Trusting Danger (Danger, #2)(20)

Bile rose to her throat, and she swallowed hard. “I need a restroom.”

Matthews gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t slow down. “It’s better if we don’t stop.”

“It’s an emergency.” She spotted a gas station up ahead and frantically gestured toward it. “Over there!”

She had her seat belt unfastened even before he was parked.

“I’ll be right back.” Not wanting to make the men suspicious, Claire left her tote and purse behind as she slammed the car door and practically sprinted into the station’s convenience store.





Chapter Fifteen





Grayson’s initial thought when he first laid eyes on Claire Parker was that her picture hadn’t done her justice. She was even more stunning in person, with long auburn hair a man could bury his hands in and an innocent heart-shaped face. When she’d looked up at him from the car with those big brown eyes, his breath had caught.

No need to go there, buddy. A debutante like her would never be interested in a nobody like you.

The expensive diamond bracelet she was wearing on her slim wrist simply proved she was out of his league. Those gems were real; he’d bet a month’s pay on it. Hell, his government salary wouldn’t even touch the cost of a piece of jewelry like that.

But do debutantes normally hug the help?

Back in the park, Grayson had noticed when Claire had hugged her father’s driver, not once but twice. The affection between them had seemed genuine, which didn’t mesh with what he knew about how the rich and famous treated their employees.

Is she for real? A normal person?

For a second, Grayson wondered how it would feel if Claire hugged him like that—her tall, slim body pressed against his. He could imagine enjoying that light, clean scent of hers that he’d noticed in the car, filling his senses as he lowered his face closer to that silky copper-streaked hair, inhaling deeply. But his body’s natural reaction slammed him back to reality, making him shut his thoughts down.

Annoyed at himself for letting his thoughts drift, especially in that crazy direction, he surveyed the street for suspicious vehicles. An SUV approached and he watched it idly, pegging it as a Ford, then he returned his gaze to the convenience store after it passed by.

What was taking her so long? Claire should be back by now.

Jeremy, who was topping off the Suburban’s gas tank, seemed to be having the same thought. He stood looking toward the convenience store with a frown on his face.

Grayson swore hard as he released his seat belt and threw open his car door.

“Think she ran?” Jeremy called out.

“Shit!” Grayson burst inside the building, skidding to a stop as he scanned the store before glaring at the older man behind the counter. “Where’s the girl? She came in to use the restroom.”

The man looked toward the back of the store and frowned. “I saw her, but she hasn’t come back. Must’ve gone out the rear.”

Cursing under his breath, Grayson ran to the back of the store and checked the women’s room to be sure. When he found it empty, he pounded the restroom door.

“Damn it!”

Barreling through the store’s back door, he exited onto a small strip of asphalt that bordered a wooded area. As he scanned the woods, he could just make out a flash of Claire’s light-colored blazer in the trees, moving away from him quicker than he’d think a woman in high heels could run. She was at least a hundred yards ahead of him as he darted into the forest, weaving around low brush and slapping away limbs as he raced toward her.

A minute later, he’d nearly caught up with her. “Stop running, Claire!”

She darted a glance over her shoulder. But instead of slowing like he expected, the damn woman sped up.

He pumped his arms and lengthened his stride, eating up the distance between them. When her lead shrank to a few feet, Grayson tackled her and rolled her over, pinning her wrists to the ground as he used his size and weight to subdue her.

“Get off me! Get off!” She struggled, throwing her weight from side to side as she tried to buck him off her.

Embarrassed by his body’s natural reaction to having a woman’s soft body beneath him, Grayson moved off her squirming form and was about to apologize when Claire flipped over and scrambled to her feet, surprising him by taking off for a second time.

“Hey!”

This time he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and held her close as she struggled hard, kicking back her feet and catching his shin with one deadly high heel.

“Ow!” He tightened his grip on her. “Why are you fighting me?”

“You’re not an agent! You’re lying to me!”

The words jolted Grayson. She was afraid of him; that’s why she’d run. “Calm down. I’m exactly who I say I am. If you’ll give me a chance, I can prove it.”

Since it seemed like she was finally going to remain in place, he let go of her and glared at her designer heels as he reached down to rub his shin. The one time she’d connected had hurt more than he’d expected it to. “I’m only trying to keep you safe.”

Tension and fear radiated from her as she stared at him, but there was no time for reassurances. They could easily be found here; Claire’s phone had only been turned off a short time ago. Her would-be kidnappers could be in the area, searching for her.