Her eyes softened at the edges. “I’m just saying you’ve given up so much to be there for me through the years. It’s time to find your own happiness. Don’t you want to get on with your life?”
How could I tell her shewasmy life? There was nothing to get on with because I had everything I’d always wanted sitting right across the counter from me. Yes, I wanted things to be different between us. Not a day went by that I didn’t picture what it would be like to love her like I wanted, to finally feel her lips on mine, to give in to the crushing desire I’d been shutting down and take her to my bed.
I scrubbed my hand over my beard and willed the heat racing through me to chill the fuck out. Knowing she was close by and that I could keep an eye out for her was enough. It had to be.
“Eat your grilled cheese, Sunshine. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure you’re tired.” Focusing on finishing my sandwich with the level of attention I used to reserve for deadly missions, I tuned everything else out. Things would look better in the morning. After a good night’s sleep and in the bright light of day, I tried to convince myself that I’d be able to handle having Rae in my personal space.
Then I looked up and caught her licking a few crumbs from her bottom lip.
I was fucked. The next few days were going to challenge me on a whole new level of hell. There was nothing I could do to prepare for it except will myself to get through it. One way or another, I was going to resist Rae Cooper, even if it killed me.
CHAPTER4
RAE
The first nightI’d fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. It was probably the combination of stress from being coddled by Priest and worry over Ashley that did me in. But when Saturday morning dawned, I was right back on edge again, balancing between wanting to throw myself into his arms and get away from him as quickly as possible. I was too chicken to attempt option one, so I shrugged on the grumpy attitude I was used to wearing around Priest and tried to figure out just how long he intended on making me miserable.
By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, we were both worn out from multiple hikes, a trip into town to pick up some groceries, and hours playing the three board games he happened to have on hand. If I passed “Go” one more time, I’d probably pull out my hair.
I’d decided to make one of my grandma’s Sunday dinner recipes to keep me busy this afternoon. It would save me from hauling my butt up the side of the mountain on another one of Priest’s hikes. He was in his office doing something on the computer, so I turned some music on my phone and swayed to the slow beat of a current pop song while I chopped carrots, celery and potatoes to add to the beef pot roast in the oven.
“Something smells delicious.” Priest came into the kitchen in a pair of gray sweats and a t-shirt that stretched tight over his pecs and biceps. Even though he’d never had kids, he looked like the epitome of a DILF.
“It’s my Grandma Cooper’s pot roast. So good it’ll melt in your mouth.” I offered a shy smile. This was the first time I’d be cooking for him, and I wanted more than anything for him to love what I was making. My grandma’s advice was pretty dated, but she’d always told me the best way to a man’s heart was right through his stomach. I’d been too nervous to try anything else with Priest. Maybe if he fell in love with my cooking, he might see me in a different light.
“I can’t wait to try it.” He set his computer down on the counter. “Maybe we can cook dinner together tomorrow night. I’ve got some venison in the deep freeze. I can thaw some out and make a big pot of chili.”
My breath caught in my chest, and I cleared my throat. “How long are you planning on me staying? I kind of figured I’d head back home after work tomorrow.”
“Work?” A few deep lines crossed his forehead. “It’s not safe for you to go anywhere without me. Until I’m sure you’re not in any danger, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
I tightened my grip on the knife and added a little more effort to attacking the carrots on the cutting board. I’d given in to him being overprotective for the past two days since I didn’t really have any plans anyway, but there was no way he was going to prevent me from going to work.
“I can’t call in. If I don’t complete my student teaching requirements, I’m not going to graduate this spring.” Carrots flew off the cutting board and onto the counter. The more I thought about how ridiculous he was being, the more erratic my chopping became. “You can’t stop me from going to work, Priest. That’s a line I’m not willing to cross.”
“Then I’ll have to go with you.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leveled me with an I-dare-you-to-argue-with-me stare.
“Go with me?” I shook my head hard enough to loosen my hair tie. Long brown waves fell around my face and into my eyes. I stabbed the knife into the carrot but missed. Pain shot through my finger. The knife clattered to the counter. “Oh shit.”
Priest rounded the counter and grabbed my hand. “It’s not too deep. Let me get my first aid kit, and I’ll bandage it up for you.”
I couldn’t stand there and bleed on the vegetables, so I let him lead me to the sink. He left me with a wet paper towel pressed to my finger while he ran to grab his kit. When he came back, he had a duffel bag big enough to fit a body.
“What the heck do you have in there?” I asked.
“Never know what I might need up here on the mountain.” He unzipped the bag and rummaged around until he found some bandages and cream. “Let me take a closer look.”
I pulled the paper towel away. The cut wasn’t bad, just deep enough to cause a lot of bleeding. Within minutes, he’d applied enough antibiotic cream to ward off any infection and wrapped a bandage tightly around my finger. Then he lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the bandage.
My belly flipped as he met my gaze. I didn’t have a ton of experience with men, but the heat burning in the depths of his eyes made me wonder if the attraction I felt for him might not be as one-sided as I thought.
“Thank you for taking care of me.” I stared into his eyes, trying to get a read on the situation.
“Yeah, you’re welcome.” He broke eye contact first, refocusing his attention on putting the first aid stuff back in the bag. “You’d better let me finish cutting up the vegetables.”
I walked around the counter and took a seat on a barstool so I could provide directions on what else needed to be done. Damn, he was a hard nut to crack. By the time he added the veggies to the roast and had cleaned up the counter, I’d convinced myself I’d imagined the heated look he’d given me.
“I’m not giving in on keeping an eye on you this week,” Priest admitted as he slid onto the barstool next to me.
