“Unfortunately, we have to get going.”
As though sensing her discomfort, Derrick ran his hand up and down her back, soothing her.
“Come on, love.”
Jacey kept her face turned to his chest as he steered her away and toward his car. He had an arm around her, sheltering her.
“Where is your car?”
“Umm, I don’t have one.”
“Then how did you get here?” he asked, stopping by his car and turning her to face him.
“I was walking.”
He stared down at her for a long moment and she had to force herself not to squirm.
“Walking around alone at night isn’t safe, Jacey,” he scolded. Wow, he was good. She had to bite back an apology.
“You’re not my father, you know.”
“Sounds like you could use one.” He opened the passenger door. “Hop in, I’ll drive you home.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” she said. “I can walk…” she trailed off at the stern look on his face. “Or maybe not.”
She climbed in the car.
Chapter Three
What was she doing in a stranger’s car? She didn’t know the first thing about Derrick, he could be a rapist, a serial killer, hadn’t she learned not to trust people? Yet she couldn’t deny that he made her feel safe. It was bizarre. She knew nothing about him.
Jacey frowned as Derrick pulled into the parking lot of an all-night diner.
“What are you doing?” she asked. This wasn’t where she’d asked to be dropped off. She’d given him the address of some apartments close to the diner where she worked.
“I don’t know about you but I could use some coffee and pie. Join me?”
Her stomach clenched at the thought, when was the last time she’d eaten a slice of pie? Most of her meals were taken at the shelter, or were cheap slices of pizza and other fast food.
“Yeah, okay.”
Derrick got out of the car. She undid her seatbelt. Reaching down, she grabbed her backpack. It held everything she currently owned in the world. A scary thought if she let herself think about it for too long.
Derrick opened her door. How long had it been since a man had held open a door for her?
Stephan had opened doors for her when they’d been dating. And during their marriage he had acted chivalrous around others. But he’d never meant it.
Stupid bitch, all you’re good for is sucking my dick.
“Jacey? What’s wrong?”
Snapped out of her memory by Derrick’s concerned voice, she glanced up at him in surprise. “What? Oh, nothing. Sorry, I was thinking about something else.”
“Didn’t look like a pleasant thought,” he replied, opening the diner door and gesturing her to go in. It was slightly less rundown on the inside than on the outside, although that wasn’t saying much. But it was warm and while the vinyl seats were worn and the decor hadn’t been updated since the eighties it had a cozy feel to it.
Jacey sat on one side of a booth as Derrick squeezed himself into the other side. Booths just weren’t made for someone of Derrick’s height. He sat down, resting an arm along the back of the seat.
“This doesn’t seem to be your sort of place,” she commented.