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“They appear at the darnedest times.” Like when she was trying to sneak into her own house.
Maxi sighed. She was tired, frazzled and ravenous. More than anything, she wanted breakfast—even though it was now time for lunch—and then she wanted a shower. Knowing someone had touched her made her feel dirty. She wanted to scrub from head to toes in hot water.
Yet nothing would get done until she’d taken care of the cats. They depended on her, and they looked disappointed that she hadn’t yet fed them. “There’s the barrel. I have to screw the lid on tight or the raccoons open it and it’s a free-for-all. Every bit of the food would be gone in one day.”
Grinning, Miles said, “I never pictured you on a farm dealing with a herd of cats and raccoons.”
She waved a hand down at her hideous outfit. “Yeah, I never pictured it either.”
“Actually, you look cute.”
Her incredulous gaze shot to his, but he didn’t notice as he wrestled the lid off the barrel. He managed it a whole lot easier than she usually did, but then, he was made of muscle.
Cats had followed them in, and now more gathered as he opened their food source. Meows filled the air. It was tough to move with so many animals twining around their legs.
After he almost tripped, Miles said, “Impatient, aren’t they?”
“I’m late.”
“What time do you usually feed them?”
“By seven thirty or so at the latest. Generally I feed them, then get my coffee and sit on the porch to enjoy the morning before I get started on chores.”
“Somehow, that doesn’t sound awful.”
“No,” she agreed. “It was actually a nice routine.” If it weren’t for so many different things conspiring against her, she’d be loving life right about now.
Several of the cats were trying to stretch up to the top of the barrel. Smiling, Maxi pointed to the long metal channel against the wall behind the barrel. “I use the large scoop inside to fill that trough.”
He laughed. “A trough for cats.”
“Hey, it was the only thing I could think of to get them all fed at the same time.”
“You’re resourceful.”
Was that two compliments in a row? Maybe he wasn’t as angry as he’d seemed. More likely, it was his compassionate nature trying to make her more at ease.
But...she couldn’t be the only one feeling the sexual tension. Around Miles, it hit her like a tsunami. Even under the awful circumstances, she wasn’t immune to his appeal. In fact, because of everything she’d just gone through, she felt even more drawn to him and his strength.
Watching as he loaded the scoop, she said, “It’s actually a pig trough, but when you see them eating...well, let’s just say it fits.”
The cats carried on as if they hadn’t eaten in days, instead of just being late for breakfast. By the time Miles filled the trough, the cats had lined up side by side and were devouring their chow.
“That has to be half of a bag right there.”
“I buy in bulk,” she said. “I have to store the extra bags in the house, though, or the raccoons—”
“Throw a party?” Miles grinned down at her.
“They do!”
He laughed, but slowly, as his gaze roamed her face, the grin faded. He removed a dried weed from her hair, tucked a wayward lock behind her ear, then brushed his thumb over her cheek. He leaned toward her.
Her toes curled in the rubber boots. God, she’d missed his kiss so much, the taste of him, the feel of his firm lips and his clever tongue and—
“Wait.” She flattened a hand to his chest.
Expression enigmatic, Miles cleaned a smudge off her cheek. “You’re exhausted.”
Oh God. She’d freaked out over nothing.
Get a grip, Maxi.
After clearing her throat, she said, “Yes, and it shows.”
He flicked the end of her nose. “You still look cute.”
He’d said it again! Frazzled from the mixed signals, she propped her hands on her hips. “You’re either super horny or just trying to make me feel better.”
“How about a little of both?”
Shivering with awareness, Maxi took a safe step back before she thought too much about that big, hard body of his settling over her. “The thing is, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet this morning. In fact, not since yesterday morning. I would have last night before I went to bed, if I’d had a normal night. But normal nights around here are hard to come by.”
“I wasn’t coming on to you, babe. Your teeth are safe from me, so relax, okay?”
“Trying.” Unsuccessfully. On top of the dull headache still crowding the back of her skull, too many conflicting emotions bombarded her. “The reason I stopped you—”
“You were clear enough on why I’m here. I won’t be pressuring you, so stop worrying about that.”
Blast. If she was honest with herself, and she probably should be, the reason she’d thought of Miles the second she realized she needed help was because she wanted the closeness unique to him, not only his overpowering sex appeal, but the sense of security he gave her when he focused on her so intimately.
Sure, she’d sworn off guys. Her track record made that the sensible thing to do. But then she’d gotten to know Miles...
She might have expected him to be antagonistic after the way she’d ended things, but she hadn’t figured on him actually caring, had assumed she’d be only one in a line of women he knew. Obviously it had bothered him, probably because he wasn’t used to any type of rejection, and now this was going wrong fast.
Trying to recover a little ground, she explained, “I wasn’t exactly worried.” Hopeful, maybe, but not worried.
Staring up at the sky, Miles watched a turkey vulture, wings spread wide as it glided overhead with little effort. “The thing is, we do know each other.” This time he took her hand, folding it securely in his, and started them on their way. “Granted it was only those three times, but I can’t treat you like a stranger.”
No, they definitely weren’t strangers. In many ways, Miles knew her body better than she did. “I wouldn’t expect you to.” She’d specifically gone to him because she did know him—and odd as it seemed, she was completely at ease with him.
Always had been.
That first time with him had been nothing short of amazing. She hadn’t guessed that sex could be like that, so intense and incredibly hot, yet also tender, too. In comparison, what she’d known before Miles was just rutting.
She’d expected one thing and gotten something entirely different. Something so much better. Lights on. Inhibitions gone. He’d served the purpose of making her forget her worries. But he’d also made her hungry for more.
The second time she’d given in and looked for him had turned out even better, and when she hadn’t been able to resist seeing him a third time, she’d known she was getting in too deep.
“How about you show me the house, let me look things over, then we can grab some food before I head home to get supplies?”
Her feet stopped working. So did her heart.
When his arm stretched out—his hand still holding hers—Miles turned back to face her. “What?”
“You’re leaving?” Renewed panic clawed through her.
He tugged her up alongside him, then slipped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. “Yes, and you’re going with me.”
He said that as if that had been the plan all along. “I am?” Well, then, she could handle that. Tucked against his lean body with his muscled arm encircling her, the panic eased away as quickly as it had come.
“We came straight here from the doctor’s so you could feed the cats and take care of yourself. But I need my things, since I’m going to be staying here, right?”
Of course he did. She nodded.
“I’m guessing we need several security cameras and alarms, too. It’s still early enough, so I’d like to get everything done today.”
She kept thinking she was dealing okay—until something else set her off, then she went to pieces. Weakness sucked.
Hard as she tried, insults kept coming back to her, all the expectations for failure. She had a lot to prove, all to herself. Miles, hopefully, would help her with that.
He, at least, wasn’t weak. “Of course.”
“You’re safe now, Maxi.” His arm tightened in an affectionate hug that brought her into brief contact with his hard, hot body. “You know that, right?”
She knew he still had the power to help her forget everything but her need of him. Like now, with her thoughts all focused on his ripped body.
“Maxi?”
Even though she wasn’t convinced, she nodded. “Before we go, I have an unusual favor to ask.”
“You’re paying me. Ask away.”
Hmm. She didn’t appreciate how he’d put that, as if he was only here for the money. She didn’t buy that. As he’d said, she could have come to him directly and he’d have helped.
If that was how he wanted to play it, though, she wouldn’t debate it with him. Not yet.
Tonight would be soon enough.
She looked up at him. “After we eat, do you think you could keep watch while I shower and make myself presentable?”
Surprise lit his eyes before he gave a slow nod. “Yeah, I think I can manage that.” This time as they walked, it was without tripping over cats, since they were all still eating. “Maybe now’s a good time for you to tell me how you want this to work.”
How it should work? If she had her way, he’d be with her 24/7, including in the shower and while she slept.
If she could sleep.
Instead, she lied, saying, “I thought you could use the downstairs bedroom and bath, and I’d use them upstairs.”
“Hell.”
She jumped on that. “What? That doesn’t work for you? You had something else in mind?”
He was silent for a bit, his jaw flexing. “Let’s see the house first, then I’ll make recommendations.”
Recommendations, her butt. Had he hoped for an entirely separate place to stay? An apartment over the barn? She almost snorted. If he wanted to sleep with the cats in a pile of hay, let him.
Fat lot of good that would do her when something else happened.
Dejected, she followed along without saying anything. Before they got too far into this arrangement, she needed to clear the air about why she’d walked away from him, when everything in her had begged her to stay, to push for more.
Perhaps during the drive back to his place. For now, she’d take comfort in the fact he was here with her, and she wouldn’t have to face the next catastrophe alone.
Unfortunately, the next catastrophe happened almost as soon as she stepped into the house.
CHAPTER THREE (#udcc22cdf-68e8-5161-aa4e-d09620e81d53)
MILES STEPPED AHEAD of Maxi on the back porch and tried the door. It opened. “Not locked?”
“It’s how I got back in to get my purse. It wasn’t locked then either and you can bet I didn’t bother once I had what I needed. I just got away.”
“Understandable.” He stepped into the area and looked to the left at the small bedroom, then to the right up the stairs. Maxi’s room would be up there. He’d check that out in a minute.
Peeking past him, she asked, “You hear anything?”
“No.”
“Thank God.” She stepped in around him, saying, “The kitchen is this way. Let’s go there first and—”
The second she stepped around the wall onto the old-fashioned tiles in the kitchen, her feet came out from under her and she landed flat on her back with a thud. Her bottom half was in the kitchen, her head and shoulders visible from the hall.
With a curse, Miles jogged forward, glanced around for any signs of danger, saw nothing more than a hideous kitchen and knelt beside her. “Stay still,” he said, before she could move.
She wheezed, squeezing her eyes shut.
Of course, he saw the puddle of dark oil on the floor beneath her. He twisted around, looking into every corner that he could see, but the house was quiet, and they appeared to be alone. There were no remnants left behind, not even the empty can from where the oil had been poured.
“Hell of a spill.” He was so pissed he could have chewed nails, but he tried to sound calm. “You okay?”
Gulping air, her expression pained, she didn’t attempt to answer.
“You knocked the wind out of yourself.” He pulled her arms straight up and said, “Try to calm down. Breathe slowly.”
She caught her breath with a vengeance, hissing, “Blast.”
“Easy now.” He helped her to sit up...in the oil. “I’m guessing that wasn’t here when you came in for your purse and boots?”
“No.” Disgusted, she lifted her hands, now slick, and curled her lip. “It’s soaked into my shorts.”
