gratitude and graciousness about everything. One would never know the awfulness of what she’d recently gone through. She wasn’t clingy or needy or even all that shaken.
At least, not with him.
But she had slept with Dare, in the platonic sense, so she must still be feeling the effects of her ordeal.
Since he’d never before considered Dare to be a coddler of any kind, it was a pretty incredible setup.
Chris couldn’t help but wonder how long the nonphysical aspect of their bond would last.
So far today, she’d done her utmost to stay out of his way. In fact, other than watching her on the monitors whenever possible while she was outside, he’d barely seen her since she’d eaten breakfast.
For hours she’d strolled around the grounds. She’d stayed within the fenced perimeter, but that encompassed a lot of woods and rugged land. Molly Alexander wasn’t a princess or she wouldn’t have hiked and communed with nature for so long.
She’d also walked along the shore, skipping rocks, examining leaves, testing the chill in the water with her toes. She appeared to like the outdoors as much as Dare did.
Late March had brought an uncharacteristic warm spell, with daytime temps hitting in the low- to mid-sixties. Combined with the bright sunshine, it felt more like early summer than spring. Chris could understand why she’d wanted to get some fresh air. But most women would have been bored in no time.
Not Molly.
She played with the dogs by throwing their Frisbee and then racing them down the hill a few times, laughing all the way. When Sargie knocked her down, Chris waited for her to complain, to push the dog away and scold her.
Instead she sat there in the dirt and leaves and smiled.
She appeared to love the dogs, which meant that Dare was a goner for sure, whether he knew it yet or not.
At one point late in the day, Molly came in to find a brush for the dogs, then went back out to sit peacefully on the dock, grooming first Sargie and then Tai. The girls loved to be brushed and gladly allowed the attention. Most importantly, Dare wasn’t around, so Chris knew this wasn’t a female ploy to get on his good side through his precious girls.
Nope, Molly was just being Molly, genuine and honest and straightforward, and that was powerful enough to level any guy.
Off and on, Chris checked on her, but Molly stayed there on the dock for a long time, just taking in the serenity of nature.
Chris understood her awe, because he’d done the same many times. The way the setting sun cast long red ribbons across the surface of the lake could mesmerize him still. Little by little, the sun sank lower behind the western hills in a blazing crimson display that slowly faded to golden, then gray, until everything turned dim and chilly.
Because he’d been keeping tabs on her, Chris wasn’t surprised when she poked her head around the door to the library.
“Chris?”
“Hmm?” One of his last chores for the day was refilling the paper trays to the many printers throughout the house. He looked up and found her windblown, rosy-cheeked and looking quite adorable again. “Had enough fresh air?”
Her smile charmed him. “I had no idea that being on a lake was so …”
“Relaxing?”
She nodded. “The sounds and smells and the incredible quiet … It sort of saps all the tension away.”
Meaning she’d been tense? Well, of course she had. Dare had left her alone in strange surroundings when she was still battered and uncertain of her safety. Chris understood Dare’s motives, but did Molly? And even if she did, would that make it any easier?
Chris stored the remainder of the paper in a drawer and started toward her. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
She hugged her arms around herself. “After the sun set, it started to get pretty chilly out there. I’d love a nice soak to warm up again.” She bit her lip. “Would it be okay if I used the tub? I mean, the Jacuzzi tub in Dare’s room? Or would he prefer that I didn’t—”
“Of course you can.” Dare would love for her to make use of his tub. If he called, Chris just might tell him about it. That thought forced him to bite back a grin. “Do you know where everything is? Towels, soap …?”
“Dare already showed me.” She hesitated. “Is there anything you wanted me to do to help out around here? I could do that first. I wouldn’t mind pitching in—”
“I’ve got it covered.” He shooed her on her way. “Go, relax, enjoy. When you’re done, you really should get something to eat, though.” If he didn’t keep her fed and well hydrated, Dare would have his head.
“I will, thanks.” She took off, again with the dogs trailing her.
A few minutes later, Chris heard the hum of the Jacuzzi tub in Dare’s room. If Dare were here, he’d go nuts thinking of her in there, all wet and relaxed among swirling bubbles.
Chris shook his head before making the rounds, checking the monitors first, then checking Dare’s messages both on the phone and on the computer. One of his duties was to sort out the emails, answering what he could and flagging those that required a personal reply.
Over an hour later, just when he was starting to worry that she’d fallen asleep in the tub, the jets turned off. Chris paused, listening, forgetting what he was doing for the moment. A glance at the clock showed it was after 8:00 p.m.
Now that she’d finished with her bath, she’d be at loose ends again, and, for all his many talents, he had no idea what to do with her. He hoped like hell that Dare would make it home soon.
Not ten minutes later she poked her head into the kitchen, where he busied himself by taking inventory of groceries and cleaning supplies that he’d need to pick up tomorrow. Dare had a cleaning crew that came in once a month to really get things spic-and-span, but between those highly supervised visits, everyday tidying fell to Chris.
Tai and Sargie remained Molly’s shadows, bemusing Chris. Usually, when Dare wasn’t around, the girls stuck close to him. They’d never met a person they didn’t love, but they seemed especially taken with Molly.
Her damp, pinned-up hair left little wisps curling around her ears and nape and showed off sharp cheekbones, a refined jaw and an innate elegance. It also emphasized the marks of mistreatment that remained on her soft skin. He couldn’t forget, even for a second, how badly she’d been abused.
Straightening to face her, Chris asked, “Enjoy your bath?”
“Yes, thank you. I might have to invest in one of those tubs. It was heavenly.” She moseyed over to a chair but didn’t sit. The dogs followed her, so she knelt down to pet them both and ended up with Sargie knocking her to her butt.
Molly just laughed and let Sargie crawl across her lap.
“Do you think Dare will mind that I borrowed his hoodie?” She pulled together the unzipped front of the sweatshirt. “I was a little chilled after that hot bath, but I don’t really have too many clothes
