One deep, shaky inhale before she whispered, “Thank you.”
He slotted the key into the lock and turned it before kissing the top of her head and stepping back. “Keep your house locked up.”
She opened the door and turned. There was the hint of tears in her eyes, and it looked like she wanted to say something, but she just nodded and went inside.
The door closed…and fuck, if that separation didn’t feel wrong. And every step toward his house felt even more wrong. All he wanted to do was be close to her. Protect her. But he couldn’t do that until she stopped pushing him away.
CHAPTER27
Sky tipped her head back and let the soothing shower water run down her chest. She’d been in the shower far too long, but she was distracted. Distracted by everything Becket had said…and the fear that had accompanied it.
But it hadn’t just been fear she’d felt. There’d also been a feeling of safety when his arms had been wrapped around her. Safety that had left her pretty damn quickly the second she was alone and cold reality had set in…
Someone could be targeting her. Someone could have followed her here all the way from Cheyenne.
Despite the warmth of the water, a deep shiver ran down her spine.
There’d always been this voice in the back of her head that whispered that was likely the case. But she’d shut it down or ignored it. Because that was too malicious. Too vindictive to believe.
It was natural to feel anger over the way Eloise had died. But to blame Sky to the point of wanting tomurderher? She couldn’t fathom it.
Her heart thumped. She blamed herself too. It was an awful feeling, knowing she’d lived and someone else had died in her place. But for someone to then target her? Who? The boyfriend? Eloise had talked about him a lot. A firefighter she’d been dating since high school. Apparently, he’d been on the scene that day.
The thought made her feel sick. She couldn’t imagine being called out for a fire, only to discover your partner was trapped inside the structure.
She was drying off when a text dinged from her phone.
Becket? Staying away from him was so hard. And today he’d been perfect. Helping for almost the entire fundraiser. Cleaning up. God, he didn’t even like dogs!
There was also something about such a big alpha man washing small dogs that was ridiculously sexy.
Argh. She wrapped a towel around her chest and stepped into the bedroom. She hadn’t looked at her phone all afternoon, and there were four messages waiting for her.
Kristina: Great day today. I hope you raised lots of money.
Clara: What a fun fundraiser! Thank you for letting me join. Squishing those puppies’ little wet faces was the best.
Mom: Congratulations, darling. Today was wonderful. And so nice to see Becket there. Did he stay until the end?
Becket: Can you message me before you go to bed, so I know you’re safe?
Her belly gave a little kick at the last message.
Taking a breath, she responded to each text, thanking Kristina and Clara for volunteering their time, and confirming for her mother that Becket had stayed for the remainder of the event but not to read too much into it.
When she got to Becket, she paused. She wrote a text but then scrunched her nose and deleted it. Then she wrote another text, this time hitting send.
Sky: All safe. Will be going to bed soon.
Becket: Good. And you did an amazing job today, Peaches. Charlie’s smiling down at you right now.
She sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of Charlie.
Sky: If my house fire in Cheyenne was arson, do you think they knew Charlie was in there?
Tears pressed at her eyes. That would make them a monster.
Becket: I hope not.
