Close Contact

Stiffening, her gaze shot to him, and then she visibly relaxed.

“How do you feel?”

“Mmm, good.” Stretching—and looking sinfully sexy in the process—she mumbled, “Sorry about that.”

“You needed the sleep.”

“I don’t usually nap.”

“All things considered, you were due.”

“I guess.” She yawned widely behind her hand, rubbed her eyes and smiled at him.

That smile was so sweet, so innocent and trusting, he felt it clean through to his heart. “I want to get started on the floodlights today, but I think we should take care of the groceries first. Will we have to go into town to dump the old food?”

“No. I have a big locking Dumpster and the garbage gets picked up tomorrow.”

“Perfect timing.”

Her gaze shifted away. “We’d accomplish a lot more if I put away the food while you worked on the lights.”

Miles heard the unspoken but, so he held silent.

“But,” she whispered, “I’m still not ready to be alone.”

He wouldn’t mind if that attitude carried over to bedtime. “It’s not a problem.”

“Right. I’m afraid to be in my own home? It’s idiotic.”

“Actually, it’d be idiotic if you weren’t worried.”

As if he hadn’t spoken, she said, “And it’s not your job to play grocery shopper and light installer on top of being a bodyguard.”

“How many bodyguards have you hired?”

“I...” Stymied, she frowned. “Only you. Why?”

“My job is to ensure your safety. That involves making the farmhouse more secure and, when necessary, sticking close. Since I’m not the type to stand around idle while you do chores, you can damn well plan on me helping. With whatever. Got it?”

Gratitude curled her mouth and softened her tone. “Doesn’t sound like I have a choice.”

“It’s part of the bodyguard code.” The SUV bumped and bounced over potholes in the rough road. While he had her undivided attention, he decided to sneak in a little work. “This ex of yours. Does he know you moved out here?”

“I didn’t tell him. If he knows, he found out from someone else.”

“Like who?”

“Well, he works with my sister.”

Great. He really needed to do some research. Getting details in drips and drabs wasn’t working for him.

As neutrally as he could, Miles said, “Yeah? Doing what?”

“He’s a receptionist.” She made a face and added, “Gary is pretty. He looks good in a boutique joint that caters to other pretty people.”

Jealousy subsided. “Pretty, huh?” She said it with enough disdain to make him laugh.

“Yeah. Some would call him handsome—but not as handsome as you.”

Miles said nothing to that.

“He’s tall, too.” Then she quickly added, “But not as tall as you.”

Semi-amused, semi-annoyed, Miles said, “He’s a cheater, so we can kill the comparisons, okay?”

Chagrined, she nodded. “I’m just wondering what I ever really saw in him.”

Yeah, Miles was wondering that, too.

Lower, she added, “I guess I thought he was elegant. Very stylish, trim, impeccable dresser. And far, far different from the first guy I cared about.”

“You were younger then.”

“And obviously dumber. Gary comes off as sophisticated and...” She shrugged with the truth. “More acceptable to my family.”

Miles soaked that in. So she still wanted their approval, did she? Just not enough to disregard her grandma’s wishes. “Do you think your sister would tell him where you are?”

“Who knows what Harlow might do? She’s annoyed enough with me to want payback.”

“So she knows you two split?”

“Yeah. She couldn’t believe I’d end a relationship over one ‘indiscretion.’ She thought I should give him another chance.”

“Bullshit.”

“My thought exactly. But if she did tell him, he hasn’t shown up here.”

“Or,” Miles said with emphasis, “maybe he’s shown up and you just don’t know it.”

She toyed with her braid while considering it. “Gary isn’t the type to be a stalker.”

“You never know.” Miles flexed his hands on the wheel. “Describe him to me.”

Wary now, she said, “You’re not going to do anything crazy, are you?”

“If you’re asking if I’ll demolish him, that’s not my plan.”

“Doesn’t sound like you’re ruling it out, though.”