“You seem excited now about this,” I point out as I watch his profile.
“Now I understand just how much these kinds of days mean to you. Going with you means you’re letting me in and that’s going to always be something I’m excited about, Helen.”
Well. Fuck.
I don’t have anything to say to that. As I look out the window, Rhodes’s large hand covers my knee and gives a squeeze. The touch has my nipples hardening as my clit throbs. It’s almost impossible not to squirm, but I manage it. Barely.
When we finally get to the market, Rhodes shoots me a look before striding around to my side and opening my door. I know I flush at the act, but I can’t help it. Having a man show me this kind of care is completely foreign to me.
I almost sigh at how textbook the whole thing is and I’m looking back at my past in a new light. Talk about Daddy issues, huh?
As we get out of the parking area and into the main market, I swear I see Thad slip through a few tents ahead of us. But it’s just a glimpse and I can’t be sure. I’ll be keeping my eyes open though because the absolute last thing I want is to be forced to endure a conversation with that man.
I don’t even know why he would be here. This certainly isn’t the kind of place he would go to willingly. But it’s not like I really know him anymore.
Thankfully.
Rhodes wanders a few steps away from me as I look through a bin of bed sheets because you never know what kind of fabric you can find, or where you’ll find it.
“Well, hello,” a man drawls and the hair on my arms stands up. “Is there something I can help you find?”
WhenI turn toward the man, he’s old enough to be my father and I immediately take a step back. And run straight into a strong, solid chest. I don’t have to look over my shoulder to know it’s Rhodes and his smokey, cedar scent confirms it.
His hands land on my hips and he gives a squeeze. “Don’t hit on my woman,” his voice is lethal in the best of fucking ways.
The man holds his hands up in surrender as Rhodes leads me away from the booth.
I can’t help but tease him, “I wasn’t done looking around.”
“Yes,” he growls, “you were.” His voice drops an octave, “Like I’m going to stand by and watch some fucker hit on my woman. I don’t fucking think so.”
A giggle bubbles out of me, effervescent and completely free. “You’re ridiculous.”
“If that’s what you have to tell yourself, that’s fine,” he fires back with a shrug.
When he looks down at me, affection and possession are swirling there. They aren’t competing; there is no war. It just is.
I let myself sink into the feeling and then show Rhodes what I love about days like this, and everything I find magical wandering through stalls of things most people would forget or look over.
We laugh. We whisper secrets. We hold hands.
And with every step, the connection between us deepens and I fall in love with him in a way I know will never fade or falter. I think the only thing that could come between us at this point was if I did something stupid like investigating somewhere I have no business being. I have no doubt he would arrest me if I did something dangerous like that again.
I might be down for him cuffing me, but taking me to the station? No, thanks.
ButI certainly will soak up every second I get with my man as he looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
CHAPTER 19
RHODES
As I park in the same place where I was parked the night I found Helen stalking the Old Mill without any finesse or stealth, I’m glad I didn’t tell my woman about getting approval from the McMinn Sheriff to check it out. They didn’t find any evidence of the dog fighting ring being active when the area was raided but it clearly was running here at some point.
I don’t believe I’ll find something they missed, but I need to follow this through. I need to see it myself.
With the area being cleared by McMinn, I don’t bother being sneaky as I make my way through the vegetation that surrounds the building. When I get a look at it, I’m momentarily surprised with how beautiful it is. Sure, it’s run down and looks like it could crumble if wind gusts got too high, but there is something precious there begging to be protected.
Or maybe it’s the story of what happens when we forget or ignore what is already right in front of us.
