Page 14 of Wyoming Bodyguard (Sunrise Security #1)

B y the time Madden retrieved Lily’s vandalized riding gear and helped her settle the horses, darkness had fallen. He followed her into the cabin and steered her into the bathroom.

“Do you have a medical kit in here?” The dried blood on her face and scrapes on her arms spiked his blood pressure, but she’d insisted they see to the animals before tending her injuries.

She slumped onto the edge of the tub. “Should be under the sink.”

He found the kit then peeked in the linen closet for a washcloth. “I need to clean your cuts first, okay?”

“Sure.” She sighed, the sound filled with exhaustion and a hint of annoyance.

He struggled against his own aches and pains, but he’d deal with that later. He soaked the cloth in warm water and wrung it out before kneeling before her. “The blood’s dried so I might have to apply more pressure than I’d like to, but I’ll be gentle.”

She didn’t respond, but her wide eyes relayed her trust, or at least her acceptance that he wouldn’t stop badgering her until he made sure she was all right.

Carefully, he dabbed the washcloth over the marks on her cheeks and forehead. Her face was inches from his. He kept his free hand anchored on the edge of the bathtub to keep from caressing her skin. Blood and dirt came off, revealing shallow scratches.

She hissed out a breath.

He paused. “You good?”

“Just stings a little.”

He lowered his arm and studied the cuts. “Nothing too serious, unless you have other wounds I can’t see.”

“I hope that’s not some attempt to get me out of my clothes,” she said, smirking.

He lifted his palms. “I’d never be so sneaky. Trust me, if I wanted you to take off your clothes, I’d have more creative ways.”

Pink colored her face, and she lowered her gaze. “My hands are a little banged up from when I tried to cushion the fall, but that’s it,” she said, holding her hands in the air for his inspection.

His stomach muscles clenched. Damn it, flirty banter that led to picturing her naked was not a wise move. Forcing his mind to focus, he pressed the damp cloth against her palms. “I want to put some antiseptic on the cuts to make sure they don’t get infected.”

“Okay.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, her gaze now trained on him.

Space. He needed space. Standing, he unzipped the medical kit and found the ointment as well as a small bottle of over-the-counter pain medicine.

“Do you want any ibuprofen? It will help with the soreness. Your body took quite a hit today. Better to stay on top of managing the pain. At least for tonight.”

“Thanks.”

He unscrewed the top and jiggled out a couple of pills, making a mental note to take some for his shoulder later. Passing them to her, her warm skin sent a jolt of electricity through his body.

She jerked back. “I can handle the rest. Besides, I’d love a hot shower. I need to get the rest of this dirt and sweat off me.”

Thankful for an excuse to leave, he cleaned up his mess then left the bathroom before he did something stupid like suggest they wash up together. He’d already made one monumental mistake by kissing her. She’d rejected him once. He wouldn’t make the mistake of kissing her again.

The sound of the doorbell yanked him out of his head. He hurried to the front door, not surprised to find Deputy Hill and Deputy Silver on the porch. “Evening,” he said. “You want to talk to Lily about what happened earlier?”

Deputy Hill removed his hat and nodded. “Yes, sir. We’d like to take her statement and look at the saddle in question.”

“Come in and have a seat in the living room. I’ll let her know you’re here.” He retraced his steps back to Lily’s bathroom down in the basement. He knocked loudly, but she must not have heard him over the heavy spray of the shower.

He opened the door a crack, mindful not to peek inside. Steam rolled out and slid against his face. “Lily, deputies are here for your statement.”

“What?”

Christ. He’d rather walk barefoot over lava rock than set foot inside her bathroom right now. He’d had a hard enough time controlling himself before she was naked in the shower. “Deputies are here,” he said, practically yelling. “They want to talk to you.”

Nothing but the splatter of water drops on tile reached his ears. Gritting his teeth, he opened the door wider and took a tentative step into the room. Steam covered the glass of the shower, but he couldn’t miss the peach outline of her body on the other side.

She popped her head out of the now-open glass door, hiding the rest of her delicious body behind the shower stall.

Her wheat-blond hair appeared darker when wet.

The long strands hung over one shoulder and dripped water on the dark blue rug.

Her eyes were hooded, her full lips parted in a small o-shape that had fire shooting from his core. “Madden?”

His name was spoken more like an invitation than a question, but one he couldn’t accept. Hell, he was probably hearing things. She was just wondering why he’d interrupted her shower. “Sheriff’s deputies are here to talk about what happened earlier. They want your statement.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right there.”

He swore he heard a note of disappointment in her voice, but instead of dwelling on what it meant, he got out of there before he forgot law enforcement waited in the living room to discuss a crime.

But the biggest crime in his mind was that there was a beautiful, interesting, naked woman mere feet away and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

* * *

The pulse between Lily’s legs had her groaning as she shut off the hot water and stepped out of the shower. She’d hoped standing under the hot spray would ease some of the soreness in her muscles. Instead, Madden’s unexpected interruption caused a different kind of tension to build in her core.

For one quick, crazy second, she’d thought he’d come to see her for a different reason.

As she patted her skin dry with the cotton towel, she rolled her eyes. She really needed to talk with him about where they stood. At least then they’d both have a better understanding of each other’s expectations.

But that was a problem for another time. Not now as she threw on a pair of red flannel shorts and a T-shirt. She didn’t bother to mess with her hair. Hopefully it would dry in nice, beachy waves and not like a chaotic bird’s nest.

Slowly making her way upstairs, she found the trio sitting in the living room. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

All three stood.

“No worries,” Deputy Silver said, her eyes kind but expression tight with concern. “We won’t take up too much of your time. We understand you’ve had a hard day. We need your statement. We’d also like to see your riding gear.”

“Yes, sure. That’s fine.”

“Why don’t you sit?” Madden asked, gesturing toward the spot on the couch next to where he’d sat.

She rounded the coffee table and sank onto the soft cushions. She wished she could close her eyes and sleep the rest of the evening away, but that wasn’t an option. At least not right now with law enforcement here to discuss what happened.

Steadying her nerves, she told her story. She started with the decision to take her horse for an evening ride and ended with her saddle sliding off the horse and realizing her cinch had been cut.

Deputy Silver frowned. “How often do you check your gear?”

She shrugged. “A few times a week, but not before every ride. When we have guests, everything is inspected before assigning it. I try to be as diligent as possible. I’ve never had an issue with mine, or anyone else’s equipment.”

“Who all has access to the tack room?” Deputy Hill asked. “Is the barn ever locked?”

She swallowed the bitterness creeping up her throat. She hated answering this question but understood the need for full transparency. “My dad and I, obviously, and we have two ranch hands who are still employed full time.”

“Charlie Wells and Daniel Winter?” Deputy Hill asked.

She nodded.

“We spoke with Charlie earlier this morning regarding the break-in last night. He said he hasn’t noticed anyone on the property recently who wasn’t supposed to be there, but we’ll speak with him again.

See if he’s noticed any other equipment has been tampered with.

” Deputy Silver leaned forward in her seat, resting his forearms on her knees.

“We haven’t had a chance to talk to Daniel Winter yet. Have you spoken with him?”

Unease skittered down Lily’s spine. “No, but he was here this morning, though. Madden and I saw him working when we went into town. Charlie mentioned he wasn’t feeling well. I’ve wanted to reach out to make sure he’s all right, but things have been a little chaotic.”

Madden shifted beside her, and she sensed his discomfort.

She studied the tight lines in his face. He was holding something back, not saying something he thought might be important. “Whatever it is that has you squirming over there, let it out. Now’s not the time to hold back.”

“Charlie also mentioned Daniel stayed late last night. The night of the break-in,” Madden said.

His pained expression told her he hated throwing someone she trusted under the bus, but she understood his reasons.

The two deputies shared a look that had alarms going off in Lily’s head. “What is it?”

Deputy Silver scratched the back of her neck, clearly uncomfortable with whatever was on her mind. “Daniel Winter is unaccounted for.”

She blinked in surprise, unsure of the deputy’s meaning. “What do you mean?”

“We’ve tried to contact him numerous times to no avail. No one is at his apartment in town, and his truck hasn’t been seen since he left your ranch earlier. Because of his connection to the ranch, as well as our inability to track him down, he is currently a person of interest.”

The news slammed against her chest like an anvil.

“You can’t be serious. Daniel has been a trusted member of our work family for years.

He’d never hurt my father. He’d never hurt me.

I’m sure Charlie told you the same thing, and my father would if he could.

Besides, he doesn’t own a black truck. That’s what you’re looking for, right?

I mean, the person who shot my father was in a black truck. ”

Hysteria squeezed her lungs, making it harder and harder to pull in breaths. The lack of oxygen increased the dizziness in her head and increased the pain that had plagued her for hours. Heat crept up the back of her neck and beads of sweat dotted her hairline.

Madden swooped off the couch and knelt in front of her. He clutched her hands in his and settled them in her lap. The coolness of his skin centered her, and she stared into his big, gray eyes.

“You’re all right,” he whispered. “Just focus on breathing.”

She swallowed hard and tried to do what he said—it sounded so simple—but her breaths hitched in her throat and dark spots invaded her vision. “Can’t do it. Too hard.”

“You can . Just look at me, okay?”

She nodded, every muscle in her body rigid.

He tightened his grip on her hands. “Now I want you to tell me five things you see.”

The randomness of his request caught her off guard. She narrowed her gaze, focusing on the movement of his mouth as if she could read his lips better than actually hearing him. “Huh?”

A small smile touched his lips. “Tell me five things you see. Trust me.”

“You. The couch.” The pressure in her chest loosened a fraction, her breathing coming a little easier. She paused, closing her eyes and focusing on evening her breaths and gaining her bearings before opening them again. “The fireplace, Deputy Hill and Deputy Silver.”

“Now four things you can touch.”

She grazed her finger pads against his rough skin. Her fear eased and her eyesight sharpened. The room stopped spinning. “You.”

His smile grew. “Three more things.”

She filled her lungs with air. The buzzing in her brain settled. She squeezed his hands, not wanting to let go to touch anything else. She didn’t need to, and that thought scared the hell out of her. “I’m okay now. You got me out of my head enough to relax. Thank you.”

“You sure?”

She nodded.

Keeping their hands entwined, Madden returned to his spot on the sofa, closer than before.

“Sorry about that,” she said, forcing a tight smile. “This is all just so overwhelming. As soon as I think things can’t get worse, they do.”

“You’ve been through the gauntlet,” Deputy Hill said. “The last thing we want to do is throw more upsetting news your way, but we have to look at every angle to find the person responsible for this mess.”

“I appreciate your time and effort,” Lily said. “I want you to find whoever wants to hurt my family more than anyone.”

Deputy Silver shared a quick glance with her partner then stood. “I think we have everything we need from you. We’d like to take your saddle with us as evidence. I noticed one on the porch. Is that the gear that was tampered with?”

“Yes, and of course, take whatever you need,” she said.

“I’d make sure to check everything before you use it,” Deputy Hill said.

“Just to be on the safe side. If someone was in your tack room and had the knowledge of how to do something so small and unnoticeable that could have potential life-threatening consequences, there’s no telling what else they might have done. ”

A shiver shook her shoulders at the idea of someone pawing through her property, deciding what damage they could do to cause harm. “I’ll look at everything in the barn to make sure nothing else is amiss.”

Madden rose to his feet, and letting go of his hand was like severing a limb. “I’ll walk you guys to the door.”

She waited on the couch for him to return, her brain working over her problems.

Madden reclaimed his seat and hooked an arm on the back of the couch, the tips of his fingers casually resting against her shoulder. “What’s on your mind?”

Shifting to hike one knee on the couch, she faced him.

“Something Deputy Hill said stuck with me. Before I thought we were looking for some dangerous criminal who shoots guns and deals drugs, someone I would never have crossed paths with. But now it’s different.

Someone had knowledge of my property, of my riding gear.

They knew just how far to push things to go unnoticed by me, an experienced rider, and get the outcome they wanted.

Madden, I’m afraid the person who’s trying to kill my family is someone I already know. ”