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Well, hardly the first time in her life that she’d made a mistake.Not the first time, and certainly not likely to be the last, either.“I thought you said you were here in Baton Rouge in order to find Hudson’s killer.As in, the actual killer.If you are just locked and loaded on me, then you are going to be wasting your time.Just like the DA wasted his time.”
“Hudson died on this property.”
Goosebumps rose on her arms.She paced toward the window in the front.The window she’d had replaced last week after brick number three had come hurtling into her home.“Yes, he did die here.In the guesthouse, actually.”She pushed aside the curtain, and her hand touched the hard pane of glass.“Such a shame I wasn’t there to save him.”
“Is it?”
Swallowing, she let the curtain fall back into place.Naomi turned to face him.
“Some women wouldn’t want to stay on the property where their husbands were brutally murdered.They’d want to get the hell away from such a grisly scene.”His gaze swept over the interior of the house.The wall on the left side of the den had been freshly primed.Paint cans waited in a corner.The wall on the right still had a massive hole in the middle of it.And, yep, a few chunks from the ceiling littered the floor.“Especially when the home is damn well falling apart.”
Was that anger rumbling in his voice?He was mad because her house was falling apart or because he thought she was a murderer?Maybe both?
“I poured every cent I have into this place.”Now she stalked toward him.Stopped just a foot away from the couch…and him.“I have no place to go.If I leave here, I’d be sleeping in the truck.”She’d slept in a car before.Not like life had ever been particularly easy.She didn’t want to do it again, thanks.“I’m renovating.This property will look great when I’m done.”Truly, she had gotten the historic property and the massive acreage for a steal.Hudson had helped her negotiate the real estate deal.Back when he’d been trying to charm her.
Or, as she now realized, back when he’d been trying to manipulate every aspect of her life and make her completely dependent on him.
Her shoulders squared.“If you have a problem with my home, you can certainly go stay in one of the hotels you mentioned previously.”
Lazily, he rose.A ripple of muscle.Casual grace.Then he stood in front of her.Towered over her.So close their bodies brushed, and, yes, a spark of electricity snaked through her.
True story?She’d never felt that spark with Hudson.No matter how hard she’d tried.He’d seemed so perfect.Naomi had thought the flaw must be on her side.
Stop it.Do not go down that path right now.
“I’m staying with you.”His voice was deep and rumbly.Sexy as sin.“In case you missed it, we pissed off a Russian gang tonight.”
“Hard to miss that highlight.”Why was her voice so husky?“But thanks for pointing it out to me.”
His lips almost quirked at her response.Almost.But… “You also have zero security here.Unless that sleepy golden of yours is some sort of secretive attack dog, then someone can break in here and you’d be completely defenseless.”
“Again, thanks for noticing and pointing it out.”She tilted back her head.The better to stare up into those gleaming eyes of his.“I’m afraid that hiring a lawyer drained my accounts.I put new locks on the doors, and I have one of those doorbell cameras at the front—and back—of this house.”And at the entrance to the guesthouse.“But that’s all I could manage.”Her savings account had twenty-seven dollars and forty-eight cents left in it.
The faint lines near his mouth deepened.“I’ll get a system installed first thing tomorrow.”
Nope.He would not.“Unnecessary?—”
“If you’re going to make a habit of pissing off gang leaders, then, yes, it’s absolutely necessary.”
“I had to get my dog back.”She glanced toward Henry.“Not like I was just doing it for fun.”
Henry’s head lifted.He stared at her.
A shiver slid over her body.
Eb’s fingers caught her chin, and he gently turned her face back toward him.“Why is the dog so important to you?”
Keep your secrets.But… “How much do you already know about me?”Naomi backed away from him.Being too close to Eb was dangerous.It made her feel—too much.“Mr.Big, Tough, CIA Operative.I bet you have all kinds of access to classified intel.You probably peek at the secrets people carry all the time.”She paused a beat.“What do you know about me?”
She knew far too little about him.
“Being CIA is supposed to be something that one keeps quiet,” he said.“You don’t go around announcing your job to everyone you meet.Ivan already knew what I did, thanks to Hudson.Same thing with you.Hudson revealed the truth to his bride.Otherwise, I never would have told you about my work.”
She raised her brows.“That cat has been out of the bag for a while regarding what you do.Right after he proposed, Hudson told me that you two were partners, that you worked international cases.”A delicate pause.“He also revealed a few other details about you with me.So why don’t you share what you know about me…and I’ll share the detailsIknow about you.”
“Hudson always talked too much.”
Adorable.You think that was Hudson’s worst trait?His big mouth?You have no clue.