Page 22 of Dancing With Doubt

“I know. Thank you. Can we go home? I don’t want to be out here anymore. I just feel like a target.” She shuddered and pushed down the sleeves of her top to hide her arms. “I’m cold now too.”

“Let’s get you back home. I’ll have Kai put more men around the house.”

“I don’t know whether to be flattered or worried that you’re a creepy stalker, having all of these people watching me.” She said once they were back at her car. “I mean, it’s really sweet, but at the same time…come on, Lincoln. Are you a creep?”

He was happy that she was back to teasing him and sent her a playful frown as he buckled his seatbelt. “I’m totally stalking you, babe.”

“I don’t blame you. I’m totally stalkable.” She started the engine, and they were off. “Although, it’s weirding me out that you had people around me all this time, that other people I trust have paid people to watch me all this time and I never suspected a thing.”

He was definitely not going to tell her about Tanya and Mandy watching her old apartment then. Nope, keeping that all to himself, he decided.

“It’s only because Kai and I care about you, Roxie. It wasn’t to control your movements or anything.” He said in total seriousness. “Nathan is unstable, unpredictable, and that’s dangerous.”

“I know, Lincoln, I just...” She paused at a stoplight and glanced over at him. “I’ll get used to it I guess.”

“I hope you won’t have to. If the cops do their job, or Kai’s people for that matter, then he’ll be in prison and won’t be a problem anymore.” Lincoln left the ‘I hope’ unspoken. Nathan, or the people he owed money to, could still be a problem.

“We’ll see,” Roxie said, distracted by the afternoon traffic. She got them home safely and Lincoln looked around.

He spotted a dozen people around his property line, all dressed in black cargo shorts, black t-shirts, with heavy-duty boots on their feet. They didn’t appear to be armed but Lincoln had no doubt they were. Good.

He went in and started to make dinner for them both. She’d wanted his version of a vegetarian casserole when they went out so that was what he’d decided to make. She went up to change into a pink long-sleeved t-shirt and pink yoga pants that did wonderful things to her ass. He grinned as she walked in and washed her hands. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to make those cheese things with the crescent rolls to go with the casserole.” She smiled and started to take the things she needed out of the fridge.

“Hmm. That’s not very vegetarian, all that cheese.”

“I don’t care what it is, asshole.” She teased back with eyes she blinked angelically. “I’m making it.”

“You go girl.” He replied and went back to slicing up squash and zucchini. “You make that cheese thing all you want.”

“I am, thank you.” She started to mix ingredients but paused, her eyes on the windows. He looked up with her and saw one of the women working the security detail. “Reckon they’re hungry too?”

“Are you telling me you want to feed all of them too?” He asked, knowing that’s exactly what she was thinking.

“Maybe.” She went and got more ingredients out of the fridge. “Here’s more vegetables.”

“Eating will distract them.” He told her but she just shook her head. “No, it won’t. They look like professionals. They won’t be distracted.”

“Fine, rinse that squash off for me, please.” He sighed, shaking his head. It was one more thing to appreciate about Roxie. She had a kind heart.

“What about Tanya, Mandy, and the girls?” She asked but he had the answer to that.

“They, including my driver, have gone out to the movies and are going out to eat after.”

“Oh. Wait. So, you’re telling me we’ve had the house to ourselves all this time and you didn’t tell me?” She paused, looking up at him with a look of disbelief.

“Yeah, why?” He wasn’t sure why that was a problem.

“The room, Lincoln! We could have been in the playroom instead of at that café.” She smiled, but there was still disbelief on her face. “You didn’t want to use that time for that?”

“Oh, um, well, I thought you’d want to avoid that place for a while. Until we were on better footing.” He shrugged, trying not to look worried, but smugly nonchalant. He wasn’t sure he pulled it off.

“Oh.” She answered, staring at a block of cream cheese. “Does that mean you don’t want to use the room with me anymore?”

“No, not at all.” He glanced up to reassure her with a smile. “I’m just enjoying what we’re doing now. Don’t worry, when we get back to that room, we’re going to tear it apart using everything in there until it breaks.”

“Oh.” She said again, but this time her cheeks were pink. He wasn’t sure if that was because she was pleased or because his words aroused her. Knowing Roxie, it was probably both. “Good, you don’t want to use it with anyone else then.”