“Not doing this.” He pointed at her, then at the car. “Get inside.”
She nibbled at her lower lip.
Reaching out, he cupped her chin and tilted her face back. “Girl—”
“My name is Maeve.”
“Girl, do you really think I rescued you from those assholes, carried you out here so you didn’t hurt your feet, put your shoes on, and put up with your ridiculous suggestion to find me friends just to get you in my car and murder you?”
“Well, that would be a diabolical plan,” she muttered.
“That’s not my plan. If I wanted to kidnap and murder someone, I wouldn’t go to all this fuss.”
Well, that made sense.
“I guess that’s true.”
“So come on, get in the car.”
She sighed. “I don’t live anywhere close to where you’re going.”
“You don’t know where I’m going.”
“I can guarantee that it’s nowhere close to where I’m going.” Also, she didn’t want him to know where she lived. Not only because she was currently staying in a boarding house, but because it wasn’t in the best area of town.
And she had this weird feeling that he wouldn’t take that well.
3
Maeve let Gray pull her up. He walked to the car and opened the back door before waiting for her.
And he thought he wasn’t chivalrous. Sure, he didn’t look happy about it. But then, he didn’t exactly seem like he had a sunny personality.
She scooted inside the car, groaning as she got her coat caught on the edge of the seat. She gave it a tug, gasping as it made a ripping noise.
“Oh no.” This was just the cherry on the disaster sundae this night had been.
Maybe hot cocoa wasn’t going to be enough. She needed a huge sundae with whipped cream.
Trying to keep her tears at bay, she drew the bottom of her jacket up, searching for where she might have ripped it. Was that garbage smell getting worse? Was it in the car?
“What’s wrong?” Gray asked climbed in, shutting the door.
The inside of the car had seemed big until he got in with her. He seemed to suck up all the space. He was so potent.
“Girl? Maeve! Are you all right?”
She took a shallow breath. Whoops, she hadn’t taken a breath in a while. “What? Oh, sorry.”
He stared at her. Was that concern in his eyes? No, she had to be misreading him.
“Are you all right? You didn’t seem to be breathing.”
“Sorry. I’m fine.” Lord, that was embarrassing.
He gave her a look like he didn’t believe her. Darn. She really had to work on her poker face.
“What are you doing?” he asked as she turned her attention back to her coat.