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“Lizardman would be honored,” Nash said. He brought Emily to his bed, and sat down beside her. His hand ran through her hair and down her back. She sank into his strong shoulder, every bit of her taking comfort from his steady presence. “I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep,” he said. “Is that okay?”
She nodded sleepily. “Can you check in here for cameras, too?”
“Of course.” He left her to put his room through the same thorough scrutiny as hers, but he found nothing. She was the lucky one, she guessed. It made sense. The bed sank down as he sat down beside her.
“I can’t believe it.” She pressed her forehead, since it was starting to ache. “I’m trying to think of everything I did and what they could’ve used against me.” She groaned. “They probably caught me talking to myself.”
“You talk to yourself?” he asked. He curled up beside her. His eyes met hers.
She moved her face from his to stare up at the ceiling. “Of course, I do, Nash. Everybody does. You’re only crazy if you answer back.”
“No,” he said. “You’re only crazy if you answer back and you think it’s someone else.”
She laughed, even though she didn’t want to laugh. Nash had a way of making her see the ridiculous in every serious situation. “True,” she said, feeling her horror curl her insides again. “I wonder if they caught us telling each other that we love each other.”
His jaw hardened. She’d hit a sore spot. He licked his lips. “Even if they did, it doesn’t take away anything that I told you. I’ll forever treasure that moment we had together.”
She sighed. Yes! She’d have to keep telling herself that he was right. No one could take any memory from her that she didn’t willingly give. And still, she wanted to bury this horrible violation with new, happy thoughts. “Tell me how much you love me again.”
He cracked a smile and took her hand, playing with her fingers. “I love you so much that I want to put something on this… finger.” He caressed the spot on her skin where he’d slide a ring.
She stilled, but he was joking, right? Nash was always joking, but she usually found out that most of his jokes were dead serious. Maybe he was more a prankster than a comedian. She studied his face, and he watched her in return. No sparkle in those eyes or a wink to indicate he was teasing her.
“What do you say?” he asked.
She gulped. Honestly? She was trying out this new vulnerability thing, wasn’t she? And so she told him the truth. “I’d love that.”
He scooped her up with a glad cry. “Are you serious, Emily?”
“I am if you are! You’re crazy, you know that?”
“You’re every bit as crazy as I am.” He nuzzled her ear and she felt herself snuggling closer as they settled back on the pillows to sit next to each other. His every touch sent sparks through her. Maybe she was being crazy, but catching his wild streak was strangely liberating. Lizardman barked around them. Anyone would think that he was their matchmaker by his pleased noises.
Nash held her to his chest like a caveman who’d caught the most valuable woman in the tribe. She’d always love how he made her feel so special. She hadn’t made a mistake agreeing to practically everything he’d suggested, and why not? He never asked her to do anything that she was violently against.
“Emily.” His hands loosened on her as he met her eyes. “You’re so perfect, in every way, and I’m… well…” His lips cracked into a smile, though it was tinged with a vulnerability that she’d never seen on him before. “I’m not.”
“You’re a good man.” Emily never would’ve agreed to this crazy scheme of his if not. She’d guarded her heart for so long. He’d been the only one who’d been able to pry it open, so that she could let him in.
It had practically taken a crowbar.
His gaze softened on her. Gratitude spilled through his expression. “A good man, huh?” He sat back against the headboard, his hands going to her sleeve. It had slid down in their fervent embrace, and he pushed it back up over her shoulder. The intimate gesture made her shiver with happiness. “Before we make anything official,” he said, “I have a few things that I need to take care of first.”
Something was wrong, but it couldn’t be too serious, could it? She fluffed the pillows to the side of him with a fist, and made herself comfortable next to him. They needed a heart to heart. “Tell me.”
His eyes went to the ceiling like they were watching the stars. “Work is killing me. It’s not everything I expected, and I need to talk to West, I think.”
“Are you getting out of the business?”
“Definitely.”
Relief flooded through her. That was all she needed to hear. West had been her only concern in all of this. She leaned against Nash’s shoulder. “I’m partial to a good cattleman, myself.”
“You are, are you?” He glanced down at her and smiled.
“Yeah, there’s one cattleman in particular that I have a crush on.”
“That had better be me.”
“How did you guess?” Emily asked. “I thought that I was being so subtle, but I can tell you now that he’s everything I want.”
“I hope so.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I have to be honest; I’ve got a long way to go.”
“One day at a time.” The heavy weight of sleep was quickly overcoming her. Yeah, she couldnothold her allergy medicine. “Just don’t change too much,” she said, “because… I like you.”
His next words were lost in a murmur. The last thing that she felt as she fell asleep was his lips pressing softly into hers before he dragged himself away. “Can’t wait to pick this up tomorrow, Emily.”
She couldn’t either.
That blissful thought was lost in strange dreams of cows and cameras. Something was off, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
