“Slate wasn’t my fault, may I remind you?” Ginny bopped her head at him.
Gavin turned the radio off. “Aggravated one man so bad that he nearly beat you to death.”
“That’s an exaggeration. Allerton didn’t even break a bone.”
“Greer and Silas look like they are both at death’s door. Ginny, you’re more than a handful. You’re a booby trap, ready to cause an explosion anytime you’re near.”
“How hurtful.”
“You don’t act like your feelings are hurt.”
“They are … deep down.”
Gavin gave her a sarcastic snort.
“Okay, not really,” she admitted. “Because I know none of it is my fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?”
“Men.”
“Men?”
“Men,” Ginny repeated. “Do you know, statistically speaking, men are responsible for everything wrong in world? I’m serious.” Ginny raised her voice to make sure he heard her when he pretended to clean his ears out with his finger. “Men are the ones who commit 98 percent of rapes, 87 percent of robberies, 83 percent of arsons, and almost 80 percent of crimes against their partners and children. If it weren’t for men, women around the world could sleep with their windows open.”
Gavin just stared at her.
“You don’t have anything to say about that?” She bopped her head self-righteously. “Huh? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“How’d you know those statistics off the top of your head?”
“The more you know the more empowered you are.”
“You’re a nut. I want to see the results of your DNA test. Somewhere you have a blood connection to Greer.”
Taking off his sunglasses, he hung them on the visor. As he did, the long-sleeved shirt accented the muscular abs underneath. With the grey knit he wore on his head, his long hair falling down to his shoulders, Gavin was the epitome of a woman’s wet fantasy, not that she ever had one, but he would be the star if she did.
He gave her a dark look as she closed the car door. “I was coming to open the door for you.”
Ginny reached out to touch his cheek. “Are you running a fever?”
Taking her hand, Gavin began striding to the door.
“What’s the hurry?” Ginny asked with interest, waving to Trudy’s neighbor, who was nosily watching them as she got her mail.
“After I talk to Dalton, I’m going to run out to the store. Will you be all right if I leave you for about an hour?”
“Yes,” she said patiently. “You’re acting ridiculous.”
“The last time I left you alone in Treepoint for an hour, I had to take a helicopter to find you, and I ended up on an island.”
Ginny stabbed the doorbell. “Okay, you might have a small point,” she admitted, holding out her pinky. “If I promise to stay out of trouble for the next month, will you promise to quit acting as if I’m Calamity Jane?”
“Hell, I’d quit if you’d just give me a break for two days. A month would be a dream.”
“The James men’s sense of humor sucks, just so you know.”
The door opening saved Ginny from the sarcastic response that Gavin was sure to make. Dalton opened the door wider when he saw them outside.
“Hello, Dalton, may I see Trudy?”
The movie star and producer flicked his eyes over both of them, then stepped aside. Ginny entered nervously, aware Dalton wouldn’t be happy with her for upsetting Trudy when she was carrying his child.
“T.A.’s in the living room. It’s been everything I could do to keep her here after she woke. She wanted to see you last night, but when Reaper texted, he said you were exhausted from your trip.” Dalton’s eyes were on her face as he talked, making her anxious that he could see the bruises under the makeup she put on.
“I feel much better today.” Walking forward, Ginny made a left to see Trudy standing there, waiting to be noticed.
“Ginny ….”
Ginny ran into her sister’s arm, and both of them burst into tears trying to talk at the same time.
“I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you would have talked me out of going to Sherguevil,” Ginny blurted out.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again! If you scare me like that again, I’m going to lock you in my spare bedroom.” Trudy fussed at her like a mother hen, giving her a small shake, then enfolding her back in her arms to start crying louder.
“Trudy, stop. You’re going to give the baby hiccups.”
Trudy stopped crying. “Is that true?” she asked, riveted at the thought, moving her hand to her baby bump.
“I don’t know, but it got you to stop crying, didn’t it?”
Trudy made a face at her. “I had another few minutes in me. I’ve been trying to talk Dalton into ordering Chinese for us for lunch. He won’t let me have it,” she complained as her husband wound an arm around Trudy’s waist.
“Chinese makes her blood pressure too high,” Dalton revealed. “I’ve made us some avocado, grilled chicken wraps.”
Trudy mouthed, “Help me.”
Ginny burst out laughing. “That sounds amazing to me.”
“Good, then you can have mine.”
As Dalton, Trudy, and she were about to go into the living room, Gavin interrupted them. “I have a few things I need to take care of.”
Ginny wanted to sink to the floor when Gavin gave Dalton a steely-eyed look.
“I’m going to leave Ginny in your care.” The way Gavin looked at Dalton left no doubt who he was talking to. “Turn the alarm on once I leave and don’t let them go outside. Allerton will do everything possible to get out of the charges brought against him. Anything happens to Ginny, it’s his get-out-of-jail-free card until the FBI can gather more evidence.”
“What about the beating he gave Agent Collins, or him ordering his men to kill you?” Ginny disputed, not wanting to frighten Trudy when she’d just settled down.
“He can say his men acted on their own,” Gavin hypothesized. “I don’t want any chances taken with your safety.”
“I’ll keep the alarm engaged,” Dalton assured him. “Go take care of what you need to. I have no plans to go out today.”
Ginny wiggled her pinky at Gavin when he hesitated leaving just to give her a threatening glare, reminding her of the promise she had made to him.
“Take your time,” she encouraged, waving him off.
Ginny grinned when Dalton and Trudy looked confused at the byplay. Exasperated at Gavin’s behavior, she explained, “For some crazy reason, Gavin thinks I have a knack for getting into trouble.”
Trudy lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “I wonder why he thinks that?”
“I know, right?” Ginny shrugged lightly. “Gavin can be so uptight sometimes. I think it comes from him being in the military.” Ginny gave her a polite version of what she really thought, since she didn’t want Trudy to find out Gavin was a big jerk.
Ginny cleared her expression when she felt Dalton studying her a little too closely, afraid he read her thoughts.
“You two go sit down. I’ll get lunch ready, then come get you,” Dalton told them as he went to the alarm box by the door.