Page 8 of Impressing Brett

“Do you live alone?” I blurt out while he disarms the alarm.

“Yes. Why?” He smirks.

“It’s just so…” I don’t finish.

“So what?” he prods. “Tell me.” He shuts the door and resets the alarm.

“Well, big and tidy.”

He shrugs. “I was in the military. Tidy is ingrained in me.”

“Oh. Right. I guess I knew that. Army Ranger, right?”

“Yep.”

“I guess people don’t fuck with you,” I murmur. I dare anyone to fuck with this man. I wouldn’t.

“Not often, no.”

“And you work for Black Blade Protection, right?” I ask. I think I remember that detail. Colton works there. So does another one of their friends, Davis. I’ve met him and his wife, Britney, several times. And then the owner of Black Blade Protection as well. I’m not sure what his real name is, but they all call him Blade.

“I do.” He sets his huge hand on my shoulder. “Let me show you where the guest room is so you can take a shower or a bath and change. I’ll fix you something to eat while you do that.”

“I’m not hungry,” I remind him.

“You need to eat, Little lamb. At least some soup. How do you feel about canned chicken noodle soup?”

“It’s fine.” Maybe I could manage that.

“Okay. I’ll fix it while you bathe.” He nods toward the other side of the kitchen and starts walking, taking the suitcase.

I follow him, looking around as we go. His living room is as pristine as his kitchen, as if it’s a display home. When we get upstairs, he leads me directly to a guest room.

I’m kind of surprised when I step inside. “It’s pink,” I murmur.

He chuckles as he sets the suitcase on the queen-sized bed. “Yeah. You can thank Eve, Britney, Lucy, and a few of the other wives for this. They did it.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “And you let them?”

He shrugs. “They were formidable—and there were a lot of them. They ganged up on me. They insisted if I ever had a female guest, she would be more comfortable in a feminine room. Were they right?” He lifts a brow.

I look around. It’s so pretty. The comforter and pillows are pink. The furniture is a light wood. There’s a pink area rug, pink curtains, and pink rose print paintings on the walls. There’s even a teddy bear in the middle of the bed as if a child might stay here. It tugs at my heartstrings. I’d love to be a child staying in this room. It’s been twenty years since I was a child. “Yeah. They were right,” I admit. It’s inviting.

He leads me through to the attached bath. More pink. Towels and bathmats. The cabinets and counters are white. The floor is also white. It’s almost too pretty to mess up. “I’m afraid to touch anything,” I admit.

“Don’t worry about that, Little lamb.”

“Are you going to do some sort of coin-bouncing test to the bed after I make it in the morning?”

He laughs. I love the sound. Full and rich. He’s different tonight. Not as serious as I’ve seen him in the past.

He opens the cabinet under the sink. “Everything you could possibly need is under here. The girls assured me.”

Girls? Does he mean the women? Somehow, the way he says it doesn’t sound offensive, though. It sounds endearing.

“Thank you,” I whisper. I should be a hot mess, but my tears have dried up for the time being. I expected to feel out of sorts and awkward. Instead, I feel welcome.

He cups my face again, tipping my head back. “Take your time, but not too long. I’m worried about you. I’ll fix you some dinner.”

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