Melinda Di Lorenzo - Undercover Passion

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The stiff defensive tone and the blatant lie put an idea into Harley’s head. “Look. I’m not here to judge. If you need help...if he’s an ex, or—”

Liz let out a laugh that sounded genuine. “Oh, God no. Nothing like that.”

“All right.” He knew his reply sounded dubious.

She clearly picked up on it, too. “Look. He was just an unhappy customer.”

“A really unhappy customer?”

“It happens.”

“Okay.” He paused, and he noted the way her eyes flicked back to the hooded figure. “But if you did need help...”

“You’re the knight in clay-stained clothes I’d call first,” she assured him before she turned to call out to her kid. “Teegs! Anytime you come down from there would be good!”

Harley smiled as the little girl started to expertly scamper down. From the corner of his eye, though, he watched Liz, searching for another sign of fear. Even though he’d had the pretty woman and her activities under close surveillance for the last two weeks, this was the first hint that there was even something to watch. He’d actually been questioning whether or not he and his partners were way off base in having him in to keep an eye on her. Was this a sign that they were right after all? Was Liz’s obvious fear of the hooded man related to the case they’d been investigating for the last fifteen years?

Even though she’d already denied knowing the shadowy figure, Harley wished he could ask a more pointed question without giving himself away. Something told him that even if he’d been able to, drawing attention to the situation right that second might backfire anyway. Liz was too on edge, the man close enough to see if she reacted poorly. The last thing he wanted was to put Teegan—who was now using cartwheels to propel herself toward them—or her mother in danger, so he kept his mouth shut and turned back to the other man to assess for any immediate danger. The hooded figure was on the move now, his head still down as he shuffled out of the doorway.

Harley tensed automatically, preparing for a fight. Preparing to tell Liz to grab Teegan and run. He was hyperaware of the fact that he’d left his gun in a coded lockbox high on a shelf in his closet. A safety precaution, which now seemed like an un safe choice. He wished he had it strapped to his side in easy reach.

But it only took a second to realize it wouldn’t be necessary. The man was headed in the opposite direction.

Still uneasy, and with his hands flexing, Harley took a quick inventory. He noted the fact that the guy was too covered for the late-spring warmth. He saw his limp and tried to mentally calculate whether it was a fresh injury or something older and more permanent. Before he could reach a conclusion, though, the guy disappeared around the corner.

Just in time, too.

Teegan’s fresh giggle filled the air as she flung her arms around Harley’s knees. “You lost! I totally beat you!”

Harley gave the street corner a final glance, tucking what he’d seen into the caches of his memory for future perusal, then smiled and turned his attention to the little girl.

Chapter 2

Liz exhaled, overwhelmingly glad that her shaggy-haired neighbor had shown up. She didn’t know Harley all that well, but just his brick-wall appearance was enough to make her breathe a little easier.

As he bent to speak to her Teegan, she gave the back of his head a surreptitious, grateful look.

In the week and a bit since he’d been staying at the studio adjacent to her apartment, he’d been friendly and helpful. Ready with a smile, but not overbearing. He had a nice-guy vibe that she’d liked since the second she’d met him. His wide shoulders and solid build weren’t exactly off-putting, either. And at the moment, not only was his presence a soothing buffer but he was also a good distraction for her too-intuitive daughter.

“You completely kicked my butt,” he said to Teegan, before shooting a conspiratorial wink Liz’s way. “Don’t tell your mom I said that.”

Teegan gave him an eye roll. “I’m pretty sure she can hear you.”

“Darn it. You might be right.”

Harley grinned, and Liz did her best to smile back. She knew her effort was probably lacking. Her teeth felt wooden, and the rest of her mouth was still dry with fear. Being held at knifepoint and having her daughter’s life threatened wasn’t exactly something she would forget anytime soon. In fact, she was pretty sure her brain hadn’t even started to process it, let alone figure out what to do about it. The adrenaline still coursed through her body. And she knew that the second it stopped, she’d probably collapse, if not physically, then at least emotionally.

Which you don’t need to do here.

“Teegan,” she said, her voice shakier than she would’ve liked, “I think we should go inside and get cleaned up for dinner.”

“Did you even see me, Mom?” her daughter countered, still clinging to Harley.

“I did. You were so high up that I just about had a heart attack.”

“Mom! That is not true, and you always say—”

Teegan’s protest cut off in a giggle as Harley stood up with her still attached to his arm. She dangled from his bicep, her bare feet almost a yard from the ground, utterly pleased by the situation. Harley spun, and Teegan sailed in a circle. The spinning motion gave Liz another few seconds to scan the surrounding area.

Was her assailant still watching from somewhere she couldn’t see? Had he spied Harley’s broad shoulders and goofy display of strength? Did it make him think that she and Teegan weren’t completely unprotected?

God, she hoped so.

She turned her attention back to Teegan and Harley. The well-muscled man spun in a final slow circle, making her daughter’s laughter echo through the otherwise quiet street. As he came to a stop, his sleeve slid up, revealing a circle of scrawling ink around his arm. The tattoo was distracting. Sexy, even. For a moment, it actually held Liz’s attention long enough to keep her from her worried thoughts.

Crashing into Harley the way she’d done just a few minutes earlier had emphasized the quiet strength he possessed under his clay-speckled T-shirt. She couldn’t say why, but it’d been almost unexpected. It seemed silly, really. His body was visibly tanklike. Liz had admired it more than a few times. So why it stuck out now was a mystery. But it was definitely not unpleasant.

Unless the guy with the knife thinks he’s a threat , said a voice in her head. Then it’ll be anything but pleasant.

Liz fought both a shiver and a stab of guilt.

“Come here, baby,” she said to Teegan, her voice not quite as firm as she would’ve liked. “Let Mr. Maxwell go. Contrary to popular belief, he’s not a jungle gym.”

Her daughter finally disentangled herself and moved to stand in front of Liz, her eyes still sparkling. “Were you watching, Mom? I was practically flying.”

“Uh-huh. And between that and the climbing, I think we should probably go inside before one of the neighbors comes out and complains about my parenting and your safety.” She said it lightly, but she couldn’t quite keep from shooting another nervous look up the street.

“You can use me as your scapegoat,” Harley offered. “Bad-news artist influencing your daughter’s precious mind.”

Liz couldn’t help but smile. “You’re the least ‘bad news’ artist I’ve ever met.”

He grinned back. “I feel like I should be insulted by that compliment.”

“Don’t be. It’s refreshing to see someone with more talent than ego.”

Teegan groaned. “Are you guys just gonna stand there all night talking? Because if you are, I’m gonna go climb some more.”