I wasn’t going to let him get to me.
Dare was going to protect me. It was safe here with him, and Lookah, and the goats and the colorful fairy-like trees in the middle of nowhere.
I was safe and sound here and I wasn’t going to let him destroy me or the sanctity of Dare’s farm with his poison.
Never again.
SEVEN
DARE
“Right, shall I give you a tour?” I said, coming down the hallway after making up the guest room. I purposely looked around the living room and kitchen and not at the beautiful man cuddling my dog on my couch.
It was too much—seeing him in my space, with my things, doting on my dog. The more I looked, the harder it was to breathe but since he wasn’t going anywhere until Victor was dealt with, I had to get over myself. Get used to him.
But that was what I feared most—that I’d get too used to him and when the time came for him to go it’d feel like heartbreak all over again. And I’d been through enough heartbreak to last me a lifetime. I didn’t need to add more, especially for a man that would never look at me that way.
And even if he did, I couldn’t let anything happen. Never again. No matter how hard the loneliness was, having your heart ripped right out of your chest was harder and I was not a masochist.
“Sure,” he replied and gently lifted Lookah’s head off his lap so he could get up.
He was such a delicate man. How could anyone have the heart to break him like that? I didn’t even want to imagine what Victor had done to his poor soul. Just thinking about not thinking it made my heart race.
“Lead the way,” he smiled and ushered me forward.
I chuckled and took the lead, walking down the corridor between kitchen and living room that led to all the rooms.
“So, this is the living room, as you can see. Kitchen is obviously over there. Feel free to use anything and everything. You don’t need to ask,” I said and then turned my back and walked further down the corridor. “First door is the bathroom. Second door is my room. This…” I opened the door at the end, and the goats came out to check out what was happening. “Is the store room slash goat room.”
Zach laughed and he crouched down to pet them.
“Why did you lock them in there? I thought you only did it when you left the house.”
I bit my lip and looked back at him.
“I didn’t want them bothering you. They can be little pests.”
Zach gasped just as Eve headbutted him on the shoulder the moment he stopped petting her.
“Oh no. Don’t do that,” he said. “This is as much their home as it’s yours. I’m the one you should be locking away.”
I frowned and Zach closed his eyes with a grimace.
“That sounded weird. I just meant?—”
“I know what you meant.” I chuckled. “And okay. I’ll let them loose. But tell me the moment they get too needy.”
Zach laughed and distributed his head scratches equally to all the babies and as soon as Lookah heard all the commotion, he barged into the hallway and demanded his share.
“Wow. With such clingy pets I bet life never gets boring,” Zach said, and I had to shoo all of them away and get him back to his feet.
“They can literally be like that for hours so I wouldn’t recommend encouraging them.”
Zach smiled but didn’t say anything. I led him to the door opposite mine and opened it for him so I could show him the guest room.
“It’s a little messy. I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to fix it up for ages but…never enough time. And I don’t really get any guests. But the bed is comfy.”
Zach put his hand on my arm and cocked his head.
