Page 44 of Her Delta Force Protector

After driving for a while, the lake appeared, then came and went as they traveled on the curvy road. The houses on the lake were big and expensive, and she couldn’t imagine Kade owning one of them. Even if he had the money, they just weren’t him. Then she lost sight of the lake altogether and they left the houses behind.

Her tension eased as traffic became sparse. If anyone tried to sneak up on them, they would be easy to see, and it helped that Kade seemed to relax, too. Eventually, he turned onto a gravel road, and she guessed they’d traveled about two miles before a small log cabin came into view. The covered porch looked out over the lake, and there was a dock with a boat on a lift. The cabin was isolated, not another house in sight.

Duke, who’d had his head out the window the entire trip, barked, and his tail furiously wagged.

“He loves it here,” Kade said. “Watch. As soon as I open the door, he’ll head straight for the lake.” He got out, opened the door for Duke, and sure enough, the dog raced to the lake, down the dock, and took a flying leap off the end.

Funny that she was jealous of her dog for getting to spend time with him here. She could see why this was Kade’s peace place. After exiting the truck, she took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and smiled at Kade when he came around the truck and stopped next to her. “It’s beautiful here.”

“You think so?” Mischief flashed in his eyes. “You’re only the third female I’ve brought here.”

Seriously, Kade?She did not need to know that.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kade hadn’t missed her nose wrinkling—her tell when she didn’t like something—and he chuckled as he headed for the cabin. He glanced over his shoulder. “You coming?” He jogged up the steps to the porch, and when she joined him, he said, “The other two were Skylar and Everly.”

“Oh.”

He shouldn’t like that it mattered to her to know that. He unlocked the door, pushed it open, and held out his arm for her to enter. As soon as he deactivated the alarm, he leaned against the wall and watched her. What would she think of his home away from home, the place he was most at peace? He wasn’t sure why it mattered, but he wanted her to like it here.

She stopped a few feet inside and looked around, then spread out her arms. “This is perfect. Not too rustic and not too fancy. Just perfect.”

Pleasure expanded in his chest “Thanks.” He scanned the room, trying to see it through her eyes. His cabin had two bedrooms and one bath, one more bedroom than he needed unless Everly was spending the weekend with him, which she did a few times during the summers.

Even though Skylar occasionally came over for the day to go out on the boat with him and fish, she never spent the night. Other than Everly, he’d never let anyone sleep over, not even his brothers. Guess Harper was now on his sleepover list. He’d wondered if he would feel antsy with her in his sanctuary, but he didn’t.Interesting.

The living room, small area for a dining table, and kitchen were open...no walls. He didn’t like walls. When he’d bought the place five years ago, it had been a fixer-upper the owner was almost paying someone to take off his hands. Every room had been walled in. Damn claustrophobic. It had taken the years since taking possession to complete his DIY project, only finishing last spring.

The original wood floors had thankfully only needed refinishing, the smoke-blackened floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace a lot of scrubbing, and the log walls a good clear coat. The kitchen had been his biggest project as it had to be gutted. It wasn’t huge and hadn’t needed oversize appliances, but he’d gone with the best, along with new cabinets and light gray soapstone countertops.

Everything had been done by his hands, and although some of it was by trial and error, the work had been therapeutic. His brothers had offered to help, but he’d declined. If they were here in his space, he’d have to talk. He loved them and would go after anyone who hurt them, but he didn’t always want to talk to them...to anyone. Especially when coming right off a mission. He was almost sorry he didn’t have more to do because working on this place kept his mind busy and off things he didn’t want to think about.

For furniture, he’d gone basic but comfortable. A light brown leather couch and matching recliner, wood and steel coffee table and side tables, and, of course, a big-ass TV. A small two-people dining table, beds—king-size for his room, and twins for the second bedroom—and dressers. That was it.

As he took in the great room, seeing it through Harper’s eyes, he decided he needed a few things to make it homier. A throw rug, maybe, something for the fireplace mantel, a picture or two for the walls. Parker would probably paint something for him, and thinking about it, he liked the idea of having some of Parker’s art in his cabin. Some of Parker’s art in the bedrooms, too.

“I’m surprised you don’t live here,” she said.

“A little too far out.” That wasn’t the full truth. He was afraid if he lived here, it would stop being special, would no longer feel like his place to find peace. “I’m going to unload the truck.”

“I’ll help.”

“No need, but you can start putting the groceries away.” He took the burner phone Skylar’s deputy had given him out of his pocket. “Here you go. A replacement. It’s safe to use.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Their fingers brushed together when he handed her the phone, and she lifted her eyes to his. The air crackled between them as their gazes held. Damn. He dropped his hand. It was going to be torture having her share his space and not touching her. He really wanted to touch her, wanted his mouth on hers again. Hell, there were a lot of places he wanted his mouth.

“I’ll start bringing in the groceries.” And try to cool down.

“What about Duke? Is he okay out there?”

“He’s part fish. He’ll come in when he’s worn himself out.”

“I don’t have a bathing suit.”

That stopped him in his tracks. Harper in a bathing suit—and his brain went straight to her in a bikini—would be his undoing. “It’s too cold. Your lips would turn blue if you got in the lake right now.” And here he was thinking about her mouth again. Not only did he want his mouth all over her, but he also wouldn’t be averse to having her mouth all over him. Eff him. He should go jump in the lake himself before she noticed the way his pants were tenting.

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