3 #3
“During the walk. He took my hand and told me how perfect we were together. We liked the same food, the same flowers, we both enjoyed the live music.” As if shamed, she looked away and her voice dropped. “Everyone likes live music, the food was different, and I didn’t even remember flowers.”
“Glory.” Cupping a hand to her shoulder, he offered comfort. “He had no right to pressure you. Or to make you uncomfortable.”
“I tried to pull my hand away, but he held on.”
Son of a bitch. When Kam felt her slight trembling, protectiveness surged, stronger than ever. Hell, it leveled him. “You should have nutted
him.”
Choking on a laugh, she swatted his arm—and then allowed her hand to linger a few heavy heartbeats before she withdrew. “There
were people all around us. I didn’t want to cause a scene.”
“Fuck that. If he didn’t turn you loose, it’d be him causing the scene, not you.”
Guilt flashed over her face. Her smile disappeared as she looked down at her hands. “Maybe you’re right, but at the time,
I didn’t know what to do.”
Damn it, now he was the one making her feel bad. He scooted closer. Knowing her as he did now, he should have kept his big
mouth shut. She second-guessed herself enough as it was. “Hey, I get it. It’s tough to know what to do when someone takes
you by surprise like that.”
“When he started detailing how perfect our lives were going to be as a couple, it more than surprised me; it blindsided me.
I had just started thinking that he wasn’t that bad, and boom! He detailed our lifetime commitment. On a third date.”
Being this close to her played havoc with his system. Kam wanted to tug her into his lap, wrap his arms around her, and tell
her that she didn’t have to worry about Mike.
Instead, he said, “You’re right to stay away from him. I’m sorry I didn’t immediately back you up at the reception.” Gently, he touched her chin until she faced him. “It won’t happen again.”
“That’s a big promise to give.”
Yeah, it was. Maybe misguided, too. Glory had a great job, social connections, a well-to-do family looking out for her—even
if her aunt was often a pain in the ass—and she had a great education and a plan for her future.
What did she need from him? Nothing really.
But a few times now, he’d gotten her to laugh.
Last night, he was able to help her out with Mike.
In the long run, though, he couldn’t offer her anything she didn’t already have.
And good God, now he was thinking like Mike!
“Callie is now my sister.”
“Sister-in-law.”
“Same thing to me, so that makes you . . .”
Brows lifting, she waited.
Given how badly he wanted her, he had to search for the right word. “Important.”
Deadpan, she said, “Well, I’m glad I’m not in the sister category.”
“Or even the cousin category.” He leaned closer. “Not with the way I’ve kissed you.”
“There is that.”
“And the way I want to kiss you again.”
She looked at his mouth.
Time to regroup and fast, before he accepted her innocent invitation. “So what did you do with Mike? How’d you get away from
him?”
“I agreed that I’d had fun—but I made it clear that it was only in a very casual way, that I wasn’t thinking about more, and he shouldn’t be thinking about it, either.”
“And?”
“Because he seemed strangely volatile, I nicely asked him to let me go. He gave me a smug smile and told me he could be patient.
When he stopped squeezing my hand, I made sure he couldn’t get a hold of me again. I kept us in the middle of the crowd, and
I made a beeline for my car.”
She’d been truly spooked; Kam could see it in her eyes—in how she held herself now. “Guess he didn’t get the message.”
She shook her head. “Since then, he’s called or texted me a dozen times. It’s like I can’t shake him.”
“Have you been outright rude to him?”
“You heard me in the parking lot! I told him it had been three dates. Only three. I’ve turned him down ever since—or I’ve
ignored his calls or texts. The last time I spoke to him, I said I was moving, I’d been assigned a new job, and I wasn’t interested
in any involvement at all.”
“Then he showed up here.”
Storm clouds gathered in her eyes. “I hadn’t told him where I was.”
Needing her to know, he said, “I wasn’t doubting you, but he still found out.”
“I can’t believe Tina told him, but then, I’d never told her what a pain he’s been because he was her friend. I figured I’d
just leave and never see him again.”
“I hate to say it, I really do, but the guy sounds deranged.”
Worry lifted her shoulders and amplified her uncertainty. “I know.”
“Do you think he messed with our tires?”
“No idea—and that’s the truth. All in all, I don’t even know him that well.”
“You know he’s got his sights set on you and that he’s determined.” Kam stroked her hair again, then tunneled into the warm silk and curved his hand around her nape. “I told him to leave you alone, but he said he couldn’t because he loved you.”
Closing her eyes, she groaned. “Just as I don’t know him, he doesn’t really know me. If he did, he’d know . . .” She gave
a firm shake of her head. “Never mind.”
What had she been about to say? “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
The sound she made disproved his assertion. “You don’t know me, either, Kam.”
Not as well as he’d like to. “I’m trying.”
“It’s absurd, all of it.”
That he was interested? Maybe a little absurd, given when he’d first met her she’d been aloof. “Have you told Callie any of
this?” If Callie knew, Tanner probably knew, which meant Glory wouldn’t need him at all.
“No way.” Giving him the full force of her stare, she added, “Callie just got married. She’s taking a week to celebrate. One
lousy week. I’m not about to intrude on that, so promise me right now that you won’t say anything.”
Since he’d rather be the one helping her, he agreed. “No problem.”
His easy agreement threw her, until he added, “So here’s what we need to do.”
Glory drew back. “We?”
Did she have to sound so skeptical? Sure, he’d already ingratiated himself into her life—not in a sick way like Mike the Stalker,
but still. He had her best interests at heart, and unlike Mike, he wouldn’t pressure her.
Except he might pressure her a little to accept his help.
If she insisted that he get lost anyway, then he’d talk to Tanner and Callie and let them know what was going on. But he wouldn’t coerce her, and he wouldn’t manipulate her.
That meant he needed to use good old-fashioned persuasion.
Kam couldn’t remember the last time he’d had to deliberately turn on the charm with a woman. Hopefully, he hadn’t lost his
edge.