didn’t need fancy, and neither did Bruce.
“It doesn’t look like a church.”
He watched her smooth her unruly curls, tossed by the wind. It distracted him, and made him think of things he shouldn’t. He shook his head. “In the same way that I don’t look like a preacher?”
“Just the opposite. It’s too plain to be a church.” She lightly elbowed him. “And you’re too hunky to be a preacher.”
Plenty of women had teased and flirted with him, but he’d never paid much attention, never lost sight of the fact that they needed him and depended on him. With Cyn, it was different and he had to deliberately keep his mind off taboo speculation. With her, he didn’t just see the bravado of a woman covering past hurts. He saw long, silky hair and warm, smooth skin. He smelled her—the scent of woman, more provocative than any manufactured perfume. He enjoyed her bold gaze, the tilt of her sexy mouth…“Did I mention that my father was a preacher, too?”
Thank God, she’d been unaware of his intimate perusal. She smiled without a care. “Does he look like you?”
Mentioning his family would hopefully help him keep his head. “Not really. He’s darker. My brother and I got our fair hair from our mother, but our brown eyes from Dad.”
“Dad’s gotta love the bounty hunter, huh?”
Bruce enjoyed her teasing. “We’re very proud of Bryan. He helps people, same as we try to do. It’s just that his methods are…a little different.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” She winked at him. “So, where are we going to eat?”
“The construction crew’s managed to leave most of my living quarters around back untouched. It’s small, but then I’m only one person. I don’t need much space.”
“Lead the way.” But when Cyn went to take a step, she stumbled, and Bruce saw a grimace on her face.
She was hurt more than she wanted to admit, stubborn woman. “Lean on me, and I’ll help you inside.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
Even though she held herself stiffly—due more to pride than discomfort at his closeness, he was sure—he was very aware of her softness, of how slight she felt against his side, the heat of her small body. The top of her head aligned with his mouth, and he fought the instinct to plant a small kiss on her forehead.
She was dead tired, had probably been on the road for hours, but she still smelled fresh and spicy and so much like a woman that Bruce almost stumbled, too.
As they passed the side of the church, she noticed the crumbled wall where plastic had been tacked up to protect against the weather. “You sleep in there with your house open?”
“Visitation isn’t exactly a hotbed of crime, and it’s not for long. They’re saying within a month, but it’ll probably take longer. I’m learning that in construction, a month often means three months. A very nice glass block niche will go there. Shay, my sister-in-law, donated the money for it. We’ll use it as a sunny play area for the little ones who come to church with their parents.”
“She donated that, huh?”
“Did I mention that Shay was filthy rich?” He grinned. “She could probably buy the whole town, but instead, she’s been running amuck making improvements everywhere. Thanks to her, we’ve been able to hold services in the basement of the only local bank. She’s paying the rental fee until the church is complete.”
Bruce unlocked the door that led into his kitchen. Warmth greeted them, along with the scents of sawdust and drywall. He flipped on the inside light. “Here we are. Why don’t you sit down and rest your ankle.”
He glanced at her, winced at the dirt still on her face and clothes, and pulled out a kitchen chair for her. “You’re a mess, young lady. Sit still and let me get you a few damp cloths.”
“Thanks.” Once Cyn was seated, she kicked off her sandals again and bent to look at her ankle, while saying, “You’re a man who housed hookers, with a preacher for a father, a bounty hunter for a brother, and a wealthy sister-in-law. Your life must never be boring.”
What an understatement. Much of the past year had been chaotic, sometimes frightening, and full of change. “You should meet some of my friends here in Visitation.” He returned to her with two damp dishcloths. “Hold still.”
She held up her hands. “See these? They make it easy for me to do my own bathing.”
Bruce winced. “There’s no mirror down here, and I doubt you’re up to climbing the stairs. As to these hands…” He laid the cloths down and caught both her wrists, examining her palms. In places, they were scraped raw, probably from her fall in the woods. She had dirt under her nails, scratches and scrapes.
Bruce pulled her upright and practically carried her to the kitchen sink a few feet away. Her bulky purse was between them. “You can leave your purse on the table.”
“It goes where I go.”
“What about when you sleep?”
She patted it. “Makes a nice pillow.”
Bruce rolled his eyes. She must have something mighty important inside that she thought to protect with her person. “Suit yourself, but it pains me to be thought a thief.”
“Yeah, well, it’d pain me more to lose it.”
Did she have her entire life in that bag? It was possible, so Bruce let it drop. Trust would come in time.
Feeling bedeviled by his own wayward musings, he stood beside her, supervising while she washed away the dirt and small streaks of dried blood on her tender palms.
When she saw his frown, she said, “Relax, Lancelot. It’s no biggie.”
How many hurts in her life had she dismissed as no biggie? Her stomach rumbled, breaking his troubled thoughts enough that Bruce laughed. “I can take a hint.”
While she finished washing, he opened the refrigerator and took out a covered container. “Leftover chicken, broiled potatoes, and string beans sound good?”
“Like heaven.” She returned to the table, pulled a chair around, and propped up her legs, making herself at home. “So tell me about your friends.”
Bruce began preparing a plate to go in the microwave. “There’s Joe Winston. Now, you want to talk about a man with a colorful past, Joe fits the bill. He’s been a police officer, a PI, a bounty hunter, and a bodyguard. Now he’s married to Luna, and together they run a recreational lake here in Visitation. It’s further out, very private and very beautiful.” He turned and watched her running her fingers through her hair, attempting to untangle it.
Wishing he could do that for her, he cleared his throat. “You remember the deputy I told you about? Scott Royal.”
“Cops tend to stick in my mind.”
“Scott’s a deputy, but you seldom see the sheriff, so if you need the law, odds are it’ll be Scott. He’s a nice guy, but he goes bonkers whenever Joe’s sister, Alyx,
