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Hiding From Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 2)
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Hiding From Danger
Danger Incorporated
Book Two
by
Olivia Jaymes
www.OliviaJaymes.com
Hiding From Danger
Georgette “Gigi” Sidney is a woman on the run. Her ex-boyfriend’s love was controlling, obsessive, and deadly. Now she’s hiding out in Tremont, Montana spending her days as a waitress and her nights in West Anderson’s bed. She ought to be moving on to the next town but her feelings for the handsome detective have complicated her plans.
Everything in life has come easily for West Anderson. Until now. Despite the passionate nights he and Gigi have shared she’s constantly talking about leaving town. He knows she has some sort of a secret but so far she hasn’t trusted him enough to reveal it.
When Gigi’s past interferes with the present she has to finally tell West the truth…about everything. She needs twenty-four hour protection and he’s just the man for the job.
If West has his way there will be no more running, no more excuses, and no more lies. He’s determined to put the past to rest so that he can be her future. All he has to do is catch a madman and keep her alive while doing it.
HIDING FROM DANGER
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2015 by Olivia Jaymes
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
Table of Contents
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Books by the Author
Chapter One
‡
Georgette “Gigi” Sidney ran her fingers down Westin Anderson’s spine, his skin smooth and warm to the touch. Her limbs still languid and her mind fuzzy after the lovemaking they’d shared mere moments before, he’d tucked her into the curve of his body with her head pillowed on his bicep and his leg thrown over her possessively.
No. Not making love. Sex. It was just sex.
Awesome sex, though. Off the charts amazing. West knew all the little spots that were designed to make a woman writhe, moan, and scream with pleasure. An unselfish lover, he’d taught her what sex was really supposed to be like. Before him she simply hadn’t seen what all the fuss was about.
West’s fingers wound around strands of her long hair before gently tugging her head back until she was looking into those moss green eyes fringed in enviable thick dark lashes. When he smiled a dimple pierced his right cheek, making him look not only handsome but charming as well. By any standards he was gorgeous, just like all the Anderson boys.
But at this particular moment he wasn’t smiling at all, instead looking down at her as if trying to study her features and answer some deep, burning question inside of him.
Questions she couldn’t even begin to answer. There were some things West Anderson could never know.
“Are you thirsty?” he finally asked, and she inwardly sighed in relief that he wasn’t going to push her tonight. The last time she’d come over to his house they’d ended up arguing. She didn’t want to ruin the pleasant afterglow of what they’d shared. “I can get us a couple of beers.”
Every cell of her body wanted to stay here with him. Share a beer and watch a movie. Laugh about the interesting characters that frequented the diner where she worked as a waitress. Hear about West’s day running his campaign for mayor of Tremont. Simple pleasures and a simple life.
But nothing about her life was uncomplicated. She’d left that far behind long ago.
“I should be going.” Her legs still like jelly and her heart beating fast, Gigi shook her head and attempted to extricate herself from the tangle of arms and legs they’d become after their spectacular simultaneous orgasms. She’d thought they’d only existed in books. “I have the early shift at the diner.”
“You always have the early shift. And the late shift too.”
West didn’t sound pissed off about it. More curious than anything. But then he was the son of one of the richest men in Montana, if not the entire western United States. Desperately needing money probably wasn’t something he’d ever experienced.
“You know what they say…idle hands and all that,” she replied lightly. “Besides, the breakfast shift has the best tips. A girl needs pretty things, you know.”
Gigi rarely allowed herself indulgences with her hard-earned money, so West’s disbelieving expression wasn’t all that much of a surprise.
“I’d be happy to buy you something pretty if I thought you wouldn’t toss it back in my face and then knee me in the balls.”
Giggling at his laconic tone Gigi sat up, pulling the sheet over her bare breasts. She’d been engaging in sex with West for almost three months now but she still wasn’t used to his hungry gaze on her naked body. He looked at her like he wanted to eat her up.
Which in and of itself wasn’t a bad thing.
It was the emotions that went along with it that made her weak, something she couldn’t allow to happen.
“Would I be the first? Is there a long line of scorned women out there wishing they could hit you where it counts?”
“Hell, no.” West wore a scowl on his handsome face. “What kind of guy do you think I am? There haven’t been that many women, babe.”
“Are you sure?” Gigi arched an eyebrow and tried to suppress a smile. “Practically the first thing I was told when I took that waitress job was to watch out for West Anderson’s playboy ways. They told me that even before they showed me the menu or how to work the coffee pot.”
And yet she’d fallen into bed with him without much work on his part.
West swung his legs to the floor and stood there bare ass naked. It was easy to see what all the women in Tremont – plus a good part of the entire state of Montana – saw in him. Sex on legs, every inch of him was chiseled from the finest marble. Just his presence was enough to make her tingle.
And that’s why she had to leave. Not just his bed but Tremont all together. She’d already spent far more time here than she’d planned. He’d wriggled under her skin and made her do things she wouldn’t normally do.
“I’ve dated my share of women but not as many as people think.” Hands on his lean hips, West’s eyes were narrowed with frustration. “Not that any of them matter right now. They’re in the past.”
Implying that she was the present? And maybe the future?
Uh uh. No way. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, making i
t hard to even take a breath. He’d been doing this lately…talking about them as if they were a couple. Like they were dating or something.
“You’re right, it doesn’t matter.” Gigi shrugged nonchalantly and reached down to the floor to scoop up her discarded clothing. She kept her voice casual despite the acid churning in her stomach. “We’re just friends with benefits. Fuck buddies. I don’t have any strings on you, West. You can have all the women your heart desires as many times as you please.”
* * *
That was the problem.
West didn’t want any other women. He wanted Gigi. And at times he was pretty sure she wanted him too. Other times he didn’t think she cared for him at all unless it was about sex.
The entire situation was ironic enough to make even him laugh if he wasn’t so damn frustrated twenty-four hours a day.
West hadn’t had to lift a finger to get a woman to chase him since he was fourteen years old and his braces came off. The fact was most things had come easily to him. Women. Sports. The military. And now being a cop.
But if he wanted Gigi he was going to have to work to get her. She was skittish and wary. Someone, somewhere had done a number on his girl. She didn’t trust easily or much at all, really. Even now after three months of dating she wouldn’t spend the night in his bed. With any woman before her he wouldn’t have minded but he missed her warm little body curled up close to his.
“I’d say we’re looking at fuck buddies in the rear view mirror, babe.”
West grabbed his boxers and pulled them on, a cool breeze drying the sweat on his skin. He’d left the windows cracked to let in some fresh air and the temperature had dropped several degrees since the sun went down.
Gigi’s shoulders stiffened and she pulled the sheet up almost to her neck. Too late. He’d seen every delicious inch of Ms. Sidney and committed every curve to memory. “We made a deal. No relationship. No emotions. Just sex.”
“How’s that working out for you?” West padded across the room and shut the window, twisting the lock tight out of habit. He was a cop, after all. “We both know that deal got blown out of the water after the first month we were together. Does it scare you to give a shit?”
West tried to keep the impatience out of his tone. Whatever Gigi was terrified of wasn’t her fault. Some guy had probably been a complete dick and broken her heart fucking some other girl leaving West to pick up the pieces and try to prove to her that all guys weren’t complete pigs.
Except that West had been a total hound dog until he met her. But it hadn’t taken him long at all to see that Gigi wouldn’t put up with any of his shit for one minute. She would have turned her back and been long gone. Suddenly acting like a jerk and having women pant over him didn’t seem as cool as it once had.
She tugged on her clothes, her movements jerky and her lips pressed tight together. Awesome. She was pissed at him.
“This wasn’t part of the plan. None of this. I told you I can’t do any more. You’re asking too much, West. Can’t this be enough for you?”
She’d told him in the beginning but not as to why she wanted to keep it low key and casual. That’s what they’d argued about the other night and he didn’t want a repeat performance.
“Is it enough for you?” he countered. “You care, Gigi. Or you would if you let yourself. You’re not just another piece of ass to me.”
Apparently this wasn’t good news.
Sighing, she shoved a foot into a beaten up sneaker that should have been replaced a long time ago. He would have done it himself but she was so damn independent.
“I can’t do this and frankly I’m too tired to argue.” She finished tying her shoe and stood next to the bed they’d made love in. Where she’d given herself to him but always with reservation. She held a part of herself back and it only served to make him want it more. “I won’t be in Tremont forever, West. I told you that in the beginning.”
His chest tightened with fear. He couldn’t say she hadn’t warned him because she had. But he wasn’t an idiot. He knew when a female had feelings for him. He could see it in her eyes when they shared a pizza and laughed. He could feel it in the way she touched him, almost reverently as if he was the first man she’d ever been with. He could hear it in her voice when she said his name.
Gigi was scared and frankly so was he. Scared that she wouldn’t stick around long enough for him to prove she didn’t have anything to be afraid of. He wasn’t planning on hurting her. He only wanted a chance to get closer. Find out more and see if maybe this thing between them had a future.
And he’d sure as shit never felt that way before.
“Why would you want to leave Tremont? I thought you liked your job and the town.”
He could tell she was about to lie to him when she swallowed hard, her cheeks turning pink. “I told you in the beginning that I like to move around. I don’t stay in one place long and I’ve been here almost four months. I’m not leaving tomorrow but eventually I’ll go. There’s no future with me. I don’t think I’m capable of feeling deeply for anyone if you must know.”
“Bullshit. Do you actually believe what comes out of your mouth? I don’t. Don’t take up poker, babe, because your expression says one thing and your words say something else. Right now, I don’t think you’re all that thrilled about leaving Tremont. I think you’d rather slip back between those sheets with me and see what we can get up to before falling fast asleep. If you spend the night I’ll make you bacon and eggs for breakfast.”
Even as the words had tumbled out he knew he was fucking this all up. He was pushing and it was only making her more frightened, ready to bolt. He needed to back off and give her space.
“I don’t want to argue with you. I’m going home.”
Gigi swung her purse over her shoulder and headed out of the bedroom practically racing for the front door. With his much longer legs, he was able to easily catch up to her, and he placed his hand on the door knob over hers, the heat from her skin searing his own flesh.
“I’m sorry, okay?” His finger tightened around hers and he looked down into her unusual amber colored eyes, her long blonde hair disheveled around her shoulders, making her look infinitely kissable. “Listen, I don’t want to fight either. Tonight was too good to let it end this way.”
West dropped his voice to a whisper, his fingers trailing up the satin skin of her arm. He felt her shiver and her lips parted in a half sigh of pleasure. She might not want West but she definitely wanted what he could do to her.
“I don’t either. But I do need to go. Really.”
There was a plea in her voice that tugged at his heart. “I’ll drive you home.”
Gigi shook her head, that determined gleam back in her eyes. “I have my own car. I’ll be fine.”
“That’s not the point but I’ll give in gracefully. This time.”
He didn’t try and stop her from opening the door. A cool gust of wind wafted around them bringing her clean scent to his nostrils, like fresh rain with a hint of soap. It turned him on far more than any expensive perfume or lotion.
“Good night, West.”
She was already down his porch steps and opening her car door.
“Good night, Gigi. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He meant it as a promise. He’d be sitting in his usual booth at seven-thirty in the morning. If he couldn’t wake up with her in his bed this was the next best thing.
She didn’t reply again, climbing into her old vehicle and backing out of his driveway before heading down the quiet street. Most of the neighbors had turned in for the night long ago.
He stood in the doorway and watched her red taillights until they disappeared into the distance. What had started out as something casual and light had turned into something far different. Surprisingly West wasn’t running scared despite many years of keeping women from getting too serious. He was almost forty and it was honestly past time to find a good woman.
Gigi Sidney was one of the best.
Obviously she didn’t feel the same. But then West had never been a quitter. If she wasn’t sure about him then he’d simply have to show her how good they could be together.
He only needed time.
Chapter Two
‡
Gigi stopped at the red light, blinking back a few unwelcome tears. After all this time she ought to be used to it. Making friends and then leaving them behind. Except that West was much more than just a friend. She’d let him in farther than anyone and that was where she’d gone wrong. If she’d kept him at arm’s length like all the others that had drifted in and out of her life she wouldn’t be in this mess.
When the light turned green, she pulled away from the intersection still lost in her self-pitying thoughts. If she had any sense at all she’d leave Tremont soon. Nothing good could come from hanging around longer. Tonight she’d log on to her old laptop and look for the next place. There would always be another town, each one different but mostly the same. With any luck she’d blend into the background of daily life until it was time to move on again.
This was her life and crying and sniffling didn’t make a damn bit of difference.
Pulling her back to the present, the car behind her threw their high beams into her mirror creating a blinding glare that made her momentarily swerve. Stone cold fear stopped her heart for a split second before starting again, this time beating so fast she thought it might fly out of her chest. She squinted her eyes but couldn’t make out even the shape of the driver in the vehicle.
Stay calm. It’s probably just some kids.
The unknown auto had materialized out of the darkness and was now right behind her revving its engine impatiently. Her fingers tightening on the steering wheel, she glanced again into the rearview. This time she was able to make out the metallic grill of a large pickup truck right on her tail. The driver pulled close…then slowed down…lengthening the distance between their bumpers. She breathed a sigh of relief but it was short-lived. The unseen driver gunned the engine and was right on the ass of her car again.