Page 66 of The Desperate Warrior

He chuckled, the mellow timbre of his rich voice warming the air between them.

They moved to the living room and sat down. She chose one of the overstuffed chairs.

Amusement colored his features. “Not taking your usual seat on the couch?”

“I didn’t want to mess up your bed.”

He came over and sat down in the seat beside her.

She took a long drink of water. On impulse, she handed the bottle to him. He took a swig and passed it back. The shared gesture was so normal that it made her throat tighten.

He sat back in his seat and propped his ankle on his thigh, giving her an expectant look. “Okay, talk.”

When she remained silent, he took over. “I’ll start.” He looked her in the eyes, his jaw sharp. “Are you really telling me that you’re lumping me trying to do the right thing by Trevor into the same category as you flirting with some guy right in front of me and rubbing my nose in it?”

She snorted. “Why do you think everything I do is about you? Maybe I was just enjoying Asher’s company. Ever think of that?”

The stormy expression on his face made her smirk inwardly. Good to know she could get a rise out of him.

Rain continued to batter the window, amplifying the tension between them.

Brock pushed out a short breath. “If I could go back and do things differently, I would.” Regret clouded his features. “Howmany times do I have to say that I’m sorry? What can I do to fix it?”

That’s how Brock operated. He diagnosed a problem and then jumped in to solve it. But this situation wasn’t cut and dry. Not by a long shot.

Emotion tightened her throat. “I don’t know,” she uttered. “I want to trust you. I’m just not sure that I can open up my heart again.” She swallowed, trying to get control of her emotions. “I don’t know if I have it in me.”

He reached over and gently took the water bottle from her hands. Placing it on the coffee table, he gathered her hands in his. “Jules, you and I both know that we’re meant to be together.”

His words held such certainty that they stole her breath. She’d believed that wholeheartedly when they first met and fell hard and fast for one another. Heck, a part of her still believed it, but she was petrified. She looked down at their clasped hands, which fit well together. Warmth from his skin seeped into hers, making her feel invigorated and off-kilter. Things were getting way too heated, so she did the only thing she could think to do. She carefully extricated her hands from his and clasped them tightly in her lap so she wouldn’t be tempted to reach for him. She had to change the subject—fast. “Wanna know what I found out about Asher?” She tilted her head and threw him a playful look. “Contrary to what you thought, I wasn’t just flirting. I actually learned something useful.”

He sat back in his chair, skeptical. “I’m listening.”

Good grief, he was tough. It was hard not to be intimidated by his directness. Brock was the type of guy who busted heads and then asked questions later. “Asher said someone broke into his house a few days ago.”

He creased his brow. “Really.”

She nodded, talking faster. “Get this—nothing was taken. A few things were moved around, but nothing was missing.”

“Did he call the police?”

“No. He thought maybe he was being paranoid. He said he’s in the process of updating his home security system because his current one glitches. He wasn’t able to capture anything on camera.”

Brock pressed his lips together. “We need to get this info to Leroy.”

She frowned. “Is Leroy even doing anything? He’s been tracking Steve Randall for a while and hasn’t uncovered anything.”

“Brock grimaced. “I like the guy, and he came highly recommended … but I’m starting to wonder about him too. We need to get some answers pronto.”

She tightened her jaw. “I agree.” Time was running out. She could feel it.

Luke’s heading back to Eagle Mountain Lake tomorrow. Now that he’s looking for the truck that Steve Randall is actually driving, maybe we’ll catch a break.”

“I hope so,” she murmured.

They sat in silence. Jules let her thoughts get consumed by the monotony of the falling rain.

A few minutes later, Brock spoke. “You looked like you were having fun tonight at the cooking class.”

---