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Good. Lord.
Had she awakened some sort of beast? This was not what she’d expected.
Yet, it was everything she’d ever wanted.
“Rules?” she asked.
“Yes, rules.”
“What are these rules?” she asked suspiciously.
“No putting yourself in danger. No lying. No talking badly about yourself, including calling yourself names.”
Crap.
“No putting your health at risk. If something happens, like your car breaks down, or you hurt yourself, you have another dizzy spell, then you call me immediately.”
“Is that it?” she asked sarcastically.
“For now.”
Darn it.
“But I will warn you, my good, naughty, sassy, sweet, sexy girl, that if you put your health and safety in jeopardy, we’ll be on a whole other level. Understand me?” There was a serious look on his face.
She nodded. “I think so.”
He grinned.
Seriously. She was worried about these mood swings of his.
“Right. To go back to what started this. Your supposed tally. You don’t owe me anything. And that’s an instant five if you mention owing me or paying me back again, understand?”
“Don’t you need to get back to work?”
“I’ll go back when you do. The ranch isn’t going to collapse without me there. I mean, sure, the others rely on me since I’m the best there is. I know the ranch better than any of them. But still . . . it will survive.”
“Raid,” she whispered. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“It’s not taking advantage if I’m willingly giving to you. If I want to give to you. If it makes me feel good to do things, to look after you. Is it?”
“I guess not.”
“You guess? I think there’s something you’re not getting, baby.”
“What’s that?”
He leaned toward her, but didn’t touch her. He was probably worried she was going to freak out like before. “That perhaps all of my life has been leading to this point. That I was put on this earth precisely for this. To take care of you.”
She gaped at him.
What the heck did you say after something like that?
“I need to get some things from the store, but I don’t want to leave you alone. When I leave you alone, you start to think. Or you try to clean.”
“I won’t . . . I’ll be fine.”
“I think you should come with me.”
She shook her head. “I want to stay here.”
He frowned down at her.
“I promise I won’t do any thinking. Or cleaning.”
He grunted. Then he pointed a finger at her. “You’ll stay on the couch, eat your fruit, drink your water, and you will not think.”
“Right.”
“Good. I’ll be back soon. I’m locking the door and taking a key. You stay here.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips over hers, leaving them tingling.
Then he was gone. And she was still sitting there in shock.
What the heck had just happened?
And since when did he have a key?
When Raid walked into the apartment twenty minutes later, he came to a stop. Then he slammed the door shut and carried the box of groceries to the kitchen bench. He put it down and then stood with his hands on his hips, staring at his girl.
Who was not lying on the couch like he’d ordered when he’d left.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked.
“I thought I’d make my smashed potatoes,” she explained, turning from where she had a large pot boiling on the stovetop. “To go with the steaks. They take a bit of cooking because you boil them first before you roast them. And um, they, um, they’re delicious.” She stumbled over her words as he moved toward her. Grabbing her hand, he led her back to the sofa.
“What did I say before I left the apartment?” he asked as they stood in front of the sofa.
“Uh, well, you told me to sit and eat and drink. But the potatoes needed to go on.”
“They could have waited until I got back and you know it. You’re testing me.”
Her eyes went wide, and she looked worried. He needed to reassure her quick.
“Which is a good thing.”
“It is?” she asked.
“Yep. Means you’re starting to trust me. You know I won’t harm you. Might heat your butt a bit, but I don’t think that worries you.”
“Uh, I wouldn’t go that far.”
Turning her to the couch, he pointed. “Sit!” Then he landed two smacks to her ass before moving away. He didn’t want to crowd her.
She stood there, gaping at him. “You spanked me.”
“I popped your butt. Probably didn’t hurt more than when you ride over something bumpy on a bike.”
“Really?”
“Really. Now, sit your butt down before I come over there and pop it again.”
She sat without argument.
Huh. Seemed those pops on her butt worked perfectly.
Shit, he was good.
20
Later that evening, she heard a soft snore.
She was lying in front of Raid on the sofa, which is where he’d positioned them both. He wasn’t a fan of personal space, that was for sure. She’d tried to convince him to let her sit down on the other end, but he wasn’t having it.
