“Seems possible, but we can’t let our guard down yet.” Ryan crossed the room toward her. “The bullets in the door says the person after you is amping up his threats. If the murder is related, our discovery of the body could escalate things further.”
She didn’t want to admit he was right, but he could be—very right—and her life was still in danger.
As he took a seat next to her on the sofa, a ray of fading sunlight highlighted the crevices of fatigue etched into his bronzed skin. They locked gazes, and the warm intimacy of the moment stole all logical thought.
She wanted to kiss him. Badly.
Could she hold out against these feelings much longer? Did she even want to? How could she think this compassionate man would hurt her?
Without thinking, she smoothed the strand of hair from his forehead and trailed a finger down his cheek.
He leaned his face into her hand. His breath whispered over her skin as he exhaled. “When I think about you stuck in that door with the body so close by, I can hardly breathe.” He laced his long fingers with hers and laid their hands on his knee. “What if you’d found the body when Jessie was with you? The trauma could’ve done serious damage to you both.”
Mia shivered, moved closer to Ryan, and concentrated on the musky cologne he’d applied. The scent melded with him and drew her even closer. She looked at their hands, perfectly fitted. Maybe this was how it should be. The two of them together again.
Ryan tugged on her hand, easing her closer. Her resolve melted completely, and she had to fight to think.
No. Stop.His nearness and compassion were drawing her into making a decision she wasn’t ready to make. She needed to put distance between them before she did something she regretted. Not move just across the room. The nearness would be too easy to give into. She had to get out of the lodge.
She pulled her hand free and stood, saying the first thing that came to mind. “I asked Verna to file an insurance claim yesterday, but she didn’t seem to have a real sense of urgency. I have time to go down to the office to check on it before we have to leave for dinner.”
Ryan let out a rasping sigh and came to the edge of the seat. “I’ll go with you.”
“No. Relax. I’m sure Russ and his men are still at the barn, and I’ll be safe.” Mia started for the door.
“I really don’t want you out there alone,” Ryan called after her.
Bandit hopped up, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
“I’ll take Bandit.” She grabbed his leash from the table. “You’ll guard me, won’t you, fella?”
Ryan stood. “Still, I’ll come with you.”
“Fine,” she said though him accompanying her didn’t solve her issue. She understood his concern and didn’t want to cause him more stress just because she couldn’t control her feelings for him.
She snapped the lead onto Bandit’s collar. She pulled the door open and rushed out to lean against a post to draw in the cooling air and clear her head of his scent and intoxicating gaze. She would walk with him, but keep a safe distance between them.
Because this waffling between wanting to start something with him or not had to stop. She needed to make sure they weren’t alone in a confined and private space again or she’d find herself running as she’d done since she arrived here. Running away and maybe running for her life if she wasn’t careful.
* * *
Ryan waited outside of the office as Mia requested. She thought Verna would be more forthcoming if he weren’t with them. He agreed and would stand watch outside. And while he was at it he would try to arrange a protection detail for her. He pulled out his cell and tapped Russ’s icon.
“I don’t have any more news, if that’s why you’re calling,” his brother said, sounding tired. He might be Mr. Tough Guy, always acting in charge, but this investigation was taking a toll on him. He would work even harder not to show it, but Ryan knew his brother and had seen the impact finding the body had on him.
“ME hasn’t given you the prints on our victim yet?”
“He hasn’t taken them.” Russ sounded surprisingly accepting of the delay. “He was pulled away for another call. Four teens. Two fatalities. Drunk driving incident.”
“Oh, man, you have to work that scene?” Ryan asked, remembering some of the gruesome traffic accidents he’d responded to as a deputy.
“Next county, but our ME is covering for their guy who’s on vacation.”
“That’s rough,” Ryan said and didn’t want to dwell on it. Instead, he now had to think about protecting Mia for a longer timeframe. “Can you post someone at the lodge for the night? I’m really worried something will happen to Mia.”
Russ let out a long breath. “I’d be glad to, but I don’t have enough deputies the way it is. With no actual attempt on her life, I can’t justify the cost of overtime.”
“Cost?” Ryan shouted, the sound traveling down the hill and halting Mia’s steps for a moment. She looked back. He slipped behind a tree and lowered his voice. “Can you put a price on her life?”
