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She smiled, and relief and disappointment intermingled. She yearned for him to come close and give her one sweet goodnight kiss, but it was smarter to keep an emotional distance. “Who’s there?”
“Al.”
“Al who?” She clung to his hand and moistened her lips.
Hays’s gaze darted to her lips, then back up to her eyes. He seemed to change his mind about something, but then he said, “Al give you a hug if you need one.”
Elizabeth’s heart thudded in her chest. Against all that was smart, she whispered, “Yes, please.”
Hays’s smile lit up the dark night. He released her hand and wrapped his arms around her lower back, drawing her against his solid chest. Elizabeth slid her hands around his back and clung to him. She let out a sigh and nestled in against him. Hays would comfort, protect, strengthen, and thrill her. If only she could stay with him always.
Glancing up at him, their gazes tangled and held. With one look, he promised to be her everything. She knew that couldn’t happen, but he tenderly cupped her cheek with one palm and tilted her head up toward his.
Elizabeth should not let down her guard and kiss him, but she had no idea how to resist.
Anticipation filled her. This was the moment. Hays would take command of her lips and she would float away on a cloud of happiness. Every pain and worry would disappear. Her father would never find her in the shelter of Hays’s arms.
Footsteps came up the stairs.
Hays straightened and quickly ushered her behind him, stepping in front of her.
Numerous guards had protected Elizabeth throughout her life, but she’d never felt truly protected until this moment. Hays would jump in front of a bullet for her. His only purpose was to keep her safe, never to control her or make certain she wasn’t stepping out of line.
She loved him.
Not that love could factor into the equation. No matter how Hays made her feel, even her Superman could never stop the manipulative genius that was her father. She doubted Sutton Smith, Aiden Porter, and her determined brother could either.
“Oh, there you are. I made up a tray of treats and drinks for each of you.”
Hays stepped to the side, and Elizabeth saw Millie beaming at them with Jared trailing her.
Their moment had been interrupted. She was sick with disappointment. She needed some rest before she did something stupid like tell Hays he was the only real happiness she’d experienced and begged him to create more happiness with his touch and his kiss.
Chapter
Ten
Hays swept Elizabeth’s suite before he let her or Millie enter. He thought Jared or Millie might protest, but Jared only grunted his approval with, “Caution saves lives.”
After Millie ushered Elizabeth into her room and Hays knew their moment was irrevocably broken, he bit back his disappointment and turned to Jared.
“If you’ll promise to eat some later so Millie feels appreciated, I’ll set this down and show you our security center, answer any questions you have,” Jared offered.
“Perfect.” Hays liked and appreciated these tough cowboys. Even with as late as it was, Jared knew Hays would want to be familiar with their security.
He followed Jared down the stairs and to the back office. They spent the next half-hour going over the different aspects of their security and everything he needed to know about the cameras and sensors. Hays was impressed. Jared sent him the link to his phone so he could receive the alerts and check cameras at any time.
He continued to explain that their ranch hands all doubled as security guards and were either retired military or retired police. Some of them had wives or families on the ranch as well. They each had their own cabin. Jared had been a Green Beret before returning to the family ranch. He’d trained his own boys ‘up right’ which he claimed meant they were on level with most special ops soldiers.
The perimeter fence was nothing to mess around with. Eight feet tall, barbed wire at the top, electric. Jared explained that visitors from church and ‘what-not’ just saw the ‘pretty part of the fence,’ the wrought-iron front that extended from the front gate. They assumed the Colevilles were eccentric, wealthy, and protecting their prized Brahman bulls.
Hays finally went to his suite, showered, ate some of the delicious baked goods, drank the juice, brushed his teeth, said a long prayer, and climbed into the king-size bed. He slept well, sleeping in until seven-thirty. He didn’t like being away from Elizabeth. Maybe he should’ve insisted that they stay in the same suite. For her protection.
He rolled off the bed, kneeled to pray, then hurried to get ready. He was uncertain what the day would bring and what was expected of him besides staying by Elizabeth’s side. Knocking softly on her door, he waited.
The door cracked and Elizabeth gazed up at him. Her dark hair flowed around her shoulders and her blue eyes were sleepy. She blinked several times.
“Forgive me. I woke you.”
