Page 79 of Bodyguard By Night

Had he really passed out? He’d just yelled at me ten minutes ago. Okay, maybe it had been more than ten. That shower was a bit of heaven on Earth.

Midnight’s tail thumped once. I went around to the other side of the bed to give his nose a few kisses. His tail thumped harder, and Ransom startled awake, sitting up.

He stretched his arms over his head, leaving my tongue as dry as stale oat flakes. I gave Midnight one last kiss and padded over to the fireplace.

Ransom stood and kept his back to me.

I appreciated the gentlemanly gesture, but a tiny part of me wished he would just take the reins again. Like in the truck where he’d dissolved every nerve and replaced it with heat and blissfully fuzzy lust.

It wouldn’t take much to convince me to lose the rest of the night between those crisp cotton sheets. To forget the fears and changes coming at me like a lake effect storm.

“I’ll be right back. I left one of my shirts and found a pair of my sister’s yoga pants from her last visit.”

“Sister?”

His hands fisted at his sides. “Yeah. Maple.”

I smiled at the name. Very incongruous when compared to his own. “Ransom—”

“You’re killing me here.”

“I’m covered.”

“You’re in a damn towel in my bedroom.” His voice was little more than a growl.

“Didn’t seem to be a bad idea in the truck.”

“This time, I won’t stop.”

Even with the fire at my back, I still shivered. “You’re the one who brought me to your room.”

He looked over his shoulder. “I want you more than I’ve wanted anyone in a fucking long time. But today has been a lot to digest. Doing what I want to you—withyou—is not a good idea.”

“Because you said so?”

“Yeah.” Then he disappeared into the bathroom.

Maybe the couch was a better idea. I was sure he probably had a bunch of blankets in the closet. I tucked the towel around my chest a little tighter and went to the door. There was a large safe inside with a fist-sized turning lock as well as something smaller that looked big enough for…a fingerprint?

I shivered. It seemed a bit big for just money and valuables. More like it was sized for weapons.

I shut the door. The reality of who he was and just what I was involved in had me gripping the doorknob like a lifeline. “What are you doing, Wil?” I asked myself softly.

Midnight hopped off the bed, padded over to me, and bumped his nose against my leg.

I dropped my hand on his big head. “I’m okay. I think.”

He whined and leaned on me.

“I’m okay, for real.” I went to the chair beside the fire and stepped into the soft black pants. He’d left an old gray sweatshirt with it. The bold font simply saidArmyacross the front.Hissweatshirt. I touched the frayed collar. I imagined it had rubbed against his stubbly throat for years.

“You are officially in trouble.” I pulled on the sweatshirt and hustled to the bed. Midnight jumped up and did the dog twirl until he found the perfect spot then curled into an extra-large shrimp.

This would be fine. There was plenty of room between his side and mine. But was this normally his side? I glanced at the bedside table and found a book, a much thumbed through copy ofInto the Wild.

Leaving everything behind to get lost in the wilderness—how very Ransom.

I set down the book and went to the other side of the bed. I shouldn’t be surprised since he’d probably want to be closer to the door. Mr. Protector until the end.