she was laying Chloe back in her crib.
“Did they find anything?” she whispered as she came back out, closing Chloe’s door behind her.
“There was definitely a footprint under your kitchen window and some of the wiring to all the units had been tampered with down at the box by the street.”
“Why? Do the police have any idea who it is?”
“It looks like it’s probably some high-school kids trying to make trouble. They’ve had other similar calls around town this week.”
Some of the tension eased from Summer’s shoulders. Stupid kids were just stupid kids.
Now that the immediate danger was past, Ashton could feel every bruise and burn on his body from the electrical shocks earlier today. God, he was tired.
Evidently it showed.
She touched him gently on his arm. “Thank you for coming over here tonight. I was a mess.”
“No, you were fine. Anyone would be a little frightened in these circumstances. Kids didn’t mean any harm, but that doesn’t mean it’s not scary.” He remembered carrying Summer and Chloe out of that burning warehouse a few months ago. If anyone had logical reason to worry about a masked face in a window, it was her.
She turned away. “I guess so.”
“The power company said they’ll be out here first thing in the morning, so that’s good.”
“Yeah. I’m glad it’s not too cold out yet. We should be able to sleep comfortably.” But her eyes darting around the room said otherwise.
“Summer, are you going to be okay? Do you want me to stay? Camp out here on the couch?”
Or so much more. He wanted to do so much more.
She studied him for a minute but then swallowed whatever it was she’d considered saying. She wrapped her arms around herself. “No. You’re tired, I can tell. We’ll be fine. Like you said, just kids, no danger.”
Disappointment hit Ashton in the gut. He hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted her to ask him to stay. Even if it had just been on the couch.
In any other situation, he’d just tell her that was what he was doing regardless. He’d wink at her and offer to be her own personal SWAT security.
And tell her she was welcome to join him on the couch if she got scared at any time. Or he’d be happy to bring the security detail into her bedroom.
But he couldn’t laugh and wink and make jokes and charm his way into staying.
There were too many secrets between them. Too many lies.
He walked over to the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow to make sure the power got turned back on. If not, I can call the power company again.”
“I’m sure it will be.” She opened the door and looked at him again like she wanted to say something, but then her gaze slid to the ground. “Thanks again, Ashton.”
He touched her arm, wanting to do so much more than that.
“Good night.”
He heard the door shut and lock behind him and he walked down to his truck. He eased his sore body into it then, staring back at her condo, started the ignition.
Then promptly turned it back off.
He wasn’t leaving her.
Yeah, it was probably just kids trying to scare people, but Ashton didn’t care. On the off chance it was someone with a more sinister intent directed at Summer, he wasn’t leaving her alone.
He slid his seat back in an effort to get more comfortable inside his truck.
It was going to be a long night.
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