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“I’ve been called a lot worse.” I laughed again as I rolled down the road, heading to my second house.
“I bet you have. So, where are you taking me, cowboy?”
“You’ll see.”
I was able to keep the grin as I drove. I hadn’t expected her to take the job. I’d almost convinced myself it was better if she’d left. Then Scorpion had called, letting me know she’d made an appointment with him, and I’d headed to my parents’ old place, making plans I knew I shouldn’t. But she’d crawled under my skin far enough I wasn’t finished with my exploration. The thought pushed my cock against my jeans.
Damn, I had it bad for the girl.
She remained quiet, enjoying Sam’s heavy head on her shoulder. The two of them had bonded and I would hate to see what happened to him if she disappeared suddenly. I’d tried looking her up myself, but with almost no information, short of getting her fingerprints or if she confided in me, I doubted I’d learn the source of her terror.
At least for tonight, I was shoving all the garbage out of my mind.
When I pulled into my parents’ old neighborhood, she leaned forward. “The houses are really huge.”
“Yup.”
“You own one?”
“Yup.”
“Wow. You’re a man of mystery and intrigue,” she said, her tone teasing.
As I pulled down a long driveway, she stiffened. “What’s wrong?”
“It just reminds of something.”
“What?” I glanced over at her.
She half laughed but when she pressed her fingers through her hair, I noticed her hand was shaking. “Just an old acquaintance I couldn’t stand. His driveway was similar.”
His. At least I’d received confirmation that the person who was derailing her life was a man. “I assure you that the house isn’t like anything you’ve seen before.” My parents had eclectic tastes and I hadn’t gotten around to redecorating it yet.
When I pulled in front of the massive front door, she stiffened. The second clue was whoever had forced her to run was wealthy.
“This belonged to my parents.”
“Belonged to. I’m very sorry about your mother dying of cancer. You didn’t say anything about your dad.”
I cut the engine. “That’s not what she died of, although the disease would have killed her eventually. My Pops was determined to check off everything on her bucket list before that happened. They’d been to dozens of countries, but never Switzerland. They were on a skiing trip and perished in an avalanche.”
“Whoa. Are you kidding?”
“I wish I were. But they lived and died the way they wanted. Free spirits. I’m surprised they owned a house at all. I haven’t figured out what to do with it.”
“I’m so sorry.”
As soon as I opened the door, Sam jumped over the seats, shoving her into the dashboard in his effort to scramble out from my side. She started laughing again and the sound was like sweet music. “No reason to be sorry.” The dome light from the truck created an aura around her and my hunger was off the charts. I wouldn’t be able to wait for any additional conversation or romantic interludes. I was far too aroused.
As I grabbed her things from the backseat, she slowly climbed out, walking around the front of the truck. Her face was pensive.
“I still am.” She moved closer, pressing her hand against my chest. “You won’t let anybody get close to you. Will you?”
“Will you?”
“I didn’t realize we were keeping score.”
“Maybe we are, but not in the way you’re thinking. Come on.” I watched her reaction as she walked inside, immediately pressing her hand over her mouth and laughing. “As I said, my parents were different creatures.” Between the red leather sofa and chair, the garish rugs on the floor, and the vivid accent walls all throughout the house, you’d never know both my parents grew up on massive ranches.
