Free Hot on Her Heels by Susan Mallery Page B

caliber Glock. “You have extra magazines?”
    â€œUnderneath the gun.”
    She raised the false bottom of the case and pulled out the extra magazine for the Glock. After checking the gun to make sure that magazine was full, she put both on the seat beside her.
    She looked annoyed. He wasn’t sure if she was pissed that he’d tried to leave without her or that he was handing out weapons. Maybe both.
    â€œYou want some coffee?” he asked, walking toward the small galley in front. “Breakfast?”
    She followed him and peered over his shoulder at the pot of coffee heating and the insulated boxes of food.
    â€œThere’s no flight attendant, so we’ll have to serve ourselves,” he told her. “I didn’t want anyone along who wasn’t necessary.”
    â€œI must have been an unwelcome arrival,” she said, pushing him out of the way and opening the box.
    There were containers of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. Hash browns, toast and a warm fruit compote. In a separate insulated container was milk, juice, sliced fruit and several Danish.
    â€œYou do know how to travel in style,” she murmured. “Are there plates?”
    He pointed to a cupboard above the tiny counter.
    â€œDo the pilots eat?” she asked.
    â€œNot usually. They’ll come back and get coffee when they want it.”
    She pulled out all the food and set it on the counter. They each filled their plates, then carried them back to the leather seats.
    â€œYou were up early,” he said. “How’d you know I was leaving?”
    â€œI didn’t. I got lucky.” She glared at him over her breakfast. “You tried to leave without me.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWe have rules.”
    â€œNo, we don’t.”
    Her brown eyes were bright with annoyance, her skin flushed. She looked like a woman ready to take him on. Normally he would welcome the challenge, but this morning he had a lot on his mind.
    â€œWe do now,” she snapped. “You don’t go anywhere without telling me.”
    That made him chuckle. “Because you’re going to make me?”
    â€œI’ll do what I have to.”
    He was letting her hang around because she was a conduit to his sisters. Information flowed both ways, whether Dana recognized that or not. If he needed to set them up, she would be the method. Although that seemed less and less likely. He also allowed Dana to stay close because he enjoyed her company.
    She was tough and strong, but still relatively naive.He would guess for all her bravado, she didn’t have the instinct to go for the cheap shot. His instincts had been honed while being held and tortured in a South American jungle. He knew he would kill to survive. She hadn’t been tested yet. Neither of them could know how she would react.
    Oddly, a part of him wanted to make sure that didn’t change. He wanted to ensure she was never that scared, that up against a wall. He wanted to keep her safe.
    Travel light, he reminded himself. Caring only brought trouble. Nick had been an easy friend. Nick had understood and could take care of himself. But Dana would require things he didn’t have to give.
    â€œDana, I’m cooperating because it suits me, nothing else. The day you get to be too big a pain in the ass is the day it all ends.”
    â€œYou don’t scare me.”
    â€œI’m not trying to. I’m making a point. I don’t owe you or my sisters anything.”
    Her mouth twisted. “You’re wrong. You do owe them and you know it. You hurt them because of something Jed did. That isn’t right. Now you have to make up for that.”
    She sounded sincere. Did she actually believe that?
    He looked at her. “Have we met? I’m Garth Duncan, ruthless bastard.”
    She dug into her breakfast. “You’re not all that.”
    â€œSure I am.”
    The corners of her mouth tilted up in an almost-smile.