Page 14 of Dark ’N’ Deadly

“What is it?” Eric watched her intently.

“I, um—” She stopped as pride inserted itself front and center. The last thing she wanted anyone in the room to know was that she was practically broke, which was how things were going to be until she could get her business off the ground.

“Tell me,” he urged, the look in his eyes one of concern.

It was on the tip of her tongue to do just that, then her mistrust of law enforcement reared its ugly head, stopping her.

“Tess? Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

You have no idea how much I wish I could.

“How long do you expect we’ll have to stay in New Jersey?” Please, please not more than a week. She might be able to borrow some cash from Andi for her next week’s salary, but no longer. Not only wouldn’t she burden a friend that way, but she needed her salary in order to keep paying the tuition on her MBA program. Quitting before she received her degree would be tantamount to giving up on her dreams.

“I don’t know exactly.” He stared at her so hard it was as if he were trying to read her mind. “You don’t have enough money for a hotel, do you?”

Crap. He can read my mind. I’m practically broke.

Not wanting him to see the shame she felt at pushing twenty-eight and barely having a cent to her name, she lowered her chin to her chest.

He made a sound that was half groan, half growl, then dragged his hand through his hair again, harder this time. “You and Jesse can stay with me.”

…

“What?” Tess and Dayne said at the same time. If the tone of their voices didn’t convey their shock, their expressions did.

Dayne’s lips twisted into his trademark what-the-fuck-are-you-doing grimace. Tess’s jaw dropped, and her beautiful green eyes screamed: No way, Kemosabe. Frankly, she looked like she wanted to throw up. Eric understood his friend’s reaction, but why would Tess find his offer so offensive?

“Cool.” Jesse grinned.

Tess’s lips pressed together. “We are not staying with him. We’ll find somewhere else to go.”

“Yeah? Where? I don’t have any money.” Jesse held out his arms, his grin widening. “C’mon, Tess. Shackin’ up with the ATF? This, ya gotta love.”

Eric assumed the “this” was the fact that a federal agent had just offered to put up someone he’d arrested. As he watched the now-silent back-and-forth between brother and sister, he got the feeling there was something else at work there. What, he didn’t know for sure, but from what he’d seen of Tess at the Dog Park Café, she was as honest as they came and a hard worker. Accepting charity from anyone might be difficult for her, and he admired that.

“You sure about this?” Dayne’s expression was only slightly less stupefied than it had been a moment ago.

“Yeah.” No. “I’m sure.” I must be out of my fucking mind.

All his friends, especially Dayne, knew the bizarre extent to which he coveted his privacy.

Since the day he’d left home at seventeen, the only person he’d ever let stay with him was his sister, and that had been for a very brief period. Aside from Maggie, he’d never lived with another soul, not even in college, and he didn’t figure to change that. Ever. Not even to get married, because in his world, marriage was nothing short of a vampiric union that would inevitably suck the very life and soul from a person.

Now that he’d opened his big fat mouth and the supremely hasty words had flown out, it was too late to take them back.

“No.” Tess began adamantly shaking her head. “I appreciate your generous offer, but we can’t stay with you.”

“Why not?” As she stared at him, again he was struck dumb by her beauty. But her eyes, which only minutes earlier had flashed green flames at him when she’d thought he was laughing at her, were now filled with what he, again, perceived as fear.

She’s afraid of something. Me?

“We can’t impose on you like that.” She clutched the rose crystal hanging between her breasts so tightly her knuckles were white. “We’ll figure something out. I promise you, Jesse will be here first thing Monday to do this controlled delivery thing. If there’s nothing else for now, we’ll be going.” She headed for the door, looking over her shoulder at her brother. “C’mon, Jesse.”

“Tessie, don’t be such a stubborn hard-ass.” Jesse rounded the table. “If we stay with him, we’ll save a bundle, and I wanna see his dog again. This will be cool.” He frowned at Eric, adding, “He’s not gonna try takin’ another chunk outta my leg, is he?”

Eric snorted. “He only does that on command.”

“How ’bout it, Tessie?”