Kiss of a Dark Moon by Sharie Kohler Page B

pillows.
    Gideon told her their parents had given it to her their last Christmas together. She couldn’t remember, but she lied to Gideon, to herself, pretending that she did, pretending the bear meant something, pretending it held an emotional attachment for her.
    Turning, she left the bear on the bed.
    Finished packing, she slung her bags over her shoulder and turned to leave the room, jumping at the sight of Jack in the doorway.
    â€œSorry, duck. Did not mean to frighten you.”
    â€œIt’s all right,” she replied a little breathlessly, her heart hammering.
    â€œThought I’d catch a moment with you while your grandmother freshens up for the movie.” His gaze swept over the bags slung over her shoulder. “Already on your way out?”
    â€œYes.”
    His gaze lighted on the necklace at her neck. “Ah, you’re wearing it. I thought it would suit you.”
    Her hand flew to the small bronze amulet hanging from the delicate chain at her throat. Her finger absently traced the gold fleur-de-lis pattern at its center. “Yes, I love it.” He had surprised her with the necklace a few months back, finding it at one of the many antiques villages he and her grandmother frequented. Too bad he hadn’t married her grandmother. Then Kit would have had a grandparent who actually cared about her.
    She feigned looking at her watch. “Well, I’m running late.”
    He stepped aside and motioned her through the door.
    She strode down the hall and through the kitchen.
    â€œKit.”
    She stopped in the kitchen and turned to face him.
    â€œIs everything okay?”
    Her throat thickened for some reason. Because he cared about her? Or because he had grown to know her well enough to know when something was wrong? She blinked fiercely. Too bad he hadn’t been around when she was growing up.
    â€œIt’s nothing,” she assured him, walking across the kitchen to press a kiss to his bristly cheek.
    He nodded, trying, she knew, to look gruff and unaffected. He waved a hand at her. “Go on your way. I don’t want to make you late.”
    Turning, she hurried outside, the door slamming behind her, the sound ringing in the air with a finality she felt deep in her heart. Her gaze swept her surroundings as she hurried toward her car. Tossing her things inside, she slid behind the wheel.
    Pulling from the curb, she noticed a silver Hummer turning the corner and coming up fast behind her. Squinting into the rearview, she recognized the man sitting behind the wheel. Rafe Santiago.
    Her foot ground down on the accelerator. He may have let her get away back at her brother’s house, but considering whom he worked for—and that they wanted her dead—she wasn’t risking another confrontation. And she definitely wasn’t letting him follow her to her brother.
    Zipping out of the neighborhood, she trusted her knowledge of the area to outrun him. After several more turns, she left the sleepy residential area and turned onto a four-lane highway. Zigzagging out of traffic, she smiled when she noticed him slipping two cars behind. She gunned through a yellow light, chuckling when he got stuck at the red. Before he could catch up, she swerved to the far-right lane and turned. Several more turns put him well behind her.
    She continued to swerve through traffic until she reached the freeway she needed to take out of town. Still, it was several more minutes before she relaxed. Before she felt her shoulders ease back down from her ears, the tension ebb as tall buildings gave way to suburbs.
    Soon, she would be out of the city. At the next town, she would look for a used-car dealership shady enough to exchange her car without filing the proper paperwork.
    Then she would put miles, and one state, between herself and Rafe Santiago.
    And forget that she had ever met the man.

CHAPTER 10
    K it stared at the single-story building through her windshield, feeling herself