Chance Encounter by Christy Reece

person. Though she no longer considered herself Kendra Carson and felt as though she had almost nothing in common with her, wariness of the opposite sex was something they both shared.
    Before her abduction, she had dated plenty. Unfortunately, her selection in dates had been as poor as her decision-making abilities in other things. Kendra Carson’s last boyfriend, Calvin Henderson, had been into drugs, both using and selling. She hadn’t been a user, not even occasionally. She would have liked to say it was because she had good judgment, but that would be a lie. Her refusal to use illegal drugs had been all about vanity. She’d seen what drugs could do to a person’s appearance, especially their teeth, hair, and complexion. Her goal to be a model had trumped any desire to get high.
    Kacie checked her watch, thankful she had an excuse to delay the sharing. “I’ve got to get dressed for a business meeting. I have a two o’clock lunch appointment with my agent. We can talk when I get back.”
    “Then I guess we need to share quickly.”
    “This is a business lunch. You don’t have to go with me. I—”
    “Yes, I do. Remember, that’s why I’m here.”
    “It’s just with my agent. It’ll look really strange if I bring a date. Besides, I’ll be perfectly safe. I’ll take a cab there and back.”
    “I don’t care if you’re lunching with the pope and riding in the Popemobile, I’m going with you.”
    “But she knows nothing about you. It’ll look odd if you just show up without any warning.”
    “Can’t be helped. Unless you’re in the apartment, I’m with you at all times. Understand?”
    “But this is a business luncheon.”
    “And you’re my business. Deal with it.”
    Arguing would do no good, and she didn’t have time for it anyway. She gave him a stiff nod. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    Inside her bedroom, Kacie took a few minutes to settle her nerves. She knew she was behaving irrationally, which was the reason she hadn’t lost her temper in front of Brennan. He was here to protect her. How ungrateful and churlish of her to be angry with him.  
    Just because he made her feel things… She swallowed hard as she amended that thought. No, he didn’t make her feel things…he made her feel . And how scary was that?

    Now that she’d left the room, Brennan’s mouth tilted in a small smile. If someone could stomp in an elegant, graceful way, Kacie Dane had mastered such a walk. He had pissed her off, and though it might make for some uneasy moments between them, for some reason he couldn’t quite figure, he was pleased.  
    She was clearly having a bad time of it. Anyone could tell that she hadn’t slept well. Even as lovely as she was, the shadows under her eyes and the vertical lines at her mouth indicated she was stressed. Maybe that’s what pleased him about pissing her off. If she was angry with him, she would focus on that and not some crazed stalker.
    While he waited, Brennan took the time to familiarize himself with her apartment. Nicely decorated, nothing fancy. A simple elegance that matched the owner. Eclectic blend of colors, including a fondness for jewel tones. Some good pieces of furniture—expensive but sturdy and durable.
    Good-sized kitchen to the left of the large foyer. A small breakfast area just past the kitchen, along with a half bath and a laundry room. No formal dining area. He got the idea that a couple of walls had been knocked down to create a larger, more open living space. A small office on the other side of the living room was both feminine and functional.
    He unlocked and slid open the glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. The area wasn’t big enough to hold more than a couple of outdoor chairs and a few potted, flowering plants. He imagined that Kacie used it often since it looked over a small park, but he didn’t see it as much of a threat to her safety. The apartment was on the sixteenth floor, and at least fifteen feet separated her