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“I can’t go through that kind of loss again. Once was enough.”
    So that was it! He clung to Claudette because he wasafraid to love again. Lisa studied the resolute line of his jaw. She would never be able to break through the barrier he’d created around his heart. She’d tried once and ended up getting hurt. There was no doubt in her mind the same thing would happen again. “Once was enough for me, too,” she muttered under her breath. Jerking free from his hold, she headed across the street. Hearing a car’s engine start up, she glanced to her left and saw a black sedan pull out of a parking space. She picked up her pace to get out of its lane.
    Slade hung back, deciding to let the car pass before he crossed. He couldn’t blame Lisa for wanting more than he was willing to give, but he wasn’t ready to abandon the idea of them making a life together. He enjoyed her company and he wanted to be an everyday part of his son’s life.
    A sudden prickling, the kind he always experienced when something wasn’t right, jerked his attention to the oncoming vehicle. It was speeding up and heading directly toward Lisa. Reaching her on the run, he caught her by the waist and carried her with him through the space between her car and the one behind it. The sound of metal impacting metal filled the air as they tumbled to the ground unbalanced by Slade’s rescue.
    “Ouch.” Lisa groaned when her body impacted with the hard earth, sending a jolt of pain through her.
    “Sorry,” Slade apologized, quickly getting to his feet in time to see the sedan speeding away.
    Lisa shifted into a sitting position. “What was that all about?”
    Slade moved to where he could get a look at the damage done to the side of her car. “Someone just tried to run you down.”
    She stared at him in disbelief. “Run me down?”
    “Sure looked that way.” He headed back to her. “Stay down.”
    Lisa’s first instinct was to disobey, to prove to him that she could take care of herself. Then she thought of Andy and remained where she was.
    “I assume you have a gun. Is it in your purse?”
    “I didn’t bring it with me.”
    Slade’s gaze hardened. “It looks like that sniper might not have missed his target, after all.”
    “I can’t believe this,” Lisa muttered. “Who would want to kill me?”
    A man came running out of the building they’d exited. “I saw the whole thing. Looked like that guy was trying to hit you.”
    A couple of other people were also rushing toward them from other directions.
    “I’m not sitting here on the ground with a crowd gathering around,” Lisa said, beginning to work herself to her feet.
    Agreeing that her staying down would serve no purpose now and remaining immobile could even place her in danger, Slade gave her a hand, keeping her close and shielding her as much as possible with his body.
    Reaching them, the man studied Lisa worriedly. “You look pretty shaken. Couldn’t believe the way the guy barreled down on you.” Abruptly he grinned. “I got part of the license plate.”
    Keeping Lisa between himself and the car, Slade opened the passenger side door. “Get in and duck down,” he ordered. “Could be your sniper wasn’t the driver and he’s hidden somewhere to finish the job in case the driver missed.”
    Lisa obeyed. She was scared and hurting and gladSlade was there. He was bull-headed and too authoritative at times, but right now he made her feel safe.
    “She hurt?” the man asked.
    “She’s pretty shaken.”
    “I called the police and an ambulance,” a woman said, joining them, a cell phone in her hand.
    More people began to gather.
    “Did any of you see the driver?” Slade asked.
    “I think it was a man,” a slender man offered.
    “Who could tell?” The pale-blond woman beside him gave him a wry look. “Whoever it was was wearing a hat pulled way down and sunglasses.”
    “It was just an impression.” The slender man defended himself.
    Further arguing between the