The Spy Who Came For Christmas(10)

As if she’d forgotten. “We don’t know each other that well.”

“The sheriff vouches for me.”

She still hesitated.

“I swear, Jemma, I would never hurt you. That isn’t who I am.”

The problem was that she wasn’t sure who he really was. Or maybe I don’t even know who I actually am.

“You need to know this—Brad said that wasn’t Matthew up here tonight.”

She shook her head. “It was his truck.” Jemma was definite on this one. She knew that vehicle. All the locals did.

“Yeah, well, seems Matthew is puking his guts out at home, and while he was busy hugging the toilet, someone stole his ride. Stole it and came up here, looking to scare you.”

Her hand tightened on the door. “Why would someone do that?”

His head cocked. Her porch light fell onto him. “I don’t know, sweetheart.” His voice was very gentle. “You want to tell me? You got any enemies I need to know about? Enemies I need to take care of for you?”

Take care of—Her eyes widened. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I don’t like the idea of anyone hurting you. Not ever.”

She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat.

“I want to stay here tonight.”

Okay, now she’d misheard.

“On the couch,” Grayson said quickly. “Just on the couch. I don’t like that the driver of that truck was just out there—and you’re isolated on this road. Let me keep you company, just in case, all right?”

“I’m perfectly safe.” She had a gun in her nightstand. She had Brad on speed dial. She had an alarm system in place.

“Yeah, you probably are,” he agreed. “But I don’t think I’d be able to sleep if I left. I’d just worry about you all night long.”

Her lips pressed together.

“The couch,” he said again. “Just the couch. And once Brad gets that creep, I swear, I’ll be gone.”

Her chest ached. “You have some kind of white knight complex, don’t you?”

“Hardly.”

“Liar.” She hesitated. “Give me a minute, okay?”

“Jemma—”

She shut the door. Then, yeah, she used speed dial and got Brad on the phone.

“Jemma!” Alarm flared in Brad’s voice. “What’s wrong? You need me? I am on the way—”

“Can I trust Grayson Cole?”

Silence.

Oh, damn, that wasn’t good. “Brad?”

“He’s not a criminal. And I’ve never known him to so much as lift a finger toward an innocent.”

Her breath rushed out. “That’s hardly a ringing endorsement.” Why couldn’t he just say…Yeah, you can totally trust Gray. He’s one of the good guys. Friends were supposed to say that about their friends, weren’t they? “He’s on my doorstep, saying that he wants to sleep on my couch.” And she was rambling. “Something about Matthew’s truck being stolen and—”

“You can count on Gray to keep you safe.” Now Brad sounded gruff. “If he’s there, trying to offer you protection, let him.”

She was missing something. “Is…everything okay?”

“I’m trying to figure that shit out now.” His words were muttered. “Look, Gray has the highest clearance, okay? If there is any threat, trust me, Gray can handle it. Just…don’t go giving him your heart, okay, Jemma? Let him keep you safe tonight, that actually sounds like one damn good idea to me, but…don’t let it go any further. You don’t want that.”

Brad was her friend. She liked him. She respected him. But he had no idea what she wanted. “Thank you.” She hung up the phone even though he’d been calling her name again.

She put the phone on a nearby table and her fingers unhooked the chain on her door. She opened the door and found Grayson standing just where he’d been before.

He lifted a brow at her. “Did I check out okay?”

“Well enough.” She cleared her throat. “Brad says you’re good at protection.” But that I need to watch myself with you.

Grayson stepped over the threshold and came into her house. She didn’t back away, so their bodies brushed. “I do rather excel at that,” he said.

She tilted her head back as she stared up at him. “I really…don’t think you staying here is necessary.” And if she’d had a different past, she probably would have sent him away. But…

I don’t have a different past. I have demons. I have pain. I hate them all.

Grayson’s hand rose and curled under her chin. “What do I have to do…” Grayson murmured. “To make you trust me?”

She didn’t know. Jemma backed away, quickly, but as soon as she was near the couch, she was missing his touch already. Grayson shut and locked the door. She reset the alarm. She grabbed him some extra covers and pillows and she put them on the couch as quickly as she could.

Her robe skimmed the tops of her thighs. It was made of soft cotton and she normally loved the feel of it against her skin, but right then…

Grayson’s eyes were on her legs.

She tried to tug down the edge of that robe a bit more.