Page 23 of Taylor’s Warrior

“Go and have a look around,” Rhys urged. “I’ll bring our bags in.”

“You think it’s safe to do that?”

“I believe so. It’s likely Wolf waited until today to send the address because he wanted to check it out first. It’s what I would have done.”

Somewhat reassured, Taylor scanned their immediate surroundings again. “He has pretty good taste.”

“You approve then?”

She shrugged. “As much as I can without seeing the rest.”

“Then you’d better check it out while I take care of the bags. You can decide which bedroom you want at the same time.”

Her initial impression of the house was that it had character, and as she wandered through the property, the hardwood floors, delicate color scheme, and arched ceilings reinforced that perception. When she reached the kitchen, she came to a sudden halt.

Taylor hadn’t really given much thought to provisions, but there were two large brown bags on the counter and when she checked the refrigerator, she was even more stunned to see milk, juice, a variety of salads and other sides, and even some steaks. It was when she turned back to the counter that she caught sight of the slip of paper under one of the bags.

“Caroline hopes the groceries will be suitable. If not, there’s a store a couple of blocks away. Talk soon. W.”

The groceries were more than suitable, and would save them having to find that store immediately. Taylor had just finished transferring the goods to the cupboards when Rhys caught up with her.

“What’s all this?”

She pushed the note across the counter. “It seems Wolf thought ahead to save us a trip to the store. Or rather, Caroline did. Who do you think she is?”

Rhys shook his head. “I don’t know, but I imagine we’ll find out soon enough. Have you taken a look at the rest of the house?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d better take care of the grocery bags first. Take a look in the fridge.”

Rhys crossed the kitchen and opened the door. He gave a low whistle. “As soon as we’re settled in, I’ll give Wolf a call. I owe him.”

Taylor resumed her tour of the house, now accompanied by Rhys. One delightful surprise was the swimming pool out back, so even if they couldn’t get to the beach, there was always that option. With the advantage of both privacy and security, maybe she could persuade Rhys to take the plunge after all.

No swim trunks, remember? So? Maybe he won’t mind skinny-dipping. You can shut that thought down right there.

The rest of the house was just as inviting. When they reached the bedrooms, Taylor was thankful to see there wasn’t much difference between the two. Each had a queen bed, with storage for clothes. Taylor took the one with the mint-green and white color scheme, but what really drew her to it was the view of the yard to the rear of the property.

“Good choice. The other one faces the street. While the chances of an attack are very low, you can never assume they’re zero. If anyone were to mount an attack, they’d be more likely to approach from the front, so they’d look like regular visitors. With the neighbors being so close, they’d be risking attracting too much attention if they tried to come through the gardens.”

For a moment, her reaction to Rhys’ approval surprised her, until the impact of his other words wiped away that glow. The thought of an attack was depressing, but Taylor decided not to let it get to her. After all, hadn’t he just said the chances were very low? “Talking of yards, why don’t we check out ours, and see how big that pool really is?”

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With Taylor safely occupied out by the pool—a haven that was tempting enough for him almost to regret not packing swimwear—Rhys took the opportunity to complete a perimeter check of the property. Given the limitations of this kind of location, Wolf had chosen well. And since a text message had informed him the man himself was on his way to the house—saving Rhys a call—Rhys would soon have the chance to thank him in person and iron out any details that needed… ironing.

While he was waiting, Rhys contemplated the next two weeks and how they might pan out. His thoughts were supposed to be professional, but they wouldn’t stop taking a personal turn. Something had been set in motion over the last couple of days, and he didn’t know how to stop it.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to.

The sound of a vehicle pulling up alerted him to activity at the front of the house. On the way to the window that would give him the best view, he tucked his gun into the waistband of his jeans as a precaution.

A precaution he didn’t need. Their visitor was a well-built male, tall, dark-haired, and clearly military. Assumptions were dangerous, but Rhys reckoned he was on fairly solid ground with the one that said this was Wolf.

Even so, when the doorbell chimed, he opened the door with a degree of caution. “Can I help you?”

The man removed his mirrored sunglasses, revealing eyes as dark as his hair. “Rhys Dalton? Matthew Steel.” He held out his hand. “Wolf to my friends. Just thought I’d drop by to introduce myself properly and welcome you to San Diego.”

Rhys took the offered hand for a firm handshake. “Good to meet you. Come in.”