Page 52 of In Case You Didn't Know

“Of course I won’t.” My jaw is tight. Any jealousy I felt has been replaced by genuine concern. I like Francie. And Hudson is completely correct. She’s sweet, smart, too beautiful for her own good. Any guy would fall for her… if he wasn’t already trying not to.

As he leaves the room, I head over to the computer on his desk that I used earlier to show him the progress on the security upgrade and switch it on, sitting down hard in the leather captain’s chair as the three screens flicker to life.

A few taps of the keyboard allow every camera on that side of the island to be displayed. I hone in on the one outside The Salty Dog, just in time to see her leaving the bar, the asshole’s hand resting on the small of her back like he owns her. My fingers tighten into a fist.

Mine, some primitive part of me growls. Then I shut it down, hard. She’s not mine. Not even close.

But I still spend the next ten minutes tracking them all the way to the lighthouse.

fifteen

FRANCIE

“Thank you,” I say hurriedly, tugging at the door handle like it’s a lifeline. No way am I giving Toe-zilla the wrong idea. “You got me out of a real bind.”

Simon and his stupid cab were nowhere to be found. Next time I’ll walk home with a flashlight and a taser.

I close the door behind me and give him a quick, awkward wave, hoping against hope that he doesn’t follow me. Then I power-walk toward the lighthouse, exhaustion setting in like someone hit the ‘off’ switch on my legs.

Behind me, a car door slams. My heart jumps.

Of course it does.

I turn slowly. Reed is headed my way, gliding silently in those freaky shoes like a ninja yogi.

“I’ll just make sure you get in safely,” he says.

“You can do that from your car,” I offer helpfully, without stopping. Because there’s no way I’m giving the man an in. I just want him gone.

“Yeah, but I’d kill for a coffee.” He grins.

“Isn’t caffeine a capitalist toxin or something?” I ask, quickening my pace. “Anyway, I’m going straight to bed.Alone. Thanks again. And good luck with… the breathing.”

“I won’t bite,” he murmurs.

Men who won’t take no for an answer are almost as annoying as the ones who push you away before you have a chance to say yes. Like a certain overprotective security expert who’d rather stare at a screen than at me.

Not that I’m thinking aboutthatguy right now or anything.

“I’m good, really,” I say, pasting on my brightest please leave me alone before I have to fake a seizure smile. “You’ve been super helpful tonight, but I’m going to dive straight into bed and pretend today never happened.”

Reed doesn’t move. He shifts his weight onto one freaky toe-shoe’d foot and gives me a look I think he believes is sultry. Needless to say, it’s more pained than sexy.

“I could come in for just one,” he says, pushing his lips into a pout. “We don’t even have to talk. We could just… breathe.”

“Tempting,” I deadpan, “but I’ve hit my inhale quota for the day.”

My phone buzzes in my hand. I glance down at the screen and nearly drop it.

Asher Fitzgeraldappears across the glass. I don’t know whether to be annoyed or stupidly relieved.

I decide to go for relieved and flash a smile at Captain Chakra. “Sorry, this is important,” I tell him. “I need to take it.” I swipe accept and lift the phone to my ear. “Hello?” I try to sound casual, like I’m not currently in the midst of batting off the advances of a breath-loving forty-something who is so not my type.

“Francie. You okay?”

I stiffen. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Look behind you.”