Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,125

morning.”

“Oh.” She winced guiltily. “I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I left a note on the fridge.”

“Yeah,” he said bitterly. “I read it. ‘Tom, I’m moving. Don’t worry, I’ll keep paying the rent.’ Which was the last thing I was thinking about.” He exhaled, visibly trying to calm his temper. “Will you at least tell me where you’re living?”

She hesitated, tempted not to tell him. But that would also be childish. “Karl’s company keeps an apartment in Granite Bay for VIP clients. Top-of-the-line security, a guard in the lobby. A gated, guarded parking garage. Cameras everywhere. It’s very safe.” And because she needed to reclaim a little of her pride, she lifted her chin. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“But I liked taking care of you. You’re important. You’re my—” He went abruptly silent, as if realizing he was about to say the very wrong thing.

Too late. “Your friend,” she said, trying so hard not to sound bitter.

He took a step closer. “Because we are. Aren’t we?”

Liza took a step back, her eyes filling with tears. “I need more than that.”

He flinched, then shook his head helplessly.

Get this back on track. Back to business. “Did you get the copy of the photo ID that I sent you? The one that William Holly used eighteen years ago to get that Eden tattoo?”

“I did. I’ve already got it printed out and tacked to my bulletin board. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Mercy, Gideon, Amos, and Abigail.”

“I know.” He looked at his feet for a moment before lifting his gaze, filled with hurt. “Will you tell me where you went today?”

“I promised the artist that I wouldn’t. The FBI scared him into moving away the last time you visited.”

“I didn’t visit him,” Tom said defensively. “It wasn’t me who scared him.”

“I know. I meant ‘you’ in the sense of ‘you FBI guys.’ I won’t expose him. I promised.”

“You also promised you’d live here with me,” he blurted out. “But you e-mailed me that you placed an ad for someone to sublet your side.”

“Oh, that’s why you swore at me,” she murmured. “You saw my e-mail.”

“I have to approve whoever you choose.” Now he sounded arrogant, but she could still hear the hurt underneath. “It’s in your lease.”

She knew that, and it was a fair requirement. “If you don’t approve them, I’ll continue to pay the rent myself.”

“And not live here?” he asked, stunned. “How can you afford to pay rent on two places?”

“It’ll cut into my savings, but it’ll only be for a little while. I’ve applied for dorm housing starting in July and there may be financial aid for that.”

“Liza.” Then he frowned. “Wait. What do you mean, ‘that’s why you swore at me’?” His face paled. “How long were you standing there? What did you hear?”

“Long enough. And everything you and your boss discussed.”

Twin red stripes rose on his cheekbones. His breathing ticked up. He was angry. But she wasn’t afraid. She’d never been afraid of Tom Hunter. She was only afraid of how he made her feel. And what she was willing to do to make him happy.

“You had no right,” he hissed.

“You’re right. I didn’t. I didn’t plan to overhear you, but I did. And now I know that they are hiring a nursing assistant at Sunnyside Oaks.”

Tom staggered back a step, anger now mixed with fear. “You wouldn’t. You can’t.”

“I will and I can. I’m qualified for the position.”

“Liza, no.” His jaw went tight. “I forbid it.”

She gaped at him. “You what?”

“I. Forbid. It.”

A tendril of temper unfurled in her chest and she welcomed it. Anger was a million times better than despair. “You can’t stop me.”

He was in her space before she was aware that he’d started to move, his big hands gripping her upper arms. His grip was firm, but not punishing. She still wasn’t afraid.

She was pissed off, but she didn’t shrug him off, because he was touching her and she was pathetically needy. She swallowed a whimper. Barely.

“Watch me,” he said in a low growl.

His face was close, his nose millimeters from hers. His mouth was unsmiling. Still, she wanted it more than she wanted to breathe. She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to his lips. Would they be soft? Or hard? How would he taste?

No, no, no, no. Stop it. Stop it now.

She yanked her gaze up. And froze.

Because he was looking at her