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I slipped back into the office, where Gunner jumped to his feet, as if he was anxiously awaiting my return. I gave him a stiff smile, mortified when I remembered that I hadn’t wiped my tears away, and turned the envelope over to him.
“Read what’s inside and take whatever you need, but lock the rest back up in the safe when you’re done, okay?” I said through a tight throat.
“Of course,” Gunner assured me. “Are you alright?”
“It’s just…” I took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly as I waved my hands in front of me in an arch. “Closure. It’s the closure I’ve been looking for, even though I thought I had given up on ever finding it.”
He gave me a single nod, an unreadable expression on his face. “Good. You deserve it.”
Feeling the rush of emotions starting to swirl again in my chest, I knew I needed an escape. Some way to bleed off all these excess feelings before they spilled over. “Can I go for a run?”
He looked like he wanted to say no, but after considering it, he agreed. “I’ll have to have a car follow you, but that should be fine.”
“Perfect. I’m going to go change.”
I reached the door before Gunner said my name, tone serious. “Rachel?”
I turned, one hand on the doorframe. “Yeah?”
“I’ll be here when you get back.”
Hearing the unspoken significance in his words, I smiled, and it was both genuine and sad. “I know. Thank you.”
Chapter Eighteen
After a mile and a half, I turned around, passing the Stone Security car which would do a U turn and follow me again. It wasn’t an exceptionally long run by any means, but it was enough to get my head straight, and now I was ready to get back to work.
With my headphones in, I didn’t even notice the security car behind me, and I was glad Gunner gave me enough breathing room for this escape. Everything just felt so heavy there for a minute, I didn’t know what else to do. The rhythmic pounding of my feet on the pavement, matched with my steady breathing, helped to center me, even as the sun pounded down relentlessly.
Once the house came into view, I broke into a full sprint, pushing myself to the very edge before I skidded to a stop in the driveway. Running in the middle of the day in Texas isn’t recommended, but it wasn’t like I had a lot of choices.
I was definitely suffering the consequences of the Texas heat, a sheen of sweat covering my entire body, but my muscles were loose and limber, and I felt at peace. At least for the time being.
I was bent over at the waist, trying to catch my breath, when Gunner’s boots appeared on the dusty driveway in front of me. I straightened with a groan, tiny aftershocks of the full sprint tingling in my legs.
Gunner handed me a bottle of water he must have nicked from the fridge, and I took it graciously, pouring a fair amount on the back of my neck and chest before drinking. It’s only when he cleared his throat and I opened my eyes that I considered how all the water-pouring must have looked, but it was hotter than hell. Appropriateness came second to comfort.
“Feeling better?” he asked, gaze focusing on anything but me. The clouds, a tree in the front yard, a bird.
“Yes. Is there something on my face?”
He sighed, looking back at me and running his hand over his short hair. “No, it’s just, come on. You know what you look like. I’m only human.”
He motioned towards me, and I couldn’t help the cocky smirk that my mouth curled into. It wasn’t like I wastryingto look …distracting, I guess, but the strappy sports bra and running shorts were apparently too much for my stalwart bodyguard. Still, I wasn’t going to pass up a chance to tease him. Like I said, things had been so heavy. Some levity would do us both some good.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I quipped, and he scowled.
“Bullshit. You’re—” he stuttered, and my amusement knew no bounds. I covered my mouth to hide my laughter. “Stunning. The way you look right now makes me forget where I am and what I’m even doing.”
“You find me—” I looked down at my body, “—stunning when I’m covered in sweat, hair scraped back into a ponytail, and barely able to catch my breath?”
The energy rolling off Gunner has changed from protective and stern to something almost predatory. And hungry. “It makes me think of what you’d look like—” he snapped his mouth shut with concentrated effort. “Nothing. Never mind.”
Caught up in his spell, I slinked forward until I could rest one hand on his chest, looking up at him, “I want to know.”
Emergency!my brain yelled.This is neither the time nor the place!
He wrapped a hand around my wrist, all but growling when he said, “Rachel…”
