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One of those items was her mother’s photo album.
It was stashed in the depths beside her hairbrush and the key fob to her SUV that blew up. Its cover was marked only by the few scratches in the leather that Trinny gave it when she stuffed it in there. She couldn’t bring herself to open it, to see the photos her mother had chosen or the handwritten dates beneath them.
She couldn’t bring herself to look for fear she’d hear her voice in her head.
Jaren was watching her closely…and she’d already shown him too much.
“It’s been a long day.” She was suddenly flattened by exhaustion. “This placehasto have a bathtub somewhere. I’m going to find it and have a soak.”
Though he didn’t respond, she felt some energy rolling off him and knew he was holding back.
As she walked away, she avoided his gaze and the sensation of his eyes on her.
If she was going to figure out her life, she did need help. Jaren was already here, ready and willing to jump in.
After a little exploration, Trinny located a master bedroom and en suite bath. Knowing Corrine was the owner of the lodge, she couldn’t take the bedroom. Luckily, there was a guestroom and also an office with a sofa where Jaren could sleep. Not that she was concerned. For all she cared, he could crash outside under the stars. As long as it wasn’t in her bed.
The bathroom was outfitted in sleek white tile with accents of black. Lots of natural light poured in through two windows. She went directly to the big soaker tub and switched on the taps.
A basket on the vanity was filled with various toiletries. She selected some citrus and ginger bath oil and trickled it into the tub. The rich scents reminded her of the stupid air freshener she’d been so excited to try this morning. How things had turned on a dime in a few short hours.
She stripped off her clothes and kicked them aside. Then, realizing the garments were all she had, she picked them up and carefully draped them on the vanity.
By the time she stepped into the fragrant, steamy water, she was more than ready for the heat to work into her stiff muscles.
As she rested her spine against the back of the tub, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Ever since her mother’s death, Trinny had battled anxiety and a lot of guilt. She didn’t need a therapist to tell her that she was experiencing trauma from the event. After this morning, things were ten times more complicated.
Someone was after her. Someone wanted herdead.
She considered this in a detached way, realizing her reaction wasn’t exactly normal. Yet if she was going to survive this, she had to get a handle on her emotions, including the need to tamp down all this unwanted desire for her bodyguard.
She tried not to recall every soft stroke of his tongue across her nipples that puckered even now.
Glancing down, she noticed the small pink streak across her outer breast and need stabbed deep into her core. Jaren had put that mark there, and she remembered the exact moment he did—when he tore his mouth from her nipple and dragged his beard across her body.
Okay, the bath was a bad idea. It wouldn’t provide the calm she hoped for, so she flipped the toggle of the drain plug and let the water swirl out.
She climbed out of the tub, dried off and reached for her clothes. There was a little dirt on the knees of her jeans from when Jaren threw her on the ground. Using a towel, she took a second to scrub off the worst of it and then put them on.
Another wave of fatigue struck her. Between the morning’s events, the questioning at the WEST Protection office and the hot water, her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton. She wasn’t the sort of person to take naps, but how else was she going to spend her time?
An image of Jaren on her bed, his stiff cock an arrow aimed straight at her soaking wet pussy, gave her plenty of ideas…
Ideas she wouldnotbe acting on.
She hung up her towel over the shower door and walked into the guestroom. The double bed wasn’t the luxury California king she was used to, but it beat the motels she’d stayed at on the road.
As soon as she stretched out on the mattress, she reached for the throw blanket at the bottom. The chunky knit in a soft cream color was nice…but it wasn’t her weighted blanket.Thatblew up with the rest of her belongings.
She flipped onto her back, arms crossed, staring at the ceiling. Stupid tears gathered, but she held her eyes wide to make them dry out. She wouldnotcry over a blanket of all things.
It wasn’t really about the blanket, though, was it?
A soft rap sounded at her door. Trinny uttered a groan. Did Jaren have to seek her out right now, when she was feeling so low? She felt too vulnerable, her walls crumbling. She couldn’t let him in.
“Go away!” she called out.
He pushed the door open.
