Set Up For Love by Lynde Lakes

and suddenly glad to let him take over. “Thank you, Dane. I appreciate this.”
    The nurse wheeled her outside and waited with her until Dane got the car. It was starting to get dark outside. Jill had lost all track of time. It had turned cool. She rubbed her arms against the dampness hanging in the air.
    Dane pulled up in a shiny red Porsche. He helped her from the chair to the car with a warm, steadying grip on her arm. She winced with discomfort as she eased into the seat.
    “Your car?” she asked when they were both seated. It suited him, sleek-bodied, masculine, powerful.
    “I suppose you like it better than my Simca?” His tone was amused.
    “I may have given you the wrong impression. I’m not really into cars. It’s just that your other one seemed, well...unreliable.”
    “As a psychologist, I hope you read people better than cars. Old Nell always got me there.”
    He’d been so caring, Jill chose to take his curt remark as a joke. “Good one, reporter.”
    His puzzled expression was priceless and well worth her decision.
    “I don’t normally drive this to work.” He started the powerful engine. “But until I can replace Nell...” His deep voice trailed away.
    “I’m sorry about your other car.”
    “Yeah, well it’s no great monetary loss. Just sentimental value.”
    She glanced to the rear—pain shot through her neck. She eased her head back against the cushioned headrest. “I don’t read you as a sentimental guy.”
    “Not everyone fits your neat, psychologist package, Jill.”
    She sighed. She’d deserved that. He was paying her back for her earlier sharpness. She sank into a silence, barely aware of the business district lights as Dane drove toward the freeway. “That was a good piece of driving today,” she said after they’d gone a few more miles. “Like a pro, a stunt driver. I mean...we could’ve been killed!”
    “It wasn’t so much skill as staying calm.”
    “Well, good job, anyway.”
    A closeness rose between them, and no matter how hard she fought it, it remained. Almost dying together had strengthened their shaky bond. He’d stuck by her through the accident, waited all those hours at emergency. His concern meant more to her than she dared to admit.
    She shivered. Someone wanted him dead, too. Now besides staying alive herself, she had Tess and Dane to worry about. She rubbed her head. This dubious alliance had thrust her onto a trickier, more treacherous path. She should tell him about the van that followed her the night before. If only she knew how much she could trust him.
    “Dane, I...”
    “What?” He glanced at her, frowning.
    “Nothing.”
    “Are you all right?” His chiseled features were etched with concern.
    “I’m just tired.” If she told him about the van, it’d charge his reporter’s batteries for sure. She wasn’t up to dealing with that. But perhaps if he’d known, he could have somehow avoided the accident.
    Dane checked the rearview mirror often. “Are you holding something back?” he asked.
    “No. No.”
    His sharp look told Jill he didn’t believe her. Fighting pain, she turned her head and looked out the window to hide her lie. It was her job to hold back, and his to get her to spill her guts. Did he really think he could get her to do that?
    “Saratoga, right?” Dane asked.
    “Yes. You have a good memory.” It was hours ago that she’d given the police her address—hours ago that she’d set out to find Tess.
    She let out a breath of relief when he turned onto her elm tree-lined street. It had been tougher than she’d expected to get into a car again. During the entire drive, she’d been tensed for more trouble.
    Jill pointed to the left. “It’s the house with the white picket fence.”
    Dane pulled into her driveway and turned off the ignition. “I’ll walk in with you.”
    She was too worn out to protest, and with her knees still so shaky, she welcomed his support. Tiny fires surged through her veins as he put his