Page 6 of Wyoming Bodyguard (Sunrise Security #1)

T he morning sun streamed through the wall of windows in the living room, baking Madden on the sofa.

He kicked off the thin blanket and rolled his neck from side to side.

His muscles screamed. Damn, he should have slept on the pullout couch in the basement and not the tough leather sofa that hadn’t even been big enough for his long legs.

Sitting, he snagged his T-shirt from the floor and yanked it over his head. He’d considered slipping out of his jeans, but the idea of Lily catching him in his boxers kept the stiff material in place all damn night.

Just another obstacle preventing him from getting much shut-eye.

The gurgle of a coffeepot chugging to life set him on his feet. He hadn’t heard anyone come into the kitchen, but he wasn’t exactly on his game. Not with the emotional hangover from dealing with Lily the day before and a crappy night’s sleep.

The kitchen was empty. He followed his nose to the machine on the counter and sent a silent prayer to whoever had set it to go off this morning. Needing caffeine more than he needed to respect boundaries, he opened cabinet doors until he found a colorful array of mugs.

“Can I help you find something?”

The amusement in Lily’s voice extinguished his initial impulse to apologize for snooping around her space.

He took his time, picking out a bright red mug with a black X over a bull with the words Steer Clear of Bull written in white letters.

Turning, he hoisted the mug in the air and grinned.

“Nope. Found what I needed. Nice taste.”

She struggled around a growing smile of her own. “I got that for my dad. Don’t judge me.”

“Never. I might get one for myself. Want coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

He opted for a more dignified white porcelain mug for her, filling them both before handing hers over. “How’d you sleep?” If the dark circles under her eyes were any indication, her night had been as restless as his.

“Not great.” She padded across the kitchen floor in her bare feet and rummaged in the refrigerator, pulling out sweet cream. “Want some?”

He shook his head and took a sip of the strong, black brew before settling onto the stool tucked under the large island.

She doctored her coffee then replaced the creamer. Her long hair tumbled down her back, stopping right above her waist. A waist that short cotton shorts and a fitted strappy tank top accentuated.

She bent over to find something else in the fridge, and his mouth went dry. Hell, he may have spent the last handful of years annoyed by Lily’s superior attitude, but he was a man after all. And no amount of animosity could erase the way her warm-from-the-bed body tied him up inside.

An image of being tied up in her bed flashed in his mind, causing spikes of lust to burst through his system like a shooting star. Christ, he needed to get a grip.

Clearing his throat, he grabbed his mug and twisted away from the tempting vision Lily presented first thing in the morning.

He stared out the window where mountains loomed in the distance, the same peaks he saw from his old room at his dad’s ranch.

He swallowed the urge to comment on their beauty.

If he was going to survive this assignment, things had to be kept as professional as possible.

The sound of sizzling bacon confirmed it was safe to shift back around. “You don’t need to make breakfast. I’m fine with coffee.”

“Who said it’s for you?”

He snorted out a laugh. “Fair point. I guess I can just sit here and watch you stuff your face. Don’t worry about my growling stomach.”

“I thought you didn’t need breakfast?” Lily buzzed around the kitchen until scrambled eggs cooked in a second pan and bread popped from the toaster.

Amused, he watched her flip the bacon and stir the eggs before buttering the toast she piled on a plate. No way she was making all that food for only her, but he kept any more comments to himself. Just sat and enjoyed his coffee and the view of the beautiful woman cooking.

Lily reached in a cabinet and her shorts inched up a little higher on her toned legs.

He couldn’t hold back a small groan.

“Fine, fine. You can eat.” She set a plate in front of him then filled her own with food. “Don’t expect me to wait on you, though.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.” Chuckling, he slid off the stool and bit back a second groan at the scents of fresh bacon and cheesy eggs. He scooped some on his plate and returned to his seat, Lily now beside him.

“What’s the plan for the day?” Lily shoved the eggs around her plate with a fork before taking a tiny bite.

“First of all, I need a change of clothes.”

She winced. “Sorry. I didn’t think about you not having any of your things here last night.”

“No problem,” he said, shrugging. “Just don’t get too close. My breath isn’t the greatest.”

Her wince deepened. “No worries there. After we eat, I’ll dress quickly, and we can head out. Then what? What’s the best way to figure out who’s after my dad?”

He bit into a salty piece of bacon and considered how to appease Lily while also keeping her away from danger.

“I’d like to take a look at your property.

All of it. There’s a lot of land and buildings to check.

The police did a full sweep of the house and surrounding area, but there are guest cabins and other barns we should search.

Make sure nothing else was tampered with. ”

“I also want to take a closer look at the office,” Lily told him.

“It didn’t appear as though anything was missing, but I could have overlooked something.

I wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind.

” She dropped her fork and stared at her plate.

“I should go see my dad. I hate the thought of him alone but seeing him in that bed with all those tubes and machines is so dang hard. Brings back too many horrible memories.”

The sadness in her voice fisted his heart. He understood where her mind was—where his own mind went every time he was in that damn hospital. As many differences as he and Lily had, they’d both lost their mothers. Both understood the pain of that loss, of living with that grief.

“Your dad knows you love him whether you’re sitting by his side or not. We’ll visit whenever you want, but there are some other things to do first. Search your property, get me clothes and I need to stop by the office.”

She blew out a shaky breath and nodded along with his words. “Yes, I need to sign a contract or whatever it is to make this official.”

“Sure. A contract.” He sipped his coffee, not looking forward to the conversation that loomed with Reid. Sunrise Security was supposed keep people and their property safe, not solve crimes. Reid might not be on board with extending their services, even if only for one job.

But for Madden, the decision was already made. He’d made a promise to Lily and couldn’t turn his back on her even if he wanted. Besides, if the last day had proven anything, it was that Lily Tremont could get under his skin in a way he never thought possible.

And the only way to wash his hands of her was to do what she paid him to do then get the hell out of her life before she drove him crazy.

* * *

Lily got ready in record time. She’d thrown on jeans and a fitted T-shirt, opting for a high ponytail and minimal makeup. Madden was the last person she needed to impress, but she also didn’t want to look like a slob.

She’d been surprised that he’d cleaned the kitchen while she dressed and was grateful for the couple of ranch hands her father still employed who’d showed up to tend the property.

She still had her own chores to see to, but at least the morning work would get done while she went into town with Madden.

Madden sat behind the steering wheel and studied the two men. “Those guys work for you and your dad for long?”

She flicked her wrist toward the man entering the horse barn. “That’s Charlie. He started working here right after my mom died, so close to fifteen years. Daniel not quite as long, but probably eight, nine years.”

“Do they have access to the house?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Dad’s always kept the ranch hands separate from the main house. Wanted clear boundaries for the men he employed and his young daughter.” She couldn’t help but grin at the memories of trying to sneak the cute summer help inside, only getting away with it once.

“Any more staff?”

Her grin vanished. “Not full time. When we have visitors, we hire people to come and help with cleaning the cabins and cooking meals. Try to give our guests the full dude ranch experience. We don’t have the need to keep many people on payroll.

At least not until we figure out how to turn things around. ”

Madden grunted and headed away from the ranch toward town. “Any of your employees—current or past—hold a grudge? Would want to hurt your father?”

The idea made her sick. They loved the people who worked at the ranch like family.

The main reason for ire over the ranch’s struggles was the people they’d had to let go.

People whose paychecks were taken away because of the lack of work.

But she couldn’t imagine anyone blaming her father, hating him enough to try and kill him.

Everyone understood the real reason for fewer tourists at Tremont Ranch was because of the McKays.

“No. No one who works for us would want to hurt me or my dad. I’d bet my own life.”

“I’d still like to talk with them. Maybe someone noticed something off or saw someone sneaking around the property recently. You never know what little detail could lead to answers.”

“I’m sure Charlie and Daniel would be more than willing to tell you anything they may know. They were upset when I told them what had happened to my dad last night. Both promised to be on the lookout for anything useful.”

Not wanting to continue the conversation, she stared out the window.

Blue skies and the bright sunshine predicted another beautiful day ahead, but nothing could chase the dark clouds above her.

Every aspect of her and her father’s lives would be picked apart in the next couple of days, and she’d gladly expose her very soul if it meant tracking down whoever was responsible for hurting her dad, but she wasn’t looking forward to the scrutiny.

After driving into town, Madden parked his truck on Main Street, in front of Sunrise Security.

Frowning, she stepped out of the truck and met him on the sidewalk. “I thought you wanted to clean up and grab some things at your place before heading into work.”

“I do,” he said, unlocking the front door and ushering her inside. “I keep the loft above the office. Dax is at the farmhouse to help Pops. I wanted a little more privacy, and the loft made sense.”

“Why does Dax need to help your dad? It’s not like there’s much of a ranch left to run.

” She cringed at the bite of her words and held up a hand before Madden could say anything.

“Sorry. I can’t say I’m happy, or even understand, why your family sold so much of your land to developers.

But while we’re working together, I’ll try to keep those opinions to myself. ”

Madden didn’t speak, but the tense set of his shoulders broadcasted his irritation.

She sighed and followed him through the dark office space to a stairwell that went upstairs.

She couldn’t say Madden was a friend now, but he’d been a lifesaver last night.

He didn’t need to be rewarded with her sharp tongue.

She couldn’t forgive him and his family for the hole they’d put her and her father into, but she could at least be civil.

Inside his apartment, he flipped on lights and waited for her to enter before closing the door behind her. “I won’t be long. Make yourself comfortable.”

He took a step away, and she grabbed his arm to keep him in place.

He locked eyes with her, and the pain that flashed in them had her regretting her remarks even more.

“Listen. I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.

I don’t want there to be tension between us.

Not after everything you’ve done for me. ”

Something shifted in his expression. He dropped his gaze to her hand for a beat before bringing it back to her face.

“Really, it’s not a big deal. I’m used to the comments from everyone in town.

Sometimes I feel like no matter how hard I try, nothing will erase the stain of selling our land.

But I can’t change the choices we made, and honestly, I wouldn’t if I could. ”

The sadness in his words tugged at her heart and pulled her closer to him. He was so big, so strong.

So unlike the man she’d assumed him to be since he’d returned to Cloud Valley.

Tilting her head to the side, she studied his downturned mouth and his drooping shoulders.

“Why not? I remember you as a boy. You and Dax. You both loved that ranch. Loved helping your dad. I even remember your mama telling mine all sorts of stories about the trouble you’d get into.

Stories that made them both laugh and talk about how the lessons you were learning would make you one hell of a rancher one day. What changed?”

He winced and pulled away from her touch. “Doesn’t matter. Especially now when I have a job to do. Give me a few minutes then we’ll head downstairs.”

She watched him march to the bathroom and she jumped when he slammed the door. She’d struck a nerve. Something she didn’t think possible with Madden. He always appeared so carefree. Happy and oblivious to the trouble his choices had caused others.

Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe there was more behind his easygoing smile and the reasons for his actions. But at the end of the day, he was right. What was done couldn’t be erased, no matter the intentions.

Besides, she had enough to worry about. Madden had dug his own grave, and she didn’t have the energy to care if he got out of it or not. She only needed him to keep her safe and help her find a criminal, then he could continue his crusade to clear his family’s name.