She unlocked the door, and then walked into the room. He reached behind him to shut it again, but Jenna snapped. “Don’t touch it!” Ryker widened his eyes at her. “Sorry, you just don’t know what kind of diseases that thing was carrying.” She rushed to the bathroom and turned on the faucet so he wouldn’t need to touch anything. “Here, please, just wash your hands.”
He did as she asked, and she tried not to think about the places he might have missed as he dried his hands on one of her towels.
“So what are you going to do, Jenna?” he asked, coming back into the room. “You can’t leave until the parts come in for your car, and you won’t call the police, so what’s the plan?”
She shook her head. “I don’t have one.”
“Well, I can’t leave you here on your own. You need to come home with me.”
“I already told you I won’t put either you or Mikey in danger.”
He reached out and took her hand. “Listen to me. I don’t believe you will be. I bet this guy is hundreds of miles away and you are completely safe. It’s totally understandable that you’re freaked if he’s just got out of jail, but so far all that’s happened is a bird flew into the door or window outside of your room, and someone else banged on your door in the night.”
“I know how it sounds …”
“No, you’re not being objective.” His tone softened and he pulled her down so they sat side by side of the edge of the bed. “I don’t know what this guy did to you to make you so frightened of him, but if he’s only just got out of prison, and you’ve been running all this time, I’m sure he wouldn’t have caught up to you already.”
She faced Ryker, searching his eyes with hers. “He’s smart. Really smart, even if he doesn’t act it. He can hack into any database and get information without people even knowing he was there. He can find me, I know he can.”
“Shit, Jenna. But you’ve been careful, right?”
She nodded. “As much as I can be.” She glanced away from him. “I should have changed my name, but I just couldn’t bring myself to give up my own identity. It was the only thing I had left. If I gave that up, too, he would have taken everything.”
His arm slid around her shoulders and he squeezed her tight. It felt so good to have someone touch her with only comfort in their heart and mind. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. And it’s not your problem either. I meant it when I said I don’t want you involved.”
“Jenna …”
But she forced herself to her feet. “Please, Ryker, just fix my car tomorrow, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
He stood, too, facing her. “I don’t want you out of my hair.”
She stared at him. “But I can’t stay, and you can’t leave. Walk out of here, now, before either one of us takes this much further.”
“I’m not going to leave you like this!”
“You don’t have any choice.”
He squared his shoulders in determination. “Yes, I do.”
Jenna pressed her lips together and shook her head. “No, you don’t. You have Mikey to take care of.”
“He’s a teenager. He’s capable of taking care of himself for a few hours.”
“It’s been a few hours, and he’s a boy on suspension living in a situation the authorities have already got their eye on.”
Ryker stared at her, and she could read how torn he was in his expression. His shoulders slumped and he shook his head, locking a hand in his hair. “Shit.”
“I’ll be fine, Ryker,” she said, forcing a smile. “You’re right. I over-reacted at the bird, and I’m sure Garrett is nowhere near here. Go home to Mikey, and I’ll just lock my door and call for a pizza.” She made her smile widen, though ice-water ran through her veins at the thought of him leaving. “Can you recommend a good one?”
He gave an awkward grin back. “Gianni’s on Fore Street is the best.”
“Okay, I’ll call them.”
She started to move forward, forcing him to back toward the door. She reached around him and pulled it open.
“Wait,” he said. “I don’t even have your cell number. And you need to take mine, just in case.”
“Oh, right. You’ll need to call me when the car is ready.”
His face crumpled with hurt momentarily. “I was hoping to see you before then.”
“I don’t think so, Ryker. This whole thing isn’t a good idea for so many reasons.”
The hurt vanished, replaced by a hard mask. “Fine. Whatever you think.” He pushed past her and went to the desk where a pad of paper and a pen sat beside the television. “Here’s my number, just in case something comes up. I still need yours, though.”