Chapter 3

Chapter

Three

Eva raced with Miles along the beach. Her head hurt, but she ignored it. A rock or seashell occasionally poked at her bare feet, but she wasn't about to complain.

She panted for air and held onto Miles's hand like a lifeline. Talk about sent straight from heaven. Miles wasn't flashy or a bragger, even though he was obviously the toughest man she'd ever met in real life. When all Eva wanted to do was freak out, he seemed to be built for situations like this.

Agent Ryken Henderson had been on her back patio. What did that mean? Was he the bad guy? Could he really have set up an attacker to get her to turn to him as the rescuing hero?

He hadn't looked in their direction, but who knew if the sound of their running had given them away? Or if he would come down to the beach to look for footprints leading away. She was trusting Miles, a man she'd just met, over the FBI agent who'd helped install her security system. Was she acting nuts? Her dad always told her to trust the Spirit. She prayed in her head as they ran and didn't see any stop signs, so she kept running. Miles's confidence, competence, and the bond she'd instantly felt with her ‘fantasy running man' who'd become her rescuer strengthened her.

The Balboa Pier was just in front of them. It was lit up and people were walking along it to the restaurant. Miles pulled her into the rolling water and under the darkness of the pier. They went behind one of the huge wooden posts and then he tugged her to a stop.

"You all right?" he asked.

"I feel like a hen who's lost her roost."

He chuckled softly at that. "You sure are brave," he said. The admiration in his voice felt all directed at her bravery, nothing to do with her fame.

She was out of breath, didn't know that she was acting brave or just reacting. She wasn't sure of anything at the moment. She'd acted as a tough female warrior, Charli, in Protecting the Heiress . She tried to channel those vibes and be as brave as Miles thought she was.

A wave broke on their legs, dousing her up to her waist with salty and chilly liquid. She shivered. It may be the first of August, but the California ocean water was cold all year long. Some of the scrapes the attacker had given her stung from the salt water.

A rough-looking man eased around one of the other posts. Eva let out a squeak of surprise.

Miles stepped in front of her and pulled a pistol from the back waistband of his pants. She hadn't even realized he was armed.

"You don't want to mess with us," Miles said in a low warning growl .

Eva hadn't seen such an appealing picture in many years, or maybe she had. The first moment she and Miles's gazes had connected earlier tonight was as appealing. That couldn't factor in right now. She was in danger and Miles was protecting her. She had to face reality. This wasn't a movie, and he wasn't her soul mate. He'd simply been intrigued by meeting the famous actress, like most of the male population. She couldn't let herself think it was more, then be devastated when he was just another guy wanting to have his shot with a celebrity, another handsome face who would move on when a better option appeared.

"Sheesh, man." The guy put up his hands. "I was just looking for a buck or two."

"I only carry weapons, not money," Miles said evenly.

"Psycho." The guy turned and walked the other direction.

Miles turned back to her. She almost collapsed against him. He was the brave one and could give any actor lessons in magnetism, appeal, courage, and heroism.

Before she could fling herself at his very appealing chest, he said in whisper, "Flatten against the post."

She trusted Miles. He had the cowboy and military vibe down to an art. Maybe she should question why she instinctively trusted him. Instead, she obeyed.

The post smelled of mildew and dead fish and was slimy and covered with barnacles. Miles pressed in behind her. His warm, strong body overshadowed and protected her. No matter what was coming at them, she was safe with this military cowboy. A few moments passed with the waves rhythmically breaking against them and her unable to catch her breath. From the sprint, the fear, the attack, or was it all Miles's appeal making her lack oxygen?

"Where's your phone?" he whispered in her ear .

She pulled it out of the pocket of her shorts and handed it to him.

"Don't move."

He edged away from her, and Eva wanted to follow him. It was instinctive to want to stay close. He went deeper into the water and to the other edge of the wide pier. Then he chucked her phone up and onto the pier.

"Hey!" a male voice called. "A phone … sweet!" Footsteps raced across the wooden pier above their heads and toward the Peninsula Park and Balboa Fun Zone that was east of the pier.

Eva couldn't believe he'd just thrown her phone to somebody. What was he thinking? She didn't dare move or holler at him, or at the kid who'd rushed off with her iPhone. Could the kick unlock it and get her banking information, passwords to everything, and plenty of fodder to sell to the paparazzi?

Miles worked his way silently through the waves until he surrounded her with his body and she was pushed against the slimy, rough wooden piling again.

"What are you doing?" she dared ask.

"Somebody's coming right at us, slowly closing in from the south. I can see his shadow and part of his face with a lit-up phone screen he's holding. It looks like the guy who called to you from your patio. There might be a tracker in your phone that would lead him straight to us."

Eva's stomach turned over. Was there a tracker on her phone? Ryken and Lake had both taken her phone at different times in the last week. Could one of them have installed a tracker? What if Ryken was in league with Jorge? Was the dangerous criminal Jorge even after her, or was that a ploy like the man attacking her tonight to give Ryken an in with her? To make a play for her, ransom her, or traffic her like Miles had said? Were there other options? She was confused, scared, and out of her element. Real life was not supposed to mirror movie scripts.

She froze and waited for a word or signal from Miles. Even the waves rushing against her legs, the smelly post she was pressed against, and the fear of Ryken being a bad guy and tracking them down couldn't distract from the warmth and safety that Miles offered her.

"Let's go," Miles said. "He headed east. It looks like he's following the kid who ran off with your phone up into the amusement park."

Again, Miles had been right. His quick thinking had saved her more than once tonight. Apparently his life did mimic a cloak and dagger script, because he was rolling with all of this insanity as if it was a Tuesday morning at the office. What kind of soldier was he?

He eased back, took her hand, and led her out from under the pier to the north. They stayed in the water for a while, then he angled up to the sand. He kept checking to the east and south.

"Can you double-time again?" he asked.

"Sure."

They upped their pace to a fast jog, not quite as fast as their sprint earlier. Eva's head started to pound again, but she refused to say anything about it. She was alive and safe. She could deal with a lingering headache.

Miles released her hand so they could both use their arms to pump and get into a rhythmic run in the harder packed sand by the water's edge. It didn't escape her attention that Miles edged her toward the most level and hard-packed sand while he took the more difficult route in the softer sand .

Eva didn't love running, but her personal trainer Darlene put her through running and sprinting drills often. She'd run to save her own life. It felt like hours later but was probably less than half an hour that Miles slowed to a stop and directed her up the beach through the soft sand and toward a staircase.

The landscape had changed from the flat beach outside her house's rear windows to a sharp bluff with homes perched above the sand and ocean. Eva was famous and doing well financially, but these homes belonged to the ultra-wealthy and infamous. People like Aiden Porter.

They stopped in front of the house she'd learned was Aiden and Chalisa Porter's. Miles gestured, and she preceded him up the stairs. There was a locked gate at the top. He eased in front of her, brushing his chest against her shoulder and sending her pulse racing. She ignored the sensation. Miles was helping and protecting her, and that had to be all. She appreciated his help and kept praying she was making the right choice by trusting him and not Ryken. He just … felt right, but wouldn't it be a kick in the teeth if Miles somehow wasn't the trustworthy one? She'd chosen wrong with every boyfriend since leaving home ten years ago.

Miles typed in a code and the gate lock beeped. He held it open for her, glancing around the dark, quiet beach before following her through and shutting the gate.

They walked onto a gorgeous patio area with a pool glowing blue in the night, low lights around the pool and throughout the flower beds. The scents of chlorine mingled with eucalyptus, gardenia, and orange.

Miles directed her around the pool and to an outdoor shower. They both rinsed off their legs and feet of sand and salt water. He pulled two beach towels out of a cabinet underneath the outdoor kitchen set against the far side of the patio. She dried her feet and legs, her skin no longer stinging from the salt water, except where she had scrapes from her attacker. Squeezing the moisture out of her shorts, she could see Miles doing the same.

Her hands trembled. It made sense that she'd be full of adrenaline after the attack and their escape, but was she also slightly apprehensive about being alone with Miles? She glanced at him. His handsome face turned toward her—serious, protective, appealing. Could she trust him?

He took her towel from her hand, brushing his fingers against hers. She trembled even more from that simple touch. If he wasn't trustworthy, her radar was way off. He felt like a guy from home and the most enticing military hero and cowboy combined. He appeared genuine with no need to brag about himself or ‘charm' her like most men did.

Giving her an endearing and almost awkward smile at their brushing of fingers, he dropped the towels in a bin, then typed in another code and opened a French door. He gestured for her to walk in first.

She should be leery, walking into a quiet house with a stranger, a man who'd thrown her cell phone away. Her Fitbit didn't make calls or send messages. She'd had to get rid of her Apple Watch to get a break from all the emails, texts, and phone calls and give her mind some down time.

Instead of feeling apprehensive, she felt … welcomed and safe. Was that the feeling in Aiden Porter's house or was that all Miles?

Still, her dad would not appreciate her lack of caution. "How do I know you're who you say you are and didn't stage my attacker so you could rescue me, toss my phone away, bring me here, and take advantage of Eva Chevron?"

"Um …" Miles's eyes widened. "Well … do you want to see my identification or call Aiden or Quaid on my phone?"

She bit her lip. His eyes fell to her mouth and stayed there. A thrill went through her. She pushed it away. It had been a bizarre night, and she needed to somehow think about this logically. He could have numbers listed in his phone as Aiden Porter and Quaid Raven.

"Do you have ID?"

"Not on me. I was running." He lifted his hands. "Do you want to wait while I grab my wallet?"

"Yes, please."

He nodded to her. She couldn't tell if he was annoyed that she wasn't fully trusting him. He didn't seem to be, but it was hard to tell with the stoic military type. Interesting that he didn't carry his wallet while running but he hadn't left his pistol behind.

He walked into the house. She stood in the open patio door, half in and half out. If he'd had evil intent, wouldn't he have simply yanked her inside? He could close the door and she'd be caught.

She didn't like the doubts or her fears, but she had to be smart and leery.

Leery was hard to dredge up when she thought of how Miles focused his brilliantly blue eyes on her. She bit her lip and waited impatiently for him. She could do without the fears and attack of tonight, but she didn't know how she'd go back to life before Miles. His blue eyes and the instant draw to him brought a sparkle to her life she hadn't realized was missing.

Please let Miles be as genuine and loyal as he appears , she prayed.