Page 32 of Trapped with the Covert Ops Soldier

“I hadn’t thought of that,” the Sheriff said with a nod to Smitty. “I’ll look into it.”

One moment he was suspicious of Smitty, the next they were best buddies. Men. Who could figure them out? “Are you two having a bromance?”

Both men looked at her with almost identical expressions of disgust.

She rolled her eyes. “So, Sheriff, since I didn’t throw any dynamite this morning, could you fire my babysitter?”

Smitty looked hurt, but the Sheriff snorted. “Not with someone shooting at you I’m not. I think he’s going to come in really handy before all this is over.”

“This isn’t the old west or even Syria.”

“I don’t care. He’s going to ride herd on you until I say otherwise.”

“Spoilsport.” She checked her watch. Noon. “I’m heading back to my office. I’ve got a ton of paperwork to catch up on before my afternoon appointments.”

“I’ll walk you back.” Smitty got up at the same time she did and followed her out.

“Did we just stick him with the bill for lunch?” he asked her after the door closed behind them.

“Yep.”

“That’s harsh.”

“You think so?”

“Almost as harsh as you asking him to fire me.”

“Smitty, the fact that you’re being paid to follow me around bugs the shit out of me.”

“Why?”

“Would you want me around because someone else is paying for me to be with you?”

“Hell no.”

“Why would I be any different?”

“So, you don’t really want me to leave?”

“You’re the only person outside my immediate family I trust. If it had been anyone else who burst into my room last night, I’d have gone down fighting before I’d let them touch me.”

“I did a lot more than touch you.” One corner of his mouth kicked up.

“Yes, you did. You took my nightmares away and for the first time since coming home, I woke up feeling something other than terror and hopelessness.”

He slid his hand down her arm and threaded his fingers through hers, holding her hand like it was a gift he’d been waiting for. “I’m glad. I never thought of myself as a teddy bear, but for you, I’ll take on the job.”

He was acting like a...boyfriend. “How do you feel about all this? Another babysitting job where you’re getting shot at.”

“I’m not the one getting shot at, and I’m damn happy the Sheriff was smart enough to ask for help dealing with you.”

“Dealingwith me?”

“You’re kind of eccentric, Abby. Even in Syria you were something of an oddball. Though I have to say, throwing dynamite into a lake every morning is certainly an escalation in weirdness.”

“Gee, thanks.”

He was silent for a few seconds before he said much too casually, “So, where’d you get the dynamite?”

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