Page 45 of Never the Same

I waited for his eyes before whispering, “You’re forgiven.”

He gave me a tight-mouthed nod, like he was trying to soldier forward. “I’ll grab your luggage and put it in my room for now.” He breezed around me in a hurry to get to the hall, and I quietly followed him. “I’ll check with Audrey to make sure you don’t have any food allergies before I cook.”

I paused in the doorway, and when he turned, he nearly slammed into me. He snatched my wrist as if worried I’d fall over.

Why was it that anytime he touched me, even the slightest bump, an unexplainable zing of connection hummed under my skin? I didn’t believe my mother, that I wanted this man because he didn’t want me. No, that wasn’t what this was. It was innate. Natural, because I couldn’t remember who I was, but the feeling was still there just as I knew God was real.

Reed’s thumb skimmed the line of my wrist as if desperate not to let go, before releasing me.

“That’s thoughtful of you to check for any allergies. I forgot about that possibility.”

“Of course.” He backed up two steps, like he was worried he might accidentally touch me again. “Can’t go into anaphylactic shock on me. Gotta keep you alive, right?” A lopsided smile came and went fast. “I, uh, should also have another look around the property and ensure it’s secure before I cook.”

“Good idea.” I pointed to the ceiling. “You think my brothers hacked a satellite to spy on us?”

He quietly nodded, then tore his hand through his dark hair, which was thick enough to tangle your fingers in. “My room is all yours.” He quickly tacked on, “For now,” then whistled, and Ranger came barreling down the hall, nearly flying into us from excitement. “Stay with her.” He turned back to me, shooting an apprehensive look. “Not going to fall in the shower and hit your head, are ya?”

“Only if you think that’ll help knock my memories back into place?”

He rolled his eyes but was fighting another smile.

“And unless you plan to keep an eye on me every second, which means watching me shower, sleep, and—”

“I get it,” he agreed. “Just be safe, okay? Last thing I need is to come rescue you while you’re—”

“Naked?”

He propped his palm on the wall at his side, his attention moving to Ranger wagging his tail between us.

“You’re sure there’s no us?” The words tumbled free of their own accord, and I had no one to blame but Sleeping Beauty somewhere deep inside me.

“I promise you, there’s no us. And there’s one thing you’re going to learn about me while here . . . I’m not a liar.”

“So when you say we don’t like each other, that means you were being honest?” I’d meant to save this confrontation for another time, but here we were anyway.

His mouth tightened around whatever words he wanted to say; he just quietly stared at me as if fighting an invisible enemy with the power of his mind.

“I’m sorry. We don’t have to do this. You had my back with my family, and you brought me here. I should just be thanking you right now, not giving you a hard time.”

He pushed off the wall, jaw strained beneath sexy stubble as he remarked in a low, even-toned voice, “If you weren’t giving me a hard time . . . then I really would be worried about you.” He turned and left after that, and I waited until he was out of my line of sight before Ranger and I went into his bedroom.

I kept the door unlocked so he could drop off my bag, then went into the bathroom.

After my shower, I was sadly still the same. Confused and a little brokenhearted at how things had gone with my family as well.

Aside from my bra, panties, and perfume, I couldn’t find anything appropriate to sleep in. Silk nightgowns that barely covered my panties would give the man an ulcer. On a whim, I decided to invade his space and check out his clothes for something comfortable to wear.

I caught Ranger staring at me as I rummaged through a drawer, head tipping left, then right.

“I know it looks like I’m being a bad girl, but I promise, I’m trying to be good,” I said defensively, landing on a T-shirt that looked big enough to pass for a nightgown. Hopefully, it’d be Reed- and Ranger-approved.

The tee smelled like fresh linen, not sexy man, which was probably for the best. I was already intoxicated with him as it was, for reasons I didn’t understand. Breathing him in all the time, too? Bad idea.

Barefoot, my French braid still intact from the body-only shower, I went over to the door, mentally preparing myself to face him. “Ready to have my six in case your daddy gets upset about me wearing his shirt?” I asked Ranger, smiling.

He yelped, going to his hind legs to use his front paws to pat the air.

“I’ll take that as a yes”—I went for the door—“and not a warning that I’m about to get myself in trouble.”