I swallow and stare at him. “I want you to take me on a romantic date.”
He looks disgusted. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. No one has ever taken me on a date that was beautiful, like the movies.”
His top lip curls. “I’m not dancing.”
I laugh. “Okay, handsome.”
“Not lighting candles.”
“Candles are a must.”
He frowns and mutters, “Fuck me.”
I can’t hide my grin. “I guess you’d better win, then, huh?”
He flashes me a quick, sexy look. “Oh baby, I’ll win.”
Challenge accepted.
*
We roll into Colorado Springs just after lunchtime. Raide stops at a gas station, and we fill up the tank, grab some sandwiches and shakes, then we’re back on the road. Raide tells me his cabin isn’t far, another hour or so, up into the mountains a little more. I fall asleep as soon as I’m finished with my sandwich and wake up only when we arrive at Raide’s cabin.
It’s gorgeous, with thick trees, the sounds of running streams, and a breeze that washes my hair back. I close my eyes, breathing it in. Then I get out of the car, stretch, and stare at the cabin in front of me. It’s not huge, but it looks homey—the perfect vacation retreat. I could imagine coming up here to escape the everyday tortures of life.
Raide comes around the car and takes my hand, pulling me up toward the cabin. He jostles some keys and then shoves one into the lock. With a loud squeak, the door opens. He steps in, fiddles about, and then flicks on the lights.
I gasp. Oh. Wow.
I’ve seen some beautiful places in my life, but nothing like this. It’s a cabin in it’s truest form. Exposed logs on the inside as well on the outside, one large living space, windows all around, and a patio running across the front length. There are no walls, the only separation is for a shower and toilet in the far right corner. Everything else is out in the open. The kitchen, the living, the bedroom, the fireplace.
Oh God. “This is—” I stop to catch my breath. “Amazing.”
“Took a long time to get it like this,” Raide says, walking in and dumping our bags beside the large bed.
“You’ve done an amazing job, Raide. It’s perfect. Where do you get the money to do all this? It must cost a lot.”
I don’t realize how rude my question is until it pops from my mouth. He doesn’t seem offended, he just shrugs. “I worked hard getting a job as soon as I could. I saved every penny, never spent anything on myself. This place, it mattered from the moment I saw it, and so I poured all my savings into it.”
Makes sense. “That’s nice.” I smile softly.
He walks over, reaching out and hooking his arm around me. He pulls me close, moving his arm down to my waist. He leans down, brushing his lips across my forehead. There he murmurs, “Go and shower or take a bath, and I’ll make some food.”
“There’s food here?” I breathe.
“Yeah, lady, got some neighbors. Told them I was comin’, they stocked the fridge.”
“Doesn’t seem like you’d have neighbors up here.”
He grins. “They live about twenty minutes west.”
“Oh.”
“Shower, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I turn and find the suitcase. I dig through until I find a pair of cotton shorts and a tank, then I go into the bathroom. It’s gorgeous. The walls are of the same wood as the rest of the cabin, the shower is double, and a bath sits right below a beautiful big window. You wouldn’t even have to worry about someone seeing you out here. I strip off and turn the shower on, stepping in and sighing.
As the water washes over me, I think about Raide and the situation I’ve gotten myself into. It’s risky, but I can’t deny there are feelings building in my heart for him, and I want to help him. I know what my job is, and I know the risk I’m taking, but Raide deserves someone to at least try to help him. I’ve still got a few weeks till the deadline. If I can use some of my contacts, I might be able to get something to help him. Either way, he’s got to go in, but if I find something to prove he’s innocent, he might just be able to get back out and we’ll be closer to getting the right man put away.
I flick the thoughts from my mind for now and decide to push the guilt away and just enjoy these next few days. It’ll be over before I know it, and I’ll be forced to make a damned hard choice. I take a towel from the rack and turn off the shower. I dry off, get dressed, and then run a brush through my hair. When I’m presentable, I head back out. Raide is standing in the kitchen, whisking what I’m assuming is eggs.
“A man who cooks—I must say I’m shocked.” I grin.
Raide’s lips curve up into a sexy half smile. “I’ll have you know I’ve evolved quite well.”
I giggle. “So you’re not going to throw me over your shoulder and carry me off to your cave?”
He chuckles while whisking. “It’s not a bad idea, might help to fix that sassy mouth of yours.”
“I am not sassy,” I gasp, but keep the smile on my face.