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“Night,” they all echoed more solemnly.
Eva walked with Miles into an open entry, a staircase in front of them with an office to the right and an archway into a large open room to the left. It smelled of cinnamon and apples baking.
“Why didn’t you give me all the details?” Easton asked behind them.
“Why can’t you not hit on?—”
The door shut on Clint’s words. Probably for the best. Eva was used to men like Easton hitting on her, but it was kind of Clint to be thoughtful.
“I’m sorry about my boy,” Millie said. “He’s always a flirt, but put Eva Chevron in front of him and …” She shrugged.
“It’s fine.” She was used to flirtations and over-the-top come-ons. “Really. Thank you for opening your home to me. It’s lovely and smells delicious.”
“Ah, thank you, darlin’. You sure you’re not hungry? Thirsty?”
“I’m worn to a frazzle.”
“All right then.” She nodded to Miles. “Well, hustle her on up to bed. She’ll stay in the room we put all the pretty girls in and you’ll stay right next to her, not in your cabin. Sorry, love, I know you like a bit of space so Lily …” She trailed off and looked from Eva to Miles.
Eva’s stomach turned over. Lily … what? Did ‘his girl’ stay at Miles’s cabin?
“It’s great. Thank you, Mama.” Miles kissed his mama’s cheek, then escorted Eva up the stairs with one hand on her lower back and one hand holding the suitcase.
She thrived on his touch and that was a very bad thing for her. Now that they were here, would he stick close by Eva’s side or sneak away to meet Lily at his cabin every chance he got? Her head pounded.
They walked down a wide hallway.
“Mama and Dad’s room is downstairs along with the living areas, kitchen, an office for the ranch, and a security center,” Miles explained. “There are four suites up here and a game room and theater.”
An open door on the left showed a king-sized bed with plush white and gray bedding and pillows.
Miles set the suitcase inside the door and stepped back, gesturing to her. “The room for the pretty girls.”
“You’ve had a lot, I take it?” She leaned into the doorframe, tired but not wanting to say goodnight to him. What was wrong with her?
“I’ve had …” His brow furrowed. “Oh, you mean we’ve had numerous ladies stay here for protection details?”
“Yes, that’s what I meant.”
His blue eyes showed he knew she’d been trying to pry out details.
“Aiden dropped Jacey Oliver Miller’s name,” he said. “Her brother Quaid is a close friend of mine. We used to be in the same unit. Before Jacey, we had a few protection details come through, mostly Clint helping out his buddy with the FBI or something with the sheriff’s office. When I explained to my family we had to hide Jacqueline Oliver from her fake and twisted nightmare of a mother, my dad and Clint completely upped the game.”
“How so?”
“My dad has trained all of us for as long as I can remember to shoot, fight, pay attention to detail, strategize. He was a Green Beret.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “That’s why Clint and I both went into our careers.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Thank you. When Jacey came, he and Clint got busy replacing some of the ranch hands with retired military, and training all the hands so they could double as security guards. They took the perimeter fence from something that either looked good or kept animals in or out to eight feet tall, barbed wire at the top, electric. Quaid had Aiden send him all the latest in security sensors, cameras, and other protections. Lieutenant Hays West, Elizabeth Oliver’s current protector, explored the entire property and made certain nobody was getting in without our permission.”
“Wow.” She didn’t know who Lieutenant Hays West was, but everybody knew Elizabeth Oliver, the former senate candidate who had disappeared when her father was exposed for being an underhanded and brilliant criminal and frustratingly escaped arrest and hadn’t been found.
He leaned a bit closer. “We can and will keep you safe, Eva.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded. “I’m also sorry about Easton. I’ll talk to him.”
