Page 36 of Protect My Heart

“That makes perfect sense then.” She leaned a hip on the counter and set her glass on the granite. “That’s why Detective Swenson was the officer to file the paperwork on the stalking, and he happened to be with you again when the guy threw a statue through your window.”

Liz had to admit, it sounded suspect even to her own ears when Amy put it like that. “We’re becoming friends.”

Liar, liar. Even she couldn’t make that ring true to her own ears. Heck, she had been flirting with him earlier that day. One look at Officer Larson told her she wasn’t buying it either. “Maybe we are getting a little close.”

Amy pursed her lips and nodded. “That would explain the protective stance he took with CJ. Jim worships his partner, and while they joke and exchange the usual bullshitting with each other, Jim would take a bullet for him. But out there just now, he would’ve taken a bullet for you.”

Liz wanted to deny it, but she remembered the way Jim jumped up and handled the situation. At first, she thought it was his training kicking in, but the more she thought about it, she wondered if his training would have him calling it in first before he went after whomever was outside with his gun drawn.

“Well, I can see you need to think about this.” Officer Larson pushed off the counter and strolled to the doorway. “Thanks for the water. I’ll see you around.”

Liz stood motionless. Did she want Jim to take a bullet for her? Not literally of course, but did she want that level of devotion with anyone right now, let alone Jim Swenson?

“Lizzy?”

She grabbed a dish towel and wiped off her sweaty palms. Time to face her cousin.

The only people in the living room were Jim and CJ. Her cousin crossed to her and enveloped her into his strong embrace. Not the reaction she was expecting. The stern lecture of safety and letting him handle things was more in line with her thinking. So she was totally shocked when he kissed the top of her head, stepped back and said, “If you need me, you know I’ll come right away.”

Then he and Jim had a silent bro conversation with their eyebrow movements, a final nod, and he left.

“What just happened?” She turned to Jim but he wouldn’t make eye contact. “Spill. No way my overprotective cousin walked out the door and is letting me handle this on my own.”

That’s what she’d been trying to achieve for years, but…

Jim rubbed the back of his neck and the hairs on hers stood at attention. This wasn’t going to be good.

“He will back off so you can breathe, but he doesn’t want you here alone.”

“Okay, but I’m not alone. You and Tigger are right outside.” She knew better than to think she didn’t need any help.

“About that. He wants me to move into the house until this guy is caught.”

“What?” Liz shook her head and her hands flew to her hips. “No, you will not.”

“I’m not thrilled about it anymore than you are, but CJ said if I’m here, your family wouldn’t worry.”

“I’m surprised he’s not moving in himself. That would be exactly like him.” She almost wished he would. There was no danger of losing her newly-found celibacy status with CJ in the house. But if Jim moved in... Crap, she doubted her flannel Pooh pajamas would be that much of a deterrent. Not to mention the real possibility of her ripping them off in a lust induced haze after one of his intense gazes.

She had to face it. He was hot, and having all the sexiness under the same roof as her wasn’t the safest thing. Oh, he would protect her, but who would protect him from her? “Nope, not going to happen.”

This conversation was over, or so she thought and turned to go. Jim laid a hand on her shoulder and she stopped. “Sorry, Sweetheart, but I agree with CJ. It would be safest if I’m in the house if anything happens. I’m sure you have a spare bedroom in this mansion. If not, I can wrestle Tig for the couch.”

Shaking her head, she let out a frustrated groan. Her logical side agreed with him but the pheromones he induced had hummingbirds in flight in her stomach.

He had a point. If her mother knew she was in danger and alone, she would come running in full mama-bear mode. The last thing she wanted was her family in danger. Better to take her chances with the incredibly sexy and stubborn cop. “Fine. I wouldn’t want Tigger to have to share the couch.”

“I’ll get my things and be back in a few minutes.” Jim whistled and Tigger followed him out to the ice house.

Now that was settled, she hoped they could catch the crazy stalker before she did something really stupid and slept with Jim. Not only was he involved in her case, but she could see he could be overbearing, like her family. She had enough of that growing up, it was time to be the strong one and face things on her own.

Jim came in the door with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. His jacket hung open revealing the sculpted chest under the taut T-shirt.

Yup, face things on her own. But first, she needed to run a few miles on the treadmill and work off the hot knots of lust coursing through her body. Please God, let us catch this guy before Jim melts my pants off.

Chapter 12

Later that evening, Liz nibbled on her lower lip while she held the phone. She waited for the line to be picked up. She couldn’t put it off any longer. Jim told her moving in was only one of CJ’s conditions to backing off. She had to tell her mother what was going on within twenty-four hours or he would. Blackmail, and from a cop. She should have expected as much.