said, worried about a marital fight because of her.
“And yet, according to Wyatt, Adriana is not throwing you under the bus and blaming you for withholding your friendship from us.”
“Well, she should.” Guilt pushed through her at ever asking Adriana to keep a secret from her husband.
“And real friends go to bat for each other. It sounds to me like you’re not too familiar with what it’s like to have people in your corner like that.” His tone was sad, as if he truly felt pity for her.
“I, um.” Shit, was she getting emotional right now? No, it had to be bad mascara. The stinging in her eyes was because she forgot to buy a new tube, too preoccupied with her assignment to remember to shop. “Kyle was never in my corner,” she continued, slightly surprised she was making such a confession. “Well, more like he tried to box me into one. Too protective. I didn’t need that. I don’t need—”
“You don’t need help? Someone to care about you?” he asked, and how was this conversation taking such a sharp and personal turn?
“I don’t need protecting. I can handle myself.” Cold and dead. Heartless.
“You ever consider that keeping someone safe isn’t because they don’t believe you’re capable, but because they just care?”
“Are you really defending Kyle?” she asked in surprise, twisting to the side to gain a better view of him.
A.J. shifted lanes and pulled off the side of the highway so fast she’d barely had time to steel herself for the action. She jerked forward, the seatbelt catching her, when he firmly applied the brakes.
When A.J. unbuckled, whipped his sunglasses off and faced her, his eyes were the color of the ocean during a storm. His forearm rested over the top of the wheel as he studied her. Words on the tip of his tongue, and this time, she didn’t have a clue as to what he might say.
She gulped and studied him while the vehicle shook as cars and trucks flew past them.
“No, I’m not defending your ex,” he growled out in a low, raspy voice. “But I am defending the kind of man I am.”
Her fingers feathered across her chest as he kept his eyes pinned on her in an intense gaze. “And what kind of man are you?” she whispered, her body tensing up.
“I’m a man who will do absolutely everything in his power to protect the people I care about, and right now, that person is you. I can’t imagine you being out here alone, FBI agent or not, and if my wanting to help keep you safe bothers you, well, tough shit,” he hissed between his teeth, edging his face even closer.
Chills coated her body as she waited for him to continue, knowing he had more to say.
“And no, hiding out with you was never the original plan. You look guilty as sin when you stack all the cards up, but I believe you. I just fucking do. So, maybe you don’t like getting help, or having a man protect you, but I’m here now, and you ain’t gettin rid of me, sugar.” He jerked his focus back to the road and reached for his seatbelt, but she extended an arm, unable to stop herself.
He tensed and let go of a deep breath but kept his eyes set on the road. Jaw tight. Angry. This was a man hurting. A man who’d experienced pain, and it was pouring right out of him so hot and heavy she physically felt it.
“Look at me,” she requested, her tone soft. “Please.”
“I’m looking at you,” he announced when facing her. “Right now. Right here. I see you.” He pointed a finger, and it nearly touched her chest. “I see a woman afraid to let her guard down, especially to someone like me. But you need to, or you’ll get us both killed. And I reckon you don’t want that, now, do you?”
She leaned in closer, unaware she was even doing it. “I don’t know how to do that, how to let my guard down,” she murmured, surprised he’d managed that confession from her.
And yet, here he was, shattering her world alongside a highway.
“I can teach you.” He added a genuine nod that had her nearly believing it was possible.
Cold and dead on the inside didn’t feel like the truth with his eyes and his trust pointed her way. More like warmth and sunshine. “I’m not an easy student. I’m stubborn,” she admitted, those annoying tears creeping back into