Page 19 of Lone Star Country Protector
Speaking of Chase, she should probably go upstairs and check on him after breakfast.
Dalton sat down and picked up a fork. He stabbed the egg as he took a chunk out of the omelet and then ate it. Was he frustrated?
The man took his job seriously. Was that the only reason protecting her meant so much to him? Her heart wanted their weekend to mean more than casual sex, especially considering she didn’t normally go there, and a place down deep said that Dalton was special.
Blakely stood at the island as she ate, far too wound up to sit down. She paced in between bites, considering how someone could have been lurking behind her home without her having the first clue. She’d kept the blinds open so no one could sneak up on her. She hadn’t considered how easy it would be to watch her from afar.
Last bite down, she checked her sister’s yogurt cup. At least Bethany was able to finish it. Thank heaven for small miracles. Blakely grabbed a banana and peeled it for her sister next as Chase bounded down the stairs. Tufts of his hair stuck up at odd angles in the most adorable way. That kid had her heart in his seven-year-old hands.
“Hey, buddy,” Blakely said as Bethany seemed momentarily lost in her own world. Marital trouble had to be the worst.
He made a beeline to his mother after locking on, mumbling something that sounded like, “I’m hungry.”
“Do you want eggs or waffles?” Blakely asked.
“Waffles,” he said, perking up considerably at the thought of a sugar rush.
“You got it, kiddo,” Blakely said before pulling his favorite brand out of the freezer and then popping a pair into the toaster next to the fridge.
Within minutes, Chase was happily perched in his mother’s lap while gobbling down the syrup-soaked treat. Blakely poured a glass of milk then set it next to his plate.
Bethany held on to Chase like he was about to disappear into thin air. Her marriage must be in serious trouble. Notonce had her sister bailed on a date night with Greg. The man had shown up looking like he needed a shower and a good shave. And the dark circles underneath his eyes said he was either working too hard or worrying too much. This wasn’t the time to pry into her sister’s marriage. Not with Chase in the room.
But Blakely was curious about what a marriage that looked perfect on the outside could possibly be facing. Whatever it was, it had to be bad to keep Bethany here. She hadn’t made a move to go home or even mentioned the possibility.
“Do you want me to pick up a few of your things from home so you can stay over a couple of nights?” Blakely asked, and then received a warning glare from Dalton. She shot him a look right back.
“I can do it,” he offered.
“No,” Bethany said. “I can borrow anything I need from Blakely.” Something between Bethany and Dalton had shifted this morning. A bond?
As strange as it sounded, even to her, they seemed a whole lot more comfortable around each other in a short amount of time. When she really thought about it, the change happened this morning, while she was at the front door with Greg.
“That a real gun?” Chase asked once he’d devoured breakfast. He was all big eyes and smiles now.
“Yes,” Dalton responded. “But it comes with great responsibility and isn’t meant for small hands.”
Chase sighed. “My hands have always been too small. That’s why I play soccer. Because I can never catch a football with these.” He held up his hands with a look of disappointment that would melt the most ice-encased heart.
“Hands grow just like every other body part,” Daltonreassured. His words resonated with her nephew, turning the frown into a contemplative nod.
A growing part of her liked the ease Dalton seemed to feel around the two most important people in Blakely’s life. She gave herself a mental headshake before heading down that no-future trail. She would never trust anyone of the opposite sex. That had been stripped from her a long time ago along with her naïve belief that all humans had good in them. During that time in her life, she’d dreamed of becoming a social worker so she could roll up her sleeves and help people with their transformation.
Imagine the disappointment when she learned not everyone had redeeming qualities or wanted to be reformed. Blakely shook off the reverie.
Everyone she cared about was under one roof. Safe.
For now.Those two words haunted her.
Chapter Eight
Breakfast dishes were a team effort, reminding Dalton what it was like to have family around. He’d gotten used to living alone. Too used to it?
After documenting the shoe imprint and filing it with his office, he read the crime scene report from Houston PD looking for nuggets of useful information. The officer on the report had been wet behind the ears, barely in his twenties. Not that Dalton was old at twenty-eight, but the officer had seemed younger than his years. Besides, Dalton had grown up fast and never looked back. Did it have to do with coming from a big family? Probably. That, and growing up on a paint horse ranch where there was no shortage of work. Everyone pitched in. Chores were a way of life growing up in a ranching community.
Dalton had been as wild as a young buck too. His feet rarely saw shoes in the summer unless he was far out on ranch property. When he was bareback on a horse, he didn’t see a need for shoes.
Looking back, it was a magical childhood even though he might not have realized it at the time. No. He’d taken it for granted. Like breathing. Walking. Getting out of bed every morning.
