She shook her head.“Just—” She clamped her lips together and then shifted her gaze.“Never mind.”
He dipped his chin to meet her stare.“What?”
“It’s dumb.”
“Try me.”
She lowered her fingers from her face.He still held her shoulder, his hand so large and warm that it soaked up some of her anxiety.If she could just get closer, she might actually sleep tonight...“I woke up to the sound of the ceiling fan spinning.Which is silly, because no one would have broken in to do something like that.”
“You didn’t turn it on?”
She shrugged and rocked her weight to the outsides of her feet.“I don’t remember turning it on, no.But I was tired and groggy from the concussion so it’s possible I hit the switch by mistake.”
He kicked off his running shoes.“Show me around.”
Her stomach flipped over.Oh, lordy.Having Aiden in her house was almost too much—walking around her space, leaving his delicious male essence in her home.He’d haunt her dreams even more now.
“Sure,” she said, leading him into the modest kitchen.A store-bought island took up the center.Her small dining table was tucked near the window, practically teetering into the living room.“There’s two bedrooms and a bathroom through the living room.My bedroom’s on the right.”
“You can put the knife down,” he said, gesturing to her hand, and she placed the weapon on the counter.
He went to the dining and living room windows, checking the latches on them, and then he checked the latch on the front door.Without a word he retraced his steps and veered toward the bedrooms.
If she had any modesty, she’d pull on the cardigan that dangled on the dining room chair, but no.Apparently she preferred self-torture better.Besides, he’d already been in all her goodies.
“Found it,” he called.
Frowning, she followed his voice to the spare room, where he’d turned on the light.Found what?She stopped at the threshold.
“They entered here,” he said, gesturing at her to come closer.
Dez’s stomach churned as if someone had vacuumed out her insides and then filled the space with nausea.She inched closer to his side, as if she were afraid something would jump out and attack her.
Aiden had drawn the blinds.She stared.The window was open a few inches.She rarely entered this room.A scuff of dirt on the white sill indicated someone had climbed through.
“Oh, my god,” she wheezed.She backed away and pressed her hands to her forehead.“Oh, my god.”
The sound of the window shutting and locking reached her, followed by that of the blinds zipping closed.
Aiden’s hands seized her biceps.“Hey, it’s okay.”
She dropped her hands and tilted her head back to meet his face.“No, it’s not.Someone came into my home.”
His thumbs moved in a gentle caress on her skin.“Yeah, and it’s a good thing you said something.Now we know and they can’t get back in.”
“They got in the first time.They’ll try again.”
“Good.Let them be stupid so I can catch them.”
Tears burned her eyes.The invasion of her shop had struck her core.Being assaulted in the parking lot was another blow.But her home?Now it was tainted.Her house carried the energy of hate.
Aiden’s jaw clenched, and he pulled her to his chest.Her instincts screamed at her to put distance between them before she did something stupid like jump back into bed with him, but darn it felt good.
She turned her face so his chest cushioned her cheek.His hand moved in slow circles on her upper back.His other surrounded her waist.So comforting.
“I don’t understand,” she said, breaking the silence.“Why come into my house?They were right here.They could have just killed me in my sleep.”
A beat passed.“Because that’s not what they want.They want to scare you, fuck with you.”
