Wyoming Strong. Diana Palmer

      “The baritone is quite good,” he added, crossing one long leg. “He came here from the Met. He said New York City was getting to him. He wanted to live somewhere with less traffic.”

      “Yes, I read that.”

      His eyes were on her hands. She had them in her lap, with a death grip on her small purse, her nails digging into the leather. She didn’t seem to have a care in the world, but she was wired like floodlights.

      “You came alone?”

      She just nodded.

      “It’s a long way to Houston, and it’s night.”

      “I did notice.”

      “Last time, in San Antonio, it was with your brother and your ward,” he recalled. His eyes narrowed. “No men. Ever?”

      She didn’t reply. In her hands, the purse was taking a beating.

      To her shock, one big, beautiful, lean hand went to her long fingers and smoothed over them gently.

      “Don’t,” he said tersely.

      She bit her lip and looked up at him unguardedly, with the anguish of years past in her beautiful dark eyes.

      He caught his breath. “What the hell happened to you?” he asked under his breath.

      She jerked her hands away, got to her feet, put on her coat and walked out the door. She was in tears by the time she reached her car.

      * * *

      IT WAS SO UNFAIR. She hadn’t had a flat tire in years. She had to have one tonight, of all nights, on a dark street in a strange city many miles from her San Antonio apartment. When Gabriel and Michelle were gone, she didn’t like staying by herself on the small property in Comanche Wells. It was remote, and dangerous, if any of Gabriel’s enemies ever set themselves on retaliation. It had happened once in the past. Fortunately, Gabriel had been at home.

      She’d already called for a tow truck, but the account she used was briefly tied up. It would be just a few minutes, they promised. She hung up and smiled ruefully.

      A car approached from the direction of the theater, slowed and then whipped in just in front of where she was parked. A tall man got out and came back to her window.

      She froze until she realized who it was. She powered the window down.

      “This is a hell of a place to be sitting with a flat tire,” Wolf Patterson said shortly. “Come on. I’ll drive you home.”

      “But I have to stay with the car. I’ve called the tow truck, and they will be here in a few minutes.”

      “We’ll wait for the wrecker in my car,” he said firmly. “I’m not leaving you out here alone.”

      She was grateful. She didn’t want to have to say so.

      He chuckled softly as he got a glimpse of her expression when he opened the door of her car. “Accepting help from the enemy won’t cause you to break out in hives.”

      “Want to bet?” she asked. But with a resigned sigh, she got into his car.

      * * *

      IT WAS A MERCEDES. She’d never driven one, but she knew a lot of people who did. They were almost indestructible, and they lasted forever.

      She was curious about the windows. They looked odd. So did the construction of the doors.

      He saw her curiosity. “Armor plating,” he said easily. “Bulletproof glass.”

      She stared at him. “You have a lot of people using rocket launchers against you, do you?”

      He just smiled.

      She wondered about him. He spoke several impossible languages. He wasn’t well-known locally, although he’d lived in Jacobs County for several years. Of all the spare tidbits of information she’d been able to gather about him, he’d once worked for the elite FBI Hostage Rescue Unit. But apparently, he was involved in other activities since then, none of which were ever spoken about.

      Gabriel found him amusing. He only said that Wolf had moved to Jacobsville because he was looking for a little peace and quiet. Nothing more.

      “My brother knows you.”

      “Yes.”

      She glanced at him. He was looking at his cell phone, pushing through screens, apparently sending emails to someone.

      She averted her eyes. He was probably talking to his date, maybe apologizing for keeping her waiting.

      She wanted to tell him he could go, she’d wait for the wrecker alone; she wouldn’t mind. But she did mind. She was afraid of the dark, of men who might show up when she was helpless. She hated her own fear.

      He glanced at her hands. She was worrying the purse again.

      He put away the cell phone. “I don’t bite.”

      She actually jumped. She swallowed. “Sorry.”

      His eyes narrowed. He’d been deliberately provoking her for a long time, ever since she ran into him with her car and then accused him of causing the accident. She was aggressive in her way. But alone with him, she was afraid. Very much afraid. Such a beautiful woman, with so many hang-ups.

      “Why are you so nervous?” he asked quietly.

      She forced a smile. “I’m not nervous,” she said. She looked around for car lights.

      His eyes were narrow, assessing. “There was a pileup just outside the downtown loop,” he told her. “That’s what I was checking for on my phone. The wrecker should be here shortly.”

      She nodded. “Thanks,” she said jerkily.

      He lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really think you’re that attractive?” he asked in a cool drawl.

      Her shocked eyes went up to meet his. “Excuse me?”

      There was something ice-cold in his look, in his manner. She was bringing back memories he hated, memories of another beautiful brunette, provocative, coy, manipulative. “You’re sitting there tied in knots. You look as if you expect me to leap on you.” His sensual lips pulled up into a cold smile. “You’d be lucky,” he added provocatively. “I’m very selective about women. You wouldn’t even make the first cut.”

      She stopped twisting the purse. “Lucky me,” she said with an icy smile. “Because I wouldn’t have you on toast!”

      His eyes flashed. He wanted to throw things. He couldn’t leave her here alone, but he wanted to. She made him furious.

      She started to get out of the car.

      He locked the door from a control panel. “You’re not going anywhere until the wrecker gets here.” He leaned toward her abruptly, without warning.

      She shot back against the door, suddenly trembling. Her eyes were wide and frightened. Her body was like taut rope. She just looked at him, shivering.

      He cursed under his breath.

      She swallowed. Swallowed again. She couldn’t even look at him. She hated showing that weakness. Aggression always provoked it. She’d never dealt with her past. She couldn’t get over it, get through it.

      Headlights came up from behind and slowed. “It’s the tow truck,” Sara said. “Please let me out,” she choked out.

      He unlocked the door. She scrambled out and ran to the vehicle’s driver.

      He got out, too, cursing himself for that look on her face. She’d done nothing to cause him to attack her, nothing except show fear. It wasn’t like him to attack women, to threaten them. He was disturbed by his own response to her.

      “Thank you for staying with me,” she told Wolf in a hunted tone. “He’s going to drop me off at my apartment and take the car