The Best Man's Plan

Because he knew Chloe would mention that she hadn’t been overly worried about her sister on this occasion, Bryan growled, “Well, they should have been. Anything could have happened to you out on the streets by yourself at this hour.”

“I’ve been living on my own for several years. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“You purposefully eluded the security guard, didn’t you?” It seemed important to make her admit it.

She shrugged, which he took as an affirmative answer.

“Why?” he demanded. “You’re free to go anywhere you want and stay as long as you like. The security guard has instructions to remain totally in the background unless you need assistance, so neither you nor anyone else should even be aware of his presence.”

“I’m always aware of their presence,” she snapped back. “I hate being followed around all the time, knowing that everything I do is being reported straight to you.”

“I don’t get reports of everything you do. Hell, Grace, I don’t care what stops you make as long as you’re safe. The only reports made to me are when the guards go on and off duty, and whether anyone suspicious tried to approach you at any time.”

“Then how did you know to come here tonight? If, as you said, no one saw me leave or knew where I was, how did you know I wasn’t in my apartment?”

“The guard noticed your car was missing when he made his final round before leaving for the night. He knew the car was there earlier and it concerned him that he hadn’t seen you emerge from the usual exit. He realized the only other way out was the service entrance, which wasn’t being watched since it was assumed you were safe in your apartment for the night. He contacted me, as he’d been instructed to do. Because I couldn’t believe you would be foolhardy enough to pull a stunt like this, I operated on the assumption that you were in trouble.”

“And you overreacted.”

“Damn it, Grace.” He stepped toward her and caught her forearms in his hands. It was all he could do not to shake her. “I was worried about you. You know Wallace Childers is still out there somewhere, and that he still hates me for putting an end to his crooked business practices.”

“You told me you were confident Childers has left the country. And that he’s too cowardly to come after you or anyone else you care about again.”

“I said I was pretty sure that was the case. If I’d been completely confident, I wouldn’t have been so insistent about security.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m fine. I’m safely home, and I’m sure you’ll make certain I don’t have a chance to slip out on my own again.”

The somberness of her words made him shake his head. “It’s only for a little while longer. Just a few more weeks, and this will all be over.”

She turned her head away so he couldn’t see her expression. “As you pointed out, it’s very late, and I’m tired. I’m sorry I worried you, and I’ll try not to do so again. I just needed a few hours to myself.”

He made a deliberate effort to loosen his grasp on her, though he didn’t release her. He wanted to ask her again where she’d been. He bit the words back because he knew he had no right to ask. He would insist on providing her with security, but as long as she cooperated in that respect, she was free to go wherever she wanted. With whomever she wanted.

Instead he said, “If this is getting to be too much for you, we can find a way to end it now. We’ll have a public spat or something.”

“The deal was, we have our so-called ‘break-up’ after the wedding so we don’t attract any negative attention beforehand. I’m not backing out on my part of the arrangement.”

“But if…”

She broke away from him, her face set in stubborn lines. “I’m sticking with it—unless you want out.”

“No,” he said quickly. “I still think it’s a good plan.”

“Fine. Now go away and let me get some rest.”

“You aren’t planning to leave again tonight, are you?”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s two in the morning. The only place I’m going is to bed.”

“I don’t suppose you want company…”

“Go home, Bryan.”

He managed a weak smile. She assumed, of course, that he’d been joking. This wasn’t the time to let her know he’d been quite serious. One sign from her and he’d have her in bed so fast her head would spin. Maybe it was a culmination of his emotions during the past few hours—but he suspected this had been building a lot longer than that. He wasn’t sure when, exactly, he’d decided he wanted Grace Pennington, but he had no doubt of it now.

Trouble was, she didn’t want him. And he didn’t know where she had been this evening—or with whom. All in all, his chances with her weren’t looking too good at the moment.

Deci