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That stopped Garrett in his tracks. He had no idea how he was going to explain her presence if she refused to give a statement, but if Vivian had her in front of a camera, it could only mean one thing. Reese Graham had an ability of some kind, or at least Vivian suspected she did. The thought had been there in the back of his mind this whole time, and he was itching to ask her about it. But given how guarded she was, Garrett didn’t think he’d be able to get her to admit to anything right now.
She sighed, probably perceiving his extended silence as some kind of reprimand. “Look, I don’t mean to cause problems, but if you put me in the system, Russell will find me. I’d be better off if you left me on the streets to fend for myself.” Her words came out harsh, with a tinge of bitterness. It seemed whatever Russell had done to her, started long before he put her in that hospital.
“I’d never do that.” He honestly wasn’t sure what he was going to do with her. If she refused medical assistance, wouldn’t give a statement, and clearly had no family to reach out to, the only other option was - No, he wouldn’t do that. The last time he’d brought his work home with him, it had a disastrous ending. He wouldn’t go there again.
But what else could he do? Put her up in a hotel? No, that wasn’t an option either. She’d probably up and leave the second his back was turned, and he’d never find her again.
Reese Graham was their only real connection to her step brother, Russell Graham. If they wanted to nail him for everything he’d done to Orly, they needed Reese’s help. Which meant, they needed her.
Shit.
He was going to regret these next words, but he said them anyway. “How about this? I can take you back to my place. I have a guest house on my property where you can stay until we figure things out.”
Reese stiffened, her eyes going wide. “Why would you offer something so generous to a perfect stranger? I don’t have any money. I can’t pay you.”
Garrett sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He’d been up all night after working a twelve-hour shift. “I wouldn’t take your money if you had bags of it. You need help, and I’m in a position to provide it.” Left unsaid was that he also needed her help, but he’d wait until she had a chance to get cleaned up, eaten something, and gotten plenty of rest before telling her that.
They stood in the doorway of the stinky hotel room for a long moment. The early morning breeze lifted the ends of her hair, and felt amazing against his hot skin. There was something about this woman that had Garrett thinking things he shouldn’t be - like what shade of brown her eyes were in the warm glow of a sunrise. How she took her coffee in the morning. What kind of books she liked to read.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Reese asked, over the hum of the generator, and interrupting Garrett’s inappropriate thoughts. “I don’t want to intrude.”
Garrett wasn’t sure he wanted to do that. Not by a longshot. In fact, he wanted to send her on her way and never think about her again. But they needed her help. Luke needed her to get to Russell, and Garrett wasn’t about to let their best lead walk away.
Besides, he had a feeling, now that he’d met her, held her hand, heard her voice and seen that sweet smile, he’d think about her no matter how far apart they were. “I’m sure,” Garrett said, infusing his words with a certainty he didn’t feel. “You’ll have your own space. You can come and go as you please. It won’t be an intrusion.” He’d forced out those last words, doing his best not to think about how spectacularly his last relationship failed.
Not that he planned on dating Reese, no matter where his thoughts took him. Still, having a woman, he didn’t know the first thing about, living just feet away from his home was probably a disaster waiting to happen. But what choice did he have?
Reese fidgeted with her hands, clearly torn about what to do. Maybe she sensed his hesitancy. Smart woman. “I won’t stay long,” she finally said.
Garrett shrugged. “Stay as long as you like.” Or until he and his friends got what they needed from her to put Russell Graham away for good.
Reese’s eyes glazed over with tears, and she let out a ragged breath. “Are you always this kind to perfect strangers?”
The sense of awe and gratitude in her words was enough to knock him on his ass. “No,” he said flatly, needing to dissipate some of the tension between them before he pulled her into his arms and kissed the shit out of her despite his better judgment.
But his plan backfired when she gave him a hint of that sweet smile. “Thank you.”
And right then and there, Garrett knew he was completely and utterly screwed.
***
