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I set an armful of coats on the guest bed. “I hadn’t told them about the assault yet. Of course they were upset and worried when they heard. I expected that. What I didn’t expect was my dad deciding I should move home.”
He snort-laughed, then paused for a second. “Wait, you’re serious?”
“Yes. He immediately started clearing out my old room. I told them we’re together now and they didn’t seem all that surprised. I figured when I told them you were moving in so I wouldn’t be alone, that would be the end of it. But Dad said you weren’t going to be responsible for protecting his daughter.”
Zachary’s body stiffened and I could see the tension in his clenched jaw. “What did you tell him?”
“He got up and left the room and I didn’t want to argue. I told my mom to talk some sense into him.”
“Is this going to be a problem?”
“I’m a grown woman. He can’t make me move home.”
“No, but he could try.”
“I don’t think it’s going to come to that. Someone hurt his daughter, of course he’s going to be angry. And it’s possible my parents are a little bit overprotective.”
“A little?”
“Okay, a lot.”
“I don’t want to make trouble for you and your family. But I need you to know, I’m going to stand my ground. He’s not going to push me out of your life.”
“He wouldn’t do that.”
Zachary raised his eyebrows.
“I won’t let him do that,” I said, my voice resolute.
“You’re hot when you’re being defiant.” He grinned and pulled me close. “I like it.”
His mouth dipped to mine and, for a moment, I forgot what we were doing. I wound my arms around his neck, losing myself in his intoxicating kiss.
Until someone pounded on the front door.
I gasped, my heart jumping. What if it was Preston?
Zachary clearly had the same thought. His expression was hard, intense. “Wait here.”
I peeked out into the hallway while he went to the front door. I couldn’t see him from where I was standing, so I strained to hear what was going on.
The front door opened, then closed a moment later. That had to mean it wasn’t Preston. There was no way Zachary would let him in.
Then I heard a voice. Familiar and male.
Dad.
Oh no.
I went out to the front room, half expecting to see a moving truck through the window. Fortunately, it was just his car in the driveway. But the tension in the room was so thick, it stopped me in my tracks.
My dad stood in front of the door, back stick-straight, arms crossed. He didn’t so much as glance in my direction, just leveled Zachary with a hard stare.
I recognized the upward twitch in Zachary’s lip. I’d seen it before, usually right before he got himself into some kind of trouble.
“Dad,” I said, hoping to head this off before it turned into something unpleasant. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t take his eyes off Zachary. “I came to help you move your stuff.”
