Page 87 of Samuel

“Doesn’t matter. They’ll be there tomorrow. Zeke and Derrick can handle the stuff that absolutely needs to get done today. I’ll have Mom come over and get Shep so I won’t even have to leave when the little terror needs a potty break.”

“Please don’t tell her what happened.”

“You need support, Evie. And anyone here at the ranch needs to know there’s a threat out there.”

“You’re right. I just… just for today. You can tell her to be safe, but please don’t tell her what happened to me.”

Sam nodded, bending over to press a kiss against her temple before taking the plate from her hands.

Fuck. Those goddamn numbers still weren’t making any sense. Evie hadn’t finished transferring the informationfrom the ledgers into the software program he was still struggling to understand, and now they would be even further behind. Dozens of pages were missing, that fucking asshole who’d been in her apartment apparently ripped them out by the handfuls.

It had been a few hours since he left her tucked into bed, and he was fighting every instinct that told him to stay by her side and not let her go. She must have woken up, though, because he’d heard the water turn on for her shower. But it had been about twenty minutes since the water shut off. Maybe he should just peek in and make sure she was okay…

Sam looked up from the laptop, his heart skipping a beat at the sight in front of him. Evie was leaning against the wall, wearing a long t-shirt that stopped right at the top of her thighs. Her legs were bare, and the swell of her belly looked more pronounced than usual with the way the fabric draped over her body. Seeing her cheeks flushed and her hair still damp and wild from her drying it off with a towel was quite the sight.

“Are you okay? How long have you been standing there?”

She nodded, yawning deeply before leaning back against the door frame.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“I can’t. I don’t know why, I’m exhausted. I just… do you think you could…”

Sam stood and was by her side a second later. He’d been running through every possible way he could think to lay down with her in his arms, but was afraid that all she wanted was some space.

“I’ve got you.” He laced his fingers through hers and led her back into the bedroom. Sam walked Evie to the side of the bed farthest from the door and pulled back the comforter. Then he walked around and climbed onto the other side of the bed, staying on top of the blanket. He’d let her make the first move.

She rolled to face him. “Can I?” Evie pointed to his chest.

“God, yes. Come here.”

He wrapped his arms around her as she melted into him. Her fingers slid under the edge of his shirt and ran up to his chest, stopping right over his heart. His breath went still as her fingers traced over the scar from his surgery.

“I’m sorry, Sam.” Her voice came out so small, a sniffle not far behind, as wetness seeped into his shirt. Fuck, her tears ripped at his soul.

“Don’t. Don’t you dare apologize. I needed this, too. Needed to hold you in my arms.”

“Why?”

“I told you before. You mean everything to me, Evie. Seeing you hurting, it’s like there’s a boiling vat of sticky tar churning in my stomach. And it’s my fault. All of it.”

“No—”

“If I had brought you home last night, I would have walked you up here. I would have kissed you goodnight and I would have made sure you were safe. There’s no way in hell I would have missed a grown man attacking you. When I find out who he is, I promise he’s going to pay.”

“You don’t have to worry about it, Sam.”

“Like fucking hell I don’t. You were hurt when I was supposed to keep you safe. I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

They laid together like that, her fingers continuing to dance over his heart, until her breathing evened out.

“I want you to move into the main house with me,” Sam whispered.

He felt her go still in his hold. “No.”

“No?”

“You and Sylvie don’t need me taking up space in your home. This apartment is where I belong. I know it’s weird, butI don’t want to leave here. I left the door unlocked. It was my fault someone was able to get in so easily.”

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