good looks that she lost every bit of good judgment she ever had?”
“Bella doesn’t find me attractive.”
“How do you know?”
“She doesn’t look at me like that.”
“Like what? With drool running down her chin?”
“No, like you look at me.”
Mira hated it that he could see through her so easily. She wanted to deny it, but what was the point? It was better to send him away than to be lured into conversation with him. That’s what he wanted.
“I’m leaving.” She lowered her revolver and started to turn.
Before she could, he reached out, offering her an envelope. Only then did she realize exactly how long his arms were and that she had been within his grasp the whole time. He could have touched her if he liked, just as he had the night they’d gone on their one and only date.
A shiver of something raced through her, gone before she could tell if it was nervousness or excitement.
“What is that?” she asked, diverting her gaze to the envelope.
“Open it. It’s important.”
“If I do, will you leave me alone?”
“Yes, as much as our work will allow.” He seemed sincere.
It was probably another of his lies, but that was a chance she was willing to take. She holstered her weapon and did as he asked. Inside the envelope was a lab report listing test results for a series of diseases. HIV, hepatitis B and C, and a whole list of things she’d never heard of. All test results were negative.
“I’m sorry it took so long to get the results. I didn’t think clearly enough to have myself tested until I’d recovered from my injuries. And then, of course, there was the issue of your unwillingness to speak to me.”
He’d been in the hospital for three weeks after that horrible night last December. Her father, Dr. Richard Sage, had shot him. Shot her, too. But her father was dead now, unable to hurt anyone else.
For that Mira rejoiced. Most of the time.
Confused, she looked up at Adam. Way up. She’d almost forgotten how tall he was, towering over even most men. “What’s this for?”
“The bullet that struck you went through me first. I thought it might bring you some peace of mind to know that I’m healthy, that you couldn’t contract any diseases from my blood.”
That whole horrible night flooded back to her in a heartbeat. The horror of seeing that gun aimed at her. The panic of watching Adam move to block her body just as the shot was fired.
She absently rubbed her chest where the scar puckered the skin along her ribs. The surgeon had told her that if Adam’s body hadn’t slowed the bullet, it would have killed her. He’d saved her life and he’d never mentioned it until now.
“You didn’t need to do this,” she said. “My doctors knew I’d been exposed to another person’s blood. They took precautions.”
“And how many more tests must you endure before they’re sure you’re safe?”
“It’s none of your concern.”
“I’ve done you enough harm for one lifetime. All I want is for you to find some peace.”
“Who says I haven’t?”
“I’ve seen you around the office. In the gym. At the range.” His pale gray eyes caught her gaze and his voice quieted further. “You’re afraid.”
Mira stepped forward. At well over six feet, Adam was easily a foot taller than her. She didn’t care. She got right up in his face as close as she could and growled, “I’m not afraid of you.”
“I would say that’s good—I don’t want you to be afraid of me—but I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care what you believe. Just keep your distance and no one has to get shot. Again.”
He winced, pain flashing in his eyes for a split second. “I never wanted you to get hurt.”
“Yeah? Well you should have thought of that before you agreed to trade my life for whatever was in that precious envelope my father gave you.”
“I never agreed to trade your life. That exchange wasn’t about you.”
“No, it was about my best friend and using me as baitto
“Bella doesn’t find me attractive.”
“How do you know?”
“She doesn’t look at me like that.”
“Like what? With drool running down her chin?”
“No, like you look at me.”
Mira hated it that he could see through her so easily. She wanted to deny it, but what was the point? It was better to send him away than to be lured into conversation with him. That’s what he wanted.
“I’m leaving.” She lowered her revolver and started to turn.
Before she could, he reached out, offering her an envelope. Only then did she realize exactly how long his arms were and that she had been within his grasp the whole time. He could have touched her if he liked, just as he had the night they’d gone on their one and only date.
A shiver of something raced through her, gone before she could tell if it was nervousness or excitement.
“What is that?” she asked, diverting her gaze to the envelope.
“Open it. It’s important.”
“If I do, will you leave me alone?”
“Yes, as much as our work will allow.” He seemed sincere.
It was probably another of his lies, but that was a chance she was willing to take. She holstered her weapon and did as he asked. Inside the envelope was a lab report listing test results for a series of diseases. HIV, hepatitis B and C, and a whole list of things she’d never heard of. All test results were negative.
“I’m sorry it took so long to get the results. I didn’t think clearly enough to have myself tested until I’d recovered from my injuries. And then, of course, there was the issue of your unwillingness to speak to me.”
He’d been in the hospital for three weeks after that horrible night last December. Her father, Dr. Richard Sage, had shot him. Shot her, too. But her father was dead now, unable to hurt anyone else.
For that Mira rejoiced. Most of the time.
Confused, she looked up at Adam. Way up. She’d almost forgotten how tall he was, towering over even most men. “What’s this for?”
“The bullet that struck you went through me first. I thought it might bring you some peace of mind to know that I’m healthy, that you couldn’t contract any diseases from my blood.”
That whole horrible night flooded back to her in a heartbeat. The horror of seeing that gun aimed at her. The panic of watching Adam move to block her body just as the shot was fired.
She absently rubbed her chest where the scar puckered the skin along her ribs. The surgeon had told her that if Adam’s body hadn’t slowed the bullet, it would have killed her. He’d saved her life and he’d never mentioned it until now.
“You didn’t need to do this,” she said. “My doctors knew I’d been exposed to another person’s blood. They took precautions.”
“And how many more tests must you endure before they’re sure you’re safe?”
“It’s none of your concern.”
“I’ve done you enough harm for one lifetime. All I want is for you to find some peace.”
“Who says I haven’t?”
“I’ve seen you around the office. In the gym. At the range.” His pale gray eyes caught her gaze and his voice quieted further. “You’re afraid.”
Mira stepped forward. At well over six feet, Adam was easily a foot taller than her. She didn’t care. She got right up in his face as close as she could and growled, “I’m not afraid of you.”
“I would say that’s good—I don’t want you to be afraid of me—but I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care what you believe. Just keep your distance and no one has to get shot. Again.”
He winced, pain flashing in his eyes for a split second. “I never wanted you to get hurt.”
“Yeah? Well you should have thought of that before you agreed to trade my life for whatever was in that precious envelope my father gave you.”
“I never agreed to trade your life. That exchange wasn’t about you.”
“No, it was about my best friend and using me as baitto