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“I think that would be a great lesson for him,” Eva agreed.
“But keep the objective in mind,” Miles said. “We want everyone believing Eva is home sick in bed and we want information from Lake, not a broken arm.”
“I said ‘almost a broken arm’,” Autumn reminded him. “I know, I know. Nobody will see this gorgeous face and realize it’s not the famous and gorgeous face of my friend Eva.” She smiled, but then her golden eyes became penetrating. “Eva. Are you doing okay emotionally? You feel safe and comfortable there?”
Eva’s throat felt thick. “Thank you for asking. I’m very safe and comfortable here.” She risked a glance at Miles. “Emotionally, I’m trying not to think about some weird bounty on my head. Thank you for all you’re doing to figure this out.”
“I’d say it’s my job, but I have too much fun to consider it work.” Autumn grinned. “All right. I’m signing off. Chat soon.”
“Bye,” Miles and Eva both echoed.
Miles turned to her, and Eva’s heart immediately picked up its beat with one searching look from those blue eyes. “I apologize. I haven’t asked how you’re doing emotionally.”
“You’re a guy and my bodyguard. I don’t think my emotional state is part of your job description.”
He looked over her face. “I wish it could be.”
Eva’s eyes widened and her stomach pitched happily. Just as quickly, it dropped. It couldn’t be his job. He had Lily.
“You deserve much better than some idiot like Lake who doesn’t appreciate the real you and would cheat on you,” Miles said softly.
Eva studied him. Did he think he knew the real her? Did he want to? Did she need to remind him about his ‘girl back home’?
Miles suddenly stiffened and pulled his phone out. “Aiden,” he said.
She nodded and listened in as he shared with Aiden about Lake. Aiden agreed to check into him. Aiden talked about some of the technology they were using to track the individuals who’d made the requests on the dark web.
At least the threat to her life gave her a small distraction from the threat to her heart.
Chapter
Eleven
After they hung up with Aiden, they found Easton and Walker waiting in the foyer for them. The four of them went on a long horseback ride around their property. Eva wore a hat and sunglasses in case they ran into any of the ranch hands. Easton explained their workers were trained guards as well and wouldn’t rat her out, but it was just smarter to have fewer people know the Eva Chevron was here.
She’d never say anything to Miles’s brother, but it was irritating when somebody called her the Eva Chevron. She was proud of her acting talent and prowess, but she wanted to be seen for herself, for her heart. Miles seemed to see her that way. Not that it could matter.
It was wonderful to be on a horse again and the ranch was picturesque, large, and intriguing. For all intents and purposes, the Colevilles appeared to be wealthy ranchers protecting their prized Brahman bulls with the huge fence and security guards. What guests didn’t see was the security center, the fact that every ranch hand doubled as a guard, was heavily armed, and how well-trained at fighting and with weapons these cowboys were.
Easton and Walker told her more about Jacey Oliver’s stay with them and how they went to check on Jacey and Cade Miller’s property up the canyon now that the newlyweds were in hiding because the nefarious Benjamin Oliver was still at large. They told her about Elizabeth Oliver staying here as well and her heroic boyfriend Lieutenant Hays West swimming up that very river and proving a criminal could get in that way. They now had a very secure grate under said river. Lieutenant West was coincidentally best friends with Shawn Holister and the deceased Mercedes Belle. It didn’t bother Eva that they name-dropped. She’d met the sweetheart Mercedes before and the Viking Warrior Shawn.
They stopped at the side of the lake and the rope swing Elizabeth Oliver had swung off of. The men stripped off their shirts and slid out of their cowboy boots, set their weapons down, and swung in wearing their jeans.
Eva reminded herself she wasn’t dating Miles and had never been into ‘shallow hookups’ like Autumn had teased about. She shouldn’t make Miles an object and gawk at him without a shirt on. But there was well-built, and there was beautiful, and Miles’s upper body was eons past both. He was a work of art. She closed her eyes, but it didn’t matter. The image of his tanned skin and muscular body were imprinted in her mind.
Not to be outdone by the famed Elizabeth Oliver, the ice queen, Eva swung into the lake in her T-shirt and shorts. It was exhilarating and chilly. She liked the look of appreciation in Miles’s eyes, before she reminded herself about Lily for the twentieth time in an hour.
Poor Lily. Did the woman know Miles was a two-timer? Eva would never have believed it herself if she wasn’t the one the enticing Navy SEAL was looking at so earnestly. Miles seemed too loyal, from ‘good stock’ as her dad would say. The way his mom had reacted, and even Easton’s wide eyes at Autumn’s ‘shallow hookup’ comment, made her believe Miles would feel the same. Was he only interested in her as a bodyguard? He was a diligent bodyguard, but he’d also leaned in and almost kissed her and touched her more than was necessary to do his job. She couldn’t riddle him out.
They returned their horses to the stables after they finished their ride around the ranch. Easton and Walker wanted her to tour their cabins.
They made it to Miles’s cabin. The space was as manly and appealing as he was. It was set up similar to his brothers’, with two levels, a wide front porch, rustic beams supporting the porch overhang, and lots of windows. The main level was an open living area with a laundry room and half bath, the upstairs a small loft area extending over the living room. Off the loft was a master suite and two extra bedrooms with a bath between them.
She couldn’t stop envisioning him and Lily cuddled in the front porch swing, on the couch, in his bed … Her face flared red, and her gut churned. Did he sleep with Lily in this cabin? There wasn’t a trace of anything feminine and she had noticed how religious the Colevilles were. Not only did they pray at breakfast, but they talked about the Bible and their Savior. They had beautiful works of art in the living room and office of the Savior. What did that mean to Miles, though? Not every child followed the path of their parents.
“Why did you build a cabin here if you’re rarely home?” she asked him as they finished the tour and stood out on the porch, savoring the view of mountains covered with pine and aspen trees to the east. Had he built it for Lily?
“Rhett built it, not me. He had a designer come up with the plans for Easton, Walker, and several other cabins. He insisted it was easy to build another cookie-cutter for me.” Miles shrugged. “I couldn’t tell him no. The cabin gets used for protection details, and I usually stay here when I visit.”
