Free When You Dare by Lori Foster Page B

down her pale cheeks, more from being choked than weeping.
    Bystanders gathered around her. One woman collected Molly’s dumped belongings for her and, when she didn’t accept them, set them near her feet.
    His gaze glued to her, Dare elbowed his way through the crowd and reached out. “Molly.”
    She launched against him.
    Tightening his arms around her, he tucked her face in close and let her hide from their gaping audience. “I’ve got you, Molly. It’s okay now.”
    But it wasn’t, and they both knew it.
    Someone wanted her badly enough to risk grabbing her in the middle of a busy parking lot. The truck driver had been no more than a diversion for him—and he’d fallen for it.
    Fury, aimed at himself, made Dare a little more gruff than necessary when he pushed her back to see her face.
    “Are you hurt?”
    Eyes a little wild, face still white, she shook her head, saying shakily, “No. I don’t think so.”
    But her knees were bleeding, and her hair was again a mess. He’d seen many things in his lifetime, and he’d gained a reputation for his calm, calculated response. Seeing Molly this way left him churning with very unfamiliar feelings.
    Cold and precise, he caught Molly’s elbow and grabbed up her bags. “Let’s go.”
    He practically dragged her along, but he didn’t want to take any more chances. Someone behind them yelled, “I called the cops. They’re on the way.”
    Dare ignored him. Cops would want Molly to stick around answering questions, and that went against what Dare wanted—which was to get her the fuck out of there, away from danger.
    No way in hell would he miss their chartered flight.
    He opened the door of the rented van, shoved her purchases to the floor, and all but put her in the passenger seat. He even buckled her in—and she didn’t protest.
    She looked to be in shock, white-faced, shaken and so silent that it hurt him. Damn it, he wasn’t a man to act without thinking things through, but now, with her…
    The insane pressure built until he couldn’t bear it anymore.
    Dare cupped her face, leaned in and gave her a hard, fast kiss on the mouth.
    That got her focused again. Heat flooded her face, and she inhaled sharply. As she touched shaking fingertips to her mouth, her wide-eyed gaze locked on his.
    Still with his hand covering the coolness of her cheek, Dare said, “I’m not going to let them hurt you again, Molly. I swear it.”
    Two deep breaths expanded her chest. She rolled her lips in, stared a moment more, and then nodded. “Okay. I…” She blinked. “Thank you, Dare.”
    Her gratitude made him growl, but damn it, he didn’t have time to explain something to her that even he still didn’t understand. He slammed her door and jogged around to the driver’s side. If he didn’t hurry, they’d be there when the cops arrived and then he’d lose control of the situation. He needed to focus on protecting her, not dwell on how soft and sweet her mouth felt under his.
    Within minutes they were well away from the Walmart and the possibility of police delays.
    On the ride to the airstrip where they’d catch the charter plane, Dare questioned her. “Did the guy who grabbed you say anything?”
    She held her hands in her lap, her face filled with confusion, maybe as much from his kiss as her near abduction. Dare could still taste her, and that brief touch of her mouth on his had stirred him and left him more determined than ever to keep her safe.
    “They said to come along or I’d die.” She looked over at him. “But…they probably planned to kill me either way, don’t you think? That’s why I fought them.”
    “You did good. You slowed them down.”
    “I knew you were close by, and I knew that you’d get to me in time.”
    Her faith struck him even more than that kiss had.
    With still-wavering composure, she said, “Thank you, Dare. That’s twice now—”
    His temper all but snapped. “Damn it, Molly.”
    She jumped, and, feeling like a bully, he