A girl could sure get used to that.
But not this girl and not with this family. Slade McNeal practically shouted “Off limits” each time he looked at her. The man had pulled away from her during the dinner blessing. Did he find her that distasteful to touch? Did he wish he hadn’t brought her into his house? Kaitlin had no answers. None at all. She knew how he’d made her feel earlier today when he’d comforted her after that attack...but she’d never know how Slade felt, good or bad. That man wore a coat of armor like a true knight. And he was good at rescuing damsels, no doubt.
But he needed to work on the Prince Charming factor a little more. Not that it mattered to Kaitlin. She’d given up on men a long time ago, since her work took up most of her time. She poured all of her love on the animals she trained. Maybe she was a lot more like Slade McNeal than she realized.
Now, wide awake and restless, Kaitlin got up and tugged her terry cloth robe over her flowered pajamas. Her throat burned like a parched desert. She needed a glass of water.
Opening the door slowly, so she wouldn’t wake the whole house, she sent Warrior a command to stay. The big dog gave her a reluctant look, then curled back into a ball of fur.
Moonlight guided her up the wide hallway toward the kitchen. Remembering where Slade had put the glasses, Kaitlin found a juice glass in the cabinet and then ran some water from the sink. She quenched her thirst and turned to stare over at the big plastic storage box under the window.
And heard a definite clearing of someone’s throat behind her.
* * *
Slade watched as Kaitlin pivoted, the glass in her hand, and stared out into the darkness. “Who’s there?”
Hating the quiver in her voice, he pushed away from the rolltop desk in the corner of the den and stood. “It’s me. Slade. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He heard her inhale a breath. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”
“I didn’t. I was sitting here in the quiet. I didn’t know anyone else would be up.”
She walked into the moonlight and his heart stopped.
Her hair was down and tumbling in a shimmering honey-colored ribbon. Her robe was white but her pajamas had some sort of flower sprigs all over them. She looked young and vulnerable and beautiful.
But he didn’t come out of the darkness to tell her that.
He couldn’t move. He didn’t know how to begin to flirt with a woman. He was old and bitter and washed up.
“What are you doing?” she asked. Then she drained the glass of water.
“Well, I was sitting here at my desk in my house, minding my own business.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it.”
He stood up and caught her before she shot back up the hall. “Hey, are you all right?”
She looked down at his hand holding her wrist. “I thought I was. But...I keep seeing that man’s eyes. I keep remembering that gun at my head.”
Slade didn’t stop to think. He tugged her close. “You’ve been through a bad experience. It’s just nerves. You know you can talk to a counselor, right?”
She backed up and stared at him. “Yes, I know that. And that’s very good advice.”
He let her go. “You mean for myself, too, right?”
“And for Caleb. It might help.”
“We’ve been that route,” he said. “But when he’s with you, he seems better.” He didn’t dare move any closer. “I’ve always wondered how you two bonded so fast, but I think I understand now. You lost your mother, too. What happened?”
A deep sigh shuddered through her. “She was a veterinarian and she was working late one night, sitting with a sick animal. A drug addict managed to talk his way in the back door. He attacked her with a surgical instrument after she didn’t give him the kind of drugs he wanted. She bled to death right there on the floor.”
Slade let out his own wobbly sigh. “Goodness. I had no idea.”
“I don’t talk about it much.”
And Slade had specifically asked her to help his son. “I would have found someone else if I’d known—to talk to Caleb. I mean, it has to be hard for you—”
She backed up, shook her head. “I like being around him, letting him get to know the animals. I don’t mind at all. Talking to him makes me feel better, and I just want to help.”
“I know you do. And you’re very persistent about such things.”
She pushed at her hair, tugged at her robe. “I should just mind my own business.”
He didn’t agree with her, but he didn’t encourage her, either. She was right. But he was glad she pushed at him. Somebody needed to hold him accountable. “I don’t mind you helping Caleb. It’s not that—”
“I’m going back to bed now.”
Slade felt the rush of air as she moved away from him.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
“You seem to want to be alone,” she said, her voice a sweet whisper.
“Not tonight,” he replied. “C’mon and sit with me awhile.”
She stood there, hesitating. He could almost feel the conflicting thoughts rushing through her head. He felt the same kind of warning each time he was around the woman.
But she moved, finally. She went to the kitchen and put the glass in the sink and stood there for a minute staring out the window. Then she let out a gasp. “Slade?”
“What?”
“I—I think there’s someone out there.”
FOUR
Slade leaped into action.
Grabbing Kaitlin, he shoved her away from the window. “Stay inside.”
He had his weapon drawn and was out the front door before Kaitlin could inhale. She stood in the shadows, fear and uncertainty clouding her mind until she took a deep breath. Hurrying down the hall, she called out to Warrior. “Come.”
The dog trotted to her side, his tail wagging and his ears lifting. “C’mon, boy,” she said, heading to the front door. She was about to open it and let the dog take the lead when the handle turned.
Backing up, Kaitlin held Warrior by his fur and quieted him. If the kidnapper had come back, she’d let Warrior deal with him this time. The canine sensed her apprehension. He let out a long, low growl.
The door opened and Slade walked in.
Kaitlin let out a sigh of relief and commanded Warrior to stay. “You’re okay?”
“Yes.” He gave Warrior a quick pat. “Someone ran away when I came out the door.”
“Maybe I just imagined I saw someone. Warrior didn’t alert.”
“You didn’t imagine anything. I heard them running and I found footprints in the dirt by the back fence. I think whoever it was hopped the fence and came right into the yard. You probably saw them before Warrior had time to pick up a scent.”