Free In Safe Arms by Lee Christine

from the flush she could feel creeping up her face.
    ‘I couldn’t think of anything else, and I remembered the climbing equipment in your garage. Sorry for the grope. I thought it might distract him.’
    ‘It worked — distracted me.’
    Josie shifted in her seat, face burning as Nate got the car up to speed again. Just her luck he’d think she was making another pass at him. And she so wasn’t. Granted, she’d snogged him once in a dark corner, but she’d been winging it just now. And yesterday’s faux pas in the garage had been an accident.
    ‘I thought you’d make a run for it.’
    Surprised, she turned to study his profile, only then noticing the light sheen of perspiration on his neck and forehead.
    He turned and caught her eye. ‘It would have been your best chance you know, with the police right there.’
    ‘I know.’
    A pause. ‘It must have crossed your mind.’
    ‘It crossed my mind. But I have a detective right here who knows more about the Altar Boys and what they’re capable of, than a highway patrol officer with a beer gut.’
    When he didn’t reply, she returned to admiring the scenery, breathing a little easier, relieved he wasn’t thinking about how she’d rubbed his thigh.

Chapter 7
    10:30 a.m. Monday
    Nate couldn’t stop thinking of how Josie had rubbed his thigh, the firm stroke of her fingers through his denim shorts, her manicured, pale pink nails sweeping close to his…
    Shit!
    He’d gone rock hard and broken out in a sweat. And it had nothing to do with the highway patrol officer at the window, or fear she’d leap from the car.
    Somehow, he’d known she wouldn’t run.
    The remainder of the journey to Echo Point passed in silence, and while he now had his body under control, he decided not to press Josie about her conversation with the woman in the supermarket.
    It was enough she’d chosen to stay.
    She trusted him.
    For now.
    But would all that change once her parents arrived back in the country?
    He turned into the driveway, pondering his decision to bring her to his home town. There was no doubt it was in his best interest. He was Nate Hunter again, and if he were careful, there was nothing stopping him going after “O” from here. And he could morph back into Nate Jordan if the Altar Boys summoned him to church.
    When they summoned him to church.
    But was it best for Josie?
    The alternative was to take her further away, somewhere far removed from Sydney, like Darwin or Perth. She’d be safer there, they both would, but the operation would be abandoned. Kennett would learn he was a fraud. And the Altar Boys wouldn’t forget he’d double crossed them.
    Neither he, nor Josie, would ever be safe in Sydney again.
    Back at the house, he put a frozen dinner in the microwave and set two places at the island bench, while Josie put her things in one of the bedrooms. He was unpacking the food purchases when a movement in the doorway caught his attention. She’d changed into green shorts and a black singlet, and with her hair pulled into a high ponytail, looked about seventeen.
    A jolt of awareness caught Nate by surprise for the third time in twelve hours. He’d have to be a monk not to notice how attractive she was.
    And he was no monk.
    He swung around and pointed to the meat pie, potato, peas and gravy rotating in the microwave. ‘Pull up a pew. Lunch is almost ready.’
    She padded across to the island bench and slid onto a stool, lifted her bare feet onto the rung. ‘I’m starving.’
    ‘I know.’ The microwave beeped, and he transferred the meal onto a square white dinner plate. ‘Usually I can do better than this, but it’s an emergency.’
    ‘It’s fine.’
    He set the plate in front of her. ‘Eat.’
    Obediently she picked up her knife and fork. ‘What about you?’
    ‘I’m not the one white as a ghost and shaking.’ He held up a cardboard box containing an identical meal. ‘Mine’s going in now.’
    She began eating, and by the time the microwave