In more ways than one.
Brock touched the screen of the SUV, moving through the options until he found what he was looking for. He tapped the icon before turning his attention to Eva.
“I’m guessing they were here for you.”
CHAPTER 6
NO WAY.
“They were probably just guys.” Eva craned her neck as the grocery store slipped out of sight. “Just normal guys grabbing lunch.”
This was all just a stupid coincidence.
There wasn’t ever any real threat.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” She turned to face out the windshield, staring straight ahead as a line rang across the speakers of the Rover.
“Hey, man.”
Eva glanced at the screen. “He has a nice voice.”
The man labeled Dutch laughed low and deep across the line. “So do you.”
“Shut up, Dutch.” Brock’s tone was sharper than she’d heard it before, even in the face of what he believed were two men looking for her. “I think we have two.”
“At the house?” Dutch sounded as skeptical as Eva was sure she was.
“At the Co-op. They are definitely trained.”<
br />
Trained. “What’s that mean?”
Brock ignored her. “They’re in a black Charger with tinted windows. I’ve got the plates for you to run.”
“They following you?” The tone of Dutch’s voice shifted in an instant.
“Not yet.” Brock glanced in the rearview. “See if there are any cameras set up around the store. I want to see when they got there.”
“You sure they didn’t follow you there?”
Brock’s hands tightened on the wheel. “That’s why I want you to check for footage.”
“Will do.” Dutch’s words were clipped. “You’re not taking her back to the house until we’re sure it’s clear, right?”
“But we have all that food in the back.” Eva leaned into the screen. “We have groceries. We have to go back to the house.”
Was he laughing?
“Why don’t you come to headquarters? Shawn and I are here for the foreseeable future.” He paused. “And there’s room in the fridge in the break room for whatever you need to store, Ms. Tatum.”
“We’re on our way.” Brock tapped the screen, disconnecting the call.
“Headquarters?” Eva ignored the urge to look out the back window again.
No one was there. Thinking anything different was just silly.
Lightning didn’t strike the same place twice. The chances of her having another crazy stalker were slim to none.
“It’s the main campus for all of Alaskan Security.” Brock glanced in the mirror again.
“I didn’t expect bodyguards would have an office.”
“First of all, we’re a security company.”
“And second?”
Brock’s eyes came to hers and she could swear he almost smiled. “Second, why wouldn’t we have an office?”
Eva shrugged. “I guess I just didn’t think about it.”
But now that she was thinking about it.
“How’s the internet there?” Just because she wasn’t in her own office didn’t mean Eva planned to completely neglect her work duties. There were too many open jobs, and Mona and Chandler were already covered up trying to figure out who was behind the odd happenings that landed her here.
“I’m sure it’s fine.” Brock turned into an office park. The buildings lining the street were all similarly built. Clean, straight lines with warm brick exteriors that kept them from being too industrial-looking.
Counterfeit Relations (Alaskan Security: Team Rogue Book 2) Page 5
