Sometimes Allie missed Daniels glasses. Sometimes she missed who he used to be. But the new Daniel was wildly compelling, and she couldnt help but love him, too. He was Fearless either way. The nickname still fit.
A scowl bracketed his mouth. Why arent you talking to me, Allie?
Oh, damn. Shed done it again. Shed kept quiet. Im not sure about going home with you.
The scowl deepened. Why not?
Because sleeping under the same roof would only make her want him that much more. She fabricated an excuse. My studio is here.
I have a couple of extra rooms. You can use one of them as a studio.
She put Sam on the ground. The cat was meowing for her freedom. I know, but
But nothing. Im not leaving you here alone. Detective Bell thinks this could turn into a stalking, and I agree. We think the vandal is a deranged
woman from my past who considers your friendship with me a threat.
Allie had already mulled over that possibility. The calligraphy seemed deliberately feminine, as if the vandal was identifying herself as a woman, especially from the pretty way shed written Daniels name. How did she get into my loft?
The front door lock was picked. But that isnt a complicated lock. A credit card would have done the trick.
Maybe the police will come up with some fingerprints.
Maybe, but its doubtful. More than likely, she was wearing gloves.
How many deranged women from your past do you think are out there?
He tunneled his hands through his already messy hair. How the hell would I know? Im going to ask Rex Sixkiller to investigate my life, the things I cant remember.
Is Rex from the Warrior Society?
Yes, but hes a licensed P.I., too.
She could only imagine how invasive for Daniel that was going to be. What about Glynis?
He squinted. Who?
Glynis Mitchell. Shes a former lover of yours, and a bit of an enemy of mine. Shes never done anything threatening, but she disliked me from the start.
Daniel cocked his head. Because of me?
Because of my mother. A lot of people dislike me for being related to Yvonne Whirlwind. A connection that made Allie sick, too. Still, I should probably tell Bell about Glynis.
Yes, you definitely should. He angled his head again. Why didnt you ever mention her to me before?
Allie shrugged, trying to seem more unaffected than she was. She didnt like thinking about Daniel with other women. Glynis didnt seem to matter until now.
After you talk to Bell, you need to pack your bags, he said, reminding her that he wasnt taking no for an answer. She was going home with him, whether she wanted to or not.
While Allie settled into a guest room at his house, Daniel waited for her to join him in the kitchen for dinner. He wasnt much of a cook, and since Allie was a vegetarian, he tossed a simple green salad and proceeded to grill a couple of cheese sandwiches. He put on a pot of herbal tea, too. Allie liked hot tea.
Samantha purred at his feet and he reached down to pet her, but the cat wouldnt be staying for very long. Tomorrow, she would be going to a boarding facility. Allie was worried that Sam might become the target of the vandals next threat, and Daniel agreed that it was a valid concern.
He petted Sam again, thinking how pretty she was, much like her mistress. Allie was a bit of cat herself. Long, lean and feline.
Damn, Daniel thought. Damn.
Allie stirred a blood-burning hunger he was desperately trying to suppress. Being friends with a woman that you wanted to strip naked wasnt a good thing.
To make matters worse, he couldnt remember the last time hed gotten laid, and he meant that literally. Hed been celibate since the post-surgical coma that had wiped out most of his memory.
She entered the kitchen, and his pulse quickened. She looked so soft, so beautiful, so vulnerable, he battled his emotions. Beyond the attraction was an overwhelming desire to keep her safe.
The scene at her loft had knotted his gut. If it went further, if someone tried to harm her
I think its done, she said.
He gave her a blank stare. Or maybe it wasnt so blank. At the moment, hed become fixated on her waist-length hair, on the way it framed her face and wrapped her in flowing lines. Im sorry. What?
That sandwich. Youre killing it.
He glanced down at the pan. He was squishing the grilled bread with a spatula, making cheese leak out the sides. He scooped it up and put it on a plate, then realized how unattractive the presentation was. Trying to pretty it up, he reached for shiny red apple from a basket on the counter and placed it beside the sandwich. Hed already put the salad on the table.
Once both plates were fixed, he and Allie sat down to eat. She didnt seem to mind his lousy cooking. Either that or she was too hungry to care. The tea seemed to help, too. She sweetened it with honey and sipped generously.
Tell me more about Glynis, he said. It was odd to ask one woman about another, but what else could he do? He had no recollection of his former lover. His doctor claimed that portions of his memory might return, but a full recovery was doubtful.