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“Thank you.”
He eased out and shut the bathroom door. The master bedroom door shut a few seconds later.
She relaxed against the counter for a few moments. Cade was an honorable man. She appreciated that he was so willing to forgive her error. He was an exceptionally generous cowboy. He would keep her safe. She knew he would.
As she walked out of the bedroom and into the closet to unzip the suitcase and see what variety of clothes and toiletries she possessed, she was only confused about one thing he’d said—he never planned to share his bed with any woman. Maybe he’d expressed it incorrectly, but it felt significant. Why wouldn’t he say any woman but his future wife?
Odd.
He also hadn’t explained why she needed to stay in his master suite and him in the guest room. Was the guest room unfit for female guests? Not clean like his own bedroom and bath?
So many questions were already crowded into Jacey’s head; she couldn’t give much space to anything additional. Not even riddling out how the handsome cowboy’s mind worked.
Chapter
Eight
Cade descended the stairs, his neck hot. Jacey had assumed he would push her to sleep with him. Sheesh. What had he said or done to lead her there?
The truth was, he didn’t have another bed in his house and no way was she sleeping on the floor in the guest room. He’d have to change out the sheets on his bed, but he could deal with that later. Even seeing her in his bedroom, closet, and bathroom made him wonder if he’d been smart to agree to have her stay.
His protective instincts toward her were off the charts, but his desire for her was just as strong. He would never play with fire or disrespect a lady. He’d have to be very careful to keep firm boundaries with her staying here. Even with her memory loss, she knew how desirable she was. Maybe that was why she’d questioned him about sleeping arrangements.
The food was spread out on the counter, the grocery sacks twisted together like Millie or his mom would do. There was fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, cheese, frozen chicken, homemade bread, and a plastic-wrapped platter of cookies and sweet breads.
Clint and Easton weren’t in the living room or kitchen.
He surveyed everything, then started putting the fresh goods in the refrigerator.
The front door opened and Easton and Clint came in, stopping just inside the door but shutting it behind them. They didn’t take their hats off—not disrespect necessarily, more that they weren’t staying long.
“The sensors and cameras are set up,” Clint said. “Nothing fancy, but at least we’ll know every time a deer or cougar comes into your yard.” A smile managed to settle on his face, obviously an unfamiliar expression in Cade’s presence.
Cade was able to summon a smile as well. When was the last time he’d smiled at Clint Coleville? Not in the last year, that was certain.
“Or something more nefarious like Catherine Oliver’s henchmen,” Easton said.
His smile dropped, but he planned how he could take on mercenaries to protect Jacey.
He rubbed at his neck and regarded the two men. “Thank you. Tell Millie thank you. I do have food, but this is very kind.” He lived far enough away that he never had a well-meaning neighbor drop cookies off. Of course his own mama sent him home with leftovers, breads, and desserts from Sunday dinner, but this was a lot of food, and so like Millie Coleville. He missed that lady.
“She was happy to do it,” Easton said. “Started baking and sent Dad running to the store with a list the moment we told her we’d found Jacey and she was fixing to stay up here with you.”
Cade chuckled. “Sounds about right. Thank you.”
They both nodded. Clint tilted his head to the phone on the counter. “Can you keep that with you? I have the cameras and sensors downloaded to my phone and that one.”
Cade nodded, though he felt a little put out by Clint insisting he set up so much digital security. He reminded himself Clint was simply acting as the bossy sheriff, not the annoying former friend who had stolen his girlfriend.
The shower turned on upstairs and Cade forced himself not to think about that enthralling woman getting in his shower. It was a very conscious decision to shove the idea to the side.
“You good? I know this is a lot,” Clint said.
“I volunteered,” Cade said, probably too shortly. Clint knew he was more than capable. “I’m happy to do it. I feel very protective of her.”
Clint’s eyebrows rose and Easton muttered, “You and every other man in the world.”
“Are you interested in Jacey?” Cade asked, turning to face Easton square on. He’d lost the friendship of one Coleville brother because of a competition over a beautiful woman. Was he about to lose another? That would sting.
