Page 19 of Dangerous Secret

Grayson hid his amusement as he shook his head. “Go finish up. We need to leave before we’re here so long that it looks suspicious.”

“Roger Dodger.”

“I seem to have picked up a familiar,” Grayson said on returning to the living room with the talking cat shadowing him.

“Aw, he likes you.”

She was sitting on the sofa with her legs curled under her and her laptop resting on her upper legs. When she smiled at him, his heart skipped a beat. That was not good. “We’re almost finished.” He circled the room with the bug detector.

“Find anything?”

“No.”

“Me, either,” Cooper said, coming into the room. “You ask her yet?”

“Ask me what?”

Grayson moved to the sofa and perched on the edge of it. “Would you be okay if we put in a camera that was only pointed at your door? We can hide it in the A/C vent. I’d be more comfortable if we could monitor your entrance. It will be connected to my phone, but I won’t be able to hear anything, and all I’ll be able to see is anyone coming or going.” He glanced at Cooper. “Show her how much space will be in view of the camera.”

Cooper walked to the door, opened it and stepped into the apartment’s hallway. “From here, to…” He came about three feet inside. “…to here. That’s all.”

“You really think Anthony might break in?”

“I hope not,” Grayson said. “But the more I learn about him, the more I wouldn’t put anything past him.” He needed to ask her about Miss Etta, if she knew anything about that, but they’d already been in her apartment too long. If anyone was watching, they’d be getting suspicious about now.

“You’re right to not trust him.” She sighed. “Yes, put the camera in. I’d feel safer with you watching my door.”

He was relieved he didn’t have to push her to let them install a camera. It didn’t take long to install a Ring camera, and as they were leaving, he said, “I have something else I want to talk to you about. I’ll call you tonight if that’s okay.”

“Of course.”

Unable to resist, he went to her, reached for her hand and gently squeezed it. “Everything’s going to be okay, Harlow. I promise.”

She peered up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. “I trust you.”

A lot of people had put their trust in him. His dad, hisSEAL team, his Phoenix Three partners, his employees at the dealerships, but hearing her saying it, well, that was something else entirely. It was as if her trust in him was something sacred and fragile that he needed to protect at all costs.

He leaned in closer, his gaze locked on hers as he cupped her face and brushed his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek. When a throat cleared behind him, he dropped his hand and stepped away from her. Eff him. He’d almost kissed her, and he was sure she would have let him.

“Talk to you later,” he said, then strode out of the apartment without looking back.

“You didn’t tell me how pretty she was,” Cooper said as they drove away.

“Don’t be getting any ideas, Elmer.” If Coop dared to touch her, he’d have to kill his friend.

“You’ve got the hots for her.”

“Do not, so how about shutting up.”

Cooper just chuckled.

Chapter 8

Harlow stared at the door that Grayson had hightailed it out of as if he couldn’t get away fast enough. What was that about? For a moment there, she’d thought he was going to kiss her. And she’d wanted him to, and that was a surprise.

She’d thought Anthony had ruined her for wanting to ever kiss another man. Apparently not, because Grayson stirred something inside her that she hadn’t felt in years. She admonished herself. She couldn’t be thinking of Grayson and kisses. The timing was all wrong. She had one mission, and that was to get her son back.

Einstein jumped on the sofa, his ever-present chatter filling the silence. That was one reason she loved him. When the silence without her boy threatened to lay her low, Einstein was there to demand her attention. He never allowed her to wallow in her misery. How could she when he parked himself on her lap and told her about his day? She was pretty sure this conversation was all about Grayson. He’d seemed fascinated by the man, and she couldn’t blame him.

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