Page 33 of The Veteran
She eyed it with clear distaste. She may have been able to shoot, but I got the impression she’d rather not. “Kind of,” she said. “But not this exact model.”
“Here’s how it works.” I took it back from her and slowly went through the motions. “Now your turn.”
She repeated my actions and aimed at the target, her feet planted a little wider than usual, both hands on the grip. Her long chestnut hair swayed around her hips and my gut wrenched with the urge to bury my face in that sweet-scented mass.
“Good work, but you’re not aiming quite right. You won’t hit the bullseye like that. Do you mind if I touch you?”
“If you need to.” She tensed slightly as I laid a hand on her shoulder, then relaxed. I shifted her arms, guiding her into a better position, trying not to think about the fact I was practically embracing her. Her ass brushed my crotch and I eased back, desperate to keep at least an inch of space between us so she wouldn’t know what effect she was having on me. She smelled amazing, and having her so close to me sent all of my senses wild. This was the wrong place to indulge my attraction to her, and it also wouldn’t be fair of me to do anything to lead her on when she’d made it clear where we stood. She wanted me to trust her and open up, and I wasn’t ready for that. I took a step back, then another.
I cleared my throat. “Earmuffs on, then show me what you’ve got.”
We each covered our ears, A moment later, Sage squeezed the trigger and a shot rang out. The bullet tore a small hole midway between the center and edge of the target.
“Again,” I urged.
She adjusted her stance and the next shot hit slightly closer to the center. Her forehead furrowed, making her look adorably focused, and she fired twice more, hitting the target with both, then she lowered the gun and handed it back to me.
“That was really good,” I told her. “But we’re not done yet. Let’s see how you do with your own weapon.”
For a moment, I thought she might refuse, but then she nodded, her mouth set in a grim line. “All right.”
SAGE
Ever since we’d entered the prison, I’d felt like I was crawling out of my skin. Even hours later, as we drove back into Maple, I couldn’t shake the sense of unease. My mind refused to be quiet. Rainforest music didn’t help, nor did watching the scenery, or talking things through with Kade. I had a completely illogical sense of impending doom.
I glanced at Kade, wondering about his own mood. He’d been quiet during the drive, but that wasn’t unusual. His face was impassive, giving nothing away. When I closed my eyes and tried to probe his aura, I seemed to bounce off him as though he was emitting a forcefield intended to repel me. Maybe he was. I knew he must have felt the sparks flying between us earlier, but he hadn’t reacted, and perhaps he’d prefer me to ignore them as well. Acknowledging the attraction would only complicate his job, after all. He needed to be focused, not distracted by me, no matter how much I might have liked him to be.
When we pulled up outside the cottage, I noticed that Sean had left and Vic was leaning against the fence by the side of the house. He seemed to be on his phone, but his eyes were constantly tracking his surroundings, hypervigilant. He was a big guy. Tall and muscular—although not in a way that would make me think he used steroids—with sandy brown hair and sharp green eyes. He nodded as we approached, his gaze skimming over me quickly before landing on Kade.
“Everything good here?” Kade asked.
“Yes, sir. Sean reported that a couple of vehicles went past but they both belonged to people who live nearby. Other than that, it’s been quiet. I haven’t seen anyone since I arrived.”
“Great. You eaten?”
Vic nodded. “I picked up some groceries on the way too.”
“Thanks.”
We passed Vic, and Kade unlocked the back door to let us in, indicating for me to wait at the entrance while he checked each room. I rolled my eyes. Considering the fact someone had been watching the place constantly since we’d left, it seemed like overkill, but I guessed it was better to be too tight with security than too lax.
Once he’d said it was safe to enter, I prepared a dinner of vegetables and quinoa, hoping the act of cooking would soothe me, but all it did was give me time to dwell on the fact my instincts were telling me something was wrong. When I presented the meal, Kade seemed skeptical, but he ate it anyway. He insisted on cleaning up since I’d done the cooking, so I retreated to the small bedroom I’d claimed and recorded a short mind-clearing meditation for my subscribers. It wasn’t enough to empty my own mind of worries, but hopefully it would help someone else.
Then I lounged on the couch, editing the recording on my phone, while Kade sat in the armchair working on his laptop. I still couldn’t tell what was going on in his head, and I peeked out at him from beneath my lashes whenever I got the chance. He had such a grounded presence. So strong and steady.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I told him.
He glanced up, surprised. “Uh, thanks.”
“Seriously.” I held his gaze. “I know I didn’t love the idea of having a bodyguard, and you’d better stay safe or I’ll be so mad, but I’m glad it’s you who’s with me.”
His expression softened into a smile. “I am too.”
Butterflies took up residence in my stomach. I offered him a tremulous smile, and he returned it. His smile blew me away. It was slightly crooked but made me feel warm inside. It stayed with me even as I slipped into bed later that night.
Perhaps that was the reason I didn’t notice anything wrong until it was almost too late.
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