Page 22 of Montana Heat

“You,” Lucas confirmed, as if it wasn’t already obvious.

“Yeah, okay. I can do it.”

I was much better building or fixing stuff with my hands than I was people, but I couldn’t say no. Didn’t want to say no. Yes, I was attracted to Kenzie, but there was something else, something more. I couldn’t explain it, but I had a need in my gut to make sure she was safe.

“But are you sure?” Daniel questioned.“We know you’re notbig on having people in your personal space, so if it’s a problem, we’ll figure something else out.”

“I’m sure. You guys all have your hands full here. Plus, you have wives and families. I’ll take point.”

“He’s interested,” Liam added with a huge grin. “Why don’t you ask her out? Two birds, one stone and all that.”

“I don’t see that happening. We’re too different,” I replied. “Plus, you know me. I don’t date.”

Relationships had never been my forte. Not as a kid when I’d gotten bounced around from foster family to foster family and not as an adult.

Loving a woman wasn’t on my radar. Not today and not tomorrow. I wasn’t at that place in my life right now. Probably never would be.

And Kenzie wasn’t my type anyway.

Maybe if I repeated that enough in my mind, it would sink in once and for all.

Chapter Six

Kenzie

This apartment was about to drive me crazy. Chief Garcia had called me again this morning to reassure me multiple people were working on my case and that despite the other night’s message, I was still safe here.

I agreed with what he said about the wording of the message. The stalker thought I was still in Colorado, even if not in Denver.

So, safe? Yes.

Bored out of my mind? Definitely yes.

I had no work, no friends, no car. I could only read, watch TV, or do yoga for so many hours in one day. My phone dinged, and I rushed over to grab it. Hell, even a message from the stalker would be something.

But even better, it was a text from my friend Leah.

Missing you something fierce today. I wanna talk shop. Got some properties I could use your opinion on. Can’t talk now, but text me your thoughts.

Send me the links.

I was desperate for some connection to my friends. Leah andZoe were also both in real estate, and we all loved chatting properties and talking shop when we had the chance. I had met both women through my seminars early on in my career, and they were like the sisters I’d never had.

We’d been there for one another through tons of stuff. Zoe’s divorce. Leah’s parents’ deaths. My ex-boyfriend Alan losing his shit when my career picked up and his didn’t. He’d even gotten violent.

Alan had been the first person I suspected when this stalker situation started, but he was still in jail from when I’d had him arrested.

Seeing Leah’s pics and specs online wouldn’t be the same as seeing the real property and talking it out with her, but at least it was something to do. I pulled out my laptop and looked at what Leah sent.

Doing this just made me miss my life and my friends more. I wanted to see Leah in person, to hear her laugh, to tell her about what a hottie Jensen Chambers was. Chatting through text or online just wasn’t the same as getting a drink with her and Zoe.

As an only child, I had always wished for siblings, and they were the closest I’d ever found.

Trying to shake off my melancholy, I scrolled through the information on my laptop. I could see why she was excited about the property, but I also saw some potential pitfalls too. I texted my thoughts back to her on my burner phone since I wasn’t supposed to send any emails in case they could be tracked by the stalker.

Even once that was done, I still wasn’t feeling brave enough to check into my social media accounts after last night’s message. I wouldn’t avoid social media forever, but Charlie had advised that avoiding it altogether might be best for my mental health right now.

A little step back, he’d called it, and it was sweet how consideratehe was of my stability, not just concerned for my safety in his town.

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