5
The turbulent ire churned within Kam all the way home. He’d thought the drive would give him a chance to cool down, but instead
his thoughts played an endless loop of all the ways a man could plague a woman. Never before had he felt such an overwhelming
need to ensure a woman’s safety.
Yet, he felt that for Glory.
Tanner had agreed that Mike reeked of danger. Not just pushy, not just lovesick or annoying. Something was off with Mike,
something dark and desperate.
And the guy wouldn’t quit. So far, Kam had seen him in three different modes: full of boisterous teasing when he tried to
convince Glory to let him give her a ride, sad despair when he confessed to Kam that he loved her, and now this over-the-top
shit with trying to commandeer her ride.
What mood would he be in next?
Thinking about that bothered Kam enough that even driving Glory’s flashy Mustang didn’t distract him.
Worse, the second he pulled in to Callie’s driveway, he saw all three women hanging out on the front porch, drinking iced tea and eating cookies as if they didn’t have a care.
He wished that were true, but both he and Tanner had decided that extra precautions were in order.
Starting with getting Glory’s consent to let him stay close. If he had to, he’d sleep on her front porch.
Smiling, Glory walked over. “You got my car.”
Trying for a lighter mood, Kam stepped out and ran a hand along the glossy hood. “She’s a beauty. I enjoyed being behind the
wheel.”
Glory beamed at him. “I love her, too. She was one of my indulgences when I got a nice bonus back when I turned twenty. Even
though she’s not new anymore, I can’t imagine trading her in.”
So only five years ago? Another way in which they differed; to him, a five-year-old car was definitely still new.
“I’ve kept her in good shape.”
Okay, so his teasing didn’t work if Glory also considered the car a “she.”
“Callie told me Tanner was going to lend you a hand.” She turned her face up to his. “Were you able to get your tires fixed,
too?”
Nodding, Kam handed over the keys. “Liam showed up with some spares and helped get them changed out. We took the cars to the
shop—it was only a couple of miles—and got the tires repaired. Tanner’s driving his truck and Liam’s bringing my SUV home.
I’ll drop him off when—” when I head back to your house “—I wrap up here.”
Missing his verbal stumble, Glory asked, “Repaired? I didn’t need new tires?”
This is where it got tricky. “The air was deliberately let out of your tires without doing any damage to them.”
“But . . . how?”
With the others looking on, Kam didn’t want to drag this out. Liam would arrive soon with his SUV, and he still needed to
talk to Glory about future arrangements. “Easy enough with a tool. If you compress the valve stem . . .” Yeah, given her expression,
she didn’t need a lesson on tire pressure.
Dread showed in her eyes. “What about your tires?”
Rolling a shoulder, he gave her the truth. “Someone sabotaged mine.”
Far too defeated, her eyes sank shut.
“Hey, none of that.” Kam cupped her face, always aware of her warmth and softness. Manfully, he resisted the urge to kiss
her.
Others were watching, or he’d have given in.
“They’re just tires, Glory. Not a big deal, I promise.” In the grand scheme of things, he was far more worried about her well-being.
“I’ll pay you back.”
Oh, hell no. Instead of making him angry, her offer left him comically bemused. “Absolutely not. I won’t take money from you.”
“But—”
That did it. He kissed her, quick and firm, and ignored the whispers he could hear coming from Callie’s porch. “So you assume
Mike was behind the flats, too?”
Subdued, she admitted, “It seems likely.”
More than likely. “He didn’t want me to be able to offer you a ride.” Bending his knees made it easier for him to look her
in the eyes. “He wants to get you alone, Glory.”
“He offered us both a ride.”
“What do you want to bet he’d have insisted on dropping me off first?” Without waiting for an answer, he added, “The guy is
unpredictable.” As in demented.
She stepped closer. “So you don’t think I overreacted?”
“I think you’re astute, with good instincts, but for now, I need you to shake this off so we can go somewhere private to talk.”
Belatedly remembering her cousin and Addie, she glanced that way. Both women waved, grinning.
Flushing, Glory lowered her voice. “I can’t just leave. You don’t have to wait for me, though. I’m sure you have other things
to do today, especially after taking care of my issues all morning.”
Kam scrubbed both hands over his face. “Actually, the only thing on my agenda is you.”
One slender eyebrow lifted. “Me?”
Did she have to sound so incredulous? “Hate to break it to you, but Mike was there.”
Her lips barely moved when she breathed, “What?”
“Yeah, my reaction exactly.”
Liam pulled up to the curb with his SUV, so Kam attempted to hurry her along. “I’ve got a lot to tell you, and it’s better
shared in private, so how about you gather up whatever you need and we’ll head to your house to discuss our plans.”
“But—”
He pressed a finger to her mouth, then didn’t want to stop touching her. “Yes, it’s still our plans. And so you know, Tanner and I discussed it. He met Mike, and he’s all set to insist you stay with him and Callie.”
“I would never!”
“Told him that. But if you disagree, he’s sure Addie will come calling on you, because she won’t want you alone right now,
either.”
Issuing a growl of frustration, she turned away, then turned right back. “Callie told me I was in a small town now, and things
were done differently.”
“She’s not wrong.” Bless you, Callie. “So what do you say? Want to grab a late lunch with me and we can strategize?”
Something softened in her expression. “Strategize, huh?”
“Over food. I’m starving.”
“All right, but only if it’s my treat.” This time, she smashed her finger to his mouth. “You took care of my tires. It’s the
least I can do.”
In reply, he licked her finger, causing her to jerk back. Eyes wide with disbelief, she cradled her hand to her heart. “Kam.” Scandalized, she darted her gaze around. “Behave.”
One quick look and Kam saw Addie, Callie, and Liam making no pretense of watching on. Shit. He wanted—needed—Glory to accept
him. He hadn’t felt this damned desperate since he’d been a kid, uprooted from hell and dropped into heaven with no idea how
to adjust, afraid to accept, and more afraid not to.
“Lunch,” he said, ordering himself to ignore the wash of pink color in her cheeks. “Time for us to head out.” Time for him
to get it together.
Past time for him to decide what he wanted, and how he was going to work it out.
“I can’t believe I didn’t know this place was here.” The small diner seemed to be run by two older men, one in the kitchen
cooking and the other on the floor ensuring the customers were pleased. They were both balding, both big around the bellies,
and both good-humored in a coarse but jovial way.
When Kam had walked in with her, the man on the floor had called out to him, saying, “Steppin’ up your game, boy? I approve.”
Kam had muttered, “Ignore him,” then said louder to the man, “Don’t heckle her, Ted.”
Ignoring him was easier said than done when Ted came to seat them personally, then hung around to ask Glory her name and if she’d be in town long.
Of course, she’d clarified that she lived in the area now and apologized for not knowing about the restaurant sooner.
“New blood. Just what this town needs. You’ll certainly pretty up the place.” He’d clapped Kam on the shoulder. “Not that
our boy doesn’t always have a looker hanging on.”
She saw it in Kam’s set face, how he expected her to be insulted. Instead, she laughed. “Please note that I’m not hanging on. Just having lunch, that’s all.”
“Give him time, give him time. Ain’t that right, Kam?”
“Stow it, Ted, before you embarrass her.”
“Huh. She’s not the one looking embarrassed.”
Kam gave an eye roll and then did introductions, explaining that she was Callie’s cousin. Plenty of heads had turned. It seemed
everyone knew Callie, but then, it was big news that Tanner had married.
Now, with their meals almost gone, she realized Kam was watching her eat. “What?”
He sat back in his seat, smiling at how she finished off her loaded cheeseburger. “It’s good, right?”
“Delicious.” She hadn’t indulged in this type of food in forever.
A sensual smile curved his mouth. “Told you you’d like it.”
“Liking it isn’t my problem.” She liked it a little too much.
“Then thank you for indulging me by splurging a little.”
If she indulged too often, she’d have to deal with the consequences of unhealthy eating. Pretending to share a great secret,
she put a hand to her mouth and whispered, “Just don’t tell Liz.” Callie’s mother had more than her fair share of opinions
on everything.
Folding his arms on the tabletop and leaning in, Kam said just as quietly, “Or, you could tell Liz to mind her own business.”
Shocking. Never in a million years would she do that. “Liz means well. She always has my best interests at heart.”
Kam didn’t bother to hide his doubt. “If you say so.”
In a bid to change the subject, Glory pushed her empty plate aside and got serious. “You said we need to do some planning?”
“We do.” Full of grave concern, he reached across the table and took her hands. “I think Mike hoped to find you alone, convince
you to let him help with the tow truck driver, and then you’d have to give him your address.”
Just the thought of that had her grip tightening on his. It was so nice of him to lend her some of his strength.
It’d be nicer still if she could find her own store of fortitude. “If that’s true, then you don’t think it was him who broke
my window?”
“Didn’t say that.”
“Then . . .”
“He’d have been cleared of the window, able to say he’d only just learned your address.”
She hadn’t thought of that.
“Good old Mike would look all benevolent and shit, caring only for your well-being, only wanting to help.”
“I guess that makes sense.” Just how far would Mike go? The fact that she questioned it scared her. The idea of being alone