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CHAPTER TWELVE
There’s something I don’t trust about that guy. Christian frowned each time he looked at the bandage around his arm. Luckily, it was only a few deep scratches that he could get stitched at the doctor’s tomorrow. But how convenient that the only person with a rifle had slipped out to “use the bathroom” just as a couple of bears had been lured in with cat food. Christian had no real evidence, and yet, he had his suspicions nonetheless.
What terrified him even more were the what-ifs: What if Olivia had been alone with that man? What if she hadn’t been able to think of that phone app? What if she’d gotten hurt, or worse?
He tried not to think of the worse, as it almost hurt in his chest. But why did he feel this way? He tried to tell himself that he was just a good tour guide. Olivia insisted on compensating him for his hours at the castle, but there was more to his worry than that of a “guide.” These feeling were too intense to ignore and brush off.
“I don’t like this guy. That gun would have been useful to scare off that bear,” Christian said while they had dinner that night.
“My hands are still shaking!” Olivia said in an excited tone. She showed Christian the app with the blaring horn. “And I don’t even watch football!” she added. “I only downloaded it for an office party because everybody else did, so I wanted to fit in.”
“What made you even think of it?” he asked, genuinely impressed. She held his gaze without looking away as she recounted everything. As she did, he took in her childlike wonder, which spread through her eyes like fireworks.
“You have beautiful eyes,” he said, and she stopped talking and blinked.
“What?”
“Uh . . . sorry. Nothing.” Stop being creepy, he scolded himself. She’s been through enough.
Toward the end of the dinner, she looked up at him. “Christian, I really appreciate your offer to stay . . . but if you have to go, it’s fine, really. I will manage.” She almost sounded convincing, until she added, “But if you really don’t mind and don’t need to be anywhere else, I would appreciate you staying another night.”
“With what Mihai did today, I won’t feel comfortable knowing there’s no one else with you. So nope. Don’t need to be anywhere else tonight.” Liar. Mother and the girls need you. But this is more urgent. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way,” he said. “But I think it’s best if I sleep in your room tonight.”
She lowered her eyes, so he added: “On the floor, of course. You don’t have to worry about anything. I just don’t like the idea of being down the hallway with such thick rock walls between us. Tomorrow . . .”
“I’m not worried about you sharing a room with me,” she cut in. “I understand your concern. Things are getting a bit strange around here, but I also don’t want to sound alarm over misunderstandings and shout false accusations. It’s not easy for the Rusus, you know. Having someone else come in and take everything over, including a castle that has such significance for the Rusu family like this one. I don’t want to be seem disrespectful. When I talk to Elena tomorrow, I will raise my concerns about Mihai and see what she thinks. Whoever of the Rusus has hired him must have done so for a reason.”
He nodded. “Tomorrow, we’ll figure things out. Talk to Elena and hopefully leave this castle and get you into a guest house in town. You know, one that’s not watched by a creepy guy who leaves us to the bears.”
Olivia frowned. “I think you’re overreacting, Christian. It wasn’t his fault that a bear attacked us. It’s not like he called the bear to us. We just got unlucky.”
“Maybe. Still, I don’t think you need to stay here alone. At least let me hire more staff from town, get the cook back, maybe some maids?”
Olivia frowned. “Maids? Like I’m some old lady in waiting?”
“Don’t want to help the local economy? Some folks in town have been without work and would be glad to have a job.” He grinned. He knew he was using her own kindness against her.
“All right. If it helps the locals.”
He smiled and stared straight at her, hoping the smile wouldn’t come off as creepy. “I won’t lay a hand on you. You can trust me.”
“I trust you. You were willing to give your life for me today. You can stay in my room if it helps you feel all knight-like. Like the protector of a fair maiden that’s not that fair.”
Christian laughed. “Was that a dirty joke?”
“Was it?” She smiled.
***
The fire in the hearth crackled, casting a soft, dim light over the room. The air was silent, but thick. Each time their eyes met, they’d glance away. Olivia was also more than embarrassed by the cat pajamas she was wearing. The cute little black kittens printed on the white fleece pants and long-sleeved shirt had been her favorite PJs. Now they seemed ridiculous. Christian was making a bed near the fireplace, dressed like a normal person, still wearing his jeans and his white shirt that was shredded and stained with blood on his arm.
“Here, you’ll need this,” Olivia said and tossed a pillow at Christian from her bed. The pillow hit his face just as he looked up.
“Ouch, that hurt.”
“No it didn’t. It’s just a pillow.” She giggled and timidly pulled back a strand of her brown hair that had fallen over her face. He smiled and fluffed the pillow.
“It hurt mentally. I deserve some knightly respect after saving the lady today.”
