Page 33 of Final Inning

But there were security feeds.

And it would tell them exactly what he was doing.

She was going over everything when someone walked in the lab behind her. A hand landed on her shoulder.

Dani yelped. Tried to turn. Of course, she unbalanced herself.

Warm hands went around her waist. Kept her from falling.

Brilliant blue eyes. That was what she saw first. “Ward! You scared me.”

“I said your name three times.” He had a puzzled look in his eyes. And the man was not taking his hands off her. Of course, if he did, she might just flop down to the ground. She was not at a good angle here.

In fact…Dani was probably leaning a bit too much into the man holding her.

Damn it. He smelled good. He felt good…

And this was totally not something she should even be thinking about right now. “I…well…actually, if you could just help me shift a little left, I’d appreciate it.”

This was definitely embarrassing here. But the desk was right behind her, and he was in the doorway, mostly, and well…talk about a little trapped. She could not move her leg the way it would need to be moved to get herself out of this predicament.

This…she was so glad they were alone right now. Shayna would not let her live it down.

“I have you. I’ll never let you fall.”

His words were so…solemn.

Like he really meant it.

Dani just really didn’t know what to do at the moment.

“I…I need to get…Miranda. I need Miranda. I have results for her she’s waiting on.”

“What kind? I’m taking a flight in two hours down.”

His hands were still on her waist here. But he had shifted her a little to the left. He had just lifted her, like she didn’t weigh a thing. But…he should probably let her go here.

Considering.

Dani wiggled a little.

And his eyes darkened. Like…for real. In a hungry, kind of animalistic sort of way.

She needed to breathe here.

Dani did the only thing she could do. She moved toward her chair and sank down. Breaking the hold Ian Ward had on her.

At least physically, anyway. “I…Amanda Riccards. Her ex…alibis out, it looks like. He isn’t the guy they are looking for. He was out getting drunk at a bar in Texas an hour or so away from where Kevin was killed—at around the same time as the murder. Got busted for disorderly. Said he was celebrating his freedom or something. And…and I am running down Kevin’s old team. I’ve found most, but…one was…deceased. Accidental…fall. But I think she died a few months before Kevin, so…”

“Give me what you want Miranda to have. I’ll take paper copies, to go over on the plane myself.”

Well. Dani could do that.

She nodded. “Be safe out there…you never know what can happen.”

“No. That you can’t…” He was just watching her now. Like he wanted to say something else, but…he didn’t.

Because Michael chose that exact moment to walk in.