Free Star Bright by Catherine Anderson Page B

burned as he stared at her. “Just keep it,” he whispered.
    “No.” She stepped over to his desk. “I may be a liar, Mr. Harrigan, but I’m not a thief.”
    After dropping the money on the blotter, she left again. Parker stared at the closed door, unable to move. He felt awful. He went to the window to watch her leave. He expected her to speed away. Instead, she folded her slender arms over the steering wheel and rested her head on the backs of her hands.
    When several minutes passed and she still hadn’t left, Parker got a lump in his throat that he couldn’t swallow away. No question about it, he needed a serious attitude adjustment. Who’d elected him to be her judge and jury? He’d had it easy all his life—a great father, a tight-knit family, and unfailing support. The only time he’d ever gotten the snot beat out of him had been at a honky-tonk, when he’d had too much to drink and been pushed into a fight. He had no idea how it felt to be helpless and afraid, day in and day out, or how frightening it was to be on the run. He’d also never needed a job so desperately that he would have lied to get one.
     
    Rainie couldn’t drive. She was shaking too badly. Instead of keying the ignition to make her getaway, she just sat there, trembling and battling tears. She was inexpressibly grateful that Parker Harrigan had let her go, but she couldn’t erase one of his warnings from her mind: Her next employer might not be as understanding when her references didn’t check out. At least Parker had promised not to expose her. The thing was, could she trust him?
    Rainie found it difficult, if not impossible, to trust another man. When she remembered how easily Peter had duped her, she felt like an imbecile. Oh, how excited she’d been when he first called, asking if she would accept an internship at Barrestol International. Barrestol, a Seattle-based company, had been at the top of Rainie’s dream list of fabulous places to work when she finally got her degree. During her last quarter of studies before graduation, she had interviewed with one of the company’s scouts, but despite her high GPA, she hadn’t expected a job offer. Having someone from Barrestol offer her an internship had seemed too good to be true. Hello. When things seemed too good to be true, they usually were.
    Parker Harrigan fell into that category. I won’t rat you out. What was in it for him? That was the question. Recalling the speculative look in his eyes when he’d studied her the day before yesterday, Rainie had to wonder if his motives were honorable. As much as she needed a job, she wouldn’t participate in any workplace hanky-panky to keep it.
    Rainie’s heart leaped when the passenger door of the Mazda suddenly opened and Parker swung onto the seat beside her. To her frightened eyes, he looked a yard wide at the shoulders. In the faded Wranglers and wash-worn work shirt, he also looked lean and muscular in a way that city-dwelling males usually didn’t. He flashed one of those charming grins that never failed to jangle her nerves.
    “Hi,” was all he said.
    “What do you want?” she asked.
    “Nothin’.” He winked at her and extended a hand. A small silver flask rested on his broad palm. “I’ve been watchin’ you through the window, and I decided you might need a drink to settle your nerves.”
    “No, thanks.”
    “Whiskey,” he informed her, “is a great sedative.”
    “I still have to drive home. The last thing I need is a DUI.”
    “A couple of belts won’t raise your blood-alcohol level enough to get you in any trouble.” He pushed the flask at her again. “Loosen up a little, Anna. You’re runnin’ on raw nerves. If there’s anything I’ve learned in life, it’s that I can never make smart decisions when I’m upset.”
    “I’ve already made my decision.”
    “To leave, you mean?” He uncapped the flask and took a gulp of the whiskey. As he swallowed, he rubbed the mouth of the container clean