"I can recommend the guy who did one for Pierce. He's reasonable and does a lot of the local businesses."
"Great. I'll call him tomorrow. I don't want to go back and be afraid in my second home. I refuse to let him take that from me."
"He won't. The police will have him behind bars. You can get cameras installed also, with central monitoring. It will be okay."
She looked him straight in the eye, pure emotion seeping into her words. "Yeah, I'll be okay." They sipped their coffee. "The police told me I was reckless because he had a gun."
Dalton sensed she wanted his opinion. "The police don't see too many women like you, Raven. You kept a clear head even though you were scared shitless. You jumped for the opening you had, and you knew going in the back would have lessened your chances of escape."
"Yes, exactly. It wasn't about ego or being reckless. I've trained with Xavier for a while, and we've gone over various scenarios. I went with my gut, and that's what I've always been taught." She propped her elbows on the table and stared out the window into the darkness. "I told you I traveled a lot. I also partied with strangers, bunked in odd places, and saw a lot of stuff. I didn't have a college degree, but I had street smarts. I was lucky. I have no bad stories to tell, though something crappy happened to my best friend during our exploration days. She had to learn to live with it."
"We're supposed to make a lot of mistakes, or we're not really living."
She squeezed his hand. "Yeah. I don't regret jumping on my opportunity to take down that asshole, and I won't apologize for it."
"Agreed. You have the heart of a warrior. Like Xena."
She wrinkled her nose. "Like Xena? The warrior princess from back in the day?"
"Hell yeah. In that tight black leather, riding her horse. H-O-T."
A genuine laugh escaped her lips. Dalton smiled back. "I can sleep on your couch tonight."
The statement was really a question. He ached to fall asleep with her wrapped in his arms, safe and secure. Sex had nothing to do with it. But even though they'd been intimate, Raven might need her space after the highs and lows of the night.
She seemed torn, but then made her decision. "I'd appreciate that. Just for tonight."
"You got it."
She left the room and returned with blankets and a pillow. He set himself up on the leather recliner. "Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm perfect. Get some rest, Raven. I'm right here if you need me."
"Thanks."
She disappeared down the hall. Dalton shucked off his T-shirt and shoes, leaving his jeans on since he was naked underneath, and lay down.
It was a good hour of tossing and turning before he realized he wasn't going to be able to sleep and finally gave up. Rolling to his feet, he stretched and quietly went outside to the deck.
He admired the smooth cedar and rustic wraparound. It was obvious Raven spent a lot of time out here. An oversize rattan couch plumped with multicolored cushions brought a sense of feminine fun. The low mosaic table held a Chinese lantern and various scented candles. The two matching chairs and porch swing added to the sense of comfort and peace.
The sky had exploded with light from the stars. Crickets screeched in varying musical tones, and the night was quiet and thick. He dropped onto the couch and stretched out, looking up. No clouds marred the sharp horizon. The humidity had finally passed, leaving a cooler waft of air to float and rise, bringing the heavy scents of earth mixed with smoke and touches of hydrangea. Twigs snapped in the distance, and a long, sad howl rose in the air to linger.
He didn't know how long he was out there before he heard the scrape of the screen door. "Want some company?"
She shifted back and forth on bare feet. She was wrapped in a thick white comforter that trailed behind her, clad in a black T-shirt with the My Place logo on the front. The fabric hit her knees and swallowed her whole. Her hair was a messy tumble around her face. His heart squeezed. "Always."
He held out his hand. She opened her blanket and climbed onto his lap like they were long-term lovers, easy with one another, two parts of a whole. She stretched out on top of him and cuddled against his chest, her long legs interweaved with his, her body warmth seeping into his bare skin. An aching tenderness sliced through him. He drew in a breath. Her scent made his head spin.
"What perfume do you use?" he asked.
"Huh? Oh, I don't like perfume. I use some type of sandalwood body lotion. Same with the shampoo. It's organic."
She was too fucking adorable.
Sandalwood. He'd never forget that scent as long as he lived. Arms wrapped tight around her body, he cuddled with her. "When I was young, I had a big fight with my father, who called me useless. My mother lit into him, but the damage was done. I always felt like the odd man out in the crew. Maybe because I was the youngest. Cal was the favorite, Tristan handled Dad in this controlled way that worked, but I was a bit of a hothead. Anyway, my mother came to my room while I was sulking and trying to lose myself in video game world, and gave me a telescope. Nothing big, it was just a simple handheld one."