Page 26 of Unbound

“Don’t stress about it. I don’t think there’s anything on it.” He urges me into the passenger seat of his UTV. “They would’ve been here already if there was.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” Imagining the men who ransacked my hotel room coming here makes me feel worse. Sick to my stomach. Guilty enough I almost regret coming here.

But only almost.

“Then it’s probably a good thing you’re about to go have some lunch, then lie down and take a nap.” Walker buckles me into place. “Because I’m pretty sure that will make you feel better.”

I frown at him, unconvinced. “I doubt it.”

Walker seems completely unbothered by my scowl as he crams my suitcase into the back. “Only one way to find out.”

He gets behind the wheel and takes us back to his home, the silence of the drive giving me time to decide what my next move should be. He pulls into his garage, and as the door is closing behind us, I turn to him. “I think I need to leave. Get far away from your family. Maybe whoever this is will follow me and leave you alone.”

Walker shuts off the engine and unbuckles. “No.”

I gape at him as he climbs out. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

He rounds the UTV, coming to my side before leaning down until we’re eye to eye. “I mean no.” He unbuckles my belt then straightens. “Now come inside. It’s time for you to eat lunch.”

I stare at Walker as realization dawns, anger propelling me up and out of my seat. “You’re treating me like a toddler.”

I expect him to try to deny it. Maybe act offended by my accusation. Possibly even apologize.

Walker crowds close, sending me stepping back until I bump the open frame of the vehicle. His voice is low and calm when he says, “Sweetheart, a toddler would be easier to control.”

I want to be pissed at him, but the way he said that didn’t sound like it was meant to be an insult. And, given how close his broad body is to mine, he sure as heck doesn’t seem bothered by my difficult nature.

I discreetly pull in a deep breath, my eyelashes fluttering as my eyes threaten to close. He smells so stupidly good. I’ve never really paid attention to a man’s scent before, but I’ve somehow found myself getting a little addicted to huffing his.

Yet another creepy behavior I need to make sure he doesn’t discover. I got lucky when Heidi kept her mouth shut about my special little hidden folder. And, thankfully, no one made a big deal about my shirtless screen saver. But I don’t expect everyone to be quite as cool if they find out just how weirdly focused I accidentally got on the man hovering over me now.

“Now”—Walker angles a thick brow at me—”are we gonna go have lunch and take a nap, or are you going to keep being difficult?”

As much as I genuinely enjoy being difficult, the first part of his question offers a little incentive to keep that behavior in check. “We’re taking a nap together?”

Walker’s blue eyes fuse to mine, narrowing as the seconds tick past.

I may have taken this a little too far. Unfortunately, that seems to be my main character trait. Immediately followed by the unwillingness to back down.

I should laugh. Pretend I was kidding. Do something to ease the tension building between us.

Instead, I lift my chin and stand my ground, holding my breath as I wait to see what he’ll do. What he’ll say. Not that I expect Walker to say much. He seems to be a man of few words.

Finally, he takes a step back and I nearly sway forward as he goes. Walker doesn’t speak until there’s at least three feet between us. “You’re napping.” He grabs my bag from the back. “I am making sure you don’t sneak around and cause more problems.”

“So you’re basically my babysitter?” I straighten away from the UTV, propping both hands on my hips. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m fully grown and more than capable of taking care of myself.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed the first part.” His eyes flick my way, lingering on me for just a second before darting to the door leading inside. “But I’m gonna have to disagree on the second bit.”

That’s a little offensive.

Walker goes straight inside, leaving me to follow behind. And I do, feet stomping a little as I hustle up the steps and into his house. “What in the heck do you mean by that?”

“I mean, you’ve managed to find yourself in the middle of a mess I’m pretty sure you had a healthy hand in creating.” Walker rolls my suitcase to the base of the stairs then doubles back, passing me without looking my way on his way to the kitchen.

“So? That doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” I become his shadow, sticking close to his back. “And what else would you expect me to do? Not knowing what really happened to my dad is eating me alive. If anyone could understand that, it should be you.”

Walker stops abruptly, spinning to face me so fast I collide with his chest, making a high-pitched squeaking sound as my forehead bounces against his sternum. I slowly tip my head back, looking up and up and up until our gazes lock.