Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
He looked at the cabin, sharp-eyed. Everyone knew that she and her fiancé didn’t live together, which was another thing he didn’t understand. If she were his woman, he’d never leave her alone out here. Not with wild animals around, not with unstable terrain, and definitely not with men like him on the prowl. He’d be protective, possessive, and probably a complete pain in the ass.
Which, yeah, probably explained why he didn’t have a woman.
Or shouldn’t.
Her front door opened, and Jarod Teller stepped out.
Whatever Christian had meant to say dried up before the words got anywhere near his mouth.
“Oh.” Amka started. “Jarod’s here.”
Why did she sound surprised to find Jarod at her place? They were engaged.
Christian opened his door. Amka scrambled out fast, hopping down and slamming hers like she was afraid he’d try to carry her again.
Jarod’s eyes scanned her up and down as he walked toward them, his boots leaving imprints in the light mud. “What happened to you?”
Christian moved without thinking, rounding the front of the truck and planting himself just slightly closer to her side. Not protective. Just...close by.
She hesitated a beat. “The building we used for storage blew up. I was in it and Christian helped me get out.”
Jarod’s gaze cut to Christian. “What were you doing in there?”
Christian didn’t answer right away and let the silence do some of the work. He watched Amka’s fiancé—six feet tall, maybe—shift under the weight of it. The guy had brown hair and wore a white button-down shirt that still had creases from a hanger. His eyes never quite landed on anything for long. “I wasn’t in the explosion,” Christian said. “You don’t look like you went fishing today.”
Jarod glanced down at his pressed shirt. “No. I had several Zoom meetings.” He stepped closer to Amka and reached for her arm. “Are you all right?”
Pink crept into her cheeks. “Yes. I’m fine,” she said, then hesitated. “There was an accelerant used, we’re pretty sure.”
Jarod’s eyebrows lifted. “Seriously? Someone deliberately set your building on fire?”
She gave a small shrug. “I guess. I don’t know. But it spread fast.”
Jarod looked over at Christian. “And you…what? Helped put it out?”
Amka shifted her weight, eyes flicking between them. “Christian saved me.”
Jarod slid an arm around Amka’s shoulders and tugged her close.
She breathed in sharply.
Christian’s jaw locked.
“Thank you for that,” Jarod said. “I guess I owe you one.”
They didn’t look right together. Or maybe Christian just didn’t want them to, although he didn’t want any part of a relationship, so why did he care? “You’re hurting her arm.”
Jarod stared at him.
Amka gave a soft cough, then angled her body slightly away from the pressure, though Jarod didn’t drop his arm. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I think I landed on it. Doc says I’m just bruised.”
“Oh. Sorry.” Jarod didn’t move. His brown gaze stayed locked on Christian. “Well then, thanks for bringing her home.”
Amka looked at the ground, then back up at Christian. “Thanks for saving my life.”
He gave a small nod, unsure what to do with the words now that she’d said them again—with him standing here, and Jarod’s arm still draped over her like a claim. The air between them thickened.
“I’ll check in with Brock and see what he knows,” Christian said. “There were enough folks in town earlier today that somebody had to have seen something.” Maybe. Hopefully whoever had set the explosive hadn’t wanted to hurt Amka specifically. Either way, Christian would figure it out.
“Oh, don’t you worry. I’ve got her.” Jarod tugged Amka closer again like he couldn’t help himself.
She stiffened and tried not to show it. But her face went pale at the pressure.
Christian kept his gaze on her. “If you need anything, call me.”
“You got a phone now?” Jarod asked.
“Yeah,” Christian muttered. “I’ve got a phone.” His brothers had made sure of that. He kept it off most of the time. Not because he was hiding anything, but because he didn’t want people knowing where he was every second of the day. GPS, Bluetooth, cell tower triangulation—Christian wasn’t paranoid, just experienced.
Amka had the number. He’d given it to her weeks ago, just in case.
Not that she was his business.
Still.
“Well, that’s good,” Jarod drawled. “One of my Zoom meetings was with investors. Thinking about rebuilding the motel now that tourism’s picking up. Since you’re unemployed, I’m willing to hire you as a day laborer. You could handle construction, right?”
“Jarod.” Amka pressed a hand to his ribs as if trying to create space.
Jarod just smiled like she’d said something cute. “What? I’m trying to help.”
Christian’s skin heated at the base of his neck. Yeah, if she were his, he’d be possessive, too, but he wouldn’t hurt her. Of course, he’d try to cover her in bubble wrap and probably drive her crazy, which also wouldn’t work. “I don’t need your job.”