Free Wise Moves by Mary Burton Page A

reflection in the Plexiglas Yoga Studio sign that hung behind the reception desk. She ran her hand through her short hair. It still startled her and she wondered if she’d ever get to the point where she recognize herself in the mirror again
    She frowned at the black roots. They were getting too long. She’d have to find a drugstore tomorrow and buy more hair dye.
    She’d been so careful, and she didn’t want something as foolish as hair color to trip her up.
    Her outfit was beyond simple: jeans, a white T-shirt and black sandals she’d bought at the Goodwill in North Carolina.
    By all standards, she’d come down in the world. She had next to nothing and each day was an unknown. But in truth, she had never felt better. Benito was out of her life and the taste of freedom was so much sweeter than any expensive champagne Benito had paid for.
    This was her life. All that she had, she’d earned. No one was paying doormen to get her to the front of the line. No one was feeding her compliments so they could get to her brother. This new life of hers wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it was all hers and she was proud of it.
    The rumble of Dane’s truck pulled her out of her thoughts. She checked her watch. Seven on the dot. Her stomach fluttered as she watched him climb out of the cab. He’d changed into a white collared shirt, worn khakis and his work boots. His hair was wet from a shower and he’d shaved. He moved round to the front of the truck, his swagger hinting at military service.
    For the first time in months she wished she’d had a bit of perfume to dab between her ears and maybe a tube of lipstick to brighten her lips. So much had changed in her life, but the streak of vanity had not vanished.
    She went outside. “Right on time,” she said. She smiled as she closed and locked the front door.
    Even white teeth flashed. “I’m a stickler for time.”
    She moved down the steps, savoring the way he looked at her. Many men had leered at her in her life and she’d ignored most. Since Carlos, only Dane’s intense gaze made her knees feel weak.
    All day, she’d thought about when she’d kissed Dane. She’d chocked up the insanity of those kisses to loneliness and the need to feel connected to someone else. But now she knew she’d have been drawn to Dane even if she still had the legion of acquaintances and money she’d once had.
    Dane Cambia stood out in a crowd.
    “So where are we going?” he said, meeting her on the sidewalk. “You said there is a deli close by?”
    “It’s called Winston’s. Sheridan told me about it. It’s very good.”
    He squeezed her hand gently. “Then let’s go.”
    When they reached the car, she hesitated and waited for him to open the door. He started around the front of the car until he saw her standing there. “Everything okay?”
    Kristen realized her blunder. Elena would have expected a man to open her door but Kristen never would have. For nine months, she’d denied all things feminine. But since Dane had walked into her life, she’d been very aware that she was a woman.
    Feeling a little foolish, she pretended to fix her shoe and then reached for the door handle. “My shoelace needed tying.”
    “Right.” A smile lifted the edge of his lips. He didn’t believe her.
    Kristen sat in the front seat, examining the interior, hoping for insight into the man. It was neat, organized. A large empty convenience-store coffee cup sat in the cup holder and there was an uneaten pack of Nabs tucked in the side pocket of his seat.
    Without saying a word, he started the car and put it into Drive. Soon he was moving down the street. “Which way?”
    “Take your first left.” She’d only been in town two weeks but she’d already learned the streets, a habit she’d developed since she’d been on the run. Always good to know the escape routes.
    She directed him through two more turns and within minutes he’d pulled into the deli lot. This time she