“Then you need to listen and do what I say,” he continued, using that same stubborn tone ofvoice.
“I hired your firm to find this person before he hurts anyone else, not to change the way I run myranch.”
Cord stepped away from his post, going toe to toe with her. “I’m trying to protectyou.”
Sam jabbed her finger into his chest. “Find another way. I have no intention of completely changing my entire routine out of fear, especially for a cowardly jerk who kills harmless cattle and threatens women, whether it makes your job easier ornot.”
Cord’s chest swelled as he drew in a deep breath. She could tell how much her words upset him. Sam braced herself for his anger, but he shocked her by gently capturing her hand in his. “This isn’t about making my life easier. My life has never been easy. I’m used to that. This is about saving your life, Samantha.” He paused, his eyes meeting hers and holding contact. “And whether you want to hear this or not, when I first saw you today all I could think about was how much I liked you in high school, even though I knew I didn’t deserveyou.”
Cord’s words left her standing there in stunned silence. “You likedme?”
“Of course, I liked you. Couldn’t you tell? I spent more time with you than I did my guyfriends.”
“But…but…”
“No buts. Look, I know to you I was always just this dumb linebacker you tutored through high school, but you were so much more than that to me.” Cord’s hand tightened overhers.
Sam’s heart thudded hard and fast in her chest. “Don’t you remember what happened at John’s party, the week before prom? You told me we were just friends, that you didn’t want anything more thanthat.”
Cord’s dark green eyes widened. “John Washington’s party? Sam, I was totally wasted. John’s dad had made an ice chest full of hunch punch for us before the party even started. I don’t remember anything about thatnight.”
“Youdon’t?”
Cord’s gaze narrowed and he shook his head slowly from side to side. “I woke up on my cousin Amy’s back porch. Apparently, I walked to her house. Is that why you would barely look at me the week ofgraduation?”
Sam bit her lip, not wanting to admit that’s exactly what she’d done. She’d completely avoided him while she licked her wounds and tried to mend her broken heart. “Why are we even talking about this? I haven’t seen you in years. You haven’t even thought about me since highschool.”
She tried to pull her hand from his, but he held on tight. “You’re wrong. I might not have thought about you every day, but I thought about you a lot. I missed talking to you. Laughing withyou.”
“So did I.” The words slipped past her lips before she even had a prayer of holding themback.
Cord leaned in closer, his eyes darkening. “I need you, Samantha. I’ve needed you for a longtime.”
Her throat constricted, narrowing so much she couldn’t give a response verbally. Instead, she latched on to his hand, grabbed the door to the ranch and led him inside. Through the darkened kitchen and down the hall, past his bedroom and into hers. He pushed the door shut behind him without hesitation. Sam let go of his hand, gripped the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head before she lost hercourage.
“Then do what you should have done backthen.”
