Page 48 of His Tenth Dance

He’d said he’d set out pajamas in the spare bedroom and that she could stay there until morning if she wanted to. And she wanted to, because she’d parked back over at the red barn and would either need to walk back to her car or get a ride and then drive home.

The noise in the kitchen dulled as Mission finished cleaning up. He turned off the lights, leaving only one pale yellow one shining above the stove. His footsteps came closer, and his fingertips whispered across her forehead.

“You asleep, kitten?”

“Almost,” she whispered.

He knelt down in front of her. “Do you want to sleep here or in the bedroom?”

“I don’t know where my phone is,” she said. “I need it to set an alarm.”

“It’s on the counter,” he said. “Here or the bedroom?”

She opened her eyes and found him close. The world narrowed to just the two of them in this small living room. Nothing could get to her here, and if anything tried, Mission would stand between her and it—protecting her, feeding her, and making sure she had every comfort life could offer.

She reached out and curled her hand around his ear, this connection between them so real and vibrant.

“I really think you’d be more comfortable in the bedroom,” he murmured.

“All right,” she whispered.

The next thing she knew, Mission had stood and was lifting her into his arms. She gasped and then grabbed onto his shoulders. He swiped her phone from the counter as he passed by, and he turned left into the first room.

“There’s a fan in here if you get hot,” he said before he carefully laid her down on the soft bed with the downy pillows. She tucked her feet under the blanket that had already been pulled back, and he started to pull the comforter up.

She stopped him with her hand on his and asked, “Will you hold me until I fall asleep?”

The faint light that shone in from the kitchen barely illuminated his face, and Kristie didn’t need to see it anyway. He sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his cowboy boots, then rolled onto the bed, taking her in his arms with great ease.

She sighed fully, relaxing into his embrace as she twined her fingers through his. He pulled the blanket up over both of them and exhaled over her shoulder.

“You didn’t change into the pajamas,” he whispered.

“If I get called in the middle of the night,” she whispered back. “I want to be ready to go.”

“Wake me up if that happens,” he said.

Kristie had no doubt he’d probably just sleep on the couch, so she couldn’t try to sneak out without telling him. Warmthspread through her with her back pressed against his chest, and everything inside her stilled and calmed.

“My dad owns a big animal and farm supply company in Phoenix,” she whispered. Everything was so much easier to say when she didn’t have to see Mission’s face. “Everyone knows the Higgins.”

The words came out bitter, and as Kristie let them go, she realized they didn’t have to live and fester inside her anymore once they’d been spoken.

“We were a picture-perfect family,” she said. “We went to church every week. My mother hosted book club. Our lawn won Garden of the Year three times when I was a teenager.”

“Wow. Three times?” Mission whispered.

A small smile came to Kristie’s face. “I’m six years younger than my older brother, and Dean didn’t go to college. He worked with my dad.”

“Mm.” Mission traced a slow circle on the back of her hand with his thumb, further calming her.

“They were thrilled when I got into veterinary school, and there was a place waiting for me to open my clinic in the back of the commercial store that my dad and brother ran when I graduated.”

“Sounds like a nice setup,” Mission said.

“Itwasa nice setup,” Kristie said. “Dad had a regular stream of customers coming in who owned farms and ranches, even if they were small or hobby-like. I had a lot of business.”

She stilled there, memories of her old life streaming through her like someone flipping pages in a book. Mission didn’t need to ask why she left, and she simply breathed into the space he gave her by remaining silent.

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