There was nothing in his voice to indicate he was flirting with her in any way, but she touched a strand of her hair self-consciously. She hadnt felt pretty in a very long time and she was surprised to discover that his comment soothed a wound she hadnt realized she possessed.
Im in no hurry at the moment to make any commitment to anyone, she replied. I just want to be able to take care of my son and myself.
At that moment the phone rang, jolting every nerve in Janettes body. What if it was Daltons brother, the sheriff? What if Dalton mentioned that he had a young woman and a baby staying with him?
What if Sinclair had already begun the search for her and had contacted Daltons brother? Horrible scenarios went off in her head, mini-movies of doom.
As Dalton started to rise to answer, she grabbed him by the forearm and held tight. Her heart beat so hard, so fast she wondered if he could hear it. Please, please dont tell anyone Im here.
His eyes pierced her with a sharpness that was almost painful. He didnt answer but instead pulled his arm out of her grasp and walked over to the phone.
Hello? he said, his gaze never leaving Janette. Yeah, hi, Dad. I was just eating lunch.
As Dalton continued his conversation, he never broke eye contact with Janette. The tension that had dissipated earlier crashed back through her, twisting in her gut like a deadly Oklahoma tornado.
His voice remained pleasant as he carried on his conversation with his father. When he finally hung up he returned to the table and reached out to grab her forearm as she had done his.
Now, Jane, he said, his voice deceptively calm. You want to tell me just what the hell is going on?
Dalton stared at the woman and tried to ignore how fragile, how warm, her slender arm felt beneath his grasp. Her stunning blue eyes were wide and darted around the room as if seeking somewhere to run, to escape. She tried to pull her arm free from his grip but he held tight, just as she had a moment earlier.
Talk to me, he said. Tell me why you dont want me to mention to anyone that youre here.
This close he could smell the scent of her, clean with a touch of honeysuckle fragrance. She closed her eyes and he couldnt help but notice the length of her eyelashes. She tried to pull away from him again and this time he let her go.
She wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold and looked at him. Im sorry. I lied to you before. She looked down at the table.
He frowned. Lied about what?
She
got up as if she wanted as much distance from him as possible, but he had a feeling that what she was really doing was giving herself time to think. He wasnt at all sure he was going to believe anything that fell out of her mouth at this point.
Moving to stand next to the window, she turned to face him. I lied about Sammys father. He isnt a nice man. Hehe used to beat me. He was abusive and I needed to get away.
There was a tremble in her voice, a timbre of fear that made him want to believe her. You think hes looking for you?
Again she wrapped her arms around her middle. You can bet on it. And if he finds me hell hurt me. He might hurt Sammy.
Thats not going to happen here, Dalton said firmly. He offered her a smile. After all, youve hired me as your personal bodyguard and I promise you Im damned good at what I do.
She didnt return his smile and that, along with the darkness in her eyes, made him believe her. Is that why you carry a knife? he asked.
She raised a pale eyebrow. How do you know about that?
I saw it last night when you opened the bedroom door.
She returned to the table and sat, her gaze going out the window. I wont let him hurt me again. She looked back at Dalton and there was a hard glint in her eyes. I just want to get out of here. Once I get to my sisters Ill be just fine.
Whats this guys name? Dalton asked.
What difference does it make?
He shrugged. Just curious. I know most of the families in this area. Just thought I might know him.
She blinked oncetwice. His name is Billy Johnson. I doubt if you know him. Hes not from around here. His family is from someplace back east.
Once again he had the feeling she wasnt being completely honest with him. Did he care? If he were smart he would stop asking questions now. In the next day or two she wouldnt be his problem.
Id better go check on Sammy, she said and rose from the table.
He watched her hurry away, unable to stop himself from noticing how the worn jeans fit snugly across her shapely butt. He was acutely aware of the fact that physically he was attracted to her, but that didnt mean he wanted to be pulled into her life drama.
He got up from the table, carried their lunch dishes to the sink and began to rinse them. As he worked, his thoughts drifted to his last assignment.
It had been over a year since Dalton had worked a case as a bodyguard. Her name had been Mary Mason, shed lived in Tulsa and she, too, had been the victim of domestic violence. Hed worked for her for almost four months, guarding her between the time shed filed for divorce and the divorce proceeding itself, which had been expedited by a judge sympathetic to her situation.