“I agree.”
“On that note—” she pushed back her chair “—it’s time for me to go home.”
Zach wanted to beg her to stay. Partly because he hated the idea of her spending even one more night alone, waiting for her phone to ring or the scratch of a branch at her window. Or a whole lot worse.
But, maybe even more, because he wanted to take her to bed.
Except for holding her hand while he told her more than he’d ever told another person about his past, he had managed not to touch Tess. She’d made her feelings about it clear. He felt like a jerk when he caught himself thinking about how he could undermine her resolve.
Besides, tonight was a whack upside the head. He’d peeled himself open for her. He felt raw enough without risking the possibility that sex with her would be as different from anything he’d experienced as tonight’s dinner-table conversation had been. Tess threatened his resolve never to fully trust anyone, to never give another person the ability to hurt him. To never even toy with the idea that he was in love.
For an instant he lost the ability to breathe. Because he had the shattering fear that it might already be too late.
And walking away from Tess Granath, even if that’s what it took to save himself, was not currently an option.
He stood, too, and said, “I’ll follow you home. And walk you in, just to be sure no one else is already waiting for you.”
Nothing like feeling the need to scare a woman.
But this one only nodded and said, again, “Thank you,” before looking around for her handbag.
* * *
TESS SAT IN her car, waiting for Zach. He parked openly in her driveway, got out of his pickup and walked into the garage. He reached for her door handle as she pushed the remote to start the garage door going down.
And, call her a coward, but she let him enter the house first. He’d changed out of his uniform before he’d started dinner, but Tess had seen him tuck a handgun into the waistband at the small of his back before they’d left his house.
He didn’t pull it out now, but from the minute he stepped into her kitchen he moved in a silent, purposeful way that was unfamiliar to her. It made her think of a cat stalking prey. He was alert, focused, radiating intensity.
Tess turned on the kitchen light and stood with her back to the island as Zach vanished into the dark living room. It would be smart, or at least reassuring, to start leaving lights on even when she expected to be home before dark, she decided. She imagined how terrifying it would have been to enter the completely dark house alone.
Although she strained to hear his progress, Zach was absolutely quiet. He apparently didn’t turn on lights as he went, either. She quit breathing as she listened.
Suddenly the hall light did come on and a moment later he walked back into the kitchen from the dining room, as casual as if he hadn’t, only moments before, been ready to take down an intruder.
“No sign of visitors,” he reported.
It was embarrassing that she felt compelled to ask... “Did you look in the closets?”
He smiled. “I did. You’re a neat freak.”
Her chin came up. “It’s called being organized.”
Oh, God. He’d leave now.
Of course he would leave now, she told herself before saying, “I’ll lock up behind you.”
Nothing happened last night, she reminded herself. Maybe they’d given up now that she hadn’t changed her story.
She’d feel more confident about her theory if Zach felt the same, but he didn’t. Unless he planned to install those cameras mostly to reassure her?
Right.
He was quiet until they reached the front door. Then he faced her.
“You know how fast I can get here.”
Her heartbeat kicked up a gear. No, the cameras weren’t the equivalent of warm milk at bedtime.
She managed what she hoped was a saucy smile. “If you get a speeding ticket, I’ll pay it.”
Zach grinned. “They’d have to catch me before they could issue a ticket.”
Tess rolled her eyes.
His smile died. He didn’t move, just stood looking at her. With only the single lamp on in this room, the shadows beneath his cheekbones were pronounced, his eyes dark.
“I don’t want to leave you, Tess.” His voice was low and gravelly.