They returned her smile, nodded and gave Jason “you’ve done it now” smiles before walking out of the kitchen.
It was then that she turned her attention back to Jason. “Now then, Jason, let’s not be ridiculous. You are not sleeping in your barn just so I can sleep under your roof. I’m staying right here.”
She could tell he did not appreciate his order not being obeyed when she saw his irritation with her increase. “Have you forgotten someone threw a rock through your window with a note demanding you leave town?”
She nibbled a minute on her bottom lip. “No, I didn’t forget the rock or the note attached to it, but I can’t let them think they’ve won by running away. I admit to being a little frightened at first but I’m fine now. Marvin is having the window replaced and I’ll keep lights shining around here all night. And don’t forget Marvin sleeps in the bunkhouse each night so technically, I won’t be here by myself. I’ll be fine, but I appreciate your concern.”
Jason stared at her for a moment and didn’t say anything. He hadn’t lied about aging twenty years when he’d gotten that call from Pam. He had walked into her house not knowing what to expect. The thought that someone wanted her gone bothered him, because he knew she wasn’t going anywhere and that meant he needed to protect her.
“Fine, you stay inside here and I’ll sleep in your barn,” he finally said.
She shook her head after crossing her arms over her chest. “You won’t be sleeping in anyone’s barn. You’re going to sleep in your own bed tonight and I intend to sleep in mine.”
“Fine,” he snapped like he was giving in to her suggestion when he wouldn’t do anything of the sort. But if she wanted to think it he would let her. “I need to take you to Pam’s to show her and the others you’re okay and in one piece.”
A smile touched her lips. “They were worried about me?”
She seemed surprised by that. “Yes, everyone was worried.”
“In that case let me grab my purse.”
“I’ll be waiting outside,” he said to her fleeing back.
He shook his head and slowly left the kitchen and walked through the dining room to the living room where Marvin and a couple of the men were replacing the window. They had cleaned up all the broken glass but a scratch mark on the wooden floor clearly showed where the rock had landed once it entered the house.
He drew in a sharp breath at the thought of Bella getting hit by that rock. If anything would have happened to her he would have…
At that moment he wasn’t sure just what he would do. The thought of anything happening to her sent sharp fear through him in a way he’d never known before. Why? Why were his feelings for her so intense? Why was he so possessive when it came to her?
He shrugged off the responses that flowed through his mind, not ready to deal with any of them. He walked out the front door to where Zane and Derringer were waiting.
“You aren’t really going to let her stay here unprotected?” Derringer asked, studying his features.
Jason shook his head. “No.”
“And why can’t the two of you stay under the same roof?” Zane asked curiously.
“None of your business.”
Zane chuckled. “If you don’t give me an answer I’m going to think things.”
That didn’t move Jason. “Think whatever you want.” He then checked his watch. “I hate to do this but I’m checking out for the rest of the day. I intend to keep an eye on Bella until Pete finds out who threw that rock through her window.”
“You think Kenneth Bostwick had something to do with it?” Derringer asked.
“Not sure, but I hope for his sake he didn’t,” Jason said in a voice laced with tightly controlled anger.