Page 39 of Wyoming Bodyguard
“Yes, and of course, take whatever you need,” she said.
“I’d make sure to check everything before you use it,” Deputy Hill said. “Just to be on the safe side. If someone was in your tack room and had the knowledge of how to do something so small and unnoticeable that could have potential life-threatening consequences, there’s no telling what else they might have done.”
A shiver shook her shoulders at the idea of someone pawing through her property, deciding what damage they could do to cause harm. “I’ll look at everything in the barn to make sure nothing else is amiss.”
Madden rose to his feet, and letting go of his hand was like severing a limb. “I’ll walk you guys to the door.”
She waited on the couch for him to return, her brain working over her problems.
Madden reclaimed his seat and hooked an arm on the back of the couch, the tips of his fingers casually resting against her shoulder. “What’s on your mind?”
Shifting to hike one knee on the couch, she faced him. “Something Deputy Hill said stuck with me. Before I thought we were looking for some dangerous criminal who shoots guns and deals drugs, someone I would never have crossed paths with. But now it’s different. Someone had knowledge of my property, of my riding gear. They knew just how far to push things to go unnoticed by me, an experienced rider, and get the outcome they wanted. Madden, I’m afraid the person who’s trying to kill my family is someone I already know.”
Chapter 15
Madden stared into the freezer, searching for something to help ease the throbbing ache in his shoulder. After the deputies had left, he’d encouraged Lily to turn in early, even if every fiber of his being screamed to keep her awake all night long.
Something had shifted between them, but she’d been through way too much to get to the bottom of it tonight. No, she needed a good night’s sleep, and maybe tomorrow they could have a real conversation about their feelings for each other.
For now, he had to find something cold and fight for sleep. He’d opted for the pullout couch in the basement over the too-short leather sofa in the living room. He’d pop a couple ibuprofen, ice his shoulder, then hopefully get some rest. At least tonight he wasn’t in his stiff jeans. He wore loose gym shorts instead of his usual boxers in bed and removed his T-shirt to better nurse his injury.
Spotting a bag of peas, he snatched them from the shelf on the freezer door and pressed it against his skin. He groaned, the jolt of intense cold instantly loosening his muscles.
“You know, peas taste better when you cook them. But even then, they aren’t exactly what I would call a midnight snack.”
He jumped at the sound of Lily’s voice, quickly shutting the door and spinning around to face her. He let his arm drop, dangling the frozen vegetables at his side. “I was just…” He trailed off, trying to think of a plausible reason to be rummaging around for frozen vegetables in the middle of the night.
She raised her brows high. “Searching for peas?”
He wrinkled his nose. “I needed something cold.”
Flipping on a dim light over the stove, she padded across the tile floor to stand in front of him She stared at his shoulder and frowned. “Are you hurt? You’ve been so busy fussing over me, I haven’t stopped to see if you were okay.”
He shrugged, the sudden motion sending another shock of pain through his system. “I’m fine.”
Lily rolled her eyes and dropped her gaze to his shoulder.
The heat of her eyes on him burned his skin. He wanted to shift, to move, to step around her so she couldn’t see the ugly white scars snaking up his shoulder. But that would only cause more suspicion, spark more questions.
“Doesn’t look like you’re okay.” She gently brushed her fingertips along the puckered skin. “But the scar also doesn’t look new. I’m guessing this happened a while ago.”
He nodded, unable to speak. Her touch ignited a different kind of heat. One that would morph into a raging fire if he didn’t stop her soon.
“Do you want me to go back in my room and leave you alone?” She finally lifted her gaze to meet his.
Words lodged in his throat. He should tell her yes, that he wanted privacy to take care of his injury so he could get some sleep, but the idea of her leaving his side was like a physical blow. So he shook his head, and prayed she wouldn’t move her hand.
Without breaking contact, she traced her fingers down his arm until she grabbed the peas then laid the lumpy package on his shoulder.
He closed his eyes, relishing the coolness on his skin as flames of desire licked higher inside him. Such a dizzying combination.
Just like Lily.
He couldn’t figure her out. Couldn’t decide if she liked him, hated him, or somewhere in between. And for some reason, what she thought of him mattered.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?”
The tenderness in her voice opened his eyes. A dozen situations flashed in his mind of things they should discuss.
