Tangled Hearts by Barbara McMahon Read Free Book Online Page B

some overextended sense of duty?
    “Besides, there wasn’t anything you could have done that the policeman on duty last night didn’t do. I spent the rest of the night with the Bensons.”
    “I sure as hell could have done something. Exactly what I’m going to do now,” he said, releasing her and turning to the lecture desk. “This all your stuff?”
    The sudden change was unexpected. Brianna nodded.
    “Where do you want it?” He gathered up the stack of papers and folders.
    “In my office, but I can manage.”
    She reached for them, but he was already heading toward the back of the hall. Snagging his jacket en route, he waited for her by the door.
    “Jake, I can manage,” she repeated.
    “Sure, you’ve done a great job so far. Let’s go. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us.”
    “What are you talking about?” She almost had to skip to keep up with his longer stride. Throwing on her coat, she dodged a group of students and followed him from the lecture hall to her office.
    He dumped her papers on her desk and turned to take her arm. “Let’s go.”
    She dug in her heels and pulled Jake to a stop.
    “Wait a darn minute. Just what do you think you’re doing? And where do you think we’re going?”
    “I’m taking you out of Texarkana for a couple of days. It’s too dangerous for you to stay around while some crook keeps breaking into your house.”
    “I’m not going with you. I was going to stay with Sandy for a couple of days—”
    “Yeah, Don told me he had you arrange to stay somewhere else. Call and cancel.”
    “I haven’t arranged it yet, but I—”
    “Good, then there’s no problem. Need anything from here?”
    “Hold it! I’m not going anywhere with you.”
    Her mind boggled at the notion. Spend several days alone with Jake, no one else around? No matter how much the idea appealed, it would be emotional suicide. Yet a tiny portion of her couldn’t resist just hearing what he had to say. Nothing more.
    “Where?” she asked.
    That slow, seductive smile he gave so sparingly tilted the corners of his lips. Her heart caught fire. She’d walk through fire for those smiles.
    “I have a place up in the Winding Stairs Mountains a couple of hours from here. We’ll stay the weekend there. That’ll give Don and his men a chance to follow up on some leads and stake out your house without your being around.”
    “What leads?”
    “We caught a break. You have a new mama in your complex. She’d just put baby to sleep when she heard the breaking glass. She looked out the window and caught a glimpse of the intruder. She was even able to give us a partial description of his car. We’ll get him, Brie. We just need time.”
    “Then I’ll be fine at home.”
    “Until then, you’re coming with me.”
    He tugged gently and she went with him. Her thoughts churning, Brianna tried to decide the best course of action. The prudent course of action, not what her heart clamored for.
    “We can’t leave for the weekend. It’s only Thursday,” she protested, trying frantically to come up with convincing reasons his plan would never work. She had to be calm and rational about it all and come up with a sound reason to stay as far from him as possible.
    “That was your last class, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes. What about your work?”
    “I’m taking a few days’ vacation. I haven’t had one in years so they owe me.”
    She was intrigued. “Why not?”
    “Why not what?” He glanced down at her as they reached his car. “Will your car be all right here over the weekend?”
    She looked around. “If I were leaving it here for the weekend, it would be, but—”
    “Get into the car.” He hustled her into his four-wheel-drive Jeep, leaned so close she thought he was going to kiss her again.
    “I’m not sure this is such a good idea,” she whispered.
    “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
    “Will you?”
    He hadn’t before. She’d been so hurt. And he didn’t even have a clue. It was probably a