Dangerous Surrender(16)

“Okay, but why are we leaving the Pinto?”

“Did you steal it?” She hadn’t said how she’d gotten here when she’d spoken to Vadim, but the woman had broken into the man’s house with impressive ease. Somehow he didn’t think stealing a car would be an issue for her. And a Pinto didn’t seem like her style.

Her cheeks flushed, the natural caramel of her skin tone darkening to a crimson. “How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess,” he muttered, pulling his keys out of his pocket and handing them to her. “You okay to drive?”

She nodded as she clasped them in her palm. “Roman, I don’t know how I can ever thank you.” Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. “You don’t even know me and I just…thank you.”

Any kind of praise made him as uncomfortable as crying women did, so he just nodded. “No problem,” he grunted and turned on his heel. He was going to reset Vadim’s alarm, then they were getting the hell out of here. And he was going to keep Taylor safe no matter what. He couldn’t explain what it was, but he felt the strangest pull toward her, his attraction for her sharpening each second that passed.

* * *

Taylor didn’t understand why she had to wear the stupid, itchy hospital gown when she knew she wouldn’t be staying. But the scary nurse had insisted and Roman had been no help whatsoever. Shifting against the bed, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

“The gowns aren’t that bad,” Roman murmured, his eyes lit with amusement from his perch near the window.

Still no smile though. She wondered if he actually knew how. His arms were crossed over his massive chest, those different-colored eyes pinned on her. It was dark outside but the room lights glinted off his hair, highlighting the natural auburn throughout his darker brown hair. He was…ridiculously handsome. So much so that it left her feeling unbalanced. And he hadn’t left her side.

“You want to wear it then?”

His lips pulled together. “I’m not the one who got shot.”

Almost against her will she found her gaze drawn to his mouth. Damn it, what was wrong with her? Now that she was coming down from that insane adrenaline high, she should be ready to pass out again. Instead she found herself captivated by Roman… “Hey, what’s your last name?” she blurted, realizing she had no idea. And she really wanted to know.

She could barely remember the last guy she’d slept with, let alone been this attracted to. Okay, she didn’t think she’d ever been attracted to anyone as much as Roman. The timing was awful, making her feel even crappier. Her friend was dead and she was having annoying feelings for a stranger.

“MacNeil.” Now his gaze dropped to her mouth and his eyes heated with a surprising intensity.

So much so that she squirmed against the starchy sheets of the hospital bed. She opened her mouth, ready to say something—anything—when the door opened.

A huge, dark-haired man wearing black slacks, a light blue dress shirt with no tie and a police badge hooked to his belt stepped in. The man could have been a football player he was so big. He nodded once at Roman, who straightened and made a beeline for her bed.

The action surprised her, but Roman moved in like he was her personal bodyguard as he smoothly slid in place directly next to her head. She looked up at him and smiled gratefully. One corner of his mouth quirked up and she felt it all the way to her toes.

God, she was a hot mess. She shouldn’t be noticing anyone in a sexual way right now. Turning back to the man she guessed was here to see her, she forced a smile. “I assume you’re Detective Hurley?”

He nodded and grabbed a seat on the opposite side of her bed. “Yes, ma’am. Detective Cody Hurley but you can call me either. I answer to both.” He gave her a charming grin she was sure usually got the ladies ruffled. He probably used it when interrogating female suspects.

“Okay, Cody. You can call me Taylor.”

Cody pulled out a small, spiral notepad and a pen. She let out a nervous laugh, which sounded almost maniacal even to herself. Jeez, she needed to get a grip. When Roman placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, she reached up and briefly put her hand over his without thinking. She rarely depended on anyone for anything and she wasn’t sure why she was leaning on him now other than it was simply instinctual. Which, yeah, she knew was crazy. But she didn’t care because if Vadim trusted him then that was good enough for her, and the man’s presence was comforting.

The detective raised his eyebrows. “Is something funny?”

“No. I sometimes have weird social responses when I get nervous. I didn’t think detectives actually used notepads. It seems like something off of television and it’s why I laughed.” Even though it wasn’t funny at all. Stop talking, she ordered herself. At least she wasn’t laughing like a crazy person anymore so that was good.