Page 25 of Dangerous Protocol
She moved farther into the massive front room with a high, beamed ceiling. She was awed by the large, river-rock fireplace that took up most of the far wall. A deep, richbrown, leather sofa faced the hearth, with a matching chair at each end. An end table and coffee table were made of logs and looked like they could withstand an elephant’s weight. The entire ensemble was anchored by a large, oval, braided rug.
He strolled past a large wooden table on the right and over to the kitchen, which was open to the main room. He flipped a switch, and rows of can lights flashed on. Modern, stainless-steel appliances shone, and cabinets made of some type of soft golden wood glowed beneath the lights. The light brown, granite countertops enhanced the richness.
The space had a decidedly masculine feel to it, and a wide painting of a lone cowboy astride his horse, overlooking a herd of cattle from atop a bluff, was mounted on the wall behind the sofa.
She stepped closer, crossed her arms, and stared at the interesting piece.
“That was a gift from the O’Hallerans. For some reason, it reminds them of me.” He moved up next to her and handed her a glass of red wine. “Here, I thought you could use this.”
She accepted the crystal glass and took a small sip. The dark, fruity wine was smooth across her tongue and warmed a path all the way to her belly. Maya would allow herself this one small glass but no more. It was critical forher to remain alert and ready to take action when necessary.
“I think I can understand why they would think that.” And for some reason, the thought saddened her. “You’re a loner who likes to watch over those you care about.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Maya might not knowit yet, but Jeffrey still cared about her—even though he thought he’d managed to stuff those feelings away forever—and the urge to protect her was powerful. Being the independent woman she was, she would probably push back at the thought of that, but she was the mother of his child and worth protecting.
After his first wife cheated on him with his commanding officer while he was deployed in Afghanistan, he’d locked his heart down tight. At only twenty-four years old, he’d learned women exacted an emotional toll he was unwilling to pay. Then Maya Corbett and her long, sexy legs and brilliant mind sauntered into his life and managed to open his heart to the possibility of love.
What all of that meant to the two of them now—if anything—was something he couldn’t think about until their daughter was safe.
“Let me give you a quick tour.” He headed toward the kitchen and opened a door to a pantry that was about eightfeet by eight feet, with floor-to-ceiling shelves all the way around. “Back here is a hidden door.”
He stepped inside, reached to the back of a shelf to lift a can of corn, and the entire wall swung away from them.
“That’s a nifty little trick,” she said.
“These stairs lead down to the basement, where there is another door to the outside that takes you out to the woods behind the cabin.” There was also an access to a tunnel that led to the far edge of his property, but she didn’t need to know about that just yet.
He placed the can in a certain spot, the door swung shut, and they stepped back into the kitchen.
“How much land do you have here?” She took a sip of wine and followed him toward the other side of the house.
“About twenty-five acres, and every bit of it is secured and monitored.” Thanks to Caleb O’Halleran.
“As we both know all too well, it pays to be cautious,” she said, her voice somewhat introspective.
“I’m only telling you that because I want you to know that you’ll be safe here, Maya.” And once he got their daughter back, she would fall under his protection as well.
“These stairs lead up to a loft, two bedrooms, and a full bath.” He pointed to an area that looked down on the wide main space, then proceeded to the hallway. “This first room is my office. This is a guest bath and then bedroom here.” He clicked on a light, then turned it off. “Downthere”—he pointed to a closed door at the end of the hall—“is my room, which also has an attached bathroom.”
He was careful to keep distance between them and his bedroom. Even though it had been twelve years, he was certain he couldn’t be that close to her and a bed at the same time and not want her naked and beneath him. Their sexual chemistry had always been strong, and it didn’t seem to have diminished over the years.
“Your home is incredible.” Her chin lifted to scan the beamed ceiling. “And it is so …you.” She turned and smiled at him.
Memories of that smile flashed through his mind. He’d always been awed by her ability to find things to smile about, even though her work had plunged her into a world full of the ugliest parts of humanity.
Had she been able to smile while on the run, or had it been just one more thing she’d been forced to sacrifice, along with her freedom to be her true self?
“The guy who built it for me about four years ago brought in truckloads of logs, stripped them, and cut them on-site.” It had taken longer than he’d anticipated but had been worth the wait.
Michaleen O’Halleran, the patron of the family, made his fortune as a commercial real estate builder and developer. He’d been the perfect person to work with to ensure the house met Jeffrey’s exact specifications. He also recommended an excellent builder and even performed the finalinspection. Having someone with his level of expertise in design and construction oversee and approve the build was a definite bonus. Michaleen could also work magic with a set of woodworking tools.
He was a giant of a man with the soul of an artist and the heart of a lion. He loved Molly deeply and would do whatever was necessary to protect his family.
“I’m going to throw something together for us to eat.” Jeffrey rolled his sleeves up his forearms. By no means was he a master chef, but after years of living alone, he could hold his own in the kitchen. “Why don’t you freshen up, maybe take a nap in the downstairs bedroom.” She opened her mouth to say something, and he cut her off. “I promise, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll take a quick shower and perhaps lie down on the sofa.” She lifted her backpack from the hook. “And I’d like to check in with Nigel.”