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She peeks at me nervously through thick lashes then asks, “Can you grab new sheets out of my closet in the bathroom?” I nod and head where she told me to.
Something dark red catches my eye in the trash. I crouch and see a shirt with blood on it and some gauze. I lift the shirt and see it’s been ripped down the middle. I close my eyes to try and calm down, dropping the shirt back in the trash. I stand and I’m certain now, he did force himself on her, which makes this whole thing so much worse than it already was. I open the closet and grab the sheets for her. When I get back in the bedroom, she’s got a trash bag and some cleaning supplies.
“Let me pick up the glass so you don’t get cut,” I tell her as I put the folded sheets on her mattress.
“It’s okay. I’ve got it.” She doesn’t look up, just continues picking up glass. I kneel down to help and she hisses.
“What? Did you get cut?” I ask, noticing she’s holding her finger. She brings it up to her mouth, sucking away the drop of blood pooling there. I get closer and pull her finger to me so I can look at it. It’s a small prick on her fingertip. I wipe away the newly formed blood and kiss it.
She stares at me, maybe a little breathless from the feel of my lips on her. I’m a little breathless myself. I keep thinking all these things I wouldn’t normally think with a woman.
“Grab a bandage and I’ll finish this.”
She rises without a word and heads into her bathroom.
Once she returns, we have her bedroom cleaned up in about an hour. She’s only missing the shattered mirror.
I wait for her in her living room as she packs her bag. I can’t help but admire the pictures she has in frames and some paintings. The paintings are beautiful and I wonder if she painted them.
My eyes land on a photograph of her and Ivie. Both dark haired beauties, both so similar, it makes me wonder how they didn’t realize they were sisters sooner.
“I’m ready. Are you sure about this?” she asks one more time.
“I’m sure. Let’s go so you can get settled in my guest room. I know you must be tired.” I stride over to her, then take the bag from her hand.
She seems about to speak again, maybe protest and change her mind.
“Trust me, firecracker. I got you.” I wink before turning away with her bag. She follows behind me, setting her alarm and locking up.
Do I know what I’m doing? Absolutely not. But I do know everything in me has been screaming to be near her, and I’m glad tonight I finally listened. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been here, but I do know I’ll do everything in my power to help her find her fire again.
Tate talked me into riding with him to the ranch, only because he promised he’d bring me back to get my car tomorrow. I still don’t know if I should be here with him. It feels—dangerous. He acted like he cared back at my house, but it can’t be true. He probably pities me. He knows my twisted family issues since he was there when they were all spilled, and now he knows the truth about Taylor, most of it. I’m sure he can guess without me saying it aloud.
The only secret I’m keeping from him now is I could see myself falling for him, I might already be. He swooped into my life unexpectedly and has stayed right under the surface in my mind. If there’s one thing I can’t do, it’s fall for him. We pull up at the ranch and drive past the main house to a cabin, almost the same size as the main house. I’m impressed.
“I’ll help you get settled,” he says as he parks his truck. “I have a dog… I hope that’s okay. I forgot to mention it.” He glances my direction and exits the truck without another word. A dog, huh? That isn’t so surprising. I wonder what kind it is. Before I have a chance to open my door, he’s opening the back door grabbing my bag and then opens mine, extending a hand to help me down.
“I can get out of the truck, Tate. I’m not helpless.” He laughs, a deep and husky laugh, sending the butterflies in my stomach into overdrive.What is it about this man?
“I didn’t say you were helpless darlin’, but I do seem to remember saving you from a faceplant when you got out of Sterling’s truck that night. Just didn’t want to see a repeat.”
Heat washes up my neck and cheeks. Damn this man, this infuriatingly sexy man. “I can manage fine on my own, Tate,” I rush out.
He pulls his hand back and lifts it in surrender, smirking at me. “I didn’t mean to make you mad or embarrass you. I was only trying to keep you from falling at my feet again.” He winks before stepping aside, waiting for me to get out.He actually winked.
“Don’t worry, I don’t make a habit of falling at any man’s feet, especially someone like you. I’ll save that for someone who isn’t scared of love,” I snipe.
His face falls a bit as he works the muscle in his jaw.Bingo, I struck a nerve.“I’ll show you to the guest room, follow me.” I hop down, trailing behind him inside. We’re greeted by a beautiful, mostly black German Shepard. He wags his tail happily at the sight of Tate and then me. He makes his way over to smell me and then proceeds to lick my hand, wiggling all around me.
“Some guard dog you have here.” I scratch him behind the ears as he sits at my feet expectantly. Tate’s lips lift in a small smile.
“Traitor,” he mumbles. “He likes you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be such a teddy bear. His name is Rocky.” I find myself smiling easily as he talks about Rocky until I glance back up at Tate to find him watching me. I quickly swallow my smile, caught off guard by the intensity of his stare.
He clears his throat quickly. “The uh, guest room is down the hall to the right. My room is across the hall on the left. You have your own bathroom. The living room is on the other side of the kitchen. Make yourself at home.” His cell phone rings, and he looks at it quizzically before walking back outside to answer it. I take my cue and make my way to the room he said is mine for the night.
Rocky trots down the hall behind me, stopping when I do to flip on the light. He hops on the end of the bed and lays his head on his paws watching me. I laugh and tell him as if he understands, “I wouldn’t know what to think about me either, boy.” I put my bag in the closet and spread a few things I’ll need out in the connecting bathroom. When I return to the bedroom, Tate’s standing in the doorway.
“Hey, I need to run up to Sterling’s for a bit. Will you be okay? Rocky will stay with you, and I wrote my cell number on a notepad in the kitchen.” His eyes search mine as if wondering whether he should leave me alone. “You can come with me, but I didn’t know if you’d want to. I’m going to meet Dean and wait on Sterling to get back from Ivie’s.”
