Surprise, surprise, Tyler stepped into her path. “You’re not the wicked witch.”
“Oh, stop. Your compliments will overwhelm me.” She was so done, and he didn’t even get it. How could he? He’d forgotten her after Paris, while she’d built him up in her head as being this incredible white knight. She’d thought of him nearly every single day.Obsession much, Esme?
She’d been so sure that he would be the answer to her troubles. Someone she could trust. Someone who would help her and never be tempted to betray her.
Yes, she had a problem with high expectations. Sue her.
But there was only so much one woman could take. And the big truck with its gleaming grill? That would be another image that she added to her nightmares. She’d held her shit together all day. Even as she’d felt like she was shaking apart on the inside. The master criminal crack from the sheriff had been the final straw for her.
You’re smart if you believe absolutely nothing that you hear and only about half of what your eyes can see…
But what if the part you saw was the truth?
“Scoot, Tyler.” Esme waved her hand in a shooing motion.
He didn’t scoot or shoo. He stood right there, the big, unmovable object that he was.
“You’re too pale.”
“Stop. Really. More compliments?” Esme shook herhead. “How does any woman resist you and that killer charm you possess?”
“Your fingers are shaking.”
Indeed, they were. She curled her hands into fists. “My blood sugar must be low.”
He didn’t appear to buy that excuse. “Are you coming off an adrenaline crash?”
Well, she had almost been run down, so, yes, probably. But her chin lifted. “No, I’m just absolutely bored and ready for bed. Only there is a six-foot-three marshal in my way.”
He stared at her.
She glared at him.
His body seemed to stiffen more with every moment that passed. She truly did not think the man was going to move when?—
“I’ll be joining you in a few minutes, Esme.” He stepped to the side.
“Really, how odd. I don’t remember giving you an invitation to join me.” She skirted around him and hopped up the steps. A twinge shot through her knee, but she ignored the brief flash of pain.
“One bed, sweetheart. One bed.”
Esme glanced back.
“See you soon.” His eyesblazed.
Tyler waiteduntil Esme reached the top of the stairs. He kept his eyes on her every single second.
“Look, you need to?—”
Tyler held up a hand, indicating that Clay needed to stop talking. His friend stopped.
A few moments later, Tyler heard the bedroom door shut upstairs. He dropped his hand and fired an angry glare at Clay. “Don’t ever call her a criminal again.”
Clay’s green eyes seemed to double in size. “Uh, that’s what sheis.You’re the one who told me that trivia fact! Remember? When you contacted me and asked if I could get this old house ready?”
“I was wrong. Things are more complicated than they first appeared to be.” His hands had clenched. He hadn’t liked the look in Esme’s eyes.Pain.He wanted to take every bit of her pain away.
“Complicated, my ass. You told me that you caught the woman with diamonds strapped to her thigh. She’s tied to dozens of thefts and currently wanted on the dark web for a stupid amount of money. You don’t get a bounty like that on your head when you live a life of virtue and grace.”