Page 15 of Wyoming Bodyguard
“Not great.” She padded across the kitchen floor in her bare feet and rummaged in the refrigerator, pulling out sweet cream. “Want some?”
He shook his head and took a sip of the strong, black brew before settling onto the stool tucked under the large island.
She doctored her coffee then replaced the creamer. Her long hair tumbled down her back, stopping right above her waist. A waist that short cotton shorts and a fitted strappy tank top accentuated.
She bent over to find something else in the fridge, and his mouth went dry. Hell, he may have spent the last handful of years annoyed by Lily’s superior attitude, but he was a man after all. And no amount of animosity could erase the way her warm-from-the-bed body tied him up inside.
An image of being tied up in her bed flashed in his mind, causing spikes of lust to burst through his system like a shooting star. Christ, he needed to get a grip.
Clearing his throat, he grabbed his mug and twisted away from the tempting vision Lily presented first thing in the morning. He stared out the window where mountains loomed in the distance, the same peaks he saw from his old room at his dad’s ranch. He swallowed the urge to comment on their beauty. If he was going to survive this assignment, things had to be kept as professional as possible.
The sound of sizzling bacon confirmed it was safe to shift back around. “You don’t need to make breakfast. I’m fine with coffee.”
“Who said it’s for you?”
He snorted out a laugh. “Fair point. I guess I can just sit here and watch you stuff your face. Don’t worry about my growling stomach.”
“I thought you didn’t need breakfast?” Lily buzzed around the kitchen until scrambled eggs cooked in a second pan and bread popped from the toaster.
Amused, he watched her flip the bacon and stir the eggs before buttering the toast she piled on a plate. No way she was making all that food for only her, but he kept any more comments to himself. Just sat and enjoyed his coffee and the view of the beautiful woman cooking.
Lily reached in a cabinet and her shorts inched up a little higher on her toned legs.
He couldn’t hold back a small groan.
“Fine, fine. You can eat.” She set a plate in front of him then filled her own with food. “Don’t expect me to wait on you, though.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.” Chuckling, he slid off the stool and bit back a second groan at the scents of fresh bacon and cheesy eggs. He scooped some on his plate and returned to his seat, Lily now beside him.
“What’s the plan for the day?” Lily shoved the eggs around her plate with a fork before taking a tiny bite.
“First of all, I need a change of clothes.”
She winced. “Sorry. I didn’t think about you not having any of your things here last night.”
“No problem,” he said, shrugging. “Just don’t get too close. My breath isn’t the greatest.”
Her wince deepened. “No worries there. After we eat, I’ll dress quickly, and we can head out. Then what? What’s the best way to figure out who’s after my dad?”
He bit into a salty piece of bacon and considered how to appease Lily while also keeping her away from danger. “I’d like to take a look at your property. All of it. There’s a lot of land and buildings to check. The police did a full sweep of the house and surrounding area, but there are guest cabins and other barns we should search. Make sure nothing else was tampered with.”
“I also want to take a closer look at the office,” Lily told him. “It didn’t appear as though anything was missing, but I could have overlooked something. I wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind.” She dropped her fork and stared at her plate. “I should go see my dad. I hate the thought of him alone but seeing him in that bed with all those tubes and machines is so dang hard. Brings back too many horrible memories.”
The sadness in her voice fisted his heart. He understood where her mind was—where his own mind went every time he was in that damn hospital. As many differences as he and Lily had, they’d both lost their mothers. Both understood the pain of that loss, of living with that grief.
“Your dad knows you love him whether you’re sitting by his side or not. We’ll visit whenever you want, but there are some other things to do first. Search your property, get me clothes and I need to stop by the office.”
She blew out a shaky breath and nodded along with his words. “Yes, I need to sign a contract or whatever it is to make this official.”
“Sure. A contract.” He sipped his coffee, not looking forward to the conversation that loomed with Reid. Sunrise Security was supposed keep people and their property safe, not solve crimes. Reid might not be on board with extending their services, even if only for one job.
But for Madden, the decision was already made. He’d made a promise to Lily and couldn’t turn his back on her even if he wanted. Besides, if the last day had proven anything, it was that Lily Tremont could get under his skin in a way he never thought possible.
And the only way to wash his hands of her was to do what she paid him to do then get the hell out of her life before she drove him crazy.
* * *
Lily got ready in record time. She’d thrown on jeans and a fitted T-shirt, opting for a high ponytail and minimal makeup. Madden was the last person she needed to impress, but she also didn’t want to look like a slob.
