What Are You Afraid Of? (The Agency #2)(53)

“Good,” he murmured softly.

She lifted her head, her expression oddly vulnerable. “I mean it,” she insisted. “This is exactly what I love.”

His lips twitched as he reached into the box to pull out the bracelet.

“Does that surprise you?” he demanded, fastening the ends of the chain around her slender wrist.

The tiny charms filled the air with a tinkling sound as they moved, Carmen’s eyes wide with an emotion he didn’t understand.

“I think it frightens me,” she said.

Griff threaded his fingers through hers, tugging her until they were just an inch apart.

“Why?”

Her lips twisted into a rueful smile. “Because in a few days you know more about me than most people who’ve been my friend for years.”

He lifted her hand, pressing her fingers against his mouth. He didn’t doubt for a second that she was telling him the truth. She kept herself so closely guarded it was almost impossible for people to ever know the true Carmen Jacobs.

The thought that he was one of the very few to ever be allowed past her defensive walls humbled him.

“I intend to know you even better before this day is over,” he assured her in husky tones.

A flush of awareness touched her cheeks. “Griff.”

With a low growl he dropped her hands. Now wasn’t the time to start something they couldn’t finish.

“Get dressed and we’ll go to your family lunch,” he forced himself to say. “The sooner we eat, the sooner we can leave and enjoy the rest of our day.”

She glanced down at the charm bracelet around her wrist before sending him a wary frown.

“You said I was dangerous, but I suspect I’m an amateur when it comes to you, Griffin Archer.”

She turned to hurry back into her private bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Left alone, Griff pivoted to look down on the city that was still enjoying a sleepy Christmas morning. He didn’t feel dangerous.

He felt . . .

Hell, he didn’t know.

And, if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t want to waste his energy trying to figure it out. Not when he needed to focus his attention exclusively on protecting Carmen.

An hour later they’d left the hotel and driven across Louisville to pull to a halt in front of the house.

Turning off the truck’s engine, he pocketed the key and turned to study his companion.

She looked beautiful. Of course. Her curls tumbled to her shoulders with a shimmer of gold. Her skin was as smooth as silk, and her eyes as blue as the winter sky.

She was wearing the same skirt from yesterday with a soft red sweater that clung to the slender curves of her body.

His heart skipped with a familiar jolt of awareness.

It was ridiculous. He’d been in her constant company for three days. This giddy awareness that blasted through him each time he glanced in her direction should be gone.

Or at least dulled to a manageable zap that didn’t make him feel like he was being struck by lightning.

He gave a faint shake of his head, forcing himself to concentrate on her tense expression.

“Ready for this?”

She wrinkled her nose, unhooking her seat belt as she shoved open the passenger door.

“Like you said. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can leave.”

She slipped on her coat and crawled out of the truck, heading toward the door. Griff was moving to catch up to her brisk strides when a shadow appeared from the side of the house.

“Carrie.”

Carmen whirled around to face the man with a narrow, pock-marked face and pale eyes. Ronnie Hyde. The son of the housekeeper that Griff had seen Carmen speaking to when he’d returned to the house with Lawrence.

Griff muttered a curse as he hurried to Carmen’s side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Some protector he was.

He hadn’t even noticed the man lurking in the shadows.

“Good morning, Ronnie,” Carmen said.

“I was hoping I could catch you before you went inside,” Ronnie said, ignoring Griff as if he wasn’t standing directly in front of him.

“Do you need something?” Carmen asked.

The pale eyes darted toward the house before returning to Carmen.

“I thought you might walk with me to the lake.”

Griff felt Carmen stiffen in surprise. “Now?”

He gave a jerky nod. “I have something I think you should know.”

She didn’t hesitate. “Okay.”

“Carmen,” Griff growled. Even if she wasn’t being harassed by a mysterious stalker, he wouldn’t let her waltz off with this man.

Not only had it been years since she’d known him, but he had a furtive quality about him that Griff didn’t like.

“This won’t take long,” Ronnie promised, continuing to act as if Griff was invisible.

“Fine.” Griff tugged Carmen tight against his side. “I’m coming with you.”

No doubt sensing the sudden tension that sizzled in the air, Carmen swiveled her head, glancing from one man to the other.

“I don’t think you were introduced yesterday,” she at last said. “Ronnie, this is Griff Archer. Griff, this is Ronald Hyde.”

Ronnie didn’t hold out his hand. Neither did Griff.

Mutual dislike at first glance.