I nod my acceptance and slowly shut the door, immediately bolting the locks and putting the safety chain on, knowing he won’t leave until he hears them all shift into place. Then I spend too long staring down the long hallway to the back kitchen, waiting for the familiar, comforting sound of Nan pottering around. Of course, it never comes, so I resort to closing my eyes and imagining her there. After standing motionless for an age, I finally convince my depleted body to carry me towards the stairs.
But I pull to an abrupt halt when there’s a knock on the front door. With a furrowed brow, I move towards it and go to unbolt the locks, but something halts me. It’s Miller’s voice telling me not to answer to anyone. I draw breath to ask who it is and quickly stop myself. Instinct?
Stepping silently back from the door, I sneak into the lounge and approach the bay window. My senses are all on high alert. I feel apprehensive, nervous, and I jump a mile when the door is rapped again. ‘Fucking hell!’ I blurt, probably too loudly. My damn heart bangs relentlessly in my chest as I tiptoe towards the window and peek past the curtain.
A face appears.
‘Fuck!’ I screech, staggering back from the window. I clutch my chest, heaving shocked breaths while allowing my eyes and mind to register a face I recognise. ‘Ted?’ I gasp, my face screwing up in confusion. He smiles that fond smile and gives his head a little flick towards the front door before he’s gone from view. I roll my eyes and swallow in an attempt to push my heart down from my throat. ‘Trying to give me frigging heart failure,’ I mutter, making my way to the front door, knowing for sure that he’s been here the whole time since Miller left, on lookout.
I unbolt the door and swing it open. A body barrels towards me, and I barely jump out of the way in time. ‘Shit!’ I cry, pinning myself to the wall of the hallway. My poor heart hasn’t yet recovered from the shock of Ted’s face at the window.
Miller pushes past me with his suitcase and dumps it at the bottom of the stairs.
‘Was Ted keeping guard?’ I ask, wanting confirmation. Am I to expect this all the time? My own personal bodyguard?
‘Did you honestly think I would leave you alone?’ Miller strides past me again, my head turning and following his path until I’m watching his back getting farther away as he stalks down the pathway to Ted, who’s closing the boot of the Lexus. ‘Thank you.’ Miller passes Ted his keys before offering a hand to William’s driver.
‘Most welcome.’ Ted smiles and shakes Miller’s hand, then looks past Miller to me. ‘Good evening, Miss Taylor.’
‘Evening,’ I murmur, watching Miller turn and return up the garden path. Ted slides into the driver’s seat and is gone in the blink of an eye. Then the world disappears as Miller shuts the front door and secures the locks.
‘We need to upgrade security,’ he grumbles, turning to find my dumbstruck face. ‘You OK?’
I blink repeatedly, looking from the door to him, back and forth. ‘There are two bolts, a Yale, a mortise, and a chain.’
‘And I still got past it,’ he says, reminding me of the occasions when he broke into my home, just to get his thing.
‘Because I looked out the window, saw it was Ted, and then opened the door,’ I retort.
He smiles his acknowledgement to my sass but doesn’t retaliate.
‘I need a shower.’
‘I’d love to join you,’ he whispers, low and primal, stepping forward. My arms drop and my blood heats. He takes another step forward. ‘I’d love to settle my hands on your wet shoulders and work them over every breathtaking inch of your body until there’s only space in that beautiful mind of yours for me.’
He’s succeeded already and he hasn’t even touched me yet, but I nod anyway and stand quietly until he’s before me, lifting me to his body. I wrap around him and my face sinks into his neck as he climbs the stairs and takes us to the bathroom, setting me on my feet once we arrive. I smile and lean over to turn the water on, then begin stripping down. ‘There isn’t much room,’ I say, tossing my clothes into the wash basket one by one until I’m naked.
His head bobs a little on an agreeable nod, and he takes the hem of his T-shirt and pulls it up over his head. The muscles of his stomach and chest roll as a result of the move, keeping my focus on his torso. My tired eyes blink a few times, then drop to his legs when he peels off his jeans. I sigh dreamily.
‘Earth to Olivia.’ The softness of his tone pulls my eyes to his, and I smile, stepping forward to place my palm on the centre of his chest. After a physically and mentally draining day, I just need to feel him and take my comfort from touching him.
I’m allowed to trace the planes of his chest, my eyes following the slow path I’m making, Miller’s head dropped to watch me. I feel his hands rest on my waist lightly, like he’s being careful not to disturb my thoughtful motions. My touch drifts up to his shoulders, onto his neck, and across his dark jaw until I’m at his full, mesmerising lips. They part slowly and my finger slips between them, my head tilting a little on a diminutive smile when he bites down lightly.
Then our eyes meet and a million unspoken words collide between us. Love. Adoration. Passion. Desire. Want. Need . . .