Free When an Alpha Purrs by Eve Langlais Page B

how he got this weird, growly tone in his voice when he got upset with her.
    “After what happened, I can’t stay here. I’m leaving. Today. Probably within the next two or three hours. As soon as I can get my paycheck cashed, I’m heading to the airport.”
    “To go where?”
    She shrugged. “I haven’t figured that part out yet. I figure the less I plan, the less chance my ex will find me.”
    His brows drew together. “You’re running because of him?”
    “It’s the safest thing for me to do, not only for me but the rest of my family.”
    “It’s dumb.”
    Starkly said, and she felt the sting of the rebuke. “To you maybe.” To her, it was the only plan that made any sense and kept her family out of harm’s way.
    “You’re not thinking clearly. Running isn’t going to make this guy go away.”
    “If I’m not here, he’ll have no reason to stay.”
    “Or, if he can’t find you, then he’ll go after your family and try to make them divulge your location.”
    “He wouldn’t—”
    “What? Hurt them? Threaten them? Do you know that for certain? Are you really willing to take that chance?”
    She clamped her lips shut as his reasoning filtered. How dare he poke holes in the only plan she had?
    His voice softened. “I’m not trying to scare you, Kira. You’ve obviously already been through enough. But let’s be honest here. This asshole is desperate. Desperate guys do unpredictable things.”
    “So what do you suggest I do? Stay here and hope I don’t end up a blurb in a newspaper? Hairdresser’s body is found, victim of psycho ex-boyfriend. ”
    Arik’s eyes flashed golden as they caught the morning sun. “I won’t let him hurt you.”
    A bitter laugh built of frustration left her lips. “And how will you stop him? You can’t stay glued to me, twenty-four-seven.”
    “Want to bet?”
    Funny, he sounded utterly serious. But she was a stranger to him. A no one. A CEO of his stature had better things to do than babysit a hairdresser. “You’re being ridiculous.”
    “I see nothing ridiculous about wanting to protect you. Actually, most would call it chivalrous.”
    They would, except she couldn’t help but wonder at his motive. “Why do you care so much, anyhow? We barely know each other. We hated each other until dinner yesterday.” A lot had changed since then, though. Now they didn’t hate, but she couldn’t exactly define what she felt for him, or he for her. Lust, yes. Intrigue as well. But more than that?
    “You know what they say about hate.”
    Yeah, she knew, but surely he wasn’t so arrogant as to think she loved him, and she wasn’t gullible enough to believe for a minute he loved her.
    “This whole conversation is nuts. And I’m wasting time. I need to get moving.”
    “If you insist. Let me give you a lift.”
    “It’s not far.”
    “No, it’s not. However, given the possible danger to your person, you shouldn’t go alone. So ride with me, or walk. It doesn’t matter. Either way I am accompanying you.”
    “You are as stubborn as a donkey.” She politely refrained from using the word ass, but more because it made her think of his tight butt instead of a braying animal.
    “I prefer tenacious kitty.”
    Kitty? Arik had too much presence for anything so domestic as a cat.
    “So what will it be, mouse? Are we walking, or shall I drive you in style?”
    In the end, she chose comfort and immediately regretted it as soon as she planted her butt in the decadently warm passenger seat. The cab of his truck, while spacious, was still rather confined—and intimate. The scent of him, his cologne and general essence, surrounded her, teased her with memories of what had happened last night in that very same vehicle.
    Staring at his hands on the steering wheel, she couldn’t help but recall what those hands had done to her the previous evening. How he’d brought her such pleasure. The recollection flushed her, and a shiver went through her as desire throbbed between