it was… a bear outside and I… I had to check it out. But I didn’t see any.”
He wondered if she worried it was something else. Maybe someone who had been chasing her. “All right. Do you want anything? Some milk? More hot chocolate? Would that help?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be all right. Thanks.”
Chase pointed at the oak coffee table. "Dan brought some movies up for us to watch that you might like better. Compliments of Dottie. She also sent a spare hairbrush and hair dryer. Dan also asked if we would like to have dinner with a couple in town tomorrow night."
Shannon eyed Chase a little warily.
"We don't have to go if you don't want. It was just an offer, but we're under no obligation."
"All right," she said. “We can go.”
He thought his saying they were under no obligation to go was what made her agree. He would have to remember that if they got any more invitations, and knowing everyone like he did, he suspected they might.
***
Now this was awkward. Chase was waiting for Shannon to return to her room, but he stood near enough to her door that when she opened it, he would see that she’d rearranged the furniture. She didn’t want him to believe it was because she was scared. When she just stood there, hoping he’d move along to his own bedroom, he finally reached around her and opened the door to her room for her.
He paused for a moment, considering her, not the room, and then he suddenly said, “Wait, let me get you something.” He stalked off down the hall to his bedroom.
When she saw the cell phone in his hand, she was hopeful that she could look up the news on the Internet.
“I want you to take my cell phone. I’ve got another that Dan assigned to me for police work. My number is listed under contacts in my phone. When I’m out working on the cabins or anytime you want to call me, feel free.”
He had no intention of monitoring her every move? She felt a sense of liberation in that instance and she really appreciated him for that. Though she was a little surprised he really was giving her free rein to do as she pleased. “Thanks,” she said, “for everything.”
He glanced at the armoire she’d had a devil of a time moving against the window. The bedside table was next to the door, so he might have assumed she had shoved it against the only door to the room before she went to sleep. Which made her seem paranoid.
“Good night. If you need anything at all, just come get me. For breakfast, I’ll fix us some ham and cheese omelets.”
She was grateful he didn’t mention anything about her moving furniture when she had really expected him to. But then she realized that he must have carried her to bed earlier and already seen that she’d moved the furniture!
Then he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. She couldn’t figure him out. He was so good to her when he didn’t know her at all.
“Did… you want to sleep with me instead?” he asked. When her jaw dropped a little, he quickly added, “If you thought you could sleep better because you felt safer.”
Then she laughed. “Yeah, right.”
He gave her one of his charming, dimpled smiles, and he looked absolutely delighted that he’d made her laugh. “Are you sure? If you’re having nightmares—“
“Thanks, I think I’ll be safer in my own bed. But I really appreciate the offer.” She smiled a little and stepped into the room. He closed the door for her. She had to admit she would have felt safer in his arms, at least as far as worrying about anyone breaking into his place and trying to kill her. But on a purely physical level, sleeping with Chase would not be safe.
Not with the way she was already attracted to him. Just the way they’d wrestled on the kitchen floor of Hal Haverton’s house and she’d felt the way he’d become aroused and she hadn’t been able to hide hers any more than he could his, and then the kiss she and Chase had shared that hadn’t been exactly chaste—she couldn’t see
He wondered if she worried it was something else. Maybe someone who had been chasing her. “All right. Do you want anything? Some milk? More hot chocolate? Would that help?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be all right. Thanks.”
Chase pointed at the oak coffee table. "Dan brought some movies up for us to watch that you might like better. Compliments of Dottie. She also sent a spare hairbrush and hair dryer. Dan also asked if we would like to have dinner with a couple in town tomorrow night."
Shannon eyed Chase a little warily.
"We don't have to go if you don't want. It was just an offer, but we're under no obligation."
"All right," she said. “We can go.”
He thought his saying they were under no obligation to go was what made her agree. He would have to remember that if they got any more invitations, and knowing everyone like he did, he suspected they might.
***
Now this was awkward. Chase was waiting for Shannon to return to her room, but he stood near enough to her door that when she opened it, he would see that she’d rearranged the furniture. She didn’t want him to believe it was because she was scared. When she just stood there, hoping he’d move along to his own bedroom, he finally reached around her and opened the door to her room for her.
He paused for a moment, considering her, not the room, and then he suddenly said, “Wait, let me get you something.” He stalked off down the hall to his bedroom.
When she saw the cell phone in his hand, she was hopeful that she could look up the news on the Internet.
“I want you to take my cell phone. I’ve got another that Dan assigned to me for police work. My number is listed under contacts in my phone. When I’m out working on the cabins or anytime you want to call me, feel free.”
He had no intention of monitoring her every move? She felt a sense of liberation in that instance and she really appreciated him for that. Though she was a little surprised he really was giving her free rein to do as she pleased. “Thanks,” she said, “for everything.”
He glanced at the armoire she’d had a devil of a time moving against the window. The bedside table was next to the door, so he might have assumed she had shoved it against the only door to the room before she went to sleep. Which made her seem paranoid.
“Good night. If you need anything at all, just come get me. For breakfast, I’ll fix us some ham and cheese omelets.”
She was grateful he didn’t mention anything about her moving furniture when she had really expected him to. But then she realized that he must have carried her to bed earlier and already seen that she’d moved the furniture!
Then he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. She couldn’t figure him out. He was so good to her when he didn’t know her at all.
“Did… you want to sleep with me instead?” he asked. When her jaw dropped a little, he quickly added, “If you thought you could sleep better because you felt safer.”
Then she laughed. “Yeah, right.”
He gave her one of his charming, dimpled smiles, and he looked absolutely delighted that he’d made her laugh. “Are you sure? If you’re having nightmares—“
“Thanks, I think I’ll be safer in my own bed. But I really appreciate the offer.” She smiled a little and stepped into the room. He closed the door for her. She had to admit she would have felt safer in his arms, at least as far as worrying about anyone breaking into his place and trying to kill her. But on a purely physical level, sleeping with Chase would not be safe.
Not with the way she was already attracted to him. Just the way they’d wrestled on the kitchen floor of Hal Haverton’s house and she’d felt the way he’d become aroused and she hadn’t been able to hide hers any more than he could his, and then the kiss she and Chase had shared that hadn’t been exactly chaste—she couldn’t see
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