Page 60 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“And on that note, I’m going to head out,” Cole said, backing toward the door. “You know where I am if you need anything. I’ll be by in a few days to check on the foal again. I’m surprised and pleased by her progress.”

Cole darted out the back door before either of us could say anything, and I pried myself out of Booker’s arms long enough to open the door and shout thank you. Cole waved a hand over his head in acknowledgment and then jumped into his truck to leave.

I tried to turn around and head back inside, but before I knew what was happening, my feet had left the floor, and Booker was carrying me into the family room. My mouth opened to object, but then I caught sight of the look on his face.

Booker was scared.

I immediately deflated. He’d done so much for me, and here I was only thinking about myself.

As Booker dropped onto the couch, he held me firmly in his lap, leaning back with a sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. It was like I could visibly see him pulling himself back together.

“Are you okay?” I whispered after the tension seemed to have left his body.

He nodded and then looked at me. “You’re staying here tonight,” he told me. “If you want the guest room, that’s fine, but Val is going in with you. Tomorrow we’re getting the locks changed and looking into getting security cameras.”

“Booker, you don’t need to do all this for me. It was just someone messing about, it’s?—”

“It absolutely wasn’t,” Booker said sternly. “You don’t do that in someone’s bedroom unless it’s personal.”

“It could have just been kids,” I suggested lamely, not really wanting to think about the alternative.

“I’m going to call Xander and see if he can stay at the ranch for a few days. He could take the cottage, and you move in here. Just until we have the cameras in place.”

“I’m sure Xander has better things to be doing.”

“He doesn’t.”

Booker wouldn’t take no as an answer here, and it occurred to me that while I could fight him on this, it wouldn’t cost me anything to let him have this. I wasn’t the only person here who’d had their personal space invaded today. If putting up some cameras and having his brother stay for a few days would make him feel better, there was no reason not to do it.

“Okay,” I conceded. “On one condition.”

Booker raised an eyebrow, and I could see he was getting ready to fight whatever I was about to say. “You need to run me into town in the morning so I can get the ingredients to make a new pie for you.”

“You were making a pie for me?”

“Caramel apple. But it’s been defiled by the intruder.”

Booker opened his mouth to ask a question and then seemed to think twice about it and closed his mouth again. I couldpractically see the thoughts flying through his mind until he asked, “I’m going to need you to explain the defiling.”

I smiled, sinking back into his chest as I got myself comfortable. “They stole the first slice and ate it! And I made that pie as a surprise for you.”

Booker chuckled and held me tightly. “Of all the crimes that have been committed here today, that has to be the worst.”

Finally! Someone understood where I was coming from.

But then he ruined it and added, “No one eats my baby’s pie, but me.”

Heat blossomed low in my stomach as Booker tilted my head back and kissed me. I had a terrible feeling that whatever had happened here today was just the beginning, but I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. All I wanted to do now was feel safe in Booker’s arms.

He twisted on the couch, gently laying me back against the cushions as he held himself above me.

“If you want me to stop, if you need time to process what’s happened…”

“Don’t stop, Booker. When it comes to you, I never want it to stop.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

BOOKER

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