Close Contact

“How about you show me the house, let me look things over, then we can grab some food before I head home to get supplies?”

Her feet stopped working. So did her heart.

When his arm stretched out—his hand still holding hers—Miles turned back to face her. “What?”

“You’re leaving?” Renewed panic clawed through her.

He tugged her up alongside him, then slipped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. “Yes, and you’re going with me.”

He said that as if that had been the plan all along. “I am?” Well, then, she could handle that. Tucked against his lean body with his muscled arm encircling her, the panic eased away as quickly as it had come.

“We came straight here from the doctor’s so you could feed the cats and take care of yourself. But I need my things, since I’m going to be staying here, right?”

Of course he did. She nodded.

“I’m guessing we need several security cameras and alarms, too. It’s still early enough, so I’d like to get everything done today.”

She kept thinking she was dealing okay—until something else set her off, then she went to pieces. Weakness sucked.

Hard as she tried, insults kept coming back to her, all the expectations for failure. She had a lot to prove, all to herself. Miles, hopefully, would help her with that.

He, at least, wasn’t weak. “Of course.”

“You’re safe now, Maxi.” His arm tightened in an affectionate hug that brought her into brief contact with his hard, hot body. “You know that, right?”

She knew he still had the power to help her forget everything but her need of him. Like now, with her thoughts all focused on his ripped body.

“Maxi?”

Even though she wasn’t convinced, she nodded. “Before we go, I have an unusual favor to ask.”

“You’re paying me. Ask away.”

Hmm. She didn’t appreciate how he’d put that, as if he was only here for the money. She didn’t buy that. As he’d said, she could have come to him directly and he’d have helped.

If that was how he wanted to play it, though, she wouldn’t debate it with him. Not yet.

Tonight would be soon enough.

She looked up at him. “After we eat, do you think you could keep watch while I shower and make myself presentable?”

Surprise lit his eyes before he gave a slow nod. “Yeah, I think I can manage that.” This time as they walked, it was without tripping over cats, since they were all still eating. “Maybe now’s a good time for you to tell me how you want this to work.”

How it should work? If she had her way, he’d be with her 24/7, including in the shower and while she slept.

If she could sleep.

Instead, she lied, saying, “I thought you could use the downstairs bedroom and bath, and I’d use them upstairs.”

“Hell.”

She jumped on that. “What? That doesn’t work for you? You had something else in mind?”

He was silent for a bit, his jaw flexing. “Let’s see the house first, then I’ll make recommendations.”

Recommendations, her butt. Had he hoped for an entirely separate place to stay? An apartment over the barn? She almost snorted. If he wanted to sleep with the cats in a pile of hay, let him.

Fat lot of good that would do her when something else happened.

Dejected, she followed along without saying anything. Before they got too far into this arrangement, she needed to clear the air about why she’d walked away from him, when everything in her had begged her to stay, to push for more.

Perhaps during the drive back to his place. For now, she’d take comfort in the fact he was here with her, and she wouldn’t have to face the next catastrophe alone.

Unfortunately, the next catastrophe happened almost as soon as she stepped into the house.

CHAPTER THREE (#udcc22cdf-68e8-5161-aa4e-d09620e81d53)

MILES STEPPED AHEAD of Maxi on the back porch and tried the door. It opened. “Not locked?”

“It’s how I got back in to get my purse. It wasn’t locked then either and you can bet I didn’t bother once I had what I needed. I just got away.”

“Understandable.” He stepped into the area and looked to the left at the small bedroom, then to the right up the stairs. Maxi’s room would be up there. He’d check that out in a minute.

Peeking past him, she asked, “You hear anything?”

“No.”

“Thank God.” She stepped in around him, saying, “The kitchen is this way. Let’s go there first and—”

The second she stepped around the wall onto the old-fashioned tiles in the kitchen, her feet came out from under her and she landed flat on her back with a thud. Her bottom half was in the kitchen, her head and shoulders visible from the hall.

With a curse, Miles jogged forward, glanced around for any signs of danger, saw nothing more than a hideous kitchen and knelt beside her. “Stay still,” he said, before she could move.

She wheezed, squeezing her eyes shut.

Of course, he saw the puddle of dark oil on the floor beneath her. He twisted around, looking into every corner that he could see, but the house was quiet, and they appeared to be alone. There were no remnants left behind, not even the empty can from where the oil had been poured.

“Hell of a spill.” He was so pissed he could have chewed nails, but he tried to sound calm. “You okay?”

Gulping air, her expression pained, she didn’t attempt to answer.

“You knocked the wind out of yourself.” He pulled her arms straight up and said, “Try to calm down. Breathe slowly.”

She caught her breath with a vengeance, hissing, “Blast.”

“Easy now.” He helped her to sit up...in the oil. “I’m guessing that wasn’t here when you came in for your purse and boots?”

“No.” Disgusted, she lifted her hands, now slick, and curled her lip. “It’s soaked into my shorts.”