Free Crash and Burn by Maggie Nash Page A

and toes then.”
    Daniel smiled wryly. “At least you still have your sense of humor.”
    “I wasn’t joking. We need all the luck we can get.”
    The shopping center came into view. Daniel entered the car park and slowed down. Dozens of shoppers were driving slowly around the lanes searching for a parking spot.
    Everywhere it seemed elderly couples and mothers with children in strollers were negotiating the lanes, making their way to the mall entrance. The blue van followed them into the car park, hovering slowly and checking each lane for signs of their retreat. Daniel saw it creeping up slowly toward them so he waited until another car moved in behind him, then shot out toward the car park exit.
    The blue van sped up, but got stuck behind a stream of cars, effectively preventing it from following. The driver blasted the horn, but all that achieved was some rude gestures and shouting from the other drivers. Too easy.
    Thank God. Beth started to breathe normally again, which was a bit of an effort since she’d been holding her breath for so long. “Where to now?” she asked.
    “If we hurry, we can replace the car before the car dealers close then we’ll find a place to stay.”
    “O-kay…so you have an unlimited supply of cash in that duffel bag in the back then?”
    “Actually, I do,” said Daniel.
    Beth turned to him, open-mouthed and wide-eyed, and he chuckled. “Well, almost. I do have enough to get us set up with a different car and to get by for a few days.”
    An hour later they were driving off from a used car dealer in a rather nondescript white sedan. Daniel even haggled over the price, much to Beth’s surprise.
    Hoping she could stave off the inevitable growls of hunger, Beth turned to Daniel. “So where’s that meal you promised me?”
    “Stomach growling again?”
    Beth poked her tongue at him. “Enough of the teasing already.”
    “Thai food okay?” he said as he pulled into the driveway of a five-star hotel.
    “I love Thai food, but what are we doing here? Isn’t this a little public?”
    “Not now,” he hushed as the hotel doorman opened the car door for her to get out. “I’ll explain later.”
    Daniel checked them into a suite as Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, a couple from Sydney. Beth felt a flush of heat all over her body at the thought of sharing with him, silently hoping that this ‘suite’ had more than one room. She’d tried to deny the attraction she felt for him, but geez it was going to be difficult being this close to him.
    Stop worrying about it, Beth. Focus on the problem, not the man. Yeah, right!
    She needed to get out of this mess. She didn’t need a fling with someone she may never see again. Definitely not her style at all. She watched him from behind as he charmed the hotel receptionist while leaning forward on the counter, showing a very sexy rear end. She groaned inwardly. Oh God . Focusing on her problems clearly wasn’t working. When this is over, I definitely need to get out more.
     
    * * * *
     
    As the bellboy opened the room and placed their bags on the stand, Daniel sighed. He was tired from being on the run and he couldn’t think straight. Add to that the attraction he felt for Beth and he was worried. Worried that he’d never figure out who was following them. Worried that something bad would happen at the Conference unless he found the leak in the department. Worried that Beth was still in danger. And scared stiff that he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her.
    Without even trying, Beth managed to awaken feelings he had no right to be having. He couldn’t afford to have them. This time he wasn’t going to get emotionally involved. Emotions got in the way of clear thinking and emotions could get people killed. He couldn’t let that happen to anyone again, especially not to Beth. He had to get the job done and fast, and move on.
    At least it was a two-room suite. That should give him the space he needed to get some work done. His eyes skimmed the