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She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”
His blue eyes met hers, and the seriousness of his gaze had her momentarily forget what they were talking about. “Allison, we have no idea what this person is capable of, and until we catch whoever it is, I will have eyes on you.”
Oh right. The damn creep. “Reid, be realistic. You can’t sleep here every night. I’m sure you have a personal life. I don’t want to get in the way.”
“The only thing in my life is my job, and right now you are part of my job.”
“Is that all I am? A job?” The words slipped out before she could stop them, but she was happy they did. The only way to break through Reid’s armor was to chip away at it.
Those damn blue eyes softened, and she might as well get the mop and clean up the melted puddle she was about to become.
“No.”
She waited for him to elaborate, give her more than the one word, but he didn’t.
“Fine if you think I need a tail, then you better tell him to stay out of my way and to keep his distance. I report the news in this town. I don’t want to be the news.”
He let out a sarcastic laugh.
“What?” she demanded. It was too damn early for his bullshit.
“Nothing.”
“Oh don’t give me that. What is so damn funny?”
“That you don’t want to be the news, yet you’ve spent months harping on the Scoops incident. Seriously, I don’t think there’s a day that goes by you don’t bring it up.”
She exhaled a little too loudly. “That was the one time I have been recognized outside of this community on my hard work and dedication, so I’m sorry if I like to talk about it. It’s nice to be appreciated. That story got me a raise, made me viral, and put me that much closer to getting the job I have been coveting since I walked into the station on my very first day as an intern.”
“You are appreciated,” he said, and the annoyance that had filled her dissipated. “People love you, Allison. Current situation excluded. But I see the way people try to get closer to you when you’re on assignment. How they go out of their way in the morning just to say hi to you because you’re shooting nearby. You might not have all the awards. But you have the respect of many people, and that’s more valuable than anything you can prop up on a shelf.”
“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Well, don’t get used to it. You just happen to catch me before my day turned to shit.”
“Way to be positive.”
“When you have to deal with Mrs. Sneider calling to report her neighbor for cutting the flowers on his side of the fence first thing when you walk in the door, then you can talk to me about being positive.”
She reached up, and he didn’t budge when her finger landed at the edge of his mouth. “You love it. Your smile gives you away.”
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to touch people?” he asked.
“No. Hugs are required for passage into the house.” She let her hand drop, though she missed the connection it had created. “I’m guessing you didn’t come from a very affectionate family.”
“My mom was, I guess. My dad didn’t show love. Only disappointment.”
From the way his blue eyes darkened and his lips curved downward, it was enough to know they had two very different childhoods.
Yet despite what sounded like an unpleasant childhood, Reid had plenty of love to give. He might not show it in the form of hugs, but the fact that he was standing in her kitchen, drinking coffee from her mug at an ungodly hour proved it.
Her eye caught the time on the microwave. “Oh no! I’m running late.” She guzzled the rest of her coffee and ran into her bedroom. She had a morning routine that she’d perfected over the years, but one misstep and the whole thing derailed. She could do her makeup and hair at the studio. She brushed her teeth, grabbed her makeup bag and dry cleaning, and ran toward the door.
“You can lock up, right?” she asked.
Reid met her at the door. “I’m ready.”
“You don’t have to leave right this second. You can go brush your teeth. I have extra toothbrushes in my bottom drawer. You can relax.”
